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Chapter 17 - Passing Infatuations

Chapter 17 – Passing Infatuations

“Do you think he will be alright?” Patience asked Josh as they drove home.

“Nate or Loyal?” Josh grimaced, “Nate’s jaw isn’t broken so he should be fine and Loyal, well, Loyal’s probably getting drunk and laid somewhere.   Loyal isn’t the most relaxed person when it comes to guy on guy stuff.  I’m sorry Patience, I’m going to have to cancel our date and go and find him.”

“We had a date?”

“Yeah, I had us booked into one of those fancy restaurants,” he frowned while driving, “I really don’t want to leave you at your house.  I don’t trust Jake.”

“I know, but I have to go home.  Something is up with Serenity.  She’s acting strangely.”

“Yeah, she’s being a bitch.  I mean she’s always been vague but she’s never been malicious.  I just wish I didn’t have to leave you there.  Please stay away from him Patience.  I humiliated him today in front of the whole school and I don’t know what sort of revenge he will take on me.”

“He’s not like that,” she whispered.

Josh just breathed sad laugh and didn’t say anything.

“I’ll stay away from him Josh.  I just need to see what’s wrong with Serenity.”

He nodded as he pulled up in front of her house, “Be careful Patience.  I’ll be back as soon as I find Loyal, so keep my side of the bed warm.”

She watched him leave with a small smile on her face.  He was still obnoxious but he was worming his way into her heart and that wasn’t going to end well.  Shaking her head she turned towards the house.  The camera crew were already here and the house was full of people.  This wasn’t going to be easy.

She pushed her way inside.  Serenity was giving some sort of interview so Patience headed for her room to change.  It had been a long day and she really just wanted five minutes alone.  For someone who was used to spending so much time alone, the events of the last few weeks were taking their toll on her.  She dropped to the bed and just breathed in the silence.

“Patience?” the door opened and closed.  “Patience you have to help me!”

She signed deeply before lifting her head, “Nate, the last time I helped you out...” she stopped talking and stared wide eyed at the boy with his back to her bedroom door, “Are you crying?”

“He hates me,” Nate blurted.  “I didn’t want to kiss him, well not like that, and now he hates me!”

“Loyal?  You like Loyal?”

“I didn’t want to, I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t help it.  He’s so...” Nate signed and started crying like a girl again. “What am I going to do?  He doesn’t even know.  He doesn’t know who I am. He thinks.... and I kissed him!”

Patience wrapped her arm around Nate’s convulsing shoulders and lead his hunched over body to the bed.  He sat with his head in his hands as he sobbed uncontrollably.

“It’s alright,” Patience soothed until he gained some level of control.  “Nate, I can’t help you here.  Loyal isn’t the right guy for you.  You have to get over him.”

“I know.  That’s what makes this so awful!  He’s never going to forgive me for kissing him.  He’s never going to look at me again and not think about kissing a guy.  He’s never going to want me when he knows who I am.  I have to tell him.  I have to tell him the truth.”

“No!  Don’t do that!  When he finds out about you he will go ballistic.  He’s not comfortable with all that.  Can you stay quiet until school breaks up?  I know it’s not fair to suggest this but if Loyal finds out that you like guys and kissed him, he will make your life hell.”