Nearly Euphoric {Nate Jacobs}

Chapter 6

I freeze immediately, realizing that I am going to be stuck next to Nate for the rest of the year.

Listen, I know this all sounds dramatic. I mean so what I have to sit by Nate for one period of the day, big deal. But biology is a terrible class to be stuck next to someone you don't want to be around.

First of all, it's actually double periods. So I'll have to sit next to him for even longer. And second of all, you have to work with your lab partner all year long. And we work in pairs a lot for this class. So yeah, basically I'm screwed.

Not to mention, I haven't spoken to him since the party... which was kind of an awkward conversation in retrospect. I'm sure Nate was pretty drunk by the time he talked to me that night, and let some things slip that he didn't mean to tell me. So I have no idea what he's going to act like with me.

I build up the courage to walk over to the last remaining seat in the classroom next to Nate.

"Well, I guess I'm gonna have to sit next to you this year, since all the other seats are taken," I say with a soft smile.

"Oh yeah I guess this is the only spot left," he said looking around, noticing the chair I'm standing next to is the only one left.

"Hey, at least I'll have you as a lab partner though. Y'know since your pretty smart," he says back.

"Yeah, I mean I guess I do pretty good in school," I laugh while putting my bookbag on the floor and taking a seat next to him.

This has to be one of the most awkward interactions ever, and Nate isn't even an awkward person. It's all me. I'm being super weird, and I think he can tell and is acting a little weird back.

I decide to just stop being so awkward because this whole conversation just feels so unnatural.

"So, did you and Maddy fix things, or are you guys still fighting?" I ask in the most polite way possible.

"Uh, not exactly. She told me she blacked out, so I'm not pissed at her like I was. But now I'm mostly just mad at that Tyler kid that raped her in the pool," he says with a bit of anger in his voice at the end.

I knew full well that I was the one that told Maddy to tell Nate she blacked out in the first place. So obviously I didn't want some innocent kid getting the wrath of Nate all because of me. I would feel terrible

"Rape? That's a pretty big accusation Nate. I mean I saw the whole thing, and I wouldn't exactly say he raped her. At the most, he took advantage a little, but she definitely consented," I say a bit surprised at Nate's statement.

"Yeah, well did you know he just turned 22? That makes it statutory rape. Which is even worse," Nate says, completely ignoring my interpretation of things.

"How do you even know how old he is? Or his name?" I question him. But before he can answer the teacher finally walks in and starts talking about the syllabus.

Usually, I would listen to what the teacher was talking about, even if it was just about the syllabus. But I couldn't focus after my conversation with Nate. Did he really think that Maddy was raped?

I know Nate all too well to think he is beyond taking it out on this Tyler kid. And he's clearly done his research on him if he knows his name and age. Not to mention he said he "just turned 22" therefore he probably knows his exact birthday and everything.

Finally, the first period of Biology is over and we have a 3-minute break between now and our second period. But since I have Biology two periods in a row, I just stay seated and wait for the bell to ring again. But luckily this gives me the perfect opportunity to talk some sense into Nate before he makes some irrational decision.