Reaching Salvation: Post-Acer Part 7

"Uh..." Nathan said before falling silent and breathing out smoke. "I don't know. She' nice, it felt right she actually wants to get to know me and as shallow as this sounds she's beautiful."

He frowned and inhaled more smoke. "But I feel guilty for being her first time. She's such a good person and I'm... not. There's still the whole Kira and Erika thing... and I highly doubt she'd go for me."

"If you feel like that..." Tom replied, pausing to take a drag, the big man's face and tone, as usual, portraying nothing but calm. "Go for it. Don't let doubts get in your way."

"I've only known her for one night... I'll have to see how things go first." Nathan murmured before sighing. "I invited her to live in my village last night."

With a genuine half smile he exhaled more smoke and then looked at Tom. "Thanks, Irish." He said. "You're probably one of my only friends at the moment, despite what everyone says. This is the only time you'll here this, but thank you Tom."

"That's probably just the drink talking," Tom joked, his usually stoic face turned into a slight grin.

"What drink?" Nathan responded with a smirk before flicking his cigarette. "I should probably go and see Sage in a minute... I sorta ran out on her."

"Take your time, know what you're going to say," Tom advised, knocking a bit off the end of his cigarette. "You doubt yourself a lot, especially since you got Empathy. You should always remember, you have a family in the Illuminati, at least one friend in me, and...maybe a girlfriend in Sage."

Tom began to walk away, finishing his smoke. "Remember Nathan, at the end of this thing, people will remember you. I'll fade away like most men, but you'll endure a lot longer in people's minds. What I'm saying is, you have a chance now to make up for everything, even if some people aren't willing to give you one. Make it count."

And then the blind man was gone.

Nathan smirked. "Philosophical as always." he said before turning and walking back into Heidi's house, hoping to catch Sage. Tom's words had really hit home.

Jasmine's eyes fluttered open, having felt something large move out from under her. As her vision cleared, she realised she was naked in a bed, with another girl...and then the memory of what had happened last night hit her.

Most of the house was cleaned when Nathan had walked back in. Just a few rooms were left. Sage was sitting down on a chair with a glass of water in one hand, holding her head with the other.

"Yours hurts? Mine feels like exploding..." Neo groaned.

Nicole smirked. "You're pretty good..." she commented before laying flat on her back.

---

Nathan walked over to Sage and coughed nervously. "H...hi."

Melaney was still passed out. She wasn't gonna wake up anytime soon.

"Really? Never heard that before," Neo said with a chuckle, pushing himself up.

Sage looked up at Nathan and gave hima smile. "Hello again."

"Nice job making yourself sound like a manwhore." Nicole said with a giggle before frowning at her headache.

---

Nathan smiled back before pulling a chair over to him and sitting in front of her. "I want to apologise that you had to meet me when drunk." He started. "You're a nice person and very good looking, and I'd like to get to know you properly."

"Wow, that stung," Neo poured at her.

Sage blushed a little when Nathan had said she was good looking. "I-it's alright...I look forward to getting to know you as well."

Heidi smiled slightly, before looking around the room for the red cloth she used to tie back her hair. "Oi, d'y'know if I had my hair tie here, or if I lost it at the party?" She couldn't remember.

---

Kira smiled upon seeing that Luke was smiling. She wanted to go back to sleep, but a spike in her headache told her that wasn't going to happen.

Tom stood at the entrance to the forest, the stick Luke had forgotten in his hand. He stopped there for a while to see of Kira had any objections to him entering.

Kira's smile turned to a scowl upon sensing Tom. She reluctantly pulled away from Luke, careful not to wake him, and shivering in the brisk morning air as she walked towards Tom.

"Luke left this at the party," the big man said succinctly in his soft voice, offering her the stick. "I thought he might need it."

"I-I'll tell h-him y-you brought it b-back... Th-Thank you..." Kira nodded, taking the stick back. She could have easily made another one, but it was the thought that counted.

"Don't worry about it," Tom replied kindly, turning to walk away.

Kira frowned as she walked back to the treehouse. She couldn't really remember anything last night past when they started playing spin the bottle. Oh well, nothing too bad had seemed to happen.

Jasmine sat curled up in a corner of the room, her eyes wide from what she remembered. What did I do...what did I do...what did I do...what did I do...what did I do...what did I do...what did I do..what did I do...what did I do...what did I do...?

Tom made his way slowly back to Heidi's house, his head giving him grief.

Kira moved back over to Luke, gently shaking him awake. "C'mon, wake up, sleepyhead..." she murmured.

"Few more minutes?" Luke mumbled sleepily.