Chapter four:
Not Your Knight In Shining Armor
"But friends don't look at friends that way"
"Why princess, wanted me to be your knight in shinning armor?"
Nate had just arrived at school to see Mike, Lucas and Dustin pulled up on their bikes wearing Ghost Busters costumes. Nate mentally facepalmed as he cringed, he warned Will that no one was probably going to dress up this year.
He walked up to the group of four "nice costumes" he grinned, and the group turned to him "why aren't you wearing your costume?" Lucas asked "because i am getting my face painted, and i don't think my mom wants to do it twice, besides it takes like an hour to apply and it'll most definitely get ruined during school" Nate answered "and because no one is going to dress up this year" he added
Nate looked at Lucas and noticed he had the same named stitched on to his costume as Mike did, knowing that this was going to start an argument that he didn't want to be part of, so he quickly bid his goodbyes to group and walked into the school, with the intent to find Max.
Nate leaned on the locker next to Max's. He had told her earlier that he would escort her to class. "so i was wondering if-" Nate started only to get interrupted by Dustin and Lucas walking awkwardly up to the pair "umm, hi max i'm dustin and this is" Dustin started awkwardly
"Lucas" Lucas said, Max looked at Nathan curiously, seeing as the boy was leant up against the locker in a almost annoyed fashion, an awkward smile, almost a grimace was displayed on his featured "yeah, i know. the stalkers" Max responded
The boys both stumbled over their words, "no, we weren't stalking you, we-we were just concerned cause your new that's all" Dustin managed to get out, "yeah, yeah for your safety" Lucas agreed "there are a lot of bullies here" Dustin continued
"so many bullies, it's c-crazy" Lucas agreed his hand circling the side of his head motioning a crazy symbol, "no worries, besides i have Nathan. Think pretty boy over here will be able to protect me?" Max responded, she expected him to give some type of grin or smart response in return, but when he hung his head and kept his eyes trained on the floor, she was confused. Where the rumors true?
Guilt flooded his veins, he was apart of the problem, he was the problem. He hurt people, sure they might've deserved it, but he still hurt them.... badly. Yes, he wanted to protect her, but doing so might show that side of him, might show her Bates. He didn't want her to be scared of him, he liked the fact that she didn't know about that side of him, that she wasn't scared of him, that she want him, wether it be just a friendship or a relationship, she wanted to be around him, to talk and to listen. And he wanted to keep it that way.
But he knew the best way to do that was for her to stay away from him, Nate knew it was selfish but he didn't want her to stay away from, but if it- no when it comes back, he'd do it. he'd push her away, but right now he'd cherish her fleeting presents. He'd never felt that way till now, he'd never felt guilty.
"besides is that the reason you're wearing proton packs?"Max asked a smirk tugging at her lips, but her eyes faulting to concern glances at Nathan, who still hung his head, seemly tense. "well these don't function, but i do have this handy dandy little trap here, and look it even opens and closes. look,look,look!"Dustin responded trying to impress the girl, as he open the trap, only to get an unamused gaze in return.
"cool right?" Dustin asked only for the girl to still hold her unamused gaze, "no? o-ok. well me and lucas were talking last night, and you're new here, you probably don't have any friends to go trick or treating, and you're scared of bullies. So, uh, we were thinking that it'd be ok if you came with us." Dustin went on
"i'd be ok?" Max scoffed
"yeah, our party's a democracy, the majority voted for you to come" Dustin beamed as lucas nodded along with him, nether noticing the girl's uninterest or annoyance. Max looked towards Nathan, trying to see if he would say anything on the matter, but he kept his eyes on the floor. He felt her questioning gaze, but didn't look up till he knew that she wasn't looking at him.
"didn't realize it would be such an honor to go trick-or-treating with you" Max quipped, "we know where to get the full-sized candy bars, and we figured you'd want in" Dustin explained
"That presumptuous of you" Max responded as both boys flounder over their words, Nathan looked up, causing Max to give him a small smile, which he quickly returned.
The two ended up leaving the pair of confused boys, and walked down the hall, as Dustin yelled "we're meeting at the maple street cul-de-sac at seven.Thats seven on the dot!"
Max pulled Nathan's arm causing him to turn to her, Max quickly studied his facial features to see if she could see what was wrong, as she did so, Nathan's mask quickly fell into place. And max noticed it.
"are you ok?" Max asked softly. "yeah" Nathan responded "really you were uncharacteristically quite back there"Max responded "i was just thinking" Nathan responded, he noticed that didn't seem convinced "i'm fine princess, i swear"
"so are you going to come trick-or-treating with us?" Nathan asked, trying to change the subject "i don't know, why you want me to come Nathan?" Max smirked "honestly yeah, i would love for you to come, princess" Nathan responded
"i'll think about it"
"Trick or Treat." the group of five boys exclaimed as the door opened to the house, "oh, look at you, the little exterminators and a skeleton" the women said, as she handed out the bowl for them to take candy.
"if i get another 3 musketeers i am going to kill myself" Lucas exclaimed, as the group walked down the driveway from the older women's house, "what's wrong with 3 musketeers?" Dustin questioned
"what's wrong with 3 musketeers" Lucas started "no one likes 3 musketeers" Mike agreed, "yeah it's just nougat" Will pointed out "just nougat? just nougat? it's top three for me" Dustin responded
"top three" Lucas asked in disbelief "top three" Dustin conformed "my god give me a break" Mike rolled his eyes "i could eat like a whole bowl of nougat straight up" Dustin went on then someone dressed up as Michael Meyers jumped out, most of the party screamed and some sounded more feminine then others, while Nate didn't even flinch
the culprit quickly demasked themselves to reveal Max Mayfield "holy shit, you should've seen the look on your guy's faces" she laughed, causing Nathan to grin at her "great scare princess, to bad i saw you come down the drive earlier, would've got me if i didn't "
"why thank you Nathan, i'll get you next time. But who screams like that? you sounded like a girl" Max responded looking towards Lucas at the end, Max quickly walked ahead of the group, Nathan turned to Will seeing that he looking at him with a knowing look, Nathan lightly hit his shoulder before following after Max.
Max turned to the group "hey you guys coming or not? Oh, i heard we should hit up Locke Nora. It's where the rich people live right?" She rambled excitedly, Nathan quickly caught up with girl, he put his arm around her shoulder, only for her to quickly shove it off "oof, princess. your rejection hurts me" Nathan smirked
Max rolled her eyes at the taller boy "so you think there's going to be a next time?" Nathan asked "yes, after all you basically begged me to come" Max responded smirking at the boy
"i did no such thing, princess" Nathan denied, "Mhm, totally" Max agreed smiling, "i like your makeup" Max said, Nate smiled at the girl "why thank you princess"
"i didn't expect you to go as a skeleton though. I thought you were going to be an astronaut or something, i don't know, just not a skeleton" Max slightly rambled "why princess, wanted me to be your knight in shining amour? Or maybe your prince charming." Nate smirked
"we both know i don't need either" Max responded hitting the boy's arm while laughing "oh, i know, but that doesn't mean i don't wanna be it" Nate responded smoothly
Max looked the boy with raised eyebrow, but Nate just shot a smirk her way. Nate was about to say something else when Lucas and Dustin came up to the pair.
Nate quickly fell behind to where Will was, clenching his jaw as he watched them make Max laugh, a sound he liked that he could cause, a sound only he wanted to cause.
" so you totally don't like her" Will said, watching as Nate glared at the back of Lucas's head "nope, not at all" Nate responded while keeping his glare fixated on Lucas "mhm, that's why you are glaring a whole in the back of Lucas's head" Will pointed out
Nate stopped glaring at the boy and turned to Will "no i- no- shut up" Nate responded shaking his head while Will laughed at him, causing Nate to laugh with him. They both didn't notice Max turning to look at them.
"go talk to her" Will said while nudging Nate's shoulder "no, she seems content talking with Lucas and Dustin" Nate responded shrugging "shut up and go talk to her" Will said and pushed Nate over to the group of three, Nate shook his head and started walking towards the group, but got interrupted by a scream.
Nate turned around only to find Mike and Will was no where to be seen. "Where the hell is Will?!" Nate exclaimed worried
The group ended up splitting up to look for the boy, Nate found him hyperventilating against a brick wall. "Will, hey, hey you're ok" Nate said to the boy softly, as he crouched down to the boys level. The others crowded around him and Lucas asked "is he okay?"
"does he look fucking okay?" Mike exclaimed "Mike stop, you yelling doesn't help the situation" Nate said calmly causing Mike to scoff, "Will, buddy can you look at me? it's Nate, you're okay bud, you're safe" Nate said softly, Max's face soften as she watched the interaction, she'd never seen that side of him, his soft side.
Will turned to him, with a scared expression "i'm going to take you home okay?" Nate asked, Will nodded shakily "i-i- i saw him" Will whispered "who'd you see Will?" Nate asked
"Zero"
Did i really make Nate dress up as Tate Langdon? Yes. Do i regret it? Not at all
but yeah, so i'm just gonna leave you with this
but, like cut me please