Page 23 of Lost in the Current of You

Nate’s arm tightened around me. “I’ll make sure she’s there, right, ‘Kods?”

I pressed my lips together as I forced my lips to curve. “Sure.”

“Good.” Jake pushed my brother out of the way and wrapped his arms around me. “Nice to meet you, Dakota.”

He bumped his fists with mine before disappearing to his ride. Sage wrapped an arm around me in goodbye, then bumped fists with Nate as he left.

Reece stood in front of me and when I looked up at him, he smiled. But it wasn’t like the ones I had seen all week. It was restrained. Forced.

One arm slid around my shoulders, while the other held the back of my head, as he whispered two words for only me to hear.

“I’m sorry.”

He scrunched up my hair, fizzing up the back, before pulling away. His smile was back to his usual goofy one as he clapped my brother on the back. “Good to see you, dude. I’ll be online when I get home.”

My brother smiled. “Good. I’m going to smoke your ass in Rocket League.”

I rolled my eyes at their mention of video games.

“You wish you were as good as me,” Reece shouted as he walked backward towards his ride. He looked at me and gave us a two-finger salute before turning to load his bags into the taxi, feeling a part of me go with him.

I said my goodbyes to my friends as Nate put away my bags. My head was swirling with the words Reece had whispered to me as I got in the passenger seat and leaned my head back against the headrest. Nate took off shortly after.

I’m sorry.

Sorry for what? Sorry for the almost kiss? Sorry for not kissing me? Sorry for… god what?

He had nothing to be sorry for. We almost kissed. Big deal. Did he wish it never happened? Because I definitely had no clue how to feel. I knew it made my heart beat so fast it felt like it could have beat out of my chest. I knew everything had faded around us, and I only saw him and the way his eyes watched me. I knew my brother and ex would always be a big factor for us. I knew I was half relieved and half disappointed when the megaphone broke us apart. I knew his friendship was all I wanted and ever needed. I didn’t want anything to ruin that like it had before. But what was he thinking?

“What’s wrong with you? Not happy to be back?” I side-eyed Nate, and he pouted. “Not happy to see me?”

I rolled my eyes, and just as my mouth opened to speak, my phone rang. I knew exactly who it was before I even looked. She didn’t have a patient bone in her body.

I sighed deeply, catching my brother’s attention before it dropped to my phone, then returning his to the road.

He hummed. “I guess that’s why you look sour.”

I didn’t say anything. It wasn’t the reason when he asked, but it had definitely turned that way.

“You better answer. It’ll only get worse if you don’t.”

“It already will be,” I mumbled.

I hadn’t been too quiet with my words though, because he reached over and patted my knee twice, both in support, and encouragement.

I took a deep breath, then answered the call.

“Hey, Mum.”

She hummed. “Hello, Dakota.” There was a pause before she talked again. “You’ve been ignoring my texts.”

I chewed on the skin around my thumbnail before my brother slapped my hand away, and I glared at him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean?—”

“Don’t even say you didn’t mean to or that you didn’t get them. I know full well you got them, and you meant to ignore them. I don’t appreciate being ignored, Dakota. I am your mother.”

I swallowed down the urge to say Yeah, now you know how I feel.

“I’m sorry,” were the words I carefully chose instead. I wasn’t brave enough to backchat my mother.

---