Nate

Nate hadn’t seen Camille since they spent the night together. Her parents were royally pissed. They took her phone away and grounded her. The only way Nate knew this was because one of her parents had texted back after Nate’s five hundredth message. His money was on Ray, since the message wasn’t scathing. It only said, Cami’s grounded with no phone privileges. Thank you for returning her safely.

Nate figured Ray was doing him a solid since Nate texted him after Camille fell asleep at his house. The last thing Nate wanted was for her parents to stress out thinking she was missing. He’d seen what that kind of worry did to his own parents the night Tyler didn’t come home.

Thinking about everything his parents had gone through losing Ty made Nate extra attentive over the weekend. He called his mom and told her all about Camille. And Sunday, his dad surprised him by being home, and sober. They spent the day together working on the house. The inside was really starting to come together. And Nate enjoyed catching up with his dad. He actually asked what Nate was up to, so he took the opportunity to tell him about Camille, too.

“Sounds pretty serious,” his dad said.

“Yeah, I really like her, Dad. It’s sorta scaring me.”

“Good, it should. Love’s not something for the faint of heart.”

It struck Nate as a strange thing to say, but then again his dad was pretty jaded when it came to relationships. “We’re going to prom,” Nate added. “I’m weirdly excited.”

“You, excited?” his dad teased. “Shocking.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“No, I get it. Believe it or not, I remember those days. All nerves and excitement.”

“You do?”

His dad laughed. “I’m not dead, Nate. Just old.”

Nate was quiet for a while. He’d never seen his dad date or flirt or really show much emotion at all since the divorce. The only comfort he sought was in the bottom of a bourbon bottle. So it was strange thinking of him in Nate’s shoes, young and in love. And the more Nate thought about it, the more he realized that’s what this was with Cami—love.

“She’s stolen my heart, Dad. I feel sick when she’s not around. I think I’m in love with her.”

His father chuckled. “Yep, sounds like it to me.”

“Was it like that when you met Mom?” Nate asked.

His dad had been smoothing spackle over the seams in the drywall when Nate asked the question. He stopped, looking lost in thought for a moment before responding. “Yeah. It was.”

“Do you miss her?”

His dad sighed, turning to face him. “Listen to me, Nate. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but the one I regret the most is not letting the people I love know just how much they mean to me. I haven’t been a good role model to you. And for that, I’m sorry. But it’s clear your mother did a good job with you. And I’ll always love her because of it.”

“You did a good job, too, Dad.”

His dad waved him away and started back on the spackle.

“No, I mean it. You taught me music, and without that . . .” Nate paused and his dad was looking at him again. “Sometimes I think I couldn’t have made it through everything without music.”

Shadows swam in his dad’s eyes and he pulled Nate into a gruff one-armed hug. The surge of emotion threatened to overwhelm Nate. His dad wasn’t usually an affectionate man. Nate couldn’t remember the last time he hugged him.

“I love you, son.”

“I love you too, Dad.”

* * *

Monday finally arrived and Nate was on cloud nine. Though he would’ve rather spent the weekend with Camille, he found he enjoyed getting to spend some time with his dad. But now that the school was in view, Nate only had thoughts of Cami. He practically sprinted up the stairs to her locker. Disappointment flooded him when she didn’t show up. He checked the time. There was no way he missed her. He’d gotten to campus extra early just to be sure.

Nate reluctantly went to class, planning to find Camille after first period. He’d memorized her schedule weeks ago so he could walk her from class to class. But by the time lunch rolled around and Nate still hadn’t found Camille, he started to worry. He scanned the lounge, but the sea of students revealed nothing extraordinary. No vibrant colored hair or wild tights brightened the sea of plaid uniforms and blazers, and Nate’s heart sank.

One of the Ashleys walked up to Nate. He could never tell them apart. They all had the same blonde hair and wore too much perfume. The unremarkable blonde took Camille’s usual seat next to Nate, which made him unreasonably irritated.

“Hey there, handsome,” she crooned.

Ugh. It was Ashley Dupree. Her fake syrupy voice gave her away. “Hey,” he grumbled.

“Any luck getting Camille to be your prom date?”

“Um . . .” Nate wanted to say it was none of her f-ing business, but was searching for more polite wording.

Ashley took the pause as a no. “You know, I could get her nominated for prom queen. Then she’d have to go. Don’t you think that’d be great?”

Something made Nate think Cami wouldn’t think so. Prom queen seemed like the last thing a girl who hated the spotlight would want. Nate was about to tell Ashley that but the girl never stopped talking.

“Well, I think it would be just peachy. I know everyone would be happy to do it for poor, sweet Camille. And if she’s on the court she has to go, and that means you’ll go too, right?”

“Of course, but,” Nate said starting to stand, but Ashley grabbed his hand, her long manicured fingernails grazing his skin like talons.

“Tell you what, Nathan. Since you’re new to NOAH I’m going to do you a favor and give you your prom ticket.” She added, “On the house,” in what he guessed Ashley thought was a seductive tone.

“Oh. Um, thanks, Ash, but I sorta need two tickets.”

She giggled. “Oh I’m on the prom court silly, I already have my ticket, but I’d love to go as your date.

Nate almost choked on his soda. “No. Uh, I meant for Camille. She’s my date.”

“Nathan, I said I’ll get her on the court. She won’t need a ticket. And I feel I should tell you, as a friend whose looking out for your best interest, girls tend to get a little too big for their britches the first time their nominated. And Camille . . . well she’s new to this whole world and she already told you no once, sweetie. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up.”

The balls on this girl! Nate tried to not to glare at Ashley, but she was revolting. No wonder Camille didn’t want anything to do with her crowd. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing Cami already agreed to go with me,” he said standing up. “So thanks, but I guess we don’t need any favors.”

Ashley’s face turned five shades of scarlet as Nate walked away.