Chapter2

#Chapter2

Nathaniel Gray AKA Nate

Patty

I followed Nate downstairs into the basement. He brushed his hair out of his face as he searched for a pair of pliers. Damn, he was hot. Focus, Patty. He’s not sexy but a thorn in your side. Plus, he’s seven years older than me.

He pulled out a toolbox, opened it, and rummaged through the contents. /"Sometimes, my ma does these things on purpose./"

/"Huh?/"

/"My ma does this shit on purpose./" Nate stared at me, making me uncomfortable.

When we were kids, it was different. He would tease me. Now we have a weird tension between us, which had never been there.

Oh, I know she does these things on purpose because I’ve seen it firsthand.

/"Found it./" He held up a pair of needle-nose pliers.

/"Huh?/"

He shoved the pliers in my face. /"Pliers./"

I furrowed my brows. Nate walked up the stairs, and I followed him. He climbed onto the stepladder, unscrewing the base of the bulbs from the socket with the pliers. Lucille flipped the switch, causing a popping sound. Nate fell off the ladder, and she flipped it off, acting casual.

I looked at her as she whistled. This woman was nuts.

/"Check on him./" Lucille pushed me towards Nate.

/"Shouldn’t you check on him since he’s your son?/"

/"I have to check on Jonas and Cayson. Bye./" Lucille left the kitchen.

I opened my mouth, trying to stop her, but she was already through the door leading into the garage. What is wrong with this woman? She tried to electrocute her son.

I walked over to Nate and helped him. /"Are you okay?/"

He sat up and looked at me. /"Did you flip that switch?/"

/"What? No./"

He got to his feet and yanked his arm from me. /"Yeah, right./"

/"But I didn’t./"

Nate waved me off. I won’t stand by and get blamed for something his mother did. I opened the garage’s screen door, leaving the house and walking by the three of them.

/"Patty, where are you going, Hun?/" Lucille asked me.

/"Home,/" I said.

Stupid Nate. Stupid light switch.

I made sure no cars were coming before I ran across the street. Why did the dynamics change between the Gray boys and me?

I walked into the house, passed Mom in the living room, and headed to my bedroom next to the bathroom and kitchen. I grabbed my car keys and purse, then left.

I got into the car and drove over to Liz’s house. I needed to vent to someone. Who’s the best person to vent to but my best friend?

*****

/"You were at their house? And you didn’t call me?/" Liz asked me.

/"My mom sent me over with a bag of romance novels for Lucille. It’s not like I wanted to be there on purpose./"

/"Why not? I would go there on purpose. Those boys are freaking hot./" She smirked and plopped on her bed next to me.

/"And they’re a pain in the ass. Nate accused me of trying to electrocute him./" I stood up and paced back and forth.

/"Well, did you?/"

I stopped and looked at her. /"No, Lucille flipped the damn switch./"

/"Wait. Why did Nate’s mother try to electrocute him?/"

/"Got me. Why does Lucille do half the things she does?/" I shrugged and sat on the bed in a huff.

/"Patty, you have liked Nate your entire life. It’s your chance./" She smiled at me.

/"Liz, Nate is twenty-four and has a girlfriend. Plus, I like Brian Holloway./" I sighed.

Brian Holloway was my dream guy. He’s a senior like us and every girl’s fantasy. Plus, he was cute. Now I needed to get the nerve to talk to him.

/"Forget Brian Holloway. He’s a douche./"

/"He is not!/"

/"Trust me. Brian is./"

/"That is a persona./"

/"Don’t say that I didn’t warn you. Patty, you should go after one of the Gray boys. They’re your neighbors, funny, and freaking hot./"

/"You’re no help./"

/"I’m a girl with raging hormones, so sue me./" She smirked.

I couldn’t help but laugh. At least, Liz was honest.