The Outside Lines (boyxboy) - Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Nathan's POV
The bells sang their song, calling for us to return to class. The group split apart, going our own separate ways.
It felt unusual walking through the halls, something about it was different. It took awhile for the realization to hit. It was no longer like the parting of the red sea, me being Moses. The bodies that littered the hall were now more like plants. Stationary and occasionally brushing up against you as you try an' pass.
I sat through algebra, taking notes. Noah still being at the center of my mind. I went to swap my books in the bag sat beside me and an eraser landed onto the floor next to me. It wasn't mine, so I reached for it, intending to return it to its owner. Sure enough the person it belonged to had the same idea, leading our hands to collide. The eraser was already in my grasp, I leaned up to hand it to them. It was a girl, bangs masking a portion of her fair complexion, long black hair strewn over her shoulders, and hazel eyes to match my own.
"Sorry about that." I apologized, handing her the multi-colored eraser.
"No, don't be." She offered a warm smile, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "It was helpful, thank you." Another smile flashing onto her face.
"I'm Amber." She introduced after a second.
"You don't look amber to me" I commented, not being able to hold back my dad joke.
"Oh ha ha." She rolled her eyes, obviously amused.
"Nathan." I returned her previous smile. We spoke quietly, not wanting to disrupt the class. We exchanged a few more words before redirecting our focus.
I had to pass all of my classes and get relatively good grades. My mom is working hard for my future and I don't want to disappoint her. College isn't really what I want to do with my near future though. I don't know if I'd be able to keep up with all of the mental strain that comes along with it. Knowing that in the end I might still come out empty handed and jobless is another huge turn off. That would make all of mom's hard work for naught.
I feel like I'll end up disappointing her either way...
School ended and Taylor told us to meet up with her in the hall. On my way there, there was a lot of commotion in the hall, bodies blocking my path. I charged through, cloth and velcro gliding across me. I felt the world freeze over when I spotted Noah being cornered by a large guy from the football team.
"You went and ratted on us." He punched the locker beside Noah.
"Yeah, well you and your friends left cuts and bruises all of me so you had it coming." He averted his stare away from the guy's face hovering just a foot away from his own.
"I'll do it again if you want?" He hissed.
"Go ahead, this time there's an audience though." Noah provoked him.
"Enough, leave Noah alone." I stepped in pulling the guy away from him, allowing the poor boy some breathing space.
"Get your hand off of me." He raged, pulling his arm away from my grasp. I watched him with my fiery gaze until he finally fled.
"C'mon, let's go meet up with Taylor." I nudged my head in the direction of the exit. Noah didn't say anything, he just quietly followed behind me.
"I've been waiting forever." I could almost predict what came from Taylor's lips.
"We... got held up." A small chuckled escaped me. If Noah wanted to give her the details that was up to him.
"The buses will be leaving soon. Let's hang out in the parking lot for a bit." Taylor proposed.
"That'd be cool." I said. Noah nodded and followed us out the building.
The sound of the distant voices filled with excitement and the afternoon crickets set a comfy mood. Taylor put on the radio and pulled out a Frisbee. From now on I'm just going to assume she had everything in that small car of hers.
"Heads up." She called out, throwing the plastic disk into the warm air.
I threw it back and in the corner of my eye I saw Noah lay across the hood of Taylor's car. He almost became inanimate as he watched the clear, empty sky. How I longed to join him. I imaged my body propped up against his own, him in my arms, just enjoying afternoon cloud-gazing together.
A striking pain on my head and loud thud pulled me back to reality. I palmed the aching area letting out a little wince. I'd been hit int the head with the Frisbee.
"Oh my god, are you okay?" Fear struck Taylor's voice.
"I'm fine." I assured her, lifting my head with a partial smile.
"What was that about? One moment you're tossing the Frisbee and the next you're in a total daze." She questioned.
"Sorry, I just got lost in thought for a moment." I chuckled bashfully, sneaking a peek at Noah. To my surprise he was looking this way.
We continued playing awhile longer before it was time to head home.
"Hey, you guys wanna hang out at my place? I can give you a ride home." Taylor asked right before we parted ways.
Noah thought for a moment. "I'm still grounded. I have to head home directly after school." He informed.
"Right." Taylor pondered, thoughts taking over her. "I forgot about that."
"Grounded, what for?" I asked, curiously.
"It's... complicated." He struggled, with a sigh.
"That's fine, you don't have to explain it." I dismissed, not wanting to press him.
"I'm interested in seeing where you live." I said. "Not in a weird way." I clarified, quickly realizing it made me sound like a stalker.
"You coming?" She asked, my previous comment not being enough confirmation.
"Yeah, sure." I answered, stuffing my hands into my pockets.
"Wish you could come. I'll be at your door to pick you up in morning." Taylor waved to Noah as she retreated to her car wearing a look of dismay.
"I wish I could too." He frowned. "I'll see you then." Noah backed away also waving. Part of me felt like I was watching one of mom's dramatic soap operas where the couple departs.
"Later Noah." I waved and flashed him a smile.
"Oh u-um, later Nathan." He stuttered, throwing up another wave.
The engine of the small car hummed as it drove down the leaf filled roads. Fall was quickly approaching. The faint hint of gold that kissed the trees, the chilly nights, these were pretty daring signs.
"Watching you and Noah all day was frustrating." Taylor suddenly spoke. Her disappointment was expressed with a flat tone.
"What do you mean?" I questioned her. Surely she couldn't have noticed all of the small moves I was making towards Noah, could she?
"You weren't direct enough. You should've just asked him out or something." She rolled her eyes.
"We've only been hanging out for a day, Taylor." I reminded her. "I don't even know if he has an interest in me."
"I suppose you're right." A moment's thought made her reassess her earlier comment.
"You're definitely his type though. He's just been going through a lot I suppose." She noted.
"You think so?" I asked in an almost hushed manner. "I don't want to rush anything. I really just want to get to know him as a friend." I explained. While that was true I'd still accept if he asked me out, in a heartbeat.
"We're just about there." Taylor announced in a mutter. The following minute a vast green yard sprawled into view, taking away what little breath I held. A long stone road journeyed across the vibrant lawn, leading to a garage on the left of the house. The house its self looked impressive too. It was sizable and appeared to be made of high grade stone. It was certainly no villa, but it still managed to impress.
"Holy cow." A whisper of awe escaped me.
"The yard's probably worth more than the house, so don't expect much from the interior." Taylor informed, pulling into the garage. There were a few other vehicles parked inside. The one that caught my eye was her father's truck. The one we used to carry that crap ton of fireworks in.
"Espionage machine." Taylor slapped her hand against the side of it. "You did us well."
We entered the house through a door in the garage. There were stone stairs leading up to it and a lock on the side. Taylor unlocked it and led me inside.
"This is the kitchen." She pointed out, doing a little twirl. Turning my attention away from her I studied the room. Despite there being dishes in the sink it looked very well kept. The counter tops were made of spotted stone, and the cabinets hardwood.
"Want something to drink?" She asked, grabbing the door of the fridge that sat just in front of the door to the garage.
"Sure." I took her up on the offer. Locks of red hair fell over her shoulder as she bent down, scanning the shelves.
"Here." She said handing me a soda.
"LavaWater." I read the brand name aloud in amusement.
I popped the soda open and sipped from the bottle while Taylor gave me a tour of the house. The living room was fairly spacious. The walls were a dark shade of brown while the wooden floor beneath was a brighter color. A sofa, fireplace and wide-screen TV lined the back of the room. The well kept potted plants placed all around the home severed well as decor.
"Are any of your family home?" I asked, realizing just how quiet it had been the whole time I was here.
"Not sure about my parents, but my brother's usually home around this time." She answered, turning her attention to the top of the staircase.
"You never told me you had a brother." I replied.
"You never asked." She shrugged. She had a point.
"His name is Jeremy. He's a bit of a bum. Don't be weired out if you see him, he doesn't live in modern times." She warned, intriguing me wither her vague statement.
I stretched my tense arms releasing a small grunt, still holding onto the now half empty bottle before following Taylor up the staircase. Looking down below us as we ascended to the next floor was dizzying. I made sure to pay attention to my every step, knowing I could easily tumble backwards down the flight of stairs if I wasn't careful.
"This one's mine." Taylor said, referring to the door to her room. She popped it open, revealing a work of art. The first thing I noticed was the large queen sized bed place at the edge of the room. It was filled and fitted with light colored fabrics, mostly beige and cherry colors. The carpet and wall were also a sort of beige, giving off a coordinated look across the room. Upon the door being opened further I noticed a newer model keyboard sat atop a small table on the other side of the room. The area was illuminated in a soft yellow light from the lamp placed right beside the table.
I charged into the room, inspecting the impressive keyboard. I terribly wanted to set my hands on the keys, toy with it, study every sound that it makes.
"You're staring at that keyboard as if it were Noah." Her sudden remark paired with my own thoughts caught me off guard, prompting me to choke on air. I should be expecting these thing from Taylor by now, but some how she always managed to surprise me. She knew how flustered I was, her smirk was telling.
"Can you play?" I cleared my throat before asking her.
"Yeah, a little. When I'm bored I sit here and mess around with the keys." She said, taking a seat on the cushiony chair at the table. Her hand reached behind the plastic instrument and turned it on, the many lights suddenly coming to life. After a bit of prep she reached out and started working at the keys, playing an enchanting melody. This was something I was not expecting from her.
"This one's for you." She smiled and continued playing. I smiled back and closed my eyes, taking in the piece. The song went on, seeming getting better with every passing second. By the time she finished I felt like I'd been taken on a journey.
"Dang, that was really something." I praised, showing my excitement in a hushed voice.
"Thank you. That was my best piece, I more often just play pop songs and stuff like that." She explained, animating her hands.
"What about you, You know how to operate this thing?" She asked, looking back to the keyboard.
"I might be able to." I answered unsure of myself. It looked pretty advanced, but I could probably figure it out.
"Okay then, serenade me." She ordered, getting up from the seat.
"Um... alright." I hesitantly complied. "Anything in particular?"
"No, just go for it." She replied, leaning against the edge of the keyboard. I took a deep breath before sitting down. I massaged my palms and went for it. A faint nervousness loomed over my arched back as I began to play. This was due to the fact that I'd never played piano for anyone outside of Black Day Cafe.
(Play the song)
That unnerving feel has soon disappeared as I got lost in the music. The keys were much lighter than I was used to, but they felt great nonetheless. I just let myself play and the world seemed to disappear. I could see the notes running through the dark plain in my mind. They came and went, journeying in and out of view. I was too lost in the song to see Taylor's response. Was I doing well? Was it unimpressive? I didn't know, all that mattered to me in the moment was how much I was enjoying it.
After the lengthy performance my fingers finally came to a stop, resting on the plastic keys. I took a small breath and returned to the real world.
"Daang Nathan! You totally know how to rock the keyboard yourself!" She complimented, a look of surprise dominating her appearance.
"Thank you." I scratched at the small strands of hair at the back of my head, bashfully.
"A man with talent can easily get into one's heart." She raised a finger as she turned around, walking towards her bed.
"You think so?" I asked turning to face her.
"I do." She said simply.
"I heard you encouraged Noah to talk to me." She brought up, a smile at her face.
"Well yeah, sort of." I rubbed my neck. "I could tell he was on the fence about the whole situation and I figured all he needed was a little nudge in the right direction."
"I'm curious, what did you tell him?" She asked hopping onto her bed crossing her legs, still wearing a smile.
"Don't remember." I shrugged, a smile growing on my own face.
"Really? C'mon." She frowned.
"I'm serious, I don't remember what I told him!" I reiterated, chuckling.
"Whatever." She turned her attention away from me. "Anyway, since you helped us cross that bridge, I want to help you and Noah cross yours, not that I wouldn't have otherwise." She spoke while pulling a milk chocolate bar from her bedside drawer.
"R-really? How so?" I stuttered, overwhelmingly nervous, yet hopefully optimistic.
"I could tell him you have a crush on him and see how he reacts?" She proposed, looking over to see my response.
"Hmmm, I'm not sure." I replied. It's not a bad idea, but it seems a little direct.
"What if I ask him what he thinks about you?" She inquired.
"You know what, you're better at this than me." I noted. "Do what you think is best, so long as you don't make me look bad." I gave her free reign. I feel like if I have too much say in what she does I'll just be holding both of us back.
"Ookay." She raised a brow while smiling, as if warning me she wasn't going to be taking any stop.
"Come here." She patted the spot next to her on her bed. I lifted my large body from the piano stool I'd been sitting at for a good while. My feet trailed across the soft carpet lining the room. The bed was even softer though, when I sat down I felt like I was going to fall through and end up in china.
"Oooh." I groaned in relief, enveloped by the mattress' softness.
We needed up talking awhile more before she turning on the massive sound system in her room.
"Whoaa." I said astonished. "Why the heck do you have that?"
"I don't know, I guess I thought it'd be cool for watching movies and stuff." She shrugged. Just as she finished her sentence the speakers shook, the music so loud that the objects on her shelf jumped off one after the other. I watched Taylor in a panic as she desperately tried to shut it off. I cupped my ears with my hands doing very little to negate the sonic boom wrecking the room.
"Oh sh*t." Taylor muttered almost as a sigh when she finally managed to lower the volume.
"Is that Def Leppard?" I asked as if nothing had happened. She eyed me for a moment like I was crazy before both of us broke out into laughter. She fell backwards onto the bed with another sign.
"My brother's going to be pissed." She chuckled. "Oh well, when is he ever not pissed."
She sat up again and started singing along to the song. "Do you know this song?" She asked as she proceeded to get off the bed. I nodded in response. I was honestly in shock at how well she could sing. I'd heard her goofing around before but she was currently in full rock star mode.
"Well join in!" She encouraged. I scratched my head, awkwardly looking the other way. I believe she continued making a fool of herself to make me feel more comfortable. Though her and Noah would often do stuff like this at school so maybe I was wrong.
I decided to do it... If she's okay with making a fool of herself, then so should I. I slid off the bed and brought out the invisible mic, going all in. I raised my voice and followed along with the raspy vocals. Taylor's eyes widened, surprised I could hold a note myself.
We rocked through the song, dancing across the room like two fourteen year old girls at a slumber party, or band members on stage at rock concert.
"Woo, that was something." She said in excitement, collapsing onto her bed. Her hair scattered across the pillows covering them in red. I joined her, resting at the foot of the bed. The radio continued to play and we continued singing, only using much less energy. We took turns singing the songs we knew. It was pretty embarrassing at first, but I quickly got used to it.
"You're good at the keyboard and have good vocals too. You're pretty damn talented." She complimented.
"Well then, so are you." I smiled up at her. I was lying down, arms behind my head while she was sitting against the headboard.
We ended up talking for awhile longer. She was impressed with my singing, it gave me a boost in confidence. She's demanding I sing for Noah now, but how would that even work. The thought of randomly going up to him at school and serenading him with my sub-par singing skills while dozens of people watch embarrasses me just thinking about it. The thought had me groaning out loud.
"C'mon, it would be hilarious." She pressured. I knew she wouldn't actually make me go through with it though.
"I may be a little crazy, but I'm not on the same level of crazy as you and Noah are." I jabbed, sneaking a glance at her to see how she would respond. She took her fist and playfully hit my stomach.
A sudden creek snapped our attention to the door.