Two Months N.M

t h i r t y n i n e

Nate Maloley

"Can we please talk about the what I said outside the pool?" I asked grabbing Azalea's wrist gently before she brought Sage up into the her house.

She looked at me giving out a quiet sigh then looking at Sage. "Sage, baby, go inside and torture Jai and Cole." Devon smiled at her, setting her down. Sage ran up the steps and into the small trailer like home with a big smile across her face.

Devon walked forward sitting down on the steps. "Nate, you aren't in love with me." I walked forward sitting down next to her.

"And who are you to say?" I asked. "I am, and you can't choose if I am or aren't."

"I'm not choosing, I'm stating the facts." She said looking over at me. "You can't be." She said looking me in the eyes. "You don't know me."

"Why is that your go to?" I asked annoyed by it.

"Because it's true. Don't lie, you don't. I know for a fact that when you came here for the first time you were shocked and probably disgusted that I live here." She gestured behind her to her place.

"I wasn't." I lied.

"Your lying."

"Okay, maybe just about the shocked but I wasn't disgusted." I told her. "I know you Devon."

"You don't Nate." She looked down.

"Then tell me about you, let me know you more than I already do." I stated and she stayed quiet so I took it into my own hands. "Your great at basketball and the Griers said you played in High school, tell me more." She laughed and looked at me. "I'm serious."

She sighed. "I was good at it, passionate about it. I was so good I had multiple college scholarships being handed to me. But I was needed here so I pissed my coach off to be benched because she'd never willingly let me sit me out, not with scouts coming. I didn't want the scouts looking at me so I got sat out so they would look at the other talent we had on the team."

"You should of gone." I tell her.

"I couldn't, I had to stay and help. At the time our father finally left and Sage was here." She explained. "If I left, Reese would of had to been taking care of her and Cole and work double what he normal does."

"You stayed for family, you gave up college for them." I stated.

"Yeah, no one was happy about it but everyone knew it had to be done. My brothers and I may fight all the time but the second they need me I'm there, which is the reason I came back from LA earlier." She told me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"That night in the hallway after your show, I got a call, Reese was arrested and I came back home." She explained.

"Why was he-?"

"Assault." She stated cutting me off. "That time."

"Dang, I'm sorry ma." I sighed looking at the strong girl in front of me.

"Nate, your not in love with me. I come from a fucked up family, that's just one reason your not in love with me." She said looking at me.

"That's not a reason, I am. Your strong, beautiful, independent-"

"Stop." She said looking down. "You can't, just leave it." She tried to stand up but I rested my hand on her arm.

"Please, tell me why I can't." I said confused. I am in love with her.

"Nate you can't, that's just it." She said standing up, me following.

"Why?!" I exclaimed frustrated. I gently grabbed her face, holding a cheek in each hand. "Tell me." I whispered.

"Because if we are in love with each other than it's gonna be harder for me to be here for my family!" She shouted, frustrated.