Healing Hearts

Chapter tree

Nate had seen the girl with lovely whisky hair that played with the light: her hair was like peering at the sun through a jar of honey. She had delicate features with caramel skin and eyes the color of rich soil that was set around thick lashes. Beautiful.

She looked familiar. Maybe she was at his school but he just never took the chance to look at her
properly.

Leaving his money on the table for the food he ordered, Nate sat up and patted his pocket with his hand to ensure the rusty silver necklace was there.

As he walked out the door he could sense the girl with the lovely hair trying her best to be discreet about the fact she was looking at him. But he ignored her.

Before Nate could look for his car, he heard the door behind him swing open and a crash along with a series of cursing. He turned around to find the girl on all fours with scrapped knees at his feet.

She looked up, her eyes wide and cheeks pink.
It's been her second fall in only 30 minutes.

Nate raised a brow and asked, "Are you okay?" This simple question only made her blush harder as he watched her stand back up.

"Yeah,yeah.... I was trying to open the door and I guess I ran too fast and tripped.....Hah...hah...

As the two sized one another, the girl stuck out her hand and gave a fumbling grin.

"I'm Katie, if you didn't know!"

"I'm Nate." He said with disinterest. He really didn't care who this girl was and he certainly didn't want to find out.

"Well," Katie hummed, smiling again. Why is this girl always smiling? "To be perfectly honest with you Nate, I wanted to talk to you because we used to be in the same class in 4th grade. Ms.
Leer, remember? And we also had classes in 6th 7th, and 9th.. but who's counting?"

"Oh." He could hear his boredom in his tone and he didn't bother hiding it. He could hear Sarah's scolding in the back of his head.

Her grin faltered but she quickly regained her posture.

"Anyway, I was just curious to why you still have that paper heart Ms. Leer gave to us. I mean most of our classmates threw it away."

Her eyes peered down at the torn paper heart in his hand.

"And most kids who did keep it, didn't rip it in half."

The comment felt like an insult-a slap in the face.
Nate felt his veins swell as his eyes flared at Katie who immediately shrunk in her dress with wide eyes. Good. Let her be afraid.

"So what's wrong with a heart that isn't whole?"
He spat. His anger was always the first to go no matter what the situation happened to be. Her lips puckered in surprise at his out burst.

To others, hearing what Katie said might have not left a scratch to them, but to Nate it meant so much more. And he didn't want to explain it to
her.

Before he could give Katie another chance to speak, he turned away and walked to his car not giving another glance to the girl who's hair now seemed dull.

Katie scowled as the boy left. Why did he have to snap like that? She inquired a simple question and he treated her like a fly that you can never swat. Why did she want to talk to that jerk in the first place?!

His painted eyes that seemed so alluring now seemed repulsive. But the more she thought about it, Nate's eyes looked as if they held secrets. Secrets she was inquisitive to find out.