Page 49 of Wrecked
“Felt like what?” I whisper softly, already knowing the answer.
He takes a deep breath and lets out a heavy sigh. “Like I was cheating on you.”
“But you and Katie were together.” My eyes glisten as I realize he has been faithful to me for eight years.Except for one time. “And youdidcheat on me. You can’t stand here and tell me you haven’t, we both know that’s a lie.”
“It’s not a lie, Pip. I’ve never cheated on you, even when you weren’t mine. We have a lot we need to talk about, but first we need to make it through the night.”
He takes my hand, guiding me toward the jungle so we can gather supplies to build a temporary shelter. His confession changes everything I thought about the last eight years. I always knew there was more to our story. I even figured who might have had a hand in changing our future. Hearing it out loud, though? It makes me so damn happy that I wasn’t alone in my feelings. And really fucking mad about all the time we lost together. When we get home, I’m going to rain hell on the one person I know is responsible.
My dad.
CHAPTER 25
NATE (SENIOR YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL)
Rain pelts down on my bedroom window, emitting a cadence that suits the movie we are watching. Ellie lies cuddled at my side, covers up to her chin as we watch Jack and Rose fall in love. Rainy Saturdays have become my favorite days, and with the arrival of spring, we are getting them often. I’ve traded drunken Saturday nights with the football team for quiet movie nights with Emmy and Ellie. Emmy is at a sleepover tonight, so it’s just Ellie and me at my house. Days like these feel like they could be our life after high school. Lying in bed together, watching movies and cuddling.
The last seven months have been the happiest I’ve ever had. My absence from high school parties has definitely been noticed, and there are whispers of me and Ellie at every turn, but I’m past the point of caring. I have my path set. I have a full scholarship to Ohio State. I’ll be out of this house and out from under Nathaniel’s thumb soon enough. There’s not a damn thing he can do about it.
“I wonder what their life would have looked like if Jack had lived long enough to be rescued?” Ellie wonders out loud.
“Jack dies?!” I tease, bringing my hand to my chest in mock surprise. Ellie gently whacks me in the face with a pillow, giggling when I tickle her sides in response.
“I’m serious. Do you think they would have made it? As a couple? She was kind of giving everything up for him.”
“I know they’d make it as a couple.”
“How?”
“Because we are going to make it, and I’d give everything up for you.” I kiss the top of her head and tug her closer, burying my nose in her hair and breathing her in. I’ll never tire of her sweet vanilla lavender scent.
“I’d never ask you to,” she promises, staring up at me with so much affection in her eyes.
“I know. Which is how I know we’ll make it, and how I know they’d make it. Jack never asked her either.”
“Mm, good point, Mr. Westin,” she concedes. “She gave up her plans willingly. I will too, you know? Not that I ever had any real plans.” She laughs to herself.
“What do you mean, Pip?” I chuckle, distracted by the movie that I’m trying really hard not to love. I put up enough of a fit about watching it, so I’m just waiting for her to call me out.
She turns to face me. “I want to go with you.” She looks at me like she’s bracing herself for my reaction.
“I want you with me everywhere. But where are we going?” I ask, amused.
“Ohio State. When I graduate, I mean. I want to go to school there. To be with you. Unless you think that’s weird. Or stalker-ish. Or maybe you want to do college separately. Oh God…maybe you didn’t want to continue being together through college. I guess I just assumed…I mean, we love each other. I thought we wanted forever. We talked about forever, right? Did I imagine us talking about forever?” She prattles on and on, not allowing me a second to cut in. “I mean, I guess it was pretty presumptuous to assume you’d want me with you. I can look at other schools. I don’t know if I’d even get in. It’s pretty competitive?—”
“Ellie!” I shout, trying to get her attention. She flinches, and I immediately regret raising my voice. “I’m sorry, baby, I was just trying to get you to hear me.” She nods her head, so I continue. “I’ve been trying to bring this up for months. I don’t want you to feel any pressure, but I want you to come with me too. I was kind of hoping you could just avoid the whole dorm thing, and we could just…live together.”
She stares at me for a total of two seconds before she throws herself onto my lap. I wrap my arms around her, hugging her close to my body, and feel her shoulders start to shake. “Baby, why are you crying?” I ask, concerned I said something to cause her tears.
“I just can’t wait to feel safe, Nate. All the time. I can’t wait to feel loved and wanted…and safe.” She buries her face in the side of my neck as I rock her back and forth, my hands running up and down her back.
“You’re always safe with me.”
“I know.” There isn’t an ounce of doubt hidden in her response. I love that I’m able to be that person for her, that I’m able to protect her from her monster. She returns to her side of the bed, and I can’t help but think about Emmy. About how I’ll have to leave her behind. My heart breaks in half at the thought. I wish I could be that person for her too.
The rain comes down harder, and thunder roars in the distance. It feels fitting considering the Titanic just struck the iceberg. Lightning flashes outside the window, and Ellie scoots closer, throwing her leg over mine. I run my fingers through her hair, knowing it provides her comfort. She told me that her mom used to play with her hair during storms when she was a little girl. That’s the mom she misses. She’s been a shell of herformer self for years. Personally, I hate that woman. How she could allow that evil prick to live with her daughters, after everything he’s done, is unimaginable. They aren’t even his girls.
A fact I have yet to share with Ellie.
