Nate bleated, nervously tugging tremendously at his collar.
He's not one to be remorseful or pivoted for making ill-mannered jokes but right now he's sweating up a storm. He tried to cover it by leaning forward, hands clapped together and looking as calmly as possible. His mind was working overtime, concocting every possible angle to get out of this arrangement, because as far as he was concerned, he had tanked it and now he was forced to stare at his potential future father-in-law in the cold, vapid and judgemental eyes.
He could use the loo or toilet?
Neither of those ever fell to fruition because he noticed Theo tapping one of his claws on the table, his arm resting his chin, elbow on the table. This was the most off-the-clock Nate had seen him in. And something tells him it wasn't just his core intuition.
"What's taking them so long?" Theo growled, his face scrunched up like a piece of paper. "It's been 43 minutes!"
"Tell me about it," Nate chimed in, contemptuous. "How many cooks does it take to order a meal? They've probably got everyone but a pastor in there!"
"You have no idea. This is why I hate coming to these things - these repulsive restaurants. Always run at the speed of molasses. There's nothing here I can't replicate in the comfort of my own home for free. Accept for rude stuff, loud people and it being time-consuming."
"And tedious," Theo added.
"And they get your orders wrong," Nate said. "Sort of like going to cinemas. A badly written review is in order."
"Exactly!" Theo exclaimed. "I'm glad somebody gets it! Fast food is the way to go. Or simply ordering food straight to your door. We don't need these unnecessary gatherings with stupid social interactions. People are the worst. The inconsiderate, putrid and infantile worst."
"You know, I can't just stand people I-" Nate said, "- tolerate most and only like some!" The two said at the same time. Once they did, they laughed, having a radical riot.
"You're not so different you and I."
Theo commented, smiling widely.
"What can I say? I'm a man of taste! I never had to justify anything. I like what I like."
"True words to go by." Theo grinned. "So tell me about yourself."
"Well, I'm a newspaper boy who gets up at the crack of dawn to deliver top-notch quality news to the people during my spare time. Yes sir, from the moment the rooster crows I'm out the door, knowing that I get to meet so many friendly faces because it isn't for the money. I've been doing it for five years and love every second of it." Nate bragged, doing what he does best.
Theo nodded approvingly. His face brightened.
"I see you're a hardworking, committed and loyal man. No wonder my daughter likes you."
"Well, I love the fact that you're willing to put the people they care about first before themselves. Anyone who's like that is fit to be my little girl."
Nate smiled contently. He unconsciously slouched.
"Well, did you also know that I saved our school from a rampaging bully?"
"You did, did you?"
"Effortlessly."
"You think you can do that to my scumbag boss? She's a serpent. Literally."
Nate slouched back concededly. "Nothing I can't handle."
"It's funny. For a minute there I thought you were some incompetent, foolish and lazy twit."
Nate stiffened a little all while Theo continued.
"You know, the one that talks a big game but plays little ball. Or your case, no ball at all if you know what I mean."
Nate's cheeks were warm. He knew exactly what he was talking about. He frowned.
"Like I don't imagine a goat like you can puncture a ball that brutally," Theo said.
"I'm a ram." Nate corrected. Now it was the hamster's turn to wince. An awkward silence followed as the rodent was forced to reflect.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know-"
"I get it. It's a common misconception. Water under the bridge. Life is too short for grudges, something Damain is going to learn the hard way."
"Who's Damain?"
"The bully I talked about. Me and Kaleb whooped his butt."
"Wait, I thought you said you were the one who defeated him."
"Me? I ur, urm, it was a team effort you see. But I mostly did all the work. It doesn't matter. It's all just superficial details we don't need to be hung up on." Nate stammered. But Theo wasn't letting it go. He glanced at him suspiciously.
"No, I'm pretty sure you said it was all you."
"Did I?" Nate undid his bow tie.
"Whoo! Is it just me or is it getting hot around here, don't you think?"
"You wanna know what I think? I think you're a liar! And if you've lied about that, who knows what else you've lied to me about?"
Nate shrugged. The time of playing innocent may have passed but he certainly wasn't helping his case.
Furious, Theo slammed his fist on the table. It shook like a mini earthquake with the condiments wobbling.
"What do you take me for?!"
"Someone who needs a chill pill. Or at the bare minimum breath mints." Nate retorted unapologetically. He waved his arm while pinching his nose. "Whew!"
"I always knew something was shady about you. And now I finally figured it out! You're a lowlife who always takes shortcuts than doing the actual work. And if you think you can do that by messing up my girl you've got another thing coming!"
"That's not true." Nate snapped.
"Oh yeah? What intentions do you have on my daughter?"
"To give her a life away from her overbearing parent!"
"How dare you."
"How dare I? I'm not the one shielding Katrina like she's still an egg."
"Because I'm protecting her from the crummy likes of you!"
"Well, that failed because we've been going out for months!" Nate blurted, only this time, he didn't care. He couldn't control himself and was blinded by rage. Although he couldn't think straight he acted on gut and instinct, and whether that hurt him or not, he wasn't going to take it back.
He even decided to double down.
"Just a few days ago, we were together in your home and I had time to escape through Katrina's window just to keep you from finding out."
Theo's eyes widened as he looked back at that event. The loud noise. A never daughter. A broken tree branch outside. It all made sense. Too much sense. He should have known!
"You are forbidden from seeing Katrina!"
"You can't do that!"
"I can. As of now, I'm pulling the plug on this relationship. What she sees in you is beyond me."
"Speaking of, how do you think it's going to go when you tell her that she has to break it off? And I'm not doing it either in case you're wondering." Nate told him.
"You're right." Theo shrugged, throwing the boy off.
"Huh?"
"I can't force her. And although I don't approve, I have to respect her decision."
"Y-yeah! That's right!" Nate grinned arms on his sides pompously. He wasn't sure if this was a trap or not, but he was going to take it.
"We either do this with or without you." He said in vain.
"That's the thing." Theo continued. "You have to promise me you'll sort yourself out, first."
"Excuse me?" Nate's eyebrows raised. He blinked.
"You heard me," Theo responded.
"I want you to calm your anger and resolve any personal problems you have. I would not have you be a bad influence."
"I'm not!" Nate roared, teeth clenched tightly.
Theo sat back, stunned. His shocked face slowly turned to a scowl.
"You think you're so high and mighty! But I've seen your type before." Theo snapped.
"I don't know what you're talking about. You know nothing about me!"
"Don't I?" Theo asked sharply. "You don't think that all of this you're pulling is a mere facade? I can read you like a book, boy!"
"I don't know what type of books you're reading, but you sure ain't reading me."
"Be that as it may. But it's never going to get better until you admit your problems. Problems you are clearly in denial about and are too scared to deal with."
"I told you, I don't have a problem!" Nate said defensively, reaching boiling point.
He left his seat and walked away from the table, trying in vain to keep himself under control.
"Oh, how the mighty had fallen!"
"Don't push me!" Nate warned.
"Is that a threat?" Theo rose from his seat. He was now standing in front of him, towering over the boy like an intimidating skyscraper. But all Nate did was walk in in the other direction.
"If you leave right now mister it's over! Go on back to your family! Or are they false too and you're adopted-?"
"I'LL KILL YOU!" Nate exclaimed, his voice effortlessly cutting through the noisy atmosphere. Everyone stopped cold. Nate's already teetering over the edge. But that single word triggered him. There was no going back. He spun around, eyes filled with pure malevolence and charged. "DON'T EVER CALL ME ADOPTED!"
In one decisive motion, Nate rammed into Theo, who had little time to react. His powerful, brutal and hard horns smashed into his chest, throwing him off his feet and onto the floor with a tragic thud. The glass cracked a little upon impact, making the fish below react subtly. Silence gobbled up the place once again.
Nate stood there panting, slowly coming to his senses.
Theo grimaced as he was helped to his feet, but his leg was twisted. Nothing a lawsuit can't fix. People, mummering had their phones out, perhaps filming or taking photos of the event live taking place. The incident happened so abruptly that it was only a matter of time. Whatever gets them those clicks.
"If claim you love her, you stay away from my daughter."
"You brought this on yourself," Nate said, showing no apathy or any compunction.
"Really? That's not what Katrina is going to see it as. Maybe then she'll finally see you as who you are." Theo said grimly.
First were the sirens of the ambulance screeching in agony, driving away in the distance, second were massive members of the press attending the scene. Nate always dreamed and bragged about being famous and was finally recognised for his talents. Be careful what you wish for. It's unbearable, and how he felt inside - whether he knew or not, certainly didnt help things. And he didn't even get his order.
Nate successfully escaped from the clutches of the news anchor with their cameramen and women, who were endlessly badgering him with stupid question after stupid question, and flashing lights that were always swinging Nate a punch to the face. And just when he thought he was in the clear, at least for a bit, Katrina stood in an alleyway waiting for him. Her arms folded. She was scowling, her eyes ice cold. "How's your adoring fans?"
"Now I know it looks bad, but I can explain." Deep down, Nate knew he was lying and there was no justifying this. He'd just come from the hectic beast that is the press and he barely made it out unscathed, with his tux taking most of the beating. This was what the two were afraid of and even then things had seriously flown off the rails.
Typical. Right when things go his way things come crashing down like a stack of cards. It's like there's a constant dark force that feasts on any modicum of happiness Nate has. He almost wanted to use that as an excuse. But he had a hunch it wouldn't fly well with the hamster, who walked closer to the ram.
"Really? Because in the five minutes, it took for me to leave to check on our orders, it seems to me that you lost your temper at my dad, lashed out and now he's sent to the hospital!"
"Well when you put it like that, it makes me sound like-"
"-you had a fit over something petty?" the rodent finished for him.
Nate frowned.
"Okay, for the record, it wasn't petty," Nate said, offended, pulling the victim card. "Can I help it when I get iffy when people besmirch my good name? Huh?"
Realising he was only digging himself a bigger hole, he stopped, dropping the act. He sighed before starting again.
"Listen-" he began, but Katrina cut him off.
"-No, you listen. I don't know what happened between you and my dad. All I know is that he's never going to give you his blessing for us to be together. I mean I leave you alone for five minutes and he's gone away in an ambulance. I knew you had a hot temper but this is something else! Seriously!"
"It's not my fault okay, Babe?" Nate protested profusely, avoiding the dismal question entirely, his blood boiling up again.
"Oh yeah, because it's never like you to be held accountable, just like when you once lied to me you were sick before our date just to see a film."
"I was sick at the end," Nate said weakly. He knew he wasn't helping his case but he couldn't help it. His mouth was a water faucet. "By how bad the film was."
"What's wrong with you?" Katrina whispered, horrified. "Here you are almost killing my dad and you're defending yourself for something you did months ago?"
"Did you also forget that in that same month, we became an item we both promised each other to accept each other for who we are? I held up my end."
"Yes. Yes, you did. But now, how can I accept someone who hates the world? How can I accept someone who hates the people who live in said world? How can I accept someone who hates himself? How can I accept any of it? Huh, Nathen?" Those were the last things she ever said of the twinkling night.
She turned and walked away in the direction of the streets. In a second she was gone, disappearing into the crowd. Nate considered going after her.
But it was too late.
The damage was already done.