"Get the hell off her!" Was the only thing I heard before he was being ripped away from me and thrown to the ground.
Nathan was picking him up by his shirt and pulling back his fist.
"Nathan no!" I yelled, grabbing his arm and preventing him from swinging it.
He didn't answer, just slung my co worker back to the ground and stormed out of the room. I took a quick glance at Keller who was rubbing the back of his neck before running after Nathan.
"Hey wait!" I called just as he got to the door.
"What is going on Rain?" He asked in a raised voice. "I thought you said that there was nothing going on between you two? I came here to apologize and take you home, but I guess I was wrong."
"Nate there wasn't, isn't. I don't know! That just happened, but please, can't we just talk?"
"I'm sorry Rain, but I really have to go." He let the door slam behind him, but I didn't bother going after him. I found Keller still on the floor with more than a bruised ego.
"You ok?" I asked, kneeling down beside him.
"Yeah, I've had worse done to me by him before."
"Listen, why did you, um, well, you know." I fumbled with my fingers as we both rose to our feet. There was a new awkward that filled the air and I wanted to know why.
"If you don't get what I was trying to say then I don't know how else I can get you to understand." He didn't look at me as he left the store room, shutting the door behind him. I quickly followed, raising my voice slightly.
"Fine whatever, can you just take me home?" If he was going to act like this was a game, then so was I.
He didn't answer as he continued to lock up the store and put papers away, what nerve. I grabbed my bag out from behind the counter and took out my pills bottle, not just because of the pain from my shoulder and arm, but I hoped beyond hope that it would prevent a headache from forming behind my eyes.
I popped them into my mouth and swallowed them without a need for a drink.
"Are you planning to OD?" He asked as I swallowed the last one before putting the container back into my bag.
"And give you the pleasure to celebrate my painful death, ha, not today."
"Good, I wouldn't want to have to answer all the police's questions about why you where a depressed loner high school student."
"Who just happened to be sexually harassed by her co worker." He stopped dead in his tracks as my last words reached his ears.
"It's not considered harassment if the other participant is willing in the events." He smirked again, how I wished that I could wipe it right off his face.
"I bet Mr. Karmez wouldn't see it that way."
"What do you want?"
"Simple, all I want is a ride home. It isn't that hard, and I don't have to file a complaint against you."
"All this over a simple kiss? I hate to imagine the poor guy who has to marry you and how your wedding night is going to be. You might bash his skull in with the lamp or something."
"That would be different."
"Whatever, lets just go before it floods." He didn't wait for me to grab my bag before heading out the door and making his way back to the parking lot. Not that I expected him too, but things where just getting weird between us and this wasn't making them any easier.
The drive to my house was silent; he knew where I lived so I didn't need to give him directions. But the reason he did was because of a cruel prank he and his friends played on me at the end of last year. Since they where seniors and I was only a sophomore, he got one of them to ask me to the prom, a guy who I thought was decent and kind. Come that night, I got all dressed up; make up done, hair fixed, and even borrowed one of Harpers dresses. He had asked me to wait on the front porch and he'd pick me up there, so I did as he requested. At the second that he was supposed to be at my house, a car, Kellers jeep, pulled up and they all climbed out, throwing water balloons at what they called a 'freak'.
I had immediately called Nathan, who dropped in at the prom with some of his friends and took Keller and his gang swimming before hanging them out to dry in the gym. No one found them until almost midnight.
I didn't care at the moment what went on between Keller and myself, all I wanted was to fix what happened between me and my best friend. That was worth more to me than the egotistical musician.
"Get out." He ordered, barely pulling to a stop in front of my house. I didn't argue or look back as I climbed out, letting him speed off into the swampy streets.
If only he would get into a car crash… But he did help me when Peyton hit me. No idea why. I mean he's a class A asshole one minute and is suddenly concerned with my life the next. I guess guys really are moodier than girls on their cycle.
Harper and Lily where already in their room by the time I was finished feeding my pets and myself for that matter, so my wish of slamming doors and causing a fuss wasn't going to be part of this specific nights routine.