Chapter 34: Commitment (Nathan's POV)

I woke up the next morning but the bed was empty so clearly, she was already up and doing something. I listened for the shower water but it wasn't running. I sighed, standing up and rubbing my eyes. I went into the guest bathroom where I brushed my teeth and splashed some water on my face before going downstairs. 

Emma was sitting on the couch with her dad and her mom was nowhere to be seen. "Good morning," she smiled upon seeing me. 

"Hey," I nodded at her. "Morning, Mr. Hayden." 

"Morning, Nathan," he replied. 

"How long have you been up?" I asked, taking a seat beside Emma. 

"Like 10 minutes, not too long." 

"I'll go wake up your mom, put your shoes on," her dad said as he stood up before disappearing into his room. 

"Are you going somewhere?" I asked. 

"We all are. We're going out to the diner for breakfast. You're coming with." 

"Let me go change," I said, standing up. 

She grabbed my arm and pulled me back down. "We're going for breakfast. In our pajamas. That's kind of like the whole point." 

"To go for breakfast in our pajamas?" She nodded in response. "Is this like family tradition?" I chuckled. 

"Kind of," she laughed, leaning her head back against the couch, "We used to grab breakfast like this every weekend in New York." 

"How long were you in New York?" 

"2 years in New York, a lot longer in Miami," she answered. 

"And which one of those did you prefer?" 

"You know, I always thought when people asked me that, I would say Miami. Because I'm not a hustle-bustle person. But I surprised myself when I said New York." She said while staring at the blank TV in front of us. 

"I mean, if I had to go back to one of those places, even though I had more friends in Miami, I had a boyfriend there, we've got some extended family there... I'd still say New York. New York has its own magic, especially at night. I would walk around aimlessly even though it isn't the safest. I had fun in New York. No problems, no relationship stress. I didn't have very many friends so I wasn't attached to anyone, but I was attached to the city. It's beautiful." 

She talks about New York like she was living the dream there. "It was kind of scary too," she chuckled, "I can't tell you how many times I've stumbled into a dark alley where I've seen people do drugs or trade or sell them. Luckily I never got caught, I would be dead if that happened," she spoke nonchalantly. As if the thought of dying or being killed didn't terrify her in the slightest. 

"Weren't you scared? Of being seen?"

She shrugged, "Yeah, but... it's New York. If you act cool, sometimes they don't care. I did get caught one time, these two guys saw me, and I just asked them if I could get some too. They said no, obviously. So I pretended to be frustrated and left." 

I stared at her in disbelief. Who the hell did I just get involved with? 

She laughed upon seeing the look on my face. "I'll let you process that." She stood up and went into the kitchen to rinse out the mug she was drinking tea in. Tea, because she doesn't drink coffee. 

"Let's go." 

I looked up, seeing her parents coming in, her mom holding the car keys. I stood up, looking down at my clothes. "You look great considering you slept this way," her mom nodded at me reassuringly. 

"Thank you," I smiled. 

She nodded again before we all left, filing into her mother's car. I'm guessing Emma has her own car and then her parents share one because her dad isn't home that often as it is. 

Once we got to the diner, we all took a table. I sat beside Emma and her parents sat opposite us. "We'll go get the food, what do you kids want?" her dad asked. 

"Uh, we both will get hashbrowns and I'll get water and he'll take a strawberry milkshake," Emma said, smiling up at her dad. She knows my breakfast order. 

"All righty." Her parents both went to get the food, leaving us sitting there. She was fiddling with the salt shaker, pushing it around with her finger. 

"Emma." 

"Hmm?" 

"How do you feel about commitment?" 

She looked at me in confusion. "I think commitment is good as long as it doesn't make you feel tied down. Why?" 

I shrugged, "No reason. I'm just trying to figure out when we should... commit." 

"Do you want to put a title on it?" 

"Isn't it too soon?" I said, leaning back and talking to her nonchalantly. As if asking her to be my girlfriend wouldn't be a huge jump in our relationship. 

"I don't know. I just think calling someone your girlfriend or boyfriend, doesn't have to be a big deal. Right now, you'd introduce me to someone as Emma, your something. Your friend, your date, something. If you commit, you'd have to say 'this is Emma, my girlfriend.' That's the only difference to me." 

"Yeah, but isn't that like entering serious territory?" 

She shrugged, "I don't think so. I think it's just entering dating territory. Like I'm yours, you're mine territory." 

"I don't know how to simplify this in my head," I said, looking at her while gears turned in my head. 

"Would you be talking to another girl right now?" 

"No." 

"Hanging out with another girl right now? Like on dates?" 

"No." 

"Kissing her?" 

"Absolutely not." 

"Sleeping with her?" 

"No!" 

"Then you're committed. To me." 

"Aren't you?" 

"Committed to myself?" she smirked. 

"To me," I sighed. 

"I am," she nodded, "What we're saying here, is that we're only with each other. No other people, no cheating, no sneaking around with somebody else behind each other's backs. We're committed." 

"We're dating," I nodded. 

"We're dating," she repeated, staring at the table as her parents came back and took their seats. 

"We're dating," we both mumbled in sync, staring at the table. It suddenly seems like a huge deal even though just seconds ago, we agreed that it wasn't. 

"Sorry?" her dad asked. Both of us seemed to snap out of it and suddenly sat straighter. 

"Nothing," I shook my head. 

"Nothing at all," Emma added. 

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶

"So, what's up with the rent? How come I don't have to pay?" After breakfast, once we got back to Emma's house, I got dressed for the day and headed to check out the apartment with Brandon. He sent me the location, I met him here, we just left the building and we're walking to our cars. 

"It's my cousin's. I'm not letting him take money from you, and he already owns it. So, if you do pay, you're paying my cousin. He gives it out all the time. If it's a friend of mine or his, the first year is free," he explained. 

"Yeah, but I can't be staying at his place for free. That too for a whole year. I have to pay him," I argued. 

"You don't have to. But if you want to, I'll send you his number and you can speak to him directly, cool?" 

"Cool." I unlocked my car and grabbed the door, pulling it open. 

"See you tomorrow at school?" 

I nodded, "Bye." 

"Bye." I climbed in and then started driving back to Emma's. Luckily, the entire apartment is furnished. Apparently, the building security keeps tabs on it and keeps it clean. I've got to get packing because if everything goes to plan, I should be unpacking my stuff by the end of next week. And if I'm gonna be paying rent, which I will, I need to find a job as soon as possible. 

"So, you need a place to work?" Emma asked. I nodded, watching as she cleaned up her room and I lay on her bed. "And you're asking me to help you? The new girl?" she chuckled. 

I chuckled, leaning my head back against the headboard. "Yes, I'm asking the new girl to help me." 

"Why don't you work at the diner?" 

"Cause I don't wanna be a waiter or barista." 

"The town's garage?" 

"I know nothing about fixing cars." 

"Work at a store in the mall. Hot topic maybe," she laughed. 

"Emma," I groaned, throwing a pillow at her. 

She smacked it away and threw it back at me. She stopped moving and turned to me. "What about the library?" 

"What about the library?" I asked in confusion. 

"Work there. It's an easy job, all you have to do is organize books and attend the counter. There's only one other guy who works there from what I've heard. I have no idea who it is though. And the lady who owns it-" 

"Used to own it. Mr. Hemmings owns it now." 

"You have to try. He's grumpy but he could probably use a helping hand with the store. Be nice, and I heard he pays pretty well." 

"Yeah, I've heard that too," I sighed, grabbing her arm and pulling her down on the bed. 

"He sits at the store every day. Just show up and ask. I'm sure he'll agree." 

.

.

.

.

.

Chapter 34

I really wanna write a Christmas love story because um- tis the holiday season, so hopefully I can finish this before Christmas and give you that otherwise it'll be a holiday story but I'll be writing it after New Years' which... just isn't the same.

next chapter: begging