i can see you - tsitp

seven.

NATE KNOWS THAT Taylor is coming back today, and he stares blankly down at the box of Air Jordan's on his floor with a sigh. His chest feels heavy— he doesn't know why.

He decides to get up, because he swears he can hear the faint noise of ballroom music in the room next to his. Belly's door is ajar, and he can see her attempting to dance with a pillow. He leans up against the doorframe, watching her in amusement.

It takes her a few seconds to notice him, but she practically jumps into the wall when she does. The pillow lands on the floor, and she scrambles to turn the music off.

"What's going on in here?" Nate asks, motioning to the phone and then back to Belly. "Living out your fantasies?"

"Shut up, Nate." she grumbles in response, throwing the pillow at him. He catches it and throws it back to her.

"Still don't have a date to the deb ball?"

Belly glares at him, clenching her jaw. "No."

"Okay, well, I can help you dance." Nate offers, stepping into her room with a broad grin. "I'm not saying I'll take you, but it actually physically hurts watching you try and do this by yourself."

"Are you trying to be nice or a jerk?"

"A little of both, I think." he shrugs, holding his hand out. "Come on, show me what to do, Princess."

She scoffs once more before taking his hand, showing him where to place it, and then showing him the steps of the dance. Within a few minutes, he manages to get the hang of it, and slowly but surely, it's rhythmic.

"I didn't know you could dance, Nate." Belly teases, to which he tilts his head and smiles proudly.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Belly." he almost wants to say something about how he's not actually with Taylor, but he chooses not to.

"What are you talking about?" Belly scoffs. "Your life is an open book. Your my mom's favorite boy by far, which is definitely saying something."

Nate puts a hand over his heart. "I love your mom." he knows why Laurel likes him so much; he's not as impulsive as all the other guys in the house. If they wanted to, they'd throw punches as soon as possible. Nate prefers not to get physical.

The music slowly fades out, and Nate motions to himself proudly. "Am I a natural, or am I a natural?"

"You're something." she pats his shoulder comfortingly as she heads towards the door. "I've gotta go get painted by Susannah. See you later? Taylor's gonna be here in, like, two hours."

"Lovely." mutters Nate quietly, which Belly doesn't hear, because she's all the way out the door. He walks out behind her, but she's somehow all the way down the stairs by the time he leaves her room.

Jeremiah's door open, and the grinning, curly-haired boy exits. He slings an arm around Nate, sighing contentedly as they head downstairs.

"Let's walk on the beach or something." he suggests, somewhat dreamily. He's been in this trance-like state for the past few days, but he hasn't told Nate what it's about yet. "We've got a couple of hours before the volleyball game."

Nate stares at his best friend curiously. Something had to have happened with Belly, or else Jeremiah would not be as cheerful as he is.

"Just say it." huffs Nate, putting his hands on his hips and stopping right in front of Jeremiah. "Something happened between you and Belly."

"I never said that," Jeremiah has that knowing grin on his face, which wordlessly proves Nate's point. "Come on! Let's just, like, live life! Summer's almost over."