A Guide to Lucas Middleton ?

NATHAN

CHAPTER TWENTY - "ORANGE GERBERAS"

16TH NOVEMBER, FRIDAY

MY EYES DARTED from person to person, searching for that familiar, short figure wearing pink in the streams of pupils, all squeezing down the hallway. The bell had just quickly rang, but the students were all already rushing out.

I searched, and I searched, and I searched. Ro's pink oversized sweatshirt was nowhere to be found, and I was left with both a soft sense of relief and also more stress buried beneath.

I needed to tell someone, and if I was going to tell anyone, it was going to be her.

And as I look through the crowd one more time, feeling rejected, a familiar voice rang out-

"Nathan!"

I turned around, seeing Ro's bright smile as she waved at me. A wave of panic passed through me, but it was soon replaced by a small warmth in my chest as I smiled back.

She attempted to squeeze through the crowd, only to be pushed back by a group of students, and to absolutely no avail. I chuckled as she frowned deeply, settling on gesturing towards the exit and hoping that she got the memo as she nodded.

Moments later, I found myself sitting on the bench of a nearby park, with Ro by my side.

She was humming some melody under her breath. It sounded like some sort of classical music that I couldn't decipher, and it slightly soothed the anxiety that shook through my torso.

"So," She started, while at the same time I said, "Okay."

We both looked over at each other, blinking.

"Oh, sorry-"

"No, no, you can go first," Ro said, smiling gently. Her brown eyes stared into mine with a comforting glimmer, and my fingers quivered with anxiety under her promising eyes.

"Are you sure?" I asked, voice barely over a whisper. Perhaps I was just trying to buy myself some more time before I had to say those words, but I continued, "If you want to, you can-"

"It's fine," Ro echoed. "Whatever it is, you look really nervous about it, so it must be urgent." Her voice was gentle. "You can go first."

I opened my mouth, pausing briefly as my mind tried to put what I wanted to say into actual words.

"I- I have no idea how to start." I laughed nervously, scratching the back of my neck just for the sole purpose of having something against my fingertips. A tender smile tugged at her lips as her hand drifted from my bicep to my shoulder, rubbing back and forth in a soothing manner.

"It's okay, Nathan," She whispered softly. "Take it slow."

I nodded, taking a deep breath in.

You can do this, Nathan.