Second Chances

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

I felt grotty and my throat was dry. I moaned as I brought my hand to cup my neck as if it would magically make the pain that was there disapear. I let my eyes open to the dimly lit room I was in. It was only vaguely familiar but I didn't panic. I could find little emotion in myself to even care. The only light source for the room was the sunlight trying to get through the closed curtains. I took in the room and the bed I was in and it felt weirdly comforting. The walls were a grubby white with bits of light blue wallpaper falling off one of the walls. There were clothes all over the floor and falling out of a chest of drawers. On top of the item of furniture was various types of alcohol bottles, empty of course. Other than the chest of drawers there was only a bed in the room which I was in. The sheets were a crisp white and actually smelt fresh. I pulled the duvet up around me to keep myself warm and inhaled the slight scent of aftershave. I know most girls would probably be freaking out but I wasn't. 

Last night was the happiest I've been in a long while. I'd cried pretty much the entire drive back to Nathaniel's. He has his own flat, which is where I currently am, which is just outside the city I grew up in. Once we got here he quickly called the 'gang'. Everyone from the picture; Tommy, Georgie, Tanya, John, Quinn, Ben and Zayn. The first to get here was Tanya despite the fact that she apparently lives the furthest away. I thought it would be awkward seeing them all but not remembering them but she grabbed me quickly into a hug and began crying which set me off. We sat for ages on the stairs that lead up to Nathan's flat just crying. Eventually we sorted ourselves out in the bathroom and she told me how much she missed me. By the time we left the bathroom everyone else had already arrived and were sat waiting in the living room.

As soon as I stepped foot in the room the chatter died down for a couple sconds before they were all up on their feet and hugging me tightly. The crying began again, even the boys shed a couple tears, they all thought I wasn't going to be back. They thought Nathan was a crazy man for thinking he could find me. But he did. The night carried on with a lot of drinking as they all told me memories I'd shared with them. They also had to tell me a lot about themselves. Although they were technically strangers to me I felt as if I knew them. Half way through the night I'd found myself in Nathan's lap calling him Nate like I apparently used to, everytime I did his eyes would light up, then we'd gone to bed and he gave me his shirt and we cuddled before we both fell asleep. Surprisingly it wasn't even slightly uncomfortable it was the most at home I've felt since the accident. 

"You're awake." Nathan stood in the doorway with a small smile on his lips looking at me and I found myself smiling back at him. This is his room which explains why I'm not freaking out. "I brought you a glass of water. I'd have brought you tea but I remember that you hate hot drinks." He laughed lightly as he handed me a glass of water before sitting down at the foot of the bed with a cup of tea in his hands. I took a sip from the class of cool water and quickly ended up downing it to quench my thirst. "Thirsty?" He asked as he took a sip from his green mug. 

"My throat was killing me." I admitted as I pushed myself up in the bed. His face suddenly turned slightly serious. "What?" I questioned as I looked down at myself. I was in, what I assume to be one of his, over-sized t-shirts and it hung off of my left shoulder exposing my collarbone. 

"It was so good having you back in my arms." He mumbled as he looked down getting slightly embarassed. I grinned as I crawled alone to the end of the bed and kissed his blushing cheek. The cool air instantly hit my legs and I glanced at them to see they were bare and I was only in my underwear. He looked up at me and studdied my eyes, he was looking at me as if I'm the only girl in the world, he pressed his lips to mine gently. 

"Alright lovebirds give it a rest! Tommy is back from Maccies loaded with brekkie!" I looked up to see Tanya in the doorway bouncing on her feet smiling at me like a mad woman. He current state of dress didn't really help the mad woman look the way she was also dressed in an over-sized t-shirt which was far too big for her slim figure, her make up was smudged all over her face and her black hair was in a notty messy bun on the top of her head. But she looked happy. I pulled away from Nathan and swung my legs over the side of the bed and hopped over to her. She took my hand in her. "I'm so glad you're back." She smiled as she pulled me through the doorway to the living room where the rest of the group was sat around the coffee table with various burgers and chips from McDonalds layed out on it. 

"Dude... what time is it?" I mumbled knowing that they serve normal food after something like half 10.

"It's twelve." Nathan mumbled against my skin as he kissed my bare shoulder. 

"Yeah, he wouldn't let us wake his angel up." Ben seemingly mocked Nathan but he just shrugged his shoulder as he walked past me to sit in between Quinn and Zayn and then tapped his thigh. I made my way to him and sat down in his lap. 

"You two are just too adorable." Quinn admired as she popped a chip in her mouth. I ignored the comment and grabbed a Big Mac off the table and began eating it. 

"You haven't changed." Ben laughed as he watched me devour the large burger and I simply smirked. 

"Good." Tanya spoke before taking a drink from the cup on the table. "We got you a Diet Coke." She slid the same drink over to me and it didn't bother me that she'd drunk from it as I took a sip from it.

"You've kicked the smoking habbit though." John said after taking a drag from his fag. I cocked an eyebrow at him unaware that I ever smoked but actually if I paid attention to the photos I was smoking in the majority of them. "I noticed last night but didn't comment. You normally have to have one to wake up."

"Perks of amnesia." I joked, everyone but Nathan laughed instead he froze up slightly beneath me. 

"Right, I have to get to work." John pushed himself up from the floor.

"You got the job then mate?" Tommy questioned.

"Yeah, probably only because the boss is Quinn's dad." John shrugged as he bent down to press a light kiss to Quinn's lips. "I'll see you at home babe." Was all he said before leaving the flat. 

"Why don't you work for your dad too?" I asked Quinn and she let out a small laugh. 

"I don't think I'd enjoy working on a building site to be honest." She replied. 

"I see." I nodded at my stupid question. I bet the old me knew that. Nathan comfortingly ran a hand up and down my arm and kissed my cheek. 

"But I should get going." She sighed standing up. 

"Same." Everyone else spoke at once as they got off the ground. They all hugged and kissed me before leaving.

"Oh, Nathan!" Quinn stuck her head around the door. "Dad said your old job is still open if you want it back." She told him before quickly leaving again before she got a reply.

"You work on the site too?" I asked turning around to face him and wrapping my arms around his neck. I can't believe I only 'met' him yesterday yet this felt natural. I suppose him initiating it all yesterday acting as if we were in a relationship, and the alcohol, helped. 

"Hm, I kind of quit though when you left." He mumbled avoiding eye contact with me. 

"Why?" I asked confused.

"I was a state. I lost all hope when you'd gone. It's horrible to say it but I'm glad you only left because your family died. Only because I thought that... they'd... killed you." He admitted as he looked up at me timidly. I kissed him quickly before laying my head on his shoulder and shutting my eyes as he wrapped me up tight in his arms. 

"You found me though." I mumbled with my lips pressed closely against his neck. 

"Thankfully." He muttered as he rubbed his hand softly up and down my back repeatedly. "And I never want you to leave. I love you." As he spoke the words I felt a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach, a thought at the back of my mind that I couldn't quite get to, but I couldn't work out why so I remained silent in his embrace and pressed a small kiss at the base of his neck which he hummed in happiness over.