7 Minutes in Heaven

7 Minutes in Heaven Chapter 18

After going through all those morning procedures, we grabbed a granola bar as we headed to my car. When he slipped into the passenger seat, I asked curiously, “Didn’t you drive here?” He shook his head. My brows rose. “You seriously walked here?” He shrugged. “Why?”

Nate scratched the back of his head as he answered, “I figured that you’d want me to stay overnight, so I decided not to drive here because what will Emmett or your parents think when they see an unfamiliar car by your house?”

“True, but think of how everyone’s going to react when”—

“Relax, Jae-Hwa.” My heart stopped, but I didn’t let my expression show just how pleased I was when he said my name. He took a deep breath. “Drop me to my apartment.”

“But I’ll be late”—

“I don’t live that far, so you won’t be.” I twisted my lips in consideration before starting up the engine of Em’s car.

When we got there, I stopped dead. The apartment was all too familiar, and I wanted to cry for some reason. The structure, the red bricks, the wooden stairs with metal railing, the white doors—this was the apartment complex Grandma lived in.

“Jae-Hwa?” called Nate, and I immediately snapped back to reality. “Hey, are you okay?”

I was reluctant to speak, but I swallowed hard and asked slowly, “What number apartment do you live in?”

He raised a brow before answering, “107, why?”

Taking a deep breath, and swallowing hard once again, I answered, “You live next door to her…Grandma…”

Nate’s eyes went wide. “You mean…that was her I—sorry…I didn’t know.” My eyes lowered to my feet. He took a deep, somewhat shaky breath (though he masked it with an indifferent façade). “She was real nice, you know? When I moved in, she came over and asked why I was living on my own at such a young age. I told her my situation, and since then she’d give me her homemade food, send me some money, and would just be there for me like she’s my own grandma. I told her so many times, in the nicest way possible, that she didn’t have to do this for me, but that didn’t stop her…”

A warm smile was etched on my face as I said gently, “She was always a selfless woman. She cared for you, too.” He turned to face me and smiled. “So you’re the guy she’s been talking about that’s been living on his own and that she’s helping support.”

“Wait…she told you?”

I shrugged. “Well, Mom asked why her house smelled of food yet she didn’t eat any and all.”

Silence thickened the air, and Nate shifted in his seat as he exited the car. “Well, I should probably get my car and stuff now before I make you late. So see you.”

I blinked a few times before nodding, starting up my engine, and driving off to school.

* * * *

The moment I stepped into the building, nearly everyone shot me dirty looks. I’m guessing Michelle didn’t bother to call off that rumor. And speak of the bitch; she pushed her way pass the crowd to confront me. Her black pencil skirt was about a few inches below her butt while her strapless white shirt revealed just a bit too much cleavage; the yellow blazer drooped low enough for her bare shoulders to show. Her lips matched the color of her red stiletto heels, her eyes a little too smoky.

She crossed her arms, asking contemptuously, “So where’s Nate? In your pants, I’m guessing?”

I rolled my eyes, retorting flatly, “Still at it again with your stupid rumors, I see.”