New Girl ➼ (Nate Archibald) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 35 // "Don't drive him away."

Chapter thirty-five; "Don't drive him away."
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Unlike the rest of us, sex lies and scandal never take a vacation. Instead they take the Long Island expressway and head east to the Hampton. Some would say summer is their busiest season. Think Park Avenue, but with tennis whites and soleil. The players change, but the game remains the same.

"So instead of tanning by the pool, I'm on the itchy grass listening to complain about procrastinating?"

Dan and I were in Central Park sitting down on a yellow checkered picnic blanket we bought on the way here. Our hands were wrapped around our plastic cup smoothies while the tree protected us from the heat. After I woke up this morning, the first thing I did was pick up a call from him. The second thing was now– talking to Dan about his internship.

"You didn't have to pick up."

"Then you would of called me ten more times," I furrowed my eyebrows and sighed, "really, Dan. I know writer's block sucks, but you could've liked– I don't know. Shitty work is better than nothing, right?"

"But I don't want to turn in shitty work. I want this piece to be the best he's ever read but every time I sat down–blank. Nothing. Not even a letter I wanted to use," he groaned while laying flat on the blanket, "now I've lost everything."

"No!" I yelled loudly and punched this thigh, causing him to jolt upright again, "what you need to do is find inspiration. You fucking live in New York! You can look at the skyscrapers and sunsets. Even the rats fighting for pizza in the subway! There is something in everything."

"I think that's easier said than done. I just don't know what to do anymore."

"We– yes, we–are going to help you find inspiration," I pulled out my cellphone to check the time. Since it was early afternoon, I had enough to spare before going to dinner at the Hampton. Hayden planned one to meet Jacob–as if lunch at the pizza factory wasn't the same.

"You are not dragging me on a wild goose hunt across–"

"I'm most definitely doing that and I'm going to search up ways to find inspiration. Give me a sec," I was typing rapidly on my screen for the internet to load. Somehow it took longer than usual because Dan brought up another topic.

"How are you and your boyfriend doing– um– James?"

"Jacob."

"You haven't brought him up since– well, ever. Is everything okay?" He raised his eyebrows, "did you ever say I love you back?"

"Nope. I don't plan to anytime soon," I sighed and my head dropped a little, "I don't know.. It's just–when you say I love you, you wanna say. You're not saying it because you have to. But I don't want to say I love you and I don't want to do it when I don't mean it."