"Open up your eyes
open up your mind
fall in line with what you're meant to be"

"Boo!" I hear a deep voice say behind me in the living room. Caught completely off guard I scream, drop the book I was reading and start looking for a weapon. Did a stranger get in the house? Where is Kay? All that I see next to me is a can of febreze air freshner on the table. I hold it in my hand ready to spray as I turn around. "Please don't be a serial killer." I whisper to myself.

As soon as I turn around, I decide to start spraying.

Then I notice who it is and stop. Even though I want to spray it in his eyes.

"Why are you attacking me with air freshner?" Nate questions and coughs up a storm. Probably due to the strong floral smell now in the air.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because I thought you were going to kill me? How did you get in?"

"First, if I were going to kill you, how would that spray stop me? Were you going to "freshen" me to death?" He replies while looking at the bottle in my hand. He then starts to laugh.

Behind him, Kay comes into view and asks whats so funny. Which causes him to laugh even harder and point at the spray.

"Audrey why are you holding a spray?"

I start to explain myself. Well, as best I can.

"I thought a murderer was in the house," I eye Nate then continue "because somehow this person got in and scared me."

"I let him in, I saw him carrying food coming towards the front so I helped him bring it in." Kay interjects.

"You let a stranger in the house?"

"Nates not a stranger and you told us he was going to come today."

I had been busy reading an interesting book and lost track of time. So for a bit I had forgotten he was coming.

"Stranger? Ouch. We are friends remember." Nate speaks up.

"Right. Anyway, as for the spray, I could have used it to spray the intruder in the eyes, run and find you then escape and call 911." As I finish even I don't think that would have saved me. I probably would have tripped.

"You need a better plan." Nate smirks.

"Maybe don't sneak up on people " I remark.

"Guys, lets move on, I'm starving. Whatever Nate brought smells good. Lets eat!" Kay then skips to the kitchen. Yup, literally skips. Though now I am noticing the delicious smell of food and my stomach starts to grumble.

"After you... wouldn't want you to attack me with your ninja spraying skills."

"Shut up." I roll my eyes but smile.

He responds by laughing and pretending to zip his mouth.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is really good." I mention before taking another bite of my bbq ribs.

"Yeah, thanks Nate!" Kay adds. Her mouth is covered with barbeque sauce.

"No problem, just a way to say thank you to your sister for helping me pick a gift." He smiles at me.

"Did she like it?" I hope I gave good gift advice.

"She and I quote "totes loves it", so I think she's happy."

"What does totes mean? Like a tote bag?" Kay spoke.

"I think its short for totally?" I say it more as a question then an answer. I think I heard it in a movie or something.

"Yeah in girl language. Guys never say that." Nate responds.

"Technically you just said it so... you contradicted your own statement." I joke just to mess with him.

"Touchè spraying ninja." After saying that he high fives Kay.

I burst out laughing. They are never gonna let me live that down.

We continue eating and talk about random things.

When we are done, Nate states that he brought strawberry ice cream for dessert and had put it in our freezer when he first came. Kay of course runs to grab bowls and the ice cream.

"I also brought chocolate. I remember you were eating that flavor when me met." He tells me.

"Oh, thanks. That was nice. You didn't have to do that." I can't believe he remembered that.

"No problem."

As we sit back down to eat the dessert, the home phone rings.

"I got it!" Kayden sang.

"Hi Bella!" I hear her shout with excitement. She adds "Audrey, I'm going to talk to Bella in my room. She's telling me about Disney World."

"Okay" I barely get in before she grabs her ice cream and goes into her room. She has missed her friend and she has only been gone since yesturday. At least she has someone her age to talk too.

"So since it has been established that we are friends, I think we should ask some questions to get to know each other better. What do you think?" Nate asks.

"I guess so." After all, I did want to learn more about him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Oreos are better. Admit it." I urge.

"Nuh-uh, chips ahoy all the way." Nate defends.

We have been asking each other any random funny question we could think of. Right now we're debating about whether oreo or chips ahoy cookies are better. Which oreos of course are.

"How about we switch topics. What is your favorite movie?"

"Thats a hard one. I have lots of favorites." I really do.

"Pick only one."

"I'll go with a classic. I pick Breakfast at Tiffany's."

"Never seen it. Is it a romance?"

"Yes, but any Audrey Hepburn movie will do. What's your favorite movie? Twilight?" I tease. I actually liked the movie. Even though the books are better.

"Yes, Team Jacob all the way." He chuckles "No, I think my favorite movie is..... any of the Die Hard movies. I love action films." He lights up as little kid as he names other movies he loves.

My phone then beeps signaling a text message. I look at it but I don't want to interrupt the conversation we are having.

"You can get that."

"Sorry, it might be my mom." Or Emma. I told her this morning Nate was coming over. She squealed and said she told me so. I had to remind her we were just hanging out as friends.

I open it and see a text from my boss Dan.

Can you come help Aimee tommorrow? I would but Gina says she has something planned for my birthday.

Ugh. I don't really want to spend time with Aimee more than I have too. But the extra money could help. Plus my mom will be off so I don't really have a reason not to go.

"What's wrong? You look conflicted about something." Nate notices.

"Nothing, just my boss asking if I can help at the store tommorrow. I just don't like this co-worker. She helps as little as possible."

"Where do you work?"

"I work part-time at this clothes botique down the street."

"Is it the one with lights around the roof?"

"Yeah."

I decide to text Dan yes that way I can give mom some extra money to help pay some bills. Every paycheck I try to give her as much money as I can. I'm also saving to take some online college classes. I only work part time so I can help take care of Kay so I don't make much.

My phone pings with his response

Thank you

As I put my phone back down, I remember something. It's not a big deal, but I am curious.

"Hey, you never told me what you do."

A weird look comes across his face before saying "I work at my dad's company."

"I know, but what is it that y'all do?"

"Oh, uh....we-"

Before he finishes his sentence Kay comes out her room and right away starts telling us about Bella's adventures.

"Sounds like she's having fun." I comment.

"She's even going to brings us some gifts!"

Nate's phone starts ringing "Hello? Yes- okay I can be there in about 20 minutes, okay bye." He hangs up his phone and blows a deep breath.

"Sorry, I gotta go, work stuff." Again being secretive about his job.

"Okay, well thanks for the lunch." I tell him.

"Thank you!" Kay adds and gives him a hug.

"My pleasure, plus I owed Audrey for being a big help yesturday." Nate sends me a smile. I don't think I have seen anyone with such a great smile as his.

I walk Nate to the door and notice he drives an Audi. It looks new. I don't know the type because I don't know much about cars.

"Bye." I tell him as we hug. Hmm. He smells good. It's not the floral air freshner I attacked him with but a cologne. I feel creepy smelling him though. If he could read my mind he would probably think I'm crazy.

"I'll see you. Take care Audrey." He says before getting in his car and driving off.

As I go back in the house and sit in the living room I think about how funny and nice he is.

"What are you smiling about?" Kay interrupts my thoughts as she sits next to me and turns on the television. I didn't even know I was smiling.

"Nothing."

It's then that I realize that I like Nate.

"No! Don't be dumb!" I tell myself. Or so I thought. Apparently I said it out loud.

"What? Did you call me dumb?" Kay looks at me like I have lost my mind. Which I now think I might have.

"No, uh, just ignore what I said." Wow I suck at covering up my mistake.

Kay squints her eyes at me but goes back to flipping through the tv channels.

I can not like him or have a tiny crush on him. He could break my heart. After all, why would he like someone like me back?

But inside, I know it's too late. Damn, I'm screwed.

Chapter Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! What is Nate hiding about his job? And in the next chapter some surprising things will be revealed........