Gabriel.”
“Okay, okay sorry.”
Gabriel knew when Matty was mad and right now it was a bit more than that. Gabriel knew he only got this mad when it came to Nicolette; he got mad the same way when Nico came over to their house crying once. Boy, did that kid ever get the beating of his life. When Matty was that mad, no one dared try him or even push him because he’d end up socking you and it hurt.
Gabriel quickly wiped the smirk off his face and went about his business, engaging everyone in a different conversation so that Matty didn’t think about him and Nico at all. He did not want to face his big brother today.
A few hours later, it was finally time for everyone to start heading out. Nico was exhausted from being around everyone all day; it was time for her to go home and watch TV for the rest of her Christmas as she did each year since Tommy left. Before he left, they used to stay at their parents’ house and watch Christmas movies until they fell asleep, but today she wanted to be alone. She was still in a foul mood and she thought the best way for her to get out of that mood was to be by herself.
“Well, guys, I think I’m heading out. Merry Christmas everyone, and have a good night.”
“Nico?” Gabriel knew that Nico was in one of her pissy moods and that meant she would go home and ignore everyone until she felt like she could talk to them again. He hated when she was like that because then he didn’t have his buddy around to bug him or worse; she would ignore him too and isolate herself from the whole wide world.
“Yes, Gabriel?”
“Going so soon?”
“Yep, I’m tired and you guys all look tired too.”
“Well, are you leaving, Roxy?”
Gabriel knew that he was teasing Nico, and Nico didn’t care if Roxy stayed. She seemed to fit in pretty well with everybody. Plus she was still chatting it up with Matty. What’s the point in taking her away from that? Nico didn’t get the hint that Gabriel was throwing at her. And although Roxy seemed super interested in Matty, Matty did not care much about her. He just wanted to be left alone for the night to just crash and sleep his anger away. He was still angry and it was about two hours after brunch. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to go back with Nico, but he definitely didn’t want to stay with his brothers; that would just make him more upset. So he decided to take the opportunity and hoped she didn’t shut him down.
“Don’t worry, Gabe, I’ll go with her. Plus, we still need to talk a lot about this proposition. Right, Nicolette?”
Nicolette didn’t want to look at Matty, but as soon as he said her full name, she knew he was mad. She slowly turned her head and saw how angry he was. Unless you knew Matty pretty well, you wouldn't know how furious he was. Nicolette could tell from the tone of his voice, the way he addressed her, and the vein that was popping out of his forehead. It wouldn’t be good or safe if Nico tried to upset him more right now. He would never hurt her, but she was afraid he would hurt someone else and she didn’t want that at all. She was too tired to break up a fight, so she decided to give in.
She turned to face Gabriel. “Yeah, Gabe, I’ll call you tomorrow and as for Roxy, I’ll drop her off. She told me she is going to her sister’s house. She lives ten minutes from me.”
“Okay then. Well, you guys have a great night.”
Finally everyone said their goodbyes. Even when they were walking to Nico’s car, Roxy and Matty kept engaging in a conversation. It was really starting to bug Nico now. How much can two people who just met have in common? Why don’t they just cab together? All this jealousy was starting to give her a headache.... Oh my God, jealousy, of course, Nico thought. She stopped dead in her tracks and had to think it over again. Was Nicolette Elizabeth Richards jealous? It was way too funny to her so she started laughing like a mad person. She forgot that Roxy and Matty were behind her.
“Okay, okay sorry.”
Gabriel knew when Matty was mad and right now it was a bit more than that. Gabriel knew he only got this mad when it came to Nicolette; he got mad the same way when Nico came over to their house crying once. Boy, did that kid ever get the beating of his life. When Matty was that mad, no one dared try him or even push him because he’d end up socking you and it hurt.
Gabriel quickly wiped the smirk off his face and went about his business, engaging everyone in a different conversation so that Matty didn’t think about him and Nico at all. He did not want to face his big brother today.
A few hours later, it was finally time for everyone to start heading out. Nico was exhausted from being around everyone all day; it was time for her to go home and watch TV for the rest of her Christmas as she did each year since Tommy left. Before he left, they used to stay at their parents’ house and watch Christmas movies until they fell asleep, but today she wanted to be alone. She was still in a foul mood and she thought the best way for her to get out of that mood was to be by herself.
“Well, guys, I think I’m heading out. Merry Christmas everyone, and have a good night.”
“Nico?” Gabriel knew that Nico was in one of her pissy moods and that meant she would go home and ignore everyone until she felt like she could talk to them again. He hated when she was like that because then he didn’t have his buddy around to bug him or worse; she would ignore him too and isolate herself from the whole wide world.
“Yes, Gabriel?”
“Going so soon?”
“Yep, I’m tired and you guys all look tired too.”
“Well, are you leaving, Roxy?”
Gabriel knew that he was teasing Nico, and Nico didn’t care if Roxy stayed. She seemed to fit in pretty well with everybody. Plus she was still chatting it up with Matty. What’s the point in taking her away from that? Nico didn’t get the hint that Gabriel was throwing at her. And although Roxy seemed super interested in Matty, Matty did not care much about her. He just wanted to be left alone for the night to just crash and sleep his anger away. He was still angry and it was about two hours after brunch. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to go back with Nico, but he definitely didn’t want to stay with his brothers; that would just make him more upset. So he decided to take the opportunity and hoped she didn’t shut him down.
“Don’t worry, Gabe, I’ll go with her. Plus, we still need to talk a lot about this proposition. Right, Nicolette?”
Nicolette didn’t want to look at Matty, but as soon as he said her full name, she knew he was mad. She slowly turned her head and saw how angry he was. Unless you knew Matty pretty well, you wouldn't know how furious he was. Nicolette could tell from the tone of his voice, the way he addressed her, and the vein that was popping out of his forehead. It wouldn’t be good or safe if Nico tried to upset him more right now. He would never hurt her, but she was afraid he would hurt someone else and she didn’t want that at all. She was too tired to break up a fight, so she decided to give in.
She turned to face Gabriel. “Yeah, Gabe, I’ll call you tomorrow and as for Roxy, I’ll drop her off. She told me she is going to her sister’s house. She lives ten minutes from me.”
“Okay then. Well, you guys have a great night.”
Finally everyone said their goodbyes. Even when they were walking to Nico’s car, Roxy and Matty kept engaging in a conversation. It was really starting to bug Nico now. How much can two people who just met have in common? Why don’t they just cab together? All this jealousy was starting to give her a headache.... Oh my God, jealousy, of course, Nico thought. She stopped dead in her tracks and had to think it over again. Was Nicolette Elizabeth Richards jealous? It was way too funny to her so she started laughing like a mad person. She forgot that Roxy and Matty were behind her.
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