Chapter 32: The Friend Zone
It was no question that I had picked Ethan, and it was no question that I now thought Nathan and I would be better off as just friends. Nathan told me that he needed time to get over me because he was in love with me; I thought time meant months so imagine my surprise when I wake up on this bright Sunday morning to see three missed calls and five texts from him.
I had to admit, it was perfect timing to because I was about to start complaining to my parents on how the bed sucks and my back feels crooked and we all know that wouldn’t end well. My mother was pissed off when I had told her about the dinner last night, for some reason she blames me and this time none of it was even my fault!
I think she blames me because I had told Garrett we would go to the dinner. She was clearly feeling a little woozy and wacky, but I didn’t blame her. This wasn’t break up drama, this was divorce drama. My mom was planning on laying it on Garrett soon, the only thing I hope is that my mom doesn’t fall off the rails again like she did when my dad left.
Because I didn’t know my parents had divorced before my dad left I didn’t see any of the signs. When my parents would fight I would think ‘Oh this is normal.’ Now looking at the way my mom is acting, I realize just how blind I had been.
I quickly dialled Nathan’s number back to see what he wanted. In all honestly I missed the guy like crazy, he was important to me and I hated that I had hurt him. I just wanted things to head into the right direction with Nathan and I.
“Hey Kat.” He said once he answered the phone.
I smiled “Hey Nate, how are you? Cause you know, you called me before.”
Nathan chuckled “I was actually calling to ask you the same thing.”
“Oh.” I smiled “Well I’m doing well, even though that dinner was insanely awkward. My dad is pissed off with Garrett and my mom is pissed off with me.”
Nathan groaned “Katherine what did you do?”
I gasped “I did nothing Nathan! She’s just mad at me and I have no idea why, she has to be on her period!”
Nathan laughed “Don’t say that about your mom.”
I rolled my eyes “Speaking of mom’s how is yours?”
“She’s great.” He said, I could tell he was smiling now. “Ever since Nicole moved closer into town she’s been happier. She likes having us both here.”
I nodded “Now knowing that Nicole is your twin and all. How did you feel about the whole Jessica and the story of Cole thing.”
Nathan sighed “I was pissed off. I had no idea that Nic moved schools because of her. I knew she had been bullied and that was why she transferred but I didn’t know it was Jessica. It wasn’t like I could do anything about it either or else Nic would get pissed. She doesn’t want anyone to know were twins, partly the reason I never told you.”
“Why not?” I asked curiously “I’m sure you’re a great brother, is she embarrassed or something?”
Nathan sighed “She just said that I’m popular and she doesn’t want to be known as Nate’s little sister. Nic has this thing about making a name for herself, she’s really independent.”
I smiled “That doesn’t sound too bad. I remember I felt the same way. I didn’t want people to know I was going to be Scott and Ethan’s step sister but then Garrett made a huge deal about all of it and then everyone knew. I mean on some occasions I was called ‘The Step Sister’ but I think I’ve defiantly made a name for myself now.”
Nathan chuckled “Defiantly.”
“I wish I didn’t.” I admitted “I wish I could go back and just be a wallflower, I don’t like the attention but then again I put it on myself so I have no one else to blame.”
“Don’t say that Kat.” He said “It wasn’t entirely your fault. I mean what Alisa and Brittney did to you wasn’t right, Jessica too, I mean you didn’t have to do it back but I guess you sort of felt like you needed to.”
I sighed “I didn’t like being pushed around by her anymore. Besides Jessica is going to be out of our lives soon just like Alisa and Brittney. But Nate what about what happened to Jeremy, I mean w-was t-that my fault?”
I had honestly been wondering this. I mean I know I shouldn’t but at the same time the thought could help but cross my mind. His parents never told me anything, they only ever talked to Kendall and according to her Jeremy’s parents had left to visit him in the mental facility in Georgia.
Nathan didn’t say anything for a second before he sighed “Why would you even think of something like that? Of course it wasn’t your fault.”
I sighed “I just-I don’t know.”
“Listen to me.” He said sternly “Did you hold Jeremy against his will and tell him to try and commit suicide?”
“No.”
“Did you tell him to try and take an overdose of pills?”
“No.”
“Did you make his parents fight and want a divorce?”
“No.”
Nathan chuckled “You see Kat, you did nothing. Jeremy was just sick, he didn’t know how to deal with everything and he just snapped. He is getting help and he will be fine, you didn’t cause him to do anything and don’t dwell on the past either, Jeremy is alive and fine.”
I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. “You’re right Nate. Thank you.”
“Hey Kat?” He asked me with a serious tone.
“Yeah.”
Nathan sighed and I heard shuffling on the other line before he finally spoke. “Do you want to hang out today?”
“Sure.” I smiled “What did you have in mind?”
“I’ll come to you. Just text me the address, I’ll be there in a few minutes.” He said before he hung up.
I quickly texted the address before I dashed for the bathroom to shower and get dressed. When I was out of the shower and in my towel and grabbed my black skinny jeans and a light pink sweatshirt that said ‘Je t’aime Québec’ on it.
When I was fully dressed I didn’t bother with makeup and just went straight to my hair. It was an all out battle to get the knots out but I managed to form a proper ponytail that looked decent enough to go out. By the time Nathan rang the doorbell my teeth had been brushed and face cream had been laid out nicely on my face so it wouldn’t dry up.
I raced down the stairs to open the door. “Hey Nate.” I smiled when I moved and let him come inside. My parents had been in the kitchen cooking breakfast but I assume when they heard the doorbell they stopped.
“Oh Nathan.” My mother said surprised “Are you and Kat going somewhere?” She asked eying my outfit like a hawk.
Nathan sent her a polite smile “Yes Ms. King we are.” My mother frowned at the use of the last name she had taken from Garrett but didn’t say anything, instead she simply nodded.
“Kat you need to eat.” My dad said sternly.
I opened my mouth to speak but Nathan beat me to it. “I’ve got some McDonalds in the car. I got it for Kat; I assumed she had just woke up when I talked to her this morning.”
“Alright.” My parents both said “Be safe.”
I nodded before I left with Nathan. “I can’t believe you actually got Mc-“
“That was a lie.” He chuckled “But don’t worry we’ll get some.”
I sighed in relief “If you had actually gotten some I would have freaked out.”
Nathan smiled before the both of us got into the car.
---
“So what is your escape place?” I asked Nathan as I ate my Egg McMuffin sandwich.
Nathan shrugged while he slurped down his orange juice. He had already had breakfast so it was just me eating. “Define escape place.”
I shrugged “The place you go to when you want to clear your head and think. A place that’s special to you.”
Nathan smiled “The park.”
“Oh which-“
“Central Park in New York City.”
“Oh um fancy.” I mumbled “Why so far away, I mean you can’t exactly go there on a regular basis.”
Nathan smiled “It’s just a special place, I mean despite my parents being no longer together it was where my dad proposed to my mom. Anytime I go to New York I go there.”
I smiled “That’s really sweet Nate. So is Nicole’s dad with your mom?”
Nathan shook his head “No. My mom was with Nicole’s dad before she was with mine, like I mean a day before. You know cause of the one night stand.” I chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, so Nicole’s dad and my dad were one night stands and then when my mom found out she was pregnant she got to choose who she wanted to be with since they both wanted to raise Nicole and I with her. My dad won that, not because he was rich though, it was because my mom genuinely fell in love with him.”
“That’s really sweet.” I said “Like I’m actually getting chills thinking about it. I mean I feel bad for Nicole’s dad though.”
Nathan smiled “Don’t worry, my mom and him are good friends. Nicole thinks that her dad is still in love with mom and she just doesn’t feel the same way but I really don’t know. I mean I think about my dad and mom more than hers.”
“It must be a weird situation.” I mumbled “You know having different dads and being twins.”
Nathan chuckled “It sure is. Anyways subject change. What is your escape place?”
“Mine?” I thought about it for a second before I smiled “The graveyard.”
Nathan’s eyes widened “Okay so you judged me for having mine in New York while yours is in a freaking graveyard!”
“Okay, hear me out!” I yelled “It’s special because the graveyard is supposed to be a peaceful place. And it really is, I mean most people would be creeped out but I’m not. I always sit at the grave where that baby that I killed died, because it’s special to me.”
“Yeah not creepy at all.” He muttered “I swear you and Ethan are perfect. He works at a graveyard you know.”
I nodded as I frowned at the terrible memory “Yeah, I know.”
“It’s his way of being close to his mom.” Nathan said. “Like your reason for wanting to be close to that unborn baby.”
I sighed “Ethan and I are far from being perfect for each other, we’re still different.”
“You guys will work things out.” Nathan said.
“Why?” I asked “Why are you acting like this?” This was confusing me; Nathan shouldn’t have been encouraging me to be with Ethan.
Nathan shrugged “We’re friends now aren’t we. I mean I know what happened between us Kat, and I will always have a soft spot for you but like I told you before, Ethan is family to me. I would never let something or someone come in between that, I mean he did see you first too.”
I smiled, that was exactly what I wanted, for us to finally start over and be friends. “Nathan your amazing and one day a girl will love you, and only you.”
Nathan smiled as we continued to talk about school, life and other things.
Nathan King you have officially been friend zoned, welcome to the club.
~Okay so this chapter was full focused on the Kat and Nathan relationship because i think they deserved it and so did the Nat/Kathan fans. The next update will be soon! COMMENT AND VOTE!~Sam~