Chapter 31: Painkiller (Emma's POV)

It's 4 o'clock in the freaking morning and I can't go back to sleep. I don't know what's wrong with me but I'm feeling really restless and all I wanna do is kick someone. And Nathan lying beside me is very tempting. So that's not really helping. He shuffled around before his arm went around me from behind because I lay with my back facing him. 

He's spooning me. 

He threw his leg over mine and moved in closer. "I just have a feeling I'm gonna get kicked," he mumbled. I bit back a laugh and pretended to be asleep. "I know you're up," he mumbled, his lips against my shoulder. 

"I can't go back to sleep," I groaned, turning around to face him. 

"Why?" he asked, his eyes still closed firmly. 

"I don't know, my stomach kind of hurts. I think it's all the candy we had," I said, clutching my stomach tightly. 

"Does it hurt bad?" he asked, squinting his eyes open. 

"No, it just feels... like I ate a bunch of candy. And I did, I ate a bunch of candy," I laughed. 

He chuckled, moving in closer. "Turn around," he mumbled sleepily in his tired voice. I obeyed and turned my back towards him. He put an arm around my waist first and then slipped his hand under my shirt where he placed his palm on my stomach. 

"How are your hands so warm? It's winter." 

"It's fall," he corrected. 

"Point being, it's cold. And you're warm," I said. 

"I guess I don't get that cold." Couldn't be me. Ever. I'm always cold as are my hands and feet and nose. Those are the easiest ones, they give in to the cold first. 

The problem with lying like this is, I'm not looking at him. And that's kind of what I wanted to do. I sighed, turning back around. He looked at me in confusion. "I can tolerate it," I shrugged. He smiled, moving his hand to my lower back where he drew circles faintly. 

I wonder if he did all this with Chloe. 

Don't think about it, Em. 

"Go to sleep, Emma," he whispered, lightly kissing my cheek. 

"I'm scared," I whispered. 

"Why? If it hurts that bad I can get you a painkiller." 

I shook my head, "I don't need a painkiller." 

"But if you're in pain..." he trailed off in confusion. 

"I'm not in that much pain," I chuckled, "I'm just... confused. And scared." 

"About what?" he questioned, tucking my hair behind my ear. 

"About what we're doing." He sighed, waiting for me to explain and paying full attention to what I'm saying. At 4 in the morning. "I just... I'm trusting you. With me and my heart. Don't break it." 

"Promise," he said, holding his pinky out. I locked my finger with his, laughing softly. He kissed me slowly, taking his time before pulling away. "I promise. We will always communicate," he said. I remember saying that to him. I smiled, pecking his lips before snuggling further into him. 

I woke up the next morning after that to an empty bed. I climbed out of bed, heading towards my bathroom. I just assumed Nathan was showering or something. I rubbed my eyes and let out a yawn while flicking the lights on. I grabbed the handle to open the bathroom door but the door yanked open before I could push it. "Oh, sh..." I was about to say 'oh shit' but then I stopped when I saw Nathan. 

In nothing but a towel hanging around his waist. And his hair soaking wet, dripping water down his chest. 

"Hey," he grinned. I don't really have it in me to speak right now. I'm a little busy staring. I mean observing. 

"Wow, um..." I mumbled. I closed my eyes, looking away while chuckling lightly. "Hi," I said, turning to him, making sure my eyes didn't travel anywhere, and stayed locked with his. 

"I just used your shower because if I left your room, your mom could have seen me and found out that I didn't actually stay in the guest room," he explained. 

"That's not a problem," I said, swallowing. With the view it's giving me, it's certainly not a problem. 

"Emma," he chuckled, "You realize you can stare, right?" 

"I know, but I really shouldn't," I said, staring at my bed instead. "I should find something else to do. Or look at. Maybe I'll go make my bed." I took a step towards it to go do just that but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. 

"The bathroom is all yours if you need it," he said. 

"Where are your clothes?" I asked. There's no way I'm letting him walk all the way from here to the guest room with nothing but a towel around him. 

"In the guest room." 

"You can't leave my room like that. What if my mom sees you? You're practically naked." 

He laughed, "Then you can go get them for me. A shirt, a pair of jeans, and my briefs," he smirked. 

"This is one day after we kiss and I'm getting your underwear for you," I narrowed my eyes at him while heading for the door. He winked at me. I rolled my eyes but let a smile slip as I went out of my room and into the guest room. I got his bag and opened it, taking out a shirt, a pair of jeans, and the briefs before zipping it back up. 

Huh. He doesn't have any cigarettes on him. 

I went back to my room, making sure my mom didn't notice me as she cooked breakfast in the kitchen. I walked into my room and closed the door, turning to him. "Do you have any cigarettes on you?" 

"Frankly, I have nothing but a towel on me right now," he smirked while taking the clothes I handed him. 

I laughed, "I mean with you? Didn't you bring any?" I asked. 

He went into the bathroom but left the door open while I went into the closet to grab clothes for the day. "Uh... no," he said while coming out, ruffling his hair with the towel before shaking the water out of it. 

"No?" I asked while grabbing my jeans. He shook his head while standing beside me. "When was the last time you smoked?" I asked, turning to face him and closing the closet doors, tossing my outfit on the bed. 

"A couple of days ago," he said hesitantly. 

"You haven't smoked a single cigarette in a couple of days?" He shook his head again in reply. I smiled but didn't say anything as I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and shower. I was closing the door when he stopped me. 

"Is that good? Bad? Okay?" he questioned. 

"It doesn't really matter what I think, how do you feel about it?" I asked, grabbing my toothbrush. 

"I feel like it matters what you think because I quit it when you said I should," he blurted out, freezing in his spot when he realized what he said. 

"You quit just because I told you to? I thought you did it because I made you realize how damaging it is," I said in confusion, my toothbrush in my mouth. 

He slowly shook his head, "I quit it because you didn't like that I did it." 

"You didn't do it for yourself?" I asked after rinsing my mouth and putting my toothbrush back, turning to him with my hands on my hips. 

"No?" He looked at me quizzically. "That's... disappointing, isn't it?" he asked. 

"No actually, it's not. I'm just glad you quit," I shrugged, catching the ghost of a smile on his lips. "I'll go shower now." He grabbed my shirt and pulled me back like he always does. "You have got to stop doing tha-" He silenced me when he kissed me. Hard enough to make me stumble. I grabbed onto his shirt while he grabbed me by my waist and steadied me. 

"Emmy, I made fre-" I pushed him away and shut the bathroom door quickly. "Oh, Nathan. Hi," I heard my mom say. 

"She just went to shower. Like 2 minutes ago," he cleared his throat. 

"I was just coming to ask her if you like french toast. I've made it for breakfast and just let her know I'm heading off to work." 

"French toast is great," he replied. 

"Right, have a great day, bye-bye," she said, probably grinning at him. 

"Bye, Mrs. Hayden." When I heard my bedroom door close and his sigh, I opened the door and stuck my head out. "Right, put me out as the bait. As the prey actually," he scoffed. 

"Sorry," I smiled, pecking his lips a couple of times. "But I really have to go shower, enjoy the french toast," I said before closing the door. I turned the shower on, took my clothes off, and then stepped under the hot water. The whole bathroom was steamy and humid within minutes. 

The shower water was still running and I was rinsing the shampoo out of my hair when I heard the door open. I froze. I stuck my head out from behind the curtain and looked out. 

Nathan sat on the counter, his plate in his head, rocking his legs back and forth slowly, leaning against the mirror as he ate. "Hey," he smirked. 

I rolled my eyes, going back to my shower. "You're gonna eat here while I shower?" 

"Yup."

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Chapter 31

someone help me

I wanna know websites/apps where I can buy cute AESTHETIC clothing because since SHEIN closed, nothing else ships to India. someone help me please. IT IS AN EMERGENCY.

next chapter: Carolina

ik I said ya'll weren't gonna meet Charlie's gf but he's an important character now so let's write about it, maybe I'll write a book about Charlie and Carolina someday.