Tory’s POV
The way Nate zoomed off and rolled down the window glass of his car before mouthing the words ” deal” to me was just too hot.
It took a lot for me not to grin like an Idiot. It was slightly more embarrassing for me when I realized that I do like this version of Nate. He’s not very different from the way he used to be, he’s still a douche but he’s trying not to be and I’m very certain that it’s because of me.
I’ve always hated his mother because of the way she spoke about her son and I recalled telling my mom that no matter what if I met Tiffany’s son I would show him the love his mother refused to show him – thinking her son was a little boy.
Now, knowing that Nate is her son just made everything add up. She never raised him well, it’s not his fault he turned out this way. He could change and I want him to, I’ll make him to. Actually, I already am.
” Hey babe,” Rex said as he walked over to me and kissed me. Something about the way his tongue tasted was weird. I’ve kissed Rex probably a hundred times and he’s never tasted like this. I didn’t like it so I broke the kiss but tried to keep a blank expression.
” How’s your stomach?” I asked seeing how uncomfortable he looked as he frowned and held his stomach.
” Horrible, could you drive please?” He said handing me his keys. I nodded in excitement and he smirked. My mom had let us go for driving classes and I aced mine but as usual, she refused to let us drive ourselves to school. Saying we needed our driver.
Now, knowing that I’d have the chance to drive made me feel giddy. I immediately hopped in his BMW and started the engine as Rex entered plopping on the passenger seat as he breathed heavily.
” You have no idea, how many rounds I had to do in there,” he said with a wicked grin and I gagged in disgust.
” Eww Rex! Don’t talk about yourself pooping. That’s gross”
He grinned and rested his head as he shut his eyes and slept. He was awfully calm for someone who seemed to be having a stomach ache.
After driving Rex home, he said he needed to rest! He didn’t even apologize because we didn’t get to even hang out at the arcade, we usually battled each other on several games there while his friends watched – that was his way of a fun date but today, immediately I got there and met him he said he’s going to the restroom!
Rex just keeps sucking a whole lot more at this boyfriend thing. Is it because of me? Isn’t he interested in me anymore? Oh God, I don’t want him to lose interest!
I got up and left his room, though his sisters wanted to hang out with me, I declined politely. I need to figure out Rex’s sudden behavior, he’s not entirely done with me but he’s not as interested as he used to be in me.
With a sigh, I drove his other BMW to my house, he wouldn’t mind, he never does.
When I got home, my mom was in the sitting room, her jaw on her right hand as she lay down on the couch.
” Good afternoon mom,” I said out of respect, I know what I had said about her not being the one who raised us must’ve hurt her feelings but it’s the truth.
She didn’t say anything to me, she only nodded her head. I started going upstairs to speak to Tia about what next to do about her pregnancy when my mom’s phone rang and she gasped and then I turned around.
” What is it, mom?” I asked when I saw the horrified look on her face.
” Okay – Just stay there Nate, it’s gonna be fine. Have you called for an ambulance and the police? Okay great. Don’t be scared we’ll be there.”
I rushed down immediately and stood in front of her. Toni came downstairs wearing an equally worried expression on her face.
” What happened, mom?” She asked and my mom just shot us a very frightened look.
” Nate’s stepdad has been murdered -”
” – oh my God!” I said in shock as I covered my mouth. ” – and Tiffany seems to have been kidnapped. He’s having an episode, I can tell. That boy is going to need your help Toni, you dated him right? Maybe you could help him call his close friends for moral support”
” He’s going to need Tory,” Toni said and I stared at her in surprise, why would she say that?
” They fight all the time, that’s no good,” my mom said shooting Toni a scolding look.
” Actually, we’ve had pretty umm.. cool lately,” I said agreeing with Toni. I did want to help Nate, this is the perfect time before he changes his mind about the whole therapy thing and goes back to being a worse version of his mean self.
” Okay, come on. You and Tia don’t leave the house for any reason. This place isn’t safe anymore, I warned her” my mom said wearily, whispering her last words.
When we got to Nate’s house sometime later, there were several policemen and journalists as well. Mr. Roswell had been a big deal businessman so his death attracted journalists.
I followed my mom as she tried to speak to the policemen currently blocking the entrance to the building, wondering where Nate was and how he was doing. Gosh, a couple of months ago, I wouldn’t believe that I would ever care if any harm came to Nate yet here I am.
” Officer, I’m her best friend, and her son called my daughter and I. He wouldn’t have called if he didn’t need us here!” My mom angrily roared to the thick, tall man who just responded ” No one can go in” and then looked straight ahead ignoring my mom!
” Then what about the boy, you’re just gonna keep him in there?!”
” He’s answering some questions ma’am,” the other one said and my mom let out a frustrated huff. I was trying to calm down.
” Well well well, if it isn’t Valora” I heard a deep husky voice say and I turned around to see a man dressed in a black tux come out through the entrance as the two policemen stepped aside, he looked dashing, probably in his early forties like my mom. His blue eyes were fixated on my mom and she just scowled.
” What are you doing here Mason?”
” I’m the detective in charge of this case. Just finished questioning the boy and I think I need to have a word with you in private.” He said as he ushered my mom inside the house and she smirked at the policemen who wouldn’t let her in.
” My daughter is coming with me”
” She can come inside, Tory, right? ” He asked and I nodded.
” The boy wouldn’t shut up about you. Says he’s not answering any more questions till she comes, strange young man” he said and I wondered why Nate was suddenly this way towards me. If a stranger heard this man, they’d think I was Nate’s girlfriend or something.
I hurried off and went into the house. When one of the officers wouldn’t let me in, detective Mason yelled at the man to let me in and I entered the house. I hadn’t entered inside before, so I was naturally surprised at how elegant it looked.
The walls were turquoise with a touch of white and silver and the sitting room was twice as big as ours.
” Bill, you’re done with him?” Detective Mason asked a plump young man of average height and I assumed they were talking about Nate.
” Oh you’re here, thank God! That kid is a nightmare! He wouldn’t answer a question I asked him, kept asking for a girl called Tory” the man fumed and I felt my heart race as he said that.
” Don’t worry, I’ll handle him. Question her” he said pointing at my mom and my mom sighed ” this is a waste of time, I don’t know anything” she whined, and then her eyes widened when she looked at the couch, stained with blood, I looked too and almost vomited. I hated to see blood and there was a whole lot of blood to see on the couch and the floor!!
” Ma’am come with me,” Bill said and she obediently went with him upstairs.
After several hours of waiting. My mom came out looking exasperated.
” Mom are you okay?”
” I told them everything I know. So obviously I’m not a suspect, I just feel horrible because they just called the police saying they have Tiffany. Imagine that!”
” Oh my God. ”
” Nate, there’s your girl. Thanks for cooperating” I heard detective Mason say and I turned around to find Nate’s green eyes staring at me intensely. His eyes held so much emotion and I couldn’t tell how he was feeling, he just stood there and stared at me but I felt that he was sad so I moved closer to him and hugged him.
He was stiff at first but eventually wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his face on my neck. I rubbed his back to comfort him and when one of his hands slid through my hair, I bit my lips to prevent myself from making any noise. We hugged for a very long time till he sniffed and released me from his embrace and said ” sorry” before he looked away almost as if he was shy or embarrassed.
Of course, he was embarrassed, literally everyone in the room including the policemen and the forensic scientists saw him hug me like his life depended on it. I smiled when he stole a glance at me and looked away again.
” Also Tory, Nate’s gonna need another place to stay and he’s gonna stay with us,” my mom said and when I stared wide-eyed at her and then at Nate, he seemed to panic and then he quickly said ” I won’t cause any trouble I swear”