Elia (EDITING)

Chapter 55

"Won't your grandparents give you a hard time?"

"Nope. And besides I don't care, let's go." He stands straight and slowly starts to walk to the door, I follow closely behind.

After being stared at and judged by looks in the halls we finally get out of the building. I first spot Nathaniel's car in the car park. "Wanna drive or I'll come pick it up later."

"If you don't mind."

"I don't."

Nathaniel gets at the back seats and lays there, sighing once I get in.

***

I shut the door after Nathaniel enters. The house is silent but I know Andy is somewhere in here. Nathaniel walks straight up the stairs and I go to the kitchen to make him some tea to warm up his chest. When it's done, I take the cup of tea and walk up to my room.

There is Nathaniel, laying on the bed on his back. his eyes are shut and his chest moving up and down as he breathes. I close the door and place the tea on my head table.

He seems to not notice my presence, so I place my hand on his chest, and his eye lids open to show his green orbs.

"I made tea." I say. He nods sitting up straight and I hand him the mug.

"Do you know what triggered?" I ask, although I am pretty sure it's the harsh weather, but again... something tells me there is more. I guess things with his parents haven't been going well, the way he refused to go back home with his eyes worrying over it tells me half of the story. There must be something beyond the harsh weather, there is something troubling his mind.

"Um..." he takes a deep breath in. "... weather?"

"I think you're lying to me." I tell him sitting on my feet and turning to him. I bring my hand to his face and cup his warm left cheek. He looks at me, his eyes burning into mine. "... I think for the past week you have been hiding something from me... and I want to know- so I can help."

"Isn't it what everyone does?" his question gets me off guard. I know he is referring to all the things I have never told him, or lied to him... he takes a sip as my hand falls back to my lap.

"But look It's affecting your health." I try again. It hurts to see him closed off like that. I wish I just know what is going on so I can know the right way to help him. "It's not- I was always asth-"

"Nathaniel, I don't know if you know this but you keep me sane, alive- you keep me strong for some odd reasons. And as cheesy as it sound Nate, seeing you like this... it's like- seeing all my strength, hope and sane breakdown. If you break down, I'll do too... call me obsessed or crazy, but I think that is what I am- I love you so much it's beginning to ache and drive me crazy!" I manage to tell him without tears in my eyes, but it is the way he looks at me that makes me want to cry, he looks sad.

"That-that's much to take in." he takes breaking our eye contact. I nod, hurt by the fact that he couldn't even say something with meaning.

"Please just tell me."

"I will... not now-"

The door then opens. Andy looks at us with his wild eyes surprisingly relaxed.

"Ah! Mattina twink, who do yah have there?" I roll my eyes.

"Io non sono un ragazzo Andy, host leave me alone!" I intentionally yell. Andy fully enters and closes the door. He walks towardsus and pulls out his hand to Nathaniel. "Hey, I'm Andy, Elia's cousin, you must be his boyfriend. And yes, Andy knows about my sexuality. Nathaniel gives me a look before I slightly nod enough for only him to notice.