Chasing Nathan | Nom

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Two:

Nathan's POV:

"What bet?" I tried to sound as brave and fierce as possible but I knew that as soon as I spoke it all completely backfired; I sounded like a timid mouse.

"N-Nathan," Tom stuttered; his hand scratched the back of his neck, his head bowed slightly. "What, what are you doing here?"

From behind Tom, one of his friends snorted. "Don't evade the question, Thomas." He taunted. "He wants to know about the bet-"

He stopped talking as soon as Tom hissed a 'shut up, Charlie'. Charlie, did as he was told and immediately quietened down but a smirk appeared on his face as soon as Tom turned back around to face me.

"What bet?" I asked once again, this time I sounded a lot braver. "I'm being serious, Tom, tell me. Now."

I was stood only thirty yards from him but I could sense how nervous he was; his fear was just radiating off of him.

"It's, it's nothing really, you're going to laugh when you hear it." He began, he had yet to actually look me in the eye and this worried me. What worried me even more was the scoff and the roll of his eyes that came from Charlie. "Me and Charlie here, we made a bet, right. And we, well I reluctantly agreed to it but I just came to tell him that I don't want to partake in it anymore."

He then gave me a smile - if you could call it that, it was actually not even real, it was just as fake as the 'nutritional' food they serve us at this damned school - before he said, in a faux cheery tone: "It's nothing to worry about, babe. Alls it was is I had to was flirt with Kelsey and pretend that I still liked her."

Of course I didn't believe him but I didn't want to press any further, sighing I turned around and started to leave but I was unsuccessful.

"He's lying you know," At first I didn't know if I should ignore him, but Charlie continued, catching my attention. "The bet is something you should worry about; he had to date you and make you fall in love with him and then break your heart - which, I suppose now he's succeeded."

"See, Tom. It wasn't that hard of a bet to do, was it now?" I wanted nothing more than to knock that smug look right off of Charlie's face and then punch Tom for being such a bastard for using me as a bet; as a joke.

"Tom, is this true?" I bit the inside of my cheek, wincing as I bit too hard.

Don't cry, I chanted over and over to myself. I had to put on a facade, pretend that this wasn't bothering me - but it was and I feared that both Tom and Charlie could see and hear just how much this bothered me.

"Tom?" I quaked.

He nodded, I watched as he wiped under his eyes and I frowned. Why was he crying? He wasn't the one who was nothing more than a bet. "It's true - I wish it wasn't. Please believe me, Nath, at first I thought it would be funny, you hated me so much I doubted that the bet would actually work out in my favour. When I said that I love you, it was real - I loved you Nathan, there's no doubt about that. I still love you; I'm sure you hate me now, don't you?"

"I don't blame you, I would hate me too." Tom added. "I am so sorry, Nathan."

I felt disgusted and used; I felt sick to my stomach. Nonetheless, I was confused. I didn't completely hate him nor did I completely like, never mind love at this moment in time. I was stuck in the middle; I was sat on the face, if you will.

But I didn't have time to think about my feelings right now, I just wanted to get of here and cry myself to sleep.

"I don't hate you." I admitted, I gave up holding the tears back, it was inevitable much like Tom hurting me was. "I don't love you at the moment either... Maybe in time I will forgive you but right now I can't."

"I bet you feel accomplised now, you won the bet, you can go and celebrate with Kelsey."

Tom shook his head frantically. "No, I feel anything but accomplished. I didn't want to do this, Nathan, I promise. I didn't want to hurt you, I was scared of what Charlie would do to me but I was so, so in love with you that I couldn't bring myself to tell you about it."

"How do I know that you're telling me the truth?" I asked, my voice completely monotone. "For all I know, this could be part of the bet, you're probably faking being upset."

He opened his mouth to say something but I couldn't bear to listen, I felt sick enough already.

"Bye, Tom." My lip quivered as I looked at Tom's heartbroken face. "I hope that you and Kelsey are very happy together.

-

So there's three more chapters left plus an epilogue before it's all over. It's been quite a journey, lol.

I noticed that as each chapter goes on the reads; votes; comments have gone less and less and it makes me sad as I used to get over 200 reads on each chapter and now I barely get over 50 and I feel like you guys don't like/enjoy this anymore :(

- Talia x