Nate

I shifted my weight nervously as I stood in the front door of my smelly flat. Two whole weeks. I've never been gone for this long. My palms were sweaty and I wiped them on my pants but still it didn't calm my ragging pulse.

It's okay, I told myself. I can do this.

In all honesty, I rather had delayed this another day or two, but the smarthphone in my pocket weighted a tone with my uncle's text this morning.

: Hey Nate! How's everything? I hope you're doing well :) Is something wrong with your mother's phone? She's not answering me and I'm getting a little worried

I still hadn't answered him. How could I? I hadn't talked to her since the fight and for the last couple days she hadn't even tried to called me again. I had assumed it was just that she was giving me time -or simple that she got tired of trying, but knowing uncle Leo hadn't been able to reach her unleashed a whole new emotion within me. What if something had happened?

I had this pressure in my chest ever since I'd read his words. I couldn't even focus on classes, much less football. So I skipped football. I fucking skipped football for the first time in the longest while -if I'd ever actually had. And with this first match only a day away... coach won't be happy about it, but right now my mind was buzzing with other worries.

Fuck this.

I took in one last stupid shaky breath and finally fished for the keys in my pocket, disgusted with myself at the tremble of my fingers. I'm a wreck. I'm a fucking wip that can't even walked in his home.

Stop it. I got this.

I pushed the door open, holding my breath as my ears sharpened, vigilant to any shift in the air but the flat remained dusty and silent. I sniffed the air, not catching the stench that asshole seemed to emanate; like sweat and alcohol. It was early after all. Maybe he was at the bar or at some of his 'friends' places. Good.

I felt my chest untightening a bit but I still tiptoed inside, not fully relaxing until I was sure. All the lights were turned off. As I passed the kitchend I catch the sight of the dishes pilled on the sink, next to a couple beer cans dropped however and my anger spike. He literally didn't work. Would it be that hard for him to contribute in home's chores?

"Harry?" my heart dipped at the groggy voice, snapping my attention to their room's door, which was ajar. I gingerly close the gap, feeling somehow that pressure returning at the realizations I would be seing her after this long. How would she react?

Gosh, stop being a pussy. I pushed the painful knot of nerves to the back of my throat and pressed my palm to the door, making it screech as I opened it.

Their room was just slightly bigger than my little cubicle, enough to fit a double bed, a wardrove and a couple nightstands by their sides. The blinds were currenly down, blocking the sunlight and as I let my eyes adjusted to the darkeness I realized my mother shifting into a sitting position. She'd been sleeping. Guilt crept its way to my chest as well, she'd probably taken the night shift again. They were better paid but she was zombie mode whenever she takes them.

"Nathan?" she breathed out, standing to come near and wrapping the robe around her form with one hand as she brushed the sleepiness off his eyes with the other. "Are you-" her voice was croaked, breaking in the end as she took me in.

The closer she got to the light of the living room the more noticeable her decrepit state. It'd been only a couple weeks and still I was sure her hair was more grey and the dark circles under her eyes were more pronounced. It didn't went unnoticed the bruise faintly tainting her left cheekbone either and my stomach twitched, feeling sick. I shouldn't had left her alone.

As she stood before me I felt the damn urge to hug her at how vulnerable and weak she looked, eying me like that, like she didn't believe if I was there for real or she was still dreaming. But as soon as that lovable expression had appeared it was overpowered by a darker one: anger.

"You're back." she spat, guarding herself again and I flinched, unprepared by her snap that jabbed straight to my chest as she pushed past me into the living room, apathetically brushing her bed hair off her face. "So you've got enough irresponsability and decided to come back, uh?"

"I..." my voice faltered, not having expect this attack so soon, completely unprepared for her cold shoulder. "Irresponsability?"

"Was it that hard to pick up the phone?" her housecoat slid lazily form her arm and I get to see a bruise in her arm right before she adjusted it in place and tied the robe on her waist. I'm gonna throw up. "Where have you been all this time? With that noisy blonde?"

"Mom..." It took me a couple seconds to gather my thoughts together enough to pull out a sentence through the mess I was inside. "I'm not with Trish anymore."

"Aren't you? Mh. It's hard to keep the track. Who then? That guy you brought sometimes? The slut?"

"Mom."

"What?" she sneered back making me feel more and more small. All the confidence I thought I'd gathered smashing at my feet the more she keep glaring. "This isn't an hotel! You think you can go party whenever you want and just come back and we'll be here waiting arms open?"

"That's not why I left and you know it." her lips pouted and she looked away. "I can see you're hurt as well." I pointed her face and arm but she just adjusted the robe better, as if it was her armor and stay firm.

"Harry doesn't mean any harm, he just get's mad easily. You know how he get's when he drinks, you know it's better to stay away, and he's sorry."

Same old song. "We don't have to endure this."

"All families go through struggles-"

"But we don't have to! We can leave him. Together-"

"Together?" she chuckled bitterly taking a step back and looked at me in pained disbelieve. "You left me." her eyes watered and I felt my heart cracking. "You packed up and left, like your father."

"No no Mom-"

"Mom?" she snorted and my chest tightened at the sound. "What kind of son leaves his mom behind?"

I felt the room spinning as I strode closer, aching that she thought I would voluntarily abandon her like my sperm donnor. How could she compared me to him? I hated that man almost as much as the motherfucker that'd put these bruised on us. "This... is this place. It's rotten. We have to call someone. Uncle Leo said he'll help-"

"And now you're siding with him." her head shook as she matched my advance with another step backwards. "He's just as cold as you are. Why do you punish me like that? Family sticks together." as if her tears were draining her from strenght as well her legs woobles and she let herself sit on the couch behind her, rocking gently as she wimpered muffledly. "If you all want to leave, then go."

"Mom." I was also crying by now, kneeling before her as she refused to meet my gaze. "It's not like that."

"Just go, go! Go and forget about me. As if I've never existed. You've done it so far and you seem to be doing just fine, right? You left me behind. You left me..."

"S-stop saying that." I sobbed helplessly, feeling like a five-year old again, completely powerless and weak. "Stop-"

"Family sticks together."

I shouldn't had left for this long. I should had never left.

"I d-don't want to leave you." I stuttered, feeling my heart breaking into million of tiny pieces. But felt my chest melting a little when her arms came around me and hugged me, shushing my wheeps. I immediately embraced her back, holding on her like a lifeline in a stormy sea as more embarrassing tears pouring into her dishabille clothes but at moment I didn't care. "I don't, mom, I'm s-sorry, I don't..."

"Sh, sh, it's okay." she rocked us both, sniffling as well while brushing my hair softly. "It's okay, I love you." My lids pressed together, drinking from her motherly display. Couldn't she always be like this? "Don't leave me Nathan. We have each other, I love you."

My heart squeezed and so did my embrace. "I love you too."

"Harry loves us as well, you know? And he's sorry for everything. So sorry..."

Hailey

Today was especially tedious at the ice-cream store. Not only it was lonely as hell (I've barely got a couple costumers in the past hours) but also I couldn't stop overthinking the weird day that's gone so far.

First off, Matt had left. College would start classes in a couple days and he was out this morning for the campus. I would miss him. Really. He might had been a little colder this past day with the current situation, but that was him being protective, and not having him around was never easy.

Then at school things just seemed to be against me: I got scowled by my chem teacher for messing up a project, scowled by Olly when I excused myself out this video-game party he wanted to have after school and scowled by non other than Trish Palmer all day long.

The Trish Palmer. I didn't know what her deal was, she'd always been nice to me -except by that time at her party when she lied about Nate and kept throwing disguised blades at Kimberly and I. Mean girl type of confrontation. So following that logic train the only reason I thought I had to got her passive-agressive at me was Nate.

And speaking of which, the quarterback had been MIA ever since fourth period. About an hour ago I got a text saying he'd pick me up after my shift but that was it and I could feel the nerves cringing in my abdomen. Why would he leave school like that? And he wasn't picking up our calls nor anwering until that message I mentioned. A horrible gut feeling altering my quiet workplace.

Well, at least it was less than ten minutes until my shift ends and then I would be able to ask him myself if there was something wrong.

The bell over the store's door chimed and I straightened from my curled stance over my History's book on the furthest end of the bar, plastering a smile and moving to attend the new client.

"Hello, what can I get -you?" my grin dropped as I settle in the blond getting closer. I barely seen him a couple times so far but those disturbing cold eyes make him kinda unforgetable, burning in the back of my mind as well as the goosebumps I get whenever the settle on me.

He reached the bar, pressing his palms on the surface and tilting his head. "You remember me?"

I gulped, the gut feeling I was having getting worst now with the unease his presence unleashed. "You know Nate."

Ryan, I thought was his name and as his lips quirked upwards in the most creepy smirk I struggled to remember what I'd been told me about him. He was related to Nate somehow... oh right, he was the biological son of his the step father. Considering the recent things I'd been pulling together about that man, there was no wonder why Ryan was this disturbing. Must run in his genes.

"You can say that."

Yeap, I definitely didn't like him. Supressing the chills under his inquiring gaze, as if he was trying to see through me. "So... can I get you something?"

"Are you his girlfriend?" he asked ignoring me completely. "He hasn't been in a relationship since that stuck-up bitch. What makes you special?" I felt extremly self-conscious at the way he spat those words, eying me like I was just some dirt and kinda stroking my own insecurities. Yeah, his previous girlfriend was Trish, but he likes me now, right? So, who cares?

"Can I get you something?" I chosed to repeat instead, bottling all the awkwardness in the bottom of my chest. "Today's ice-cream is the nutella flavour, and we're also offering bigger smoothies with-"

"Looks like I care about smoothies?"

"Well," I gulped, hiding my hands under the counter so he didn't see my nervous fiddling, his presence was really intimidating but there was no way I was going to let him know that. "You happen to be in an ice-cream shop, if you're not gonna consume anything I'm afraid I might have to ask you to leave."

I could see a bunch of other guys waiting for him outside, glancing here curiously. Ryan followed my gaze and one of them gestured obnoxiously to his wrist and the blond rolled his eyes. I didn't like it one beat that he'd gone out his way to come and... what? asked about Nate? It didn't take a genious to know whatever he wanted, he didn't mean good.

"He's coming, right?" he guessed, but I pressed my lips in a tight line. True, Nate was dropping by to pick me up and we'll hang out before heading to the farm, just like we've benn doing the whole week. But something about Ryan was realy off, I could sensed it. It gave me the creeps so I wasn't that fond to flue his animosity with Nate. Yet he gave me no choice as he read into my silence and the corners of his mout tugged upwards. "I'll just wait here then." he pulled one stool, taking seat comfortably. "I'm Ryan, by the way."

"We're about to close." I informed more firmer than I felt and I was proud of myself. "If you're not gonna order anything you should leave."

"Whoa, what's with all this hostility?" he chuckled, and he would had almost sounded genuine if it wasn't for that sheer freezing look in his eyes, or how he'd treated Kimberly on that party all those weeks ago, or Nate or... or how he treated me. I remember he grabbed my wrist and left those redish marks that had freaked out Nate while they lasted. "Don't I even get a name?"

"I'm sorry, but you really should go."

"Hasn't anyone told you the costumer's always right?" he sent me once more that stupid smirk but right when he was about to add something else but the bell over the door rang once more and one of the guys waiting outside poked his head through the glass door of the store.

"We're going or what?"

The look Ryan sent him was dark, not pleased with his interruption and yet I couldn't be more glad by it. "Coming." and turned to face me on last time as he stood. "Wait here."

As if. My shift was definitely over. There were still a couple more minutes to go but the mall was already almost empty, most businesses on that area closing too and it was clear as day no one else would be coming in. Also, I didn't want to continue this weird conversation with Ryan. So I packed the rest of my stuff, pick up the garbage bag and turned off the light; calling it a day.

I stepped out the store, shuttered the place with the set of keys that'd been trusted to me and load the rubish bag. It wasn't something unusual the mall that empty, but with the feeling of Ryan's gaze burning in my nape I didn't feel that comfortable. A cold shiver slid down my spine as I realized on my way out I needed to sidestep where the group was.

It's okay, just walk by and act normal.

Swallowing the lumb in my throat I forced my feet to keep a firm pace, struggling with the weight of the bag as I made my way to the side exit of the building.

"Hey!" to my dismay Ryan decided he wasn't done with the little awkward moment from before and fall in step with me. "Didn't I just told you to wait?"

"I'm kinda in a rush."

"I'll walk you out." he insisted making my stomach dipped.

"I'd rather if you won't."

"Don't be silly. Any friend of Nate is a friend of mine." he mocked and I shook my head, walking faster to no use as he had loger legs. "So how did you two met?"

"Why do you wanna know?"

"Curiosity." he shrugged as we reached the door and to my utter surprised the blond held it open for me. He smirked at my bewilderment. "You see? I'm a gentlement."

I debated what to do, but in all honesty, there wasn't much I could do besides hoping he'd return to his friends as soon as I exit. So I muttered a low 'thanks' and walked outside. Of course, that wasn't enough.

"Need help with that?" he tilted his head watching me struggle to fit the bag in the dumpster but he sounded nowhere near genuine. More like taunting, condescending even, and my ears burned at his gaze.

"I'm fine." I finally succeeded and walked pass him out that alley and towards the rear parking of the mall but again he tagged along. My heart picked up. "What do you want, Ryan?"

"To get to know you."

No way in hell that was the honest answer. I nervously tucked a strand of hair behind my ear once we reached the lot. His presence was so unnerving... I couldn't exactly point out the reason, it was just... him. And out here in the deserted place with only the lamposts to light us I felt way more uncomfortable than back inside. "You should go back to your friends."

"Ouch, getting rid of me already?" he mocked further, his whole demeanor starting to shift as I didn't follow his 'easy-going' mood; withdrawing to that conceited, glacial mask I'd known the past times I'd seen him. "What's going on with you and Herond?"

I nodded dismissively, "See you."

"Not so fast." his hand wrapped around my arm in a dangerous grip, turning me back towards him before I could put distance and making my heart jumped up my throat at the harsh move. "Answer me."

I winced as his hold constricted around my arm, really getting scared now. "Stop it-"

"What are you to him?"

Why did it matter that much to him? "We're dating." I rushed trying to peel his figers off to no use; but my stomach twitched when he let out a dry chuckle at that, spreading goosebumps down my spine.

"We both know that's bullshit. He's not into that, so what is it? He likes you?" My pulse went overdrive in my ears, unprepared by such an agressive approach and fear pouded from my chest as his icy eyes wondered down my neck making me feel vulnerable before going back up to pin mine, inquiringly. "You must have a golden cunt."

I gasped, repulsed and shocked by his disgusting bluntness but couldn't even began to form a response as we both got startled by the sound of tires scheetching against the concrete. I turned in time to see Nate hopping off his truck and my heart somersaulted. If it had been a normal situation, I would had noticed his miserable appearance, more dejected than usual. The untamed locks and plunged eyes. Instead, what I immediately noticed as he swiftly crossed the distance to our side, was the furious vibe coming out of him in agressive waves.