The Beast Within Me | Nate Jacobs

The best and worst

Bee arrived during the second half of the game. She sat on one of the last rows of bleachers. When the people around her stood up and celebrated the scores she stayed on her seat. She felt as if her heart was going to beat its way out of her chest.

She'd never watched Nate like that before, never sat through a full game, never even seen him playing. And he was good. Really good. If she hadn't known what Jules told her she could've believed he was fully recovered.

By the time he scored the winning point Bee felt like she couldn't really watch anymore. She wondered if she was really the only person who'd seen his face grimacing with pain when he removed his helmet. Everyone around her continued cheering and applauding.

She felt as if she stayed there she might start running towards the field any second. If she wanted to talk to him it would be better to do it another time. But she wasn't even feeling so certain anymore. Because after that game he'd surely get a scholarship, he'd surely go professional. She'd be a burden in his life, in his future that was crystal clear to everyone but him.

She walked down the bleachers dodging the people standing up in the middle of the stairs. When she reached the first row she started walking in the direction of the school. She took deep breaths as she crossed the lawn that separated the field from the school and pushed the swing metal door once she reached it.

She entered the familiar hallway. A couple of light bulbs were flickering and she could barely hear the sounds coming from outside. She breathed out feeling the knot in her throat finally start loosing up.

She continued walking in the direction of the parking lot hearing the sounds of her footsteps echo when she heard the sound of the door behind her swinging open. She turned around and found Nate walking in her direction.

Once again she wondered whether or not she was hallucinating.

"Bee." He said as he approached her. Even though she'd seen him a couple times at school she'd forgotten how much of a magnetic force he was.

His brown hair was slightly damp and his skin was covered in sweat. For some reason, maybe his uniform, he looked taller, stronger and leaner than she remembered.

The sound of his helmet hitting the floor after he dropped it made her realize she wasn't imagining it. He was really there.

For once he didn't seem like any version of him. He just seemed like Nate. The best and worst possible version. The only one.

She fell speechless for a second. There were so many things she wanted to say yet only the most unimportant one managed to escape her lips.

"Congratulations." She said shortly.

If he heard her he didn't acknowledge her words, he just closed the distance between them and brought his hands to her face. It felt so natural she didn't move in the slightest. Her eyes fixated on his face.

"You're really fucking here." He said and without any apparent reason he let out a laugh that turned into a smile. She'd never seen him smile so widely before.

"I'm sorry." She said. "I'm sorry about the things I said really, I—"

"It's fine." He said, his eyes traveling over her face. "You're here and you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I'm really fucking sorry. I'm sorry."

He leaned closer and pressed his lips against hers. They tasted like sweat and his hands smelled like dirt but she didn't even notice. She felt the warm pressure of his lips slowly but firmly against hers. He kissed her with so much intent she felt like she might start crying. It took her a tremendous amount of effort to pull back.