Please Mind The Gap #1

19: Please mind the bloody gap

19: Please mind the bloody gap

--- the gorgeous Teddy Errol in the media section ---

Nathan was trying to avoid her.

Every time she advanced to engage him in  conversation, he mumbled an excuse and quietly headed away. Teddy always looked at him in confusion, and a little something like hurt.

Nathan had let it all out. The dinner at the Venezia had been great, the talk at the park had been horrible. He suddenly felt hollow after telling her everything, revealing his past. He felt empty, and all he wanted to do was shrink into oblivion and be a non-existent thing in the universe. No Nathan Wren, nothing in the world.

"Nathan," Teddy says, rounding on him. "Do... do you want me to stay? I can-"

Nathan interrupts her, pushing past her outstretched hand. "It's fine. I want to be alone."

She bites her lip. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be sorry!" he snaps angrily at her. And as quickly as the anger comes, the fire in him burns away, leaving leftover ashes. "Look," he says, sighing tiredly. "Let's talk in the morning, yeah?"

Teddy gives him a terse nod and soundlessly brushes past him, her dark blond hair shielding her face from him.

He groans and collapses in his bed. Now he screwed everything all over again.

He felt melancholy as he climbed to the rooftop. After hoisting himself over the edge, he lay down on the hard cement, gazing at the bright noon sky.

It was a typical Australia day. Cloudless blue sky and humid weather with the blazing sun beating down on him mercilessly.

"I'm sorry, Enalie," he said to the sky, closing his eyes and sighed as the sun's warm rays stroked his face. "It's my fault. I know it's probably best to leave her, but..." He exhaled. "I like her. Not like what I felt for all those girls before... Teddy means a whole freaking lot to me."

"Really now," a voice said dryly from beside him. "Does she?"

Nathan opened his eyes and blinked out the bright sunbursts in his eyes. "Ted..."

"I see you plan to leave me," she went on, her voice toneless. "Oh, don't worry. At the rate you're going, I'll probably leave you before you can leave me first."

"You think I'm ignoring you for some selfish reason?" he said incredulously. "Look, I thought that it would be best if I would distance myself from you. You'll be leaving in a week so I was wondering whether you would still want me or not. Once you're back in London, I'm sure the novelty of wanting me would wear off." He grimaced. "Besides, you wouldn't want someone like me."

"Oh, get over yourself, Nathan," Teddy snapped. "You told me your past. So what? Before you even told me what happened to Enalie, we were doing fine. The past doesn't change anything. If the past never happened, you'd never be the same amazing person you are today. So calm down, you're overreacting."

"I'm overreacting?" Nathan laughed coldly. "I just don't want you hurt, Teddy. Distancing myself from you would lessen the hurt when go you back to London. That way I'll just be another meaningless chapter in your life that you can forget." How could she not understand that he cared for her so much that he was willing to let go of her to lessen the pain that both would endure? Didn't they always say that to love someone, you had to set them free?

"Fuck you," Teddy said bluntly. "You can go on and on about how you're a piece of crap but why do you think I fell for you in the first place? You want to distance yourself from me? Then fine." She stood up, and walked away from him. "Please mind the bloody gap."

----

Teddy climbed blindly down the ladder, blinded by her anger, blinded by frustration, but most of all by hurt. She could see his point but still. Why was he being like this?

With a sign, she went down to the kitchen were she bumped into a very flustered Natalie.

"Oh, hi, Teddy dear," Nathan's mother chirped.Even though her voice was light, she looked exhausted; shadows formed at the beds of her eyes. "Everything good?"

"Everything's okay," Teddy lied, feeling slightly guilty for being dishonest with her. "Just... wandering about, you know."

"Are you and Nathan alright? I mean I obviously know that you two are together."

Teddy stilled. "How did you know?"

"Ethan told me."

"Oh." Teddy contemplated on what to say for a moment. "We're not on the best of terms," she admitted.

"Oh dear. Why not?" Natalie looked concerned, brushing her hair from her eyes.

"We were just talking about..." Teddy swallowed. "His sister. I know it's a sensitive topic for him and he started distancing himself from me. I think it's all getting to him, especially the possibility of a long distance relationship." She winced and backed away slightly. "Please don't be mad."

"Why would I be mad?" Natalie smiled kindly. "I'm glad he opened up to you, Teddy. He's only had Keith, Andrew, and Brent. I think you bring out the best in him, to be honest, and I like you for that. Do you want me to talk to him for you?"

Teddy hesitated, considering the offer. It would make things a lot easier. However, this was something that she needed to do herself. "I appreciate it, but I think I'll be the one to talk to him, Mrs. Wren."

Natalie nodded. "I'm proud of you, Teddy. And do call me Natalie."

Teddy lingered, wanting to ask the question she was scared to even ask. "Er..." she ventured. "Are you really going to take Enalie off life support?"

Natalie sighed sadly. "It's a very big possibility that we will. Ethan's down at the hospital, discussing things with the doctors."

"Did you tell Nathan that you already decided to?" Teddy's heart ached for Nathan.

"Not yet," Natalie said quietly. "Maybe you could tell him?"

Teddy was taken aback. "Me?"

"I think you should do it, Teddy," Natalie told her firmly. "He trusts you."

Teddy paused for a second then nodded. "Okay."

She climbed up the stairs once more, and up the ladder to the rooftop. She could do this. It was just simply talking to Nathan Wren. It should be easy.

"Nathan?" She called, squinting to shield her eyes from the glare of the sun.

But the rooftop was empty.

"Damn Brownie," she muttered angrily, although she felt a twinge of worry. Where was he?

She clambered down the steel ladder again and made her way to his room. She opened the door without hesitation, not caring if he was naked or watching girls take their clothes off on YouTube. Teddy was worried for him and when she was worried, that was that.

When she entered his room, which was very nice and organized for a boy (light blue walls, a shelf stacked with books, tennis rackets hanging on his wall, and his trophies lined neatly on top of a cabinet), she saw immediately that something was wrong.

On a bed that sat at the corner of the room lay Nathan. His eyes were closed shut, and he wasn't moving. He was as still as the leaves of a tree on the moon.

---

Hahaha! Cliffhanger:) What do you think will happen next?

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-K