The Heaven I Found In Hell (27 page)

"How are you and Scott...?" I asked, hoping that this would be a good start.

"We're okay...he's much less complicated than Nate." She said, with a small smirk.

Somehow, that smirk made me feel nervous. It looked like she was trying to tell me something...something I couldn't quite understand yet. I replayed what she said over and over again in my head, until I realized what she meant.

He's much less complicated than Nate...

Before I could make further assumptions, I decided to question her first. I didn't want to believe Cindy right away without asking her anything. I realized I had been giving Nathan a series of interrogations, instead of just believing him, and by the way I acted, it gave me the impression that I was hearing Cindy more than I did Nathan...my best friend. I didn't want to be like that...like a bad friend...and besides...nothing good had ever come out of Cindy that benefitted me...maybe expect for my passing grades...

"How so?" Was my simple question.

She answered right away, without even stopping to think first.

"Well, being with Nathan is like being with Brad Pitt. You follow...?" She asked.

I didn't get it, but I still nodded.

"Every girl follows you two, and almost everyone knows what you guys are doing together. Also, some people make up nasty rumors that can make the two of you, or break both of you...but they ruin you more...you see...Nathan Adams is just complicated...well, who could blame him. He is after all the most sought after student in Ridgeway."

She finished her sentence, and in response, I did a small head movement, a nod. Before I could say something, I tried to register what she had told me first, and when I finally did, I spoke up.

"But even though it's like that...I’m sure there are still some good things..."

My voice seemed hesitant, and it sounded to me as though I doubted my own self. There was good and bad in everyone, and no matter how perfect someone may seem, he/she still had some flaws for sure. I just needed to find out Nathan's. I'm sure though something had to be wrong with him, even though I didn't want that.

"Well...you become popular...and envied by everyone..."

Good enough...for someone who is too desperate! Kick me in my behind, but I just don't fit into that category. I may want him, but I wasn't going to follow him like a lost puppy...he should come to me, not me go to him. I don't roll like that.

What can I say...? I'm a supermodel.

Before I could even say something, she beat me to it.

"Oh...and he's an extremely, superbly, unbelievable...well, it's not unbelievable...it's kind of expected from someone like Nathan...and I forgot tremendously..."

I cut her off. "I get it...he's an extremely great times infinity...what exactly...?"

"He's the best kisser..." She said with a wink. "And trust me...his kiss is worth all the complications you're going to have to go through."

Wait...! Did I miss something...? Didn't she just call Nathan an ass a while ago...?

"You were calling Nathan an ass a few minutes ago...and now you're telling me he's the best...?"

Gosh...
High School as it is, was already difficult...add a relationship with Nathan to that...? Drama, drama...and what else? Drama. Okay, maybe I’m overreacting, and maybe...I was just letting Cindy get the best of me. But how could I not? She had first-hand experiences to the complications of Nathan Adams...and yes...she had even made-out with him! Unfair, unfair...and...unfair.

"I'm not saying he's the best...maybe the way he treated me was...ass-ish...if that's even a word, but he's still a good person. I can't just make him like me." She said to herself, but of course I heard it. "I'll just leave it at that."

"You've got Scott now anyway." I said, trying to make her feel better.

She nodded at what I told her, and slowly agreed with me. I was right anyway. What's the use of dwelling with an ex-boyfriend (if they were even together), if you've got a current one? Useless, let me tell you. She smiled by the mention of Scott's name, and I immediately remembered when she used to have that same happy expression whenever it was Nath's name we'd call out to her. I started thinking of what would happen to
 me
? 
Will I have that exact contented look...? I hope so...
but before I could even begin my journey to la-la land, Cindy put my thoughts into a halt.

"And Nathan likes you too much."

I got startled by the loud knocking that erupted from the other side of the door, and badly wanted to curse whoever had stopped my peaceful slumber.

Cindy and I arrived in Ridgeway at nine-ish, and I spent a couple of hours watching television, before I fell sleepy, and finally closed my eyes. I didn't bother to wait for Riley, who was out on another date since she had her own key...or if the both of us were lucky...she wouldn't have to spend the night in our dorm. Cue evil laugh.

I got out of bed, and dragged my loser butt, as I left my bedroom and went to answer the door. I opened it, and saw Riley and Anthony carrying a drunken Nathan with his arms on each of their shoulders. I immediately stepped to the side, and made room for them, before I closed the door when they finally laid Nate down onto the couch. He was snoring...quite loudly...eww...but he was still the same hot piece of...you know.

"What happened to him?" I asked, as I looked at Nathan with an expression composed of curiosity, sympathy, and disgust.

Why the hell would he drink so heavily?

I had to look at Nathan in awe...just...seriously. Aside from the fact that he was dirty and smelled like crap, he still managed to look good, even though he was unaware of it. I stood side-by-side with Anthony, while Riley busied and tired herself by wiping her brother's face with a damp towel. She stopped for a minute, and turned to me, asking me if I wanted to do her current chore. Her actions made me suspicious, and by the way her thin lips curved up into a smirk, I knew she was on to something, and I was smart enough, believe it or not, to know that disagreeing would be the better decision.

"Nah...it's okay...why is he...?" I started, stuttering for some unheard reason. "You know...like that."

"He tried to stop thinking about you..."

Ha! I really wish that was what I heard...but you guys know how life is...

"He played 'I Never'..."

"Oh, okay," was my simple response.

The couple glanced at each other, before they turned back to me with mischievous looks. It made me suspicious, but even though I wanted to ask more questions, I decided to keep quiet. They were probably going to tease me endlessly if I didn't stop now.

"You won't mind if Nathan sleeps with you anyway, right?" Riley asked, immediately catching my attention.

I looked at her, and gave her a suspicious glare, and in return, she just smiled mischievously at me. 
What was she trying to do?
 I asked myself over and over again, as I tried to register in my brain what she had just said.

Anthony, who stayed silent in the background, snickered as he tried to resist the urge to laugh, and with that, I came to the conclusion that they were trying to get Nathan and me together. I wasn't being conceited and confident or anything like that, but I just couldn't help but think that way with the way they were acting. I knew I had been thinking too much for the past few weeks, but 
please…
with those mischievous smirks and glinting eyes…
what else could you think they were trying to pull off?

"Hello…? Earth to Alex?" Riley said with a small giggle, as she waved her hand in front of my face.

I was immediately pulled back to the present, before I answered her with an, "Actually, I mind."

Riley for a moment there looked shocked with her widened eyes and opened mouth, but when she finally realized what I had just told her, she took in a deep breath. It was too late to argue. Both of us were sleepy, and I knew she wanted to spend more time with Anthony, and leave her brother to my care. I was actually beginning to like the idea of taking care of Nathan…but let the sky fall before I'd actually tell them that…they knew I had feelings for a certain green-eyed boy, but still…I'm not the touchy-feely affectionate kind of person…I wouldn't tell a guy I liked him. I'd feel so…low…no offense.

"Fine…let him sleep on the couch." She said pouting, as she tried to get me to change my mind.

"Alex, you really aren't going to let Nathan sleep on the sofa…?" Anthony asked, as he filled up the empty space beside Riley and took her in with a one-armed embrace.

I wasn’t surprised at all with Anthony's backing up his girlfriend. It was probably one of his boyfriend duties, and thus he wanted to remain the loyal, compassionate, and loving boyfriend that he was. I couldn't really blame him…he just probably loves her that much.

"Psst! Alex!" Riley said, pinching my left shoulder.

I blinked rapidly, before I turned my attention to my roommate who was looking at me with furrowed eyebrows. I suddenly tensed. Riley never really intimidated me, but with what was happening right now, and the fact that she was Nathan's sister…I suddenly felt scared of her. Not in an I-don't-want-you-to-be-my-friend-anymore way of course…it was more of like I didn't want to disappoint her.

"Yeah…? Sorry. Spaced out." I answered, sounding very unsure with my words.

I didn't know what was happening with me, really. I may have sounded really cool and calm on the outside, but my internal self…? The total opposite. Every part of me was dead tired, and with Riley trying to 'hook' me up with Nathan, the more I was becoming stressed out

"I can see that."

"I think we should stop, babe." Anthony said to his girlfriend, as he took Riley's hand and enveloped it with his.

"Huh? What? But I really want Nathan to spend the night with Alex!" She cried out loud, which caught me off guard.

What she said definitely woke me up, and now…I couldn't hide the fact that I was blushing like crazy. 
Sleeping with Nathan…how do you think can I possibly control myself with those words?
 Riley who saw my tinted cheeks immediately opened her mouth, and let her jaw drop down until it reached the floor, before she patted her boy on the shoulder. She told Anthony to look at my reaction, and I felt even more embarrassed. I felt like an organism being studied under a microscope.

"Guys…stop it…" I said, sounding like a wounded puppy.

Unfortunately, they didn't listen to my plea.

"Aww…look Hun…if only Nathan wasn't drunk…"

I swear if Anthony weren't here, I would've hit Riley already. She was annoying, but not in a way that pissed me off or made me angry, and as much as I wanted her to stop, I couldn't. She was talking about Nathan. But of course, I wasn't going to show her that.