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Chapter Thirty One// I Never Knew

"I'm fine," I deny with a spit. "Anyway, why would you care?"

"Pardon?"

"I'm leaving." With a swift turn on my heels, I locate the exit and make a clean escape. If Nathan is truly bothered about me, he would have stopped Josh yesterday or would have actually tried to get help. As he did neither of those things, why should I waste my breath talking to him?

***

That evening I am listening to music on my bed, scanning through a few books I was able to pick up from the school library once Nathan had left.

"Knock, knock, knock." My mom enters my bedroom and waits for me to remove my head phones. I raise an eye up to her and force a smile.

"Hi Mom," I begin by saying. She has been very sympathetic after she picked me up yesterday from the incident- one that I am sure wasn't an accident. The school never informed her about the detail of my bruises, instead they phrased it as a 'trip' in the corridor where I wound up with a bloody nose and a purple cheek. She bought the story with no questions.

"Listen, I know you aren't feeling very well..." That is an understatement. "But I have decided to unground you."

I smile. "Thanks mom." I would have been more enthusiastic about not being grounded anymore and not have to ask for permission to leave the house, but considering I have to stay inside to rest whenever I am not at school, I don't see any need for me to be ungrounded. I thank her nonetheless and continue revising once she has left the room.

I have just finished going through electrolysis in my Chemistry book when a disruptive sound catches my attention. Something has just hit the glass of my window. With a careless shake of my head, I peer back down to the book and flick through the pages. Then the noise comes again. This time my eyes catch the sight of a stone hitting against my window, then falling down onto my balcony. The glass isn't dented.

I decide to stay seated. Might just have been a bird. However when the noise came again, I sigh heavily and look back over to the window. This time, I get a shock.

"Nathan?" My heart jolts the instant I see Nathan standing on my balcony. His hair is blowing in the direction of the wind, his eyes glistening through the evening mist. I hurry over to the window and unlock the hatch. He climbs in desperately from the cold. "What are you doing here?" I ask almost breathless, even though he had been the one to climb up to my bedroom window.

"I wanted to get your attention, that was why I threw the stones. But when you didn't notice I thought I would climb up onto your balcony."

"I do have a phone you know," my lips creep up into a smile. I see him trying to fix his hair so I go over and style it for him, his hair is so soft.

"Thanks," he laughs.

"No problem. But why did you even come?"

We lock eye contact and for a second we stay in a healthy silence. He then takes in a deep breath before striding forwards, taking my hands in his. "I don't know why you rejected me before, but I need to know that you are ok," he says staring deeply into my eyes. His proximity takes me by surprise. His thumb strokes over my palm, an unknown sensation rushing through me.

"I... I am fine but..." I take in a deep breath, my heart racing as his breath mixes with mine.

"But what?" Our eyes lock and the clock stops ticking.

"But why did you not do anything when you saw Josh beating me up?"

"I did," his fingers graze over my healthy cheek bone. I flinch inside at his touch, his soft touch that make me weak at the knees. His eyes meet mine again.

"You left." I gulp, trying to inhale enough air to breathe. Why does he make me act like this?

"To get help."

"I don't understand," my lip hangs as his hand drops back into mine. I trail my eyes down to our interlocked fingers.

"I went to get Lacy. I panicked, I went blank with panic I was so scared for you," by now his face is only an inch away.

"I... Never knew. I thought you ignored it," I blink whilst peering down to the floor. Does he care? Is he bothered about my feelings? Why is it all so complicated?

"Paige," his voice is only a mere whisper, yet loud enough for me to heat. He uses his finger to levitate my chin up. A shiver of inexplicable nerves travels around my body like an electrical current, unable to be controlled.

"Yes, Nathan?"

"I could never, ever, ignore you. Just know that." The feeling is indescribable. My heart aches for him. His everything; I want him. Never parting from mine, his eyes get closer, his deep brown orbs closer than ever.

His hand holds my neck and stirs me towards him. My eyes flicker close, temptation untamed and wild. Our noses brush. Our lips join. The kiss begins slow, escalating more passionate as he holds onto my waist. It takes me a moment to realise what is happening, but nothing matters other than being in his arms and his lips in sync with mine. My arms magnetise around his neck, playing with his hair. He whispers my name hungrily between each kiss. My heart explodes.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" A sudden high pitch shriek makes us both jump back in shock. "Nathan?"

Oh no.

A/N-

1st... If any of you have a good ship name for Paige and Nathan, please comment ideas.

2nd... How do you feel about Nathan? Do you like him again after knowing he went to get help? Do you like the fact they kissed?

3rd... Even though you probably already know, who do you think interrupted the kiss?

More coming soon xx