Grace 🌸
I gasped! Nathan was standing in my kitchen and I was sitting by the table looking like a hobo while demolishing my birthday breakfast of flapjacks with cream and syrup. He was dressed so casual in simple white tee with he's favourite washed-out jeans and a pair of Adidas. Meanwhile I was dressed in my comfy Batman pajamas and my hair was a bird's nest. I could just die of embarrassment! Not a good way to start my birthday.
"N-Nathan?" I stuttered. What was he doing here anyway? And why was he clutching a bouquet of flowers and a wrapped parcel like his life depended on it?
"Hey Grace. Sorry to interrupt your breakfast," he said sheepishly as he gestured towards my flapjacks drenched in syrup and cream.
"It's okay. I'm almost done anyways. What are you doing here?"
He thrust the parcel and flowers at me. "These are for you. Happy birthday, Grace." He looked as embarrassed as I felt.
"Thanks," I said taking the beautiful flowers and gift.
My mother was watching this entire exchange with an excited but sceptical expression. "Aren't you going to introduce us?" she asked.
"Mom this is Nathan, Nathan this is my mother."
"Nice to meet you Mrs Ashbury," Nathan said politely.
I stood awkwardly and watched as they shook hands.
"So I was wondering, if you don't have any plans today, would you like to.. uhm.. go out with me? As friends of course." Nathan asked me.
"She would love to go out with you!" my mom blurted.
"Mom!" I groaned and then turned to Nathan. "Sure. Let me just finish my breakfast and get dressed."
---
Half an hour later and I was ready to go. "Where are you going?" my dad asked as he walked into the kitchen where Nathan was sitting with my mom, waiting for me.
"She's going out. With a boy," my mom said happily. Trust my mom to always get excited whenever I went out with anybody.
"A boy?!" my dad asked, eyeing Nathan.
Nathan shifted uncomfortably in his seat under my father's glare.
"Okay we're going now!" I exclaimed, dragging Nathan with me.
"Have fun honey!" my mom called after us. I could still hear my father reapeating, "A boy?!" as if it was the most shocking thing he heard in all his life.
Gosh my family is so embarrassing.
"Okay so where are we going?" I asked Nathan.
"Well first we need to take a cab down to Clover Street," he replied as he hailed a cab.
We drove in silence. I stared out of the cab window and I watched people go about their business. Even though it was a little chilly it was still a beautiful Saturday morning. The sun was shining and there was not a cold to be seen. We stopped in the busy Clover Street lined with numerous shops and restaurants. I hoped we weren't going to eat at one of the many restuarants or eateries because I was still quite full after my flapjack stack.
"Follow me," Nathan said taking my hand.
After walking down the long Clover Street we eventually stopped and I realised where he was taking me. The carnival! I had heard that the Presley's Carnival was in town and I had been dying to go but I didn't want to go alone. Nathan paid for our tickets at the gate and we walked in.
It was amazing! There were all kinds of rides, games and stalls selling everything from cotton candy to "Presley's Carnival" t-shirts. Excited kids ran up and down followed by laughing parents. Being at the carnival made me feel like a kid again.
"Come on. Let's go for a ride," Nathan said with a dashing smile.
All I could do was nod dumbly and follow him.
---
Hours later and Nathan and I were walking down Clover Street once again.
"Thank you so much Nathan. Today has been truly amazing," I said giving him a small peck on the cheek.
Nathan blushed. "N-no problem. I just wanted you to have good birthday."
A good birthday? Heck I had a great birthday! We went on all the rides and we bought hotdogs for lunch. But to be honest it was the "spending time with Nathan" part that I enjoyed the most. He was so funny! And caring too. It didn't matter where we went as long he was there. Okay that sounded way too cheesy.
"Let's go to our special place," he said with a smile. At first I didn't know what he was talking about but then I remembered that place hidden in the woods.
When we arrived the first thing I noticed was that the trees were mostly bare. Winter was coming. I shivered as a breeze blew, sending ripples across the river. I pulled down the sleeves of my jersey covering my cold hands. I crossed my arms covering my chest. It was getting seriously chilly now.
"I'm sorry," Nathan said.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"I shouldn't have brought you here. You're obviously getting cold. I would have given you my jacket but unfortunately I didn't bring one with. Sorry."
"No, it's not your fault. I should've dressed warmer." I said with a yawn. Great, my medication's working off.
"I could use a coffee," I said with a tired laugh.
"Wanna go get one?"
"No let's just sit here." I sat at the edge of the river bank and Nathan sat beside me.
"Can I ask you something?" Nathan asked.
"Yeah?"
"How did you get your hypersomnia? Did you just randomly fall asleep one day and then start a pattern of random, uncontrolled naps? Because I don't think that's possible."
I pursed my lips. I didn't like talking about what happened. I didn't even talk to my parents about it anymore. "There was an.. accident," I said softly. Nathan was quiet, obviously waiting for me to continue. So I took a deep breath and continued. "My sister and I-"
"Wait, you have a sister?" Nathan interrupted surprised.
"I had a sister. Her name was Bella," I said my voice barely audible.
Nathan faced registered shock, confusion and then realisation.
"Oh Grace, I'm so sorry."
I felt a lump in my throat and I took a deep breath. I didn't want to break down infront of Nathan. "We were very close, Bella and I. She was three years older than me. The accident happened one frosty winter afternoon. Bella had just finished writing her final school paper and we decided to go out to celebrate. A Thousand Years by Christina Perri was playing on the radio and we were belting out the words at the top of our voices..."
*Flashback*
"I have died everyday waiting for you. Darling don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years, and I'll love you for a thousand more!" Bella and I were singing at the top of our lungs.
"Hey Bella. I don't wanna go McDonalds. We go to McDonald's all the time," I whined, "Why don't we go to that fancy new Italian place. What's it called?"
"Italiano Cuisine?" Bella asked.
"Yes! I heard they make delicious food. I really want to try out their pasta, all my friends say it's the best!"
"Okay, then let's go!" Bella said with a laugh. She was always willing to anything for me.
Bella turned left and we continued singing with Christina Perri. As we crossed an intersection we heard a loud hooting sound *beep beep beeeeeep*. It was a truck speeding down from our right. I gasped! We were going to crash!
*CRASH!*
Our car was thrown into the air and I heard Bella scream. I could barely make out what was happening as we catapulted into the nearby canal. My vision was blurry. The last thing I remember was a loud SPLASH as we hit the canal's water and then I blacked out.
*End of flashback*
My eyes were streaming with tears as I reencountered the accident to Nathan. I hated talking about it because talking about it meant remembering it. The memories were still vivid in my mind, as if it had happened only yesterday instead of two years ago. It was all my fault that Bella died. I was the one who suggested we go celebrate and I was the one who suggested we should go to that stupid Italian restuarant instead of McDonalds. I should've died, not Bella.
"I was unconscious for a week. They thought I wasn't going to make it... like Bella. She died on impact during the accident," I choked out. "I hit my head really hard damaging the part of brain that sends out sleep signals to my body. And that's when I developed Hypersomnia." I was full on crying now. Nathan put his arms around me and I cried into his chest. Great, now I was making a fool of myself in front of Nathan, I thought to myself.
"I'm sorry," I sniffed. I sat up and I wiped my eyes with the sleeve of my jersey.
"Here you go," Nathan said handing me a tissue. I gratefully accepted the tissue, wiped my eyes and blew my nose.
"I'm sorry you have to see me like this," I whispered.
"It's okay. You need to let it out." He hugged me again and I lost myself in his embrace. He smelt nice, like mint and lavender. I inhaled deeply. They say that lavender has calming properties and I sure was feeling calm in Nathan's arms, sniffing his minty-lavender scent.
"I'm sorry for ruining your birthday. I shouldn't have asked what happened," he whispered into my hair.
"It's okay," I said sitting up, "You were right. I needed to let that out."
I yawned again. "Sorry, I'm just really tired. All that crying... well I'm exhausted!"
"Come here," Nathan said. He lay down and pulled me towards him. "Close your eyes," he said and I obeyed.
I fell asleep to the sound of Nathan softly humming "Happy Birthday to you".
---
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~ Aqeelah (@cosmic-thoughts)