Moonlight Nocturne

Nick turns on the radio and refuses to look at Elena, red to the tips of his ears.

 

Elena reddens, leaning back in her seat. "... it's okay if you are."

She'll fall quiet for a little while, looking out the window.

"... does Mom know where we are?"

 

Nick sets his jaw a little tightly. "Uhm. Not yet. I... she's... You're staying with us for at least a week."

 

She freezes, going white. "... ... what?"

No. No, nononono

 

"...she's going to be fine. She's just. She's sick. She got sick and had to go to the hospital. She's okay, they just need to keep her there for a bit. She called while you were asleep."

 

"... ... are you sure? She's not... not missing? Or gonna die?" Elena looks suspiciously like she's trying not to cry, again.

 

"No. She called. She's okay." He promises.

 

Elena scoots over in her seat to lean her head into Nick's shoulder. "... thank you."

She swallows. "... is it my fault? Because I led the zombie home?"

 

",...what? No. She was out shopping. It's not because of you," he shakes his head.

 

"... okay," she says, whispering, curling up in a miserable ball. "... can I sleep in Miriam's room?"

 

"...what?" Nick squeaks.

 

"... huh?" Baffled look. "... why are you red again?"

 

"...like. .. uh. She's... your girlfriend? And you're 12?"

 

"... you let her before!"

 

"She was a wolf and you were upset and hugging her!"

 

"I'm upset now!"

 

"Yeah, but you, like, last time was, like, before you hella made out on my couch, Dude!"

 

Elena looks suspiciously like she's going to cry. "I just don't wanna sleep in a room by myself."

"... wait, were you watching??"

 

"I didn't need to look, I have superhuman hearing, Elena!" Nick whines. "It's really super friggin' awkward, okay?!?"

 

"She's really pretty, okay?!" Elena whimpers in mortification, pulling the hood of her borrowed sweatshirt over her head. "And I didn't know you had supernatural hearing!"