M I A

Nate chuckled, raising an eyebrow. “So that’s how you wanna play it?” He grimaced when she imitated his mother’s accent, not knowing that he could sound just like that at times. He grew up in an Italian household, it wasn’t his fault. “You know I’m not.” He saw no reason in pretending that he was, she did agree to help him buy a suit and come with him after all, he reached his goal. “Well, it’s working, so yeah. I’ll do what it takes.” Nate liked making her blush, he thought that it was cute. Especially when she smiled as well and her dimples became visible. They were at the suit shop first, the selection overwhelming him. They all looked the same. “Just pick something for me?” 

Mia laughed with Nate and gave a little shrug of her shoulders as she gave him an innocent smile. “How am I playing it?” she asked playfully, cracking into a dimpled grin as she looked at the older man. She thought it was kind of fun and just a little endearing when Nate would slip into the accent when he was around his family or got a little more worked up, it was obvious that he didn’t notice when it happened. “You’re lucky I like you,” she told him with a laugh, almost faltering at her own words. That didn’t have to mean anything, it could be passed off as a friendly thing, she didn’t need to worry about it. She rolled her eyes at him fondly, a blush still dusting her cheeks. “I’d tell you to stop, but I like my ego being fed,” she joked. She looked over all the styles and hummed. “I will, I’ll get a couple together, you can try them on and we can narrow it down.” she told him before starting to pick out various black suits for the man to try. 

Julia: i understand that. you should talk to him about it, clear the air

Julia: i doubt that, you already have a brother and he knows that, maybe you need to talk to him too? i feel like an open conversation always helps

Mia: I'm going to try, i'm gonna go over to his place soon.

‘‘I..’‘ Trailing off, a hand runs along his chin in thought because he doesn’t know what to say or even how to say it. Mateo hates that he’s hitting constant mental bumps, his fingers drumming nervously along his leg. ‘‘I.. I like you? I like you, and I.. I didn’t– I’m not gonna lie and this is going to sound insanely stupid, but like..’‘ Trailing off there’s a weak chuckle that escapes him because he’s trying to play it off like.. like the subject didn’t bother him. ‘‘I guess, I was.. putting off talking to you because I didn’t know if you were okay with it, or what. Then Nate came in and I got a look at him, and.. ‘‘ Trailing off, he shoots a quick look to her and shrugs. ‘‘Well, the way he looks at you. I don’t know what the expression is called over here, but.. with the way he.. looked, it seems like Nate likes you.’‘

Mia’s eyes widened in surprise when he told her that he liked her, blinking at that and shaking her head lightly. “You like me?” she asked softly. “Like... as more than a friend?” she asked, needing the other to clarify and not just be having to make assumptions at the little bits and pieces that he let her have. “Why wouldn’t I be okay with it?” she asked, biting her lower lip lightly as she looked up into his eyes. “I- I would be lying if I said I didn’t think about it,” she admitted quietly. She frowned at what Mateo said next before letting out an incredulous laugh at his words. “Nate? No, Nate doesn’t like me,” she told him, shaking her head at him. “I’m like a little sister to him. He’s my brother’s best friend.” Mia explained. 

Julia: Maybe he was confused as well? Or scared of you rejecting him?

Julia: sounds to me like he was jealous

Mia: Still, it's unfair of him to ignore my calls and texts. It's hurtful.

Julia: didn't you say you two were just friends?

Julia: wait let me get this straight. he just walked in after you and mateo kissed and dragged you out of the room? that's weird. and he made up some fake reason for doing it? do you want to hear what i think?

Mia: we are! I mean, we were... I don't know, I'm confused. I liked the kiss, it was good. It felt good, but the being ignored afterwards didn't lol.

Julia: do you wanna talk about it?

Julia: you know im here for you

Mia: so uh, Mateo kissed me a few days ago at the club and then has been avoiding me ever since.

Julia: what happened? are you okay?

Julia: is there anything i can do?

Mia: I'm fine, i'm fine! don't worry.

Julia: do you still want to go out this weekend?

“i start to get a little stir crazy, it never fails,” evan also was terrible at just sitting around doing nothing, she was almost always on the go. picking up the shot she would down it along with her friend. “but the odds of finding some fine looking men who also have rhythm…” the brunette laughed a little. “we can just cross our fingers for that.”

“I totally get it, so do I. I didn’t use to, but now I totally do,” Mia replied, understanding where Evan was coming from about it. Mia downed the next shot, nose wrinkling a little at the strong taste before laughing with her friends and nodding at her words. “Very true, also ones that won’t just be fist pumping the night away,” she laughed. “But lets hope for the best!” 

of course she doesn’t believe it, hell he doesn’t blame her. but a hand runs along his face and he shakes his head, waving it off. it was a shit excuse ignoring her to put off all form of contact & mateo felt like shit for it. mateo’s arms fold over his chest and he shifts nervously again. ‘’i didn’t– didn’t mean to, please. you got to believe me, you.. i– ‘’ god, this was harder than he thought. so he takes a seat in a near-by chair, lowering his head into his hands. ‘’i’m sorry, mia. you have to believe me. i don’t want you to think i regret the kiss because i don’t– i really don’t. i just.. i guess i thought i fucked it up? just moving.. too fast like that.’’

Val smiled, letting her lead on. “Classy? As if.” He teased, laughing. He sobered up a little at her comment. “Forget stuff? Everythin’ okay? You can drunkenly vent about it t’me soon. Or just tell me now. But don’t worry. We’ll dance an’ drink an’ say ‘fuck you!’ to whoever fuckin’ wronged you.”

Mia laughed along with Val at that and nodded in agreement. “Yeah, who am I kidding,” she replied, before shaking her head. She let out a heavy sigh when he asked her about the things she wanted to forget. “Boy drama,” she told him, rolling her eyes. “Got one guy friend that kissed me then goes and acts like I don’t exist, and another that’s came in and acted all annoying big brother about it.” 

“That’s fine with me.” Nate smiled back at her when she did. At first the only thing they had in common was Danny, but by now he knew that they had a lot more in common than just him. Even without him there they never had trouble finding something to talk about. It was never awkward with them even when they weren’t talking, which was something he liked. “Oh, we’re doing that now?  I’ll raise you one more, Amelia Grace Mitchell.” He smirked. Nate was a pretty flirtatious person in general, he couldn’t help it, but perhaps he was doing it on purpose now. “Sorry.” Raising his hands in defense when she scolded him, pleased when she agreed to go with him. He didn’t think it would take her long to find a dress, if he was being honest. She had a good figure, from his view as an objective personal trainer.  “Just get any dress, you’ll look good in whatever.” 

Mia rolled her eyes fondly at the other and gave his arm a playful little push. She liked spending time with Nate, she always had, but there had never been an excuse for them to. It was nice to be spending actual time with the other without Danny being there as a buffer and it was nice how there wasn’t an awkward or uncomfortable moment. She wrinkled her nose at that and laughed, squeezing at his arm again. “Stop that! I can do it, too then, Nathan Alexander De Luca,” she said with a laugh and even added the accent that he would get when he was around his family or got upset. “You aren’t sorry at all,” she said, rolling her eyes at him and smiling at him despite herself. A blush rose up onto her cheeks when he complimented her, waving him off. “Of course you’re gonna be buttering me up now.” she laughed. 

“I don’t mind doing it once in a while, but it does get old after a bit, i like a change of scenery to stir things up,” the truth of the matter was, evan got bored, and quickly, so she was always looking to keep herself occupied. “hmm, alright, im gonna need a few more drinks for that. the crowd there is always interesting to say the least,” and with that, she stepped out of the closet with a dress in hand and poured them each another shot.

mia nodded in agreement with Evan and hummed. “I totally get what you mean, it’s nice to decompress at home, but I need to have a change or I get all... sad,” she said and laughed, shaking her head at that and herself. “So, we’re down for dancing? yes! i have been wanting to go for so long!” she confessed to her, happily downing another shot as long as it ended with them going out dancing. “here’s to getting us some fine looking men and dance the night away.” 

there went the plan of shutting the door in her face. mateo shuts the door behind her and he follows close behind, hands stuffing awkwardly into the pockets of his shorts. ‘’look, i’m– ‘’ what was there to say? sorry for being an asshole and ignoring you after we made out? mateo shifts nervously and his lips purse into a straight line before he finally starts. ‘’i’m.. sorry.  i am– i just.. thought i shouldn’t bother you after that dude barged in.’’

mia looked at him expectantly and nodded, waiting for him to go on. “you’re?” she asked, shaking her head at him lightly. “i’m listening,” mia told him. she frowns lightly when he started shifting and seemed- nervous? why was he nervous? “are you? because i had to burst in here to get you to talk to me, so i don’t know if i believe that, Mateo,” she told him, shaking her head. it had really hurt her feelings, how he could so easily ignore her and cut her out. “shouldn’t bother me by answering my texts or calls? i have no clue what’s going on here or with you, mateo,” she told him. “you kissed me, and then you just tossed me out into the cold. why?” she asked. “that dude? nate? you’re ignoring me because of him? he’s just a friend. he’s my brother’s best friend.” she informed him about her relationship with the other man. “that doesn’t explain what you’re doing, mateo. because it really hurts and it really sucks, and i have no clue what’s going on here. why did you do it if you were just going to do this?” 

“Guess I’ll just have to keep you around then.” He’d become used to her presence over the years, but recently he’d begun to notice that he missed her when he hadn’t seen her for a few days. Which was kind of a new development for him. “See, I told you it’s not a big deal.” Nate thought he’d just try on one suit and be done with it, he didn’t know what Mia had in store for him. Nate was glad that she hadn’t been mad at him for too long after the whole club incident, as he wouldn’t have known how to apologise for something he believed to be right. “Well, since you’re coming with me to the wedding, I thought you’d wanna look nice.” He hadn’t asked her if she even wanted to come with him, or if she was free that weekend, assuming that both of those would be a ‘yes’. 

“You just might have to,” she replied with a laugh and smiled at the other. They’d been spending a lot more time together than they had used to. Before it had just been because of Danny, spending time in each other’s presence whenever Danny would bring Nate over to their parents’ house, or whenever Mia would go over to her brother’s apartment. Now that they were working together, they’d begun spending time together just the two of them, and Mia was very pleased with the change in their dynamic. “It is still a big deal! You still need to get a good suit tailored and altered, Nathan!” she told him, shaking her head at him. Her brows went up at his words and she let out a startled laugh. “I- what?” she asked, shaking her head again in confusion. “Nate! You can’t just keep springing these things on me!” Mia scolded him. “Oh god, now I have to find a dress on top of getting you a suit!” 

“Can’t argue with that.” He winked at her, he was grateful for her help and that it needed minimal convincing on his part to get her to help him out. Nate had the wedding invitation pinned to his fridge, but he’d still forgotten to get the suit. “Everyone’s just gonna wear black apart from Max.” That much he did remember at least. “Let’s go. You can pick out your dress too, since we’re already going shopping.” He said it casually, smile playing on his lips. 

“Of course you can’t, it’s the truth,” Mia replied with a fond roll of her eyes. She had never been able to stay mad at Nate for too long, he would just smile or give her a look and she’d give in. She hummed at that and nodded. “Black suit, okay. That should be easy,” she replied, ready to put Nate in a number of different suits and inspect each one. She shook her head at that. “Why would I need to get a dress?” she asked with a laugh. “I’ve already forgiven you for being a jerk, you don’t need to kiss up for me to help you,” Mia told him.