The Way The World Ends ✓

Chapter 15. Nate

~

Here the stone images

Are raised, here they receive

The supplication of a dead man's hand

Under the twinkle of a fading star.

~

Wow, was the only thought in his head. He just kissed Indigo Clarke. It was like his greatest dream come true. He was on top of the world, so high on life that he couldn't possibly feel sad. No matter how much he botched their date, thought he screwed up, or acted awkwardly in the past forty-eight hours, it didn't matter anymore. She liked him despite that, and maybe even because of some of that.

He couldn't stop smiling. He didn't think he could ever stop smiling.

Of course, his father noticed his change in demeanor the moment Nate walked through the door. His father watched him stroll in, singing the last song he heard on the radio to himself softly. He tossed his keys on the tray near the front door after twirling them around his index finger in a happy-go-lucky manner. Bo came running up to Nate and received a huge tackle and rub.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Bo," Nate declared to his dog, "you were awesome today buddy. Indie loved you."

His father paused the TV and said smugly, "well, well, well, someone had a good evening. What did you do?"

Nate knew that what really meant was, what did you do with Indigo?

Nate wasn't one of those guys who shied away from his father and shut himself in his room to avoid social interaction. While sometimes Nate wanted to be alone, for the most part, he liked talking to his father. They had a lot in common, especially being the only two people in the house.

Nate shrugged, not bothered to hide his smile. "Ah, nothing much. We went to a party. Want a soda?"

Nate half walked half bounced to the refrigerator, trying to hide the mad blush on his cheeks. He was still incredibly flushed from thinking about Indigo.

"Sure. So, you had fun?" He dad called back while flipping through the channels on the television. He knew the look on his son's face: it was the same look he had when he won a close race.

"Yeah, definitely," Nate answered, handing his dad a soda and collapsing on the couch next to him. "I think that was probably the most fun I've ever had at a party."

After that, Nate was completely lost in thought, so his dad didn't prod him anymore on his night with his friend. Or whatever she was to him. His father knew that she was something else; he had never seen a girl affect him as much as Indigo did. As far as he knew, they'd only been on one date and Nate was already completely smitten with her.

Nate was indeed lost in thought. He felt incredible. He felt on top of the world. He couldn't focus on anything but the last few hours, which felt like his entire universe at the moment. He replayed every moment in his head, from watching her laugh loudly at his dog, to her soft, conscious chuckle when they parted. He loved her laugh. When she wasn't thinking about it, her nose wrinkled up and her eyes squinted along with her beautiful alto laugh, not a high pitched girlish giggle, but rather a low, genuine laugh. When she was really laughing, she laughed like no one was around. Even when she just barely laughed out of nervousness, she let out a little huff of air with a crooked smile and soft eyes peeking upward through her dark lashes. He thought though, without a doubt, his favorite part of her laugh was when she found something so funny she started snorting.