I want you

"Shall we go change? Mom is waiting for us," he says in his husky voice.

I shiver at it.

But I have to call Dad and tell him that I will be here for a while. I say, knowing that he must be worried by now.

"No need. He already knows," Nathan says.

I look at him, surprised.

That is why everyone was acting so weird. I say connecting all the dots now.

"Took you long enough," he says while laughing.

I glare at him.

"Let's go change before my mom sees us here," he says, taking me upstairs.

I giggle at his behaviour, and we arrive in his room a little later.

I stop to take a breath.

Now, I understand why you are so fit. I say, looking at him.

"You can change here while I go change in the bathroom," he says, walking to his in-door closet.

Later, he comes back with a long-sleeved modal top with bottoms.

Someone knocked on the door before he could give me the clothes.

We both look towards the door as his mom comes in, holding something in her hands.

"I just thought she would be more comfortable wearing something from my closet as we are both women," she said, giving us a sweet smile.

I give her a smile and take it from her.

Thank you. I say.

"No problem. Hopefully, you will like it. Change quickly and come down for dinner," she says to both of us while walking out the door.

Your mom is lovely. I say, having a smile.

"Yeah, she really likes you," he says.

I look at the dress she gave me while thinking about the words he said to me.

Nathan was important to me. 

I would do anything for her to like me.

It was a beautiful Ruffle solid nightdress.

It was long enough to hide my scars, and the v-line wasn't too deep.

"Seems like this is not needed anymore," he says, looking at the clothes he got for me while pouting.

I smile at him.

I am supposed to be on your mom's good side. I say playfully.

"So we can get married later," he says, winking at me as he walks to his bathroom.

I look at his back, speechless. This boy will be the death of me.

I quickly change into the dress before he comes back.

I fix myself and look in the mirror.

Although his mom seems so sweet, I am just scared that she won't like me.

After a while, Nathan comes out of the bathroom.

He stands there looking at me.

What?

Do I have something on my face? I asked him, although I just looked in the mirror.

"I am amazed at the fact that everything fits you so well," he says, and I smile at his compliment.

I am a bit nervous. I tell Nathan while taking a big breath.

"You don't have to be nervous. My mom likes you already," he says as he approaches me.

Okay, let's go.

She must be waiting for us. I say.

He grabs my hand and squeezes it.

"You are not alone in this. Remember, we are together in everything," says Nathan, kissing me on my forehead.

We go downstairs while still holding hands, and he walks us to what I guess was the dining room.

His mom was already sitting at the table.

He makes me sit beside her while he goes to the other side and sits beside her.

His mom looks at me with the sweetest smile ever.

"The dress fits you so well. I think you should wear it from now on." 

Oh, please. I am sure it looks better on you. I say, smiling.

"Although I made Nathan's favourite, I still hope you will like the food. I asked Nathan what you would want, and he said you would be fine with everything," she says, looking at Nathan.

I am not picky when it comes to food. After all, only some are lucky to have a warm meal. I say, looking down.

I remember those times when I wasn't allowed to eat something and these children on the streets begging for just a tiny amount of food.

"You are right. We should always be grateful for what we have," says his mom, sympathising with what I said.

We started eating, and his mom started telling me about how she got into acting. Sometimes, she would talk about her husband, and I could see the pain in her eyes, but I couldn't help but notice the happiness and smile on her face when she talked about him. 

They must have loved each other a lot. 

After a while, we all finished eating.

Shall I help with anything? I ask.

"Darling, its fine. Ivy and Grace can handle everything," she says.

The two girls came into the dining room.

"Hi, I am Ivy," says the long curly-haired woman. She had a beautiful dimple when she was smiling.

She looked in her late twenties.

"And I am Grace," says the other woman. She looked a bit older than Ivy. She was a bit chubby with mesmerising eyes.

Did you eat? I asked them, hoping that I wasn't the reason why they hadn't had their meal yet.

They both nod as they start taking the plates from the table.

Oh, please let me help. I won't feel at ease doing nothing. 

"Okay, why don't you guys just take a break. We will clean up tonight," says Nathan, looking at Ivy and Grace.

"That wouldn't be appropriate," says Grace.

"It has been long since my son was here. Let him do anything he wants. Lets rest for tonight," says his mom while taking them with her.

"So shall we start?" says Nathan, looking at me.

Do you think your mom finds me annoying? I ask him, scared.

He chuckles while looking at me, amazed at what I had just asked.

I look at him earnestly, waiting for his answer.

"You are worrying too much. Mom likes you a lot."

He walks to my side and takes my face in his hands.

"Don't worry about anything," he says.

I am sorry. I just want your mom to like me because I love you. I say, looking into Nathan's eyes.

"Di.. Did you just mean what you said?" he asks me, surprised at my words.

I look down at the ground, just as surprised with what I said as he was.

We... We should clean up quickly. I say, ignoring what he just asked me.

I pick up some plates from the table and walk away.

Aren't you coming? I ask and wait for him to lead me to the kitchen.

Twenty minutes later, we had finished the cleaning.

I was washing the dishes while Nathan was drying them and putting them in their respectful places.

I dried my hands.

You did a good job. I say while patting his head.

Out of nowhere, he grabs my waist and puts me on the counter.

"I am not a kid, okay?" he says, looking at me intensely.

I gulp under his gaze.

I looked like a rat getting caught by a cat. 

I wasn't implying that you were like a kid, okay?

I was just... just appreciating the fact that you helped me. I say.

"Hmm, acting smart, aren't we?" he says, coming closer.

I am not acting. I am intelligent. I say, flipping my hair to the side.

And I wasn't lying, okay. I didn't want to just receive; I wanted to give something, too, which is why I wanted to help. 

"You smell good, you know?" he says while smelling my neck.

I hold my breath the moment his nose touches my skin.

He inhaled and just there, and then I thought I could pass out because of how this man here made me feel.

He gently looks into my eyes and slowly comes closer until our lips are almost touching.

We... You.. I mean... We shouldn't do this. 

What if your mom sees us? I say.

"She won't. She has a tight schedule, so she always sleeps early," he says, smirking. 

He was teasing me.

I gently push him away with some strength and jump off the counter.

You should stop teasing me. I say, giving Nathan a stern look.

He chuckles.

"It's fun and I like that I get to see the shy you," he says with happiness written on his face.

I don't know how I could be the reason behind his happiness.

While for me, him being behind my smiles and laughs made much more sense to me, I still couldn't figure out how Nathan chose me out of so many girls.

Was it because of my low self-esteem?

Or was it because I always thought I probably was the type that didn't deserve to be loved? 

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" asks Nathan.

Upon hearing his voice, I get back from my thoughts.

What is with you and Zoe? I asked, looking at him.

I asked him because I just wanted to know if Zoe's love for him was one-sided or maybe more.

"What? Why are you asking?" he says, surprised by my sudden question.

I just want to know.

You know, she is so beautiful and popular, and all the guys would do anything just to be with her, so I am just thinking about why you aren't with her but me.

Nathan sighs and comes closer.

"From the first day we bumped into each other, I couldn't help but feel so attracted to you. It was like you were a magnet, and I was just getting pulled towards you. Later, I got to know you better and wanted to be with you all the time. I got to know that beautiful heart of yours, and I couldn't help but fall for you more each day. Since my dad passed away, I felt so lonely and empty, but the more time I spent with you, the more I found myself. You made me want to live a bit more every day, and I couldn't help but look forward to spending time with you again the next day. No other girl has ever made me feel like that," he says, and I couldn't help but cry.

The way he made me feel like I was loved made me feel so warm.

I put him in a tight hug like my life depended on it.

What had I done that he came into my life?

"Shhhh, It's okay. Don't ever think that you are less than others. Zoe has her own traits, and so do you. It doesn't make you any less than her. In my eyes, You are the sun that shines through the day and the moon that lights the darkest nights. You take my breath away with the little things you do. Your smile, your gaze, when you feel shy, the way you flip your hair and the way you get angry when I continuously tease you. I want you, and you are enough for me. I don't care about the other girls," he says, hugging me back tightly.

Oh lord, his words melted into my heart, and I could barely feel my legs.

The words he proudly whispered poured into my heart and twisted my stomach, a warm feeling seeping through my whole body.

Ahhh! We both hear someone say.

I quickly try to let go of him and look towards the sound.

It was his mom!

She must have heard everything.

I shily push him away, but he holds onto my waist tighter.

Is this guy never embarrassed?

"Mom, you are awake?" he asks her, still holding onto me.

"I was going to sleep. I just came to get some water," she says, smiling so brightly.

I wipe away my tears and fix myself.

His mom looks at me lovingly.

"My son doesn't let people in easily, but when he does, he does it wholeheartedly, making you feel like you are the most special person on earth," she says.

I loved the relationship between Nathan and his mom.

I could only dream of it, but seeing them like this makes me feel happy for him. I am glad he didn't have a past like me.

"Well, why don't you sleep with me tonight?" 

What! Me? I ask her, surprised.