He'd done it; Nate had finally gone and done it. He'd told his best friend everything and now he at least had the worst of it over with. Because now Nate knew that she could hate him for being despicable, and go on to bigger and better things in her life. It hurt but thanks to the scotch he'd chugged before spilling the beans, it wasn't an immediate pain. It felt kind of lightly freeing in a way, having shed some of the burden of truth. And since he’d already gone for an emotional beating today he decided that, in for a penny- in for a pound; he went to go pick a fight with Colby.
Having spent far too much of his young adult life slipping into and out of buildings to have midnight liaisons with willing women, Nate found it disdainfully easy to get into Colby’s apartment complex. It was a talent he had inherited from his father, who’s own past was less than exemplary. Nate found the door with the ease of a drunken man, and knocked loudly, not caring if there were witnesses. Nate knew this was a bad idea, and yet the rational part of his mind was oddly absent. So when Colby opened the door and looked rather surprised to see Nate of all people there, Nate did the only thing he could think of; he walked into Colby’s apartment uninvited.
“You’re a disappointment.” Nate did his best to slur, not actually sure of what it was he was intending to say now that he was here. “I mean, you were supposed to be so much better than this.” He accused, angry and frustrated and not thinking clearly.
Colby was just giving him this slightly patronizing look and seemed confused. “Hello to you too Nathaniel. Please come inside my home and insult me. This is far more exciting than working on school stuff.” His tone was heavily sarcastic.
“Puta.” Nate replied and nearly snarled when Colby laughed and grabbed his cell phone. The man could text quickly but Nate wasn’t here to be ignored. “You don’t ignore me. This is important. Pay attention. You’re smart, you’re capable and you’re not a waste like me. That’s what made you better. That’s what made you worth her. But then this? You’re playing around with Grace and all unaware of how much you’re hurting someone special. You’re even worse than me! Do you know how disappointing that is for me? You were supposed to be better!”
Colby was frowning, trying to understand what Nate’s words meant and why the attack, but Nate knew he wasn’t understanding it yet. It would take so many more words than this to get to that point and Nate knew he wouldn’t be able to say most of them. Telling Grace was one thing, he simply could not keep them from her. But this man was no one to Nate, deserved nothing from him and Nate wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Ophelia. She deserved whatever happiness she could scratch out of this world and if that meant being with Colby, than Nate was determined to make sure the prick knew he had to be worth her. Colby’s cell phone buzzed before he could reply and he texted back whomever it was with lightening speed, then tossed his phone on the table top.
“Sit down. If you’re going to insult me, I’m going to sober you up first so this makes sense and doesn’t take all night.” Colby instructed and walked into the small kitchen of his bachelor apartment. Nate felt his jaw clench and his nostrils flare, but sat down, not having any reason to argue. And being smart enough to realize that even if he disliked Colby, that didn’t stop the man from being right. Nate swallowed his grumbles along with a large glass of water that Colby handed him, and even managed to not immaturely reject the food the other man offered him at the same time. It would help, he knew it and Colby just waited in vaguely amused silence while Nate ate as much as he could and guzzled water for a few tense minutes. It’s hard to chew with anger and frustration, but he managed to not mangle his tongue more than once. And it helped. Not just to sober him up, but Nate also felt more emotionally settled by the time he stopped feeling fuzzy around the edges.
“Now what is this about me being a disappointment because I’m not better?” Colby asked, doing nothing to alter the condescending tone of his voice.
YOU ARE READING
Aces Wild (House of Cards Series 4)
Teen Fiction(Sequel to Queen of Spades/King of Hearts stories) Nathaniel Vega grew up in a less than conventional family. His mother and father had once been student and teacher, his best friend was also his adoptive sister and his family seemed to include peop...
