The body moved slightly when Nate collided into it. Fearful that he was going to knock them to the floor, he quickly turned, his hand ready to steady whomever he had bumped into.
"Oh, I'm so sorry."
To his surprise, a familiar face smiled at him, instantly bringing a smile to his own face.
"Liz! Hey!" His smile faded when he realized he had nearly knocked her over. "Are you okay?"
Liz shrugged it off and put up her hands.
She was shorter than he was, but just by an inch or so. Liz had those piercing Uley eyes but had inherited her mothers gentle smile. Her pin-straight hair fell over her shoulders.
"I'm good. I was just coming from the bathroom," she replied, glancing around towards the front door. "It's a busy night in here."
Nate nodded. "Schools out for the summer and everyone is hungry. Are you needing a table?"
"Actually, I already have one."
Nate looked at her in confusion before following her attention towards a small booth along the window. A blond haired guy smiled back as she waved over at him, causing him to wave meekly back at her. Quickly, Liz turned back to Nate.
"I'm on a date," she told him.
"A date, huh?" Nate said knowingly, before glaring at the guy waiting for her at the table. "Is that the boyfriend I've heard about?"
Nate had heard Talon talking all about Liz's new boyfriend, Kyle. The guy had spent an evening over at the Uley's for supper a week prior and had been interrogated by Sam, who asked him questions that ranged from his family life to his plans for the future. While her youngest brother Shawn had been excited to talk to the guy about football, as Kyle was on the football team at Fork High School, Talon simply sat across from the guy and stared him down while they ate. Unbeknownst to Liz, Emily had later told both her husband and oldest son how upset she was with their behaviour. To Sam's dismay, Emily reminded him that his daughter was getting older and she was bound to have a boyfriend someday. As much as he trusted his daughter, he believed that no man would ever be good enough for her.
Nate had to agree with Mr. Uley. Liz was as close to him as a sister and he couldn't help but look out for her no matter how many times she told him that he didn't have to.
Upon hearing his tone as he spoke and then seeing the dark glare on Nate's face, Liz pinched his forearm.
"Nathaneal William Black, stop it! Between Dad and Talon, Kyle's already had his fair share of intimidation. Leave him alone. He's a good guy."
Nate nodded in understanding. "Well, he'd better be. You deserve a good guy, even if he is a pale face."
Based on Nate's wide smile, Liz knew that he was teasing. She chuckled.
"He lives in Forks," she told him. "He works as a stock boy at the grocery store. I met him when Mom sent me into town to buy some ingredients for some pies that she was making for Sue."
Nate crossed his arms and shook his head.
"I'm still surprised."
"About what?"
"That your Dad is actually okay with you going on a date," Nate said with a chuckle. "I mean, I've always heard him say that you weren't going to be dating until you were at least twenty."
Liz nodded, recalling Sam saying those exact words.
"Well, I wouldn't say that Dad's okay with it all," she told him with a wince. "But I told him that it's something he's going to have to get use to."
Hearing his name being called from the counter, Nate turned his head just as Sue passed him a full glass coffee pot and instructed him to fill the mugs. She smiled at Liz and gave her a quick hug before heading back towards the kitchen.
"Well, I'll let you get back to work before I get you into more trouble," Liz told him, with a smile while Nate nodded.
"Yeah, Aunt Sue can be pretty tough."
Liz chuckled, hearing the sarcasm in his voice.
"But, it was good talking to you, Nate," she told him. "We should hang out sometime, like old times."
"I'm sure there will be bonfires this summer." He paused and glanced over at Kyle as he sat in the booth waiting for Liz while he casually watched the pair interact. When he met Nate's eyes, Kyle turned to look out the window. Although Nate was naturally broad shouldered, compared to Kyle, Nate was shorter and was lacking in the extra body mass. It was obvious that Kyle worked out. But Nate could easily get a dark look in his eyes that obviously unnerved the larger boy and Nate knew it.
"Bring the boyfriend along. It would be good to initiate him into some of the Rez rituals."
"I will, if you stop calling him 'the boyfriend'," Liz retorted, with a smirk.
Nate sighed. "Fine, fine," he said with a teasing smile, as he moved away to begin filling coffee mugs.
Liz crossed her arms and shook her head incredulously as she watched him. "Just you wait, buddy. There will be a day when little Nate Black finally finds a girlfriend."
Nate laughed aloud.
"And then I'll have a great time telling her all the embarassing stories I have of you from when you were younger," Liz added with a giggle.
With a smile, Nate simply shook his head and paused before looking up at her.
"And admit it - you'll be insanely jealous of that lucky woman."
Liz shook her head and laughed out loud at his teasing before turning to head back towards her table and date.
"Oh, just keep telling yourself that, Black."
"You know it's true," he called back before filling another mug. "Don't deny it."
Nate winked playfully at her before turning to attend to more customers.
Liz laughed as she walked back towards Ryan. As she made her way around the tables, she couldn't help but think back to the good times they had when they were little. Being one of four kids that were roughly the same age, her and Nate stuck together while Talon and Ryan would seem to be their opponents in any game they'd play. They didn't mind that she was a girl. They treated her no different. But of course, as the years went by, things changed. While Talon, Ryan and Nate continued that close friendship, Liz soon found her own group of friends apart from the boys. But when push came to shove, she knew that the boys would have her back.
Liz smiled at Kyle before she slid into the booth across from him.
"What was that about?" He asked, gesturing to where Nate was moving from table to table, filling up coffee mugs.
Liz shook her head. "Oh, that was just Nate Black. He's an old friend."
"Black? Is he related to Jacob Black?"
"Yeah, that's his Dad. Do you know him?"
Kyle shook his head.
"I've only heard of him," Kyle replied, before taking a sip of his water. "Folks come into the store talking sometimes and names get dropped."
Liz nodded in understanding.
"Why was he staring at me like that?"
"Like how?"
"Like he was going to come over here and try to beat the shit out of me. If he wasn't so scrawny, I'd be afraid of him."
Liz laughed and shook her head.
"He was looking at you for the same reason that Talon and my Dad were," she told him.
"Oh," Kyle said with a smile, remembering that horrible evening when he first met Sam Uley.
"But he's harmless," Liz added. "Nate's a real great guy. He's just looking out for me."
Kyle smiled. "Well, I suppose I should be thankful that there are so many people around here that are looking out for my girl."
"That's one way to think of the bright side," she said with a chuckle as the sound of a glass hitting the floor echoed throughout the restaurant.
The loud crash caused all conversations to come to an abrupt end before the few teens in the restaurant let out a customary cheer and clapped their hands at the incident. Liz turned just in time to see Nate kneeling on the ground to pick up the pieces of the broken coffee pot as Sue walked up from behind the counter to help him.
"Nate? What happened? Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," he mumbled embarrassingly as he gathered the shards of glass. He sniffed and rubbed his eyes. "It must have slipped when I was trying to switch hands."
Sue gasped audibly before she reached out to quickly grab Nate's hand, turning his palm over to see the swelling and redness of his skin along with the hives that began to pepper up the inside of his wrist to his forearm. She looked at his face, seeing his blood shot eyes.
"Oh god," Sue stated with a gasp. "What did you touch?"
"Nothing," he replied defensively, instantly sounding congested. "I was just pouring coffee."
When Nate suddenly coughed deeply before sniffing, Sue quickly stood up. She looked towards one of her servers who was busy taking orders. The young girl turned up when she heard her name being called before Sue instructed her to take care of the mess on the floor. Quietly instructing Nate to come with her, she pulled him to his feet and led him towards the back utility room that the employees also used to store their belongings in during their shift.
"You must have touched something that you're allergic to," Sue said seriously.
Nate pinched his eyes shut, trying to clear them from the itchiness that overwhelmed them.
"I haven't touched anything except for the tables, mugs and that coffee pot," he stated as Sue directed him to sit on the small chair.
Sue pulled Nate's bag from the hook and asked him where he kept his medication before she began rummaging through the pockets in search of the container. All the while, Nate leaned forward and closed his eyes, realizing that it felt better that way than having them open. Either way, they wouldn't stop running.
"Here, I found this," Sue said, turning his good palm over and placing his puffer into it.
"I don't need it," he told her, holding it out blindly towards her. "I can breathe perfectly fine. I just need the anti-histamines."
"Just hold onto it, please, for my own sanity. Is the epi-pen in here?"
Nate nodded. "But I don't need it. This is just a mild reaction."
He heard Sue scoff before another voice spoke up.
"Sue, can I help?"
Nate lifted his head slightly at the voice. He knew it as Liz's but he knew that she was supposed to be on a date at the moment. Nate opened his reddened, watery eyes slightly but found that Sue confirmed it for him.
"Liz! Yes!" she said. "If you don't mind, could you grab a cool cloth and a bottle of water from the kitchen for me?"
Nate presumed that Liz had left to do what Sue requested when he heard the sound of his pill bottle. A second later he felt two pills being thrusted into his good palm before he felt Sue's cool hands on the back of his neck.
She sighed aloud.
"You're sweating," she told him. "I'm going to cool you down and then I'll give your folks a call to come and get you."
Nate fully raised his head at that.
"No! Aunt Sue, I'll be fine in a few minutes," he said. "I'll be able to finish my shift, no problem."
"Not looking like that you aren't."
When a set of footsteps made their way into the small utility room, Sue thanked Liz before Nate felt the cool cloth rest on his neck. He heard the sound of a water bottle being cracked open before it was put into his hand. Nate tossed the pills into his mouth and washed them down with a long drink of the water.
"Nate? How are you feeling?" He heard Liz ask him after he had swallowed.
He opened and then clenched his swollen hand as best as she could before running his other hand along the bumpy hives on his forearm.
"My eyes are itching like crazy, and my hand burns while I'd like to take some sand paper to my arm. I'm sweating but I feel like I'm freezing, " he replied, with a chuckle. "All in all, I feel like shit."
Suddenly he felt a hand swat him on the back of the head.
"Language, young man," Sue chastised.
"Sorry," he mumbled, scratching at the hives. "I just thought that I had outgrown all of this crap."
Nate heard his aunt sigh over his foul language but this time she ignored it. She couldn't blame him for being frustrated.
"You may never fully outgrow them all," Sue told him. "But it would help if we knew what it was that started this so we will know for next time."
Nate reached over his shoulder to grab the wash cloth that Sue had placed on his neck and felt it slid off to the floor.
"Here, I got it, Nate," Liz said, as she reached over and picked it up off the floor and placed it into his hand.
"Liz, I hate to ask, but do you mind staying here with Nate while I give his Dad a call and then wait with him until he gets here? It's so busy out there right now especially now that I'm down one server."
Nate shook his head.
"Aunt Sue, she's on a..."
Liz suddenly grabbed Nate's hand to stop him from talking.
"I don't mind," Liz quickly interrupted, before looking at Nate. "Really, it's no big deal."
Sue smiled, as she put her had on Liz's shoulder.
"Thank you so much dear," she told her. "I really appreciate it."
"Sue, I'll be fine in a few minutes," Nate argued.
"You're going home," she told him. "The last thing I need on a busy night like tonight is you, going into anaphylactic shock."
"Come on, Aunt Sue..."
"You're going home, end of story."
Nate sighed.
"Fine, but I don't need to be picked up. I have my car here, I can drive."
Sue chucked as she shook her head at his stubbornness.
"Not like this you aren't. You can't even open your eyes without looking like you've been peeling an onion. Until someone comes for you, you're staying put."
She paused for a moment and looked at her great-nephew. His face was flushed, his eyes were wet and he looked horrible. She knew how much he wanted to work; to put money away but his life was worth so much more than his minimum wage and tips he'd be getting over the next few hours.
"I'm just looking out for you Nate," Sue added softly.
He nodded and answered softly. "I know."
As soon as Sue walked out of the room to resume her work, Liz grabbed an old bucket and turned it over to sit on it across from Nate.
"Do I really look that bad?"
Liz nodded.
"I could take a picture of you so you can see what you look like right now."
Nate winced. If he looked as bad as he felt, he really must look horrible.
"I don't think I'd want that reminder."
"I don't blame you."
Nate sighed, and ran the washcloth over his forehead and neck in an attempt to cool himself down. With his good hand, he unscrewed the cap of his water bottle and tried to pour it over the wash cloth but it began to tumble. Liz quickly reached forward, and took both items from his hands and offered to get it wet for him.
"I thought you were on a date."
"I am," Liz said as she grabbed another bucket from the stack in the corner and began to squeeze out the excess water from the cloth. "But Kyle will understand. I told him that I had to ensure that my friend was okay."
"You really don't have to stay here to watch me," he told her. "You're on a date. You should be out there, with him and not stuck in a broom closet with me."
"Nate, I told your aunt that I'm staying with you. Like I said, it's no big deal and Kyle won't mind at all. Really."
She placed the washcloth into his hand and watched as Nate placed it back on the back of his neck.
"He must really love you then," Nate said, sighing as he bent over to ensure the cloth didn't fall.
Liz awkwardly ran her hands together before looking at the floor, feeling her face flush. Although Kyle had never said the words aloud, they were always implied. She had only known him for a few months but she couldn't help but feel the butterflies in her stomach whenever he'd look at her.
Liz looked back up when she noticed Nate reaching over his shoulder to replace the cloth. Silently, she reached forward and took it in her own hand to cool it off once again for him. This time, instead of passing it back to him, she paused and carefully pushed the lock of wavy hair over his forehead back onto his head.
Nate opened his eyes to see what Liz was doing and met her own before she brushed the cloth against his forehead and down his cheeks.
"How's that?" Liz asked.
"Feels great. You're like a professional."
Liz chuckled. "Actually, when we're done high school next year, I'm considering going to college for nursing."
"You should! You'd be a natural," Nate commented with a smirk. Again, she laughed.
"Unfortunately, I really do doubt that I'll find my patients as agreeable as you."
She sighed aloud. "The only problem is Kyle. He's hoping to get a football scholarship to a university out east."
"And you're wanting to go there with him," Nate concluded. "You should. I really don't see the problem there."
"I've never lived anywhere outside of La Push," she said. "We've always vacationed near home. I don't know how I feel about going across the country for school."
Nate sighed, knowing the same feeling.
"It must be quite serious between you two if you're considering it."
Liz shrugged as she moved the cloth around Nate's neck. "It feels like we are but it's not just that. Somehow I know that if I leave, I'll be missing out on something here."
Nate laughed aloud. "La Push isn't really the most exciting place in the world. I don't know what it is that you'd be missing."
"My family is all here," she stated. "My friends."
"You'd make new friends."
Liz shrugged. "But they wouldn't be the same as the ones I have here. Besides, I'd miss my family."
She sighed a she took the cloth and poured water on it again before wringing it out into the bucket.
"Plus, I doubt that my Mom and Dad would agree to me going to college on the otherside of the country with Kyle."
"Who knows," Nate said, with a smirk. "A lot can change in a year. They could certainly change their minds by then."
Liz nodded. "True.
As she mused over that thought, she suddenly heard Sue's voice along with footsteps quickly coming up the hallway before Sue and then Jacob Black and Embry Call appeared in the doorway beside her.
Nate heard his Dad gasp before he breathed out a curse.
"Before you get upset, I'm fine," Nate said, daring to open an eyes while he squinted. He couldn't help but wipe away the tears with his good hand.
Jacob scoffed. "From where I'm standing, you certainly don't look it."
"I think someone may have cut one of our peanut butter cheesecakes before refilling the coffee pot that Nate was holding," Sue said as Jacob approached Nate and touched his hand, seeing the swelling and redness of the hives up his arm. "It's the only thing within the restaurant that I could think of that he could have been exposed to."
"And he had his medication?"
Sue nodded. "About fifteen minutes ago."
"Any trouble breathing?"
As Nate shook his head, Sue spoke. "I had Liz sit with him while I called you."
"He's been breathing fine," Liz stated. "He's been talking to me the entire time. He hasn't had to use the inhaler once while I've been here."
Jacob nodded and smirked.
"Sounds like he'll be all right but I'll take him home anyways." He turned to Sue and Liz. "I appreciate you two looking after him."
After another minute, Nate softly said his thanks to Liz before leaving the restaurant with Jacob at his side and Embry behind him. Nate caught a glimpse of Liz rejoining Kyle back at their table as he followed after his Dad while they walked out the door.
As the moist, ocean air hit him when they walked outside, Nate coughed.
"How's the breathing?" Jacob asked as they walked across the lot beneath the night sky.
With a curt shrug, Nate cleared his throat and answered, "I'm fine."
Jacob could sense Nate's sour mood in having to leave work early because of an allergic reaction that he had no control over.
"Look, I know that you're upset that this happened and I don't blame you," Jacob said, as they walked up to the Rabbit. "We just may have to reconsider you working at Aunt Sue's this summer if things like this are going to happen."
"Dad, I can't live in a bubble my entire life. This was no big deal. I'm fine."
Jacob paused as he came up to the Rabbit and turned to Nate. He pointed at his arm.
"That, is a big deal."
Nate rolled his eyes and huffed in frustration before quickly opening the passenger door to the Rabbit. Scowling and without saying a word, he climbed in and shut it firmly behind him.
"Whoa," Embry said incredulously. "Don't tell me they get more attitude as they get older. Two fifteen year olds is enough and I can barely handle Danielle's mood swings right now."
Jacob turned around to face his friend before running his hand through his hair. He blew air out between his lips.
"He's just frustrated," Jacob admitted. "Just when we begin to think that he's outgrown these allergies, this happens."
"It could be a whole lot worse," Embry reminded him, with a knowing smile. "Remember when we were seventeen?"
Jacob scoffed. "Don't remind me. That entire year was the year of hell."
Embry's smile fell when he recalled what Jacob had gone through, not only with phasing, but also with Bella.
"Hey man," he begun. "Sorry about bringing up past hurts."
Jacob shrugged. "I'm over it, have been for a while."
Embry knew that he had, but still felt compelled to apologize.
"I appreciate the ride over," Jacob told him, holding out his hand towards Embry who promptly shook it.
"Not a problem, bro. I'm just glad Nate's all right," Embry stated, taking a deep breath as he caught the scent of Sue's cooking.
"Since I'm here, I think I may grab something for supper to bring home. Mich is working late at the hospital again and I doubt the twins will have anything ready when I get home."
"Good plan," Jacob stated. "I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Bright and early," Embry confirmed, as he spun on his heel while he headed towards the front door of the restaurant.
Jacob sighed as he climbed into the Rabbit and was met with complete silence. Nate ignored him, and looked out the window as his Dad turned on the car and pulled out of the parking lot. While he drove, Jacob would look over at Nate every so often, not only to ensure that he was okay but also hoping that he'd get his son's attention. Each time, Nate was looking out the window. When they pulled up to a traffic light, Jacob turned to Nate.
"How's the hand?"
Nate turned it over, yet didn't make eye contact with Jacob.
"It's fine."
"Can I see it?"
"I said that it was fine," Nate snapped, this time turning to look at his father. The fierce gaze in his expression softened when he realized that he had raised his voice at his father. Quickly, he looked back out the window.
"Okay," Jacob said, keeping his own voice firm as he turned his attention to waiting for the light to turn green. "Something is going on, and it's more than just the allergic reaction."
Nate sighed audibly, confirming Jacob's suspicions. He knew his son well enough. Nate could be just as stubborn as he was. It was infuriating sometimes and Jacob had sympathy for what his own father had gone through with him.
"Talk to me, Nate."
"Dad, I'm not a little kid anymore," Nate told him. "I'm seventeen."
"I know you are."
Nate scoffed.
"Then why does it seem that everyone seems to treat me like I'm younger than I really am."
Jacob chuckled. "That's ridiculous. Who's everyone?"
"Aunt Sue, Grandpa, Mom...you."
"Me? How do I treat you like a little kid?"
"You're always asking how I am, and even when I tell you that 'I'm fine', you'll ask again as though you're expecting a different answer. I feel like I'm living in a bubble half of the time. You don't allow me to join sports teams at school and whenever I ask about going to a party, you say no."
Jacob held up his hand.
"Hold on there," he stated. "These parties would usually involve drinking and that's something that your Mom and I don't want you to get into. As for the sports, it was always been due to your asthma."
"I haven't had an attack in years," Nate countered.
Jacob nodded. "Fair enough. If you want to get into sports for your senior year, go right ahead."
He paused as the light turned green.
"But I still don't see how those things make you feel that we treat you like a child."
Nate sighed as he looked out the window.
"I know that you and Mom are going away next weekend and that you're having Sarah, Liam and I stay over at Uncle Charlie and Aunt Sue's."
Jacob looked over at Nate, surprised. "Did Aunt Sue tell you?"
Nate shook his head. "No, Uncle Charlie mentioned it. Dad, I'm seventeen years old. I don't need a babysitter. It's like you guys don't trust me or something."
Jacob nodded in understanding in where Nate was drawing his conclusions.
"Nate, it's not that we don't trust you. It's just that your Mother and I would feel more comfortable if there was an adult with you guys. We'll be gone for two nights and we've never been gone away from any of you for that long. Besides, we want to ensure that Liam is being fed dinner each night. Between you and Sarah, the three of you would be liable to eat junk food all weekend."
Jacob looked over at Nate as he continued to look out the window.
"This was all decided late last night. We were planning on telling you guys this evening."
"But you are right," Jacob said with a sigh. "You don't need a babysitter. If this weekend goes well and you can honour us by abiding by Uncle Charlie and Aunt Sue's rules, then next time, you could be in charge of the house."
Nate turned his head, hearing his father's words.
"Really? You're serious?"
"Completely," Jacob replied with a smile. "Just keep this weekend a secret until we tell Sarah and Liam. I know Liam is going to be excited."
Nate bit his lip and winced. "Actually, he already knows."
Jacob's smile fell.
"Charlie?"
Nate nodded, as Jacob sighed.
"I knew he'd say something. He's been wanting to take you fishing with Old Quil and Grandpa."
"Yeah, he said something about that too."
"Are you wanting to go?"
Nate snorted and smiled. "Of course. Fishing with Uncle Charlie and Grandpa is always riot! Old Quil ends up falling asleep half of the time and Grandpa has to wake him cause his snoring scares the fish."
Jacob laughed, nodding. "He hasn't changed then."
He looked over at Nate, seeing his son smiling despite his eyes still being red and watery.
"Nate," he said, causing the seventeen year old to look at him. "Thank you for agreeing to all of this."
Nate nodded, looking back out the window. "Bring me back a Mariners hat?"
Jacob chuckled.
"Sure thing pal."
A/N
Thank you to the two who reviewed my last chapter that I published yesterday. I really appreciate your comments and thoughts. I hope that I can surprise you along the way. Although I know that I had over a hundred readers for the last chapter and just the two reviews, I still put out this chapter cause I'm excited for what's to come. Maybe I'm going too slow in my storyline? Let me know what if it is. Things are soon going to be picking up...
