That Imperfect Addiction

-26-

Felicity

Sometimes, memories hurt. Sometimes, happy memories hurt the most. For me, Nathan was that memory.

Nathan Martin. The only person who made my teenage life bearable. He was my father's best friend's son. Mischievous but kind from heart.

We used to do everything together. No matter how depressed I used to feel at home, he always managed to bring a smile on my face.

But everything changed when I start developing feelings for him. Not any kind of feeling but I was practically in love with him. I was scared, excited and foolish.

Foolish enough to confess my feelings in front of everyone, at my step sister's birthday party. I thought I was brave. I was so sure that he was going to return my feelings. So excited to finally have my best friend as my boyfriend.

Alas! I was wrong. Oh so wrong.

The moment I finished my confession speech in front of everyone, they started laughing. Including him.

"How can you even think I'll like someone like you, city? Geez, you're hardly my friend" he snickered.

'He denied our friendship?'

The humiliation. The pain. The shock. All came at once, just like that.
To this date, I get that ice water chill remembering that day.

'It hurts like bitch'

But it didn't end that day. It all started that day. I was the new topic for gossip. From being invisible, I literally became the centre of attention. And ironically enough, Nathan avoided me like a plague.

After we enter our senior year, something changed. Nathan started acting weird. Yes I was used to his sweet talks but flirting? He never flirted with me before. But it all changed.
That naive, stupid, hopeless romantic teenager inside me became alive once again.

And that's how, I lost my first kiss to him.

Little did I knew, it was all an act. A dare given by his friends, that he accepted. A dare to humiliate me, to hurt me, to break my heart, again.

•••

"I'm going to grab Mr Knight's Lunch. If any visitors come, can you please hold them for me?" I pleaded Gwen, the front desk receptionist.

Apparently, people go crazy when it comes to their appointment with Asher. There are many days when people try to visit him even in lunch hours. I'm like, aren't you hungry people?

"No worries" she smiled. I mouthed her a thank you and rushed out to Nora's, to grab our lunches.

There are many restaurants in Asher's list of choice. When I get time I go to the far ones but not today. I feel like having Nora's today and luckily, it is just two blocks away from the main street.

The bell rang as I entered through the door. The coziness of this restaurant is what I love the most. I'm surprised thinking about how a posh man such as Asher Knight likes this simplest of restaurant.

"Good to see you Felicity" the owner smiled at me.

"Hey Jack, nice to see you too. Can I have the usual please?" I politely asked.

"It'll be ready in few minutes"

I took a sit on the counter stool. I opened my phone and started texting with Sasha. I was so engrossed on my phone that I didn't noticed the man standing behind me until he cleared his throat.