In this chapter, it switched back to Oliver's point of view.
*****
It's been almost two weeks since I really got to see Nate. Sure I saw him in the hallways during passing period, but that wasn't enough. It was hard to miss him. We barely got any words together.
My parents had grounded me because they caught me smoking weed. I usually could get away with it, but for whatever reason, they smelled it on me this time. I was lectured for a good three hours before they told me I couldn't go anywhere or do anything indefinitely. That meant I couldn't go to Nate's house, and he couldn't come to mine. My parent's don't get home until the evening but they take off early sometimes. I did manage to get to text him and tell him what was happening so he'd know I wasn't ignoring him.
All I got to do was go to school and go to rehearsal for the play. I was glad they let me stay for play practice. It was a nice way out of the house.
It was Tuesday when I was sitting in my English class with my friend Katrina. I just called her Kat though. I remember I had talked to her last year about Nate, but that was when he was in one of my classes and before everything happened.
"Hey, Oliver, did you finish the homework for math?" Kat asked me.
"Do I ever?" I asked with a laugh. I hated math. She should know better. That was literally the only class I had to cheat in to get by.
"True," she commented. My English teacher, who also happened to be my director came into the room. She sat at her desk and paid full attention to the computer. We always had time to talk in that class.
"Oh! I almost forgot to tell you something!" Kat said suddenly with a beam of light in her eyes.
"What?" I asked.
"There's this guy from the next town over who just moved there, and he's gay," she told me.
"Okay, and?" I asked as she pulled out her phone and looked up his picture. She showed him to me. He was attractive, I'll give him that. I would say he's on Nate's level. I nodded before saying anything else.
"Yeah, he's pretty hot," I said examine her phone.
"You should add him! You're always saying how hard it is to come across guys around here," she continued.
"I dunno," I said trying to think of an excuse. I did think he was really hot, but Nate was who I liked. I liked Nate's looks and personality. I wasn't about to throw that all away. But I also couldn't tell Kat about him. I promised I wouldn't out Nate.
"Oh come on. He'd definitely want to talk to you. If you don't talk to him, I will for you," she threatened.
"No, Kat. I just don't want to date right now... I'm waiting until college," I bullshit. That was a total lie.
"One night stands still exist though?" She kept on.
"Really, I'm okay," I told her.
When class finally started, it was a relief from that conversation. It got me to thinking though. I just wanted to be with Nate. Yet there was this other guy who was just as good looking and out. Granted I didn't know his personality, I could. It'd be a much easier relationship.
But on the other hand, I had been daydreaming about Nate since forever. He was still new to everything, but we could work through that. That is the reason I forgave him so quick to the incident with his friends the other week. As low as it was, I wanted him too much. It probably wasn't the best thing to base a relationship on but not everyone's perfect. I was torn.
After rehearsal that day, the cast walked back to the drama room to go home.
"Have a good night everyone," Mrs. Gale called as we left. I then stopped in my tracks. My script was still in the auditorium. I went back that way. Nearly everyone was gone and Mrs. Gale was in her office.
The place was quiet but still lit up. The tech guy usually turned everything off for us after practice. I saw my little blue script laying on the other side of the stage. I walked to it and picked it up.
"Hey," I heard someone say behind me. I jumped and dropped my script again. It wasn't even loud. It just broke the silence. I turned around to see no one other than Nate. I smiled.
"Sure, give me a heart attack. That's fine," I said to him. He smiled at me.
"Sorry. I couldn't stand being away from you any longer," he said to me.
"I know. I'm sorry. I've never gotten caught before so I wasn't worried. I miss seeing you," I told him.
"It's okay," he said. He squat down and picked my script up and handed it to me. I smiled and hugged him.
"Ugh. Do I miss this," I said into his neck. We stood there for a good minute at least.
I lifted my hand and rested my arms on his shoulders. We looked at each other and didn't say a word. It was that nice silence you could share with someone though. It was sweet.
"So um, I've got something for you Oliver," he said. I let go of him and he reached behind him.
Nate pulled out a little box and got down on one knee. It was a ring box and my stomach turned over itself. I put my hand over my mouth. He looked up at me and smiled.
"Oh my god, you're proposing," I said. Nate cleared his throat.
"Oliver, I know it's been hard on you because it's been hard on me too to be away from each other so much. But even though it's all happening, I don't want the feelings to fade away. That's why I got you this," he said. I wasn't even graduated and Nate's proposing to me. This was crazy!
He opened the box, and it took me a moment to get it. It wasn't an engagement ring, it was mine. The one I lost in the dumpster.
"Is that..," I began to ask. Nate nodded and grinned hard.
"Yes. I went and found it for you. It was disgusting, but I found it. I would've given it to you earlier, but I hadn't gotten the chance to," he explained to me. He then took the ring out of the box and took my hand. He slid it back onto my index finger.
"You're too amazing to me," I told him. As he rose back to his feet, my hand never left his. I wrapped my arms around him once more.
"And don't worry, I disinfected it too," he reassured.
"Thank god," I said and kissed him. That was a taste I had been craving for about two weeks.
"Can we just stay here and not go home?" He asked me.
"I wish. Or we could just get in the car and run away," I said. I thought about it. We probably wouldn't get far and fail at running away, but it would be fun.
"That sounds really nice. To get away from this place," Nate said.
"As much as I want to stay here with you, I better get home so I don't get in any more trouble," I told him reluctantly.
"Okay," he said with disappointment in his voice. I looked at him and we walked to our cars.
"Maybe you could come see me after practice tomorrow? For a few minutes," I suggested.
"Yeah, I'd like that," he said with a smile. We kissed goodbye and drove home; him right behind me.
The next day at rehearsal was a different one. I was waiting around for it to start. We usually went and got something to eat beforehand, but I didn't this time. I sat in the drama room and listened to some music instead. The door opened and Kat came inside.
"What are you doing here?" I asked confused. She wasn't in the play. All she had was a cheesy smile on her face. She stepped to the side.
A guy walked in behind her. It was that guy she had showed me on her phone. My heart skipped a beat. He was tall and handsome. He was the definition of eye candy.
"Oliver, this is Brett," she introduced. I stood up and the two of them walked towards me. I couldn't manage to get a word out. It was between being nervous and being angry. Brett held out his hand. I shook his hand.
"Hi, Oliver. It's nice to meet you," he said politely. His voice was heavenly too. God could there have been anything wrong with him?
"Uh... Hi," I said. Kat smiled because she thought she was doing a good thing. I looked at her for a moment.
"Excuse me. I need to talk to my friend for a minute," I told Brett nicely. I took Kat by the hand and walked her to the hallway.
"Isn't he dreamy? If he were straight, I'd definitely go after him," Kat told me before I had a chance to say anything.
"I told you I didn't want to talk to anyone before I graduate," I reminded her.
"What could it hurt? It's not like there's anyone else you're waiting on," she said. I opened my mouth but remembered that I couldn't mention the guy I do like.
"Is there?" Kat asked seeing that I stopped myself.
"No," I said too quickly. I avoided looking her in the eyes.
"There is isn't there? Why wouldn't you tell me?" She asked somewhat offended that I didn't tell her.
"No, just leave it alone. Brett's great and all, but I want to be single right now. Is that too much to ask?" I snapped at her. Kat showed her discouragement.
"Fine. I'll go tell Brett to go home," she said, and we walked back into the room. Brett was sitting on the table.
"It's really cool to meet you Brett, but I'm really not looking for a relationship right now," I told him to let him down softly.
"That's good. You are not as hot as you looked in your picture anyway," he said flatly and left. I stood there shocked at how rude he had just been. Talk about a change in character.
"Oops," Kat said. I shot a look at her.
Then, Mrs. Gale came rushing out of her room. She looked panicked.
"Rehearsal is cancelled today," she said as she wrote the message onto a piece of paper.
"Why? What happened?" I asked.
"My daughter's having her baby. I've got to go," she explained. Kat and I walked out of the room and Mrs. Gale locked up. She taped the message to the door.
"Sorry about this, but I can't miss it. I'll see you tomorrow," she said quickly.
"Bye," we said together and she left.
