SLOWLY FALLING FOR YOU (α∂яιєηєттє)

Chap. 20

Class ended after what felt like an hour. I had been thinking about what Nathaniel could possibly want to talk to me about, which got me looking at the clock because I wanted class to end early. Big mistake! Who knew checking the time made time pass slower. Hearing the bell ring got me to get up from my seat faster than you can say 'boo'. Beside me, Nathaniel was slowly and carefully packing up his sketchbook and drawing materials inside of his bag, which got me to finish earlier than him and wait by the door for him to finish.

After a while, most of the students had left the classroom. Nathaniel was now walking towards me. He didn't look exactly happy, but at least he didn't look mad either. "Follow me," He muttered and walked past me, out of the classroom. I followed him out with no words, still confused. Nathaniel then let out a sigh, like he was preparing himself for what he was about to say. He then turned to me and I could see just how serious he was by looking at his face.

"You're right. I did lie about Chloe, but it's not just because of the way she had insulted me when she was talking to that girl. When I had walked up behind her, not only had she insulted me, but she was also talking about how she was going to try and succeed in making you her boyfriend. I didn't just feel mad that she insulted me, but I felt this huge pang of jealousy just by hearing her talking about her crush." He paused and looked at me, but I didn't say anything, wanting for him to continue. He then looked away and took a seat on the floor. "When you came to this school, I thought you were her boyfriend, seeing how close you two were and how she made everyone believe you two were dating. I thought you were just like her, especially after what she had said about you in the cafeteria. When I found out you were sitting beside me, I felt mad, but also scared. I felt mad that I'd somehow lost to you, but scared that you were just going to be the bully I saw you as.

"When I found out the whole you-and-Chloe dating thing was just a lie, I felt relieved, but I still didn't ease up, knowing the fact that Chloe still liked you. I thought. . .that if I created one lie about her to you, you would start to hate her, and distance yourself from her. I thought maybe if she saw how much you hated her, she would stop her crush on you." Nathaniel was now hiding his face, but his voice cracked at his next words, "I never meant to sound or look like a bad person-"

I stood there, staring, wondering if he was going to break into tears. What was I supposed to do if he did? Sure, I knew how to comfort Chloe whenever she started crying, but this was Nathaniel I was dealing with here. I stared at the floor, wondering what would be my next move, wondering what I could do to make him feel better. "You know. . . I. . . well. . ." This was harder than I thought it would be. "You should talk to her!"

"What?!"

What?! Adrien, of all the things you could have said, it had to be that?! I didn't make eye contact with Nathaniel as I tried to explain what I'd just said. "Chloe is a totally different person now. She may still like me, but if you talk to her, you two could become friends." No, Adrien, you're doing it again! You're sticking up for Chloe. I remembered Chloe telling me she was doing Nathaniel for her biography project. She really looked like she regretted everything she had said about him, so I thought if Nathaniel talked it out with her, they would really hit it off. Nathaniel on the other hand didn't really seem to like the idea.

"Gee, thanks!" He stood up from the floor, picking up his bag. "You want me to get told off by her again. It's Chloe we're talking about here. I'm sorry, but she's a witch! I liked her because even though people said bad things about her, I believed differently! I thought she was just being misunderstood! But when I heard her saying all those stuff about me. . . imagine how I felt! And now. . . now you're telling me to go talk to her?" He turned around in such an angry way. "Like that's easy." He stomped off away from me, and I stood there, feeling like I'd just lost a friend.