Right Where You Left Me

cigarettes and archie comics

When Nate and I get to the gas station, he's already on his second cigarette. He opens the door for me and we walk inside. Kate leans on the counter, chewing gum.

"Hey," she says to us as we enter. "Fancy seeing you here."

I grin and make my way over to her, grabbing a packet of gum as I brush past a shelf. I toss it onto the counter. "The night shifts, eh?" I say.

She rings up the gum and I throw a dollar to her. She catches it and smiles. "They're willing to pay me double to work at nighttime," she replies. "It's easy money. Plus, employee discount."

Nate comes up behind me and puts two bottles of Cola on the counter. He runs his fingers along the little shelf near the cash register before plucking an Archie comic from the rack and placing it next to the bottles. He hands Kate a ten dollar bill.

"Soda? No beer tonight?" she asks, looking between us.

Nate shrugs, the cigarette dangling from his lips. "Wasn't looking to get drunk tonight." He looks over at me. "You can grab one if you want," he offers.

I shake my head. "I'm good." I've had my share of experiences with alcohol, and it's definitely not something I want to make a regular habit.

We pay for our things and chill for a bit. Nate flips through the comics. Kate and I talk. I tell her about my failed date.

"And then he called me a bitch," I exclaim. "Man, he's so full of shit. Sexist shit."

"He called you a bitch?" Nate echoes, looking up from his comic.

"It's nothing," I wave him off. "I've been called worse."

"Jeremy Dawson, yeah?" he asks, tipping his head back and staring at me. "That was his name?"

"Yeah," I say warily. "Why?"

He shakes his head. His eyes return to his comic book. "No reason."

Kate waggles her brows at me. "Romantic," she whispers to me, and I shush her quickly.

Judging by the way Nate's lips lazily tip upward, he heard what she said.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

I slam my locker shut and turn to face Alexandra. "I failed my science test."

She laughs. "Girl, you didn't even study. What were you expecting?"

"You're right," I grin. "Still salty about it though. A 48. She couldn't even give me a passing grade."

We begin to walk to the vending machines. As we round the corner, my eyes immediately land on Nate. He's wearing a black shirt today, with a silver chain dangling from his neck. His hands are tucked into black sweatpants and his shoulder is leaning on a locker.

He's talking to a girl.

Correction: he's flirting with her. She's got a piece of her hair twirling in her long nailed finger. I stare down at my fingernails, bitten to the quick. She smiles and tilts her head to him as he speaks. He's grinning too, his head ducking to her as if they're sharing a secret.

Something unfamiliar hits me like a punch to my gut.

I'm not jealous. I can't be. Fuck, I was just on a date with another boy last week. But Nate is so obviously smiling and grinning at that girl, talking to her in a way I thought was reserved for me.

His eyes flicker to me, from head to toe, before meeting my eyes. I look away from him and turn to Alexandra as we continue down the hall.

"You should ask someone to tutor you," she continues. "A guy I know gets really good grades in Science. Like, nineties. You should talk to him."