Keep Up || Nate Parker

Chapter 5 - All The Single Hunter's

Coming home to my own house was different for a change. My mum's car was parked outside and I felt it was time I finally spend the night at my own house. Of course, Nate was coming over too because the power of my mother was too much for me right now.

We stood at the door to my detached house in the cul-de-sac too scared to enter.

"God, this is my own house and I can't even open the damn door," I say to Nate, going up and down the step to the door.

"Calm down," he soothes me, kissing my lips softly and opening the door.

"You're a dick."

"Only trying to help," he smiles and pushes me into the house to see my brother Cody coming down the stairs.

I run to him and wrap my arms around his waist, because I'm too short to comfortably wrap them around his neck, and say hello.

"Hello to you too, stranger," Cody rubs my back and I take that as my queue to let go of him. "Who's the guy?"

"He's my uh," I look to Nate for a clue in his eyes on what to say but his eyes are as blank as a white sheet of paper.

"I'm Maisie's boyfriend," he introduces himself and shakes my brother's hand. What the fuck?

I stand there super awkwardly as my brother gives Nate 'the talk' on how if he hurts me, Cody is obligated to break his legs.

I've never been more confused. I look around at the half empty house, photo frames that used to be on the wall have been taken down and all of my dads belongings have been moved.

"Maisie!" My mum calls and gives me a tight hug as we comes into the hallway where we all awkwardly stand. "And..."

"Nate," I choke out.

"Oh, yes," she gives Nate the most unpleasant smile I have seen. "The boy from last week. Pleasure."

I could see that she hasn't slept in days, the wrinkles and bags under her eyes told me that straight away but she tries to cover it with makeup.

"Nice to meet you Mrs Butler," Nate says to my mother but I can already tell it's the wrong thing.

"I go by Miss Charleston now," she rudely remarks and I find myself coughing and pleading with my eyes for her to be nice.

"Sorry, Miss Charleston. I'll be leaving now," he says and pulls me into a tight hug. "Call me if anything goes wrong."

"I will, thank you for bringing me home."

After Nate leaves I storm into the kitchen where my mum is cooking dinner for three.

"Why were you so horrible to Nate?" I ask and place my hands on the counter for more effect.

"Because, sweetie, you need to realise love doesn't exist." The bitterness is evident in her voice and I could not be more mad.

"Just because you're love has died doesn't mean mine will. Call me down for dinner."

I make my way to my room and pull out my laptop, turning it on and immediately Skyping Hunter and Dylan.

*

I've spent four days at home and I think that's a summer record for me. My mum hasn't been home for the past two nights though. Netflix has become my new best friend and Cody has happily joined me to watch Orange is the New Black, which I've now finished.

I look at my phone to see various different texts.

Dylan: Meet at the park
Where are you?
Are you even alive, I haven't heard from you in days?