Nathan stretched slowly as his alarm loudly informed him that it was 6:15. He groaned loudly, the sound looming in the small blue room. He sat up and peered around. One gleaming trophy after another lined the wall facing him. Waking up to his triumphs was good, he decided. It was better to be reminded of the noble things then the cowardly ones. Those were the fights he often lost.
He rose and took his time to fully stand. His hand automatically picked up the chain on which the familiar, sacred ring was placed. The sacred metal was cool to the touch, and Nathan hurriedly slipped the chain over his neck. He felt the ring bounce dully of his chest. He couldn't help but wonder why his heart felt so empty when it beat so steadily.
His eyes scanned the room. A photo of a beautiful girl and a happy young man was perched at the edge of his desk. The steady beating of his heart quickened instantly, feeling as though it would pound right out of his chest. That was what happened when he saw her. He couldn't control thoughts or actions. He would act on impulse, because nothing was too big or too grand for her. Even though she was a girl of the simplest pleasures, he couldn't help but strive to impress her.
"Nathan." A blonde woman, lines of worry permanently etched in her face, stood in his doorway.
"Yeah, Mom?"
His mother smiled forcedly. "Should I start breakfast? Or are you-"
"Whatever. I can get something." He quickly replied.
Deb looked unconvinced. "Nathan, is everything all right?"
He looked at her bluntly. "Where have you been for the last year?"
Her eyes were pained as she turned away. "You need to let your heart love sometime, Nathan." She bit her lip as she watched her son sadly. "It might forget how."
Nathan knew that over the past year, he had built a wall around himself, shielding himself from emotion, brick by brick. Ever since he had been abandoned by the one person who he truly loved, truly cared for, that wall had gradually built itself around him, because his heart had been broken once. If he didn't protect it carefully this time, he wasn't sure how far he could go before his heart gave up completely.
Nathan looked at the closed door, half-hoping it would open again.