Heartstrings - Forbidden Hearts Series Prequel

27| The Magic 8 Ball

"Do you wanna go down to the park and throw the football for a while? Or would you rather go to LOST?" 

I scoffed at the options Nick provided me. No way did I want to go to LOST. The arcade/pool hall was known to be filled with high school students. It got its name from the many times patrons literally got 'lost' from time playing the games. Sometimes they would be here until sundown and not even realize how long it's been. 

It's even happened to me on occasion. 

The reason Nick liked it so much was because a lot of girls from school came by to play pool. And where there were girls, there was Nick and Nate. At least, that's how it used to be. Up until the whole Karma thing. 

"Come on, man," he pleaded. "Ever since you got back from Florida, you don't want to do anything." 

Shit. He wasn't wrong. I've been ignoring most of his calls lately. Mainly for this reason. I didn't want to go to LOST and hit on girls all day. Something about the act seemed so low and shitty now. I think this was the first time I've ever been disgusted with myself. 

"I know, Nick. That's my bad. I just have a lot going on planning for college. I don't really feel like going to LOST," I said to my best friend. "Why don't we throw the football then get something to eat after?"

His brows rose so high, they nearly got lost in his blonde hair. "You are preparing for college?" 

I snickered at that. "Yeah, right. My mom is the one preparing for college and trying to convince me to go. Hell, she even begged me to go to a community college. When I said I didn't plan on going, she grounded me. That's why I've been a little out of touch."

Most of it was true. My mom did sit me down at the dining room table in front of many college brochures. She tried to convince me that college was the answer. But I didn't even need to look at one of them to know that college wasn't for me. I was honest with her and told her I either wanted to go into my dad's business and take over his body shop where he worked on cars, or to join the army. 

The other truth of it was that I haven't really felt like doing the same old shit as before. Not since the whole Karma incident. Man, I really shouldn't have gone over to her place that night. What the hell as I thinking? 

But I knew. I was hoping for a chance to see her again. Common sense told me she would probably avoid me at school. Like she usually did. I guess I was hoping she would look at me like she did at the beach. 

And she did. At least a little. I saw it in her eyes before I said goodbye to her. But I also saw her reserve. Man, that girl was more stubborn than I thought. I wouldn't be trying so hard to be with her if I didn't know she actually felt something for me. 

And she feels something. That was the one thing I was sure of. Everything else was a clusterfuck. 

"Well?" Nick asked irritably. "What do you wanna do? I don't want to stay inside today."

It was a tough question. I didn't want to throw the football or go to LOST.

"What about going to see a movie?" I could get on board with that. 

"There's nothing good playing, Nate."

With a sigh, I ran my hand over my face. "Fine. Let's go to LOST. But if we go, can we actually play a game of pool? Like...a whole game?" 

"Since when do you not want to pick up women?" 

Since I started jonsing after a leggy brunette who seems to drive me absolutely crazy. 

"Since never," I lied. "Of course, I still wanna hook up with girls, but I had a lot of that in Florida." Lie, lie, lie. "But now it's time for us to actually hang out and have some, you know, guy time."