After Five Years

It was one of the lazy Sunday evenings where I would lie on my bed with my favorite coffee mug in hand, reading a random Nancy Drew novel, sipping coffee and dreading about going to work the next day, when suddenly I heard a knock at my window which made me jerk, dropping my favorite coffee mug on the floor which broke into a hundred pieces.

"Hey Miss Nancy Drew! I just knew I would find you on your bed reading a Nancy Drew novel with your favorite coffee mug in hand."

"Shit.. shit.. shit.....I..I'm so sorry I didn't mean to..."

"Nathan Luce?! What the hell are you doing near my window?How did you even get up there?"

"Listen, Chloe I'll explain everything later but first I need a place to hide." He said as he hopped in through the window and hid under my bed.

"Wait..what? How can you just get into my house like that!."

"Please." He said as he begged me to keep quiet from under the bed.

"You better have a good reason for all this!"

"Stop screaming!"

"I am not!"

"Umm hey Chloe." he called out to me minutes later, which felt like hours.

"Now what?"

"Can you please check through the window to see if anyone's around."

"No." I said as I took a quick glance through the open window.

He let out a sigh as he came out of the bed,walked towards the window, closed it and drew the curtains over and climbed on to my bed going through the books on my shelf.

"Ten more added to the collection, I see."

"Excuse me.?"

"Yes?" He asked finally taking his eyes off my collection of books.

"Okay, so may I have the honor of you,explaining to me as to the hell just happened?" 

"It was umm my rent collector." He said to which I rolled my eyes in disbelief.

"Seriously?"

"I haven't been paying my rent since like two months now and I moved in with my friend who I planned to stay with until I got the money arranged but..."

"Well let me guess kicked you out cause he couldn't stand looking at that face of yours anymore?" I said to which he gave me an annoyed look.

“Fine!”

“So my rent collector found out that I'd been living with my friend and he showed up at his house this evening, so I had to run through the back door of his house and..."

"Okay now,whatever your so-called 'sympathetic' story is,out of all the houses, the only one you thought of randomly popping into was my house?Like seriously your ex’s house?”

"I guess cause yours was the only familiar house to hide in the entire neighborhood."

"Whatever..but wait how the hell did you even climb up to my window?Is that my ladder? How the hell did you find it and how..."

"Woah wait..."

"The ladder was in my storehouse right? What about the key? Oh my god are you stalking me? I will..."

"Oh my god Chloe. Stop will you please let me complete!”

"Go on." I said to which he whispered something under his breath.

"Excuse me?" 

"Okay fine, so as I was driving, my friend's car ran out of fuel so I had to get off my car and then I continued running from my rent collector who continued to chase me with his car and finally I found you house, got in and.."

"Gosh this literally sounds like a game play story from a video game." I said giggling to which Nathan gave me an annoyed look again.

“So then I hid behind your store room,which reminded me of the ladder which I used to use to climb through your window back in highschool.And to my surprise you still kept the extra key to your store room under the flower pot even after so many years."

"Umm I might have forgotten to change it,after all it has just been..."

"Just five years of course." He said laughing.

"And by the way if you haven't realized your stunt tonight made me drop my favorite coffee mug!" I said looking over my favorite mug which was now in pieces.

"I know,I'm so sorry." He replied trying to make a weird puppy face.

"Ugh don't you make that face again, you know it never worked out with me nor will it ever."

"I can clear up this mess for you."

"You mean the mess you made in my life? No thanks, I'll clear it up myself and speaking of the other mess I'll clear that up as well, while you make me coffee to make up for the one you ruined." I said as he went off downstairs to the kitchen.

He returned after a few minutes with two cups of coffee in his hands.After which we looked at each other for a while blankly and then he handed me a cup of coffee. 

"Listen uhh.." he started to which I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry for everything that happened five years back, I can explain just please listen to me."

"Oh really? You can explain? Explain as to why you cheated on me after we had survived our long distance in college,I thought we would last Nathan.You messed it all up....I..."

Before I could complete, the doorbell rang which made me and Nathan look at each other in surprise.Who could it be...?

"Oh shit! My parents are here."

"What! I'll get down through the ladder and find a place to hide."

"No way! My parents are gonna see you getting out through the gate."

"What do I do then!" He asked as the doorbell began to ring even louder.

"Hide under the bed! I'll distract them and u can leave then." I said to which he nodded.

I saw him getting under the bed as I rushed downstairs to open the door.

"Honey what took you so long?" 

"I..I was reading so couldn't hear the doorbell ring." I replied to which my dad smiled.

"Oh I thought you were upset because today's the day you and Nathan broke up ain't it?"

Shit.I hope Nathan didn't hear that.

"Uh no dad it's been so long, why would I care." I replied trying to keep up a smile.

"Okay then I'm making dinner for you guys."

Mom said to which I nodded and went back to my room.He was gone.Why was I feeling sad about it? He was totally unexpected tonight.

Just then, I felt a hand pull me in it's direction.

"Nathan? I thought you...left.”

“I probably would have, but I realized there were some things still left unsaid."

"D..did you umm hear dad say.."

"Yes I did.Chloe you just left that night. You didn't even wait for me to explain."

"That's because there was nothing to explain about, Nathan.I found Lyra's earring on your bed that morning when I came to your house and she herself accepted the fact that she slept with you."

"Lyra hated you Chloe, she lied and made all of this up to break your heart.”

"If that was really what happened then why didn't you try to tell me then?"

"Because..." 

"I know you don't have an answer for that Nathan, don't get me started on this."

"Lyra threatened me, Chloe"

"What?"

"She threatened me saying she would tell everyone about my brother's sexuality.I couldn't let that happen.So I hid it for so long, but tonight, my brother is finally gonna do it, he’s gonna tell my parents about who he really is, so I thought it was the best time to tell you this."

"Nathan,I'm so sorry I didn't even try to listen to you and I..."

"It's okay Chloe,it was my fault too, I could have told you about this earlier.But maybe it's too late now. I guess I've to go now.."

"Nathan..." I said as I stopped him.

"I've never been able to forget you even after all these years even though I convinced myself that I did.I...still love you..Nathan."

"Chloe you..do...?" Nathan asked, to which I nodded.

Just then I heard a knock at my bedroom door.

"Ugh not again." Nathan whispered to which I giggled.

"Dinner's ready Chloe!" 

"Yes mom!"

"Chloe...?"

"Yeah?"

"The whole rent collector thing was a lie, I guess you might have figured it out but…”

"Oh no, did I fall into one of your games again." I said as I leaned towards him.

"But this time I don't regret it." I whispered.

"Anyways,I have go now, Chloe" He said as I watched him go down the ladder.

"Nathan? Am I dreaming or is that really you?" My dad asked in disbelief as he looked at Nathan getting down the ladder.

"Just like the old days huh,I see you haven't changed much."

"Uhh...yes Mr Jevin " He replied as we all stood there laughing.

My thoughts were interrupted by the words which sparked right through my ears.

"Do you,Chloe Jevin, take Nathan Luce to be your wedded husband, to cherish in love and in friendship, in strength and in weakness, in success and in disappointment, to love him faithfully, today, tomorrow, and for as long as the two of you shall live?"

I looked into Nathan's eyes realizing how far we had come in so many years.

"I do.." I said, smiling at him.

We kissed as the whole world seemed to fade out around me.