Chaos

Chapter 14: Playing With Fire - Nate

Chapter 14- Playing with Fire

Nate

Once we stepped off of the motorcycle, Nicole said a quick goodbye, and then jogged up to the house.

Cole walked over and put his hand on my shoulder.

"Poor Nate," he says. "I almost feel bad for you."

"And why would you feel bad for me?" I snort.

"Nicole," He answers. "What are you going to do when she falls for me?"

I shrug his hand off.

"I'll believe it when I see it," I reply rolling my eyes.

"Give it a day or two Nate. By the time we go home, she will be my girlfriend."

"You mean that you'll do everything with her then dump her on Monday," I spit at him clenching my fists at the thought. "I'll die before I let you touch her."

I turn away before he can reply.

I start walking over to where Sammy was kicking a soccer ball between his feet.

"What's up, Sam? You want to have a game down in the field?" I ask.

Sam smiles and nods, following me back to where I used to play with Gavin.

"Watch the fence," I say, "It's electric."

Sam carefully avoids the fence and follows me through the gate, which was broken.

Gavin's family owned over one hundred acres, and he would always take me down about seventy of them just to play soccer.

"Nate, can't we just play here? I'm tired!" complains Sam. I smile and turn.

"Sure little buddy."

"I'm not little! I'm ten years old!" says Sammy defiantly.

"Well, you're little to me, and you're my buddy, so what does that tell you?"

"Fine!"

I backed up ten steps away from Sam, and he kicked the ball in my direction. I caught it with my foot and tossed it back.

This went on for a few minutes, us just tossing the ball back and forth, taking about some game for the Xbox 360, until I glanced up onto the porch.

I saw Nicole sitting next to Katie, gabbing about probably make-up or something, and I wave up to them. Nicole waves back and I notice Katie whispering one more thing before she leaves.

"Hey, Sam!" I yell, "Let's take a break!"

Sam nods and follows me all the way back up to the house.

Sammy runs past me and dashes up onto the step, me only a few steps behind.

"Nick!" Sam says as he runs up the stairs and sits down in her laps. "Come play soccer with us."

"Actually buddy, I was planning on taking a nap."

"No Nikki, come play," he begs. The look on Sam's small face was priceless.

"Sammy, not in these clothes."

Huh, I never really took Nicole as being the type of girl who cared about getting their clothes a bit dirty.

"Never mind then, some other time," Sammy says, after he glances at her outfit.

"Of course Sam," Nicole says, and starts tickling him.

"Come on Nate," he tells me, having finally gotten away from Nicole's tickle attack.

"Just a minute bud," I reply. "Let me talk to your sister, go kick the ball around."

"Okay," Sammy says, and then he runs back towards the field. I felt bad, because I was kind of just dismissing the kid.

"Why don't you want to play soccer?" I ask, taking the seat next to Nicole.

"I don't want to ruin my pajamas," Nicole admits. "They are pretty important to me. I got them from my dad, when he went to serve in the military."

I feel like a jerk for asking.

"Oh, I didn't realize that your dad was in the army. How long did he serve?"

"Since I was six," Nicole replies.

I scratch my head, a habit I have when I am feeling bad.

"That's rough. Did he ever get hurt?" I ask.

"No, unless you consider coming home to divorce papers as being hurt."

"Nick..." I say. "I had no idea."

"It's not a big deal," she says smiling, the hurt clear on her face. "It's for the best. If she doesn't love him anymore..."

"Well, I think the pajamas are cute," I say smiling, and then I run towards the area where Sam is waiting for me.

An hour later I was in the house. I had had my fill of soccer for the day. I looked out the window and spotted Nicole and Sam passing the ball back and forth on the lawn next to the front step. I smile and watch as Nicole laughs as Sam tries to throw the ball back but misses.

"What are you watching?" asks Katie, who had sat on the cushioned window ledge with me.

I quickly close the shutters and mumble, "Nothing."

Katie gives me a sly smile.

"You really like her don't you?"

I nod, watching the suddenly interesting floor.

"Well, trust me. Make your move, and soon," Katie says. I look up from the floor at her.

"She likes me?"

Katie holds up her hands.

"Not for me to say. Just remember, if you don't act now, who's to say you ever will?" she asks.

"Thanks Katie," I say, and smile at her.

Ten minutes after that, Gavin told Matt to go and light the fire, because Gavin and Amanda were too busy with the gram crackers and other food items we would need to make an ideal smore.

I was pretty excited for Nicole to try her first smore, because I knew that she would fall in love with them. Huh, never thought I'd admit to being jealous of a smore.

After Matt lit the fire, I walked down to where it was being held, which was right in front of the garage. There was a small flatland between two rock walls which surrounded the garage opening.

My motorcycle was parked in the garage and everyone else parked either on the other side of the house or in the legit driveway.

This was the area where we usually held campfires, only because it was secluded and it wouldn't spread if the grass caught.

Summer time in Margaree meant the fire index was crazy high. Gavin and I once lit a tree on fire by mistake, and it almost burnt the entire forest down. We were such idiots.

Anyway, once everyone got down to where the fire was crackling, I noticed that there was a table with everything you would need to make a smore on top.

Gavin handed me two sticks, which we used to roast the marshmallows on, and winked. I chuckled and walked over to where Nicole was sitting.

I handed her one, and she looked at it curiously. This should be fun.