Nico and I walk alongside each other as we make our way back to the tent, and I see my mom still talking with Brooks' parents. She's clutching onto her chest, giggling at something Brooks' mom said. Unlike Nico's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell are the warmest, most genuine people that you'll ever meet.

The band transitions into Elvis' 'Can't Help Falling In Love With You', and that's when Nico reaches for my hand.

"You wanna dance, BC?" he asks me.

I tilt my head and tuck my chin in. "You don't dance."

"Of course I do. You just don't know it."

"I know everything about you, Nico."

He raise his eyebrows and asks, "you sure about that?"

I let his fingers intertwine with mine as he leads us to the dance floor, where a few other couples are slow-dancing.

I hesitate, thinking about where to put my hand. Does it go across Nico's back? Over his shoulder? What about my head? Do I lay it in the crevice of his neck? Or should I just stand up straight?

But then, Nico lays his hand on my waist, while he interlaces his fingers with mine and holds it against our chests.

"Don't think about it too much," he tells me, reading the thoughts in my mind like he always does.

I nervously gulp, gazing at the crowd around us, and that's when I spot my mom staring at us with a smile on her face.

"Everyone's watching us," I say as my eyes scan the outside of the dance floor.

"You surprised?" He dips his chin down to look at me better. "No one lights up a room like you do, BC."

I smile at him as our feet continue to move in tandem with the music. And suddenly, I lean my head on Nico's shoulder as he moves his face closer to me so that his nose is touching my hair. Like Nico said, I'm not thinking too much about it. In fact, I'm not thinking much about anything. I'm doing what feels right. And this? It feels right. 

The song ends, and I wish it wouldn't. Nico and I slowly pull away from each other, but my gaze stays fixed on him as his does on me. I nervously tuck a loose strand of hair that falls in front of my face behind my ear as Nico stands there, staring at me like I'm the only person in this room.

Likewise, he's the only thing that I see. That is, until I notice Mark Bradford in my peripheral walking up to us.

"Nico, son," he places his hand on Nico's shoulder and says. "I need to borrow you for a second."

Borrow. Like Nico's some sort of object to him.

"It'll just be a minute, Bella, dear," Mark continues to say.

I don't say anything this time, and look at Nico, who appears apologetic. Before he turns away to follow his dad, he mouths, "I'm sorry," to me.

I decide to head to the bar to order myself a soda. Brooks stands there with his elbows resting on the tabletop as he flirts with the female bartender. I see him wink at her before she walks away.

"Do you have to flirt with everything that has a pulse?" I ask him.

"Do you have to be such a buzzkill?" he says, and I roll my eyes at him. "Kidding, B!" Brooks turns around and leans his back against the counter, gazing at the dance floor. "You having fun?"

"Yeah," I say as I lean my body forward to try and get the other bartender's attention.

"The Bradfords sure know how to throw a party, don't they?"

"Uh-huh," I say, my focus still set on ordering a drink. I'm parched.

"What can I get you?" the male bartender finally comes up to me and asks.

"Can I get a club soda, please?"

The second that the word 'club soda' slips from my mouth, Brooks turns around and says, "she means a tequila soda."

"Nope, no tequila. Just the club soda," I assure the bartender, who looks super confused. He scurries off and then I shove Brooks with my hand. "Do you have to be so annoying?"

"Geez," he rubs at the spot that I push. "What's up your ass?"

The bartender hands me my drink and I take a sip from the thin black straw before setting it down and looking at Brooks. "So, were you planning on keeping Nico skipping his first year of college a secret from me, too?"

Brooks looks at me, stunned. "How do you know about that?"

"Guess that's a yes."

He sighs, shifting his body closer to me. "Look, B, it wasn't my secret to tell. Nico's dad's been pressing him about it for months now, and I guess the pressure became too much for him, so...he caved."

"So it wasn't Nico's choice? Why would he lie to me and tell me that it was?"

Brooks detects my hurt and nudges my shoulder with his. "C'mon, B, he didn't lie to you. He might've kept it from you, but you know what Nico really wants. The only reason that he's going against his own wishes is to make his dad happy."

"Yeah, by sacrificing his own happiness..."

"Does it surprise you? That's Nico. Always putting the people that he cares about before himself."

I exhale, thinking about the validity behind Brooks' comment. "I guess you're right."

"You can't stop him, B. You know you can't. The only thing that you can do is support him."

***

The party's almost over, and I've only seen Nico a few times after his dad pulled him aside. Mark has him running all over the place, shaking peoples' hands. I caught Nico talking to a posse of old men, and gave him a look like 'do you need me to save you?' He smirked and nodded his head like, 'I'm okay', so I let it go.

"There you are," mom walks up to me and says. "You ready to leave soon?"

"Yes, please. I need my bed ASAP."

"I hear you loud and clear, sweetheart. Let's make our rounds and meet back here in 5 minutes. Then I'll call us an Uber."

"Sounds good," I say, and she kisses my forehead before working her way around the room.

I bob my head from side-to-side in an attempt to find Nico. I finally spot him, and he's standing with his parents talking to some elderly woman with white hair. Not wanting to bother him, I simply wave to let him know that we're leaving. I see him hold up his finger to the lady before jogging over to me.

"You leaving?" he asks once he makes it to me.

"Yeah. Mom and I are ready to call it a night."

"Let me drive you home," he tells me.

"You can't," I chuckle. "You have guests."

"I don't care about them," he says.

Mom then approaches us and walks up to Nico with her arms out wide. "Nico, sweetheart! What a lovely event. Thank you so much for having us."

"Thank you so much for coming," Nico says before pulling away from her embrace. "Carrie, if it's okay with you, I'd like to take Bella home."

Mom looks at me, flabbergasted. "Oh, uh...okay. Not too late, though. Right?"

"Nico, it's not necessary," I say, but he rebuttals.

"Not too late," he responds.

***

I couldn't tell you why Nico wanted to drive me home, especially with all of the people that were still at his house. His parents must've not noticed that he left because they would have never allowed it.

We're in Nico's Porsche, about 5 minutes from my house, when he says, "I'm sorry, BC."

I turn my head away from the window to look at him, but keep it pressed in the palm of my hand. "What are you sorry for?"

"For not telling you about Columbia."

"You don't have to apologize, Nico. It's your future. I was just caught off-guard, that's all."

"It's my future," he repeats after me, chuckling at the words. "Right. Tell that to my dad."

I take in his side profile, and then I speak up. "You didn't have to lie to me, Nico. I know how much Columbia means to you."

"I didn't mean to lie to you, Bella," he states, shaking his head like he's disappointed with himself. "I guess I thought that if I said that it was my choice out loud, I could convince myself that withdrawing my admission was what I really wanted."

"You don't have to do anything that you don't want to do, Nico. You can still go to Columbia in the fall. I'm sure that they'll take you back."

"I can't," he tells me. "I just...can't."

I let a minute go by before I say something else. "Guess we won't be meeting up in the city after all," I try and joke, but despite my attempt at humor, Nico's demeanor remains serious.

"No," he tells me. "No, I guess we won't be."

We pull into my driveway, and I unbuckle my seatbelt.

"Hey," he calls out before I can even reach for the handle. "Walk with me for a second?"

I look at Nico, who's looking back at me with eagerness. "Why?" I ask.

"Because I'm not ready to say goodnight to you just yet."

"Nico, I...I can't."

"You can't what, BC?"

"I can't keep hearing you say things like that to me."

"What am I saying to you?"

"Things that...I don't know...make me think you feel the way that I wish you would."

"And what if I do? Feel that way for you..."

I glance around the car, hoping that a suitable answer will come to me. "Then I'd tell you to quit lying to yourself."

"I'm not lying to myself," he says, reaching for my hand. "I know what I feel for you."

"Which is what exactly? What do you feel for me, Nico?"

He looks at me for a few seconds before leaning his entire body in so that his face is right in front of mine. I know what he's about to do, I can feel it. The question is do I stop it?

The answer is...

No.

Nico's lips touch mine, and it's magic.

Ever since I was 7 years-old, I'd only dreamed of what it would feel like to kiss Nico. And, now, I know. It's better than the fantasy that I concocted in my head. The way that Nico kisses me is soft, yet passionate, like this was a long time coming. His hand cups my cheek as mine gently presses into the back of his head. There's nothing rugged about the way that his lips play with mine. Everything about the way that he's kissing me is slow, tender, and right. It's just right.

I could kiss Nico forever, but I'm the first to pull away, finally realizing what we'd both done. I don't regret it, and I can't help but wonder if Nico does. If he thinks that he just made a mistake. So, I have to ask.

"What was that?" I whisper.

He licks his lips before pressing down on them and responding, "A kiss."

I smirk at his obvious answer, but I need him to delve deeper. "Why?"

He rakes his fingers through his light-brown hair, then places his hands along the sides of his jaw, clearly contemplating something. "Bella," he gulps, and my eyes search his. He wants to say something, and whatever he does is on the tip of his tongue. "I love you."