Chapter Nine

I must have fallen asleep as the next thing I know, Nathan is hovering above me and slipping the mobile phone out my hand.

‘What are you doing?’ I ask as he sets the phone on the bedside table. I notice he is dressed and he smells fresh so he must have had a shower too.

‘Ah, so it lives.’ He says as he moves away.

‘How long have you been up?’ I ask as I rub my eyes. Oops, I forgot to take off my make up. I must look like some sort of monster.

‘About 45minutes. Your mum and dad have gone out. They said they were going to the garden centre.’

I nod. That sounds about right. My dad did love his gardening. I look at my watch and gasp.

‘It’s 10:48!’

‘Wow! You can tell the time! Let’s break out the champagne! Or did you have enough of that last night.’

‘Shut up!’ I snap back.

I do feel rough, although I barely had anything to drink. I think I was just really tired and I needed a good night’s sleep and amazingly I got one… in bed with Nathan!!

I grab my phone and check for messages.

2 messages! Aren’t I popular!?

One from Josh and one from Cindy.

Of course I read the one from Josh first.

‘Hey hun. A promise is a promise huh? Cool. I’m onto a promise… I like ;-) Jxx’

Hello! I’ve definitely pulled! YAY!

There’s something infinitely wonderful about flirting with someone you don’t really know. I think I’m going like flirting with Josh!

Right, second message. Cindy.

‘Hi Mad. Hope u didn’t get the wrong impresion last nite. Me & Nathan were just tlkin. By the way, can I have his number. He’s a great guy!’

Cheeking fucking cow! As far as she’s concerned Nathan is my boyfriend and yet she still wants his number. I shake my head and decide to think about that later. I’ve got much nicer things to think about i.e. Josh!!!

‘Breakfast?’ Nathan asks as he heads out the door. I nod and decide it’s finally time to get up. Although I would have liked to stay in bed for a little longer but it wasn’t to be.

My parents arrived back home just after Nathan and I finish our breakfast. They look fairly smug which is unusual for them. Being smug just isn’t their ‘thing’. I wonder what the hell they’ve got up their sleeves.

I don’t ask as I’m not that bothered. I’m just glad that me and Nathan go home later today and I’ll get back to being just me and not ‘me and Nathan’. I feel a little bad as I’ve not spent that much time with my parents this time home. I guess they’ve stayed away for Nathan’s sake which is kind of sweet and nice of them. Especially since they’ve taken away my bedroom (which I’m still a little cranky about!)

Well, at least I get to spend this afternoon with them. That should keep them happy until the next time I visit.

‘Did you enjoy the reunion Madison? Nathan said it was great fun.’ Mum had taken off her jacket and sat on the couch next to Nathan. I noticed she patted him on the knee when she said his name. That unnerved me somewhat. I think mum has got a little too attached to Nathan for my liking. I really should tell her that he isn’t really my boyfriend. But with the way things are going Dad better watch out or she’ll leave him for Nathan.

I shrug. Reverting back to my teenage response to whenever one of my parents asked me something that I didn’t know how to answer.

‘It was okay, I suppose. Nothing special. I don’t want to go to another one anytime soon.’

‘Well, they don’t come around all that often sweetheart so I think you’ll be okay.’ Dad winked at me. I think he knew all along that I never wanted to go. My dad and I always had that bond where we knew deep down what the other was thinking. I’m definitely my father’s daughter.

‘So what are you two going to do this afternoon?’ There she goes again patting, Nathan’s knee. I look at him for a reaction and he’s looking at me like he wants to giggle. I’d better say something or he and I will burst.

‘Um, well I was going to say we’ll stay here. I haven’t seen you for ages. Some quality time with my parents.’ I said it with my most winning smile in the hopes that my parents will think I’m the angel that I’ve always been.

‘You don’t want to be stuck in the house with us two. You should take Nat here and show him Inkly.’

Nat.

Since when was Nathan known as Nat to my parents.

This is definitely not a good sign.

‘That would be fantastic. Why don’t you show me your home village?’ Nathan is smiling at me politely and I’ll find it hard to say no. Especially since my parents seem to want us out the house.

Trying to stop myself from going into teenage Madison again. I smile and nod.

‘Sure. I’ll show you Inkly-there’s not much to see to be honest. But hey, I’ll show you what there is. Maybe we can go to the The Rag and Bone for a pub lunch afterwards.

I love The Rag and Bone. The old fashioned pub right slap bang in the middle of Inkly. It does some lovely pub grub and is the best cure for a hangover (even a little one like I have). It looks like any normal country pub, little booths and tables, low ceilings and beams. It’s lovely especially in summer, there are always roses around the door.

© A. Writer 2006-2007. All Rights Reserved.