[06] Spending Another Christmas with the Hot Emo Delinquent?

"Bad idea," Jack whispered, as if the thought itself was a sin. "I think you're forgetting the fact that...that Ekstrom Media CEOs dream of biting our heads off and roast our asses alive after bruising their ego to no ends. You're dating one of their biggest asset."

"She's one of their biggest asset?"

"Come on, everyone knows that M.Couture is Ekstrom's money-making machine, Nathan. God knows what they would think when you're dating their...their ATM!"

Nathan snorted, rolling his eyes. "That's their problem, not mine."

"Are you even listening to yourself right now?" Jack scolded. Jack was uptight than usual after a meeting, Nathan realized. Maybe not one of the best time to tell his associate. But if Jack reacted this way, god knew how the rest of his colleagues will.

"Look, we need to concentrate on this account right now," Nathan said, trying to change the topic. They were having a major jet-lag. Nathan felt as if he should sleep under one of the palm trees, fully-dressed in a formal suit.

"I think we need to focus on you. And your brain. D-do I need to call a neurologist or whatever because I think a wire went missing somewhere in there..." Jack trailed off, tapping on Nathan's forehead.

"Treat it as a one night stand thing," Jack said after Nathan struggled to get away from Jack's hand. Nathan glared at him. "I haven't seen her for years, Jack. I love this woman."

"No, you once think you loved her because teenagers have hormones that drive them loopy sometimes. Remember you and your piercings?"

"I thought my face could use some...er...renovation?"

"Hormones, buddy," Jack said sternly. Despite himself, Nathan laughed. Out of frustration rather than happiness, most probably.

"Why can't you believe that maybe I really do love her?" he said after a while. "She helped me. Her family helped me go through quite a lot. And it's crap that she had to leave so soon and I had to be a douchebag to not call her after all those years."

"Why didn't you anyway?" Jack scoffed, sounding deflated.

Shrugging, Nathan replied, "I guess I was just...afraid."

For no reason, he realized, feeling disappointed at himself.

"Had fun yesterday?"

"I still can't believe it," I sighed bitterly.

It was a bright day today, despite the weather stations claiming that it would rain cats and dogs all day long. But the weather was pretty unpredictable here. Heck, it might be raining as soon as I blink. Keira and I were grocery shopping.

"Believe it," Keira laughed, nudging me. "You've met your first sweetheart!" She squeals excitedly. Gosh, we have a tendency to be loud even now. "Keira, please," I hissed. "I know, I'm pretty happy about that it's just..."

Keira looked at me questioningly as I picked up a carton of milk.

"...it feels so surreal. It's like it's too good to be true you know?" I said, shrugging. Keira shook her head side to side, her ponytail swaying along.

"You're given a chance of a lifetime," she said, rather dreamily. "If I were you, I wouldn't want to let go."

"Don't you get it, Keira?" I said, feeling a growing trepidation...somesort of an uneasy feeling in me. "Last time I was with Nathan there was a lot of...complications."

"He's fine now, isn't he? A steady income, become quite handsome too...although I think I prefer the rebel in him back then," Keira said.

"You like anyone that looks like a rebel back then," I laughed. "Let's just forget about it. What's next on the list?"

I walked from aisle to aisle, hoping that the uneasy feeling would just disappear.

But for the rest of the day, like my thoughts, it never did.