My Only Love

Chapter 25

       Nate took of his glasses closing his eyes for a little while. It had been a long day hunched in his computer typing the summation of the rebuttals of the 3 major cases his boss Steve Connely was handling. They were still up to the neck with work but all the experience he was gaining was worth the effort. One he knew would come in handy when he would finally graduate and be the best lawyer he had dreamed about. He was mostly going on overtimes lately just to keep up with the pace. Those were the main things that occupied his days now. Work and studies. He was working himself hard he knew to the point of exhaustion. Even in his studies preparing hard for midterms making sure he had the highest marks to get his exemption to the finals.They were the only things that were constant for Nate.

But deep inside at the end of a long tiring day as he would reach his apartment he felt empty and very lonely. It had been a month ever since the night at the country club and he still wondered what went wrong with all his goals and plans. Kate. He still couldn't get over the fact that she was with someone else. Gone were the days he would come by her house every day or the Friday dinners at her place. Every Saturday when he came home exhausted he would reminisce their dates and feel this ache in his heart that he knew she was with Ryan. Sometimes as he passed by her house before school he had the greatest urge to see her but controlled himself knowing Ryan might be there. He missed Kate a lot and their times together. Realizing how much he still loved her even if she had her own boyfriend now. He just felt lost and discarded the same feeling he felt when his mother died.

Some part of him blamed Kate for what he was feeling. Why on earth did she have to find someone else. When he was there, would always be there for her. Wasn't he good enough? All those thoughts plagued him. Just because Ryan was rich and had everything at his feet. He still had the plan he knew but even that lost its appeal to him. He still hadn't circulated. He still wasn't ready. Even Amanda had given up on him seeing his withdrawal from her as he stayed away. He didn't want her to have false hopes or use her as an escape for his loneliness. He was not that type to take advantage of her love. He just wanted to be left alone for a moment. His focus was just to wallow in his work and his studies and nothing else.

The simple joys for Nate was the Sunday's she spent with Kate. Some part of him felt that she too miss their times. He tried to make it special. Enjoy the precious time with her but still Ryan was in the picture calling every so often somehow spoiling the little time that they have. But he could still see in her own wayhow Kate still cared about him. Every day without fail she would text him if he was home safely telling him not to work too hard and to get some sleep. Those thoughtful ways touch his heart that never quelled his love for her. Maybe deep down he still felt that hope that Kate would reciprocate his love and love him back.

Mark Costner came into Nate's cubicle taking in his best friend's faraway look. He knew he still wasn't acting himself lately. Oftentimes contemplative, quiet and deep in thought. He still wasn't moving on nor following his advice to circulate and meet other people. Instead he was becoming a workaholic pushing himself to the limit even jeopardizing his health. He needed to put some sense into his head. He had tried his best to stop meddling in Nate's affairs but he had to help his best friend.

Earth to Nate. Earth to Nate he called out in a loud speaker kind of voice.

Hey. He grinned. Just relaxing a bit till I wrap up. Finally all the typing's done. 300 pages. He said proudly.

You know this has got to stop. You've been working yourself to death. Going on overtime almost every day even on a Saturday then barely even getting some sleep. What gives buddy? Why are you doing this to yourself!