Nathaniel Vasquez.
He was the ultimate heartthrob ever since he was birthed by his Mother. He was blessed by a generous god with a handsome face. He was the "the man who launched a thousand ship" alter-version. For goodness sake! he was born beautiful with a kind and humble heart. What more can you ask for?
Nate and Bella were inseparable. They were like brother and sister growing up. They were neighbors so it was inevitable but of course, it was also inevitable for her not to fall for him. How can't she?
He was smart, athletic, kind-hearted, and good-looking. Everyone loves Nate Vasquez. He was like the sun, always shining and warm. The kind who people tend to trust and love instantly with one quick look of his angelic face. The kind who get awws and squeaks looking into his big brown eyes and thick eyelashes. The kind that you'll remember.
Over time, hormones and puberty surging, her feelings for him outgrew the typical brother-sister relationship they had. It was the sudden realization on the day he held and squeezed her hand for comfort at her Mom's funeral.
After weeks of flashing a grin on her face to stop people pitying her about the death of her family, he was the one who turned her into a puddle. It was a small gesture but affected her ten-folds of emotions that all her willpower to overcome the sadness and loneliness she felt inside swelled up as tears started falling from her cheeks. He was the only person who was able to make her cry like that. She felt angry making her cry like that in front of her Mom when she promised that she won't cry but somehow she felt good. Calm.
That was it. He was the one. The one who taught her what love is. He never looked the same way to her after that day. Admiration turned into something else.
Growing up with him, they know almost everything about each other. The mannerism, his one dimple that shows only when he smiles. All their flaws and what makes them happy, what makes them tick. They know each other secrets. They were best friends, ouch. It was hard for her to tell him the truth. She wasn't really planning to tell him anything. It was her little secret. Something that he doesn't know of all the million things he knows about her. Her life keeping this a secret to him was supposed to be set in stone, the last day she breathes her last breathe. She was desperate to keep it from him.
But nothing like a good punch in a fit of gut jealousy and anxiety washes over her towering defense walls shooked her down to her core when there were rumors spreading about him having a girlfriend. With him being so popular-- no shock there-- with the other students in school, rumors start to spread about a girl he had a crush on likes him back. She asked him about it of course, but he just brushed it off like it was not serious. Oh, but it was because she saw THEM TOGETHER. The rumored girlfriend. Sofia.
Sofia was like the girl version of Nate. They were like two pieces in a pod. Perfect. Flawless. She did not like the idea of them hanging out but they were. So, that was it. It was time to show him her big guns. Tell her the truth of how she really feels because if not he'll be off to someone's perfect and flawless shoulders soon.
It was the School's foundation day, there were many students playing and having a great time. But all she could think of was what's going to happen later. She posted a note on Nathaniel Vasquez's locker to come out at the back of the school at noon. Hopeful that he would show up she arrived an hour early than what she had planned. She was excited yet confused about what's going to happen. It was her first time trying to put words on how important Nate was to her. She didn't want to sound embarrassing so she wrote down a letter with all her feelings piled up for him to read. She was ready, standing at the far back closed off area in the back of the school and gripped tightly the love letter she was holding in one hand.
At the stroke of noon, he came. Her face started to ache from plastering on a grin to make him feel comfortable, she thought, but it only makes ger look like a psychopath. He walked over and his face plastered with confusion and worry seeing Bella grinning and waiting for him. "Bella.. were you..." he didn't finish. He was referring to the note in his hand. She touched her hair out of her face and started figdeting from where she was standing, she started to panic sweat.
She blushed and nodded to confirm. "Ye-Yes..," she finally answered shyly, her face red with embarrassment. She didn't like how he's looking at her, almost disbelief or shy? could it be disgust? Her stomach churned thinking what in the world is he thinking right now.
As sweat appears from her palm from too much nervousness, she put her hands at her back and vigorously wiped her sweaty palms on her uniform.
It didn't help that she ate a lot of cheese fries and burgers before taking down this path. She obviously didn't think this through.
She thought it was a good idea at the time, the needed ammo to make her feel full and fight this war. Although, now regret starts to knock her stomach out and it seems like this isn't the kind of war she was talking about. This needs to end, she thought, as cold sweat starts to give her goosebumps.
"I like you!" she said aloud almost to a shout. Her stomach ached at each word "I've always.. always.. liked.. you.."
"A lot" she added staring right at him. He was just standing there, motionless. His mouth opened and shut as if to say something but didn't. She gripped her love letter almost like a lifeline. "Not in a kind of sister kind of way.."
Silence.
Say something! Anything! She shouted at the back of her mind.
"But I like-like you" she handed the love letter to him while keeping her eyes on the floor.
She was waiting for him to take the letter but winced when he didn't take it.
"Bella.. I'm sorry.. I.. ," he said scrambling for words. "I mean I like you" in a low voice almost to a whisper. "But not like that."
Bella slowly opened her eyes and found herself staring in a white ceiling. Everything was spinning even though she was lying flat in bed and felt as if her head was sandwiched with cement. Her eyes drifted to the side where the light was coming from. The room was silent and was filled with sunlight coming in and out of the windows covered with white curtains that move slightly from the wind. It smelled strongly of Lysol. She was in the clinic. Her hand instantly brushes to her throbbing head trying to remember why it hurts so badly.
"You got hit by a ball" someone answered as if hearing her own thoughts. She looked where the voice was coming from and was surprised to see the guy everyone was cheering on awhile ago looking sorry for what had happened. She was hit by a soccer ball, she remembered.
"I'm sorry," Nate Vasquez said apologetically. "It was my fault. I wasn't.."
"No, it's fine," she replied her tone cold as ice while keeping her face straight. This is the karma she gets slapping an innocent guy, she thought to herself. Now, she had to deal with this guy. Wait. Why is he here? She thoughtto herself.
She was trying to keep her tone composed and cold while keeping herself from looking at him. It was painful enough that her head felt like someone is trying to pound it with a hammer, it just makes it far worse to see Nate Vasquez in real life after several years.
Years of avoiding him.
Her eyes drifted back to him standing on the bottom of the bed. She looked at him from head to toe when she realized that he was wearing Pacific High's uniform. She gasped inwardly, he was the guy everyone's been talking about. The new transfer.
Noo.. she whimpered. I already had enough disastrous adventure with Mr. Pervert and now this, she couldn't believe what's happening with her life. He coughed losing her train of thought.
"You ok?" He said worriedly. She didn't realize she was staring at him, she drop her gaze and look at the floor. "I'll live" she replied coldly.
She still hasn't gotten over him that's for sure. No one can really lose all familiarity and love for a person you once loved right? Her emotions building from dizzy to beet red to cold as ice, how could she not? After what had happened on her big confession day, it was easier to be mad at him to lose all the feelings than to be friends with him again. Not after what had happened.
"You're like my little sister" he added. "...And I ...already have a girlfriend..."654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnOZY743kn
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He sighed and continued, "I didn't want to tell you about it because.. because.."654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wuZ7FkagX
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"I don't want you to feel left out"654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwmMkkAObk
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It was hard for her to avoid him after the Foundation day. She got so used to being around him having him with her, that avoiding him was difficult. Almost life-shattering. Plus, it was even harder for her to forgive and forget all of what had happened especially after someone videotaped the whole confession and the video was passed along in school.
One reason why she left her school back then, one reason why she didn't want anything to do with him. Sure, he apologized but the damage has been done she was a laughing stock in their school. The "little skankster" video went viral. And for six years, she made sure to hate his guts, hate his face, his smile, his dimple, his everything. It wasn't his fault, but she wanted to pass the blame.
"I should get back to class" she added trying to stand up and regretted it right away. Her vision blurred the moment she stood upright, her knees buckled trying to balance herself from falling. Luckily, Nate caught her. When her vision cleared her face turned bright red seeing face-to-face with Nate. He was too close for comfort. All her hate started to wither away, placing back all of what was there before. She looks away trying to stop her heart from beating any faster. He doesn't like you, get over yourself.
"You should probably lay down for a couple of more hours," he said trying to help her sit on the bed. "I can talk with the nurse and ask to let you stay here for a while"
"Yeah, sure" she winced trying to lay in bed. She closed her eyes to keep her herself staring at him while he supports her head to lay in bed. He pulled up the covers while she fought the urge to open her eyes the entire time. She was feeling proud of herself being so mature about all this. Keeping it cool and smooth as nothing happened.
"Oh," she said dryly. "Girlfriend.." her stomach grumble at the word.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxTXCyq4HP
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"Bella... look.." he started to explain. "We have been friends for years... I.. just.."654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvj5xiI8klv
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Girlfriend, she thought again. The word felt like a punch in a gut and well, her gut can't take another hit of whatever comes next.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxeUFx8sji
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She blinked her tears not realizing that she already started crying.He soon realizes this and took a step towards her. She took a step back knowing this,"It's ok" she sniffed. "I'm fine... don't worry about it," she said smiling while wiping her tears. "Just forget about it"654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPbSXetmaR
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"Bella.." he started.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJXPEWFiAb
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"I'm fine" she replied taking another step back. "I'm fine"654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqOJCxY4Gf
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She started walking past him not really listening to what he was going to say next, when he grabbed her wrist. Next thing she knew, she was crashing into his hard chest from the force and skip-a-beat being that close to him.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfhl3Vi4hQ
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She felt like time stood still and all she can hear is her heart beating too fast to hear his.
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Unbelivable, She thought to herself. Her face paled as soon as she heard it. She fight the urge to look up at his face and see the disgusted look in his eyes. They stood there motionless.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXdEDEncgo
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Maybe, he didn't hear it? she wished.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4X3lbEsBM9
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Her stomach replied. 654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRy7OwzneRA
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She turned away from his arms not looking back to see what his face would look like. She already felt embarrassed being sister-zoned now how she wished the ground will swallow her whole farting in front of his crush in an intimate setting. God damned universe.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpG70aM78q
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He was saying something but her mind was elsewhere. She was so sure he was fighting a laugh but didn't check to see. She needed to gain as much distance as she can away from him. She speed-walked her way out of the place when expectedly, she tripped and fell face-first.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwSgiFr3SL
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Yep, nothing humiliating and life alternating that a certain person has caused her a whole lot of drama in the last six years, PTSD from having a normal conversation with a boy, and of course the occasional overthinking that lead her shaking her mind from remembering the incident at the fence. Her brows furrowed fighting to keep her thoughts wandering back to the event awhile ago. To her relief, Leslie entered the room going hysterics. Bella's eyes snapped open looking straight at Nate.
"Bella! Are you okay?!" Leslie said in a panic rushing into the room.
They were staring into each other's eyes for what felt like minutes all the cold and anger washed away by his warmth in an instant they both shied away looking to each opposite side of the room when Leslie rushed to her side.
"Are you hurt? Oh my god. Of course, you are! What happened? How are you feeling? Who did this to you?" Leslie babbled.
"I'm fine" Bella answered looking at her. "It was an accident.."
"Still.." Leslie defended. She opened her mouth and was about to say something more when Leslie finally noticed the other guy in the room. "And who are you supposed to be?" she asked rudely.
Leslie tends to have a huge hatred for boys. She was after all had several of them all ending up cheating. Can you blame her? It wasn't something that she deliberately does whenever one comes around but it was her way of protecting Bella from guys she crushed on because Bella does 100% of a great job when it comes to her crushes. Exhibit A.
"He helped me here" Bella immediately answered. Leslie knows about the "incident with Nate" but never really had a clue who Nate was. Leslie shifted her eyes from him to Bella. "He's the one who brought me here" she smiled trying to lighten up Leslie's mood. Leslie was always the war freak one. The one who's ready to pick up a fight no matter who it was.
"Right.."
He smiled the moment Leslie looked at him with a curious look. "I should probably talk with the school nurse," Nate answered as if reading Leslie's mind, making his way outside. He was about to leave the door when he turned back and said--strangely, "It was nice to see you again, Bella."
When he was gone, Bella manages to exhale not even realizing that she was holding her breath. When Bella and Leslie were left alone, she asked her with one eyebrow, "Nice to you see you again?"
She can't lie to Leslie but she didn't want her to get her warrior side--no surrender--on with Nate. Especially Nate. One encounter with him for her last year in High School is enough.
"I dunno what you mean" she answered her eyes not meeting Leslie to cover her lie. Leslie knows her tell and can see past her lie for several miles away. Leslie eyes suspiciously.
"Is he the famous "Nate"? " she replied disgustedly.
"Uh.." Bella hesitated. Leslie knew her too well.
"Ha!" she snapped back. "He is.. isn't he?"
I grunted annoyingly, "Ok fine, yes" Bella answered defeated.
Leslie smiled victoriously, "I knew it!" she then added, "You were staring at him strangely... So I instantly knew there was something going on between you two."
"Yes." she sighed. "Humiliation."
"Still.." Leslie said eyeing Bella, "You still like him."
"No, I don't" Bella replied defensively. "After what had happened, friends don't even fit the criteria."
"But you still like him" she pressed.
"Nuh-uh"
"Right..." Leslie replied rolling her eyes at her. "He isn't totally your type... the kind that looks like he was blessed with unlimited charms and could probably have tons of girls lining up, screaming of God knows whatever his name was?"
Pfft
"No.." Bella bites back sheepishly. "Yes, he isn't" she replied more to herself than to Leslie. She promised that she'll forget about that day. The day that she was far too young to know what love is. A different kind of woman, grown-up woman, that's what she is now. The kind who was lying to her best friend.
The encounter with Nate after six years is such a surprise that she had forgotten all about her guidebook until the last dismissal for the day. Her mind was racing from flashing memories of Nate then remembering why she started to create the guidebook.
She muttered a cursed remembering the jerk. If he didn't take it in the first place and returned it as a decent human being would, this day wouldn't be the worst day of her life. She suddenly remembered the reason why she was hit with the soccer ball in the first place and cursed.
It was time to get home, Leslie and Bella were talking down the hallway ready to go home and call it a day but Bella can't get over the fact that she was giving up to Gian Matthews. She shuddered thinking of his name like the devil.
She couldn't go home, forget about everything that just happened, and not think of the worst-case scenario that evil jerk does with her guidebook. She was already blacklisted from her Elementary school before with the stupid video, she didn't want another round of that. Absolutely, not.
"He's like the worst guy on the planet!" she said in frustration without even thinking. When she realized she said that aloud, she took a peek at her best friend with an apologetic face. Leslie was saying about something with their Chemistry class and obviously, she wasn't listening to one word she was rambling about it.
Leslie looked at her, anger filling up her face, "Were you even listening?"
Ugh.
"I'm sorry." Bella answered, "I just hate him that sicko who took my guidebook. He's like a disgusting dirty earthy smushy earthworm egomaniac that sucks the life out of everything"
Leslie sighed understanding what she was talking about.
"That book is.." She answered. "I just... I NEED to get that BOOK!" she finally decided, halting and started backing up inside the school. Bella was determined to get the book no matter what it takes. He looked like the kind of student who has a lot of history with a principal, heck, even the police. It was the perfect plan! Blackmailing is the perfect call that shouldn't be hard. After all, the guidebook is her most prized possession. Anyone who possesses that can make her life turn upside-down.
"Go home without me, I'll see you tomorrow" she waved goodbye to Leslie and rushed off to find her guidebook on the hands of the devil.
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