7 Minutes in Heaven

7 Minutes in Heaven Chapter 24

Ugh...it's a somewhat short chapter... (-_-)

And don't hate me for how I started this chapter...so yeah. And it's more of a filler chapter because--well--there's really nothing too important here. But every couple's got to experience some sort of...problem, right?

Hope you like it! xD

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Visits to the Stanford residence as well as Nate’s apartment were pure bliss. Twice a week I’d visit them, and every other day, I’d go to Nate’s. The awkwardness between me and his parents started to fade away into this comforting and familiar atmosphere. Of course, I’d only stay long enough for dinner, us conversing more about me and my family. It was still somewhat like those parental interviews, but they eventually became casual conversations along.

In sum, I grew to love them like a second family. If only I knew their daughter, Nate’s little sister, Anna. But I bet she was wonderful, and just as sweet as the rest of the family. However, questions would encircle my mind. Where would we be if she never died? Would it have been different? Would Nate be different? Would we ever cross paths? Would Emmett and Nate be friends, acquaintances?

I shook my head of those thoughts as I snuggled up closer to Nate, lying on his couch, watching him play some Call of Duty. Honestly, I always sucked at first-person shooter games, but after a long tutorial, I found it completely enjoyable. Eventually, a headache began to settle, and I just couldn’t stand playing anymore.

Nate and I have been together for two weeks, and it hasn’t always been the most…perfect relationship. I have to admit that, the day after my first visit to his parents’ he was distant—avoiding me (and I mean after school hours when no one was around). And I specifically remembered our “small” fight that Friday.

I went to his apartment. When he opened the door, he gave me that exasperated and lethargic expression. Nate merely turned away from the open door, and I entered upon it awkwardly. Almost immediately, I covered my mouth and nose because of the smell of smoke filling the air. Not to mention, there were broken beer bottles scattered all over the place.

He slumped in his chair, reclining in it, a deadpanned expression on his face. Nate looked sober for the most part. But I knew he was a little intoxicated. My mouth gaped at the sight of his messy room, and I just couldn’t stop myself from breathing anymore. I had to bear with the pungent smell of smoke. I slowly approached him, avoiding all the broken shards of glass. I sat next to him, a small distance kept between us.

“What’re you doing here?” he asked flatly.

I averted his gaze, staring at the carpet floor as I opened my mouth to speak. “I just thought I’d visit you…”

He scoffed, picking up another bottle of beer and taking a long swig. When he put it back down, the intensity in his blue eyes increased, and they were deadly. Nate smirked smugly before running a hand through his hair. “You really thought visiting me could get me out of this shitty mood?” he asked callously.

Folding my arms across my chest, I retorted, “Well excuse me, but what’s wrong with visiting my boyfriend?! It’s a good thing I came, too, because you’re wasting yourself on”—I let out a violent cough—“cigarettes and alcohol.”

He rolled his eyes like he could care less. “I don’t give a fuck, sweetheart. I’ll do whatever the fuck I want.”

Sure enough, he was smashed. It wasn’t normal to see him like this. He wasn’t normal. Of course, I couldn’t completely blame him because, after all, I was the one who wanted to know who this Anna was. I didn’t know he’d throw himself into this kind of thing. But I already knew beforehand that he was still clinging onto the single thread of that tragic memory. I wasn’t going to force him out of that stage; if it’ll take him years longer to get over, then I’ll let him. What I wasn’t going to do was, let this ruin our relationship.