Half Baked Hearts | ✔

20. You Trust Me?

"You gonna tell me what happened back there?" Nate asked.

We were at a gas station, filling up on gas and grabbing snacks before heading back home. My mind combed over every moment, every word I shared with my aunt. Were the signs there and I missed them?

"Remember the night of the concert at the park?" I asked him.

He glanced up from the drinks he was looking at, brows furrowed. "You mean the night I fought a guy over a shirt? Nope. Don't recall."

I wasn't in the mood for his jokes. "Did my aunt ever find the collection box?"

He frowned as he thought about. "Shit, I forgot it was stolen that night. She never brought it up again. Did she even file I report?"

I shook my head. My stomach knotted. I felt sick. Was the box stolen or did she take it herself? I tried to push it out of my head. Jumping to conclusions before I'd had a chance to talk to her was only going to drive me crazy.

"Seriously, what'd Lynn say?" Nate asked, watching me cautiously. "You look like you're about to blow chunks."

"She said my aunt had a gambling problem. That she used to steal money from their old bakery." I hated the way the words tasted on my tongue. That was not my aunt.

He grabbed a sports drink from the from the cooler and started down the snack aisle. He hadn't said anything. Why didn't he say anything?

I caught up to him as he in the chip aisle. "This is where you come in and say Lynn Goffney is full of it."

His eyes dropped to my empty hands. "Are you getting anything?"

I crossed my arm, staring up at him "Nate."

He looked up at the ceiling and sighed before turning back to me. "My mom has been losing jewelry lately."

Was he being serious? "You think my aunt is stealing from your mom?"

"No!...Maybe." His shoulders dropped as he rubbed the back of his neck. "It sounds like a possibility."

That wasn't what he supposed to say. He was supposed to be on my side. On Aunt Mimi's side. He was supposed to say Lynn Goffney was a liar.

"Charm."

I shook my head, storming out of the gas station. The car was locked, so I pulled out my phone while I waited for Nate to come out. I probably could've walked home, powered on the fumes of my anger.

There were messages from Nessa asking if Nate and I ran away to get eloped.

I angrily typed out a reply, no and you can cross get over nate off the list.

The car chirped. Nate had unlocked it and was walking over with two bags full of snacks in his hand. I climbed in the car as he pumped gas.

My phone light up with a message. I thought it was Nessa, but Nate's name flashed on the screen. My eyes darted to the window. His back was to me.

I opened the message. I shouldn't accuse your aunt of stealing when I have no proof

No, he shouldn't. For all we knew it was all just a big misunderstanding. Lynn could've been lying. Nate's mom could've misplaced her jewelry. There were other explanations. Ones that didn't make my favorite person in the world out to be the bad guy.

♡ ♡ ♡

When we made back to Aster Pointe, I told Nate to take a different street than the one we needed to get home. The sun had started to set, the sky a mix of purples, pinks, and yellows. Aunt Mimi's building didn't look as bad in the golden lighting.