Friends With Benefits (COMPLETED)

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS *4*

Chapter 4 (Nathaniel)

I looked at my reflection in the mirror. Jet black hair, from my father's side, and light green eyes from my mother's side. It was funny how genetics worked, I was somehow one of the only few at school who looked like this. It used to be a good thing, attracting plenty of attention and if I must admit, girls. But things had started to change over the past year. I woke up every morning and looked at myself and wondered who I was, what kind of person I had become. More importantly, I tried to sort through the confusion in my head regarding everyone and everything.

I remembered last night, coming home after Paige found me at the park. Even though I could have fallen asleep in seconds as my head hit the pillow, I had stayed up the entire night thinking about Paige. She was just a really good friend, I thought. She did what any friend would do. But would any of the others have done that for me? My phone started ringing and broke through my thoughts.

It was Paige. Was the universe trying to tell me something.

"What are you up to?" she sounded like her normal cheery self again, which was a relief.

"Nothing much." I replied, going back to the mirror and fixing my hair.

There was giggling from the other end, making me wonder what had her in such a good mood this morning. I couldn't help but smile a little, myself.

"I bet you're admiring yourself again", she said dryly.

I peeked out the window and looked around.

"How do you know?" I asked suspiciously.

"Because I know you, and I know what the infamous Nathaniel Price thinks about himself." She was definitely amused by herself. I let it slide with a shrug.

I walked to my closet and grabbed a jacket, the early morning air always carried a slight chill, and I already knew I had a bit of a walk ahead of me. Since we had first met, we had developed a routine of sorts. Every morning, before school, I strolled to Paige's house and then we would walk the rest of the way together. Even though there were days we barely saw each other at school, whether it was because I was stuck with other friends or if I had practice, we always had this time to ourselves.

His car had been towed out of the community pool the following day, along with a huge fine that all of the guys had to pay.

The year before, my mom had handed over the keys to the old work-in-progress we had sitting in the garage. Broken and falling apart, it was still a car and I had gladly accepted the gift. But somehow, it had just seemed better to walk to school instead. It seemed like the conversations were always cut off too short the few times I had taken the car. Paige was quiet around other people, but when it was just us two, she had a lot to say, and to my surprise, I enjoyed listening.

Skipping up the few steps to Paige's front door, I picked up a rock and threw it at her bedroom window, careful not to throw it too hard since I had already cracked it the last several times. That was a daily exercise for me. It signalled my arrival and therefore suggested she get her little bum out the door asap.

She threw the door open and glared at me. Also another daily exercise, but this one was all her. She had a way of expressing her feelings with just the way she looked at me.

"How many times do I have to tell you to quit throwing rocks at my window?" she whispered dangerously.

I put on my most charming grin and shrugged.

We walked to school like we did everyday, pushing and shoving each other off the sidewalk. I asked her about her classes and she quickly changed the subject, asking me about mine. It was just a casual conversation. Until it went into danger zone.