Dying to Live

“Nah. You know your accent isn’t as bad as some people around here,” he grinned. “Well, that is kind of why I was sent to Frostford in the first place you know. Totally wrecked my car and fucked everything up.”

“I’m already fifteen minutes late to work because I refuse to leave the house with my hair still wet and a dumbass squirrel jumped in front of me like becomin’ roadkill was on his agenda.” Alyssa looked at the time on her phone before rolling her eyes. “Fuck it, I’ll call in and get this shit fixed… Well what are you waitin’ for? You’re not gonna open the door for me like a gentleman?”

“Well, thankfully it was just a few sizzling fries,” he laughed slightly. “The more I think about it, it does.”

Nate furrowed his brow as the girl shoved the pancake over to him. He shook his head, “no these are now pity pancakes because you want me to feel better and I’m not going to take them,” he pushed them back to her. “Yeah, yeah. I know that,” he rolled his eyes and rested his head on his hands. “I mean, I used to live up there. That’s where I was born, where my dad runs his business. I was a mess up there. Full on druggie, alcoholic, rebellious ‘I don’t want to run the family business’ stuck up, wealthy brat who had everything in New York. So I was mild when I was calling her out on her shit.”

“I would say Cory and Topanga, but even Cory cheated once. I can’t think of another couple stronger than that. I wasn’t too much of a dick,” he thought about it for a second. “When I say that, I mean relative to me being the asshat I was in New York, because it wasn’t even close. Wasn’t wrong for leaving for art school, it’s cool for her to go where she wants. Any sort of indication that that’s what she was doing would’ve been cool. Maybe a heads up like “hey I’m going to New York for art school,” or even a goodbye would’ve been better than what she did. Or maybe a phone call or a text back for the time she was gone. Maybe just once.”

“Yeah yeah. I didn’t used to either. Not that I believe in it, but it’s there. See I don’t care how it went. Had something else planned in my head, but you know how it goes obviously. I just want to know how to get out of the hole I dug myself into.”

“Well I whip out these babies for close friends and relatives on Sundays and holidays, but you’re right,” he nodded smiling as she ate them anyways. “Well, he car broke down and I thought it was just a car. I didn’t realize it was her car until she turned around. Next thing I knew, I was yelling at her with all these things that I didn’t even know I needed to yell at her about and blaming her for up and going. Anyways, you of all people know that’s not how that reunion was supposed to go.”

“We could go to a bar sometime. I mean as fun as it is seeing you here, it could be fun seeing you in different places. Get to know a different Callie,” he grinned. “A person without a soul honestly. I mean I’ll put strawberries on it just for you and it will taste out of this world. And god I know. Every shift I try to at least get a spoonful of it. I eat here most days, it all depends on.. What you eat.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I get it. But I was never really a Backstreet Boy kind of guy. More Nsync. Maybe she just walked out that door, and was like bye bye bye for Nsync.”

Oh god. Yeah that’s... Yeah I would say it’s definitely not something that particularly a good situation. I would say maybe start packing a small bag and leave town asap. Or you could just hope she doesn’t notice?

Well that’s frustrating. But I mean, since there’s no contract, can’t you go to her house and ask anyways? Since there’s no legal mess? Not that I’m very good with all of that stuff. It’s a bunch of bullshit though.

“Only the best for Ms. Caulfield,” he told her with a small smirk. Nate chuckled awkwardly, “No, no. This isn’t about Phe... I mean, it’s about me... Kind of bursted in anger at her on the side of the road..” he trailed off. “And not true, I talked to you all the time when she was gone.”

How much was the dress? And how long did it take her to say yes to it. Because with those factored in, it might be longer. You might want to flee, you know change your name and your story.

Well I don’t know it might be. Don’t you need a reason for leaving? It’s not like how it is in movies. You can’t just up and go. They have responsibilities! There’s schedules to be fixed when people do that. I swear people only think about themselves.

“Yeah, well that hasn’t happened in a while, so sue me for getting excited,” he raised his hand up with a sigh. “Well that’s not true. I totaled my car in New York. Your car ending up in this ditch is nothing.”

“So then what do you want? I mean, if I can just make it easy for you. Do you want to just get in your car and drive away and leave me here? Be the one that walks away this time?” Ophelia had a few goals in mind when she decided she wasn’t going to be that person that hit rock bottom so hard. One of them meant to get Nate back in whatever way she could have him because she would be lying to herself if she didn’t think of him often. That she wanted to talk to him when she was gone but it was hard, how to explain everything on the phone, everything that happened just went wrong. But she never factored in what if Nate didn’t want anything to do with her anymore. She could deal with it, but it would be hard and things would never be the same. “I think I knew… I mean before New York. But I also remember you saying you were too old for me, so I any time I felt like there was a moment, I would remember that. But I guess in the end, that didn’t stop me anyway. And I st–” Ophelia stopped herself. She didn’t know where her stood and she wasn’t going to mess this up. It was already a wreck anyway and she wasn’t going to make it worse.