An Impossible Attraction

Chapter twenty nine

Nathan and Tracy turned to Lucy immediately but none said anything. Tracy tucked her hair behind her ear while Nathan opened his drink and sipped from it again.
Lucy raised an eyebrow when the two of them said nothing, “well?” she asked, “is there something I should know?”
“Nathan was just asking…” Tracy began; she licked her lips and glanced at Nathan before taking her gaze back to Lucy, “why I didn’t accept the advances of another guy I told him about, why I have to agree to marry Gary.”
Nathan glanced at her sharply but said nothing seeing the pleading look in her eyes. He heaved a sigh and turned to his mom, “he cheated on her mom, there is no guarantee he wouldn’t do it again.”
Lucy sighed while nodding. She walked to the cooker and turned it off, “well, I did think about that yesterday but Nathan, this is Tracy’s choice,” she opened the pot, reaching for a cooking spoon to stir the soup. “Perhaps, this other guy didn’t match up to her requirement; maybe there is something about him that didn’t agree with her. Yes Gary cheated, but he wants to start a family now and with her. Everyone deserves to be forgiven, everyone deserves a second chance.” She covered the pot and turned back to the both of them. “I know you are angry Nathan and you have never liked Gary, but Tracy is an adult, she knows what she wants and she knows what is best for her. As her family, all we have to do is support her. Nathan, just give Gary a chance, you might get to like him,” she smiled.
Nathan glanced at Tracy but she was staring at her feet, he looked up at his mom and heaved a sigh, he wanted to say something but he didn’t know what to.
“I understand you want the best for her,” Lucy spoke up again, “I do too and trust me when I say that she wants the best for herself too. No one would wish bad for themselves and Tracy cannot purposely want to hurt herself. If she is doing this, that only means she has given it a thorough thinking. Marriage is not a child’s play, I’m sure she knows that and yet she chose him, let’s support her, okay son?” she smiled.
The duo in the kitchen once again said nothing and Lucy sighed, “good, also, I finally cleared your father’s wardrobe,” she licked her lips when he glanced at her sharply. “You are already taller than him. I’m afraid if I don’t let you wear his clothes now, they might not size you again. I kept the best ones in your room, you can arrange them in your wardrobe later, we would be donating these ones to the charity home,” she nodded at the big box Tracy had dropped earlier.
Nathan walked up to her and cupped her cheeks, looking deeply into her eyes, “do you really want to do this Mom? Those clothes have been in your wardrobe for as long as I can remember.”
Lucy chuckled softly, dapping at her eyes, “yes, it’s the right time.”
“I want you to know Mom, he may not be here with us, but he will always be in here,” he touched her chest with his index finger, “he would always be here Mom, always.”
Lucy smiled and sniffled, throwing her arms around him and pulling him into a big hug. Nathan hugged her back, kissing her hair. “Thank you for being such an adult,” she said.
“I will be whatever you want me to be Mom, anything for you.”
Lucy smiled, “thank you,” she smacked a noisy kiss on his cheek, “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Nathan smiled.
“Now, why do you reek of alcohol?” She asked after the emotional moment and Nathan froze, he had actually forgotten that.
“Um…no reason, just um…”
Lucy chuckled and pounded his chest lightly, “go take a shower, dinner is ready.”
Nathan smiled and turned to leave the kitchen. He heard Tracy’s phone ringing and on his way out, he heard her say, “oh hi James.” And he grinned, he had definitely called to confirm, oh how he wished he could see his face right now.
***
The days flew by with Nathan doing his possible best to avoid Tracy or to have any form of conversation with her. When she finally left for work, he was experiencing two emotions at once, he was happy she was leaving, at least he wouldn’t have to see her to remind him of his pain often and he was sad because he realized that he would miss her. He had been secretly enjoying her chasing him around for his attention; it had made him feel like he mattered to her even if it’s a little bit. He had told himself he wasn’t supposed to still be feeling like that for her but he just couldn’t help himself. Feelings don’t just die, especially not the one he had nurtured for years.
Pulling up in front of the Harvey’s home, he sighed, the last time he had been there, he had arrived with Tracy as her date and his heart was still swelling with love and hope that he would have her someday. Guess sometimes, life just doesn’t happen the way you planned. He watched as teens swarm around the house, chatting and drinking. He could hear the blasting music coming from the house and momentarily wondered if Cindy had taken permission from their neighbors for the music was actually too loud.
He turned off his engine and climbed out of the car. Locking it, he shoved his hands and key into his jacket’s pockets and strolled to the house. He saw his friends outside and they shook hands with him. “Thought you wouldn’t come, you hardly come to any party,” one of them said.
“Oh, I knew he would come alright. He has gotten pretty close with Cindy these few days. Guess she stuck around for long to get what she wanted. Tell us, is she as sweet as she looks?” another asked and the rest laughed.
Nathan rolled his eyes but he didn’t say anything and just went straight to asking them about their next match which would actually be challenging as the school in question has always been their biggest challenge and this time, there would be supervisors from the respective schools they are all hoping on joining.
“We will do it, we always do,” Steven said, “we have always been the best and we are not ready to lose that crown, at least not in our set.”
“Exactly,” the rest chorused and they did their brotherly hand shake.
“Nathan,” Cindy called, walking up to them. She hugged Nathan and kissed his cheek while the rest of the boys ‘oh-ed’ and ‘ah-ed’. She ignored them and linked her fingers with his. “I have been waiting for you.”
Nathan let her do whatever she wanted, of recent he found out he wasn’t repulsed by her anymore, but that also doesn’t mean he wants to have anything to do with her but for now, she was serving as a distraction for him and he also doesn’t want to lead her on which was why he told her the day before in school that he wasn’t ready to have anything to do with her and of course she had replied that she would wait till when he was ready.
“Come, let’s go in,” she said and he let her drag him inside, ignoring his screaming friends. When they got inside, she led him to the kitchen where she helped him get a punch and they walked back to the living room where there was a lot of dancing and drinking teenagers. The party soon got to full swing and the boys decided to play Beer Pong which Nathan agreed to participate, he needed the alcohol in his system after all.
By the time the party was over, everyone was wasted. Nathan staggered to his car and he leaned on his door, grabbing his head to wait off the headache spasm. He fetched his key from his jacket pocket and unlocked the door. Climbing in, he sat on the seat and rested his head on the headrest with his eyes closed. He never planned to get drunk but he had been so into the party that he actually enjoyed himself. He can’t remember the last time he had been that happy and free, it probably should be that time in Hawaii and how long that has been.
“Nathan,” he heard and opened his eyes. He was surprised to see Cindy and he raised his eyebrow at her, silently asking what was wrong. “Can you drive home? You look pretty wasted.”
He grinned, “Of course I can drive home.”
“I don’t believe you. Come spend the night here, you will leave in the morning.”
“No, no,” he shook his head, “I will be fine Cindy. I have driven home on my own before when I was drunker than now, so I will be fine.”
“Once is a miracle.”
Nathan chuckled, “I will be fine.”
“No, scoot over.”
“What?”
“Scoot over, I will drive you home.”
“Aren’t you drunk too?”
“Not as you. At least I can stand straight without staggering and I can keep a conversation without slurring. I told Jessie the liquor she put in the punch was much but she didn’t listen. That was why I didn’t let myself get too drunk; I always have a bad morning when I’m drunk. So scoot over.”
Nathan smiled and did what she wanted, he didn’t really want to risk going home in this state again too and moreover she was right, once is a miracle. He climbed to the passenger’s side and Cindy got in immediately, taking the key from him and starting the car.
When they got to his house, she insisted to help him inside when they found out his mom wasn’t around and she said she didn’t want him hurting himself while staggering around. Nathan humored her and she helped him with him leaning half of his weight on her. When they got to the stairs, she couldn’t handle him and they both fell on it, laughing really hard. They got back up and this time, he kept most of his weight to himself and pointed his bedroom to her. Once inside, they both fell on the bed, laughing about everything and nothing in particular.
“I should probably get going,” Cindy said when their laughter finally died down.
“You can take my car and bring it back for me in the morning; I wouldn’t like you trekking home.”
“Aw, is someone being a gentleman?”
“I’m always a gentleman,” he chuckled, sitting up on the bed and she joined him, “I’m probably the most handsome gentleman you will ever see,” he ran his fingers through his platinum hair and Cindy laughed.
She scooted closer to him, licking her lips softly, “of course you are, Mr. Handsome gentleman.”
Nathan chuckled and tucked her hair behind her ear, one might think he was acting under the influence of alcohol but he knew what he was doing. All his life he has loved only one woman and now he knew he can’t ever have her and right now, he really wanted to find out how kissing another person would feel like. And as he thought it, he leaned down and claimed her lips. Cindy was shocked only for a brief second before giving in to the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck.