Nicky held out his hand for her to hold, smiling brightly. "I'll take a strawberry please."
Dom nodded, ducking back into the truck. It was like a food truck, basically. He popped back with two cones, a chocolate and a strawberry, in hand, holding them out. "Here ya go!"
"Thank you," Laura replied with a shy smile.
Nicky took Laura's cone and handed it to her before realizing something. "Shit, I left my wallet inside."
"Don' worry kid, it's on me. Call it a congratulations." Dom said as he handed Nicky his cone. "You two have a nice night."
"Thank you, sir," Laura whispered politely. She absently tried to smooth her hair again. I look like a mess…
"Bye, Dom!" Nicky called as the truck drove off, before he turned to Laura. "Jeez, it's like everyone loves you. You some sort of witch or somethin'?"
She quickly blushed. "No…" Her phone buzzed again, and she tried to ignore it.
Nicky heard the buzz, and studied her for a moment. "D'you need t' answer that, or do you need a distraction?"
"I probably need to answer it." But I don't want to. She argued with herself until it buzzed again.
"Go ahead, and answer it." He said with a soft smile. "I'll be right here, 'kay?"
She tried to smile, but it wouldn't come. Slowly, she took her phone out of her pocket. The screen read: Dad. She answered it, trying to sound normal. "Hello?"
There was a noise like something falling on the other end of the line that made her jump. Her father's voice was very slurred. "Where're you you lil' slut?!"
Laura winced. "I-I went to a f-friend's house…"
"Come home now," he demanded.
She looked at Nicky, trying desperately to stop trembling. "I-I have to go," she whispered.
"Didchu here me bitch? Come home now!"
Nicky frowned, reaching out and placing a gentle hand on Laura's shoulder. He didn't say anything, just raised a questioning and concerned eyebrow.
"Yes, Dad," she replied, but he'd already hung up on her. Slowly, she lowered the phone from her ear and put it back in her pocket. She shamed herself internally – she knew that this night was too good to last. Her eyes were wide as her gaze met Nicky's. "I'm r-really sorry, but I-I have to go," she said quietly, trying her best not to stammer as much as she usually did.
Nicky nodded, and pulled her into a side hug as she led her back to his place to grab her things. "Do you need a ride?" There was another unasked question there, 'do you need someone to be there, just in case'.
"That would be nice," she replied quietly, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked.
"Alright." Nicky nodded, his grip on her tightening protectively.
Laura didn't say much the rest of the walk. Ever since the phone call, she'd been acting a bit different.
They reached his house, but he stopped once they'd made their way across the lawn, in front of the door. He turned her to look at him, stooping over a bit. "Laura, sweetheart. You can talk to me. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere."
She blinked and looked into his eyes. "Wh-What do you mean?"
"Are you okay?" He asked worriedly, searching her face for something.
"I-I'm fine," she whispered. "I just have to get home."
"Just know you can crash here, whenever, all right?" He insisted as he opened the door.
She nodded. "Yes, but my dad likes to keep an eye on me at home."
Her dad…oh. Something clicked in his mind. "Alright. Go grab your stuff, and I'll find my keys?"
She nodded again slowly and walked back into the house.
He watched her go, the sound of the other's carrying from the back porch. With a sigh, he checked the coffee table first, before heading to his bedroom.