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Chapter Twenty Four// The Real You

"But what?" He spits, restless with a stern and rather patronising glare. "I haven't got all day."

"But this isn't the real you," my eyes lock with his and for the next few seconds we are trapped in an uncomfortable silence. Since he obviously isn't going to respond, I continue. "Look at yourself. Smoking," I dart my finger towards the packet of opened cigarettes, one of the things I had instantly noticed when I'd walked through the door. "Bad grades. New look. New attitude. This is all wrong." I finish.

His eyes threaten me with a harsh silence. "Do you know what's wrong?" Nathan finally speaks out, a sharp look on his face. "You barging into my room to tell me how to live my life. This is the real me. I like smoking, it calms me. I like this look ok, and my attitude is up to me. You're the one who told me to be this way so you put up with it-"

"Stop!" I call out. "This is not you! The day I first came to your house you were being the real you. You were funny, kind, smart and just an amazing person to be around. Now..."

"Now what? Now I'm not as amazing? Now I'm not as kind. So what?" He spits spitefully. "I'm not trying to impress you." He barges past me to the other side of the room. My eyes watch his every move, my jaw unhinged and hanging low.

"Then who are you trying to impress? Laura? Josh? Are you even doing what you want?"

"What do you mean?"

I giggle secretly at his lyrical reference... "When you nod your head yes but you wanna say no," I sing lightly under my breath. My lips creep into a smile as soon as Nathan carries it on.

"What do you mean? Oh, oh, when you don't want me to move but you tell me to go," he suddenly stops, flushing red.

"I knew you were a Justin Bieber fan," I laugh, referring back to our sing song in his car. His cheeks blush scarlet and he tries to cover it with a frown.

"No I'm not! I told you, I know from my sister."

"Sorry," I peer to the floor with another secretive grin, hoping he would carry this song on too.

"I'm not that stupid," he comments. "I'm not going to sing anymore Justin Bieber songs, just so you can make fun of me."

"How did you know it's a Justin Bieber song?" I challenge with a playful smirk. This is too easy. We exchange a gaze and he shakes his head with a smile.

"I didn't, I was... Just guessing." His hand rises to his face and he rubs his fingers over his mouth and nose.

"Too bad I know the traits of lying. You Belieber," I joke whilst calling him a Justin Bieber fan, his face only getting redder and redder. We stare at each other for another moment. His lips twitch. It is quite funny actually.

His eye brows rise and a smile creeps its way across his lips. "I'm not saying anything." He protests with the cross of his arms, tight around his muscled chest.

"Why? You don't want to admit the truth?" I giggle, striding forwards.

"I'm not a fan and you can't prove it," he runs to the corner of his room, covering his eyes from mine like a child.

"Fine. I can't prove anything. But if you don't admit it, I'll..." I scan the area of the room, searching for something to use against him. That is when I spot the stuffed animal lying innocently on the pillow of his bed. "Or I'll tell the whole school that badass Nate still sleeps with a stuffed bear." I tease with the bite of my tongue.

His hands instantly uncover from his face, revealing his enlarged eyes of panic. We both target the bear with our eyes. We both pounce towards it but considering I am closer, I grab the teddy first.

"Give me back Tumpleton!" Nathan shouts, more playful than angry.

"Oooh so Mr bear here has a name?" I tease even more, waving it up in the air on the opposite side of the room to his desperate plead.

"Give him back," he says seriously, trying to hold his laughter.

"Umm, I think Crumpleton would like-"

"Tumpleton," he corrects sternly. Oh this is so much fun!

"Sorry," I apologise, unmeaningly. "But if you admit to Tumpleton that you are deeply in love with Justin Bieber's music, I won't show him to the whole school on Monday."

"Fine! I'm deeply in love with Justin Bieber's music!" He shouts out really quickly, jumping for the bear. However I pull the bear back before Nathan can get him. "Hey! What more do you want me to say?"

"That you love Justin Bieber."

"Ooooh no way! I'm not gay," he says disgusted. I let out an amused laugh.

I eye him up and down with a smirk. "You sure about that?"

"Yes! Now stop checking me out and give me back my bear," he whines.

"Wow, talks like a baby and sleeps with a bear. You sure your in high school?" My teasing makes his lips curve upwards into a smile. He laughs lightly then reaches for the bear again.

"Just give it here," he laughs. "Or I'll tickle you."

"I'm not ticklish," I lie with a straight face. "Your threats don't scare me." Not any more.

"Oh really?" His smirk reapers over his face as he strides forwards. His arms extend to my waist as he pulls me onto his bed. I let out a howl of laughter the instant his fingers grazes across my bare stomach.

"Ok! Ok! You got me!" I turn onto my back with my feet kicking into the air as he tickles my sides. "Take the bear!" The teddy drops from my hands as I try to push him away.

"Nah. I don't think you've been punished enough yet," he hovers over me and let's his hands roam my body, tickling my skin from my neck to my feet. Not in a dirty way, but he finds places I never thought I was ticklish in.

"Stop now! Please Nathan." I burst out into more fits of laughter.

"Aww your crying," he leans down closer to my face. "Your laugh is so cute."

As his words leave his lips, my body freezes. Nathan stops tickling me as I feel his hands leave my body. We stare into each other's eyes, our cheeks flushing. He suddenly jumps up off me and steps backwards. I sit up on his bed and catch my breath. Did he really just call me cute?

As I look back over towards him, I see a glisten in his eyes. This is the real Nathan. That, just then, was the real him.

A/N- Hi again 😀

YES! Nathan was being his 'real self' we have hope guys! There is still some charm and laughter in there. Hahaha

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