"Nate?" Alexis' voice rung through the silent hallways. "Nate!" Her hoarse voice suggested annoyance and anger. Her stomps reverberated on the ground. They became louder and louder until they stopped altogether. The lack of noise resembled that of the eye of the storm—eerily quiet. Nate sat in his library. He paused from reading—his hand still on top of the open book to keep his page. His eyes were locked on the door waiting for Alexis' theatrical entrance. Suddenly, the room shook and in came Alexis. Even though Nate had been expecting her arrival, it still startled him. "Nate, why did Jeremy just tell me that the guys aren't coming over tonight?" He gave her no answer. "Why did you tell them not to come?" He still just looked at her. "What's wrong with you?" She was acting childish and Nate never thought he would act as a father-figure in disciplining his girlfriend.

He slowly closed his book. "One night without them won't be the end of the world." He took his time when lifting his eyes to her. She was fuming with anger and in that moment, Nate couldn't think of the reason that made him think he could spend his life with her and not with Alex. Maybe when they were younger, they worked out. They had similar mentalities and similar likes, but now it was different. She had grown older and he had grown older. Nate wanted to hold onto that strain of teenage glory. "Let's just go do something together tonight. Just you and me. Maybe we can watch a movie? We can go shopping. We can go for a walk. Anything with just the two of us."

Alexis shook her head and let out a deep breath, "No, Nate." Her words became pointed and heavy, "I will hang out with them tonight whether you like it or not. If you wanted to do something with me, then you should have said so earlier. Not now." Alexis stormed out and Nate waited for the final bow. A minute later, the house shook from Alexis slamming the front door close.

Nate sighed. He almost always welcomed the silence, but tonight, the silence was hard to enjoy. The silence gave him room to think. He didn't know if he wanted to think. Nate stood up pushing back his large plush leather chair and turned off his desk light. He slowly picked up his book and held it in one hand. His intention was to place it back on the shelf where he first found it. Pushing the book back into place, he almost wished a sign of what to do would pop out of the bookcase from between the books. Anything. Hastily written notes between books signed with Allie's name. Pictures of happiness wedged between titles. He took a step back and realized that this isn't his and Alexis' home. Sure, she lived here but he didn't build this house with her. All of the things that made this place what it was had been picked by him and Allie. There he was again, thinking. He didn't like it one bit. He took a few more steps back and settled into one of his leather chairs. He rested his chin in his fist and stared blankly at the door.

It dawned on him that he was in deep trouble.


Nate laid in bed counting beats to a tune that suddenly popped into his mind. The dark night sky shone in through the curtained windows yet it was still relatively dark in the room. The tranquil moment lasted for what seemed like eternity until Alexis stumbled into the room and threw herself onto the bed. Her actions interrupted his methodical rhythm keeping. She reeked of alcohol and cigarette smoke. As it already was, he didn't want her any closer to him smelling like that, but she snuggled up against his body holding him tight before she smacked her lips, yawned and heavily dropped her head onto his chest. Nate let out a sigh and tried his best to fall asleep.


"Alexis..." Nate grabbed a bag of baking goods, "Alexis!" There was no response but a grunt. He walked to the foyer from the kitchen about ready to exit the house until he saw Alexis slumped over on the bottom step of the stairs. He knelt down to her level and pushed back some of her teased hair from her face. "Alexis, it's time to go. We have to go to Shane's house to do that thing and bake a bunch of cookies with him for that bake sale he said he'd bake for. Let's go." Alexis shook her head. "Before we go, you should probably get cleaned up. Mitchie's little cousins are going to be there." He stood up and watched her to see if she would move. She groaned and let her head slide over to lean on one of the steps, her mouth hanging wide open. "I get that you're hung over but this is kind of important." Alexis lazily swotted her hand in Nate's direction. Nate sighed. "I'll be waiting in the car. Be there in fifteen minutes." He waited for a response but didn't get any. He hardened his voice trying to tell her he meant business, "Go. Now." She slowly scrambled up the stairs. He watched until he saw her enter the master bedroom. Running a hand through his hair, he questioned when his relationship altered to this point. Nate took a seat on the step Alexis had previously been occupying and waited for her to come back down.

Twenty minutes later, she came down looking fresh and hints of her night were gone. Nate could still smell the cigarette smoke in her hair but he figured she cleaned up just enough so it wasn't so obvious that she forgot she was supposed to be working with little kids today. Alexis remained quiet but kept her chin up almost as if saying that she didn't appreciate Nate's bossy tone from earlier. His hand naturally fell to the small of her back as he led her to the car. As she climbed in the car, she gave him a sneer before slamming the door. He sighed and got in the car himself.

By the time Nate and Alexis arrived at Shane's house, he saw cars already lining the street in front of the house. "Great." Nate shut off the car. "We're late." Alexis shook her head and roughly opened her door. Nate looked after her and rushed to get out of the car so they would show up at the door together.


"Mitche, can you hand me that bowl of chocolate chips?" Shane held out his hand for the bowl. Mitchie broke her concentration on frosting some cookies to give him the bowl. Shane passed the bowl to one of Mitchie's cousins named Marjorie, "Here ya go. Just dump this in the bowl. We've got plenty more so don't worry about not saving any." Marjorie did as told tentatively. She looked up at Shane from where she stood on the foot stool for approval. Shane smiled and nodded his head as she dumped the rest of the chocolate chips in. "Good!" He took the bowl from her small hands and placed the bowl next to Mitchie.

Mitchie and Shane had been baking for a good hour and a half already. There were messes all over the kitchen but the messes weren't so bad that they actually had to clean them up. Shane had a little flour on his face but Mitchie still looked flawless with her softly curled hair. She had taken off her rings and bangles and placed them over on the little table with Shane's keys. Earlier that day, Mitchie had brought five of her little cousins in a minivan she had borrowed from her aunt to Shane's house. Shane thought it was cute that she was driving them around but Mitchie sighed and complained that the minivan made her feel like a soccer mom at the age of thirty-six. Mitchie had introduced each of her little cousins to Shane who all stared at him with eyes of awe. While Shane and Mitchie prepared lunch, they let them watch some TV. After lunch, Mitchie decided that they should get started baking right away before the kids needed their naps.

Mitchie checked the digital clock above the oven and took a glance at her four year old cousin, Ellisyn, who was handing her unfrosted cookies with a drowsy expression, "Oh, Shane, it's almost nap time!" Mitchie hurried her frosting rhythm. Ellisyn began to pick up her pace as she handed cookies over faster.

Ellisyn had been wordlessly handing over cookies until now, "Mitchie, I like helping you make cookies." Mitchie glanced over to Ellisyn waiting for more words to come. "But, I'm really tired now." Mitchie almost melted as she saw her little cousin look about ready to fall asleep standing up with cookies in her hands. Mitchie put down her frosting spatula as she softly smiled at her little cousin.

"Alright, Ellisyn." Mitchie gently took the cookies from Ellisyn's outstretched hands. "Let's go take a nap." After setting down the cookies on a plate, Mitchie grabbed one of Ellisyn's tiny hands before looking at the other little kids. "Marjorie, you want to go take a nap?" Marjorie was wiping sleepiness from her eyes but she shook her head still wanting to be the chocolate chip dumper. Mitchie laughed. "Alright, come on, Marjorie." With her other hand, Mitchie grabbed Marjorie's tiny hand in her own to lead them both to an empty bedroom.

While Mitchie was away, Shane glanced over at the two boys and one girl shaping cookies for baking. "Are you guys tired?" They shook their heads.

One of the little boys, Donovan, paused in the middle of shaping the dough to hold out his hand, "I'm five years old. I don't take naps. That's for little kids!" Then he went back to his dough.

The other little boy, Kennedy, looked up, "I play football, now." Shane gave him a face then chuckled not really understanding how playing football had anything to do with not needing naps. Shane then turned to Rose and waited for her response. She just looked up and shrugged then placed her shaped dough onto the baking sheet. Shane nodded and looked up over to where he heard Mitchie walking into the kitchen.

Just as Mitchie picked up the spatula to start frosting again, the doorbell rang. Shane ran to get it as Mitchie started talking to the kids. Already knowing who would be at the door, Shane threw it open. "Well, if it isn't my brother and his lovely girlfriend." Shane smirked when Nate hit him for the sarcasm. Alexis gave him a glare before walking towards the kitchen. In a lower voice, Shane continued, "What were you thinking bringing her over here like that?" Nate shrugged. "She stinks of cigarette smoke and booze." Nate shoved the bag of baking supplies. "Alright." Shane sighed and rolled his eyes. "Get in here."

Mitched greeted Nate with a hug and a kiss to the cheek. She held him a bit longer to whisper in his ear, "There's some Febreeze in Shane's closet. If you don't mind, can you tell your girlfriend?" Mitchie gave him another quick kiss and released him before returning to her frosting. Nate took a glance at Alexis who was sprawled on the couch. He noticed the kids looking over at her but didn't say anything about it. He introduced himself and just like before, the kids eyes were as wide as saucers with excitement and awe.

The kids began to talk amongst themselves and Nate accidentally overheard Rose ask, "I wonder if we get to meet Alexis Texas." Nate silently shook his head before he turned to Mitchie and Shane, "So, what do I have to do?"

Shane shrugged. Mitchie looked around the kitchen and gave him a sweet smile, "You can start packing up the cookies we frosted awhile ago. The frosting should have hardened a little by now." Nate hesitated. "That or you can clean up some of the mess we already made." Nate shook his head and began packing the cookies.

After three hours of baking and six batches of two dozen cookies per hour, Shane, Mitchie and the kids were tired. Mitchie started to clean up while the kids were helping Nate pack the cookies. Shane continued frosting the cookies that were just about done cooling. Mitchie wiped up some flour as she spoke to the kids, "You guys did an awesome job today. Maybe we can get Shane to agree to do some more bake sales and then you can come over to help us again." The kids cheered and Shane shook his head to discourage Mitchie from continuing down that path. Mitchie giggled as Shane dropped the spatula and grabbed her from behind into a hug.

"Nate!" Alexis groaned loudly and slowly from the couch her hand raised in the air calling him over. "Nate!"

Mitchie glanced over in the direction of Alexis' voice and she tensed. She gently brushed herself out of Shane's embrace and as she walked over to Alexis she made herself quiet yet clear, "Alexis, please don't-" But before she could continue, Alexis had interrupted her with calling out for Nate again. "I've got two kids na-" Alexis's groans were impatient and demanding. The last one was almost as if she shrieked his name. Then she heard the bedroom door open. Out popped two teary-eyed four year olds. Mitchie rushed over to them after glaring at Alexis. Shane gave a look to Nate almost as if saying that Alexis was out of hand. Shane moved over to Mitchie and guided the three back into the room.

Nate let out a long sigh before dropping the cookies in his hands and going to Alexis. "What do you want." His words were short but not entirely unkind. Alexis' dull tired eyes stared up at Nate's and he slowly saw fire starting to build in them. It wasn't what he was hoping for. The fire burned into anger and fury. She jumped off of the couch and stormed her way towards the kitchen. When the kids saw her, they moved aside.

Alexis quickly glanced at Nate catching his eye. Nate couldn't decipher what flashed in her orbs but he knew it couldn't be good. "I'm effing tired of this. I want to go home!" She pounded her fist on the counter childishly. "You spent all day putting attention on these stupid ugly cookies!" She grabbed a few in her hands. "And not enough on me!" She threw them to the ground before looking at Nate with fiery eyes. Nate looked on with shock as he watched his girlfriend throw a temper tantrum—one that could rival that of a toddler's. Alexis stared at Nate huffing. Then when she caught a glimpse of the children staring, she began to scream at the top of her lungs and purposefully swung her fists to knock over some trays of unpacked cookies.

That few minutes felt like hours as he watched his girlfriend act worse than a misbehaved child. Everything around him moved in slow motion as his gaze fixated on Alexis. Shane and Mitchie rushing out of the bedroom. Three children running from the epicenter of the noise. Cookies flying in the air only to crash to the ground.

And then it stopped.

xoxo

Hmmmm, can you lovely readers guess why Nate's in trouble?

So, I hope you won't be too mad at me but I couldn't help myself. I didn't read through this chapter. I just wrote it and posted it. I wanted to post it quickly so I could try to get back to posting each week. Anyways if you read through it and see something that's spelled atrociously or the grammar's distractingly off, let me know and I'll try to fix it right away!

I use to have a ton of chapters waiting to be posted but now I'm re-writing the ending. It's not really a tweak here and a tweak there. I'm trashing what I originally wrote and writing from where this story has started to grow. I feel like the story has taken a different turn and I almost feel like I'm cheating you guys from reading two stories. This story really has turned into a two-pronged thing? I don't know... I'm thinking of making this chapter longer... I don't know... My mind's all over the place.

Review replies from the previous chapter will soon be posted on my profile page for the reviewers without an account.

Thanks for reading!

Oh and last little thing for the long author's note: Pierce? (do you remember him?) or Lucas? Who do you like more?