The Handcuff Effect

12

You can tell when I'm utterly miserable. I'll be stuck on the same page of whatever book I'd shoved my nose into for over an hour. In this case, I was feeling all 'teen-angsty', so I made sure to grab whatever Coming-of-Age novel I had closest to me. I hadn't even made it a page into chapter one when the book was snatched from my grasp. 'Is she still bothering you?' Came a voice from near my head.

Nathan had to be sitting super uncomfortably on my bed if I was able to sit on the ground and read a book as I normally did; with my knees up and my hands framing the pages. As it was, he managed to look only slightly uncomfortable, which had something to do with the awkward way his hand was hanging off the bed. I watched as he scanned the front and then back cover of the book.

Finally, he flopped back onto the bed, dropping the book gently onto my beside table. 'Emma,' He began seriously. I was stunned into momentary silence. He'd never used my full name, ever. This was momentus. 'What did the other note say? I'd have to be both blind and deaf to miss that something is bothering you, and even then some.'

I looked away. 'It was nothing. Now stop being serious, it's freaking me out.'

I heard the bed shift as he sat up. Well, heard and felt. My arm was now twisted at an almost uncomfortable angle. Almost. 'You know, there's nothing wrong with you, Burger.' He continued, almost as if he hadn't heard me. Of course not. He was specifically designed to ignore everything that he didn't want to hear.

That didn't stop the small fluttering in my gut as he said the words. I resisted the urge to look at him, to make sure he was being serious. Well, I tried to resist. In the end, I lost, and he looked genuine enough that the fluttering turned into a full on storm inside my stomach. His beautiful blue eyes held mine while I thought of something to say, a soft smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. 'Really?' Was all that managed to come out somewhat coherently.

I was going to look back on this moment and repeatedly bash myself for being so stupidly love-struck. It was a wonder the poor boy didn't know. I all but sighed dreamily as I matched his penetrating gaze.

Then his smile turned slightly sharper, a mischevious grin unfurling. 'Well, nothing that your next reincarnation won't fix anyway.'

The fluttering disolved and I fought the urge to scowl. Now I simply felt like tackling the boy and strangling him. I should have known he'd do that. Throwing my hands up in the air, I sighed dramatically. 'You're definitely something else,' I grumbled, low enough to sound put out, but loud enough so that I knew he'd hear me. 'Science just hasn't worked out precisely what, just yet.'

I watched his face as the comment sunk in. His eyes sparked with humour and something else. Satisfaction? I wasn't sure. Either way, he got up with me as I walked out of my room and down the hall to the kitchen. He grinned widely as he spoke again, thrusting his arms out from his sides to emphasise his point. 'Don't be jealous simply because I am a scientific miracle and you aren't.'

I scoffed loudly, throwing open the fridge. 'Trust me, "miracle" isn't the word I'd be using to describe you.'

Never skipping a beat, Nathan shoved me out of the way and busied himself rumaging. 'You're right,' He called over his shoulder, 'Your Pranksterliness works just as well. As does Highness, Nathan the Great, His Excellency, the Famed Wooer of Women--'

I laughed outright at that. 'Wooer of Women?' I paused for effect, but not long enough to allow Nathan to interrupt. 'I hope you don't mean the ones on Huxley Avenue? They have the sort of appeal that rubs off with tissues and cold cream.'

Nathan shot me a teasing look. 'That was way harsh, Ty.'

I stared at him. 'Who are you?'

Nathan blinked. 'What?'

'How do you even know about the existence of nineties chick flicks, let alone the quotes that go along with them?' I asked him slowly, like I was talking to a temperamental child. 'You are a puzzle of a person.' I mused.

Nathan straightened and tilted his chin up in the universal sign for appreciation or greetings and offered me a sly smile. 'Feel free to figure me out, Burg.'

Half of me was mortified at his audacity and my own slip up for creating such an opening, while the other half (the less reasonable and more lovestruck half) was chomping at the bit, claiming she was the master of puzzles.

Unable to come up with a witty enough remark, I just rolled my eyes and scanned the bare looking fridge. 'Ugh,' I scrunched up my nose. 'What do you want for dinner?'

*

We were on the couch, chewing meatlovers pizza and watching some crime show when it hit me. Nathan was excellent at reading people. He'd somehow been able to see that my mood had been heading south quicker than a raft on Niagra Falls, and he'd been able to change it. He knew what I needed before I even realised that I needed it. And dammit, but he'd been right. Anna's words had been shoved to the back burner because of Nathan, and here I was, at the end of Day One of being bullied, making fun of a crime show and eating greasy pizza because I actually had an appetite.

When the ads came on, I nudged Nathan in the arm to gain his attention. GIving him a quick glance, I offered him a small smile and murmured, 'Thank you,' before engrossing myself in eating the pizza. I couldn't tell, but I think there was a faint flush colouring his cheeks.

'You're welcome, Burg,' He whispered back finally, just as I was wiping my fingers clean on a serviette. Dropping my hands, Nathan leaned back into the couch with the ease of a gazelle, 'You're more than welcome.' I don't know if he noticed, but as he leaned back, our joined hands grazed.

I sure as hell noticed.

In fact, tingles shot up my arm and a happy grin wanted to break out on my face like the plague because he wasn't moving his hand. I couldn't even believe I was actually that happy because he didn't seem to mind my presence being in such close proximity to his. I was so done for. Because this boy was going to notice someone else, and he was going to break my heart.

And I was absolutely terrified because I think I was falling in actual love with him.

------

So guys!

I have an announcement!

10 votes or separate comments on this chapter means I will do an extra in Nathan's POV!

I feel like that's a thing!

Anyway, my writer's block seems to have backed off and gone to annoy somebody else because I am BACK ON TRACK!!

Woot!

Catchas later!

Lani