Rose Petals

Chapter 9

My eyes opened slowly. Everything was blurry. I blinked a few times and my eyes focused. I was met with a white textured ceiling and a dark room. I looked around and found myself in an oddly familiar room. It wasn't mine, I know that much. Everything was different yet so familiar. I sat up slowly and I felt a sudden sharp pain in my head.

"Oh fuck ow." My hand immediately came up to my head and started rubbing my right temple. I slowly made my way out of the bed and instantly stumbled toward the desk that was right across. I sighed and made my way towards the door a little more steadily. I twisted the door knob and pulled the big white piece of wood open. Then the memories took over.

The pictures on the walls were full of bright beautiful memories of his life. The baby blue paint emphasized the nostalgia I was feeling. My head still felt foggy as I made my way through the hallway.

I grabbed the rail that lead downstairs and carefully made my way down. Hangovers are a serious business to deal. If you have a hangover as bad as I do you probably wouldn't be able to walk. But I've been through worse. This hangover was barely nothing compared to what I've been through. The headache is kind of annoying but it doesn't compare to a migraine from crying. The pounding is there but if you've cried so much that you have a migraine then the emotional pain adds to the throbbing in your head. It's a first hand experience.

"Nate? What are you doing up?" A familiar woman came and took a hold of my arm. I could barely stand on my own.

"Where am I?" I asked. My voice came out rough. After I talked my throat felt dry and scratchy. She lead me towards a couch and sat me down.

"Matt said you drank a lot last night but I didn't think you would end up this screwed up." She mumbled and I chuckled. Her laugh made me remember who she was and I felt kind of stupid for not being able to remember. It has been a few years after all.

"It's nice to see you again too, Christy." I sighed as she handed me some ice water and aspirin. I downed the pills along with some of the water and my throat felt ten times better.

"Likewise." She laughed softly. She brushed a loose piece of salt and pepper hair out of her face and behind her ear.

Her gray eyes had wrinkles around them since she's gotten older, and from stress, though she's still beautiful as ever. Just like her son. "Matt dropped you off to stay here last night since you were closer to my house than yours. He said he would be back to pick you up after you woke. I told him I would call." She explained and I nodded silently.

"Thank you for letting me stay. I'm sorry it was so sudden." My voice came out rough again and I took another drink of the water she got me.

"Theres no reason to thank me. You're like my second son." She chuckled and then she was quiet for a few moments. She finally spoke up. "Why did you take that job at the school if you knew it would be so hard for you?"

I was quiet for a moment. Why did I take that job?

"I know you didn't do it for the money. You're not like that." She said out loud but mostly to herself.

"I... I don't know why I did it. Maybe I did it to... make other people understand." I thought out loud. "He was so..." I took a deep breath and focused on the slowly melting ice cube in the glass I was holding. "He was so perfectly imperfect that everyone deserves to know him. Although they can't physically meet him I can keep his memory alive."

Christy was quiet as she registered what I said. "You're afraid to forget." I looked up at her and she gave me one of her famous understanding smiles. I couldn't help but smile back and as I did my eyes started to well up some tears.

She hugged me and held me as I cried. Her hugs always felt so safe. They made almost everything better.

"I know you miss him. I do too. Everyone does." Her voice came out shaky and she took in a quivering deep breath. "You loved him. And so did I. I wish I could have seen it... to prevent it." You could hear the sadness in her voice and she sniffled. After a few moments of silence I pulled away from her and gave her a small sad smile.

"He was my everything." I said softly. "Nothing is the same without him."

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A/N: Hey guys! It's Zusy! I just wanted to let you guys know that every 3 chapters (3,6,9,12, ect.) are glimpses into Nate's adult life like in the Prologue. All the other chapters are the regular story being told by Nate. Also, thank you so much for voting on this story! I'll try to update more often since there isn't a specific time I update oops! Feel free to leave song suggestions for the upcoming chapters! Thanks for reading! Vote/Comment!

-Zusy