It Was You

Chapter Ten

I watched Nate's face trying to fathom what he'd just discovered. He was silent, thinking. I wanted to know if he was happy or not. I still didn't know why I was, these feelings had come out of nowhere. They'd snuck up behind me.
We'd continued driving to collect Brea, I'd informed him of where she was waiting- he seemed to know his way around well enough.
Still not saying a word to each other.
My stomach dropped, realizing I must have made a mistake. He was probably not even interested in me. I had made up the whole thing in my head and he was going to let me down gently. 
I snapped out of my negative thinking when I saw Brea sitting on the pavement. 

"There she is!" I pointed. 

Nate pulled up on the curb and before he'd even stopped I ran out of the car and into my friend's arms. She hugged me tightly to her. 

"Are you ok?" I asked. 

Her eyes were red and she was clearly exhausted, she nodded slowly. "Thank you for coming to get me." She spoke softly, her voice cracking.

"I didn't think twice." I grabbed hold of her hand and led her to the car. "Nate was kind enough to drive me here." 

Brea gave me the look I just knew was asking "Oh no, does that mean he brought Kate?" 

"Don't worry," I reassured her. "It's just him." 

We slid into the comfortable seats and drove back to campus. It was almost midnight and there were hardly any cars on the road so it took less time to get back home. Nate acted like our conversation never happened and chatted to Brea most of the way while I sat in the back seat staring out the window and wishing I hadn't opened my mouth. 
Finally arriving back home he dropped us off at the campus and made his way back to his house- with a simple goodbye. I walked Brea up to her room, gave her a hug and made sure she was feeling ok. 
I left to my room and made myself a cup of soothing tea. I was about to curl up under the covers and tried to forget the evening when I heard a gentle knock on the door.
I thought it was Brea and she'd needed something. 
I twisted the doorknob and planned to greet my friend but instead I saw Nate. 
He was standing at my door.
At my door. 
I assumed he wasn't going to talk to me again. 
I didn't want to talk to him again, the humiliation was too much. 

"Hi." He greeted. "Can I come in?"

I nodded, completely baffled as to why he was even here. 
Nate walked into my room and sat himself down at the end of my unmade bed. 

"You have a lot more books in here than I thought you did." He admired my unorganised bookshelf and massive piles of books scattered in random areas of the room. I'm pretty sure there was a stack or two in the drawers in the kitchen. 

"Yeah," I hesitated to sit beside him. I didn't know if he wanted me to. "I have a lot more at home though." 

He glanced all over my room, taking everything in. The ornaments I had placed everywhere, posters and pictures on my walls and the decorative fairy lights I'd stuck up over my door. 

"Thank you again for getting Brea tonight." It was getting chilly so I threw on of my oversized jumpers around me. I didn't look fashionable but I didn't care. 

"Not a problem." He smiled at me. "Always there to help." 

After another moment of silence and me being impatient I decided to ask, "Why are you here?" 

He shrugged, "I don't know really. I went home and Kate was passed out in my room. I felt like I needed to see you so I came here." 

I finally worked up the courage to sit down beside him. I tried not to look him in the eyes, they were too entrancing.

"If...if you're disappointed that I was the girl you were talking to, you can tell me." I sighed deeply, bracing myself for his response. 

Nate frowned and shook his head, "I never said I was disappointed." 

It was my turn to frown at him in confusion, "Then why did you barely speak to me?" 

"It's a long story." He replied so quietly I could barely hear him. "But I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that. It must have taken a lot for you to say that." 

"Yeah..." I stared down at my cold, bare feet. 

I felt his hand move over to mine and grasp it. His fingers entangled with mine. I looked up and his eyes locked with mine. He moved his other hand under my chin and pulled me close. I could feel my heart racing as he leaned in. 
Our lips touched delicately at first then the kiss turned passionate. 
He tightened his grip on my hand, pulling it closer to him. 
I moved my other hand up and ran my fingers through his hair. 

I couldn't believe this was happening to me. It was like a dream. I was completely and utterly paralysed and I didn't want to be anywhere else.