Page 14 of The Right Kind of Wrong

“Listen, I know today has been less than ideal but try to enjoy the day, okay?”

Even though I wasn't sure how much of a good day I would have, I nodded. All hope for a nice birthday with the people I cared about was gone.

“Do you want me to drop you off at your Nana's?”

“I can take a cab.” Nathan was shaking his head in disagreement already, so I accepted his offer. The drive was silent for the most part, except for the music on the radio.

It seemed as if neither of us could break whatever tension followed us, something odd, considering it was never this weird when we were together. Maybe it was just me.

Totally just me.

Most likely, I just felt strange because it was the crappiest birthday I'd had in a while. I shifted in my seat, catching Nathan's attention.

“You are very quiet today.”

He noticed.

“There's nothing to say, really.”

“You're disappointed because?”

“Hannah didn't say a single word to me. My parents haven't sent me a text at least…” I sighed, playing with the hem of my sweater. “I just thought they'd show they cared a little bit.”

His grip on the steering wheel tightened and when I turned to look at him, his jaw was clenched, as if trying to hold back his anger. Now that my true feelings were out, I couldn't seem to shut up. “It's stupid, really. I should have known better.”

“It's not stupid,” he said, glancing over at me. “I think you're the only sane one in the family, actually.”

“You too,” I said.

Nathan sighed, a flash of remorse in his eyes. “No, not really.”

We pulled up to Nana's house and I unbuckled my seatbelt, curious as to what Nate meant.

“I'm not saying anything,” he said with a small smile playing on his lips.

“I don't see how you can think you're not sane,” I whispered. “You're different from them, you-”

“I've done things I'm not exactly proud of,” Nathan interrupted.

“Like?”

Nathan sighed, running his hand through his hair. “We're not doing this on your birthday, Evie.”

And that's final.

He really did feel that he'd done something bad, I could see it in the way his posture had changed. He felt guilty. Against my better judgment I leaned in, pressing a kiss on his cheek.

“I don't believe you,” I said softly. “No matter what you've done, you've proven you're different. Nothing you say can change what I think about you.”

After a few moments of tension building, I opened the door, stepping out of the car. “I'll see you later, Nate.”

“Have a nice day, Evie.”

***

I spent the rest of the day with Nana, eating, watching movies and talking about life in general. She was so happy, it was a good distraction from everything that happened the past few days.

She mentioned how in a couple days for Christmas she wanted the family together, though she mentioned she knew it wasn't happening. My parents were going to Europe and Hannah was throwing a get-together with her “friends.”

---