Shamelessly Falling

Chapter 2

Nate’s Point of View:

The next day, Friday, after school, Belly and I decide to go to Starbucks. She’s like, addicted to coffee. Well kinda. See, Belly thinks she’s getting the caffeinated coffee every time we come here, but I always order her the decaf. It’s better for her, but she doesn’t know it. Whenever we come here to the Moonlit Path, I order a caffeine free drink and then one without caffeine. Then I had Belly the decaf and I take the caffeine-filled one. Somehow, she’s never been able to tell as far as I can tell. I mean, I do get her the real caffeine every now and then; I just don’t want her to have it all the time.

Jared, the boy who’s working the register and attends school with Belly and me, says, “10.32”

“I’ll pay.” Isabella says, pulling a crumpled up bank note out of her bank pocket.

“I’ve got it, Belly.” I tell her, shaking my head.

She scowls at me, her bright blue eyes intense. “I told you to stop calling me Belly, Nate.”

I smile down at her, “Nope, I’m gonna keep calling you it.” I say, handing the money over to Jared.

Belly rolls her eyes at me and we move to a table. The Moonlit Path is actually pretty crowded today. It’s the local coffee shop in our town. Of course there are more, but this is the closest to our school. After a few minutes, Belly and I have our drinks. Isabella, unknowingly, has the decaf and I’ve got the caffeine drink. Too much caffeine makes my head hurt, but I mean Belly’s worth a headache. She is my best friend after all; it’s kinda my job to look after her.

“How was your day at school?” I ask her, sipping my drink.

                “It was alright.” She says, stirring her straw in her drink. “We got our chemistry tests back today.”

                “Yeah, and? What’d you make?” I ask, wonderingly. Belly had been totally stressing over her upcoming science test for like two weeks, cramming information into her brain.

 “98.” She says, fighting a smile.

                “Really? Wow Belly, that’s great.” I smile, she’s such a nerd. But she’s my nerd, in a completely platonic way. You’re so gonna get a full-ride to college.”

      “Hopefully. It’s gonna take a miracle for me to get in to Harvard.”

I shake my head at her doubtfulness of herself, “Dude, you have like a 4.5 GPA.”

      “Harvard only wants the best though.” She reminds me for the hundredth time.

      “Belly, you are the best.”

Belly looks up at me, glowering.  “Nathan, stop calling me, Belly.”

I chuckle, “Why?”

           “Because I told you I don’t like it when you call me that.”

           “Sweet Belly, so stubborn.” I say, teasingly.

          “If you keep calling me Belly then I’m gonna always call you Nathan.”

          “Well, that is my name.” I remind her.

She shakes her head, drinking some more of her coffee. I quickly finish mine, and toss it. Belly carefully finishes hers, and then we head back out to my car. Friday nights are always the same for Belly and me. It’s our time, sure we hang out during the school week, but Friday’s are when we really let loose. We always go to my house and watch some sort of movie. It’s Belly’s turn to pick the movie this time.

Belly and I get in my car, and buckle our seatbelts. I pull out of the Moonlit Path, and head down the street casually. I drive north, to where my house is located. After about thirty minutes, we arrive there. I park in the garage and the two of us get out.