Velvet

Chapter Eight

Nate's pov

After the drills and practice games, I stepped out of the basketball court, my body soaked in sweat. The training session had been intense, but it felt good to let off some steam.

As I made my way towards the locker room, a voice called out from behind me.

“Hey, Nate! Wait up!” It was Josh, one of the guys from the basketball team.

I turned around, wiping the sweat off my forehead, as he jogged up to me, his sneakers squeaking on the polished floor.

“Hey, Josh! What's up?”

“Great job on the court today. You're really killing it out there.," he commented.

I grinned, appreciating the compliment. “Thanks, Mike. You're not too shabby yourself.”

He chuckled, “Listen, I wanted to ask if you're up for something fun tonight. My girlfriend Sarah is throwing a party tonight, and I thought you might want to come along.”

I raised an eyebrow, feeling nonchalant about the idea of going to a party.

“Thanks Josh, but I think I'll pass on that”

Josh grinned, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Come on, Nate! It'll be fun. All the basketball players will be there. It is going to be spectacular, and I'm sure you'll have a great time.”

I hesitated for a minute, unsure whether to accept the invitation or not. But then again, I have been trying to make some new friends lately, and maybe this was another opportunity to do just that.

“Alright,” I finally said, giving in to Josh's enthusiasm. “I'll go. But no guarantees that I'll enjoy it.”

Josh punched my arm playfully. “That's the spirit! Trust me, you won't regret it. It's going to be a blast. Meet me at the corner of Elm Street at 8 p.m., and we'll go together.”

As the hours passed, my mind kept drifting back to the upcoming party.

I searched through my wardrobe, searching for something suitable and comfortable to wear. After several outfit changes, I settled on something more casual yet stylish —a crisp button-down shirt, dark jeans, and my favorite sneakers.

The clock struck 8 p.m., and I found myself standing at the corner of Elm Street, waiting for Josh. He arrived a few minutes later, looking equally dapper in a leather jacket and jeans.

“Ready to have some fun?” he asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

I shrugged, trying to hide my nerves. “As ready as I'll ever be.”

We made our way to Sarah's house, the sound of laughter and music growing louder with each step. The front yard was packed with people, the air filled with excitement and the smell of alcohol.

Josh led me through the crowd, introducing me to some of his friends along the way.

Inside, the house was buzzing with music and sweaty bodies.

At one point, I noticed Sarah from across the room, surrounded by a group of friends. I approached her, feeling a surge of confidence.

“Hey, Sarah! I'm Nate, Josh's friend,” I said, extending my hand.

Sarah turned towards me, a warm smile spreading across her face. “Nice to meet you, Nate. Josh has been talking about you. I'm glad you came tonight.”

“Oh really?.. That's nice to hear”she said, shouting over the music.

The living room was transformed into a makeshift dance floor, while the kitchen was piled high with all sorts of delicious snacks.

I grabbed a drink and joined a group of people engaged in a lively conversation around the snack bar. It wasn't long before I found myself laughing and enjoying the company. The party was turning out to be more fun than I had expected.

I felt a tap on my shoulders. It was her. Velvet. “Hey, Nathan” she greeted.

I turned to her with a wide grin on my face. "Hey, Velvet. You're Sarah's friend?”I asked.

Velvet nodded. She looked shy. “Yeah, that's me”. She replied, her voice soft and slightly nervous. She kept on shifting her weight from one foot to the other, her eyes darting to the ground before meeting mine again.

I chuckled, excited and curious at the same time.

Feeling a rush of confidence, I took a step closer to her. “So, how about we grab a coffee ? I'd love to get to know you better.”

A shy smile tugged at the corners of Velvet's lips, her eyes brightening with a hint of excitement. “I'd like that,” she replied, her voice filled with sincerity. “Coffee sounds great.”

We chatted for a while, I told her about my love for basketball. Her magnetic personality made me want to know her more.

***

The sun was barely peeking through my curtains when the buzz of my phone yanked me from my dreams.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I glanced at the screen and noticed a message notification on my phone.

I saw a name that sent a shiver down my spine – Melanie.

She was a childhood friend whom I hadn't spoken to in years. Memories of my past and our shared childhood flooded back, memories that had faded over time.

Curiosity piqued, I opened the message, my eyes widening as I read her message, my heart pounding as the words settled in my mind. She knew everything about my past life, the part I'd left behind when I transferred to this new school.

“Hey, Nate. Long time no see. I hope you're doing well. We need to talk. Meet me at the abandoned park near your new school. It's important. Don't ignore this.”

Her message instructed me to meet her at the abandoned park close to school. A lump formed in my throat, curious about what she had to say.

As I entered the park, I spotted Melanie sitting on one of the swings, her face obscured by the shadows of the setting sun. Chills ran down my spine. She turned, her eyes locking onto mine with intensity.

Her lips curved into a smile that sent shivers down my spine. “Nate,” she called out as she noticed me approaching.

“Melanie” I greeted cautiously, unsure of what to expect. “Melanie, what's going on? Why did you want to meet?”

She stood up, her eyes searching mine.”You know, Nate, I've missed you. Missed us.”

I took a step back, my guard instinctively going up. “Lily, what's this all about? Why now?”

Her gaze bore into me, almost pleading. “You left, Nate. Without a word. Without a reason. And you left me behind too.”

I struggled to find the right words, unsure of how to respond.

“Melanie, what's going on? Why did you want to meet?” I asked, my voice laced with concern.

She stood up, her eyes searching mine. “Nate, I've always loved you. Even after all these years, my feelings for you never faded. Seeing you move on, starting a new life… it hurt.”

I struggled to find the right words, unsure of how to respond.

I swallowed hard, guilt gnawing at me. But her words didn't justify her threats. “But threatening to expose my past? That's not fair, Melanie. My past is my business.”

Her smile turned predatory, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of hurt and determination.

“Oh, Nate, your past is about to become everyone's business.”

Panic churned in my stomach as her threats unfolded before me. She wanted to expose my secrets, my darkest moments, to everyone at my new school.

Dread gnawed at me. I couldn't fathom why she would suddenly want to tell everyone about my past life that I had left behind and didn't want anyone to know about.

My heart raced as she took a step closer, her breath mingling with mine. “You don't have to do this, Melanie. We can talk, figure something out.”

But she wasn't listening. Her lips crashed onto mine, a desperate, forceful kiss that left me stunned. I tried to push her away, to break free from her grip, but she was relentless, clinging to me as if her life depended on it.

I managed to break away from her kiss, my chest heaving as I glared at her. “Stop, Melanie!”

Just then I turned, Velvet stood there. Shock written all over her face.

As I watched her run away, my first instinct was to chase after her, to explain what had happened. But I hesitated, my mind racing with a thousand thoughts.

I turned to face Melanie. Tears welled up in her eyes, her voice trembling. “Nate, I love you. I've always loved you. And I won't let you slip away again.”

Her words struck me, a pang of guilt mingling with anger. But I couldn't let her manipulate me like this. “Lily, what you're doing is wrong. Love shouldn't be about control.”

“Melanie, you know that I can't reciprocate those feelings", I said, trying to beg her to understand.

For a moment, a flicker of doubt crossed her expression, but then she hardened her gaze.

“If you won't be with me willingly, then I'll make sure everyone knows your secrets.”

I knew I had to stand my ground. “Melanie, exposing my past won't change anything. It won't make me love you.”

She recoiled, hurt and rejection etched on her face. “I thought… I thought there was still a chance for us.”

“No Melanie, there has never been a chance for us”

I walked out of the park, not waiting for Melanie to go on with the little drama she got going on.

On my way home, I wondered if Velvet would even listen to me. Would my words make any difference? I had seen the look of hurt in her eyes, and I wasn't sure if I could undo the damage that had been done.