What Makes a Man? - Chapter 4

Nate's P.O.V.

"Not me. I would never leave you." The look on her face made me want to hold her forever. I wanted to be able to look into her eyes and kiss her beautiful lips. The look on her face made me want her ever more. She looked like she needed someone to care for her, make her happy. I can do that.

I've been holding off my feelings from her for 17 years, what will a few days more do. The rest of the night I spent humiliating myself to make her laugh. Nearing midnight, everything was dead silent. We were lying on the bench, her head nestled to my neck and my hand rubbing her back. All we could hear was the sound of the stream and the crickets. It was making me really tired.

"Nate?" Alexena said softly. "My aunt won't be home until late tomorrow. Can you stay the night? I know we have school tomorrow but I would love if you could stay with me" She asked innocently. "Yeah sure. I hate seeing you like this. I don't care about school right now" She got up, yawned then looked at me and shot me a heart-melting smile. We got up and she grabbed my hand as I led her through the forest back to my car.
**
Once we got back to her house, we sat on the couch and watched the proposal. I don't care for chick flicks but if they make her feel even the slightest bit better, I'll watch them. We sat, my arm around her back as she snuggled up to me. I could tell she was sleeping, heck it was 1:45 now of course she should be sleeping. I picked her up and brought her over to her bedroom. Something fell out of her pocket as I was taking her up so I went back downstairs to get it. Her cellphone was lying at the bottom of the stairs. I thought I had broken it so I tried to turn it on to see if it worked. It turned on and I felt so relieved.

She loved her cellphone, but not like one of those obsessive freaks who text non-stop. I looked at the front screen and it said 15 missed calls all from Jesse but one from her aunt. I started walking up the stairs thinking of things to try to get my mind off of Jesse. If I heard or even saw his name one more time I'm going to go kick the crap out of him. I've hated him since I first met him in the seventh grade. Just then, her phone started ringing, it was Jesse. I picked it up and started yelling in the phone, "Leave Alexena the hell alone! Go sleep with Alison, asshole!"
" Shut up, man! I just want to talk to her." He slurred. Then the doorbell rang. I was forced to get it by my need to beat him up. I opened the door and there he was, drunk as hell.

"Let me in, she's my girlfriend!" he slurred trying to get past me. "Not anymore." I simply replied walking step by step towards him. It all started with one punch in the face, then two, then three, and then four. He was out cold. At this point, I was furious. I waited for about 10 minutes when he slightly opened up his eyes and started to get up. He tumbled from right to left, falling everywhere. "I'll get you, Na-Nate." Soon after, he was no where in sight. I turned around to walk inside when I saw Alexena there, in the doorway looking me in the eyes. Tears swelled up in her eyes, leaving me heartbroken. "I thought you left, I thought you left me!" She said fast. I could hardly understand her as she ran towards me, into my arms. She hugged me so tight, like it was the end of the world. We just stood there, silently, hugging for what felt like hours. Sooner or later, she let go. She grabbed my hand and I stroked her cheek with my thumb. I kissed her cheek and we walked back inside, hand in hand, slowly walking up the stairs into her bedroom.