Crazy,Awkward,Sweet

Untapped Emotions

Nate stared at me blankly, and I worried that maybe this plan was too far fetched. Did I go too far again? Maybe I should have scaled it back, you know for Hans sake. "So?" I asked nervously. "What do you really think?"

His lips curled up in a proud smile. Nate stood up and lifted me off the ground before I could fend him off. "And she's officially back!" He declared happily. I chuckled and reveled in this small moment with Nate.

It was overwhelming how much I enjoyed his laugh. How much this side of Nate was the side I enjoyed the most. The way his brown eyes lit up with relief and his laugh sounded so musical, this was the Nate that I liked. This was the Nate I...loved.

I abruptly stopped laughing as a daunting realization hit me. I loved him, I had completely fallen for him. Before it was simple--in the complicated will they or won't they way. But now it was real. Now, it was my heart on the line. I loved Nate Archer. I had completely, and utterly fallen for Nate. The one boy who had made me cast my guards down.

Now how was I supposed to act around him? I couldn't tell him because we were still in our relationship limbo. There was no definite line between us and we hadn't spoken about it in awhile. I couldn't throw in the 'I love you' card because that seemed unfair to me and him.

Or maybe I didn't want to tell him because I didn't want to lose Nate again. I didn't want his rejection because this time there was something he could actually hurt.

"What's wrong?" Nate asked, placing me back on the ground. His elated smile was still intact, but when he saw that I was lost in my thoughts, his worried frown eclipsed his better mood. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked me.

"I'm fine-" I waved him off, "Just nervous about the plan, is all." I chuckled nervously. Truth was, I had the upmost confidence in my comeback scheme. It was my feelings for Nate that I was weary about.

"We're going to kill it Friday." He winked, pecking my cheek. I thought it would be a quick kiss and that would be it. But it wasn't quick, he let his lips linger there a moment longer than appropriate. I stilled and closed my eyes, as I reveled in our moment. Into my ear he whispered, "Together, I feel we can do anything."

I leaned away and stared into those beautiful brown eyes of his, "What are you doing?"

Nate wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in. My body melded in his arms and my eyes locked on his. "When this is all over, I wanna take you out." He said with conviction.

"Friends don't go on dates." I mumbled, my voice faltering. Nate's eyes flickered from my eyes to my lips. Then slowly they trailed back to my gaze, the gesture brought shivers down my spine.

"I thought we were a little bit more than friends." He smirked, caressing a piece of my hair back. I reached up and laced his fingers with mine.

"I don't know what we are Archer." I shook my head. Nate dropped his arm from around my waist and began to retreat when I tugged on his hand, luring him closer. "That's just something we'll have to talk about on our date to break the ice."

Nate smiled his god-worthy smile. I snapped a mental picture of it because this was a moment I would always want to visit. I'd like to think that smile, his god-worthy smile, was meant for me and just me. It was mine and I wanted to watch that smile all day.

"We'll hit the ground running then, doll face. I always had a thing for the crazy ones." He winked playfully.

***

Friday had arrived sooner than we had all anticipated. Favors were asked, escape routes were planned, and our target was oblivious to all the theatrics we had set up. I had buried myself into this plan as a means to distract myself from the Nate Archer, of it all.