Social Experiment

38 | Try Again

Sorry for the short chapter, but I'll make sure the next one is a long one!! Vote & comment to tell me what you think!
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A whole week of silence passed between Nathan and I. Other than the times we were sat at the same lunch table in the cafeteria, I didn't see him at all during the days. He stopped texting me at night and walking from my locker to the lunch room with me anymore. 

It was like we had suddenly become acquaintances instead of friends in the matter of a day. Not only was it extremely frustrating, but it hurt to know he had no problem dropping me so easily without an explanation. It was like I hadn't spent months trying to break through his cold shell.

Judging by the strange looks Asher and Vincent cast in my direction during lunch, I could tell that it wasn't just me who noticed Nathan's change in attitude. In the beginning, I tried to engage him in conversation, but when he repeatedly grunted clipped replies, I just stopped trying. 

While he was adamant about ignoring me, the date for the long weekend we would spend at the Poconos was getting closer and closer. And, admittedly, I was still excited for the mini vacation despite Nathan's sudden distancing from me. 

We are leaving after school next Friday to drive to the cabin. Everyone had a different responsibility: Asher was in charge of alcohol, Vincent was in charge of collecting the rent money, Tess was in charge of extra blankets and pillows, Nathan was in charge of non alcoholic drinks, and I was in charge of snacks. 

Even though the trip was still a week away, I decided to head to the grocery store on Friday after school and buy all the non perishable items. So, like the responsible young adult I am, I filled a shopping cart to the brim with every unhealthy piece of junk food I could find on the shelves. 

It hadn't been until after I loaded my car and was halfway home that I realized my car was low on gas. Unfortunately, I come to my realization miles away from a gas station and my house. Very slowly, before I can pray to the car gods to keep Betsy running, my car comes to a spluttering stop on the side of the road. 

"No," I mutter, as if it will make a difference, and jam the key into the ignition to try again. "No, come on..."

I repeated the process three more times and got the same sad splutter in response every time. I stared at the Jeep logo on my steering wheel in shock, which was shortly after followed by contempt, and I tried to figure out what to do. 

Eventually, I let my forehead fall against the leather steering wheel and I groan. The sound was loud and unnecessary but I couldn't help myself. "Why do you hate me, Betsy?"

After a moment of mourning, I let out a deep breath and look up from the steering wheel to form my next plan of action. I had winded up a few neighborhoods away from mine and, of course, the only house I knew that was in the area was Nathan's. 

I start to consider my options. Stephanie was thirty minutes away and didn't have her car on campus, my mom was in Montana for a book signing, Luke didn't have a car, and Cole had football practice. Or I could walk to Nathan's house and hope he would be willing to help me. 

Maybe if I walk to his house, then he will help start my car again. He's worked on my car before, after all. I ignore the voice in my head screaming that he might turn me away instead of helping me because, well, this was my only option. 

Eventually, I talk myself into the idea and climb out of my car to start the walk to Nathan's. Luckily, his house was a short distance away from where Betsy had spluttered to death and it was still light outside, making it an easy walk. 

When I get to Nathan's house, I see his Mustang in the driveway behind some Ford truck that I vaguely remember seeing before. I stop on the pathway and look up at the house, noticing how calm it looked on the outside, despite the chaos expected from a house of three boys.