Page 89 of Steeling Her
When she stared at me, my heart started to pick up and race away from me and towards her. It has never happened before. I felt funny that night. I was on cloud nine even when it started off as being a shitty night. I used Maya to make Carter react. I shouldn’t have done it, but I did. The whole thing was my fault, I shouldn’t have ignored her the day before at Ellie’s party.Why did I have to do that to prove a point?My mom can be so annoying sometimes.
“You can’t hide it from me, Nicholas.”
“I can see it all over your face, sweetie.”
“I’m not stupid, I know there’s something there.”
“When am I going to see you with a girlfriend?”
The same shit, but a different day.
I’m stubborn, but so is my mom. Where do you think I got it from? I still haven’t openly admitted to liking Carter to her, but I know she can tell just by the way I look at her. I mean, it’s so fucking obvious now. I shut down completely when she’s around.
Plus the fact that Ellie likes her so much that she takes my mom’s phone and calls me to ask if I’m with her. She begs me to tell her if Carter is there just so she can read her another story. I like the fact that my little sisters like her. Ellie is very shy, but so is Carter, I think that’s partially the reason why she likes her.
Carter is so kind to people, yet awkward around them. I think that’s what drew me to her in the first place. Her uncertainty around me that night piqued my interest in her. The way she checked me out as I did with her, the way she would avert her eyes elsewhere when they met mine, the way she walked away from me instead of to me, and the way she said my name, that was the icing on the cake for me.
For my plans to be ruined by my sister, I was in deep shit. I was hard that night; Maya thought it was for her, but it wasn’t. I fucked her anyway, but I thought about her while I did. I was a little drunk by the time I reached Maya’s room. I just slipped in with ease, like always, and I knew it was time to give it up with her. It’s like passing a parcel around with her, I’m lucky I haven’t gotten an STI from her. At the velocity she spreads her legs at, I’m really surprised.
“Yo! Class is over, Nick!” Reggie taps me out of my daydream. I grab my notepad in my hand and leave with Reggie in front of me. Walking down the steps to leave, he turns his head around to face me. “So, TJ is at the café. You wanna get some food before practice?” I mumble a yes and we walk down to the open door that people are spilling happily out of.
“I’m so fucking hungry! Did you hear my stomach in class?” Reggie laughs, looking down at his stomach and patting it with an open hand. “Hah, why am I asking you? Of course you didn’t hear it, you were too busy thinking about a certain lady.” I feel my cheeks heat up because how spot on he is. “Knew it!” he gloats and we’re met with fresh air as we step onto the grass heading towards the café.
“Whatever,” I scoff at how annoying he’s being about this. But I still love the guy.
Once we enter, we look around for TJ and once we see him, we see his lips move as he’s talking to someone across him. Hearing Haley’s laugh, I slide in beside my sister, who covers her giggling fit with her hand.
“Hey, Nick! Hey, Reggie!” She waves at the monster beside TJ. I greet her with a side hug like always. We all greet each other and settle down. I decide to go up to the counter to buy a sandwich and coffee. The guy behind the checkout keeps smiling at me and it’s creeping me out a little.
“That’s ten dollars, please.”Is he flirting with me? I think he’s flirting with me.I hand him over the ten dollars and wait for my order to be made. I’ve never met a guy who has checked me out before. To say I’m uncomfortable is an understatement.
“Yo, man! You look like you’ve seen a ghost!” Reggie chuckles as he comes up behind me. I cough to clear my throat a little and look to see if my order is ready, but I keep making eye contact with the guy behind the counter. “Umm . . . is there something you’re not telling me, Jackson?” I whip my head around to see Reggie darting his eyes back and forth between me and the guy.
“Hell no, Reg!” I yell, shaking my head. “Strictly pussy, please.” I cringe at how crude I became to defend my ways. I’m as straight as an arrow, ladies and gentlemen. “Usually, it’s girls. I’ve never been checked out by a guy before . . .” I run my hand down my face, groaning at my own discomfort.
“Well, there’s a first time for every—”
“Don’t you dare finished that sentence!” He lets out a bellowing laugh as our orders reach the counter. I couldn’t take it quick enough to sit back in my seat. Reggie is still laughing at me and how I reacted to that whole situation. I mean, it’s flattering but I don’t swing that way. I like girls, not guys.
“What’s so funny?” TJ asks with a smile on his face, wanting to be in the loop.
“Your brother just got checked out by the guy behind the counter.” Reggie points to Haley, who leans forward to see who he’s talking about. TJ does the same and they both break out in a congregated laughter, setting Reggie off again.
“Shut up!” I mumble and take a bite out of my sandwich. I curse them under my breath at the fact they’re drawing attention to me. Everyone is looking at us, and I roll my eyes at how annoying they’re being. I look around to see many girls looking at us and I couldn’t be less interested even if I tried. The fact that I don’t have her here with me right now is putting a downer on my mood.
It’s all gone to shit.
Chapter Twenty
I Want My Apology Here
Carter
“Ow!” Stubbing your toe on the bed isn’t the best way to wake up in the morning. “Shit,” I moan at the throbbing and stinging sensation, watching my skin turn red as the time passes. I’m biting on my lip, trying to not to use the profanities I’m thinking.
I’m up and walking around, feeling so much better than I have been the last few days, except for kicking my toe against the bed. My energy plummeted and I could barely get out of bed. After the days of rest, I feel like I’m able to go to my lectures. I’ve been so bored not being able to do anything that I’m actually excited to go to classes today, to get back into my routine before it all went downhill for me.
I change into a fresh pair of jeans and a woolly jumper. I wrap myself up in warmth today, allowing my body temperature to regulate back to normal. After catching the virus, I couldn’t get warm, but it’s improving with every passing day. It helped that in the hospital the heating would be just above normal body temperature so it warmed me up. They just didn’t blast the air conditioning in my room.
