Free Straight Laced by Jessica Gunhammer Page A

wanting him to get to know the real me. But did I ever make an attempt to get to know him? No, I didn’t, I was too busy being a brat.
    Now he’s lying in a hospital bed—he could have died that night. I hated to think that way but it was the reality of the situation. If it wasn’t for Brent going back and finding him he could have bled to death and died. Suddenly the life I was living felt too short. There were so many things I wanted to do with my life and Nate just showed up and reminded me not once but twice of all the things there is that I want to do. But I had realized one thing. The order of the things I wanted to do has changed. The number one thing on that list now…was getting to know Nate Thompson.
    Not just learning about his family life and where he went to school and if he played sports. But I wanted to know him as a person. What he loved, what he hated, what set him off. These were things I wanted to know.
    That night I dreamt about Nate and me riding through the hills on his bike together. I could smell his cologne again mixed with the outdoors. That was a smell I would never forget, it made me feel warm inside. It made me feel safe and protected. It made me feel like I belonged. That was one thing I’ve never had in my life. The feeling of belonging and knowing that this was where I’m meant to be, and most of all, who I’m meant to be with.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 15
     
     
    The next afternoon I stopped and grabbed Brent some food before I made my way back up to the hospital. Tori was feeling better and told me I didn’t have to come up today but after my realization last night , I knew that I wanted to be there. Not to mention, that was the only place I was allowed to go while I was “grounded.”
    I walked into the room and was surprised to see Nate had woken up. Brent sat in the chair next to his bed, and from the smile on his face, I could tell they were back to their easy going selves. Nate looked up and smiled at me.
    “You’re awake again!”
    “I am.” He nodded and continued to smile. I had forgotten how amazing that smile was.
    “He woke up early this morning. I would’ve called but it’s been kind of hectic with all the doctors coming in and out and asking questions.”
    “No worries.” Honestly I was a little hurt I wasn’t here with him when he woke up but I couldn’t be mad at Brent. They were best friends and he was like family to Nate. I’d only met him a few weeks ago.
    “Thanks, you didn’t have to do that.” He took the coffee and bagel from me.
    “It’s not much but I thought you might be hungry.”
    “Looks like the party’s in here!” Tori came in the door with a trail of balloons following behind her. One of them was shaped as a crown and the word “princess” was scrolled across it in pink script. “I brought you some balloons!”
    Nate immediately burst into laughter. The look on his face and the holding of his stomach indicated he must still be sore from the accident. “Does that balloon say princess?”
    Tori laughed. “Yes , but it was either “It’s a boy” or “princess” and I thought “princess” suited you the best.”
    “How do you figure?” Brent asked , trying to stop from laughing.
    Tori’s eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t know! I was just trying to be nice!” Even I couldn’t hold back my laugh any longer. “At least you guys got a good laugh out of it. It’s been too depressing these last few days.” She walked over and tied the balloons to the small table next to the bed.
    “Thanks , Tori.” Nate laid his head back down on his pillow. I could see that he was already getting tired. “This hospital stuff really takes it out of you.” I think he was talking to everyone but he was looking right at me.
    “Are you hungry?” Tori asked him.
    “No. I just had that weird stuff they called lunch a little bit ago. I’m mostly just tired.” I felt awkward standing at the end of the bed but I didn’t want to