Nathan

When I was a freshman in high school, there was a this boy named Nathan.

Nathan was a senior. He was on the football team and he looked like he was 25. He was 18 though, so he was still in-shape and hadn't developed a 25 year-old's beer gut.

In the first few weeks of school, we would pass each other in the hallway a few times a day, and always make sketchy eye-contact. He was also in my study hall, yet he sat on the other side of the room. ...When he showed up for study hall that is.

One day, a friend and I ducked out of History class. I was reading a homecoming poster on the wall of the freshman hallway and hadn't been paying attention to where I was walking. It was then that I ran into Nathan. Sorry stuttered out of my mouth as I looked up into his big blue eyes.

"Nice shirt," he replied, and continued down the hallway with his friend.

At that moment I realized that he was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen.

The next few weeks were spent tearing my head apart- "Was that comment about my shirt Sarcastic?" "Why can't I stop thinking about him?" "Am I gay? I've never even thought another boy was attractive!"

Then one day, everything changed. I was walking home from my Dad's house, since I was only 14 (no driver's license), when a little grey pickup stopped next to me.

The passenger's window rolled down, and a voice asked, "Do you need a ride?" It was dark and pouring rain, so all I could see was the person's silhouette.

"Yeah."

-the sound of the electric doors unlocking-

I hopped in, sopping wet, and apologized because of it.

"Don't worry about it."

I nodded in acknowledgement then looked up at the stranger. It was Nathan. I froze.

"So where do you need to go?" he asked.

"Umm-ahh-umm. Oh! I live by the video store," which was about five minutes away.

"Hey, you're in my study hall, right? What's you're name?"

"Damien Duerte," I replied.

"Oh, like Sochel Duerte?"

"Yep, she's my sister." Sochel was a senior also.

"Oh, ok. Cool."

-uncomfortable pause-

"Hey, do you party?" he asked.

Nervously, I replied, "Sure." -(Lie) "Oh, I live right here, in the white house."

We pulled into my alley.

"Well, there's a big party on Friday in the Jamison woods, if you'd like to go."

"Uhh... sure. I don't have my license though." -my heart about to explode.

"Oh, don’t worry about it. I'll pick you up. Around 9?"

"Yeah, that'd be cool." -I had no idea what Jamison woods even was.

"Ok, see ya then."

I got out of his truck, walked inside my house, and about passed-out in my kitchen.

This boy/ a senior/ a senior football player/ friends with the guys that knocked the books out of my hands in the hall/ this beautiful boy who I couldn't get out of my mind the last couple weeks/ was picking me Friday night to party.

I didn't sleep that night.

-to be continued tomorrow.

 2001-12-27 - 5:29 p.m.

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