Strings (1 of 2)

Chapter 13 - Friend Time

Jade runs her fingers through her newly pink pixie cut hair and laughs. Her laugh is infectious and soon we are all giggling so hard I forget what was even funny. Once we calm down, Santana continues her story about bringing her boyfriend Mark to meet her family yesterday.

"My dad loves him, you guys!" she beams and Jade and I smile, happy for her. "I don't know why I was so worried."

"You were worried because he has never liked another one of your boyfriends before." I remind her teasingly.

"Especially Sam..." Jade chimes in, nodding.

"That's because Sam was a dick." Santana says and we all laugh. 

Sam was a dick. He was the type of college boyfriend who would bring you to a frat party as his date and then ditch you, only for you to find him in a bedroom upstairs hours later with another girl. But Santana is a bit naïve when it comes to boys and she forgives and forgets more than I ever would, that is for sure. Eventually, she grew a pair (pun unintended) and broke up with him for good.

Jade and I have learned the hard way throughout the three years of friendship with Santana that it is best not to try to talk her out of a relationship or try to get her to realize when a guy is wrong for her. She has never listened, never will, and it only causes fights. So now we are content with only listening to her many stories about each of her latest boyfriends. Mark seems different, though. She hasn't said one negative word or complaint about him... yet.

"I think he might be the one." Santana says whimsically, checking her phone. Jade and I give each other a knowing look and bite back laughter. We have heard this before...

"Em, what's new with you?" Jade asks me curiously.

I feel my cheeks heat up, surely going red, and I try to come up with any topic besides Nathan. I want to tell them, I do, but I think it would be easier if no one knows. I don't want the questions that I don't have answers to. And I do not want to have to talk about it after I move in a few months. Do you miss him? Do you still text? etc. etc.

"I might work at La Bonita this summer." I say quickly, remembering my conversation with Jake that feels like much longer than a day ago. They both raise their eyebrows at me, clearly they did not expect me to say that.

"The Italian restaurant near your house?" Santana asks and I nod.

"Yeah, so Jake... you remember Jake, right Jade? From high school?" she nods but I can see in her eyes she is mentally trying hard to remember who I am talking about. "Well, he said they are hiring and I thought it might be a good way to pass the summer. Plus, it's so close to me and I already know their whole menu."

Both girls stare at me, surprised but seemingly impressed. To be fair to them, they have never seen me work before. Not that I won't work, I'm not a spoiled brat... I just haven't had to. I never found something that interested me enough to work just to work, besides writing, but that does not pay the bills... yet...

"Good for you, Em." Jade says happily. "My little worker bee." she laughs as she playfully ruffles my hair like a dog. 

I roll my eyes and fix my hair as Jade starts to talk about her trip to Spain next month.

---

I get home around noon to an empty house and kick my heels off at the door, making them fly across the foyer. Partly because I am exhausted, but mostly to annoy my mother. I smirk at the thought of her irritated face when she sees it later as I climb the stairs to my room.

I lift yesterday's dress over my head and climb under the pink fluffy comforter on my bed, ready to fall asleep for a midday nap, when I hear my phone beep. I turn toward my nightstand and grab it, bringing it under the covers with the rest of me.

A text from Nathan pops up on the annoyingly bright screen.

How was coffee? Did you tell them about how handsome I am?

I grin and type back quickly. That would be breaking our rules.

Speaking of breaking rules... you will want to wear jeans tonight. He replies vaguely, spiking my interest.

Where are we going?

He ignores my question completely. I'll pick you up at 7.

Ok... I reply and switch the phone to the lock screen.

How does he know where I live? Where are we going? What are we doing? I have so many questions.

I close my eyes and try to relax enough to fall asleep. I'm not sure what he has planned for tonight, but I can tell it isn't just going back to his place and bed. Thankfully, because even though that is basically the main part of our arrangement, it isn't all I want from him. 

I want to have fun and be the happy carefree person I was five years ago. I've pushed it down for so long. First to grieve the loss of Matt and then eventually it just became my way of living. When I was with Dean I was happy, although I was too sad to really experience it the right way and really feel it. In university and since graduating I would go out and party, sure, but I was never really fully present and having real fun. Just surface level.

But, I think Nathan can help me with that. His presence excites me, like an adventure waiting to happen. He likes to push my buttons with that sarcastic mouth of his, but in a good way. A challenge. From our brief encounters so far, he also has somehow made it clear to me that he gets me. He understands what I cannot express, like with my post-meltdown at the book party last week. 

Plus...... he's hot.

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading everyone! Over 110 reads now and some from readers I don't personally know, which is crazy to me but AMAZING! I never really expected deep down for people to read this so I am very excited.

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