LOGINNathan
The loud music booming from my speaker seemed to clear my thoughts for a bit. As I lay on my bed with my eyes closed, I allow myself to feel at ease with the hard rock gothic music.
This short moment of peace was interrupted by a knock on my door. Without waiting for a response, my old man let himself in. "How are you doing ol' champ?"
I say nothing. Father didn't seem to get the message as he continued with whatever message he had to relay. "I just wanted to let you know that Eliana and her daughter are already here incase you want to go down and say hi to them"
With that said, Father close my room door as my eyes springed opened instantly. Alighting from my bed, I move over to the window where I see 'Number four' and her daughter walking through the house front lawn.
"They aren't going to last long here anyways so why should I greet them?" I muttered.
But why did Dad had to pick up a woman with a kid this time?.
"That's none of my business" I conclude. Moving away from the window, I turned off the music as I pull out my phone to text my friends, Marcus, Aiden, Gray and Gejeel in our group chat asking if any of them was down for a smoke.
Aiden responded first; stating that he was already in the school's 'smoke area' to which I let him know that I would join him shortly.
Picking up my cigarette pack and pocketing it into my jeans pack pocket, I quickly make my way down the stairs to avoid bumping into 'Number four and co' but her daughter just had to bump into me first.
My anger and irritation heightened when she had the guts to ask me what I was doing here in my own home.
Grabbing her wrist, I turn the tables around. "I should be asking you that question; who are you and what are you doing in my home?"
Eliana, her mother quickly steps in- between us."Pardon Abigail, Nathan. She hasn't met you or your father yet before"
"It doesn't matter" I cut Eliana sharply while narrowing my eyes at 'Abigail'. "Don't ever speak to me that way again"
Letting go of her wrist, I continue towards the main door as Eliana yells out after me. "Would you be back for dinner?. I'll be cooking my signature dish"
I halt, squeezing my fist as hard as I could; trying to suppress my anger. Turning slightly to face Eliana, I say. "Eliana, was it?"
"Yes" She replies with a smile.
"Don't push your luck, Eliana and don't get too comfortable here. You won't be here that long anyways. Now, if you'll excuse me"
Stepping out of the house, I decide that I couldn't wait until I get to the school's 'smoke area' as I pull out a cigarette from it's pack, lit it up and take in heavy puff.
Exhaling, smoke oozes out of my mouth as I suddenly start to feel calm. When I'd reached the 'smoke area', Aiden yells at me. "Hey, I was waiting for you so that we could smoke together. No fair!"
I take in another heavy puff of cigar. "I couldn't help it. I was about to loose my mind in that damn house"
Aiden scowled in disgust. "You have the hots for old ladies now?"
Aiden throws his cigarette butt at me. "Don't be silly. I'm talking about the daughter not her mother"
"That's even worse. Her daughter is a down-to-earth nerd. If I was to pick one; I'd screw the mother"
"Don't let your father hear that" A third voice says, joining us as Gajeel makes his presence known. He strides in with a big bottle of booze."Remind me again why we smoke and drink on school grounds?"
"Because that's the fun in it" I stress out. "Where's the fun in breaking the rules if we're not getting caught?"
"We are 18" Another voice says, joining us. It was Gray and he was holding four shot glasses."We're literally doing nothing wrong"
"The story would have been different if we weren't in school grounds" Aiden clarifies. "Now pour us some shots"
Gray put down the glasses as Gejeel opens the wine bottle. "So, what did I miss so far?"
"Nothing much" Gajeel responds. "Just Nathan talking about how he'd screw his father's new woman"
I throw my cigarette butt at Gajeel. "I didn't say that technically. I was just citing an instance for comparison"
Gajeel chuckles. "Oops, my bad. Sorry". That fucker. I know he wasn't sorry though.
Gejeel hands us each a glass. "Then pray tell what this 'instance' is"
"All Nathan meant to say was that 'Number four's' daughter isn't attractive." Aiden says, coming to my rescue. "Let it go, Gajeel"
"Really?" Gajeel inquires. "Finally someone to take 'Abigail Holden's' place, I suppose?"
I froze. Despite the coincidence of whomsoever Gajeel has just mentioned, I didn't want to hear That name. But still, my curiosity got the best of me. "Abigail Holden?"
"Yeah. She's the school 'most unattractive nerd' "Aiden clarifies. "I'm not surprised you aren't aware of her existence. You only care about us and the girls your screw"
I stretch out my empty glass shot at Gray for a refill as I acknowledge Aiden. "And do you have a picture of this 'Abigail' ?"
Aiden chuckled as if I'd asked him one of the stupidest questions. "Of course I do. Just a sec"
Pulling out his phone, I watch as Aiden scrolls through his gallery. My attention returs to Gray as he hands over a filled glass back to me.
"Found it!" Aiden yells, bursting out with laughter like a maniac.
As I empty the drink in my glass, Aiden shoves his phone screen right into my face. "This is Abigail"
Looking at his screen with the side of my eyes, I stilled then spat out the drink in my mouth. "Holy Fuck
Please let it not be Ricky. Please let it not be Ricky.
I prayed, afra!" lits up his own cigarette butt. "I take it 'Number four' moved in today"
"With her daughter"
Aiden hollered with laughter. "Is she hot?"
Abigail's RoomThe moment my boots land on the carpeted floor of her room, Abigail takes a step back, her wide eyes darting between me and the still-open window. Her lavender scent lingering in the air. I straighten my jacket, more to steady my nerves than anything else. The flicker of hesitation in her eyes doesn't escape me, but it's quickly replaced by something sharper-defiance."Why are you here, Nathan?" Her voice is quiet but firm.I don't answer immediately. Instead, I start pacing in her room, trying to organize the mess of thoughts swirling in my head. Each step feels heavier, my frustration bubbling just beneath the surface."You're going to the dance with Luca," I finally say, my tone sharper than I intended.She blinks, caught off guard. "And? What does that have to do with you?"I stop pacing, turning to face her. "It's reckless," I say, my voice tight. "You're making a mistake."Her brow furrows, her confusion quickly giving way to anger. "A mistake? Going to a sch
Abigail's POVThe lavender dress feels soft against my fingers as I hold it up facing the mirror. Its flowing skirt and cinched waist give it an elegant simplicity, and for a moment, I allow myself to imagine walking into the school dance in it. The fantasy doesn't last long, though. I lower the dress and glance at the other options scattered across my bed. None of them feel quite right, and I can't understand why."Abigail, did you try the red one yet?" Mom's cheerful voice breaks through my thoughts as she steps into my room, carrying a steaming cup of tea."I don't think red's really my color," I reply, slipping the lavender dress over my head as I carefully adjusting the straps."Nonsense," she says, setting the mug on my dresser before coming to stand behind me. Her hands immediately go to work, smoothing out the fabric on my shoulders and waist. "You look good in anything baby."Her reflection smiles at me in the mirror, her eyes sparkling with an excitement I haven't seen
Nathan's POVThe cafeteria feels like a pressure cooker, and I'm seconds away from exploding. My jaw tightens as I watch Luca lean closer to Abigail, his cocky grin plastered across his face like he's already won. Her soft laugh rings out, and it hits me harder than it should.I don't wait for him to look my way or for her to notice my glare.The chair scrapes loudly against the floor as I stand, shoving it back with more force than necessary. The sound barely registers over the cafeteria noise as I storm out, my fists clenched so tight my knuckles ache.The hallway is quieter, but it doesn't help. My thoughts race as I move quickly toward the exit, ignoring the startled looks of a few lingering students. The doors slam shut behind me as I step outside, the cool air hitting me like a slap to the face.I need space.My feet carry me toward the one place I know no one will bother me-the rooftop. It's where I go when the world feels too loud or too messy, a place where I can think.
Luca's POVThe school day begins the same as always, with the sound of lockers slamming and the muffled conversations of half-asleep students filling the halls. I lean against my locker, my eyes scanning the crowd. That's when I see her.Abigail walks in, her movements slower than usual. She looks distracted. Her gaze is unfocused, her lips pressed into a tight line.Even when someone accidentally bumps into her, she barely reacts, just keeps moving like she's on autopilot.Something's wrong.I grab my books and fall into step a few paces behind her, watching as she makes her way to her locker. She fumbles with the lock, her fingers trembling slightly. I want to ask her what's going on, but I hesitate. She's not the type to open up easily, and the last thing I want is to push her away.Still, I can't just do nothing."Hey, Abigail," I call out as casually as I can, approaching her locker.She glances over her shoulder, startled, and for a moment, there's a flicker of relief in her
Abigail's POVNathan glares at me, his expression cold and unyielding as I stand in the doorway. The tension between us is suffocating, and I have to fight the urge to step back. The night air brushes against my skin, but it does little to cool the heat rising in my chest.For a moment, I consider leaving. Maybe this isn't worth it.Maybe confronting him will only make things worse. But the memory of his argument with Ricky echoes in my mind-his anger, the bitterness in his voice, and the way he stormed out, leaving everyone else to deal with the aftermath.I take a deep breath, steadying myself."You know, you're not the only one dealing with things, Nathan."His glare sharpens, his lips curling into a bitter smirk."Oh, here we go," he says, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "What, are you going to play therapist now? Diagnose me with anger issues?Tell me I need to journal my feelings or something?"I fold my arms over my chest, refusing to be intimidated. "Maybe you do. Because
Nathan's POVThe living room feels smaller than usual, suffocating with the tension hanging between us.The air is heavy, the silence before Ricky speaks pressing down on me."You need to stop this, Nathan," Ricky says, his voice even and calm, though there's a sharp edge underneath.I pace back and forth, my sneakers scuffing against the floor, the movement the only way to release the frustration clawing at my chest."Stop what? Being the only one around here who sees what's really going on? You've invited strangers into our house and expect me to just play along like this is normal?"Ricky sighs, standing from the couch and folding his arms."They're not strangers. Abigail and her mom are part of my life now, and whether you like it or not, you need to learn to deal with that."His words only stoke the fire inside me. "Deal with it? You think I'm the problem here? Maybe if you didn't shove this perfect little fantasy family down my throat, I wouldn't have to 'deal with it.""This is







