Stitches | Nathan Prescott

15 | Distractions and closure

(Sorry if it seems bleh)

We cook for ourselves, we just so happen to be serving you.

I had two options before me: go "get a ride" with Chloe or get picked up by dad. My mind was swirling in loops, there was just too much to think about. I gave my mom a nod and headed outside as I took out my phone. My thumb glided across the glass screen and opened up the dial app and pressed on the number 5 for a few seconds until dad's contact appeared on the screen. As I listened for the ringing to end I thought about the dessert, I almost forgot about that. When the ringing stop I could here dad's voice on the other end.

~"Clare, can you hear me well?"

"Loud and clear"

"Alright, I'll be a little late to the diner, I've been thinking on what to mak—"

"For the dessert, I know dad, but I think I came up with something that has a wow-factor"

"Okay, I'll see you soon, don't stray"

"Like I have anywhere to go except the estate"

"I know, just hang tight"

My eyes were glued to screen as he hung up and soon my phone turned back to it's normal layout. As I was about to put my phone away a very familiar pickup pulled into the parking lot; Chloe. I put my phone away and placed my gluteus maximus on the curb and then another familiar vehicle made it's way to the parking lot, an orange SUV; Nathan. I immediately stood up and watched the two individuals get out of their vehicles. As they got closer to the entrance of the diner, one zoomed to the door while the other approached me.

"Nathan, what's going on?" I looked at him with worry. He had a small bruise on his cheek and a little trace of blood from his mouth. I honestly was horrified to see him such a state. My eyes could not stand the sight of people being injured, let alone the thought. Then my body reacted, I pulled him back to his SUV and told him to stay in the driver's seat. I went back to the diner to grab my leftovers in a to-go box and told mom that I am meeting dad at the house and that Nathan was giving me a ride there, she nodded and was about to say something, but I rushed out of the eatery and sat into the passenger seat.

"Nathan drive to my airbnb" I paused then looked at him as he was about to say something, I cut him off, "don't ask questions, just drive safely"

He did as he was told and put his gear into reverse and exited the parking lot. For some reason I felt a piercing glare on my back as he entered the street and drove towards my "house". I wouldn't want to bore with the details of what happened during the drive to the house, but there is not much to talk about since the drive in complete silence. I knew we both wanted to talk to one another, but had nothing say. The sight of him beaten up (not like it was major) tore a hole in my heart. Ironically, I was the one that beat up a lot as a child, but not in the violent way, more like I was careless and did not pay much attention to my surroundings. Scraps, bruises, and burns were the norm to me, but Nathan's "injury" was not inflicted by being careless or clumsy no, there was physical attributes of someone inflicting the damage, someone punched him, who was this person?

"We're here" Nathan spoke as he parked his SUV in the driveway of the white board house. I took in the situation I got myself in and briefly examined what I was about to do versus what my instinct wants to accomplish.

...

My hands fumbled around in my bag for the spare keys for the back of the house, and exited the SUV. I went to side gate where Nathan entered through on the night of my birthday. I tugged lightly on the door handle to see if the wooden gate would budge; when that did not work I tried to reach over to unlock the gate, but that did not work either since my fingers brushed against the keypad on the other side, Damn, why did dad lock the gate, so I was left with my least favorite solution and decided in the moment to climb the gate. Its not like the gate that tall or anything, I was about a foot or two taller than me, but climbing over wood meant the inevitable splinters on my palms later. I took a step back and looked around once more for something that was not made of wood and would allow me to climb over, my eyes pan to the left and saw something that could work: Nathan's SUV. I knew he might get mad, but I did not care, I needed to get inside and treat his injury. I quickly walked passed Nathan and mouthed sorry as I climb the back of his vehicle and onto the most highest point. I fixed my bag strap so that it was snug against my torso and momentarily took a step back then lunged myself to the roof of the house. Luckily, I did not give the roof any damage and walked over to the other side of the roof. I prepared myself for the slide down by putting myself in a position that required one arm extended backwards and my legs fashion in a state so that the bottom of my footwear kissed the roof. The sliding part took no longer than a few seconds and before I even knew it, I landed on the deck and thankfully, received no splinters.