Maintaining Dominance

Chapter 11

I sit on the porch outside of my house. It's early but Nathan had text me last night and asked if I had wanted to ride to school with him. It's been about a week since Nathan kisses me in my bathroom, but I am not actively trying to avoid him. He is one of the only people in this town that I value as a friend.

He pulls up and I stand, the rays of dawns light making me pull out my sunglasses. I put them on and walk over to the car. I get in and Nathan is matching me in sunglasses and it makes me shake my head. "Good morning," I tell him and he groans, laying his head back against the driver's seat.

"Why do we have to go to school, it's so inconvenient." He whines and I start to laugh. He is not a morning person either and I can't say that I blame him. Most nights he and I are texting or hanging out until the early hours of the morning and it makes getting up for school harder.

"Well, I mean you don't have to go to school but I would hope that you wanted to be something more than a crew member at a fast food restaurant." He sits there and thinks for a moment before sighing. His hair is messy and it makes him look even more attractive.

"I want to be a cop." He bites his lip and puts an arm behind his head. Even through his sunglasses, I could see the seriousness in his eyes, he isn't joking like he usually is.

"Why, Is there a specific reason?" I ask him and he looks over at me. He wasn't expecting me to ask why.

"I like to help people, I think that the hardest part of the job will come when I am not able to help people quick enough." I am surprised by his answer and yet I can picture him doing the job. His breakdown in my bathroom came to my mind and I feel a sense of security sitting next to him. He cares about me.

"We should probably get to school." He says and puts his hands on the wheel, putting the car in drive. We are driving for a moment before I decide to finally say something about what happened between us.

'Nathan, can we talk about that kiss the other day?" He smirks and I flush as he nods.

"I know you aren't ready for a relationship and I was not looking for one in that kiss. I wanted you to trust me and I am not open about my sexuality, so I can't do relationships." I sigh in relief but wonder if he is serious. I know how people in this town can be if they know you are even slightly different.

We pull into the school and Nathan starts laughing. I look at him with curiosity. He parks the car and takes his sunglasses off, looking at me with amusement.

"But, if you are ever down for more than a kiss, I am down to show you what I can do for you." He doesn't give me a chance to answer before he is out of the car. I know that this conversation does not leave the car, even though he is the one who kissed me in the bathroom of my home, where anyone could have walked in.

I get out of the car and head into the school, meeting up with Amelia.

"Hayden, where have you been? I haven't talked to you in forever." I am surprised at her as she comes straight to me and suddenly feel bad that I haven't really paid any attention to her. I have been so stuck in my own issues that I really haven't even spoken to Jessie lately.

"Oh, shit, I am sorry I have been dealing with a lot lately and I really haven't even messaged my best friend in California in a hot minute." She tells me that it is okay and that she hopes that everything is okay.

"So, did you study for the test in sociology?" I forgot we had a test but had already taken the class so there is nothing new in the curriculum. She waited for me to answer but I can't lie.

"I totally forgot, but I had already taken a sociology class before moving here. I retained the information perfectly." She gave me a look of irritation. My guess is that she had worked on studying all night but not made any kind of progress.