Honey

Part 3

"Actually, I'm not feeling it today," I said, closing my locker.

"What the fuck Juliet? You're always down to hook up," Marcus said. He looked mad.

I shrugged, "It turns out I'm busy today."

I tried to move past him and he put his arm in my way. "What, you get a better offer? Another good fuck? What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing. Just not today Marcus," I said and pushed him aside, hurrying down the hallway. I didn't like the feeling talking to him left in my gut. I dashed blindly through the school until I found myself at one door. I was standing outside of Nate's classroom. This is stupid, I thought again. I almost turned around when he looked up from his desk.

"Hey, you coming in or not?" he asked and I pushed my hair behind my ear, walking into his classroom.

Nate leaned back in his rolling chair and watched me. "Hi," I muttered. "Is it okay if I just sit in here a moment?"

"Of course," he said, frowning. I went to the back of the room and sat down in my usual spot. Nate went back to writing something at his desk and I just watched him for a minute before putting my head in my arms. It was weird being in here when it was completely quiet. When it was just the two of us. I let out a deep breath before rolling my head up to peer at him once more. Nate was watching me and when he realized I caught him, he smiled and got up from his desk. He knelt down beside my chair and we looked at each other for a second.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I said quietly.

"This is a safe space, you know." I nodded and he put his hand on my arm.

"I'm always around if you need to talk." I didn't know I was going to cry until I felt my lips trembling. My shoulders started to shake and the first tear escaped. "Hey, hey." He pulled me into his arms and smoothed his hand through my long hair as I cried. It felt like a release. The strings in my heart broke and my facade went with it. "Shhh," Nate whispered into my ear as we embraced.

At last, I pulled back and wiped my eyes. "Thank you," I said. He nodded and we looked at each other's eyes for a moment. "I should be getting home."

Nate checked his watch. "Oh, yeah, it is getting late isn't it? I should be going too." He went to his desk and started shuffling his stuff together when a sheet of paper fell on the ground. I knelt down and grabbed it, my eyes just skimming over the words written. I looked up at him through my eye lashes and then stood up, handing it back to him.

"That was..." Her long, crimped hair is spread out on the desk of hundred's of students before her, and yet it is blessed to be where she lays her head every afternoon.

"Sorry, that's awkward," he said laughing and taking the paper back from me.

"No, no... it's nice," I said barely above a whisper. I shuffled my feet and felt him watching me. I could tell he wanted to ask me something before he did.

"How are you getting home Juliet?"

"I'll probably walk," I say, shrugging. "Or I'll take the bus."

"Let me give you a ride."

I shook my head, "No that's fine. I'm fine."

Nate pulled on his coat and picked up his bag. "Come on it's getting late and I don't want you walking around by yourself, upset. It's really no trouble." My heart was pounding against my rib cage and I had no idea why. I'd gotten rides from people before. I'd been in the presence of attractive guys before. What was the problem?