Here We Go Again (g/t)

Chapter 3 ~ Secret Boyfriend

"So, where did you two meet? I'll need it for a speech at your wedding."

Nathaniel blushed and ran a hand through his curly hair. I couldn't help but blush as well. He gave me a sideways glance, not sure what to say exactly, I mean we obviously couldn't say how we really met.

"Camping," I said, a little too quickly. "We were both camping, and we just started, you know, talking."

"Of course only you'd meet someone camping! You know where I wanna meet my soulmate? At a stage door after one of my broadway performances!" she exclaimed.

"Right, well Nathaniel is actually here to pick me up, so I'll just grab my things," I said as I turned around and made my way to the stairs.

I quickly got changed out of Katelyn's dad's pyjamas (he was the only one with pj pants long enough for me) into the plain grey tank top, flannel and ripped jeans I wore yesterday. I grabbed my school bag by the foot of Katelyn's bed and came back down the stairs.

"So you're telling me that Pop Tarts was originally a toaster pastry, but the brand decided to extend its reach to cereals?" Nathaniel asked Katelyn, who's cereal bowl was now empty.

"Yes! Now you've got it!" Katelyn noticed me come down the stairs. "Jeez it's like he's never heard of Pop Tarts before."

"Uh yeah he has strict parents," I lied. "Well thanks for letting me crash Katy, see you next Monday, and keep me posted on homework," I said as I was right at the front door.

"Wait wait wait, quick question. Nathaniel, I gotta ask, how tall are you?"

Nathalie smirked while wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Eighty tw- I mean six foot four."

"Wow, height? Never heard of her. Anyways nice meeting you. And Nathaniel if you ever break Émelie's heart I will shove a typewriter down your throat," Katelyn smiled as she closed the door.

"Hm. I like her. I can see why you two are friends," Nathaniel said as we walked down the driveway.

"Nice going with the height question dummy. And besides, there is no way you are eighty two feet."

"Well I'm sorry, I'm used to responding with my actual height. Because yes I am a solid eighty two and a half feet, and I have the sharpie marks on my closet wall to prove it!"

I was still in denial. I mean I've never really asked Nathaniel how tall he normally is, probably because I was still just a little scared to know. And besides, 82 feet is only like what, 24 or 25 meters? 25 meters. Oh wow... that's actually kind of big.

"Hey you ok?"

I realized I stopped walking. I shook that thought away. I've known Nathaniel for too long to know he wouldn't ever hurt me. And besides, it's not like I didn't know he was several dozen feet tall, just now I knew the exact number. It doesn't mean anything, right?

"Yeah I'm fine."

"Ok I get it, the number freaked you out. But I'm like average height. Aiden's at least eighty eight feet, my dad's like eighty three or four and-"

"Babe I know you're trying to help, but it's not working," I forced a smile.

"Ok ok, my bad. Now remind me again where we're walking to?"

"I just need to grab some stuff from Todd's before we head over to your place."

A sudden gust of wind came forth and blew back my flannel, revealing my collarbone. Nathaniel noticed and frowned at the multicoloured bruises.

"Where did those come from?"

I quickly pulled the flannel back over, hiding it.

"It's nothing, just from the fight yesterday," I stated.

"Are you sure? They seemed layered, so it couldn't have just appeared after one fight," he paused, waiting for me to finish his thought, but I didn't. "It wasn't Todd was it? From what you've told me about him, it wouldn't surprise me."

I could tell that Nathaniel was trying to hide it, but I could see just a hint of it in his eyes. Pity.

"No. Because if it was Todd, the foster systeme would move me somewhere else, and I wouldn't get to see you or Dad for awhile. So it's not him, ok?"

"Fine. But you can't just let him do that," Nathaniel sighed and looked at the ground.

"Hey," I held his hand and he looked back up.
"I've been through worse remember? It's just for a few more months, then Uni."

Nathaniel gave a hint of a smile.

"Ok, just a few more months. And you promise to tell me if things get really bad?"

"I promise. Now drop it cause we're here. Don't come in, Todd'll call me a skank if he sees me with a guy."

"Of course he would," Nathaniel sighed. "Now hurry up, I can't wait to spend and entire week with my crazy hot girlfriend."

"And I can't wait to spend it with an eighty two foot freak."

We leaned forward and kissed each other. My lips pressed into his, his hand on the small of my back. His hand traced down lower and squeezed. I smiled and mimicked his movement. We pulled back and he smirked at me.

"Now hurry up you skank."

I scoffed and headed up the old cracked driveway. Todd lived in a a small two bedroom bungalow, with a kitchen and couch area. He rarely used his own bedroom during the weekends, so it was no surprise I found him passed out on the couch, Trailer Park Boys still playing on the crappy TV. I snuck past him into my bedroom and hastily packed some extra clothes and toiletries into a suitcase.

When I came back, he was no longer on the couch. I assumed he went to the washroom to puke, so I thought nothing of it and headed for the door. I nearly dropped the suitcase though when I saw Nathaniel lying on the driveway, Todd on top of him with a half broken beer bottle. I rushed towards them and swung the suitcase into Todd's side. He fell over, and didn't come back up, still too hungover to move.

I kneeled down by Nathaniel's side, ignoring the glass shards digging into my shins, and cupped my hands around his face. His breaths were shallowed and scared. I looked lower and realized his shirt was turning red.