Nate

I was both excited and nervous as I pulled out before the mall, a path I had burned in my memory by now, but still somehow it'd never felt like this. The unsettling butterflies in my stomach, my sweaty palms... Why?

This for sure wasn't our first hanging out. This wasn't even our first date.

But it'd been like this ever since the L-word made its way into our relationship.

Because for some reason she loves me. And as much as that felt like white delight, it also was scary and unnerving. Not only for this feeling overpowering everything else, but also because now that I knew I have her love I could actually fear losing it.

Because this was the only aspect in my life that was going smooth, almost too well, holding everything else back together, keeping me grounded... and I knew it wouldn't last. Just like everything else, it would stumble down eventually, and I wasn't sure I would be able to deal with it. But at the same time I wouldn't be able to cope with losing Hailey now either.

The only other thing that redeems this awful past couple of weeks was getting Kimmy back. The raven haired girl had stopped the distancing and we solved this stupid misunderstanding. She hadn't been mad at me and I hadn't take Seth's side. We were all in the same page again and that was reassuring.

But, all in now, Seth was completely gone. We'd barely spoken a few tense words this past days and mostly because team related stuff. And as for Bear... well, his friendship wasn't something I actually valued, but now that I was losing pilars in my life I realized my 'group of friends' was too secluded. They guys from the team were cool and would hang out and be there if I ask, I guess, but the group of people that really would be there through thick and thin was ridiculously small -and now even more pitiful.

As for things home... there were complicated. Nothing new there. Uncle Leo kept trying to reach out, but it was as if the more he tried to stablish this bridge the more my mother stressed. I needed this break from everything. This might be why I was this nervous or whatever too.

I'd been saving this past month of work and after the completely lack of alone time and now that the exams were gone until further notice, we'd decided to take a break. To have a weekend off and only for us. Hailey proposed to book a room somewhere so we wouldn't be in the barn or her place (were we usually get interrupted or walked into), so we would disconnect. It would be nice to have our own time away from everything. To have her all for myself. For hours. For a whole couple days. And now I could afford it. She insisted in splitting the spends tho, and even pulled out the birthday card, knowing mine was next Monday; and no matter what I just couldn't dissuade her. But I guess that was fine. I needed this.

I get to the ice-cream shop just as she was finishing wiping the counter and put up all the stools. Her head rose as the doorbell rang and her wary glare softened immediately. I rose my hands in surrender.

"Whoa, hi. Am I interrupting?"

"No! Of course you're not. I just thought you were one of that teens again. They keep coming even when I've already told them we're close and the door has the sing turned." she frowned throwing the rag behind the counter and unlacing the uniform's apron. "I don't know if they're playing, stupid or just want to test my patience- There they are again."

Just then the bell over the door rang and I turned to see a couple of kids -not older than her brothers- entering, laughing among themselves naughtily. "Hey, are you sure we can't-"

But their attitude dropped when they saw me instead of her. So they were playing with her patience on purpose after all. I could see a couple more their same age at the opposite end of the hall, staring this way none too discreetly.

I folded my arms, struggling not to laugh at their clear fright upon seeing me, like caught doing something bad. "Yes?"

"Oh," the one talking before paled, his eyes wide and looking between me and Hailey as if calibrating how much had he screw up. "Um, we..."

"-are sorry." his friend ended for him. Taking his arms and dragging him out quickly. "Didn't know this was closed already. Bye!"

And like that they run to the rest of their grup.

"They knew." grumbled Hailey letting her hair down frustratedly and finally ending all her doing before closing the place and rolling a carry-on luggage from behind the bar. "I've told them. At list thrice. But they keep coming asking for the stupidest things."

"Come on, they're kids. They were kidding around."

"But they respected you. Why does everyone listen to you, but never to me."

"You're too soft."

She scoffed reaching my side. "As if." and just like that any trace of frustration for those brats erased into a cute grin. "Hi." she stood on her tiptoes for a greeting peck and just like that I knew this was about to be the best weekend ever. "Are you ready?"

"Are you?" I asked back taking the pale green suitcase for her, surprise to find out it was quite heavy. I found myself startled, wondering what can she'd probably fit in there for a weekend. I literally packed some clothes and a toothbrush, all of it fitting perfectly in my sport's bag with plenty of room for a lot more. "You are ready." I taunted but she shrugged.

"A girl has to be prepared."

"I bet. But for what? I'm pretty sure we won't be leaving the hotel's enclousure." From the pamphlet she'd shown me the place got a pool, a spa and an arcade on the top floors. Also, we would be alone; and for how long we'd been waiting for it, if we didn't leave the room for the whole weeked I wouldn't even complain.

I got chills just by thinking what would happen there. I had said I did missed the whole sexual part of the relationships, but it didn't felt as real as when we agreed to this little getaway. And she was the one who'd had the idea. We were finally on the same page and as much as I love her and what we do, I was excited for the perspective of what this weekend held within.

For the way she blushed, grinning almost self-consciously, I could tell she was thinking the same as well.

"But what if we fancy going out for lunch, or dinner, or a walk... I've looked it up before and there would be a fair going on and a wax museum and... I don't know, if anything, we have to be prepared to 'leave the hotel's enclousure'."

"If any of those cases occur I hope what I'd packed works..."

"Well," she grinned tauntingly as we exited the shop and she shuttered it. "If it comes to that I could lend you something of mine."

I laughed, holding her hand with my free one. "The whole wearing the other's clothes is cute when you wear mine, not the other way around."

"Guess we won't know until we try."

Sure... But she only grinned at my eyes rolled and we made our way out. Making smooth talk was so easy. Being with her was too. Maybe too much... but if something was going perfectly smooth for once it would be stupid of me to mess it up before it fell for its own weight. We were good, so why should something else matter?

"You got the permission?" I wondered when we finally made it outside. For some reason she was walking extremly slow, as if underwater, but would brush it out with a smile if I mentioned it.

"Yep." she nodded and I relax some more.

"I wasn't sure your mother would sign it, to be honest."

"Trust me, my mother wasn't that happy about it." her nose wrinkled and I could only imagine their conversation when Hailey'd told her we not only would be spending a weekend away, but that we needed her written permission for us to book a room being minors. I would'd been able to do it myself after the Monday but we didn't know when would we be ready to take this getaway with the soon-to-come school's responsabilities and stuff.

"Well, she comply, didn't she?"

"She's been proclaiming all her lectures about trust gaining and learning to do the right choices, so she couldn't really cut me loose now without being an hypocrite. I need my freedom, after all." she almost sang making me think she was quoting her. Whatever the reason was, I was glad we got her permission, because I knew for sure on my side I won't be receiving any and again, we needed it. "However, we're almost legal."

"Ones more than others." I taunted and she stucked out her tongue. Mature.

"I'm only months away from adulthood. Maybe it's not this Monday, but close enough."

"Adulthood." I grimaced lifting her bag to the back of Letty as we reached her. "Sounds like big deal when you say it like that."

"Well, it's kinda true, isn't it?"

Was it really? "It's just a number. I won't be any different a week from now."

"You actually will." she contradicted instead. "You'll be legal; as in responsible of your own actions. One step ahead of this mentioned freedom."

I know. I been waiting for this moment both excited and dreading it. I will actually be able to leave and not be drag back by cops to my mother. I won't be tied under the custody of a legal tutor. I would be on my own, for better or worst. This is what I'd been anticipating ever since I tried to escape the first time.... But, did I want to leave?

I did.

But I didn't.

I dread my horrible flat... but leaving? Now, things were even more twisted because even if I did get my mother on my side for once, moving across the country to my uncle's wasn't as easy. I would leave everything here, and now that included Hailey. Would we survive a long-distance? Was it worth to drop it all rather than endure a couple more months -because, let's face it, my mother would never take my side- and move out naturally if a college accepted me?

"Hey." a hand on my shoulder snapped me out my confused thoughts, and shaking my head I turned to Hailey as she leaned against Letty's side and smiled up at me. "Don't feel too pressured. Tay turned eighteen a month ago and the only real difference is that now she's the one to officially buy us alcohol for our game nights."

I took her approach to lessen the sudden building tension within me. Not this weekend. This was a weekend off. Troubles will still be here when we come back Sunday evening. So instead I perked a brow. "Oh really? I've never seen you drink on the game night I'd stayed."

"We usually do a drinking game when we settle for a movie after the whole cards and gossip." her head tilted amusedly. "Last time you fell asleep before it, remember?"

"Kinda..." I brushed my head, not really able to find that memory, but if I was tired enough to fall sleep in the middle of it I must had been really out. "Sounds like me, I guess. But the other times?"

"Well, we don't always drink." she shrugged with a giggle, her hands moving up my chest as I unconsciously hugged ger hips and tugged her closer.

"Something tells me you're way more troublemakers than what you pretend to be." I taunted and Hailey's grin strengthened.

"Busted. We're real trouble, haven't I told you?"

I smiled back, touched by her without even knowing the reason and kissed her. "The day you became 'real trouble' would be the day I fly."

She let out a chuckle, absentmindly tracing my shoulders' line and erasing the last remaining unease I still had. This was the beginning of two whole days away from all my shit here. "I don't know if I should be offended by it..."

"Don't be. I mean it in the most loving way possible."

"Alright then."

I saw her eyes scrolling behind my back, not at all well conceiled and when I try and turn her hand shit up to prevent me to cupping my face. "What?"

"N-nothing." she blushed, nervously shifting. "I-I just want to look at you. Have I ever told you I love your eyes?"

The excuse was so shrill I almost rolled my eyes. First the slow walking, then staying here when Letty was already packed and now this? I was done pretending. "Is this for the surprise party?"

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"You know, the surprise party? The one they've been planning out this whole past week?"

"N-no! You- you weren't supposed to find out." she frowned, whispering rushedly. "They specifically told me you couldn't find out."

I rolled my eyes at her worried tone. "It's not your fault they're as discreet as a hurricane." all the muttering, looks and misplaced texts in the group I get to read before they delated them weren't exactly concealing. Not the kind of crew to keep a secret.

She smiled nervously, her eyes darting again beyond my shoulder.

"They're behind me, aren't they?" I guessed amused as she bit her lip and stood on her tiptoes for a swift distracting peck.

"Please act surprised-" she whispered rushedly just as a loud explosion was heard from behind me and it rained confetti and loud hollers erupted surrounding us.

Really subtle, just their style. I spun laughing to see half of the team jumping and cheering. I was suddenly pulled from Hailey's side and into a sea of jocks and multiple talking and congratulations coming from everywhere. I was hugged, tossed, turned and manhandled as they all seemed to drown me in waves of cheerfulness that sink deep in me. Most of the team was here, even Seth to my utter surprise, but he remained on the back, nodding in acknownledgment and keeping his distance. What an idiot, was he really gonna act like a sore bitch for what I said about Kimmy not liking him back?

Speacking of which, the raven-headed girl was there too, and she jumped in my arms just then. "Happy Birthday!"

I grinned stupidly as she slid over my head a sash with 'You're only 18 once' written and fix it hanging on one shoulder and across my torso. "Thank you, guys, but you all know my birthday is actually next Monday, right?"

"And you want us to party on a week night?" scoffed Kurt tossing Kimmy a golden tiara that spelled 'happy birthday' so she could put it on me too and she gestured me to bend forward.

"Besides, it would mess the whole 'surprise' part." muttered the girl as Fred patted my back too. Nadia and another cheerleder -I was pretty sure was dating Gale- waved too. Everyone was here. It was touching. More than I'd anticipated.

"Don't you look cute. Say cheese!" taunted Oliver raising his phone and snapping a pic. And then a few more ignoring my frown. "Don't look at me like that. We need to document tonight. You're gonna tressure it forever and ever in your memory but we all know how reliable that is." another flash in the darkening parking lot and he looked down at the screen. "I'm your self-authorized photografer. Thank you! You won't regret it."

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't stop smiling. "I can't believe this..."

"Told you he'll be speechless." Kurt laughed pointedly at Kimberly who just rolled her eyes and fit easily under my arm, curling hers around my middle back.

"Don't be so sure." she grumbled. "I just told you it wouldn't be a secret, not that he wouldn't like it."

"But it was." frowned Daniel, one of the blockers. "Wasn't it?"

"It's so unexpected!" I reassured them but it sounded weird to my own ears. Shit. Kimmy bloated in arrogance as I tried again. "Never saw it coming."

They shared a collective look, dubious. "You knew about this, didn't you?"

Well, that fell by its own weight. I brushed my hair with my free hand, almost dropping the shrill tiara. "Yes."

"Call it." rolled her eyes Kimberly.

"Dude!" Kurt pushed Oliver's shoulder. "Told you he'd read the text."

"Hey! It's not my fault!"

"Guys, guys, it's alright." I call them to chill and Oliver sighed, turning back to me and stealing another damn pic. "Oliver."

"Lighten up!"

"This almost looks like a bachelor's party." I grumbled fixing the uncomfortable tiara once again. Would anyone notice if I took it off? Kimmy slapped my hand away when she saw me touching it, answering my unsaid question.

"Greater." grinned Steve -our passable lineman- lifting his arms cheerfully. "You know what we're doing now? We're taking this to next level."

Still looks like a bachelor's party. "Sounds good."

"Sounds awesome." corrected Oliver taking yet another pic, this time a selfie with his face first line and the rest of us pilled in the background. Seriously, would he be like this the whole night? "Now, get in the car, mates. And let's get this party started."

It was met by more cheers and I chuckled. They were as excited about this as myself. Maybe this was what we all needed. A good night of just celebration together. Back to the basics and that kind of shit. As we all began moving I tried to make it to Letty but was stopped.

"No, no." Kimmy pushed my chest stopping me from advancing further and I frowned down at her. "I think the guys had a whole plot scheduled to embarrass you all across the town."

"What?"

"What you heard." she smirked hanging her flat palm between us. "So if you're so kind to let us girls borrow your car for now, we'll see you once it's done."

I met Hailey's gaze pass Kimmy but she shrugged her shoulders, amused as she got in the driver seat of Letty. Nadia and that other chick I couldn't remember the name of climber in the back of it, and the guys instead were splitting between Olly's and Daniel's car. So they had this all planned already. Returning my gaze to Kimberly's dark one, I gulped.

"When you say 'embarrassing', you mean..."

"I mean unsufferable-macho-hetero-stuff to let out enough testosterone to leave you all satisfied."

"Mhm, and you're not coming?"

"Nate."

"Okay, okay..." I begrudgingly took the set of keys off my pocket, hesitating about giving them. "Take care of my baby, will you?"

But far from calming me she tilted her head, smirking. "Which one?"

"Both."

She laughed clamping her fingers around my keys and I felt a tug in my guts as she took them from me, and they guys called for me to approach them. "Okay, birthday boy. See you in a bit."

The plan was very nicely thought. They first dragged me to complete some kind of gymkhana across the town, where there would be games and stuff that would end with shots and laughs. Like a scanvenger hunt and each clue would be something for me to do or confess. If I succeeded someone else had to drink, if I didn't I would. And they'd hiden clues creating a route to all the places where we usually hang out. The mall, the field, the park...