Nathan Kingston has been forgotten by the world. A dad that fucked off when he was young and a mother gone days at a time with work he feels alone. Especially since he goes to the most elite private school in the city on scholarship. He's falling do...
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Ivy Matthews
The final bell of the day rings and my nerves spike higher than they did last night on the drive back from the airport after dropping Gracie and Iris off.
I told myself I wouldn't chicken out after stalling all weekend but I choked, like literally. The words that I wanted to say got caught in my throat and I fell into a fit of coughs right there in the backseat. When I had finally recovered I didn't say anything for the rest of the night, citing in my head that I would tell them this morning but neither my mom nor my dad were home while I was getting ready for school.
I shove down the nerves and think of a backup plan, rounding the front of the building where our driver is waiting to take me and Jackson home. The entire ride back my mind is racing, teetering between telling them before Nathan comes over or attempting to rush him up the stairs into my room.
The attack starts slow, with my breath slightly picking up and my hands starting to shake back and forth in an attempt to focus myself elsewhere. But it grows quickly into almost dry heaving in the backseat of the SUV, shaking my hands long abandoned as my fingers curl into fists and my nails press into the flesh of my palm.
As if by some god miracle my phone chimes in my lap, a preview from a text Dylan sent lighting up the screen;
From Hartley🖤: it's gonna be ok. deep breaths.
I don't respond to her message for a while, trying to take control of my breaths and calm myself down enough where my fingers can detach from the crescent-shaped indents that they've made. After a few minutes, some of the brain fog due to lack of oxygen clears and my hands can start to relax, stretching my fingers in and out.
I pick my phone up out of my lap and open my text conversation with Dylan.
To Hartley🖤: how do you always know the right time to text?
To Hartley🖤: are you my guardian angel?
From Hartley🖤: i can't be your guardian angel with all the shit we get into.
From Hartley🖤: your brother told me. he said he didn't know what to do and texted me.
To Hartley🖤: well thank you. i'm still going crazy about the whole tutoring situation, every second that passes makes it feel more real.
From Hartley🖤: it will all be ok. i promise. you can call me if anything happens. All im doing tonight is filming our video for friday.
To Hartley🖤: if i call you 15 times in the next hour don't be surprised. love you.
From Hartley🖤: love u too.
• • •
I've been trying to casually loiter in the kitchen for the last 15 minutes so that I can make sure that I'm the one who answers the door when Nathan gets here and debrief him on the plan.
