Page 15 of Big Nick Energy

“Mr. Tall, Handsome, and Built?” I giggled because that’s exactly how I had first described him when I told her about him.

“Yup.”

“And way older than you?”

“Lib—"

“Old-enough-to-be-your-dad older than you?”

“Libby!” I exclaimed, looking over my shoulder to make sure no one was around.

“Am I lying?”

“He’s...” I was at a loss for words. But where everyone thought I was the one who stood up for Libby and watched her back, they didn’t know she did the same for me.

“Sometimes when you were with Noah,” she started to say slowly, “I wondered if you did it because you were bored. Then I’d see his dad around campus or at a game, and I noticed how you watched him. How other guys in our class never called your attention like Mr. Marsh did.”

“Nick,” I corrected.

“It’s okay if you like someone older or you’re into things that maybe… aren’t the norm. Maybe even something I don’t understand because we all have our…”

“Kink?” I guessed. She giggled, and her cheeks turned a bright pink.

“I was going to say thing, but kink works.” I was about to ask if she had something like that, but by the red tinge at the tips of her ears, I already knew the answer. But since she would have that kink with my brother, I thought it best not to ask.Never ask a question if you’re not prepared for the answer.

“What’s age if not a number?” She shrugged, and I leaned into her.

“Am I being stupid?

“For what? For liking someone?”

“No. Yes. I mean, would there be any kind of future with this? Or would this be like some kind of fling? Situationship? Do you think my mom would ever approve of me dating someone her age?”

“Okay, now you need to breathe,” she instructed gently as she stroked my hair. “Your mom might not like the idea of you dating someone older, but at the end fo the day, all she wants is for you and Gris and Hector to be happy.”

“I still can’t believe you call him Hector. Only Mom used to call him that,” I mumbled, and her small body shook with quiet laughter.

“As for if it’s a fling or not… I think that’s a question you gotta ask him. Communication is important.” I knew she was right. I just hated not knowing if it was simply a moment and he hadn’t squared away details because he would flake out or…

“What if he already knows where you live?” she asked, almost like she was reading my mind. I pressed my lips together. I had wondered that, too. I had seen him at the little bookstore by my place and not to mention the coffee shop I liked to go that was walking distance from school and my apartment.

“I don’t know.”

“And you can’t exactly call Noah to see if he can give you his dad’s number,” she said, and when my head rose and our eyes connected, we started to laugh.

“Oh my god!” I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face. “Imagine?” I asked, and we started to laugh all over again. When we caught our breath, I looked at her, and my smile dropped for a moment. “Am I really going to do this?”

“I mean, okay, so say he shows up at your place tomorrow. Will you go with him?”

“Yes.” I didn’t even have to think about the answer. The small word easily slipped past my lips.

“Okay. There you go. Safety wise, just text me where you are, and when you go places, share your location.”

“Lib—” I didn’t get to finish saying her name because she put a hand up between us.

“It’s one thing being stupid in love, another is plain being stupid and reckless. I won’t bug you. But if you need anything, or you change your mind because he’s giving you some kind of weird vibes, text me, and I’ll at least know how to find you.”

“Okay.” I nodded. “You guys aren’t heading back to campus yet?” I asked, and she shook her head.

---