Stranger things

 Nic couldn't believe his luck. There was Tristan in the parking lot. He started toward him, but of course, Mona pulled him back and begged, "What are you doing?"

Of course, he laughed at her with a squint. "That's my roommate," Nic told her. "Oh, right, you haven't met him yet." She let go and almost fell on the hard cement.

Nic sighed with a smile and turned to Tristan and the girl. "Hey, you guys up for a late-night snack?" He said as he strolled over to take a look at Tristan's scooter. He said it had quit on him.

Nic nodded and suggest maybe it would be best to look at it in the morning. "I'll go make us some nachos," Nic grinned. 

"Nachos?" Now Tristan looked at him funny. Of course, he wasn't wearing a watch to even know the time.

"It's not that late," Nic shrugged. "OK, it's late, but how can you say no to nachos?" Nic smiled back and hurried to Mona who was standing by his car as if she would be in it, if he hadn't locked it. He motioned for Tristan to come on. Honestly, it was worse than herding goats. Usually, they liked to scamper ahead.

In a little while, Nic had the ground meat sizzling in the skillet. He chopped up the onion and looked for the package of grated cheese in the fridge, all the while he checked on the meat and seasoned it with a little garlic and cumin with beef bullion and of course, red pepper.

Naturally, Mona sat at the kitchen table hugging herself, saying nothing to no one while Tristan was at least trying to locate plates and utensils. The girl Tristan was with kept eyeing Mona as if she was waiting for her to say something first, but Mona looked away as if she was afraid she might catch something.

Nic put the meat and cheese on the chips and some pickled jalapenos then slid it into the broiler.

"I hope you guys like it hot," Nic kept smiling. He introduced Mona who only looked as if she needed to excuse herself. 

Tristan then told them that he worked with Jade.

"Nice to meet you," Nic grinned more and offered her a handshake. Jade was a little reluctant. After he got out the crispy nachos he got the cold lemonade in the mason jars he was using for glasses. "Sorry, nothing fancy around here." He told them they were short on glasses.

Nobody said anything as the four of them sat down to eat. Although, Mona sat there as if she was waiting to be taken, hostage.

Nic winced at her. She could be so odd sometimes. And she was saying he was the odd one. 

"Do you cook a lot?" Nic asked Tristan.

"I don't really know how," Tristan admitted.

"Well, it's trial by error for me," Nic told him. "We could go grocery shopping tomorrow."

Tristan gave him a nod and ate most of the nachos. Nic had his share and the girls just looked at each other as if they were playing their own quiet game.