What Makes a Man? - Chapter 3

I got up and ran to the bathroom. I looked in the mirror wondering how Nate could want to be seen with me looking like this. I was a mess! I combed my hair and reapplied my mascara. I don't like wearing too much make-up. Mostly because my mom always used to tell me I was naturally beautiful and I didn't need all that stuff on my face. She died six years ago, it feels like just yesterday that I was standing beside her casket looking at her lying there motionless. A tear rolled down my cheek but I wiped it away quickly. I cleared my thought and ran back downstairs. Then my phone rang, it was my aunt. I live with her since my mom died. My dad left when I was six, so I was left with my aunt.
" Hey Aunt Ange! I can't talk right now, I'm on my way out with Nate." I said as I continued walking towards the door. "Alright hunny. I won't be home until tomorrow though, I just thought I would tell you. Have fun, I love you!" " Yeah, it's fine. I love you too." And with that, I hung up. I realized Nate was outside already. I opened the door and saw Nate lying on the grass looking up at the stars.

"You ready to go, Lex?'' He asked. "Yeah, let's get out of here." I said coldly. Nate shot me a look that said, everything will be alright. I ran up behind him while he placed his hand on the small of my back. He opened the car door and waited for me to get in, then closed it. He got into the drivers side and fastened his seat belt. "Need help with that?" He said as a sheepishly wide grin spread across his face. I nodded. " It's locked, shut up!" I said, as I chuckled a bit. He laughed as he reached across me sending shivers up my spine making me speechless. He buckled me in and we drove off silently, occasionally shooting looks at one another. Then I looked at him as he was driving, he looked so cautious. I then thought, " We've been friends for 18 years, don't ruin it! He doesn't feel the same about you" I shuddered at the thought as I realized he was looking at me worried. I shot him a fake smile and looked forward.

It was now 9:20 and I felt exhausted, depressed and like my heart had been ripped to shreds. Then my phone started ringing, I looked down to see who it was. It was Jesse. I turned my phone off and threw it in my pocket not caring if my aunt called. We pulled into the restaurant and went through the drive through. " What do you want to eat, Lex?" I thought for a few seconds as I felt my stomach rumbling. " Just a root beer. I'm not hungry." Nate rolled his eyes and said " Two Big Mac combos please. Both with root beer." He looked at me and laughed, " Hey, got to eat, baby!" I put on my fake smile and looked out my window. I then had a flashback to grade 7, my first heartbreak,5 years ago.

" Lex, it's okay! He doesn't deserve you, you're beautiful."
I looked at him for a second and just cried. We just kept walking through the forest until we stopped at the beautiful scene. It was surrounded by trees with a beautiful stream passing through. There was an opening through the trees so we just lied there for 3 hours and just looked at the stars. His arm hugging me tightly, just murmuring sweet things into my ear until I fell asleep with my head nestled into his neck. From that day on, it was our ''spot''.

I snapped back into reality realizing we were already on our way to our spot. We parked at the forest entrance and started walking through the forest. I didn't like walking through the forest at night so I grabbed his hand. After I grabbed his hand it felt like electric shocks were running through my body. The look on his face kind of made it seem like it was doing the same to him. We got to our spot and sat on the bench near the stream. We just sat there, like we always do, Nate's arms hugging me tightly as my head rested on his chest. " Nate why does this keep happening to me? I keep thinking I found someone special but they all turn out the same." I said as the teams were streaming down my cheeks. I nestled my head into his neck and said, " I don't think I can take it anymore. Everyone I get close to leaves me. My mom died, my dad left, everyones leaves. He clenched his jaw and moved Alexena so she could look him in the eyes. They looked into each others eyes as he said softly, "Not me. I would never leave you."