Break My Fall

Chapter Nine

(Rachel’s P.O.V.)

***FLASHBACK***

I arrived at the park, completely out of breath. I groaned and sat down on the swing, trying to catch my breath, and looked around for Nate. He was leaning up against the see saw, staring at his shoes like they were the most important thing ever.

“Nate! This better be fucking important cause I ran!” I shouted. He looked up and grinned at me, his thin lips stretching across his white teeth, and he walked towards me. He looked like he was shaking, but he looked happy at the same time. He hugged me tightly so that I was suffocating in the scent of him.

“Thank you, Rache,” he whispered.

“Um, no problem?”

He pulled back and pulled my hair out of my face. “No, I’m serious. Thank you so much for everything. For…being my friend. For always being here for me, for making me smile, for always tripping down the stairs in school, for making the worst blueberry cobbler I’ve ever had in my life, and for just being you,” he said. I chuckled and raised my eyebrows.

“You’re welcome, Nate. Is there a reason you’re telling me all of this now?” I asked. He nodded.

“Yeah, I just want you to know that I love you,” he said, touching my cheek. I was taken aback by his actions, he didn’t normally touch me like this.

“Well, I love you too Nate, but you’re acting different. What’s up?” I asked. He sighed. “Are you drunk? Cause if you are, I need to take you home – ”

“I’m not drunk, Rachel. I’m serious. And don’t take me home,” he said firmly. I raised my eyebrows.

“Well all right then. What’s going on?”

“You’ll understand better tomorrow, but for now just…” he trailed off sadly and his eyes fell on my lips. Why was Nate staring at my lips? Then, before I could react, he leaned down quickly and kissed me.

I was confused for a moment, but then I responded. Kissing Nate made my toes tingle and my cheeks flush. It was like falling in love with my best friend. It might have felt like that because I’m pretty sure that I was. Nate leaned farther into me, pressing our bodies together, but I forgot I was on a swing and I fell backward off it and landed in the dirt, laughing.

“Oh my God! I CAN’T DO ANYTHING RIGHT I CAN’T KISS MY BEST FRIEND WITHOUT FALLING DOWN MY LIFE SUCKS!” I shouted laughing. Nate was also laughing, laying across the swing on his stomach, looking down at me.

“I’m sorry Rachel, I didn’t think you’d fall,” he said, grabbing my hands. I giggled and took his hands and he pulled me up.

“Well I thought you’d break my fall,” I said, smirking at him. He rolled his eyes.

“How adorable, Rachel.”

I was quiet for a second. “Nate, why did you kiss me?” I asked. He shrugged.

“Cause I wanted to know how it feels to kiss the girl I love,” he said simply. I grinned and leaned forward to kiss him again, but he stopped me. “Hey, how can I think that was the best kiss of my life if you kiss me again?”

“So what, you’re never going to kiss me again?” I asked, feeling confused. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking stressed.

“No, I’m never going to kiss you again tonight. I have to go now, just, don’t forget that I love you, okay?” he asked, turning around. I frowned at him.

“Don’t leave me like that! God you’re weird,” I called after him. He didn’t turn around, but I could tell from the tone of his voice something I said bothered him.