Matters of the Hart

Chapter 18 - Do you like Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars?

NATHANIEL

One hundred and forty eight…

One hundred and forty nine…

Fucking one hundred and fifty!

I get off the floor, wiping my sweaty palms on my shorts. Working out was the most integral part of my daily regime - especially if I wanted to make it to the top this season. Let's just say, it had its own perks. One, extreme level of fitness. Two, these abs had all the girls drooling.

Well, all except the one I took efforts to maintain them for.

I shook my head at that thought, taking small sips of water.

All the while I did my push-ups, my phone was on hyper-active mode. It just wouldn't stop buzzing but I didn't bother since I didn't want to drop my counts, only to begin from the beginning. Yeah, did I mention that I abhorred push-ups? I was so desperate to include anything else in my regime, anything that could make me exclude this exercise. Let's just say that it would be a while before that happened.

So, guess what? Twenty minutes, twenty messages.

Noah - We're leaving for Drake's party.

Noah - U still want to stick to the gym?

Noah - Fine, whatever dipshit.

Caleb - f**k gym, booze is calling you.

Luke - I miss you Natty.

I checked the time; it was almost an hour ago that he had sent these messages. It was Friday night so it didn't come as a surprise to me that there would be a party - obviously this one I wasn't planning to go to like all the other ones I had been meaning to avoid. Alcohol and I didn't mix.

The guys kept persuading me all day - in vain, clearly. I needed to get my head straight.

I needed to think of ways to make Shortcake talk to me.

Actually, f**k that. I'd take her punches on repeat, only if it meant that she would spare me a glance. Judging by our situation right now, that wasn't happening anytime soon. It had been a week since that perfect moment that my lips touched her perfectly soft, perfectly plump ones. f**k, I was such a girl; I just got tingles even by thinking about it.

Fuck my life.

When did I become such a sob?

Oh, I know when.

One word, Shortcake.

The s**t that girl puts me through, I sighed.

The whole week I had been trying to figure out why her demeanour changed the way it did. Clearly I didn't see or hear Lia go around punching people so I couldn't really say what or who it was that had gotten to Shortcake.

Was it because of the kiss?

I doubt. I am an amazing kisser.

And like the jerk I was, I even tried to corner her to get her to open up to me. I admit, that was a major fail but in my defence, it was Noah's idea. Don't judge me; I had no f*****g idea what to do with a girl.

I wasn't a player. I had only ever had eyes for one and only one girl: since primary school.

Did I mention that I walked out on her? Yeah, I may or may not have done something along those lines.

Right on cue, a message popped up.

Noah: Yo, Nate. Your Thea is at Drake's party.

My Thea? Hm…

It does sound good.

Really good.

Probably the best two words I had heard in a while.

Noah: she's s**t drunk.

It was the oldest trick in the book. Make up drama and lure the guy into coming to the party. I wasn't falling for Noah's juvenile plans. Besides, Shortcake pretty much didn't drink and if she did, she wouldn't drink all the way into oblivion.

I'm not falling for it :/, I typed back, placing the phone on the bench press and picking up my water bottle, taking two thoughtful sips. I knew Shortcake; she wouldn't want to go to a party, much less get s**t-faced.

She was one of those people who would look for any excuse to leave a party. Like the other night when I followed her to the park.

In my defence, I just wanted to see if she was alright. Not keeping tabs or anything.

Noah: Still don't believe me?

Let's just say I should have f*****g believed him.

There it was, the only proof I needed to spit all the water out of my mouth. Thea Hart, in all her glory in the shortest black dress to have ever existed. With a drink in her hand and her hair let down, she looked like an angel who had come to earth to slaughter the sinners. Oh, I'd become a sinner if only she killed me with her silly smile and the innocence in those big brown eyes.

Just one glitch though; her dress was backless.

Absolutely f*****g backless.

Fuck. Me. Now.

**********

Poke.

I ignored.

Poke.

Ignore, Nate. She is drunk.

Poke.

Poke. Poke.

Poke, poke, poke.

"Stop it," I gritted out, walking out of the humongous doors to Drake's house, Thea perched on my shoulder. By perched, I mean. I threw her over my shoulder and now she was hanging almost upside down.

I heard a soft giggle emerge from the back, followed by another poke.

"Your bum is so soft," she cooed, pinching it. Yes, the girl who shooed me away this morning just pinched my butt. To others, this was a serious invasion of privacy.

But did I mind? Not at all. It was Shortcake. I'd give anything to have that girl let me this close to her.

Did I want to pinch her butt? Obviously. But under better circumstances that were not influenced by alcohol.

Finally, amidst her torturous pokes and shameless ass-groping and her loud goodbyes that she yelled out to every second person she saw on our way out, we reached my truck. I opened the passenger's side of the door, throwing her inside careful not to hit her head on the roof.

Did I miss the poking right now? Yes.

Would I ever admit that out loud? Oh no. Never.

I reached forward and brought out a painkiller and a bottle of water, shoving it in her hand. Time for damage control. "Take this."

I was so glad that she shut her mouth and followed my orders. I half expected her to throw it out of the window. That was what drunk people did. Not that a sober Thea wouldn't have done it. We all knew her...feisty capabilities.

"Where are you taking me?" I heard her clueless whine as I rounded the car to take over the driver's seat. I was a classic jerk. So I chose to ignore her.

Big mistake.

Soon, whining turned to poking and poking turned to hitting. All this, while I was driving us back in the dark on a busy road and me thinking how I would sneak her in. Option one- school. But would she keep it down? We would both be in trouble if her 'itsy-bitsy spider' came to life. Option two- her house. But the drive was long. Option three- my house.

Invalid option.

Option fo—

"Tell me jerk-wad, where are you taking me?" There came the fourteenth punch to the arm. Then the fifteenth. And then the sixteenth.

Time for payback, baby.

"Dungeons," I smirked.

Three seconds later, I went deaf.

"What!?" she exclaimed s***h yelled in my f*****g ear and I swear I was this close to ramming my precious truck into a pole as I pressed on the brakes. f*****g poles everywhere on the road.

"No Nathaniel, please don't take me to the dungeons! I will die there. They don't serve food and…and," I watched her with wide eyes as a crocodile tear roll down her left cheek, along with her black mascara. Her breathing had picked up and the scared look on her face said it all to me: she was drunk off the face of this planet. This girl didn't know what she was talking about.

Thea Hart was drunk to the point where she couldn't differentiate between real word and Hogwarts world. Wow. Didn't think I would live to see the day. Or night.

The night which could work out in so many different ways.

Get your mind out of the gutter, retards. I meant that it could be fun - watch her act like a lunatic and maybe take a couple of videos while I was at it and then blackmail her into rekindling our friendship again. Good idea?

Yeah, I don't think so either.

"Please don't take me there. I don't know how to fight monsters. You have abs. You can fight. I don't have abs. Protect me please!!" She leapt onto me. Yup, leapt.

Abs? Wow. She probably thinks I'm hot or something.

Progress!

Naturally, I wrapped my arms around her, burying my face in her beautifully long neck. Totally not taking advantage. Just a friend hugging another friend here.

"I was messing with you, Shortcake," I murmured in her soft hair, while I still stroked her back lightly. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

"Promise?" her hopeful whisper hit my heart and boy was I goner. Time was so still right there that I could feel her chest rise up and down as it rubbed against mine. Her little sighs could never go unnoticed; probably not even in the loud chatter of the world around us. I would always hear her.

"I promise," I reassured her. How I managed to keep my hands to myself, I didn't know. All I knew was that I definitely didn't want a repeat of what happened the last time.

The last time…

In the park.

Why the f**k didn't I think of this before?

I could just drive us there, let her sober up and then drive back to school grounds. f**k yes! That way one, we won't get caught and two, more alone time together. Then I could ask her to tutor me in English because obviously I sucked at it big time.

Thea was wrapped around me like second skin; she wouldn't let go and as much as I didn't want her to, I tried to detangle her hands from around my neck but in vain. I guess I didn't have much motivation that I would otherwise require to let go of her either. I don't think I would ever have that kind of will to let her go by myself unless she loosens her hold on me first.

"Shortcake?" I whispered in her hair. I could run my hands through them all day and still not get tired.

"Hm?"

"I have to drive..." I trailed off lightly, the exposed skin of her back was not doing much for me right now except distracting me. How was I supposed to go back from this? How was I supposed to forget the feel of her soft skin against my calloused hands?

"So drive," she nuzzled my neck and I really hoped that she didn't know what a boner felt like- because she was sitting on one right now.

"You have to stop hugging me for that," I smiled to myself. I think I liked a drunk Thea better than a non-drunk Thea. f**k that, I more than like every part of Thea there could possibly exist.

"But I want to hug you..."

She held on tighter than before.

Could you settle down, little Nate?

Uncomfortable was not the word for it and a description was not possible.

Plan B.

"If you let me drive, I can get you McDonalds..."

That trick always worked. A minute or two of silence did make me question the reliability of my back-up plan but there was no way 'free food' wasn't working on this girl.

"With fries?" the hope in her voice hit my ears and laughed quietly.

"Whatever you w—I mean, of course," I replied back, biting back my initial words. There was no f*****g way in hell that I was telling her that I would buy her anything she wanted. I would have to sell my kidneys tomorrow. That was how broke I would actually become.

"Okay!" Detangled, still drunk, ready to eat and waiting for me to bring food to her.

Oh boy, whom did I fall for?

**********

WHAT DID I FALL FOR?

An hour ago, I had entered McDonalds with fifty dollars in my wallet. I left there with only six dollars and twenty cents to spare. Mind you, I had not spent any of it on my appetite.

Now, as I sat here in the park at our - mine and Shortcake's- spot and watched her scarf down everything in less than fifteen minutes, I was totally convinced that she harboured a food monster in her stomach. How could she not put on unhealthy weight after eating like a pig? A cute pig but a pig none the less. The best part - that was not it.

Now imagine this: if a drunk girl asked you to buy her McDonalds, ate forty dollars of food and then ended up saying, "But I'm still very hungry!", what would your next plan of action be? Would you run? Ideally, I should have too.

But I just ended up shaking my head like it was a regular thing for the little human called Thea Hart. It probably was.

I lied down on the grass, watching the serene night sky as it got darker by the second, Shortcake cuddling up to my side with her head on my chest and my arm wrapped around her. Stop squealing, she was scared of grasshoppers getting into her hair. Her assumptions not mine but hey, I wasn't one to complain. I never thought this moment would hit me like that, but I was so glad that it did? It had been way too long without her.

Her little movements tickled the skin over my heart and it wasn't even her lips touching me yet. The way she clutched on my t-shirt every few minutes when she let out vague sighs. Her little yawns, the tips of her fingers splayed on my side making indistinct patterns that made sense only to me. Everything was enchanting right now.

Since it was cold and her dress was short and backless, I had draped my jacket over her upper body, so the wind wouldn't touch her and she would feel safe. With me.

I bet my life that she looked divine; the most enchanting human being to have ever existed for me. Or maybe she was an angel, I wouldn't know. She might as well be one for me. My angel. f**k, I sounded so sappy.

She has a characteristic scent to her; most of the time it's vanilla-y but tonight, it was different. She smelled like love - mixed with a shot of vodka that consumed your heart and soul with a passion that could light up the entire town.

"Do you like twinkle-twinkle little stars Nathaniel?" the calmness in her voice broke through the walls of my thoughts as tightening her arm that was draped around my stomach.

"The rhyme?" I asked.

"No silly, the stars," her hand rose from my stomach to point out in the sky and the loss of touch was three seconds of torture for me.

Oh, the stars.

Of course I knew that.

"I guess?" My response came more like a question but that was actually how my mind responded to it. It was a vague question; and if she sprinkled it upon me; more like dropped on me like a bomb then my mind was incompetent enough to not come up with a better answer.

"Well, don't," she shook her head and the friction was felt at my heart.

"Why?"

"I don't know…"

Right. She was drunk.

"Okay…" I sighed, putting my free hand behind my head as I rested

It was almost midnight; it was dark and quiet. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of rickets. I bet if I were to tell that to Thea, she'd spring out of here in the blink of an eye. I was selfish like that. I didn't want her running away from me again.

Just like that, a few minutes of sheer silence passed transpired between us. Then she spoke again.

"I hate you."

And it made me smile.

"I know," I whispered.

"I really really hate you, s**t-face."

Shit-face. That's progress from jerk-wad, right?

"I know, Shortcake."

"Don't call me that." Cue punch. I fake winced for her satisfaction; she hit like a girl.

The only problem after that was that I thought she would be satisfied. I should think less often. Amused by my reaction, her fist had found it's new hobby - punch the air out of Nathaniel Knight.

Nathaniel Knight; the ultimate brooder of school getting punched by a girl on repeat and not doing anything about it? Well, let's just say it depends on the girl. A punch from Amelia Hart - I'd get very pissed.

A punch from Lia's sister? I'd give my life for that punch.

"Okay, ow, stop," I laughed, holding her fist tightly in my right hand. It did begin to hurt after the fifth one.

She lifted her head from where it was lying in my chest, trying to struggle out of my hold. Cute, but not happening.

Then she smiled.

Right. Drunk.

"You have the greyest grey eyes ever," she smiled, leaning in and my self-control was moving out of the space I had intended to keep between us.

"Yeah?" I asked and she nodded lightly.

"Has no one ever told you that?" Her eyes widened in shock and as much as I wanted to laugh at her cuteness, I'd get kneed in the balls for that. Never mess with drunk girls.

I simply shook my head.

Her jaw hung open in surprise and I had to remind myself that she was drunk and the excessive amount of water I made her drink hadn't made her sober yet.

"People are so stupid!" she half-yelled in annoyance.

"How can they keep you in the dark and not tell you how grey your grey eyes are?" She frowned. This time, I just couldn't help but chuckle. f**k me.

"But...you listen to me. I'm always right," she smiled smugly, like a proud little kitten before backing off. Too soon.

The night was just getting interesting and this side of her was rare...and raw.

"And what about my lips?" I asked innocently, playing along with her little game.

Shouldn't have.

Her gaze travelled shamelessly to my lips and believe me, it sent shivers down my entire body. Was this what she felt when I kissed her? Wow, I must have driven her crazy.

Slowly, she leaned in again. Too close.

So close that she purposely brushed her lips against mine (yes, that close) and for a minute I thought I'd have her again. I wouldn't mind at all but I would rather kiss her when she was not drunk. I wanted to kiss her when she'd feel everything that I would pour out into that kiss. That kiss which should last a minute or two longer because neither of us wanted to let go.

She smiled against my lips, before pulling away.

"Very soft," she murmured.

Oh f**k.

"I really want to kiss you again," I said and my hand instinctively reached her face to move out the loose stands of hair from her beautiful face. They were obstructing my favourite view.

Something in her eyes dimmed. The spark, the want - it shimmered down.

"Don't," she shook her head looking away.

She was drunk, I made myself believe.

Soon we went back to how it was, her tucked under my arm and the wind hitting us with perfect force. I could literally fall asleep right here. None of us spoke for a few minutes. For me, they were like torturous hours I wanted to get over with. Then she filled the gap.

"Why did you regret it, Nate?"

I opened my mouth to ask what she meant by that but this time again, she beat me to it.

"Why did you tell Noah that you regretted kissing me?"

WHAT.

THE.

ACTUAL.

FUCK?

HOW THE f**k DID SHE KNOW WHAT I TOLD NOAH!?!?

NOAH WOULDN'T SNITCH! He wouldn’t, would he?

NO! No, he wouldn’t.

Then ho-wait a minute?

"So it was you who was eavesdropping that day in the hallway," I voiced my confusion.

I f*****g thought I heard someone! Bastard Noah blew it off saying I was being paranoid. I was going to kill that fucker!

"Yes," she whispered, nuzzling closer. At least she wasn't pulling away.

Or maybe she was just cold and had no option but to come closer?

"Shortcake…" I breathed out.

"Why would you kiss me in the first place Nate, if you didn't want to?" Her voice cracked and I think my heart just broke.

FUCK. DOUBLE f**k. TRIPLE AND QUADRUPLE f**k.