Life is Hell

Chapter Eighteen - Nathan and Frank

"Okay, stay exactly like that" Nathan said as I was standing at the beach, looking onto the wide sea. "Nate" I laughed, feeling a little awkward since I didn't like being a model. I never felt like I was pretty enough or even tall enough. I was no Rachel Amber. "Nate, this is so awkward" I said and turned around to him. Nathan was still taking photos of me with his digital camera. "Nate!" I said again, laughing. I then ran up to him and let myself fall into the sand next to him. "You're beautiful, you know that, right?" He asked. "I don't know about that" I said and smiled at him.

"You are Clare" He said and pulled me into a kiss. "You're such a liar" I said and lied down in the sand, ignoring the fact that it will take me hours to get it all out of my hair again. "I'm not! I really mean it" He said and lied down beside me. "I will cherish those photos forever" He said. "Why not take better ones when I'm not sick anymore" I said. "Because they will remind me of how you saved me" He said and I sat up "How I saved you?" I asked him confused. "How you saved me. I was never able to escape my father, not until you showed up in my life. You made me happy again. You make me forget, for a while at least. For the while we're together. Like now" He said. "I love you Clare" He said and the butterflies in my stomach went crazy and it felt like they were bursting out of my stomach any moment.

"I love you too Nathan" I said and he pulled me into another kiss. This one was deeper than any other kiss we had before. That was until my phone beeped and ruined the moment. "I'm sorry" I said and looked at the text. It was Frank asking me where I was. "I'm sorry, I got to go" I said and got up. "Will you call me later?" He asked. "I will, on the bus home" I said. "I love you" Nathan said again. "I love you too" I said and walked off. I smiled as I walked to Two Whales.

"Beans, how did I know that?" I asked as I sat down on the opposite of him. "Because you know me better than anyone else" He replied. "Starting to second guess if that's a good or a bad thing" I said. "Want some?" He asked, offering me his beans. "I rather go back to starving myself!" I told him, hoping he would get the message. "What can I get you sweetheart?" The waitress asked. "One-" I started, but stopped because of the look Frank has given me. "Two bagels with cheese cream please and a water" I said. "Would you like your usual salad to that?" She asked and I looked up at her. "You remember that?" I asked confused. "Of course Clare. I remember you and Chloe in the back booth, always ordering the same food and doing your homework" She said "I miss those times" "Me too Cheryl, me too" I said and gave her a smile. She returned it before going to get my order ready.

"Is she talking about the same Chloe I know?" Frank asked. "Yeah, if our dad wouldn't have died, you probably would have never even met Chloe" I said. "Or you" He added. "Or me" I repeated. "I would have missed out on meeting a great person" "I beg to differ" Frank replied. "No, you saved me Frank!" I said and grabbed his hands "You're important to me! You like an cool uncle or an older brother" I said. I noticed him looking at me. I ignored it.

"Your order" Cheryl interrupted us. "Thank you" I said, giving her a smile and took my hands back from Frank and started eating. "So you and the Preshit?" Frank asked. "His name is Nathan, not Preshit. I know the Prescott family sucks, but that's basically all his father's doing. His mom is the sweetest human being I have ever met and he's just misunderstood. He has that reputation of the spoiled rich kid, which totally isn't him. He's sweet and nice and insecure" I said. "That's impossible for Prescott" Frank said. "Maybe I changed him. He was different before I met him, but he's so different now and I would have never known that when I wouldn't have given him a chance. Maybe you should too" I said.

"I'll never cross path with him, so why would I try to give him a chance" Frank said and ended the conversation. I guess there was nothing I can do. The Prescott's and Frank just don't get along. Kind of like Sean Prescott and the Price family. Like I'm a bad influence on Nathan. I'm the best influence he could have and vise versa.

After we finished eating, we went to the counter to pay, but Cheryl had another idea. "It's on the house" She said. "Are you sure?" I asked her. "Yeah, both meals are" She added. "You don't have to do that" I told her, but she insisted. "Thank you" I said and gave her a smile. Frank was already walking towards the door. "That's as much of a thank you you will get from him" I said and followed Frank out. "Would it kill you to say thank you?" I asked him outside. "Yes, it would have" He replied "I don't say thank you!" "Maybe you should overthink that strategy!"

"Why? I got through life without it pretty fine" He said and I only shook my head. "As a loner. That can't be pretty good!" "Says you" He replied, giving me a pain in the chest. "I am sick in case you forgot!" I yelled at him. I couldn't let him hurt me any longer and hurried to the bus stop and got onto the next one that was just coming.

Back home I rushed inside, ignoring my mother calling me. I immediately stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door close and walked up and down.

Through my tears I was able to see something silver and shining. It was a razor. I tried to calm down and push the thought out of my head, but it was too strong.

Before I even knew it, I held it in my hand and slit open my wrist. "Clare" My mom called out, but everything went blury and black.