Good for You ~ Applewood Series #2

01| lia

From the first time he called me Princess, I knew Nate Chapman was a Prince Charming in disguise. He has always been there to pick me up when I've fallen, figuratively and literally. He was the knight in shining armor, the slayer of dragons and my own personal hero.

Over time, my innocent idolization of him turned into a full-blown crush by the time I was eight years old. Then as the years passed those feelings only grew stronger, and as I started to realize he was where I always felt safest and most at peace, is when I knew I was past liking him. By the time I was sixteen I knew I loved him.

Of course nothing came of it. If it wasn't enough he had no idea, he also had way too many strings attached to even consider the idea of dating. So life went on and he got a girlfriend, I got a boyfriend and that was how it was for a while.

But now for seven months the pattern returns to him makes me fall in love with him while also having no idea what he's doing to me. Rinse and repeat any time I see him. I've made peace with the idea that this is how the rest of my life will be like

"Does everyone have everything?" James asks everyone for the millionth time this morning.

"Yes!" We all reply, exasperated. We're all already tired from waking up early to hit the road. Five in the morning to be exact, and after spending the majority of the night doing some last-minute packing I didn't exactly have enough time to get any beauty sleep

James doesn't pay any mind to our tone and only speaks up to remind us, "If anyone is missing something we aren't turning around to get it."

I feel someone come up behind me and hug around my waist. The long blonde hair gives it away immediately.

"Tell him to chill," Sam grumbles in my ear, resting her forehead on my shoulder.

I reach back to pat the top of her head. "You think he would listen to me?"

"Yes," she replies, then pauses. "I'm also two reminders away from poking his eyes out with my fingernails."

I grimace. "That's disgusting."

"It's true. I may not survive the car ride."

"You'll have Boone," I remind her.

She groans. "You know how he is with James. And God, with Caroline? Forget about it."

I look over at Boone who looks tired beyond belief. "I wouldn't be so sure this time. He looks like he'll make it two minutes tops in the car before falling asleep."

Sam turns her head and I feel it shaking next to mine. "God, working at the shop has turned him into such a pansy."

I raise my eyebrow. "Hey, it's not like you're waking up at four in the morning either anymore."

She sags against me again. "Oh my God that was the worst. I swear, mom and dad would give us the worst chores before school."

"Awe," I coo, patting her shoulder. "I'm sure it helped you grow some hair on your chest."

She pinches my arm with her fingernails. "Fuck! What was that for?"

"You promised you wouldn't tell anyone!" she whisper-yells.

I roll my eyes just as Caroline walks over to us. "Morning!" she greets us, with an attitude only she could have at this hour. For some godforsaken reason, Caroline, the girl who has no reason ever to wake up early, wakes up at this time probably every day. I understand maybe Nate being fine, but she has no obligation to wake up until her classes start at ten. And yet her first texts to me are before the sun rises in the summer.