The Best of Friends [A Nathan Adrian Short Story][Completed]

Part Eight.

There's this moment before every storm, when the air stills, and everything is silent. My favorite moments in life have been the calm before the storm. Once the storm rolls in, however, is when I run and hide. The wind shakes houses, and thunder shakes my soul. The lightening amplifies the fear on  my face, and I usually ended up hiding under my blankets. And those moments were usually better with Nathan. 

I sat on the front steps of my house, watching the storm come in. Half of the sky was illuminated by the sun, the other half, darkened by the incoming weather. The heat felt like it was melting me, but I couldn't move from my spot on the porch.

My shorts and tank top were my only defense from the sweltering heat, and the sunglasses that sat on my face became less and less necessary with the impending darkness. 

My parents were out of town for my one of my brother's tournaments, and weren't going to back for a few days, and Nathan was hanging out with his girlfriend Melody. I was utterly alone, and it was a very familiar and unwelcome feeling. But this was my life.

Once I felt the air pick up, the hairs on my neck stood at attention, and I quickly scrambled into the house. I locked the door behind me, and went and grabbed some random snacks and went up to the den, the place in the house with the least amount of windows and it's got a pullout couch that I sleep in. My blankets and pillows were already down there in preparation for my nightlong terror. 

I started my Psych marathon, and laid out in my fort of pillows and blankets. My phone dinged shortly after.

Storm is coming. You okay? -Natedogg. 

Holed up in the den watching Psych. Doing the best I can-Laney

Want me to come over? -Natedogg

I know you are with Melody. I'm good.-Laney

Okay. Let me know if you need me. Love you Pie.- Natedogg

Of course I needed him, but I would never say that to him. And especially not when he had a girlfriend. He was fairly good at not putting me on the back burner, but this time was different. I could tell he really really liked her, and that meant less time with me. But if he was happy, I was happy.

Or so I told myself. 

The later it got, the worse it got. Every time the thunder shook the house, my body shook with fear. I don't know what I was afraid of, but the fear was real. Nathan hadn't texted me, and I figured at this point, his idea of coming over must have come and gone. My eyes drifted close to the 1 AM mark. 

Nightmares filled my sleep, as I tossed and turned. I gave up trying to sleep around 4am. I laid there as the wind died down, but still enough to create a ghostly howl through the trees that surrounded my house. 

I rolled over and looked at my phone. 

Still want me to come over? -Natedogg

Sweets, answer meeee -Natedogg

I assume you're asleep, but if you need me please let me know. -Natedogg

Sleep good. I love you -Natedogg

I grinned at the influx of texts from my  annoyingly handsome best friend, and shot him a quick text back. 

Love you always. xo -Laney

I decided to put on some cartoons to fall back asleep to. I started to drift off again, but my eyes shot open as I heard the front door open. My heart began to beat rapidly, and I felt like I could hear it hitting my ribcage.