Granted Wish

Chapter 22

"Or maybe it's because I'm really gay, like, I think girls are disgusting.", the girl pretends to be offended, sticking out her tongue towards him. She's more on the childish side I would assume. After everyone said their 'hello's and 'I missed you's we headed back to the house as a group, Nathan up front with the girl who turned out to be the Kaylx he constantly talked about, and the two guys, Leslie being the only one that kept me company. Although we haven't even talked that much yet I still feel like she's a nice person to be around, respectful and trustworthy, but hey for all I know she could be a total psychopath. Gamma greets us not only with a warm smile but also with the fantastic smell of food that is cooking in the kitchen.

"Lunch will be ready in an hour, how about you guys show Sky the neighborhood?", she suggests, pointing in the direction of the street in front of the house. The guys immediately nod, exchanging a few glances with each other and occasionally watch me from the corner of their eyes. Something tells me that this means so no good and that maybe Bertha made a terrible decision in asking us. But I try to shake it off as usual paranoia and a tad of anxiety and simply nod as well, staying as close to Nathan and Leslie as possible and trying to strike up a conversation with her. "So, uhm, I was wondering how old you are?", I ask, the stupidity of my question left aside. "I'm 17 and you're 16, right?", she grins at my head movement. "When's your birthday?", this time she's the one asking and I'm glad she's following along with it. "March 27th, how about you?", we exit the house in our previous formation and I can't say that I feel a bit hurt about the fact that Nathan practically forgot about me.

"Just turned three days ago actually.", she scratches her nose with a smile. "Then a late happy birthday!", talking to her does cheer me up and even though watching where I'm going and talking can be quite challenging sometimes, I took that risk to find out more about her and actually take a few moments to focus on her rather sharp facial features. Or the two, black rings on her bottom lip that moved whenever she talks or bites on them. "They're called spider bites. I got them on my 16th birthday.", she explains cheerfully, sucking them between her lips every once in a while. "Normally, I'm not such a huge fan of piercings but they really suit you.", she smiles at my compliment, the blue in her eyes sparkling and kinda reminding me Of Claire for a second. "I think you'd look good with a piercing, something like a simple ring right there.", her warm finger touches the right corner of my lower lip and circles around it. "I don't think so.", I chuckle, the nervousness slowly knocking on the door in my brain again.

Suddenly, the whole group comes to an abrupt halt and my eyes widen at the expression on Nathan's face. I totally forgot that he could hear and watch us! Without saying anything, he takes my hand in his, gives me one of his dorky smiles and pulls me to the front where he was walking. I feel bad for Leslie, since she's just quietly following us now. My boyfriend didn't try to strike up a conversation between us, instead he just continued joking around with his friends. I kinda knew that this is how things would be going, that I don't really fit in with his little group so I was more than happy with meeting Leslie. Thanks for nothing, I guess.

We stop again at a little playground and Kaylx and one of the guys, Jacob I think, start to race each other to the set of swings while the rest sits down at the group of benches in the middle of the small park. I smile as Leslie takes a seat next to me and it doesn't take long for us to continue where we left off. This time Nathan didn't seem to mind that much, instead he listened to our conversation and kept a hold of my hand.

"Do you think you'll come to one of our training sessions down at the ice rink?", she asks and for a split second I'm confused. "Oh, right, you guys play Ice Hockey, right?", she nods in response and starts explaining when they'll be going there again. "Sure, I mean, I don't mind coming with you guys but I am most definitely not stepping onto the ice.", I chuckle at the pout that, yet again, reminded me of Claire. "It's not that bad, you'll see.", she straightens her back and takes a look around, her gaze resting on the two people swinging like maniacs. Nathan uses the opportunity to steal a kiss, smirking at my surprised expression. I immediately lean towards his lips again, closing my eyes and just enjoying the feeling of them on mine without all these worries that constantly seem to haunt me.

I could feel the other staring at us so I quickly break the kiss with a raging blush and sit back into my seat . Both Leslie and Tom are grinning like idiots, swooning over that little moment of happiness I just had and not realizing that they were the ones who ruined it. Well, technically it was my anxiety but hey, framing others is always more fun than being responsible. Kaylx and the other guy got back from their short trip of childhood and sit down with us. They start to make plans for the upcoming week and believe it or not, but every once in a while I was asked if I'm okay with something I literally had no idea of because they weren't even talking in an order I could possibly follow. I'd either look over at the girl next to me or my boyfriend for help which I'm glad they complied to.

In the end, I had a major headache, the only thought that crossed my mind was wanting to go home and the urge to just sleep for the entirety of the weeks ahead of me. Great. Leslie is the only one who starts to notice my fatigue and offers to walk back to the house with me. I didn't ask Nathan for permeation, instead, I got up, pecked his lips with a small smile and said my goodbyes. And oh did I see the jealousy in his eyes but something inside of me didn't care. Leslie and I didn't talk for the entire walk home and I'm glad we didn't because all of that previous 'conversation' really got to me. We enter the cool house and I immediately start to feel better.

"Should we just go upstairs and wait for them to come back?", I ask, pointing towards the guestroom somewhere above us. "Sure, they'll take forever anyway.", she chuckles and takes the lead up the black stone stairs and into the hallway up top, stopping for a second and looking around. Her fists tighten as she slowly wanders along side the doors and to the very last one on the left, staring at it. "This used to be Nathan's Room whenever he'd visit his grandparents but ever since that incident he never stepped a foot in that door again, I'm surprised he even went back up here.", she looks at me with sadness tainting her tanned face. "He told me.", I whisper but I also promised him that he would be the one telling me the full story. "Anyway, let's head to the guest room.", I try to lighten the mood and thankfully she went with it.

"So, Sky, how is it? Being with the great Nathan?", she asks with a giggle as she lets her self flop on the couch while I take a seat on the bed right across from her. "It's Awesome, I love him so much but...", I pause for a second not sure if I should really say what had been on my mind for quite some time now. "But?", she raises an eyebrow. "You see, both Dian And Bertha told me things that didn't sound like the Nathan I know. I feel like he's faking his happiness when he's around me.", I mumble, sighing as I finish. "I know what you mean. He never had it easy with both his stepdad and ex, they constantly ganged up against him and it literally broke and turned him into something he's not. He used to be the happiest kid on the whole team, always making jokes and playing harmless pranks on his friends, including me.", she chuckles at the memory whilst staring at something behind me. "During That time, he figured out he was gay and came out of the closet without even hesitating. I remember him walking up to me and going like 'Hey Les, I think I'm gay, cool right?' and I admired that about him, that he was never ashamed of who he is.", her eyes shift back to mine and she smiles faintly, "He was and is the big brother I never had."

I rub my feet together, anxious about my next question, "What happened?", she sighs, waiting a few seconds before answering it. "He met Dean. Sky, you need to understand that this guy did nothing but break and throw him away.", Leslie is almost furies, her eyes so full of hate. "I really don't know if I should be the one telling you all this, I don't want to make him mad or anything.", she raises both of her hands in defense. "No, I understand. Thank for everything else.", I smile, earning one in return. "No problem, I want you to know that he's not fake around you, he's finally being himself again.", I nod, happy about this piece of clarification. "Let's head downstairs, the others just arrived, and lunch should be ready in a few more minutes.", she slaps her lap before standing up, reaching a hand towards me to pull me onto my feet.