Chapter 12

Nash

Nash hadn't spoken to his parents since Chloe ran away. When she had biked off he had stormed back into the house, ready to explode, but his parents had already gone back to making out and he just couldn't do it. There was no point in screaming, no point in trying. No point in battles he could never win, so he had marched upstairs and slammed his door shut, praying Chloe didn't hate him.

But now the next day came and his parents sat in the kitchen eating breakfast. They were dressed in their yachting clothes, ready to leave him again, and Nash didn't care. Go. Leave him. Get out. He was so sick of them. Even though he craved to have present parents, he also despised the very people who gave birth to him.

Nash went to cupboards and grabbed a box of cereal and grabbed milk from the fridge. He poured everything into a bowl and seethed quietly, ignoring his parents who ate quietly. He could feel their eyes on him, but he didn't care. He just wanted them gone.

"Why are you ignoring us, Nashy?" his mom called. "Why so grumpy?"

Nash didn't response. He chugged down his food, ready to escape to school.

"Speak to your mom when she speaks to you," his dad scolded. "You're our kid."

"And you both have barely been parents to me," Nash snapped. "So just leave me alone."

"Why are you mad?"

Nash straightened up. He gave both his parents a levelled look, trying his best not to start yelling at them, but it was so hard. After years and years of neglecting, or resentment building up, all he wanted to do was scream at them about the way they treated him, but what was the point? They wouldn't change. He knew they never would.

"Why did you talk to Chloe like that?" Nash asked, thinking back to the horror on Chloe's face. She had run out as if she couldn't bare to be around them any longer and it had crushed Nash. He never wanted to hurt her like that and his parents had. "You don't even know her and you insulted her."

"Well, I was concerned about her dad," his mom muttered, but she wouldn't meet Nash's eyes.

"Why? Did Chloe even mention her dad using life insurance money? No. So don't make up assumptions and hurl them at people like insults. You went too far yesterday and I don't want to be around you guys right now."

Nash threw the rest of his cereal into the garbage and hurled his bowl into the sink. The clang rang out and his parents winced.

"Look, I'm sorry. Bring her over so I can apologize," his mom said. "I'm human. I make mistakes."

"I will never bring her over when you're around. Not after yesterday."

"Were you always this cranky? Loosen up, Nashy. You became such a buzzkill once you became an adult."

"Yes, I was always this cranky. You just wouldn't know because you were never around."

His mom's jaw dropped. His dad tensed. Nash stepped back, ready to leave. He was one second away from exploding - from spilling years and years of frustration that he wished to keep stored away.

"We worked so hard, Nash," his dad said. "We deserve to treat ourselves and go on vacation. We gave you everything. You should be okay with this."

"And it's not our fault you have school," his mom whispered. "You can come with us if you choose to."

"I wouldn't join you even if I didn't have school." Nash rolled his eyes. They didn't get it. They never would, so he stepped back, slowly making his way out of the kitchen.

"Wow, I didn't raise you talk to us like that. Nash-"

"No, you didn't raise me at all, end of story. Now leave me alone."

His mom gasped and Nash whirled around. He stormed to the front door, putting on his shoes, before stepping out and heading to his car. He slammed all the doors he went through, growing angrier and angrier. Not only at his parents, but at himself, too.

He had yearned to have present parents all his life, wishing to be a normal family, but the older he got the more he realize how flawed his parents were. Days like this, he wished they would leave him forever, to free him of this burden, but he knew they were inexplicably tied together forever, and that was the worst part. It would have been better if he never knew his parents at all, but instead he was stuck in a state of both yearning for his parents and wishing they'd leave him for good.

*****

Nash's day had been a blur. He went through the motions of school - workout with Caiden, go to his classes, play games with Elijah, and then study after school, but he barely remembered any of it. All he could think about was Chloe, who he hadn't seen today, and about his parents who he prayed had gone back to partying.

Nash walked towards his car, pulling out his keys to unlock it, but then he heard the sound of small wheels whirling and he whipped his head and stilled. Chloe was walking across the parking lot dragging her bike along with her. She had a pout on her face and Nash's eyes went to the wheel of the bike - flat. He walked over to her immediately.

"What happened to your bike?" Nash called out.

Chloe froze. Her eyes met his, but she looked like a deer caught in headlights. Nash stopped a meter ahead of her, his heart pounding. What could he say? How could he fix this?

"I'm sorry," he blurted out. "About my parents. I know your dad isn't leeching off your mom's life insurance. I don't know why my mom assumed that. I was horrified... What she said was so wrong and I'm so sorry, Chloe. I really am."

Chloe flushed. She teared up, jolting Nash and he stepped towards her, but Chloe waved him off. She bit her lip, nodding.

"It's fine," Chloe whispered. "Thanks for the apology, though."

Nash nodded, gulping. His eyes went back to her bike. "Well, what happened to your bike?"

"I ran over a nail." She pouted. "I have an extra tire at home, but home is an hour walk away."

"Then come with me," Nash blurted out. "I can drive you home. Your bike will fit in my SUVs trunk."

Chloe bit her lip. She glanced at Nash's BMW - huge enough for her bike and them and she glanced back at him, biting her lip harder. She began to fidget and Nash's heart sank.

"It's fine," Chloe said. "I live kind of far from here. I don't mind walking. It's been a while since I've had a good walk."

"No, one hour is too long of a walk. Let me take you home, Chloe."

"Seriously, it's fine, Nash."

"Why Chloe? Why won't you let me help you?"

The desperation in his tone made him wince and Chloe's eyes flew wide. She seemed taken aback and Nash ran his fingers through his hair, growing frustrated. He sounded so lame, but he didn't care. He just wanted to help her. He wanted to make things better between them.

"I don't want to be a burden," Chloe said after a minute. "It's really fine, Nash."

"Please, Chloe. It'll make me feel better."

Chloe stilled, seeming to finally understand and she nodded numbly. Nash let out a breath, thankful she had given in.

"Well, let's go."

*****

They had packed her bike inside his trunk and they both sat in the front. Ten minutes had passed by and neither of them spoke. Nash focused on the road - or at least, he tried to, and Chloe's eyes stayed glued ahead of them on the streets they drove by.

Nash glanced at her at every red light, wishing to say so much, but not knowing where to begin. He had apologized and she had accepted, but it didn't feel enough. After the way she had run out, he didn't know if anything would ever be enough, but he had to try.

"I know I already apologized, but I'm really sorry about what my mom said. I'm honestly disgusted that she thought that was okay to say." His grip on the wheel tightened. He had been disappointed in his parents before, but they'd gone too far yesterday. And to Chloe, who never deserved anything bad in this world. "I told them this morning they shouldn't have spoken to you like that and my mom said she'll apologize, but I told her I'll never bring you home when they're around. They don't deserve to ever be around you again."

Chloe said nothing for a few seconds. She bit her lip once more, worrying at it with furrowed eyebrows, and Nash let out a sigh. He really hoped his parents hadn't ruined everything.

"It's fine," Chloe whispered. "Some people expect the worst in others because of past experiences. Maybe your parents faced scammers in the past?"

"No, my parents are ignorant assholes who take pride in putting others down to make themselves feel better. Don't give them the benefit of the doubt." Chloe sighed and Nash tensed. He had said too much. "Sorry... I'm still upset with them."

"No worries at all. Your parents are... interesting people."

"That's a nice way of putting it."

Chloe finally smiled at him - the first smile she'd shown him since the event and Nash relaxed a little. She didn't hate him. He could go to sleep peacefully tonight.

"You know, I thought I would be happier with my parents around, but maybe I would have been happier never knowing them. At least then, I could imagine my parents as better people," Nash said. The words poured out of him, but he couldn't stop them. That was all he could think about since his parents returned. "It's an oxymoron. Wanting to have parents, but wanting to push them away, too."

"I'm sorry," Chloe said, smiling sadly now. "You deserve not only present parents, but better parents. You deserved a better life."

Nash looked away. He couldn't bare to look at her when his heart felt so heavy.

But forcing a smile, he tried to stay positive. "It's life. At least I can use their credit card whenever I want. Makes up for some of it, I guess."

Chloe rolled her eyes when Nash grinned, but she smiled and Nash relaxed. This was nice. Driving the streets with Chloe at his side was just really nice.

More minutes of silence passed by, but Nash didn't mind. It was a comfortable silence - one he didn't need to fill in and he just sat back and drove them down the street, reading the location of Chloe's house off the GPS in front of him.

"You can drop me off at the end of the street," Chloe said, fidgeting in her seat now.

"Why?" Nash asked. "Is your dad going to get mad if he sees you with a boy?"

Chloe shook her head, but she kept fidgeting. "No, I rather just walk a bit."

"Chloe, I won't just drop you off on the side of the road."

Chloe opened her mouth to argue, but Nash reached over and put a finger against her lip. She stilled as Nash kept driving, fighting the urge to just stare at her, to see those big eyes widening, and he snuck a glance. Chloe was blushing like she'd never blushed before.

"Let me be a gentleman," Nash said, dropping his hand. "Just for one day."

Chloe flushed, but she nodded and Nash kept his hand on her seat. And to his surprise Chloe brushed her hand against his. He glanced at her as he slowed his car, nearing the apartment complex she lived in.

"Thank you," Chloe said. "I appreciate the apology. And thank you for driving me home. I thought you would never talk to me again after yesterday."

"Why?"

"I don't know. You're just so much... more than me. I don't know how to explain it."

Nash pulled into the parking lot, driving towards the front doors of the apartment. He parked his car and turned to face her, stunned.

"Why would I be more than you?" Nash asked.

Chloe shrugged, looking nervous.

"Chloe... answer me."

"You live in a mansion. You have rich parents who are young and cool and they're disgusted by me and my lifestyle because this is where I live. Not anything like your home."

Nash's eyes slid to the apartment. The apartment had to be at least fifty years old. It was made of red bricks that had faded from age and cracks scattered the walls of it. Around him, old cars littered the parking lot and the area itself was secluded - far from the city. It was nothing like where he'd grown up.

"Chloe, I told you before money means nothing," Nash said. "My parents are assholes, so please don't let their words get to you. You are more than them. You always have been, you always will be."

Chloe teared up and Nash reached up hesitantly, moving his hand closer and closer to her face and Chloe kept her eyes locked on his. They shone under the sunny day, glistening, and Nash felt his heart summersault. He always thought of Chloe as this bright and bubbly girl, but sitting in front of him was an exhausted and sad girl. He wanted nothing more than to take away all the pain.

"Chloe!"

Chloe jolted back, stunned. She whipped her head to the front doors and unlocked her seatbelt immediately. "Dad, what are you doing here!"

Chloe's dad hobbled forward with a cane in his hand. His hair was shoulder length and he had tanned skin. He was incredibly tall, but also incredibly skinny, and he would have looked nothing like Chloe if it weren't for the same green eyes. Nash moved to get out of the car, but Chloe had already jumped out of her car to sprint towards her dad.

"Go back inside!" she shouted. "What are you doing out here?"

Her dad trembled, his knees looking like they were about to buckle and Nash leapt out of the car. Cautiously, he took a few steps forward, but froze when Chloes shot him a horrified look.

"Go Nash!" she shouted. "Why are you just gawking at us? Just please leave."

"Let me help," Nash said, stunned. "Is your dad okay?"

Chloe's dad grabbed onto Chloe and he kept trembling. She was almost half his height, supporting the grown man's weight and Nash took more steps forward, but Chloe held up a hand to stop him. She never looked so afraid.

"I'm sorry Chloe, I was just worried about you," her dad said, his voice cracking. "You were an hour late."

"I'm sorry for worrying you, but let's go inside now," Chloe said. "You shouldn't have left our home."

"I know, but I just wanted to do something for once."

Chloe said nothing. Nash finally reached them, ignoring Chloe's words and he held her dad up for a moment, relieving Chloe and she stared up at him. Panic etched every inch of her face, but shame washed over it when Nash leaned closer to her, wondering how to calm her down.

"Let me help you," Nash said. "I can take him up for you."

"No, I don't need help," Chloe whispered. "Can you please just go back into your car? I'm sorry if I snapped, but we're okay. I can handle this on my own."

Nash searched her face. Why was she pushing him away? Why wouldn't she let him help her? Nash didn't undersand and he just stared at her for a moment, unsure of what to do.

"Will you ever let me in?" he whispered after a moment.

Chloe searched his face. She looked torn and Nash's heart pounded for a moment before she broke his heart. "No, I don't think so. So please, let us go."

Chloe pulled her dad forward and her dad gave Nash a sad smile. Nash stood there for a moment, stunned into silence. He didn't understand why Chloe was suddenly shoving him away.

But when Chloe took her dad inside, he finally understood that her life wasn't for him to see. So he dragged himself back to the car and sat there for a moment, reliving the moment again and again, and taking in the fear and panic in Chloe's expression. She hadn't wanted him to see her dad, but why? What was she so afraid of? And why didn't she trust him? That was what stung. Why hadn't she let him help her?