havent looked it over, nor any of the other chapters so i suspect there to be a lot of errors but im trying really hard to get it all done and uploaded for the end of the watty awards. im loving all the support and hope it keeps coming my way. so VOTE and COMMENT and WHATEVER else you feel like doing if the story deserves it, you like it, or not like it.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
The next few months passed till there was only a month and a half left of school. Nate and I hadn't been able to keep our hands off each other ever since Valentine's Day. Every stolen chance, we took. Whether it was on school grounds, during study halls or lunch breaks to every single night, shower, and breakfast. It shouldn't have exactly been at the top of our priority list, but that wasn't stopping us. Still, we- as in Sal, Brody, Nate, the mafia boys, Baize, and me- were constantly training when Nate and I weren't all but groping each other. We ate, breathed, and slept to train. My mobility was about ninety-five percent back. I was still using the inhaler once before training and once more afterwards.
Mr. O'Brady and I seem to be a little more civil towards each other. I've actually found myself laughing a few times in his company but then we have our moments where we fight and actually have thrown a few inanimate objects at each other during out time where he's teaching me after school. Sometimes it ends in laughter, sometimes it ends in a finality as we bid each other adieu with mouths of a sailor and avoid each other for a couple days. Something awkward, us running smack in to each other, or him- never me- waving the white flag with a bribery of hot tamales (the candy) with an insincere apology ending in laughter and back to normality.
Tatum was living up to reputation and finding herself in multiple detentions and even a three day suspension for setting the chem lab on fire. Of course this could have been an accident if she hadn't taken the blow torch and turned it onto the many beakers lined up, each with a different chemical, her excuse was wanting to know what each reaction the chemical would have with heat. Even though they were clearly all labeled flammable. We kept our friendship in school, rebuilding the trust we once had. I believe she may have still held a grudge for actually not getting caught and sent back into the foster system. But I had losing my brother riding on the line and not even the president of the united states would be able to stand in my way. Though, I guess we both had our own reasons not to fully trust each other, and my most current reason was the fact the something was going on between her and Mr. O'Brady. Whether it was a intimate relationship, strictly business, or purely friendship, my gut feeling told me something was off every time I had rounded the corner and found them hurriedly whisper in hushed tones, speaking quickly, eyes darting around, a couple times I caught them arguing in his classroom. But I never could catch a word of what they were saying which only furthered my frustration.
But, the main subject on my mind was that no matter how hard I threw myself into training, I received flashbacks of that special night that happened between Nate and I. And as hard I tried to control them, they continued as if they had a mind of their own, whether I was in the middle of sparring with one of the boys, earning a blow to the head, or in the middle of class trying to take notes and found myself writing out the events of what happened instead of the current lecture I was in.
I can still remember my embarrassment the day after. I think that memory will be imprinted in my memory forever.
Waking up to the sounds of light running water and nature was something I was definitely not expecting. Especially rays of hazy sunlight poking through the clearing of trees, making me squint my eyes at the sudden 'brightness'. I groaned and rolled over, my body sore from the events that took place last night.
Smiling to myself, a small blush making it's way around my cheeks as I pushed myself up to sit and look around, finding out that we were still in the little meadow. I looked over at Nate who was laying back, his arms folded underneath his head; looking every bit of relaxed as appeared to be, while looking up at me, smiling.
His face was flushed and had a certain air of light to it, blissfully unaware of his surrounding but the object he was intently staring at.
I shyly smiled back and tucked a few strands behind my ear, not really knowing what to say after. To say the least, it was the awkward morning after sex, which had me internally panicking until Nate rolled his eyes, jumped to his feet quickly while picking me up, and jumped into the spring.
My breath sucked in fast before we were fully submerged, and instead of coming back up for air immediately Nate and I seemed to be on the same page as we held onto each other and opened our eyes. We smiled simultaneously before they dropped slowly, our lips coming together for an even slower kiss as my hands and his, made their way to each others hair, knotting themselves into the floating strands.
Just as I felt the burning sensation in my lungs, Nate kicked up from the bottom, bringing us to the surface, as we both separated from the other for air, I blinked a few times, trying to shake the droplets of water from my eyes as I caught my breath with small laughter.
"I love you." our voices echoed silently through the vacant forest.
I released his hair from my grip and wrapped my arms around his neck, drawing him into a hug that lasted until I could tell it was becoming brighter by the hour.
I sighed and threw my head back, looking up at the vacant branches, towards the dreary sky.
"We're late." I muttered, not in the mood at all to go to school.
"I know." Nate replied just as distastefully.
Nate seemed to be prepared for everything. Even the choice of clothes and how he seemed to know I wouldn't be in the mood to where anything close knit, and instead brought a pair of loose black cargo pants, a racer back to put on under my rib brace, a thermal but loose long sleeved white shirt, and dark red, loose pullover sweater. I wrapped my dark red scarf around my neck and slid on my black gloves before pulling my trench coat and snow boots. While Nate had packed everything in the car.
When he came back I hugged him tightly and whispered in his ear "I will never forget this night."
He tightened his hold on me in response. "You are the best decision I've ever made, I ever will make." he whispered passionately.
I nodded and laced my hand with his and began walking through the trail back to the car.
School was okay, so far. We had no problem signing ourselves back in late, what with our backgrounds and connections.
What was terrible was when we both walked into the lunchroom, hand in hand, when we caught the attention of Nautia and Talia sitting at the lunch table as we approached. Apparently what we did last night was written on our faces plain as day as they both shouted 'Oh my god!' and clapped their hands over their mouths. The obvious hickeys on our necks didn't help the cause. I was only now mentally thanking it was winter so they couldn't see the rest of our sexually bruised bodies.
I immediately buried my face into Nate's chest, trying to hide the embarrassed but happy look on my face as we finally sat down.
"So how was it? How big..."
and that's when I tuned myself out, 'just kill me now.'
Shaking off the memory, I was now working on half an hour of running on the treadmill when the news caught my attention. Apparently the "Bank Bandits"- or what America refers to them as the Seven Sons of Satan. Siete Hijos de Satanás, is whatthey truly refer to themselves as in their native tongue- struck again in Boston two days ago. FBI spokesman claims this isn't an act of terrorism or any other type of Cult. Just a well put together group of Thieves who will be caught...." shaking my head at the news I kept running, five pound weights strapped to each wrist, turning up my music to block out the news, which reminded me that I needed to stop by the bank to make a transfer to my safety deposit box.
After an hour of running, I stepped of the treadmill and walked around, cooling of a bit before Nate and I finally were going to spar for the first time. It took me months to convince pretty boy to actually do so. He said something along the lines of 'it'd be immorally barbaric to actually fight my girlfriend.'
pish posh is what I had to say about that. If you ask me, it was just a short reach from sexism.
so when I started stretching, Nate's frustrated voice broke through my zoned concentration.
"I'm not doing this." Nate stated, crossing his arms over his chest indignantly.
"Yes you are." I replied, casually stretching out my arms.
"No. You can't make me." he continued to stand his ground.
"So... Even if I do this." I quipped and dropped down, kicking out and sweeping Nate's legs out from underneath him, causing him to land flat on his back.
He coughed out, catching his breath quickly as he rolled to his feet. "I'm not..."
But I quickly cut him off as I kicked out into his chest, making him fall back on his back once more.
He let out a frustrated groan before rolling himself over his shoulders, backwards, and dodged my next kick that I held back on, not really wanting to kick him in the head. "Liv. Stop." he growled as he dodged another swing.
"Come on Nate. You don't want to have to admit to the guys over there that you got your ass handed to you by a girl, do you?" I taunted and landed a jab to his ribs.
"Your taunting isn't going to work with me." he huffed as he slapped my hand away from another strike.
Every movement was picking up pace, inwardly smiling at the thought that even though he was refusing to spar with me, we were, in fact, sparing. And now that I had him going, we were finally applying to the rules; and that being no strikes above the neck, and no sensitive... parts.
So on we continued, heavily breathing, striking point for point until I literally got fed up with the tit for tat hitting and launched myself at him, causing the both of us to fall on the mats. My breath came out in puffs of laughter as I pinned his hands above his head, noting the mixture of the sweat from both of our bodies mixing, making it even more noticeable of how much of our skin was actually touching from the way it was easy to slide, skin against skin. "I win." I breathed out.
"Come here." he barely whispered.
Just as I lent my head down, Nate took advantage of the way I let down my guard and rolled us over, this time he was the one on top, using his body mass to full advantage, and pinned me down to where there was no calculated move I could pull to get out from this, well that is without injuring myself. I was clearly not taking the risk to pop my shoulder out of place, just to slip out of his hold. "I win." he growled.
"Whatever." I snapped.
No one is perfect, and my vice is losing. I'm a sore loser, so being in the predicament I was in, well lets just say I had a hard time dealing with it, I was just a little testy.
Nate began running his nose up my jaw line, trailing all the way up my cheek, into my hair and kissing me lightly, "Get over it." he laughed and sprung up, running away from my fleeting attack with a long wooden stick as Nate picked up one of his own.
The next day at school I was still fighting off rumors about the ring, even after months of explanations that Nate and I weren't getting married. Nate didn't seem to mind as much. His words being 'it's going to happen anyways. Who cares if people think its earlier then it originally will be?'
I felt like throwing the ring at his head when Nautia shook her head and looking at my hand, her eyes as wide as saucers. "I still can't believe you're engaged." she shook her head again and reached for my hand for the umpteenth time these past few months.
"I'm not. It is just a promise ring. PROMISE. P-r-o-m-i-s-e. Proooooohhh-missssssss!" I tried clarifying for my umpteenth time,
"Tomato, tomAto. Same thing. It still means you'll eventually be getting married, which better mean I'm a bridesmaid. Oh please don't make this a tacky wedding. I don't think my sanity can take it if I have to wear a hideous bridesmaid dress. Oh the possibilities of how many disasters could happen with this. And not to mention...."
"Okay Nautia, how about this. If the time actually comes where Nate gets down on his one knee and proposes with an actual engagement ring, I will put you and Talia, and some of the girls from the Family in charge of the wedding decorations. Everything down to the mint in the ice cubes is up to you. But I have say over every decision you all make and have the final word to veto anything I don't agree on. Agreed?" I asked, hoping the would finally stop her ranting over the wedding bells.
She took a minute to think over her, scratching her invisible goatee before meeting her shocking green eyes back to mine. "When." she finally answered.
"What?" I asked, completely thrown off at the single worded, non answering answer.
"You said 'if'. It's when, when he proposes, not if. He will. He'd be a moron not to, right Nate?" she said, breaking eye contact to look over my shoulder.
"Definitely when." Nate nodding as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
"I still stand by if. We may not even work out in the future. We may find other people who make us much more happy then we do with each other. We may just get sick of being around the other so much. For all we know you could turn gay and run off with your gay lov..." finish that sentence with a small gasp as Nate picked me up effortlessly and threw me over his shoulder.
"Put me down." I huffed and smacked his butt which didn't seem to phase him whatsoever.
Instead he chuckled, dangerously low and turned his head towards me.
"You know, that doesn't phase me in the wrong way. I might just drag you to my barbaric cave, woman." he said, the last bit of that sentence taking on a tone similar to that of a caveman and just as he said 'woman' he slapped his hand against my ass, returning the favor.
It would have been funny if the blood hadn't been rushing to my head and Nate and I becoming a spectacle for all of the students who were still meandering around the hall. Which, in fact felt like the entire school populace.
I groaned and buried my face into Nate's back as he continued to carry me all the way to my last period.
Just when the last bell rang, I breathed out a sigh of relief, finally thanking silently to no one in particular that school was over and I can go back to Sal's and continue training in my shooting range.
The building excitement had me zoned out until I found myself staring blankly at my locker. A small smile was on my face as I shook myself out of my daze and spun the dial. Thinking the hinges of the locker needed WD40, squeaking open obnoxiously, I placed the necessary books in my locker and replaced them with the ones I needed to take home for homework in my backpack and pulled out my longer winter coat, pulling it on as I shut my locker, and zipped my backpack.
When I bent back over to pick up my backpack I noticed a folded note at my feet and picked it up, standing up with both the note in hand and the backpack slung over one shoulder. I leaned one shoulder against the locker and started to unfold the note curiously.
Meet me in Classroom 1-105 after school. We need to talk. I love you.
Love always, Nate.
Love always?
Since when did we become so formal with each other? And since when did I love you come after the four word phrase everyone dreads to hear in a relationship knowing those four words screams, 'it's over', or 'I know you cheated or I cheated'.
Which, I knew it couldn't be the latter, but the I love you threw me off so I was unsure of whether or not we were over. It had my stomach reeling in uneasy emotions as my feet dragged me down the now barren hallway.
The feeling of the need to vomit never left as I continued making my way down the hall, my shoes slapping the wood floor, making a eery slapping sound. My hands twisted and rubbed the note every different way to where the paper was already becoming worn out.
I tried working out every scenario possible, even some ones that ended with a happy ending, making the feelings in my stomach seem ridiculous.
It could be so many possibilities and my brain worked through every single state of affairs there could have been. It just didn't make sense for him to be breaking up with me since he gave me this promise ring. Unless he was now changing his mind and not wanting to be with me.
Or it was in fact his parents not wanting us together.
But that couldn't be since we had a civil dinner together just last month,
I had a feeling I would be counting my lucky stars as when finally left the dinner. But I hadn't imagined the dinner would have gone the way it did. No topic strayed to my parents but there was still that straining tension of secrecy and hostility in the living room, the dining room, or the after dinner lounge,. Not that it was entirely terrible. Nate's brothers and sisters came down and joined for a small amount of time, that amount of time consisted of a quick hello, shouting there names, shoveling food into there mouths, and running back out from where they once came barreling in from, but in between it all was more than I expected seeing as Nate had five brothers and sisters, making it six in total including him. Ages ranging from 6-15. three of them being adopted but fitting into the family just as well as if they'd been blood born. It was heart warming to see the Vanderbilt's extend their hand of sincerity to kids living in terrible foster situations, the youngest having the worst story of them all as he was being abused by his birth mother from the moment he was in infant, just because she didn't want the child. But the love the Vanderbilt's had for their children seem to have repaired any wounds that would have taken years of therapy and nightmares to barely get the kid to where he is now. Granted, he was taken away by foster care at four, but I'm sure you'd have to have some recollection of the abuse, but it never once showed on his face as he giggled happily at the dinner table and tried not once, but twice to swallow pieces of broccoli whole as stuck peas up his nose. That, I had thought, was just an urban legend. kids sticking random objects up there nostrils, not really understanding the need to shove something up there in the first place. But it didn't get stuck, instead he plugged the other side of his nostril and blew out hard, hitting Nate in the arm with the pea.
Elijah squealed as Nate had picked him up and spun him around by holding onto his ankles. A warming feeling spread over me as I watched Nate interact with his adopted brother. But apparently the word 'adopted' is a tabooed phrase in this house hold. Everyone in the family is, emphasize on the 'is', blood related, no matter what anyone says.
And another neat fact about the Vanderbilt children, is that they are all names after angels; Nathaniel, Gabriel, Cassiel (Cassie or Cas), Michael, Sofiel (Sofi or Sof- pronounced like sofa without the a though.), Elijah. And each of their names has a special meaning and relating to their personalities, which I would be sure to go on google later tonight, researching each of their names and meanings.
I felt bad for the two girls, being overwhelmed by the four boys, but Mrs. Vanderbilt hinted at bringing another girl into the family to even it out a bit more.
I found it strange I never saw them running around, but that was because most of them were home schooled whenever Nate's parents would be out of town for more than a month and would travel along with them, sometimes one or two would stay back but never-the-less, came together as a normal family.
When I had asked why I hadn't seen any of them the first time go around his parents and Nate explained that they didn't want me to get overwhelmed at the monstrosity of the family's size and that they, as in Nate's parents, had a feeling they wouldn't be able to hold back, knowing that who she was and her parents and predicted an outburst, that being the only slip of my parents being mentioned, which was quickly changed onto the current topic of Elijah asking if he could be the ring barer at the wedding.
I sent a glare that could have sent me straight to Hell at Mrs. Vanderbilt who looked as guilty as a crook with the blue paint on their hands after opening the bag full of money they had robbed from the bank. The sneaky, sneaky blonde woman.
Supposedly when Nate had come back to look for more pictures to add to my collage, Nate's mom had stumbled upon him and helped him, as in show him where all the photo albums of our family's together were, and helped him even put together the collage, saying 'it takes a woman's touch to perfect things'. After the last picture was set, she brought out a ring that had been passed down to every woman in the family and gave it to Nate, saying 'if you're not stupid, you'll make her yours forever.', and placed the ring in his hand knowingly.
So instead of answering, I picked up my bread roll and threw it at little Elijah's head. I slapped a hand to my mouth to muffle my laughter when it had bounced off his head, bounced on the table a couple times before coming to a rolling halt.
His face was full of shock, his eyes wide, and his small mouth shaped a perfect 'O'. he finally blinked, and looked over at his mom, everyone else hadn't moved an inch either and I had a feeling I had seriously screwed up or... but my thoughts didn't get to pan out seeing as a stalk of broccoli landed in my hair. My hands fell from my face as I picked up more dinner rolls from a bowl in the center of the table and flung at free will.
Food flew everywhere, laughter was in the air, and I couldn't keep the wide grin off my face as I dodged under the table for cover, where I was met by Nate moments later.
I just laughed at his expression and all the food he wore and pulled him in for a kiss but had immediately pulled back when I saw a bright flash. Looking around, I found seven pairs of eyes all looking under the table at Nate and I and Mrs. Vanderbilt with a camera in hand.
I cleared my throat and grabbed a bread roll and threw it Cassie this time who squealed and ran off, taking the rest of the kids with her. I smiled at their retreat and crawled my way out from under the table.
After that we took our deserts, slices of cherry pie, which Mrs. Vanderbilt and I seemed to share something in common, that being; cherry pies were our favorite pies, and took them to sit in the lounge making small but comfortable; one being how the weather was the perfect temperature and dreading the heat that summer brought with it.
Surprising me at the least, the dinner and night with the Vanderbilt's went great and they invited us to come back again when they get back from their business trip, which was a month and a half from now. As Nate and I had left, I told him to drop me off my central park, and convinced him only after the strange look I received that I would be okay and careful and I was just meeting someone who doesn't trust anyone but me so bringing him wasn't an option.
He dropped me off, throwing me a lingering worried look, but I waved it off and started to make my way to a certain wooded area where I was to meet this person.
Our initial meeting wasn't normal in the books but I decided to hear her out. And after hearing her story, and a lot of pleading and an air of defeatedness, I nodded my head and agreed to meet in a certain part of the woods in central park to meet a 'special', is what I'm calling her, someone to continue a special kind of training.
I shook off that wrong feeling I always got when going to meet this person but knowing that this person was just a lost soul looking to take back order in their life.
They thought I was the right person to do it.
They got down on their knees and begged me for my help.
So how could I turn down someone in dyer in need?
Someone who looked desperate to the point of looking as if there were no hope after me.
I couldn't.
That broken little girl inside that I once was was now screaming at the top of her lung to help this fragile but wild girl that was kneeling on her knee's in front of me. Granted I set rules which she was more than obedient and grateful to follow. And so, because I found a way to relate on a whole nother level with this girl, is how I ended up in the small clearing in a setting of woods, facing a sight for sore eyes.
I shook my head clearing out those last thoughts as I heard harsh whispering. I tried to listen the best I could and only caught clips of broken sentences then silence. So when I peered into Mr. O'Brady's room you could imagine the pang of heartbreak at what I was witnessing.
I couldn't make sense of it.
There it was, right in front of my face and I was still having a hard time believing it. If I hadn't been or horrified, I would have been running away to find the nearest bathroom to upchuck in.
but as I stood there, he wasn't pushing her way but had his hands gripping her face roughly. The bile at the back of my throat was threatening to present itself, making me feeling weak as I clung to the door frame, keeping myself barely standing up.
"Happy?!" Nate growled as he ripped his face away from Tatums.
But before she could respond, I answered for her in a broken whisper. "No."
we're coming to the end so suspect a bunch of jaw dropping moments. hope you didnt hate it too much because of the end of the chapter. all i have to say is... nothing is what it seems. hold onto that for me and until next chapter, and all i can say about that chappy, is that... it gets bad. very bad. im sorry but its necessary. please dont defan me for the sudden change in events, everything, i promis, will right itself!
Rock on!
Julia_Eats_World
OH AND WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK ABOUT THE NAME "RETRIBUTION" FOR THE TITLE INSTEAD OF "REVENGE NEVER TASTED SO SWEET" FOR BOOK ONE. LOOK UP THE WORD RETRIBUTION IN THE DICTIONARY AND IM SURE YOU'LL FIND IT VERY FIITING FOR THE STORY!