around aimlessly. I wanted to hurry up and get this phone call over with, or at least get it started. I glanced at the alarm clock on my nightstand—it’d been forty minutes since I called him. The wait was killing me. I thought about calling him again or maybe just texting him, but I didn’t want him to feel like I was bugging him.
A fter I thought about it, I realized I had every right to be bugging the shit out of him. I wanted to know what the hell was going on with him and Cici. Or at least what the hell was going on with us.
I picked up my phone and click ed on his name. It rang a few times and then went to voicemail. So I hung up and texted him.
We need to talk ASAP.
I waited for his reply. After a few minutes, he texted me back.
I’m exhausted. You think we can talk tomorrow?
Again, I was pissed. He had to know how upset I was and yet he was blowing me off like it was nothing. Maybe it was nothing? Maybe I was just overreacting? I was half tempted to text him back and tell him not to bother. But how could he be exhausted from spending the day with his ex-girlfriend? Or who knows, maybe she’s still his girlfriend. Well, whatever she was, hearing that he was exhausted after spending the day with another girl was not something I wanted to hear and it sent pictures through my head that I did not want to think about.
O nce again I decided to take the lead on this even though I didn’t really even know where to start or if I was prepared for what I was going to hear. But I didn’t want to waste anymore time playing these games. Not only that, how did I know he wasn’t just blowing me off so he could hang out with Cici again tonight?
No. I would rather we talk tonight.
I’m coming over.
I jumped off my bed, grabbed my purse , and went out to my car. My parents weren’t home. They had dinner plans with some of my dad’s co-workers tonight. I had plenty of time to get over there, get this all worked out, and be home by curfew. I hoped, anyway.
When I got to Tori’s I walked in the front door and could hear the TV on in the living room, so I knew Tori’s mom and dad were still up. I knew they wouldn’t mind that I walked in without knocking, I did it all the time. But I still made sure to keep quiet because even though Lynn knew we were together, I don’t think she would like Nate and I alone in his room together.
I walked down the hallway to Nate’s room and knocked quietly on the door. I didn’t hear him say anything, so I pushed it open slowly. His light was on but he was passed out on the bed. I walked over and sat down next to him. I looked at the dark circles under his eyes. He’d been through a lot the past month, with the accident, having to stay in the hospital, and having to move out of his place. Maybe this could have waited until morning.
I grabbed the blanket folded at the foot of the bed and pulled it over him. I noticed an empty glass on the nightstand next to him so I picked it up and took it to the kitchen to refill. I didn’t hear the TV from the living room anymore. Tori’s parents must’ve gone to bed. I was a bit relieved because I didn’t know how this was going to end, and if it didn’t go well and they saw me, I didn’t want to have to explain everything to them. When I went back into Nate’s room, he was awake.
“Hey.”
“Hi.” I set the water back down on the nightstand.
“Thanks.” He patted the bed next to him. I sat down. “What’s up?”
“I think you already know what’s up. I wasn’t exactly happy about what I walked in on today.”
“With Cici?”
“Yeah with Cici!” The sound of her name alone set me off.
“Summer …” He placed his hand on my thigh. “You have nothing to worry about. We’re just good friends. She’s going through some stuff and needed someone to talk to. That’s all.”
“No , that’s not all.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I saw you guys together at the party and I know you
A fter I thought about it, I realized I had every right to be bugging the shit out of him. I wanted to know what the hell was going on with him and Cici. Or at least what the hell was going on with us.
I picked up my phone and click ed on his name. It rang a few times and then went to voicemail. So I hung up and texted him.
We need to talk ASAP.
I waited for his reply. After a few minutes, he texted me back.
I’m exhausted. You think we can talk tomorrow?
Again, I was pissed. He had to know how upset I was and yet he was blowing me off like it was nothing. Maybe it was nothing? Maybe I was just overreacting? I was half tempted to text him back and tell him not to bother. But how could he be exhausted from spending the day with his ex-girlfriend? Or who knows, maybe she’s still his girlfriend. Well, whatever she was, hearing that he was exhausted after spending the day with another girl was not something I wanted to hear and it sent pictures through my head that I did not want to think about.
O nce again I decided to take the lead on this even though I didn’t really even know where to start or if I was prepared for what I was going to hear. But I didn’t want to waste anymore time playing these games. Not only that, how did I know he wasn’t just blowing me off so he could hang out with Cici again tonight?
No. I would rather we talk tonight.
I’m coming over.
I jumped off my bed, grabbed my purse , and went out to my car. My parents weren’t home. They had dinner plans with some of my dad’s co-workers tonight. I had plenty of time to get over there, get this all worked out, and be home by curfew. I hoped, anyway.
When I got to Tori’s I walked in the front door and could hear the TV on in the living room, so I knew Tori’s mom and dad were still up. I knew they wouldn’t mind that I walked in without knocking, I did it all the time. But I still made sure to keep quiet because even though Lynn knew we were together, I don’t think she would like Nate and I alone in his room together.
I walked down the hallway to Nate’s room and knocked quietly on the door. I didn’t hear him say anything, so I pushed it open slowly. His light was on but he was passed out on the bed. I walked over and sat down next to him. I looked at the dark circles under his eyes. He’d been through a lot the past month, with the accident, having to stay in the hospital, and having to move out of his place. Maybe this could have waited until morning.
I grabbed the blanket folded at the foot of the bed and pulled it over him. I noticed an empty glass on the nightstand next to him so I picked it up and took it to the kitchen to refill. I didn’t hear the TV from the living room anymore. Tori’s parents must’ve gone to bed. I was a bit relieved because I didn’t know how this was going to end, and if it didn’t go well and they saw me, I didn’t want to have to explain everything to them. When I went back into Nate’s room, he was awake.
“Hey.”
“Hi.” I set the water back down on the nightstand.
“Thanks.” He patted the bed next to him. I sat down. “What’s up?”
“I think you already know what’s up. I wasn’t exactly happy about what I walked in on today.”
“With Cici?”
“Yeah with Cici!” The sound of her name alone set me off.
“Summer …” He placed his hand on my thigh. “You have nothing to worry about. We’re just good friends. She’s going through some stuff and needed someone to talk to. That’s all.”
“No , that’s not all.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I saw you guys together at the party and I know you
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