"Thank you, Dr. Henderson. Thank you so much." Lucy sniffles and Tims arm tightens around her shoulder. She then turns to me and mouths a thank you as well. But I look away. I don't deserve her gratitude. "Kelly, are you coming home?" My dad asks as he walks down the stairs. "I want to see Nate really fast," I say looking up towards his parents for their consent. Lucy smiles tightly at me and I can tell she would like to talk to me about tonight but what she doesn't know is that I have no clue. Molly is already gone out the door. "Okay." My father's eyes stay too long on my face and I move away from him before he can read my expression. "Don't bother them for much longer. It looks to have been a rough night." He walks passed me but before he shuts the door behind him, he looks back at me. "And do you mind if I take my baby back so that you don't get blood on her seats?" He winks, as if to lighten the mood, and I toss him the keys to his pickup that Nate requested for our date tonig
The last time I was even this far out of town had been the night Alyssa and I decided we wanted to skinny dip in Lover's Lake, a sad excuse of a puddle about a mile from Lover's Land. It had reminded me of a horror film or maybe even Jaws, which we both joked about while wading in the gross, dark pond water. It hid our rebelling bodies well and it had freaked me out because I couldn't see what was under me.It had been a pretty exhilarating night until Danny and Ryan had figured out where we were and stole our clothing. That had been an interesting night home. And they knew I was afraid of the dark. But glancing over at the person beside me made all my worries fade away. Most of his injuries have faded from a pungent purple to a tauny yellow. He no longers grimaces when he moves. It only took a few weeks. "If I remember right there's a sign that says Private Property right before the road ends. You can pull onto that road and then park in one of the fields," Nate instructs. "Don't
Although I know he is uncomfortable when I compliment him, I don't retract my hand but instead brush a curl that circled his ear off his skin. "I'm scared too," I admit and lay back down. This time, I'm the one that's uncomfortable. I wasn't scared of much, but this kid, the wonderfully amazing guy has me in a constant spiral. The stars above us twinkle and Nate has yet to speak."Do you ever wonder if the stars talk back?" I roll my head in Nate's direction and try my hardest to connect his eyes with mine. He doesn't answer, but gazes at me with no particular destination. His breathing is still labored under his hands crossed over his chest.I continue before my brain can get sidetracked by his eyes, desperate for a change of subject where I don't feel so vulnerable."When I was little I was morbidly obsessed with death. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents and when my grandpa passed away I had constantly asked where we go when we die. Every person had had the same answer: H
"Nate," I groan. My feet dangle over the side of his bed and my hair hangs over the other side, cascading down to the floor. I flip over and prop my hand under my chin and look at him. "I'm bored. Let's take a break.""No breaks," Nate warns, his fingers tapping away at his computer. "Please?" He shakes his head and I fling my pencil at him lightly, hitting him on his slinged shoulder. He flinches in mock pain which sends my eyes rolling. His shoulder was bothering him again and he was instructed to use the sling for another week. To all of our misfortune, he is rather grumpy about it."I really need coffee, at least." I roll over on my back and look at him, upside down and grinning. His lips look harsh just by doing so, the healing skin stretching around the cuts as he laughs at me. But he still looks beautiful. "Bring me one while you're at it." He's taunting me and I love it. I love how comfortable he has become with me. I finally know where we stand together and that informatio
The door to Linc's dings as I walk in and find a booth. Levi gives me a strange look as he sees me sitting alone, a cup of coffee in hand, and a frown on my face. I wave at him a tad shy but he remains stationed behind the cook's counter. The door dings again and I don't have to look over my shoulder to see who it is. I can smell her perfume before she rounds the booth and takes a seat in front of me. "Hey," I say as a greeting because I still don't know where me and my best friend stand after the series of superficial events. "Surprised to hear from you," Alyssa interjects, her face pinched and hair hanging down her back freely. I try my hardest to keep this civil. I would never get anything out of her if I'm not. So instead, I take another sip of my coffee. "Do you want something to drink?" I motion for another coffee to Tiffany, Levi's fiance's niece who hated her job as much as Levi hated her. She is lazy and pops her bubble gum like a firecracker, constantly making me jump wh
"It took a little longer dropping the boxes off then I assumed it would," I lie into my phone. "Do you still want me to come over to finish the project?""Of course," Nate says. His voice is deep and smooth in my ear and it calms my anxiety over the situation. "Okay, I'll be there in--" I slam on my breaks when I reach my driveway. "What the hell?""Kelly, what's wrong? Did you hit a deer?" For the first time ever, my mind manages to zone Nate's voice out.My hands turn white from my grip on the steering wheel. I look like a deer in headlights as I stare at the truck parked in my driveway. What makes me feel like I was hit by a car is the person leaning against said truck speaking to my mother. "Kelly? Kelly!" Nate's voice has grown panicked and it pulls me out of my foggy brain."I have to go," I manage to say and cut the call with Nate.I get out of my car and slam the door shut behind me. This catches the attention of our guest and my mother. "Look, dear," my mother says watchin
The tears have finally started to flow and I hiccup to keep them down. His hands find my cheeks and I rest my face into them, relishing that comfort his touch always brings. "It's not my blood."Nate doesn't say anything but his brows scrunch low over his eyes and two lines form between them in worry. I want to reach out and smooth them but don't because the tears soon blur my vision and I can no longer see. "Kelly what is going on?" His voice has grown stern and through the ups and downs of today, my vulnerable body is affected by the tone. I am almost disgusted with myself. Even in the worst moments I want Nate. "I lied to you." My breath hitches and my grip on his hands tighten, afraid that he will let go. "About what?" Nate's voice softens to a siren lull that makes me sway towards him. His thumbs carass both my cheeks, rubbing back and forth in a way that makes my eyes close. I am fighting a one woman battle and I am losing. I need to tell him before things progress between
The early morning sun cascades sheets of gold into Nate's bedroom. I lay awake, staring at him in the glory of it all. He looks so peaceful in his sleep.Achingly careful, I bring my hand up to move his hair off his forehead and even in my best efforts, he stirs. His arm, which is still wrapped around my waist, tightens, and I am once again flush against him.I lean forward and pucker my lips against the bare skin of his throat, earning a groan from Nate. His hips press firmer against my own as he brings me as close to him as I possibly can. My sleeping mind instantly wakes.Nate's eyes barely open, his long lashes batting against sleep as he looks somewhere between my nose and forehead. His eyes are as gold as the light that is streaming through the window.I hold my breath as his fingers come up and skim over my cheek. "Beautiful," he whispers more to himself. The tips of his fingers move up to my temple and I close my eyes as they roam my entire face; my eyes, my nose, my lips,
Nate takes forever as I wait for him at the top of the stairs. "Let's go, slowpoke! I only have a few more hours until I have to catch my flight." I spin around and lean against the railing to look sweetly down at him. I can't help but grin as he huffs and puffs, taking one step after the other. "What have you been doing at that Ivy League of yours? Track?" Nate shakes his head and laughs at himself as he makes it to me. "I've actually taken up rowing," I tell him with a smile. I flex my newly toned arms before wrapping them around his neck, enjoying the superiority of being one step higher than him. "Look at you," Nate praises with a crooked grin that makes me lean into him further. "My very own Kate Middleton."My laugher echos off the concrete walls of Nate's dorm building. I lean down and kiss him soundly on the mouth. He sighs into it which makes me feel light and content."Thanks again for staying up late to watch the royal wedding with me." I pull back and look into his eye
This will be the last chapter Nate's POV friends! This last chapter is being taken place after Nate takes Kelly to the dock and they see their shooting star. It's just an on going chapter in his point of view to wrap things up:) Feel the feels, folks.________________________I take Kelly by the hand, loving the way her fingers look tangled with mine as we walk into the lake house. She's smiling. It's soft, like an angel's feather, but it's there, and she's looking at me in a way that makes me feel like my heart is going to explode out of my chest. It almost physically hurts to see just how beautiful she is. Her hair, as soft as my imagination remembers, looks like a halo around her face. Her small baby hairs fly away from the cool lake breeze and the simple sight of it all puts me in awe.My fingers fumble with the key to the house. Kelly's hand is still gripped in mine and like always, she picks up on my anxiety and wraps her other hand around our combined ones and leans in and ki
NATE'S POV"Are you ready, Nathaniel?" Dr. Henderson asks while fingering the bandage that is wrapped around the top of my head in order to cover my eyes."Yes." But was I really? What if the world is darker than what it appeared to be while blind? It felt darker without her in it. She should be here. I had planned on her being here but she had to go and do the thing I most feared. She used me.Kelly lied to me. And that hurt more than the constant pounding in my head since the surgery."Now, I must warn you," her father says as he begins to unravel the gauze. "You will feel discomfort with bright light. Try to continue to wear the glasses or at least a pair of sunglasses for the next week inside as well as outside. Actually," he finishes taking off the wrap, "we suggest you stay away from direct sunlight for the first few days because it could cause more damage but nothing time won't heal."I keep my eyes closed. What if the surgery didn't work? What if I remain in the darkness forev
Doesn't she know that it's girls like her that men like to have in their trophy case? And the fact that she is clearly intoxicated just asks for more problems. Why did she drink so much tonight, anyway?"Calm down, Daddy. Would you rather I drove?" My body stills and my heart stops in my chest. Actually halts in shock and a little of something else that I am ashamed to claim. Kelly laughs at my reaction which makes my cheeks heat more if that is even possible. My body burns like the surface of Mars. "I'm sorry," Kelly hiccups and she laughs some more. "Nate, do you happen to have some water I could drink?"I nod and start to get up and away from this predicament my mind and body is having with each other but Kelly forces me back down. "Just tell me where and I will get it myself. I didn't come here to bother you."I clear my throat because her hand print is now searing on my shoulder. "Second cabinet on the top," I say in a rush. I go to push the bridge of my glasses up and over m
NATE'S POVI lay on my giant bean bag and think of her.The way her voice sounds when she's excited about some little thing, such as a the little silver bullet pinging back to the stop of a silly arcade game, or how it turns dreamy when she talks about pursuing her career in medicine.It is strange, because when she talks about becoming a doctor, she sounds cautious, like she's worried that I will shoot her aspirations down. Which is odd because her father is the greatest neurosurgeon in the state of North Carolina. And, who wouldn't want to brag about wanting to save lives?She is bound to be something great because she is great.Which worries me. I have thought every second of every day since kindergarten about this girl and now she actually knows I'm alive. Which also worries me.I feel alive when I am with her--actually, I feel nervous and anxious and all above terrified, but that's only because I don't understand how I can feel all this. It's like I'm the dog and Kelly has finall
NATE'S POV"You don't have to start today," my mother tells me while sitting in her Traverse. "We can try again in another week. There's no rush.""No, I don't want to get more behind."I can tell she is nervous by the way she is chomping her gum. I can imagine her knuckles stressing white as she grips the steering wheel.My mother laughs softly. "You're the smartest kid in this school, Natty. There's no way you could fall behind. Plus," she rubs my back affectionately, "I did a pretty good job on my end last year."I roll my eyes behind the dark framed glasses I have taken a liking to since Trent gifted them to me for my birthday last year which I spent in the hospital. "Now you look like Zac Efron in one of those chick films," my friend had said with what I imagined was a strutt and a model turn around my hospital bed. The raybans may look cliche, but it bothers me when people can see my eyes and I can't see theirs."I would say I was more of the teacher and you the student," I joke
NATE'S POV "Are you even listening to me?" Molly questions as she wrings her hands in her lap. I mumble a yes but my eyes stay glued on Kelly Henderson as she sits by herself on a park bench.Why was she alone? She is never alone. There is always some girl or group of people surrounding her like a swarm of bees. But I guess that's the type of attention you get when you're queen bee."No, you are not. Nathaniel!" Molly waps me on the arm and I flinch back. "This is serious. She kissed me. And..." Molly's face reddens and she gnaws at her lip. Trent talks a lot about Molly's lips. I think he has a crush on her. "I liked it.""Maybe you're Katy Perry," I offer as insight. Truth is, I wasn't really listening. But my cheeks burn a little at her confession. I did hear that.Molly's eyes roll skyward and she doesn't smile like I expect her to. Usually I could make her laugh seeming she found me too geeky to function, as she put it, but I like her. She is a little rough around the edges but
Nate grips my hand tighter as we make our way through the airport. People rush around us, running to catch their planes while Nate and I are clearly hesitant in leaving each other's sight. The clear sound of last calls ring through the vast area, setting the deep tendrils of dread to cling on tightly. These past months with Nate only set me up for more sorrow as the ticking time bomb known as the future krept up like a ghost lurking amongst the living. We have spent every waking moment together and the thought of being seperated for a single second hurts more than I would like to dwell on."Maybe I could stay another week," Nate suggests, looking around the airport as if someone would agree with him and that would make it settled. "We still haven't gotten to that circus movie you wanted to go to. There's still time.""Nathaniel," I say with a smile because the thought of spending more time with him is tempting. "Your summer program starts on Monday. There isn't anymore time.""That'
Nate looks over his shoulder and gazes reverently down at me. "I want to take you somewhere to show you something."I can physically feel the whiplash of tonight's events. "Let me go get my car," I suggest and start to pull him the opposite way but he pulls me so I am flushed against his body. He grins down at me while reaching into his pocket and pulls out a set of keys to dangle in front of my face. "I can drive." My mouth wobbles open and close at the fact that I momentarily forgot that he can see again. Before, I always forgot that he couldn't and now it is the other way around. Nate rolls his eyes dramatically. "I have my license, babe."My mouth snaps shut and my heart warms at the endearment that I will never not fill my stomach with butterflies. I lean up and kiss him longingly before lacing my fingers back with his and allow him to pull me to his car. It seems that his parents have bought him a black pickup, which makes me laugh when he opens the passenger side door for