Love Explosion [3]

Chapter 13 - Sober

TW: Swearing, mentions of alcohol

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Chapter 13

October 30, Friday

Nathaniel's POV

It's been 147 days since I last had a drink. My birthday this year– on June 5– after Jer and Kathrin were done annoying me on doing something fun that day, I went home, and got hit with this strong wave of loneliness.

"What you need to do is get up off your ass and do something with your life. Because being caught up with this thing is only going to make you depressed and shit; move on." were the exact words Kathrin told me; which, even as much as it hurt, was a well needed reality-check. I needed to wake up, to realise. Even if things did end up well in the end, it was a pussy move being so caught up.

Anyways, after going home that day, being left alone with my thoughts and feelings, I just got drowned in everything I tried so hard to bury deep down, which also led to me then drowning myself with the alcoholic intoxication. And I remember feeling so disgusted with myself that I stopped drinking altogether.

And then a week later, after everything got resolved– it was finally revealed that what I was blamed for turned out to just be a rumour– I got her back, my Maeva; the girl I fell in love with. Call me a simp, and call me a little bitch, but I fell in love. I never allowed myself to feel my emotions, I was definitely not going to get over them; any time soon, at least.

So for 147 days I have been sober, for Maeva; and surprisingly, for me also. Because I finally decided that I was no longer going to torture myself with something that's damaging my body so much. That I was no longer going to be corrupted with such daft activities I did as a child– I've grown now, I've changed; I want to be different.

Though the meet-up with my father definitely took a toll. I haven't told anyone other than Kyle yet. I didn't want to tell anyone. I wouldn't have told Kyle if he wasn't my brother, and we didn't share the same father.

I felt almost... embarrassed that he was back. After so long of not seeing him, he just... shows up out of nowhere? He just expects we'd welcome him back with open arms and wide grins on our faces? That we'd miss him? Not hate him? I know it's rude to blame, but whatever stupidity I possess was definitely given by him.

I was also angered, and sad. Disgusted, shocked, bewildered– the list goes on. It was a whole explosion of emotions, and questions; so many questions answered, yet so much more left hanging like the end of a sentence.

And the urges to stifle my screaming mind and pounding head were emerging once more, and I want nothing more than to silence them with the familiar buzz of alcoholic pleasure; because if I don't, I might just explode, or vanish from thin air.

When I finally realised that I was standing in front of the door of Maeva's house, I snapped out of my daze, seemingly subconsciously walking this entire time. God, I didn't have to think this much back when I used to drink.

I sighed, bringing my hand to the doorbell and pressing it. I didn't want to be with anyone at the moment, but at the same time I wanted to be with her; does that make sense? Being sober is fucking with my head. Maeva swung the door open, her face lighting up as she saw me.

"Hi Nate," She cheerily said, giving me a quick peck on my lips before pulling me into the house with her, bringing us both to the couch. "What should we watch?" She then asked, gripping onto the remote and opening the TV.

I just shrugged, "Anything is fine."

Maeva eyed me weirdly, before saying, "Okay... how 'bout we watch Tangled?" I peered at her with squinted eyes. "You want us to watch a Disney movie?" I then asked. "Hey– you said anything is fine." Maeva retorted, while I rolled my eyes and she started playing the movie.

No one's POV

"Nate, would you do me a favour and look like Flynn Rider?" Maeva asked in a joking manner, looking up at the blonde boy as she curled up next to him, the both of them under a fluffy beige blanket. "Like, dye your hair brown, and grow a goatee, and just change your eye colour altogether."

Nate attempted to respond with a fake chuckle, but failed, as it came out more like a strangled huff. He couldn't even manage to hold a smile on his face, resorting to an awfully distorted twist– containing half-closed eyes, slightly curved up lips, and eyebrows arched in a maddened manner.

"Okay, what's wrong?" Maeva finally asked, almost annoyed, sitting up slightly so that she would be looking down at Nate, pausing the movie.

He shrugged, and replied with, "Nothing's wrong."

Maeva rolled her eyes at his deny, then went in to cuddle him again, leaning her head on top of his while her arms wrapped around the blonde boys' shoulders. "I'm your girlfr– I've been dating you for a while now, and last time I checked, we love each other; unless you don't anymore, which I don't see why you would because I'm just amazing." Nate chuckled at her comment.

"And people who love each other do this little thing called talking. And, well, it's fine if you don't want to tell me, but you know you can tell me these things, right?" Maeva finished saying, kissing him on the top of his head.

Nate finally sighed, leaning into Maeva just a bit, "My dad's back."

The Renolds' girls' eyes widened, looking down at him shocked. "Shit," was all she managed to utter.

"Yea... shit." Nate replied.

Maeva pulled away once more, looking at Nate straight in the eye, asking, "How are you feeling?"

The Stone boy shifted his gaze, gulping, as if he'd be able to swallow everything that's happened. He's never been good at talking about this stuff; feelings. "I don't know, just... shit, I guess. Very fucking shit."

Maeva eyed him sympathetically. She knew exactly what it felt like, she experienced the same thing herself: having her father show up out of nowhere after ages of the disappearance. It was, surprisingly, not an unfamiliar thing.

That seemed to sort of be one of the reasons why they were so good for each other, they understood one another.

"Well, you obviously don't want to talk; but if you ever do, I'm always here." Maeva then stated, Nate hugging the Renolds' girl closer.

The blonde boy smiled. How was he so lucky to get someone so amazing? How did he manage to get this seemingly perfect girl to fall in love with him?

As he stared straight at the TV, which had a paused image of the movie they were watching, he finally spoke, his grin lingering in his voice, "And to answer your question, my hair is my only good feature, so you leave my hair alone. And I will never grow a goatee."

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