How it Happened

Five

Five

100 days until the wedding

     "Yes... of  course... yeah, I understand." My pen moves across the page until the next name on my list becomes a mess of black ink. "Okay, uh huh, bye."

     I end the call and throw my phone down next to me on the bed as a sigh slumps my shoulders. I allow myself to sit there for a few seconds and soak in the defeat before I lift my shoulders back up. The list gets shoved into my nightstand and my feet get shoved into a pair of teal flip flops because I still have a beautiful summer day ahead of me.

     "Mom! Are you still coming with me or—" The yell dies on my lips, and my steps falter at the sight of Nathaniel Graham standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Hi?" I don't bother trying to hide the question from my voice, and he doesn't try to hide the amusement in his smile in return.

     "Hello to you too."

     We stand there staring at each other for a few seconds before my mom rushes behind Nate to get to the door.

     "Avery! Your dad and I—"

     "Mom," I quickly cut into her yell before clopping down the rest of the stairs to meet her by the door, and she finally glances up from her incessant purse digging to meet my gaze.

     "Dad is insisting that we need a new weedwacker, so even though I wish I could come with you, he says I need to go with him because supposedly the Home Depot guys are nicer to me."

     I open my mouth to protest, but she quickly plants a kiss to the side of my head.

     "Have fun!" she calls over her shoulder.

     "Wait! I can still have"—I open the door back up only to find my parents zooming away in my dad's car and my mom's car nowhere to be found—"the car." The words barely leave my lips before I find my shoulders slumping again.

     "I think that's where I come in."

     I slowly turn on my heel to face a sheepish looking Nathaniel Graham as he gives his car keys a quick jiggle in his hand.

     "Let me guess..." I close the door with my back before leaning against it. "Aubrey needed the car because her car isn't good enough—for some reason—and paid you to take me to the beach."

     "You're close." A laugh leaks through his lips despite the slight hesitation on his face. "But I think it was your grandma and I wish there was payment."

     "Unbelieveable!" I throw my hands up and aggressively flip flop my way past Nate and into the kitchen. "For three days—three days! I've consistently reminded everyone that I needed the car because it's summer and all I want to do is go to the beach." I stop my pacing and whip back around to look at Nate through the doorway. "Is that too much to ask? I mean"—my pacing ensues—"I know it's a solid hour and a half away and I know I should have gotten a new car by now, but it's not my fault some sleepy guy plowed into the car I've had since I was eighteen when it was parked in its rightful place on the street! Thankfully, no one was hurt, well, except for my car and apparently my freedom!" I stop and grab the bridge of my nose not only realizing that I'm out of breath, but also that I really hate being so agitated over something so stupid.

     Nate clears his throat and the sound of it tells me he dared to venture into the kitchen.  "I can take you. It's not a big deal."

     "No." I sigh. "I'm not in the mood anymore."

     "Well, I am." Although my gaze is on the floor, I see Nate's posture straighten as he puffs out his chest. "I even brought Gatorade."

     "Gatorade," I repeat, glancing up to meet his gaze, and he grins at the fact that he peaked my interest. I tilt my head to the side in mock inquiry. "What kind of Gatorade?"