Notebook [Book One]

Twenty-Six

 When Nathan finally gained control of his emotions and pulled away from Chris, he wiped his face and coughed, grabbing his throat as he forced out an apology, nearly choking on the word as it tumbled from his lips.

Nathan's mind spun in various directions as he grappled with numerous thoughts, leaving him confused and disoriented. So he helped with lunch; focusing on the task would keep his brain from melting into a puddle.

Chris didn't seem to mind. Despite his limitations, the teenager's ability in the kitchen pleasantly surprised him. When he asked how Nathan became so adept, he replied with one word.

Jago.

The oldest of the group was a wizard in the kitchen, both at home and in the restaurant.

Whenever the white-haired boy stayed with him, they cooked together, which was where Jago passed on his skills.

It felt surreal as Nathan sat at the table with Aiden's parents, having lunch without the pink-haired boy. Sitting there as they talked about mundane things was as close to family time as the white-haired boy got in a long time.

They asked him questions about school and graduation and accepted his short answers without making a fuss. The adults knew this was an unusual situation for him.

After finishing, Nathan sat and listened for a while, his mind drifting to the pink-haired boy upstairs.

He couldn't stop thinking about how much he wanted to see Aiden smile again before the boys came over and things got more complicated.

Grace seemed to notice the glazed stare and giggled, excusing the teen from the table and making him blush with embarrassment.

He didn't mean to check out like that, but he had a certain somebody on his mind, and he couldn't help it.

Nathan tried to act casual as he got up from the table; about to wash his dishes when he was scolded by the younger boy's parents and told to leave them. They were playful and silly in their verbal punishment, genuinely making the older boy grin for the first time since early that morning.

That encouraged the boy to head upstairs, back to Aiden's room, where he found him still sleeping, visibly more at ease than earlier in the day.

At some point, the pink-haired boy got too warm and must have woken up because he tossed his tight skinny jeans across the room, leaving them crumpled on the floor.

The top three buttons of his patterned shirt were unbuttoned, exposing half of his chest as the duvet pooled around his waist.

Nathan took a sobering breath as he stared at the boy, his throat drier than ever.

Even in his sleep, Aiden looked good.

His usual prim and neatly brushed hair became wild and fluffy. The cotton candy strands gave him a messy bedhead look, and the white-haired boy supported it.

The younger boy's parted lips looked heavenly; he always looked delicious and kissable.

Aiden was mesmerising.

How could one person be so enticing and pure simultaneously?

How did he have so much charm and radiance without even trying?

"What are you doing?" Aiden suddenly grumbled, cracking an eye open to look at the older boy standing by the closed door.

Nathan jumped at the sleepy voice, not expecting the pink-haired boy to be awake yet.

The uncharacteristically deep grumble didn't help calm the older boy's undisciplined heart.

Nathan awkwardly scratched his neck and pulled at the material of his brace, unsure of what to do with himself.