Run

I sighed as I walked along the path towards the café which Alison told me was called Harold’s store.
I needed another coffee, after shopping all day with Ali; you need lots of sugar, or, in my case, caffeine.
I pushed open the door, walking in, before going over the counter to order and sitting at a table to wait.
I sighed, flicking through my phone as I waited,
When the bell on the door dinged, for some reason I looked up.
Nathan walked in, not noticing me at first, when he did see me; he shot me a smile, and nodded, before ordering, when he was done, he walked over “Long day?” He asked.

“How’d you guess?” I asked.

“The bags under your eyes” Nathan said.

“What?” I demanded, grabbing out a mirror.

Nathan chuckled lightly “Joke” he said “I just guessed, you look a little tiered” He said.

“Telling someone they have bags under their eyes isn’t the way to joke” I countered.

“Sorry” Nathan smirked “Can I sit?” he asked.

I shrugged “Go ahead” I said.

“Have you had a chance to grab a coffee here yet?” Nathan asked.

I shook my head “First one today, Al pointed it out earlier” I said.

“It’s the best coffee around here” Nathan announced “And I’m not saying that just because my mum owns it” He said.

“Your mum owns this place?” I asked.

Nathan nodded “And part owns Lassiters” He added.

“Is that meant to impress me?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No” Nathan said rather quickly “I’m just, making conversation” Nathan said.

I rolled my eyes “M’kay” I breathed out.

My coffee came now, “Thanks” I smiled at the person who handed it to me they nodded before
walking off.

“So what’s medical school like?” I asked Nathan curiously.

“It’s, hard” Nathan sighed “Like, really hard, but I love it, it’s amazing to think that in a year, I could
potentially be saving someone’s life” He said.

“Sounds like you’re happy in what you’re doing with your life” I said.

“And you’re not?” Nathan asked.

“I’m doing nothing with my life, my parents supported me till I was eighteen, then, my boyfriend
supported me till I came here, now my parents are supporting me again” I sighed.

“Well, you’re away from your boyfriend now, why not make something of your life then?” Nathan
asked.

“Mmmm, that’s hard when in less than a month he’ll be here and I’ll have no chance to be what I
want” I breathed.

“Your boyfriends coming here?” Nathan asked “Kris said you two broke up, that’s why you came
here…” Nathan began.

“It’s complicated” I breathed “If you ever meet Beau you’d understand” I sighed.

“I’ve heard about him” Nathan said.

“What have you heard?” I asked.

“Not much, just some snippets, your brother doesn’t seem to like him” Nathan offered.

“Mmm, well, Kris has never liked Beau” I shrugged.

“What would you be doing if you could do anything, I mean, career wise?” Nathan asked, changing
the subject.

“I wanted to work in child care actually, I might apply for a course” I said.

“For some reason I get that from you” Nathan said.

“You get what?” I asked.

“I get the teacher vibe, I don’t know why” Nathan shrugged.

“Is that a good thing?” I asked.

“It isn’t a bad thing” Nathan shrugged.
Someone brought over his coffee now, and he dipped the spoon in it, getting some of the froth
before eating it and putting the spoon back, exactly what I did when I got a coffee.

“No sugar?” I asked as Nathan took a sip.

He shook his head “people who put sugar in coffee are idiots, if you do, I don’t take it back” he said.

“I don’t” I promised.

“Good” Nathan grinned.

I sipped my coffee, and grabbed my phone when it buzzed checking the message.

**I found an apartment, I put a bid on, will email you pictures xx Beau**

I frowned at the message; he didn’t even have the decency to check with me first, he just went
ahead and chose an apartment.

“Problem?” Nathan asked, his eyes meeting mine as I looked up.

“It’s nothing” I sighed “So, moving on... You have a girlfriend right?” I asked.

“That’s blunt” Nathan chuckled.

“What, I want to know” I shrugged.

Nathan laughed “No, I don’t” He said.

“Really?” I asked.

“Does that surprise you?” Nathan asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, Yeah, I mean, you are twenty three like Kris right?” I asked.

Nathan nodded “But in that, Kris doesn’t have a girlfriend” he countered.

“True, but I know why Kris doesn’t have a girlfriend” I said.

“Why?” Nathan asked.

“Not about Kris” I said.

“Ok, well, I don’t have a girlfriend because I’m constantly studying and doing things for work” Nathan
said.

“Funny how I’ve seen you a few times since I arrived and you’ve been doing, well, nothing” I said.

“Funny how you think you can joke with me” Nathan said, rolling his eyes.

“Well” I said.

“What’s the deal with the tat?” Nathan asked.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“There’s always a reason when chicks get tattoos” Nathan said.

I sighed “I just felt like a tattoo, no reason” I shrugged.

“Sure” Nathan challenged.

I was about to respond, when the door opened, and Kris walked in, he spotted us right away, his
eyes widened and he quickly walked over “What’s going on guys?” he asked casually, sitting down.

I frowned “We’re talking” I said.

“About what?” Kris asked.

“Just, stuff” I said.

“Problem?” Nathan asked Kris.

“No, why would there be a problem?” Kris asked.

“Well, you seem to be hell bent on us not spending time together” Nathan said.

“Yeah, what’s the deal?” I asked.

“Nothing” Kris shrugged.

“Well then, Simona, you want a lift home?” Nathan asked.

“I can drive her home” Kris cut in.

“See, you’re being weird” Nathan commented.

“I’m walking home” I said, rolling my eyes “Seriously Kris, there is something wrong with you” I said.

“Let me drive you home, I need to come over anyway” Kris said.

“Fine” I shrugged.

“I’m going to grab a coffee first” Kris announced, going over to the counter.

“Dude’s got issues” Nathan announced, rolling his eyes “So back to our conversation, the tat…”
Nathan began.

“No way” I countered “I already told you the reason” I said.

“That is so not the real reason” Nathan said.

“Fine, it isn’t, but you won’t ever know the real reason” I shrugged.

“Why?” Nathan asked.

“Cause, I’m not planning on telling you any time soon” I said.

“Well, since you have a tat, what do you think I should get and where?” Nathan asked.

“I don’t know enough about you to make that judgment, but I’ve always thought upper arm bands are pretty hot” I said, giggling lightly.

“I’m not getting a tattoo by the way, I don’t think patients would take me seriously if I had one” Nathan said.

“Don’t think you really need one” I said.

“Are you saying I’m hot?” Nathan asked.

I shrugged and smiled, jumping up when Kris walked over “See you round” I grinned.

Nathan nodded, frowning slightly as we left.

“You need to not hang out with him” Kris said.

“What?” I frowned.

“He’ll fall for you” Kris sighed.

“How do you know that?” I demanded.

“Because they always do, all my friends use to back home, I’m sick of it” Kris breathed.

“I’m with Beau anyway” I mumbled.

Kris frowned “Don’t get me started on that” He said.

“I’m not going to lead on your boyfriend, don’t worry” I said “He seems like a cool guy, I’d hang out with him though” I said.

“Don’t” Kris said “It’s where it starts” he added.

“What’s the issue?” I asked.

“We’re like this group, Ali, me, Nathan and a few others hang out, if you go and ruin that by hooking
up with him and breaking up…” Kris began.

“Whoa, calm down brother boy, I’m not going to hook up with him” I promised.

“Ok” Kris said, unlocking the car, we got in, and he started it, driving along.

“Seriously Kris, I won’t hook up with your lover” I giggled.

“Not funny, really not funny” Kris said.

“Well you don’t have a girlfriend” I reminded him.

“Well, you know why” Kris pointed out.

I laughed “Yeah, well, you’re gay” I said.

“Seriously, are you really twenty one years old?” Kris demanded, pulling up at the house now.

We got out and walked to the house “What do you need?” I asked.

“Nothing, I just didn’t want him to bring you home” Kris said.

I rolled my eyes “Dude” I breathed.

“Seeing how unhappy you are with Beau, it shows me that a little bit of compassion would go a long
way for you, Nathan will be so good to you, and you’ll take that on” Kris said.

“I won’t ok” I promised.

“You applying to Uni?” Kris asked as we walked in.

I nodded “I am, I’m going for an interview tomorrow actually” I said.

“An interview for Uni?” Kris questioned.

“Mmm, because I’m international, I need to go for like an interview, and then organise like my
passport to be changed to an Australian one” I commented.

“We didn’t have to do that” Kris commented.

“Mum did it” I said.

“Oh” Kris frowned.

“You’re so oblivious” I giggled, rolling my eyes before grabbing something from the fridge to drink.

“Where’s Ali?” Kris asked.

I shrugged “Who knows, I thought she said something about meeting up with people” I said.

“Did she?” Kris asked.
I nodded.

“Mum and dad aren’t home either?” Kris asked.

“Do you see them?” I frowned.

“Sorry, I just needed to talk to them, I’ll see you later” Kris sighed before taking off.

I sighed, going to my room and flicking through my phone.
It was hard to not have any friends, that was part of the reason that it was good to talk to Nathan this morning, Kris butting in kind of ruined that.
I sighed, walking to the lounge and sitting down to watch TV, it was quiet, so I needed that background noise.
A little while later, mum and dad got home.

“Hey honey” Mum smiled.

“Hey” I breathed out with a sigh.

“What’s up buttercup?” Dad chuckled.

“Bored” I confessed.

“You were out this morning” Mum commented.

“Yeah, until Kris decided to crash” I said.

“Crash what?” Dad asked.

“I was having coffee with Nathan, Kris has some weird thing about me spending time with Nathan or something” I said.
“You had coffee with Nathan? Nathan Fitzgerald?” Mum asked.

“Yes, why?” I demanded.

“No reason” Mum shrugged.

“Mum, seriously, Kris is weird about it, and now you’re being weird about it, what is it about
Nathan?” I demanded.

“It’s just, Nathan seems to be very much a ladies’ man” Mum sighed.

“And?” I demanded.

“I don’t know if him having a coffee with you is all that innocent on his behalf” Mum sighed.

“Ok, first of all, I was there before he was, it wasn’t planned, and second, I’m with Beau” I breathed.

“We’re painfully aware of that” Dad breathed out, shaking his head.

“Just, be mindful” Mum sighed.

I nodded my head, waving her off before getting up “Ok” I breathed before taking off to my room.

I sighed and looked around, mum had made it all perfect for me, and in less than a month, I’d be
moving out to live with Beau.

Funny how badly I didn’t want to be with him anymore.

Funny how even though I had the chance to walk away,

I didn’t.