Let Me Fall

Chelsea Sommers sat at the desk of her bedroom and ran a hand through her hair as she tapped the pen against the top of the desk, staring hard down at the piece of paper that sat in front of her. She smiled as arms wrapped around her from behind, and a pair of lips pressed against her temple, she reached up, and clasped her hands around Nathan's forearms, before she turned her head for a proper kiss on the lips.

Nathan motioned toward the piece of paper and asked, “What's that?”

Shrugging Chelsea said, “I was just trying to think of things I need to do this year.”

Nathan chuckled deeply and read off the list, “Sleep outside, take a risk, forgive my parents, get a tattoo.” He then said, with a trace of teasing in his voice, “These all sound... very philosophical.”

Chelsea laughed loudly, and rested her head back on his chest, pressing her lips to his jaw softly she said, “I just figure, we're 20, and there's so much I haven't done.”

Nathan smiled and said, “I think it's good that you're doing this.” He watched as she wrote down a few more things before he read them off, “Learn to drive a stick shift, buy something ridiculously expensive just because, get drunk in the middle of the day, do something that scares me, accept what I can't change. What's ten?”

Chelsea was stumped on ten, but right there in front of her was a loopy number 10 with a blank space in front of it, she said simply, “I don't know yet.” Nathan nodded and stayed silent, it was then that she asked, “What are you doing here anyways? Not that I mind, but I thought you'd be off doing whatever guys do when they have spare time.”

Nathan chuckled and admitted, “We're in need of groceries...and I was hoping you'd go shopping with me.”

Chelsea laughed again, and stood up, smiling as Nathan automatically dropped back down onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Chelsea rolled her eyes, and moved to her closet, throwing the doors out she turned to look over her shoulder at Nathan, who was tossing a pillow up and catching it, before she said, “just let me change. There's no way I'm leaving my house in this.”

Nathan turned his head, and smirked, “I like what you're wearing.” He motioned to one of the many t-shirts Chelsea had stolen from his over the years, and her bare legs. She rolled her eyes again and yanked on a pair of cut off jean shorts before she pulled a tank top on.

She turned to him and stuck her hand out, laughing at the way he pulled her down on top of him instead of sitting up, wrapping his arms around her waist Nathan smiled at her, and kissed her gently before he finally let her go, and followed her out the door. Chelsea glanced between them, and frowned before mumbling, “stop being so tall.”

Nathan glanced down between them and laughed loudly at her pouting face. Chelsea slipped her arm around his waist and pouted larger as he patted her head, showing her just how much shorter than he she was. Nathan's large nearly six foot seven frame towered over Chelsea's meek five foot one frame, even in four inch heels that bumped her up to five foot five she still barely reached his shoulder. They were an oddly matched couple.

“Maybe you should stop being so height challenged.” Nathan challenged back with a grin, Chelsea only laughed and hopped into the passenger side of his truck. She leaned back against the seat and turned her head toward the window as Nathan pulled out of the driveway. He turned to her, and laced their fingers together across the console, smiling lightly he said, “So, whats on the agenda tonight?”

Chelsea shrugged and joked, “Well, there's this swim meet tonight and I promised this tool I know that I'd go watch him so I guess I have to do that.”

Nathan laughed and said, “Who is this guy? I'll beat him up for you.”

Chelsea laughed and said, “He's that really tall Asian guy, maybe you know him?”

Nathan nodded, “He sounds like a pretty cool guy you know, maybe you should give him a chance.”

Chelsea smiled and squeezed his hand before she said, “So anyways, I figured I'd go watch your meet and then go back to my place and drown myself in homework.”

Nathan turned to her as he came to a stop at a red light, confused, he asked, “How do you have homework already? We haven't even been in class for a full week.”

Chelsea shrugged, “Because my teachers hate me and I'm not a start athlete.” She said, sticking her tongue out at him, Nathan only shook his head with a smile, clearly amused by his girlfriends antics. He came to a stop again, this time putting the car in park at the grocery store, he took Chelsea's hand the moment they were both out of the truck again, and smiled as she took the list from his hand, claiming he was terrible at finding things in stores.

Chelsea turned, grinning at Nathan who was leaning against the cart, pushing slowly behind him as she stroked off yet another thing on his list. She then asked, “Hey, when are you leaving?”

Nathan shrugged and pulled his phone out, flicking through the calendar he said, “Friday night. Why?” Chelsea sighed, and put the last thing on the list in the cart, smiling lightly as Nathan gently pulled her into him, saying, “I know, it sucks. But I'll be home in a few days, and then I promise you I'll make it up to you for missing our first weekend back in Berkeley together.”

Chelsea nodded and said, “You better. I guess you being gone makes it easier to get things done though.”

Nathan laughed as they continued down the aisle where he asked, “Oh yeah? Like what?”

Chelsea shrugged, making it into less of a big deal than it really was, “Oh you know, I might cross a few things off that list, maybe take a bubble bath since I won't have you trying to take up all the room in the tub, I might even spend an entire morning lying in my bed.”

Nathan laughed and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into him he whispered in his head, “How about I just stay then?”

Chelsea chuckled and shook her head, leaning up to kiss him softly before she let him pay for his groceries. The two left the store, each carrying three bags, which was when Chelsea muttered, “Damn you all eat a lot.”

Nathan laughed and stated as they got into the vehicle, “Well yeah, we are athletes you know.”

- - -

“So, what's new?” Chelsea turned to Kate, who sat next to her in the bleachers of the Cal-Berkeley swimming pool, and smiled, shrugging she pulling up the straps of her sweater.

“Nothing at all. I'm kind of looking forward to having a weekend where I don't have to do anything you know? Nathan is always so energetic, so it'll be nice to be able to relax on my own.” She said, turning back to the swimming pool, where she could see Nathan stretching, he turned, caught her glance, and waved quickly, making Chelsea laugh.

Kate glanced between the two and said, “Seriously, stop being so adorable. I might puke.” Chelsea rolled her eyes, this was when Kate said, “You got lucky with him. Nathan's the kind of guy you take home to meet your parents, he's the kind of guy you marry and have babies with and be happy forever with. That's what every girl wants.”

Chelsea nodded, her eyes following Nathan as he stepped up onto the block, before she said, “Yeah.”

Kate turned away from the pool and said, “What? You have that look in your eyes, like you're not saying something on purpose.”

Chelsea sighed, and took her eyes off the pool, admitting, “I don't know, it just feels so forced now. I mean, he's perfect but I feel like I'm forcing it you know? Like every time I feel happy with him it feels like I'm forcing myself to be happy.”

Kate sighed and said, “You've been together for two year, that's normal to feel like you're not having fun in it. You just have to figure out how to make it fun.”

Chelsea shrugged and said, “I know that, but everything is so routine you know? I mean, we plan our dates around his schedule all the time, and I get that, believe me, I do, but sometimes it would be nice for him to just randomly plan a date.”

Kate nodded, and the two fell into silence as the race finished, Nathan coming in just ahead of everyone else. Chelsea smiled as Kate and her own boyfriend embraced, and left Chelsea, leaning against the wall by the door, waiting for Nathan. She took the time to think about what Kate had said, she had a point, maybe all she had to do was make it fun again.

Chelsea grinned when Nathan came out of the dressing room, a large smile on his face. She laughed as he wrapped his arms around her, soaking her from the water that was still on his skin and hair, he picked her up and spun her around before putting her back down.

“So, your house or mine?” Chelsea asked as Nathan laced their fingers together, walking back out toward where he was parked.

Nathan shrugged and said, “I should probably get a good nights sleep tonight, have to be up early tomorrow.”

Chelsea nodded and sat down in the vehicle, silence surrounding them. When had it gotten to this?