✓ [18+] A THOUSAND MILES FROM NOWHERE

VII. In The Eyes Of Bex, Forgiveness Is Not An Option

A/N: Flashback over and onto the present.
Remember to vote, comment, and follow.

———
VII. In The Eyes Of Bex, Forgiveness Is Not An Option

NATHAN

Hunched over the chair, trying desperately to catch my breath, only one thing goes through my mind.

God, I've missed the hell out of her.

Watching her walk up to me with that fire in her fierce blue eyes, the kind of fire she'd get when she was really passionate about something, did something to me that I hadn't felt in a long time. The same kind of fire that in high school, would make everyone else coward away because they knew, once Bex Miller had that look in her eyes, you were in big, big trouble.

Even having her punch me right in the gut made me miss her. I deserved it, God knows I deserved much worse than that. I'm lucky she didn't grab the shotgun hanging under the counter. But I'm glad that she didn't because the fact she even acknowledged me enough and only punched me, means that deep down inside, she still loves me.

After all this time, I am still desperately in love with her.

Especially now, when I've finally got my life together, she's all I think about when I fall asleep and when I wake up in the morning. I could've had her waking up in my bed this morning if I hadn't royally fucked up nearly 10 years ago. I will always kick myself in the ass for that stupid decision. As soon as I thought it up that night in boot camp, I should've listened more to my heart than my head. I knew what I fucking had, that it was real.

But I, Nate Daniels, am an idiot who apparently loved throwing away the best damn thing to ever happen to me ten years ago, and now I'm paying for it. Emotionally and quiet physically at the moment.

As I stand here, holding my stomach, I hear Mike and the rest of the old geezers that frequent this bar daily, start laughing hysterically. I don't mind them laughing at my expense but when I see the hurt in Bex's eyes, I want to knock all of them out. Isn't it obvious she's uncomfortable and upset? Why can't any of these assholes, Mike included, see that? Ten years later and I can still tell how Bex feels just by the way she carries herself alone.

When Mike jokes about making a bet before hand with Joe Blackthorn about how Bex would handle this, I know this won't be good. The fact everyone in this damn town knew about Bex returning before I did pisses me off. How long has this little, no more like big, secret been going on for? Now I understand Heather's weird behavior this morning. She knew that Bex was back and that I'd get the blunt end of the hammer when I finally came face to face with the little firecracker in front of me. Except she's not so much a firecracker but like a sparkler who's about to burn out.

I watch with remorse as Bex gives her dad the most disgusted look ever as he tries to explain it was only a joke, but Bex doesn't have it as she throws the white dish towel she had over her shoulders, onto the floor between us. When she storms past me and out the front door, I'm still catching my breath from her hit when an eerie silence fills the room. I look up and see Bex's grandma, Elena Miller, standing in the doorway to the kitchen with a hand on her hips. She's glaring at all of us in absolute disgust. You can read the anger and disappointment all over her face.

Elena walks up to each man in this bar and smacks them on the back of the head, me included. When she reaches Mike however, she gives an extra one for good measure, knocking his hat off his head. He reaches down and picks it up. Wiping off the bottom, he then sits it back on top of his head with an agitated expression.