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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Nathan Kingston
If I thought my nerves about finally showing Ivy my apartment would dissipate as we walked I was wrong. Actually, I think my nerves increase the closer we get to the building. It's not a nice building and it's not in a very nice part of town, even if there's an Urban Outfitters six blocks away.
Both of us are quiet as we walk, the only proof that she's actually here is her burning hand tucked into mine.
We hit the foot of my building, the weathered bricks, rusty fire escapes, and half-broken windows making a center-stage appearance and causing me to suck in a breath.
"You live here?" She asks a question that would sound like a judgment from anyone else but from her, it just sounds like she's curious.
"Yeah, with my Ma." I open the door and usher her inside, the unheated lobby still blocking us from the wind.
That's pretty much the end of the conversation as I lead her towards the stairs, hoping she can handle climbing the five flights up to my apartment. She makes it, but barely. Both of us huffing and puffing by the time we get up to my front door.
"Sorry about the walk-up, I know it's a lot." I say while my hands dig into my pocket to grab out my keys.
She heaves in a breath, her voice slightly hoarse while she folds over with her hands on her hips, "no wonder you're ripped, this is intense."
I chuckle a little at her out-of-breath joke while I unlock the door, our semi-working heater kicking in and giving us some reprieve from the chill of the rest of the building. Dropping the bag of clothes I was carrying over my shoulder onto the floor I watch her hesitantly while she takes in the apartment.
Is she going to be disgusted and want to leave? Is she going to be so disgusted that she doesn't even want to be around me?
She shatters my thoughts when she looks over at me with a big smile and points, "Oh look there's your helmet, and those beanies you wear sometimes."
"Who would've thought that I'd have my stuff in my apartment." I shrug my coat and beanie off of my head, hanging them on one of the rusted hooks by the front door.
"Ok fair." She follows my action, unzipping her coat and putting it on the hook next to mine, "What did you want to talk about once we got here?"
"Why don't we go into my room? I don't think my moms coming home tonight but just in case."
"Ok."
I usher her down the hallway and into my room, the air around us feeling like it heats up a few degrees when I click the door shut and we're alone. We sit in silence for a little, her absorbing every inch of the space and me just watching her.
"So..." She breaks the silence after a bit, rocking back and forth on the heels of her feet while her hands are clasped together in front of her, radiating nerves.
