When I sat, Nate stared at me intently, as though he had something on his mind.
“What?” I asked as I folded back the paper box to my hot pocket.
“I broke up with Delaney.” His gaze was locked on mine and the room began to spin. It was more like my heartbeat began to race.
“Why?” My voice was barely audible.
“Because she's not the girl I want to be with.”
I remained silent for a few seconds. His tongue ran across his lips and I scolded myself for the thoughts that ran through my mind.
“Nate . . .” I shook my head.
“I know.” He nodded and looked down at his food. “She’s your best friend. But Brie, you're my best friend, so if it's okay with you, I want to stay your friend.”
A grin grew on my face. “I'd like that very much.”
We ate, drank the rest of the bottle, and finished watching the movie. Nate chuckled and laughed at the TV and I couldn’t help but laugh along with him. When the credits began to scroll, I leaned my head back on the cushion and faced him. His gaze scanned the room.
“What?” I asked.
“Are you anti-Christmas?”
“No,” I slurred.
“Then why don’t you have a single decoration?”
“I don’t know. I was focused on finals.”
“It’s very depressing.” His gaze locked with mine again and a grin grew on his face. “You can always paint something on the wall.” I cocked my head to the side and lifted one eyebrow. “Right there!” He pointed to the blank wall behind me. “You can paint a whole tree right there. And I’ve seen your sketches. You can draw.”
I looked back at the white wall. “I guess you’re right.”
He stood and reached out for me. “Let's paint us a Christmas tree.”
“Are you insane?” I slapped his hand away.
“Are you scared?” His dark eyebrows arched mysteriously.
I jumped off the couch and jogged over to my art supplies. I pulled out the few tubes of paint I had and walked it over to him.
“That’s it?” He looked at the tubes in my hand and then back up. “That’s all you have?”
I lined them up on the coffee table. “How big do you want this tree?”
“Most Christmas trees are what? Six feet tall?”
I stretched my hand above my head. “The only place we will find that amount of paint right now is in the art room, and that’s closed.”
“What if we break in?”
“That’s it!” I leaned over and took his cup. “No more alcohol for you.”
“Come on, Brie.” He reached up and his fingers snagged a curl that had fallen on my face. Not only was I drunk off the rum, but the second his hand touched my skin I felt high. “Please,” he added in a lower, huskier tone.
The stupid box had busted opened.
Within five minutes, we had our coats on and were running across campus toward the art center. The alcohol rushed through my body; the trees and lamp posts blurred past me as I jogged behind Nate to catch up.
The air was cool and crisp as it hit my face. When we arrived at the art center, Nate jiggled the door but it didn’t budge. I stood next to him bent over as I tried to fill my lungs with air.
“Dude,” I gasped. “I feel like I ran a marathon.”
I straightened and rested my head on the red brick of the wall. Nate’s gaze scanned the building and surrounding area before he grabbed my hand. “Come on.” He led us around to the back. “I’ll boost you up to that window.” He pointed to one a few feet higher than my head.
“Okay . . . but that’s a closed window,” I retorted.
“No, it’s not.” He led me under the opening in question and made a stirrup of his hands on his knee. “Trust me. Step on my hands.”
“This is crazy.”
“Come on before someone drives by and sees us.”
I exhaled and shook out my hands as though I was releasing the nerves from my body, then took a few steps backward so I could get a running start. I jogged toward Nate, laid my hands on his broad shoulders, then stepped into his hands and in one swift motion he lifted me high and my waist was level with the upper story window. I pressed my hands against the cool glass pane and pushed it up. After it slid open a few inches I climbed in.
I found myself in an empty classroom “Holy shit!” I peeked my head out the window to where Nate was smiling up at me with a wide grin. “How the hell did you know?”
“Step back.” He motioned with his hand for me to move. He took a few steps back then ran and jumped up. His hands met with the window sill and he pulled himself up.
He closed the window. “You good?” he whispered.