38 | Try Again

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Sorry for the short chapter, but I'll make sure the next one is a long one!! Vote & comment to tell me what you think!
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A whole week of silence passed between Nathan and I. Other than the times we were sat at the same lunch table in the cafeteria, I didn't see him at all during the days. He stopped texting me at night and walking from my locker to the lunch room with me anymore. 

It was like we had suddenly become acquaintances instead of friends in the matter of a day. Not only was it extremely frustrating, but it hurt to know he had no problem dropping me so easily without an explanation. It was like I hadn't spent months trying to break through his cold shell.

Judging by the strange looks Asher and Vincent cast in my direction during lunch, I could tell that it wasn't just me who noticed Nathan's change in attitude. In the beginning, I tried to engage him in conversation, but when he repeatedly grunted clipped replies, I just stopped trying. 

While he was adamant about ignoring me, the date for the long weekend we would spend at the Poconos was getting closer and closer. And, admittedly, I was still excited for the mini vacation despite Nathan's sudden distancing from me. 

We are leaving after school next Friday to drive to the cabin. Everyone had a different responsibility: Asher was in charge of alcohol, Vincent was in charge of collecting the rent money, Tess was in charge of extra blankets and pillows, Nathan was in charge of non alcoholic drinks, and I was in charge of snacks. 

Even though the trip was still a week away, I decided to head to the grocery store on Friday after school and buy all the non perishable items. So, like the responsible young adult I am, I filled a shopping cart to the brim with every unhealthy piece of junk food I could find on the shelves. 

It hadn't been until after I loaded my car and was halfway home that I realized my car was low on gas. Unfortunately, I come to my realization miles away from a gas station and my house. Very slowly, before I can pray to the car gods to keep Betsy running, my car comes to a spluttering stop on the side of the road. 

"No," I mutter, as if it will make a difference, and jam the key into the ignition to try again. "No, come on..."

I repeated the process three more times and got the same sad splutter in response every time. I stared at the Jeep logo on my steering wheel in shock, which was shortly after followed by contempt, and I tried to figure out what to do. 

Eventually, I let my forehead fall against the leather steering wheel and I groan. The sound was loud and unnecessary but I couldn't help myself. "Why do you hate me, Betsy?"

After a moment of mourning, I let out a deep breath and look up from the steering wheel to form my next plan of action. I had winded up a few neighborhoods away from mine and, of course, the only house I knew that was in the area was Nathan's. 

I start to consider my options. Stephanie was thirty minutes away and didn't have her car on campus, my mom was in Montana for a book signing, Luke didn't have a car, and Cole had football practice. Or I could walk to Nathan's house and hope he would be willing to help me. 

Maybe if I walk to his house, then he will help start my car again. He's worked on my car before, after all. I ignore the voice in my head screaming that he might turn me away instead of helping me because, well, this was my only option. 

Eventually, I talk myself into the idea and climb out of my car to start the walk to Nathan's. Luckily, his house was a short distance away from where Betsy had spluttered to death and it was still light outside, making it an easy walk. 

When I get to Nathan's house, I see his Mustang in the driveway behind some Ford truck that I vaguely remember seeing before. I stop on the pathway and look up at the house, noticing how calm it looked on the outside, despite the chaos expected from a house of three boys. 

After a moment of hesitation, I continue walking up the front porch steps and to the front door. I take a deep breath and lift my hand to knock three times before I wait patiently and try to push away the nerves that suddenly wished to overcome my stomach. 

"Coming!" A muffled voice calls on the other side of the door.

Weirdly enough, I felt a sense of relief when Ty was standing on the other side of the door instead of Nathan. He was wearing a nice button up shirt and khaki shorts, a nice change from the shirtless Ty that I was used to, and looked at me in confusion. 

"Hi Ty," I greet him cautiously. 

He looks at me with his brow knitted together. "Lauren? What are you doing here?"

I was mildly impressed by the lack of smirks and flirtatious looks that he had yet to give me. "It's a long story. Is Nathan home?"

But I spoke too soon. He pouts playfully and asks, "You mean you aren't here for me?"

Maybe Nathan's arrogance had rubbed off on me after the months we had been friends, and I was used to it by now. Whatever the reason is, I just laugh at Ty instead of getting annoyed, and I was pleased to see that he had a friendly smile on too. 

"Come in," He offers and moves aside to let me enter the house. "I'll go get him."

As he steps away and starts to turn down the hall, I shut the door behind myself and call softly, "Thank you Ty."

When he completely disappears down the hallway, my eyes scan the living room in surprise. The television was on, there were pillows and toys strewn all over the floor, and empty beer bottles lived on the end table beside the couch. 

I frown at the unkempt state of the living room; it has never been this dirty before. Unable to help myself, I walk over to the table and gather the beer bottles before I transfer them to the recycling bin in the kitchen. 

While I'm picking up the last stray pillow to throw it onto the couch, I hear someone clear their throat, and I straighten up in surprise. I lift my gaze and see Nathan leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed intimidatingly over his chest while he watches me cautiously.

"What are you doing here?" Nathan bites out rudely in a clipped tone. 

I suddenly feel three feet tall under his intense gaze but don't look away as I explain with false confidence, "My car ran out of gas down the street. I was wondering if you could bring me to the gas station or drive me home. Please."

Before he even bothers to consider it, he snaps, "Can't your mom come help you?"

His cold words were like a violent tug on my heart and I wanted to walk away cursing his name, but I was all too aware how much I needed his help. "She's in Montana."

Finally, Nathan seems to consider this and eventually sighs, as if it physically pained him to help me. "Okay, fine."

Without another word, he walks past me and starts for the front door. I bite my tongue from calling him an asshole under my breath and follow him instead with a spark of determination to crack his exterior. 

Even though his attitude hurt me, each moment Nathan spent being emotionless and cold made me want to break his guard even more. 

So I swallowed my pride and say from behind him, "Hey," As I shut the door, he stops and turns to look at me expectantly. "Thank you, Nate. For helping."

Nathan's stoic expression wavers a tiny bit as his eyes search mine before he nods slowly. Any progress that I thought I made was abruptly squandered when he remains silent and continues walking to his car steps in front of me. 

The smile drops off my face when I realize that this was going to be harder than I thought. But I resiliently follow behind and climb into the passenger seat of his car as I think of a new approach. And by the time he switches the ignition to let his car purr to life, I have one. 

"I'll never get tired of riding around in here," I mention conversationally with a small smile. "This car is beautiful."

I glance at Nathan hopefully and feel the weight lift a bit when I see his mouth twitch a little, the beginnings of some kind of smile threatening his lips. But he wasn't quite there yet. Nathan moved his gaze from the rear view mirror to me for a long moment before he refocuses on backing up. 

"Did I ever tell you about my dads car?" I ask hesitantly in one last attempt to get him to actually engage him in conversation. 

And, finally, this catches Nathan's attention. I knew it would, too, because he was so observant and liked understanding people he couldn't figure out. He shakes his head and answers roughly but not unkindly, "No you haven't."

I smile because he finally spoke to me, and I considered that progress. And then my smile turned nostalgic when I think of the memory.

"It was a 1968 cherry red convertible," The image of the old car flashes through my mind immediately and I relax a little. Something about this memory felt like home. "A Mustang, of course."

The softness in Nathan's voice anchors me before I fall head first into the memory. "That sounds like an amazing car."

I smiled at him, studying the profile of his face as I answered. "It was. My dad used to take my brother and I out on rides on hot summer days. We would drive around town and show it off." My smile was wide and genuine, and when Nathan glanced at me, I finally saw it.

He was smiling.

"I can picture you riding around in that car," Nathan admits casually. "Do you have any pictures of  you and this car?"

I think about it before I admit, "I think I have some in my room, actually."

He chuckles a little, the sound so foreign after the long week of tense silence between us, and he swears, "I need to see those."

I was grinning by now and I didn't even care. I was happy that Nathan was finally talking to me again and, more importantly, I was happy because it felt like we never stopped. We started right where we left off. 

And, of course, I was happy because I loved the fact Nathan wanted to see baby pictures of me. "Maybe one day."

When the car stops, I look away from his face and realize that we had pulled up to a gas pump at the station down the street. Nathan climbs out of the car and produces an orange gas jug from the trunk while I dig the ten and five dollar bills out of my back pocket. I climb out of the car and hand the cash to Nathan, who counts it silently before he begins to fill the jug. 

I leaned against the back of his car and watched the jug fill, and then continue to fill higher, until I was almost certain that more than fifteen dollars worth of gas was coming from the pump. My gaze shifts from the jug to Nathan suspiciously and I study him silently for a second before I speak. 

"How much gas did you get?" I ask hesitantly. 

"Thirty bucks," Nathan mumbles, uninterested. He put in fifteen dollars of his own money for my gas? I stare at him in shock and he glances at me warily. "Stop looking at me like that. You can't run your car out of gas and then only put in three quarts of a tank. At least this will top you off."

And while his reasoning was logical, the act was still extremely sweet- and out of character, based on the past week- that I just continued to stare at him in shock.

"Well thanks," I say eventually and a smile stretches onto my lips. "I appreciate it."

Nathan looks down at me and smiles a little too, and the sight is beautiful. His grey eyes look soft, his expression isn't guarded, and his thick eyelashes contrast against his tanned skin. "You're welcome."

I got into his car while he capped the jug and set it in the backseat. I gave him directions to where my car had ended up and he began driving in the direction to deliver me, and the gas, to my poor car. 

After a few moments of silence passes between us, Nathan asks with a boyish excitement in his voice, "So, did you get the snacks yet?"

"They're actually in my car right now," I tell him sadly. "I was driving back from the grocery store."

Nathan made a face. "What if they get all gross from being out in the car for awhile?"

I shrug. "I didn't get anything frozen and it's only been a half hour. I think we'll be okay." I really wasn't worried about it, but Nathan seemed to be. He frowned at me for another moment before I roll my eyes and tell him, "Don't worry about the snacks, Nate."

He glanced at me with his clear grey blue eyes and his gaze lingered for a moment before looking at the road again. "Whatever you say, kitten."

A series of butterflies erupt in my stomach when I hear him call me my nickname for the first time in over a week. I tried to ignore the sensation, but I couldn't even try to push away the smile that spread on my lips. 

We slowed by the curb in front of my car a moment later and as I unbuckled my seatbelt, I said happily, "Thanks for driving me."

"Thank me when your car turns on," Nathan mutters gruffly before climbing out of his car.

To my surprise, Nathan seemed keen on actually helping me make sure Betsy was up and running, and he retrieved the jug of gas from his backseat before walking toward my car. I shuffled out of the car as he began pouring the gas into my tank effortlessly while looking equally as effortlessly attractive doing so. 

After a minute, he removes the jug and twists the cap over my gas tank. "That should do it. See if she'll turn on."

Wordlessly, I retreat to the front of my car and get in carefully. With my fingers crossed, I push my key into the ignition, and hold my breath as I turn it. To my relief, the engine turns over and begins rumbling again, and I let out the breath I had been holding. 

Happily, I stuck my head out the window and grinned at Nathan. He approaches the open drivers side window with his own smile, which was much more beautiful than mine and showed off his pearly white teeth. The sight always managed to leave me in a daze.

"Thank you so much," I begin to repeat graciously. "You really helped me out."

His smile was so genuine and rare these past few weeks that it made me smile even wider. "You're welcome. Think of it as payback for all your help with Bennett."

My smile turns cheeky as I comment in a sing song voice, "Actually, I remember you inviting my mom and I to dinner for that."

Nathan's eyes search my smile as he questions cautiously, "You remember that?"

"It's not everyday that the Nathan Rhodes asks me to go to dinner," I gush dramatically, even though that really was the reason why I remembered.

His smile remains genuine. "Well, the offer is still on the table, you know."

I study him quickly, trying to catch him out and decide if he was being serious or not, but the somber expression he wore confirmed that he was. My heart skipped a beat when I saw that his eyes shone with a once-familiar happiness that I hadn't recognized in a week.

"I might take you up on that," I try to say casually despite the fact that I was practically having a heart attack over the prospect of Nathan Rhodes inviting me to dinner. "My mom would love to see you again."

His smile falters a little, but he says coolly, "I don't have a race tonight. We could go somewhere in a couple of hours."

"My mom is in Montana," I tell him again and feel the weight of disappointment weigh me down when I have to say no. "She won't be home until tomorrow."

Nathan perked up again, and before I could wonder why, he asks confidently, "Do you want to get something to eat with me then? Since your mom isn't home to cook or anything."

My heart skipped a beat, and then another. Was Nathan inviting me on a date?

"Tonight?" I ask dumbly, even though I understood what he meant. I just needed another minute to process this.

No, it wasn't a date. It was just two friends going to get food together on a Friday night. But it was definitely, positively, absolutely, no doubt in my mind, not a date. I mentally chant this in my head multiple times so my heart could finally calm down.

"Yeah," Nathan confirms casually. "We could get Angelo's or something."

Angelo's. I could do Angelo's.

"Yeah," I say. "That sounds perfect." And then I pause, trying to keep myself from rambling... "I need to get a shower because I smell," ...to no avail. "So what about you text me in an hour or so?"

Nathan chuckles at me, because I'm an idiot and I would laugh at me too, and nods. "Okay, I'll text you in an hour."

I wanted to slap myself in the face. I smell? Why would I tell Nathan that I smell?

"Okay, talk to you then." I manage to say.

He says a goodbye too, but I'm not even listening because I'm too busy hating myself. I don't even smell, I just got a shower this morning! Desperately in need of getting away as soon as humanly possible, I shoot a fake smile at Nathan and then pull away from the curb.

When I reached the first red light, I threw my head into my hands and groaned. I have barely shared a handful of words with Nathan over the past week, and there was so much I wanted to say and wanted to know about him, but all I could come up with was "I smell".

I don't smell. I suck.

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