He slammed the door shut once he entered his room. His built up fury sent the walls shaking almost causing wall frames crashing to the floor. It was all too much to handle. Never did he think he would be in the same emotional state he was in back when Haley had left him. All alone with his parents and their fighting with his father's pressure's put on him. Plus the pain Haley's absence caused him, was just unbearable. It was a long process to get back on his feet both physically and emotionally. It took time but eventually he survived. Until now that is.
The way he saw Jill's face turn from a smile into a shattered pained look just made him break down. He wanted to protect her, he wanted to shield her from everything that could have caused potential harm. He never ever wanted to hurt her yet he did, and it wasn't intentional.
When did life get so complicated he thought as he lay on his bed. He didn't bother changing, he just wasn't in the mood. Letting out a huge sigh he grabbed his cell phone and clicked the phonebook. Once he located the name he pressed send.
A groggy voice answered, obvious that they had been asleep.
"Hello?"
"Hey."
"Umm Nathan hey," she wasn't sure how to react, making sure it was him she checked her display.
"Did I catch you at a bad time, were you sleeping?"
"Huh? Oh yeah but that's okay, I'm up now."
"Sorry for waking you, I'll just talk to you tomorrow. Go back to bed."
She got up leaning on her headboard.
"No no it's fine. I'm never the one to sleep early anyways so that was oh let's say my light nap"
He was unsure. It was a little wierd talking to her now.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I usually don't go to sleep until five in the morning you know that."
"Yeah I know," he smiled.
"So what's up? You don't sound too good."
He shrugged.
"It's nothing."
"Yeah right," she always saw right through him, "you wouldn't call me for nothing in the middle of the night if it was nothing."
He sighed, he didn't know how to put it.
"It's my dad."
The word 'dad' she knew it wasn't good.
"What did he do now?"
"I don't know, what doesn't he do?"
"You tell me?"
"He makes me feel like I'm not good enough, with my game and everything else. I came home today feeling like shit only to find that I was in for something far worse."
She nodded.
"Was he picking you apart again?"
"Yeah. He was talking a lot of shit about how I played tonight. I thought I played well but to Dan nothing is ever perfect when it comes to me."
"Nathan that's all it is, talk, nothing else. Don't listen to him because you know he's wrong. Look at you, you've grown into something better than he is, he just can't take it. You have what he doesn't so he's going to ruin it for you, because that's what Dan does. If everyone is happy and he's not, you're for sure he's planning something to ruin it."
"Why?"
"Because sweetie that's Dan. You know it, you've grown up with him all your life, but remember what I told you? He can talk all the smack he wants but at the end of the day that's all it is. So don't take any of what he says to heart because you're better than that. You should have the satisfaction of knowing you'll never turn out to be like him."
"How do you know? Cause at times it seems I'm just like him?"
"I know you Nathan and you will never be like him. You know why?"
"Why?"
"Because you have heart."
He smiled, she always had that effect on him.
"I do don't I?"
"Ughh," she scoffed playfully pulling up her hair into a messy ponytail, "still playing the cocky card I see."
"Yeah, I'll never grow out of that."
She nodded, "Is that what you wanted to get out of your chest, Dan's bastardly ways?"
"Yeah, sorry for throwing it all on you."
"No it's okay. You know I'm always here right? Whenever where ever, even if we're fighting I'll push everything aside."
"I know."
"Good because I want you to know you can call me. I'm here for you."
He knew she was being honest. That's what he always loved about her. He could just blow up on her with his random shit and problems and she'd be okay with it.
"Thanks Haley."