Keep Up || Nate Parker

Chapter 9 - Hanging With The Cool Kids

We walk out of the classroom and straight down to the bottom of the stairs where it seems to be a lot quieter. Nate grabs my arm and pulls me to the area under the stairs, nobody will see us here. But I can't help but feel a little uneasy with that.

"What do you want?" I ask bluntly, avoiding all eye contact as he stands with his hands on my shoulders.

"You love me?" His voice sounds hopeful but not convincing enough.

"You don't speak to me in two weeks and that's the first thing you ask me? I don't get a, 'how are you?' Or even an apology," I snigger, shaking out of his grasp. "You're such a dickhead."

"Look- I don't know what to say," His voice trails off and suddenly I feel like the alpha. "I've spent the past two weeks thinking about what to say. None of this was meant to happen, it was just a fling- Maisie, I told you."

I hold the straps on my backpack tighter, trying to keep my emotions in.

"You told me, I know."

"Mase, I hate seeing you like this." He reaches for my cheek, caressing and I can't pull myself away.

"Please, Nate. Stop, I can't keep doing this," my face leans into his touch even more, as if it were the last time I'd feel the security. "Like you and Blair, you fell in love and she didn't love you back. You know how it feels, please, I think it's best if you leave me-"

"I love you."

"What?" I finally look up, looking at the boy who two weeks ago freaked out when I told him that I loved him. "You left me two weeks thinking you didn't want to see me again. I didn't leave my house after you left, not until last weekend and you come here, tell me you love me and think it'll all be okay?"

His hand falls from my face and I can sense the hurt, the anger that I had. He looks about, making sure that nobody can see us.

"You can't say you love me and not want to be seen with me," the bell rings, signalling the end of break and for our next classes. Which for me, was biology. "I better go."

I walk away, through the corridor to head to the science block which couldn't be further away. A hand is placed on my shoulder and I instantly turn my head.

"Um, the rest of us are skipping and going to the park. Coming?" Nate asks, holding eye contact for one second too long.

"I really shouldn't-"

"Please, we need to talk more and walking there will give us enough time." He pleads with me, the halls now being completely empty he takes my hand and pulls me to the closest exit.

When we get out of the building I take my hand out of his and continue to walk.

"How can you walk so fast with those tiny legs?" Nate asks me and laughs and I seriously feel like slapping him across the face.

"Do not make fun of my height."

"Come on, calm down. I tried to explain myself," he pleads with me and I slow down my pace, giving him the look to continue. "It took me two weeks because I don't know, I just didn't want to mess things up."

"Look where that got you." I smile sarcastically and continue to walk ahead.

"God dammit- Maisie! Why are you so difficult."

"I'm not being difficult. You cannot just ignore me for two weeks then bombard me with an I love you."

I stop in my tracks, feeling as if we're getting to the park too quickly and I am not in the mood for a show.