Misunderstandings and new friends

It had been a few days since she had talked to Nathan. She didn't understand it at all. She still spoke with Lindsay, just not to Nathan. She was nervous with another poker night coming up. She kept racking her brain if she did something to trigger it or just simply misunderstood something. In the meantime, she got out and explored the town with her family, enjoyed the local fairs going on, symboling an ending to summer. Class began this next Monday, and she couldn't wait. She had everything ready, and she wanted to do it right. Samantha had tried once before, but it didn't go over so well. She just wasn't prepared emotionally to do it on her own with no support. She knew she had also just gone to please her fiance. Samantha just shook her head, chasing the thoughts away. She would have to deal with it sooner or later.

She slipped into the car and went to Lindsay's and Keith's apartment, trying to formulate a plan to find out what had happened. As she came up the stairs she relaxed, he wasn't there yet. She slipped into the apartment and greeted everyone. The night wore on, still no Nathan. Samantha dare not asked as she felt she was not quite at the level to. As the night came to an end, she said her goodbyes and left to drive home. Her thoughts ran a little wild about Nathan. She hoped he was ok, hoped he didn't do anything rash. She was getting ready to pull onto her street when she saw his car parked in front of her house. Her breath hitched. He was ok. She slowly pulled in behind him and got out of the vehicle.

Nathan wasn't in the car, so Samantha went into her house, and there he was, talking with her mom. He looked up as she came in and just seemed almost to relax. Samantha's head practically hurt as he acted like nothing was wrong. Her mom smiled and said, "I will leave yall alone." Samantha watched her go and turned to Nathan. Nathan looked down and simply said, "I am sorry about ghosting you. I was made because you didn't answer my message and thought it was too much." Samantha stared at him and sat down on the barstool. She took a breath and said, "That's not my style. I will flat tell you when I can't handle something. But if you are going to jerk me around, I can't do it."

Nathan nodded his head, and before he could speak, Samantha continued, "I know you have issues, I understand, but communication is a must. I want to be your friend, not your toy." Samantha understood that it would not always be the case. He had mental health issues, and it wasn't going to be easy. But she felt she needed to draw the line at least somewhere. Nathan's smile came slowly back, "Your mom told me about your ex." Samantha felt her face drawn of all color. How could her mother just give up information? She knew she was airing her laundry out. Samantha got up and walked around the bar, and leaned against the counter. She had to put some distance between them. Nathan was watching her like a hawk the whole time.

Samantha replied, "So what do you want to know how we met in school. How I tried to live up to his family's expectations? How did I want to make myself over and lose the poor white trash girl? How, when I moved two hours away after he tried to make a living, he just moved further away. How when I refused to chase him, he decided girls at the frat party were funnier." She rushed the last. She wasn't going to tell him any more, but she couldn't remember that much anyway. Nothing had happened, she was sure of it, but she did remember what the other guys had said to her. She shook her head. Nathan sat there thoughtfully and replied, "well, I am glad you opened up. I felt like I was the only one with secrets." Samantha laughed bitterly, "I have more than you can imagine. I am sure if this continues, you will find out." He stood up and hugged her, and for the first time, she cried in front of someone to who she wasn't related to.

She still couldn't believe he insisted, picking her up to ride to school with him. She almost laughed as her mother had pushed her out the door like it was her first day, and the bus was here. They pulled into the tiny campus, though it was a junior college. For now, She looked forward to getting back into the swing of things. They had no classes together, so she waved him off. But as he turned to walk off from her, he stopped and stepped back. Samantha looked at him, confused about what he had to say. He stopped looking earnestly at her and asked, "think about penciled in eyebrows for me." With that, he smiled and walked off. She shook her head and went into the class.

Her first class had her thinking, and it was a class for students who might have had some trouble getting started in college. It reminded Samantha of the group. She tapped her pencil, thinking. She was still angry with her mother. That had caused some problems when she first went to college. Her mother had just run away, ran away with a woman who she met on the internet. Not that Samantha had a problem with that, but it certainly didn't help. She hadn't even told Nathan about that anger. Nor did she mention that she would start seeing a therapist this evening. She wanted to let go of the hurt and anger, but she couldn't. She was not only angry with her mom but her dad and family in general. Her teacher stopped in front of her, and she came back to reality. She smiled sheepishly and apologized. Promising to pay better attention, great not a good start, she thought.

After class, Samantha met Nathan in the commons and noticed him talking to another girl. Samantha's heart squeezed, which was weird. She didn't want to get involved with Nathan like that. She walked up to them and said, hey, and sat down. The girl smiled the biggest smile and and introduced herself as Abigail. Nathan suddenly jumped up and said, see yall later, and left. Samantha gave a glare at his back and looked to Abigail. Abigail smiled and asked Samantha, "So yall dating?" Samantha looked back at her, slightly horrified, and said, "No." "Oh, that surprises me," Abigail said, not caring, "because he doesn't stop talking about you."

Samantha laughed, "well, when you only talk to four people all summer, it seems that way." Abigail laughed and mentioned she needed to go to the bank and wondered if Samantha wanted to go. Samantha said sure, then had a horrible thought, I will get into a strangers car and go somewhere with them. But she did it without even a second thought. But when she looked back on that day, even years later, she was glad she had a lack of judgment at the moment because Abigail was the best thing to happen in a long time.