If We Fall Again

Chapter 11

Elise, Nate, and Sam sat across the school grounds, a few students walking past, glancing their way. It was hard not to notice them—especially Nate, who rarely socialized with anyone outside his small circle. But there he was, sitting with Elise and Sam, looking surprisingly at ease, even if he was quieter than the two girls.

Elise caught Nate looking at her, and before she could stop herself, she smiled. Nate, as always, was a little more reserved, but the corner of his mouth lifted slightly. Their eyes met, holding for a moment.

Sam, sitting beside them, noticed the silent exchange and dramatically rolled her eyes. "Oh my god, will you guys stop flirting in front of me?" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up. "Some of us are single and trying to focus here."

Elise chuckled, giving Sam a playful shove. "We’re not flirting," she defended, though her cheeks turned pink.

Nate’s smile widened just a bit, his gaze still on Elise. "Guess we need to work on our subtlety," he said with a teasing tone that caught Elise off guard.

Sam huffed in mock annoyance. "Seriously, I’m going to have to find a new group if this keeps up. I can’t be third-wheeling all the time."

The three laughed, though Nate’s was more of a soft chuckle. Still, it made Elise’s heart flutter to see him so at ease.

---

Later, after Sam had left them, Elise and Nate found themselves sitting on a bench alone. The breeze was light, carrying the distant hum of student chatter.

“So, you’re still doing the part-time job after school?” Elise asked, leaning back against the bench.

Nate nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, just stocking shelves at the grocery store. It’s not much, but it helps out." He shrugged. "Can’t do a lot since I’m still in high school, but I’ll figure something better out when college comes around."

Elise’s brow furrowed. "You’ve always worked hard. I mean, seriously—part-time job, school, and still…you’re doing it all."

"Got no choice," Nate said simply. "But once I’m in college, I’m hoping for something better. Better pay, better hours…something that’ll help my mom."

Elise smiled at him, warmth filling her chest. "You’ll do great, Nate. I know it."

Nate met her gaze, his usual seriousness softening slightly. "You too. I bet you’ll get into whatever college you want."

She chuckled lightly. "We’ll see about that. I’m still figuring out what I want."

There was a brief pause, both of them sitting in comfortable silence, imagining their possible futures.

---

After class, Nate was waiting for Elise outside as usual. They fell into step together, walking side by side through the school grounds. Elise kept sneaking glances at him, her mind racing with thoughts—some serious, some completely silly.

Should I just grab his hand? she thought to herself, biting the inside of her cheek. Maybe I should—wait, no, that’s weird…

She mentally went through a list of options for how to accidentally or intentionally grab Nate’s hand without looking awkward. But as they walked, their hands brushed against each other. Elise felt the warmth of his skin and before she could overthink it, Nate quietly slipped his hand into hers.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she looked up at him, half-expecting him to say something. But Nate didn’t. He just held her hand like it was the most natural thing in the world, continuing to walk as if nothing had changed.