Chapter Twelve: Courting Rachel
Nathaniel sat hunched in a VIP booth at Club Onyx, the strobe lights painting his glass of bourbon in sharp, fractured hues. He'd already downed two drinks and was halfway through his third, his thoughts spiraling faster than the DJ’s bass drops. He didn’t even notice when Marcus and Eli arrived until Marcus slid into the seat across from him.
“Dude,” Marcus said, waving a hand in front of Nathaniel’s glazed eyes. “You’ve got ‘miserable wreck’ written all over your face.”
Nathaniel scowled. “I kissed her. Again. And she walked away. Again.”
Eli raised an eyebrow. “Rachel?”
He nodded, downing the rest of his bourbon.
Marcus leaned in, serious for once. “Okay, you need to admit something to yourself, man. You like her. Actually, like her.”
Nathaniel si
