Saturday, July 1st, 2017....
*First Draft*

  I pat Miss Frizzles on the head as I pass her, walking through the living room before I open the main door to the house and close it behind me. Jiggling the doorknob a couple times to satisfy my mind that it is indeed locked, I then skip down the few brick steps to the short walkway through our yard.

  Stopping by the passenger side door to the SUV, I pull it open before plopping myself inside. I place my small leather satchel on my lap, smoothing my hair away from my face. Mom starts the vehicle up, looking good in her casual yellow and blue sun dress and black flats she's currently wearing, always being one for going a little more daring compared to me.

I, on the other hand, settled on my best pair of light blue jeans, and a silky navy blue short sleeve shirt with a pair of white slip-ons.

"What took ya? I've been waiting in here for over five minutes." Mom complains as she backs out of our driveway to our quant, city-side house. It's not that incredibly great, but it suits our needs and you won't catch me complaining.

It's kinda cute with its grey-ish green paint, and the way there's a window almost covering each inch of the walls. The upstairs is small enough to only consist of my room and a bathroom, though they aren't too squished all things considering.

"Sorry. Miss Frizzles wouldn't leave me alone so I gave her some tuna to lift her spirits." I lean against the door, gazing out at the scenery I've had memorized for years. "I swear that cat is going to grow fat and die if you keep that up." I can feel Mom's eye roll from where I sit, her well-being for my cat just warming my heart.

You could say Mom isn't really a animal person. Period. When I was growing up here all by myself, I kept pestering her about me possibly getting a dog. Hint after hint after hint.

She absolutely put her foot down when it came to a dog. Though after a few years of persistence, and possibly tears, she finally relented enough and that's how Miss Frizzles came into the family picture.

One of the toughest jobs I've had yet. Mom does not like to budge.

"Then she'll die happy." I say matter of factly, crossing my arms. Mom blows a defeated breath out, glancing over at me. I feel her eyes glaze over my outfit before returning to the road. "You couldn't have, I don't know, dressed up a little...nicer?" She questions, shrugging to herself.

I wave the question away, finding it funny. "Why would I want to dress up?" I ask incredulously. "We're just going to meet up with our distant friends at Chili's. It's not like the restaurant is even that fancy." I give her a, 'What do you take me as' look, raising an eyebrow.

She peaks over at me again. "Alright, alright." She relents, probably knowing there's no point in arguing with this girl here from past experience.

Four minutes later we pull up into the Chili's parking lot, my stomach growling and my nerves once again balling up slightly in my stomach. Only this time they feel more like annoying butterflies.

You saw them yesterday. It's no different. Except Mr. Patrick should be there also. Though he shouldn't be making me feel like this. So what is?

We step out of the vehicle, lugging our satchels with us as we go. Stupid bags woman are forced to carry around for no particular reason. Ugh. Walking into the waiting room, we're met with a perky waiter with a bright smile.

"Hello!" She beams as we stop in front of her little pedestal. "Table for two?" She questions, pulling two menus out. Mom shakes her head. "We're here with the Patricks'." She corrects, and the waiter nods in understanding.

"Follow me." She heads off to the right, and we follow obediently behind her. She leads us off to the area to the far right, and we appear in a more private section. And already seated, with their menus up to their faces, are the Patricks.

All of the Patricks'.

A smile instantly lights up my face as Edward looks up from his menu, his eyes locking with mine. A smile stretches across his, seconds ago, sterner face, and a spark of recognition ignites in his eyes, instantly easing my conscious.

He stands up from his seat, and I rush forward to his open arms. "Eddy!" I squeal as I collide into his hard chest that was most definitely not like that before. His arms wrap around my back, and I wrap mine around his back as I lay my head against his shoulder.

"I missed you." I whisper, holding him a little tighter. He chuckles softly. "Me too, Nicki. Me too." He breathes before pulling back to hold me at arms length. I feel his eyes skim over me, and suddenly I wish I'd taken Mom's advice and dressed up a little nicer.

Darn stubbornness.

He whistles, causing me to blush. I hear a few giggles off to my left, undoubtedly the mothers'. "You've really grown up, Nik." A teasing look grows on his face. "I guess I can't call you twig now, can I?" He jokes. I smirk, reaching up to pat his cheek. "Nah. Though, it looks I can still call you babyface." I wink at his sudden, mildly upset face, patting his shoulder before I turn to face the rest of the gang.

But in all honesty, I couldn't be farther from the truth. Sure his face still has a slightly childish look to it, his large, baby blue eyes only complementing it. But now he stands over six feet tall, his wide shoulders and large biceps a huge contrast to his younger self.

  No. He's most definitely, one-hundred percent.....handsome.

Being the gentleman he apparently is, he pulls the empty chair out next to his, waiting for me to take a seat. I smile up at him, sitting down before I help him scoot my chair up. Mom already sits in the chair to my left, so he retakes his seat to my right.

I gaze over at Mr. Patrick, who's sitting at Edward's immediate right, giving him a polite smile. "Good to see you again, Mr. Patrick." His bemused expression turns to a much softer one as I speak, and I realize he looks practically the same since I last saw him. Just a little older and his face a little more wrinkly.

He gives me a curt nod. "You too, Nicki. And it's James. No need for formalities. We all know each other." He picks his menu back up, looking it over. Mom leans forwarding in her seat. "I'm sorry to hear about your job, James. I'm sure you'll get another offer soon enough." She smiles over at him, and he gives her a faint one in return. Though it looked more like a grimace to me.

I glance across the table at the boy who's sitting directly in front of me, his mom on his right, and mine to her right. He's still wearing that grey beanie, and his outfit looks pretty much the same except he traded in his Zed Zeppelin shirt for a black hoodie, earphones still in his ears. He has his attention down on his menu, expression blank except for the slight tension in his forehead as he slouches in his seat with his left arm around his torso.

Seriously, what crawled up his ass and died? He wasn't like this before. You used to not be able to get him to shut-up.

I can feel a tinge of anger and curiosity stir in my stomach as I glare across the table at him, my hands unconsciously gripping my menu a little too tight. Drew abruptly glances up at me like he felt my stare, keeping his face blank before giving me a, 'what the hell are you looking at' look.

Huffing a breath out, I roll my eyes at him before redirecting my attention to Saige, who's sitting to Drew's left. "Hey, Saige." I greet with a smile, and her eyes pop up from her menu to mine. "Hey, Nicki." She returns, giving me a smile also.

Mom sets her menu down, folding her hands over the tabletop before she looks over at Edward. "So, Edward, I thought you weren't going to be back for another few weeks?" She inquires, and I realize I've forgotten to ask that question myself. Edward slowly sets his cup down he was holding, clearing his throat before his eyes unconsciously flicker across the table to Drew.

Drew, who'd been looking up, immediately looks down at the table, fidgeting with his rolled up silverware.

"Well, I managed to get away this weekend to come and help with the moving." Edward finally replies after three seconds, and was it just me, or did he sound not completely sure himself? "I'll be leaving Monday morning until I come back in a week or two for the summer."

A waiter comes by, getting mine and Mom's drink order before promising to return for everyone's food orders. Smalltalk commences as we wait, Mom inquiring about how Edward likes the college he's attending and what classes he's currently taking. Yada, yada, yada.

I finally get my food order out of the way ten minutes later, ordering a simple steak with a side of potatoes and parsnips. Yeah, I like those. Get over it. Everyone else at the table completes their order, and another tense silence starts up over our table.

I hold my cloth napkins in my lap, completely aware that if this was a paper one, I'd be shredding it to pieces like no one's business.

"So, Nicki. You're finishing up high school?" Edward abruptly questions, leaning back in his seat as he folds his arms over his chest. I nod, turning my head to look at him.

I spot Nadine, from the corner of my eye, suddenly lean closer to Drew. "Drew, take your earphones out, please." She says barely loud enough for me to hear. I keep my attention on Edward like I didn't just see or hear any of that. "Yeah. This year actually." I confirm. Edward nods, but I quickly realize he's paying more attention to what's transpiring across the table.

"Drew, do what your mother says." James abruptly snaps, causing everyone to look over at him with wide eyes. Everyone but Drew that is. He sets his jaw, a burning look of defiance deep inside his eyes before he looks back down. "And take that silly cap off your head also." James adds, delicately lifting his cup up to take a sip like he didn't just snap at his son.

Nadine looks between her younger son and husband with concern, and something tells me she can't decide what to do. Saige sinks further down in her seat like she's trying to disappear, and something tells me she's witnessed this plenty of times. Edward stares down at his own plate, his hands gripping the tabletop edge with a white knuckle grip.

Drew slowly lifts his hand up to his head, making a show of it before he pulls both earphones out of his ears. He then gives James a very pointed look I can't decipher before tugging his beanie off and running his hand through his dark locks a few times. James looks all the word 'ticked off' implies, and I can tell he's forcing himself to stay quiet.

What's with them?

"So," Mom intervenes after ten whole seconds of thick silence. "has anyone heard of the most recent weather update for the Fourth of July?"

And that officially breaks the ice. They all begin to talk amongst themselves about politics and nonsense as Edward and Drew continue to sit in silence. I peak inconspicuously over at Edward, and he gives me a shallow smile followed by a wince. He shrugs, shaking his head as I jerk my chin over towards James in a, 'what's his problem' jester.

I huff, placing my elbow on the table before setting my chin down on it. I don't care how rude it is and how unsophisticated it makes me look at the moment. I'm upset. I find myself looking back over at Drew, which is kinda hard not to do when he's sitting right in front of me.

Now that I can see it clearly, I see his hair is styled in a wavy shag type of look, his dark hair neither long nor short. It suits him, complementing his strong cheekbone and high forehead nicely.

Though now he looks beyond upset. He glares down at his lap with a tight face, his forehead creased in frustration.

Our food finally arrives ten minutes later, delivering a delicious smell with it. I quickly pick up my knife and fork, staring down at the juicy steak before me a good solid five seconds. I hear a chuckle to my right.

"Are you just going to stare at it, or are you going to actually eat?" Edward questions, a teasing tone in his voice. I gently elbow Edward in the side without looking, keeping my face straight. "Shut-up. I'm enjoying myself here." I draw in a big inhale of the delectable meal.

Mom laughs to my left, and a quick check around the table reveals everyone with amused grins on their faces.

Everyone but Drew that is.

He sits with his chin angled down towards his plate as he stares at the food on his plate with a hesitant look on his face, genuinely looking torn about something.

What could make you feel torn about the four chicken strips and fries sitting on his plate?

Some of his hair falls over his forehead, casting a shadow down over the rest of his face. He has his hands on either side of the plate, his right absentmindedly tapping his glass of water.

I frown, staring a second longer before I shrug to myself. If he wants to be a grump, I won't stop him. I happily dig into my steak, dousing it in A1 before slowly popping a piece into my mouth. I moan softly as the juicy steak makes contact with my tongue, my eyes unconsciously closing.

So yummy!

Three minutes goes by while I contently eat my steak, parsnips, and mashed potatoes, my mind completely occupied and satisfied at the moment. Mom continues to chat with Nadine while she eats her Caesar salad and chicken. James mostly eats in quiet, occasionally interacting with Saige, and questioning Edward about a few college related topics.

Looking up, and returning to reality once I almost finish my meal, the smile on my face slowly fades as I notice there's another uncomfortable silence surrounding the table. I slowly swallow my last bite, dabbing my lips with my napkin as my eyes flicker around the table.

Saige seems to be occupying herself by coloring on a paper the restaurant provided with a few coloring crayons, and Mom looks like she's busy on her phone, her brows pulled up in concentration.

Probably something business related.

Nadine, James, and Edward all seem to be mostly finished with their food, their attention on Drew, who's eaten maybe one or two strips and has barely made a dent in his stack of French fries.

I can tell they're trying to be inconspicuous about it by how they keep quickly glancing up without raising their heads. Though Drew seems to be completely aware of what they're doing.

Mom abruptly stands up, gaining everyone's attention. "I'll be right back. Can't miss this phone call." She explains, pushing her chair in before she quickly walks away to another section of the restaurant, phone moving up to her ear.

I quietly scrape my fork across my plate, trying to make it look like I'm busy. James neatly stacks his utensils on his plate, eying Drew. His mouth opens, and I'm suddenly wishing he'd have left it shut.

"Drew, finish your food." James says with a undertone just barely hinting at demanding. Nadine's eyes flash with caution over at James, and I can feel Edward tense from beside me.

Drew continues to stare at his plate like he didn't hear his father. That lasts a couple seconds before he lifts one of the strips with his right hand, studying it with a distasteful expression.

You'd think he was looking at a rotten banana.

"I'm not hungry." He drops the strip the few inches back down to the plate, drawing his hands down to his lap. His reply only seems to infuriate James even more. He glares over at Drew, squeezing his napkin in his left hand.

Edward's gaze snaps over to James, like he knows what's about to happen. "Dad, don't-" James cuts him off. "No, Edward. I will not stand for this type of attitude." His voice rises with barely contained anger, and I catch the movement of Drew looking up from the corner of my eye.

His eyes snap back over to Drew, and Nadine's face fills with alarm. "Now finish your food, or else we're taking it home for you t-"

Drew abruptly stands up, his beanie clasped in his right hand, effectively cutting off James.

"Lay off my case! Why do you care anyway?" Drew practically shouts, his face growing red with anger, chest heaving. All of us stare at him, flabbergasted. James's face stays stoic, but I catch the unmistakable look of regret cross his features.

Saige holds a crayon in her hand, posed to color something as she looks between Drew and James. Edward seems to be waiting for something to happen, and Nadine literally has tears brewing in her eyes as she holds a fist up to her mouth.

Okay, that's it. I've definitely missed something here. The question though, is what?

I sit rooted in my seat, feeling like I can't breathe as this family drama unfolds right in front of me. Shock-shelled.

Drew's face suddenly pales considerably, and his eyes move from James to flicker uneasily around the restaurant; at the people who are currently staring over here with curious, beady eyes.

Drew takes a noticeable gulp, and his expression goes blank once again. He gives his father and brother one more glance before stepping away from the table and walking towards the exit with a speed almost considered a jog. He pushes the door open, then I watch as his back disappears out the door.

Eh, nice dinners are overrated anyway.

I sit back in my seat, letting a slow breath out. Everyone stays quiet, and I see all the fight seems to have left James. He sits there, looking suddenly frail and worn, as he stares at the empty seat. Edward glances over at Nadine, and she quickly stands up.

"I've got him." She says to whom I'm assuming is her family. Her eyes land on me. "I'll see you on Monday, Nicki." She gives me a tight smile that doesn't reach her eyes, and I suddenly notice how strained her face looks compared to ten years ago, the worry lines that used to be nonexistent.

"Okay." I squeak. She turns around, those tears still glistening in her eyes. Then she disappears out the door also. I awkwardly sit in my seat, feeling a sudden chill in the air.

No pun intended.

Edward opens his mouth to say something, most likely to apologize probably, when Mom abruptly appears from some other room. Her eyes immediately notice the two empty seats.

"Where's Drew and Nadine?" She questions, pausing behind her chair. James quickly scribbles a few things down on the check, closing it back up before standing up. "Waiting for us in the car. I'm afraid we need to go." He says, giving Saige and Edward a pointed look.

They both wordlessly stand up, pushing their chairs in. I stand also, shoving my chair in a little harsher than necessary. "It was nice seeing you again." James smiles, taking Saige's hand in his before walking towards the exit doors also. Edward hangs back, his jaw tight and worry in his eyes.

I give him a questioning look, and he once again shakes his head. I cross my arms. "So good to see you, Edward. We missed you." Mom says as she gives Edward a hug. "Same here, Miss K." Edward mumbles as they embrace, a genuine smile on his lips as he pulls away.

"We'll see you in a couple weeks, right?" She questions, peering at him. He nods, reaching over without looking to pull me into a hug. "I'll be back." I grudgingly comply, slapping his hand away as he uses his free left hand to mess with my hair.  

Don't mess with the hair.

"I see you're just the bully I remember you as." I mutter, trying, but failing, to pull away from his side embrace. He chuckles, and the sound, oddly enough, warms my heart. "Ouch!" He fake gasps, holding his left hand over his heart. "That hurts my feelings."

I roll my eyes, crossing my arms again as I practically hang from his grip. "Numskull." Now Mom and Edward chuckle, and I don't miss the knowing glint in her eyes as she looks between us.

Oh no. She better not be insinuating what I think she might be insinuating!

"Alright well, bye." She waves back at Edward as he goodbye's her as well, and she too disappears out the door.

I'm beginning to not like that door for some reason.

Edward releases me, and we walk side-by-side to the door. "Hey, so do you think when I get back we could, oh I don't know, go get some coffee and hang out?" He shrugs, stuffing his hands down in his pockets. I purse my lips, not needing to think the question over twice.

"Of course, silly." I tug my purse strap up further on my shoulder. "That'd be fun. Then we can catch up on old times, right?" I bump my shoulder into his, and we both smile.

Though something I said seems to have bothered him some.

"Yeah, old times." He copies, sounding distant. I look curiously up at him, and he suddenly blinks, snapping himself out of his stupor. "Great. Can't wait." He beams, yet there's something in his eyes I can't quite place.

Maybe my summer won't be so boring after all.

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A/N

Hey again! So I hope anyone who's reading this is enjoying it!? Please do comment and tell me your thoughts! And don't forget to VOTE!! I'll love you forever. 😇

Next update: Possibly tomorrow or Tuesday if we're lucky.

Maggy