Our Way

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He wobbles his head around, all righteous like. “And I quote, I don’t want anyone to know we’re together.” He hits the steering wheel. “You want to talk about ruining someone’s post-holiday glow, let’s fucking talk about that sentence, shall we?”

I roll my eyes. “You took it out of context, Nathan, and you know you did. I simply want to tell our friends and family first out of respect for them. Stop carrying on about this. You’re beginning to piss me off.”

His eyes bulge from the sockets as they flick between the road and me. “Well, I’m already pissed off, Eliza. Don’t fucking talk to me.”

“Good!” I fire back. “I won’t. Don’t talk to me.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not.”

I cross my arms, and he takes a corner fast.

“Slow down!” I snap as I hold on. “You’re driving like a maniac.”

“Don’t tell me how to fucking drive.” He growls.

“Well, I can’t tell the girls about us tomorrow if I’m dead, now, can I?”

He screws up his face, and I can see he’s muttering something to himself.

“What?” I say.

He stays silent as he glares at the road.

“Go on, say it.”

“I’m just wondering if you think our relationship is all about you.”

“What?” I screw my face up, fuck he’s still on that, what’s he going on about now?

“I’ve already told Alex that we’re together. I called him, all excited from our vacation. I have nothing to be ashamed of. You spoke to your friends and purposely didn’t tell them.”

I roll my eyes and I snuggle back into the seat. “Shut up, you’re supposed to not be talking to me. Do it.”

“Watch it,” he warns.

“You’re just looking for a fight and you’re not getting one. I told you the reason, now drop it. I’ve just been in transit for fifteen hours, Nathan, and the last thing I want to deal with is your dramatics.”

He narrows his eyes as he watches the road.

I bite my lip to stifle my smile. There he is… my cranky Nathan. I wondered how long he would take to show up.

Goodbye, holiday love bubble. Welcome back to reality, Eliza.

* * *

I wake to the sound of the shower on, and I stretch out wide. Oh man… the gym.

I glance at the clock and see it’s 5:30 a.m.

I don’t want to go back to routine.

Nathan didn’t talk to me at all last night, and we slept with our backs to each other.

Two weeks joined at the hip have taken their toll.

I smile sleepily at the ceiling. Reality bites.