No-one but Nate

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

We all gather around on the ground. Some of us snuggled in blankets and pillows to keep warm.

“Okay, are you ready?” Adrian asks everyone, we all nod. “Who’s going first?”

“I will.” Lisa says, putting her hand up.

Craig turns his head so fast you can hear a crack, “Are you sure?” He puts his hand on her thigh.

Lisa nods, “It’s time for them to know.” She puts her hand on top of Craig’s hand as she spills out her deadliest secret.

“Wait, so you’re pregnant?” Jeremiah asks. Lisa nods, Craig nodding as well. Everyone gasps with shock. But when they’ve gotten over it, they congratulate both Craig and Lisa and start suggesting names for the kid.

We go around the circle; since Craig and Lisa shared the same secret we skipped him.

Next is Adrian, “Okay, so. This is probably going to be nothing, and by the way, I was drunk, so don’t judge me. But I’m pretty sure I kissed a guy on my 18th birthday. I don’t know who it was though.”

“Really, that’s your biggest secret?” I ask him. I shake my head in disgrace.

“Well, I’m an open book.I can never keep a secret.”

“That’s because you’re a big mouth!” Nate shouts softly.

Two minutes later, it’s Diana’s turn. “Okay, I haven’t told anyone this besides my best friend.” She pauses. “I found out I’m adopted like a few months ago.”

I can’t imagine being adopted although I was thinking about it last night. But still for it to be true, that’s crazy. And plus, Diana only found out a few months ago, her adoptive parents have kept that secret from her for 18 years. I would never be able to forgive them for that.

“Oh, that’s tough. Do you know who your real parents are?” Rob asks.

Diana shakes her head, “all I know is they’re here in Australia also living in Sydney. Living their life child free.” She sounds so sad. I’m going to help her find her birth parents even if she doesn’t want to find them; I’m still going to find them.

Moving on it’s now Nate’s turn. Everything is going to be fine. He will never have feelings for me, ever, so he won’t announce anything embarrassing –that’s what I think anyway.

“I like Ella.” Well, he was straight up.

“You what, bro?” Adrian stands up.

“You heard me, I have like Ella. Do you want me to spell it out for you?” Nate repeats himself. Then there’s an awkward silence.

Everyone has their eye on me, expecting a huge reaction. But nope, I’m trying to act all casual. But today is going to be the day I admit my feelings for him, too. “Can I go next?”

Everyone gives me weird looks, “aren’t you going to say something about what he just said?” Lisa whispers to me.

“Just wait.” I whisper back to her. I wait for everyone to let me take my turn.

I can tell Nate instantly regretted what he just said, but soon he’s going to be glad, “I like you, too, Nate.” I look him in the eye then quickly glance away.

The looks on everyone’s faces are in awe right now. But they knew this was coming so they don’t interrupt our moment.

“Are you being serious? Or are you just saying that to make me better?” Nate asks in disbelieve.

I shake my head then nod. “Wait, yes I’m serious. I do like you.” I nod my head. “And no, I am not saying this just to make you better.” Then I shake my head, giving him a smile to show I mean it.

“Okay, okay. You love birds save it for later. Can Jeremiah and I share our secret now?” Rob interrupts our moment.

Since Rob and Jeremiah are already sitting next to each other, they both look at one another and nod. “There’s something both of us want to tell you all.”

The rest of us wait for them to spill the beans. “We’re dating.”

Forget the love between Nate and I; this news is way bigger.

“So, what you’re trying to say is you’re both –” Adrian points a finger between Rob and Jeremiah trying to finish his sentence but doesn’t want to say that word.

“You can just say it. Gay. We’re gay.” Jeremiah says.

“And proud.” Rob adds, high-fiving Jeremiah.

That’s actually a shock for me. I’ve known Rob my whole life, and he showed no signs of liking guys. I give him aA+ for acting. And plus I thought I could’ve had feelings for Jeremiah when he first moved here. But I’m glad I didn’t like the guy in a crush type of way. Rob and Jeremiah make a cuter couple. I’m so happy for them; I’m actually going to cry right now.

“Do we need to celebrate or what?” Lisa stands up.

“No!” Everyone tells her in unison. We’ve had enough celebrations.

“But four of my friends are going out with each other –wait that didn’t sound right.” I think Lisa is drunk. “What I meant was –”

“We know what you mean.” Craig stands up beside he’s girlfriend. “I think I better take her home. She must’ve sneaked a shot or something from your dad’s cabinet.”

I’m surprised Craig even knows my dad has a cabinet full of alcohol. He has only been over once, and that’s today.

“Yeah, it’s pretty late. I’m going to head off. See ya, babe.” Diana kisses Adrian and heads out.

This is when everyone decides to go home. When Rob and Jeremiah head out the door, everyone congratulates them both as well as congratulating Lisa and Craig on their baby and Lisa even whispers congratulations about Nate’s love for me. But we don’t know if he ‘loves’ me. All he said was he likes me, and who knows, it could means he likes me as a sister or a friend. Not as a girlfriend or lover.

When everyone goes home, I go into my room and just sit on my bed. There’s a knock on my door, “Come in.”

“Hey.” Adrian walks in, sitting beside me. “Do we need to talk?”

I grab a pillow and place it on my legs. “Talk about what?” I don’t know what we even need to talk about.

“You know, about the birds and the bees, ya know.” He says, while elbowing me on my hips.

“Ew, you’re disgusting. Get out of my room.” I take the pillow from my lap and throw it towards Adrian.

“You don’t just like him. You love him.” He stretches out the word love. I grab another pillow from my bed and throw it to him. I just miss before he closes the door behind him.

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Hope you all had a fun New Years and partied hard with your family and friends. And ended 2013 with unforgettable memories.

“Make New Year goals. The New Year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals.” –Warren McLaren