Under The Surface [Editing]

Chapter TwentyOne Reality Bites

“Lily and Debra who the hell taught you how to clean your rooms, you can’t find anything in this mess?” I yelled at them as I helped clean up the tent.

Everything else was already taken down, packed up, put away in the car, and cleaned up, except, Lily and Debra’s crap.

I was trying to help them as it was already into the early afternoon. We had gotten up early and went to breakfast all five of us. Gradually, we had started taking things down and packing. The guys were faster than us girls and I was glad I had already packed up my things. Lily and Debra were so slow.

“Why are you even in a rush to go home anyway?” Lily asked giggling as we picked up all their clothes and trinkets and things sorting them to whom they belonged and packing them up.

“Because this was just for the weekend its back to reality when we get home.” I said sadly. I knew that Nathan had his things to take care of and I didn’t want to get in the way of that or distract him. What happens if he got hurt though? I wouldn’t be able to help and I didn’t want to be the cause if he lost focus with his parents.

“There is no going back now Dawn.” I had never heard Debra sound so serious before.

“Well we have to.” I said and I wished they would shut up about it already. It bothered me enough as it is.

*

Nathan’s POV

*

1…2…3…kerplunk…

I scowled. I couldn’t get the flat rocks I was skipping over the water to skip more than three times. Three days was all I had gotten to have with her. I kept thinking if the rocks skipped more than three times, there would be a fourth or a fifth day, but I knew better than to get my hopes up.

It was a surreal weekend for me, but now it was time to go back to fixing my problems so maybe I could be the man for her. Reality bites.

“How are you doing?” Her dad asked coming up behind me, I sowled some more.

“Hey, you’re the one who put those restrictions on yourself, as a father I am glad for them, but I doubt you two will be able to stay away from each other for long.” Greg said almost disappointed himself. I didn’t have any good responses.

“If my dad finds out that I am remotely happy…”

“There is a restraining order in place if he is that dumb…”

“He is.” I interrupted him right back and he gave me a hard look. I felt the walls being brick and mortared up again. I didn’t want her to get hurt.

“When we get back we will go get you a phone so you can be in contact in case of any emergency.” Greg said looking for solutions to ease my mind.

“The court grant isn’t going to pay for that.” I mumbled.

“No, I am.” Greg said seriously and I stared at him.

“Why?” I asked. Why did he even care so much? I mean he had told me his own story a little bit, but that shouldn’t matter. Greg blew me off with a wave of his hand.

“You’re practically my son now anyway.” He said with a secretive smile on his face and I didn’t catch what he meant by that as he walked off.

“Dawn get those girls moving.” I heard him yell and watched as he poked at their tent, some voices I heard but couldn’t make out what they were saying. Luggage got tossed out of the tent and then Dawn crawled out making gestures that suggested she was complaining about the two girls inside.