Mocktail
57. Mocktail
🤍🖤🤍 Natalie 🤍🖤🤍
As I wake up in the morning and glance at the clock. I grin. I still have a half-hour to sleep. It’s been a few days since I have been going to school with Jacob. I panicked every morning when I looked at the watch, thinking I missed my bus. Took me a moment to recall that Jacob is giving me a lift to school nowadays.
No longer, the first words out of my mouth in the morning are ‘Oh shit’ and I love it. With Jacob, I don’t have to get ready more than an hour ago to catch the bus on time. I don’t end up in school half-hour early. We leave for school barely twenty minutes before our first class and we still reach on time.
It’s freaking fantastic. I get extra time to sleep. I don’t have to rush the breakfast anymore.
and evenings... It’s even better.
I don’t have to sit on a bus that takes on useless routes and wastes my time. I don’t have to struggle to keep myself awake to reach home. I don’t have to worry about strange men sitting beside me. I don’t have to worry about my belongings. I don’t have to worry about anything. It’s so freeing.
With Jacob, I can sleep anytime and I feel safe. But even if I am tired, I don’t want to sleep. I love talking to him.
“God, Natalie… I had no idea you were so much of a talker!” He laughed and told me yesterday.
I frowned at him. “Are you regretting giving me lifts? Because It’s too late to back off, Jacob. I am not going back on that stupid bus.”
He chuckled. “You don’t have to… I love your company.”
My cheeks burn, remembering that comment. He loves my company.
It reminds me of what Nico had told me when I went to give my statement on Monday. I don’t know why Nico said that. Probably the fact Jacob grilled him for being sloppy at the party. I kinda felt bad for Nico. But to be honest, I was pissed at him too. For trusting those guys and putting both of us in immense danger.
“Don’t tell my brother I had alcohol at the party. Just say we had mocktails or something.” Nico had requested to me.
I raised my eyebrow at him, but Jacob answered for me, “So you think your cop brother is stupid?”
My eyes almost popped out at that comment. But he was right. Why lie to a cop? Especially when he’s your brother. There wouldn’t be any real case without evidence, anyway.
Nico looked at him perplexed at first then mumbled, “Oh, he will whoop my ass, that’s for sure. Or probably will prosecute me for underage drinking..”
“That’s only $200 fine. I am sure you have $200 to spare. Don’t you?” Jacob jibed at him.
Nico winced. “It’s my third offense.”
And I couldn’t contain my laughter. “But who caught you the first two times?”
“My own brother, who else…” he rolled his eyes.
I put my hand on my mouth to stifle my laughter then said, “Ok I will tell him we had mocktails. I don’t want your license revoked.”
“Maybe you should discuss mocktail names…” Jacob said with indifference. “But to be honest, your license should be revoked.”
I raised my eyebrow at Jacob. “I am sure you drink, too. Stop grilling him!”
He shrugged,”I am smart enough not to get caught.”
Ouch.
Nico ignored Jacob’s passive-aggressive comments. To be honest, he owed Jacob for saving us that night.
I interrupted them to stop their bickering, “So I will tell him we had…” I thought for a while, “Pussy foot!”
Nico’s eyes popped out. “Please stop messing with me and tell me some real mocktail name.”
“Oh, that is a real mocktail. Do you want the recipe?”
He winced. ”Ok then, something less obscene. Please...”
“Okk so… we had... Bahama Mama Mocktail”
He facepalmed himself but agreed.
“Is he your boyfriend or something?” He whispered when Jacob went out of the waiting room.
“What? Nooo,” I smacked his arm, “Why would I meet you that night, if I had a boyfriend, Nico! I don’t have that low of a standard.”
He rolled his eyes. “ Well, he is damn possessive, that’s for sure. Anybody would think he’s your boyfriend or something…”
“He… He just cares for me.” I mumbled to defend Jacob. Then I realized Jacob does care for me.
The idea itself made me feel warm and fuzzy.
My alarm clock rings and I come back to present. I get out of my bed to start a new day. As I see myself in the mirror. I catch myself smiling.
I smile often these days.
