It was way after midnight Eleanor was tossing and turning on the bed but she got nowhere close to sleep. Ultimately she rose to a sitting position on the bed. She faced difficulties falling asleep in a new place for the initial few days. She remembered how she had gone sleepless for more than a week when she had newly shifted to a college dorm as a freshmen.

Eleanor got out of bed and headed outdoors to inhale in a bit of fresh air. It was only then that she spotted the bespectacled boy sitting on the steps that led to the patio.

"Nathan, right?" she asked, approaching him.

Nathan grew wide eyed seeing his crush and immediately jumped to her feet. His senses failed him and he just stood there gaping at her in awe. She was wearing a lacy full sleeves maroon night gown and she had let her lovely hair loose.

Nathan was mesmerized by her ethereal beauty. How did she manage to be so tough and yet appear delicate?

He was lost in her. He just knew that his heart was beating rather fast in his nervous chest. It was like watching a dream with open eyes. The most magical dream ever. Everything ceased to exist for him because nothing compared to her.....

"Are you okay?" asked an amused Eleanor, tucking a strand behind her ear that had come on her cheek due to the breeze.

"Y-Y-Yeah...I'm---I'm fine...." he stuttered feeling extremely shy. Eleanor knows my name, he felt his cheeks heat up further in embarrassment.

As Eleanor sat down on the steps, Nathan prepared to leave.

"Hey, you don't have to go," Eleanor told him politely. "You can stay back if you want to. Seriously, no issues. You were sitting here anyway."

As Nathan sat alongside her, he felt butterflies coming alive within him. He wanted to look sideways at her but couldn't dare. His pulses ran cold and his heart was beating so overwhelmingly fast that he feared she would hear it in the serenity of the night.

They sat there just like that in silence, no words spoken. Even though Nathan felt hell nervous and awkward, he didn't want these moments to ever end.

"Do you usually be up so late?" she asked all of a sudden.

"Huh...no I-I...actually, my-my friend P-Preston--"

"Relax," said Eleanor, seeing him get all flustered. "It's completely okay if you don't want to tell me," she assured him.

"No, I'll--I'll tell you." Nathan somehow gathered himself and spoke further without fumbling, "Preston has brought a girl over from the club. His room is right next to mine. Knowing what those two might be doing in there, I'd rather be here until she leaves after they do it," he shivered in repulsion.

Eleanor chuckled a bit hearing that. "I've seen Preston around in office. I know him as a very cool and hard working guy who loves to be funny."

"Preston is my best friend and the nicest guy ever," said Nathan fondly. "We are totally different from each other which is why we bicker a lot but I know for a fact that he will be there for me always no matter what. He cares for me a lot and I too have found a brother in him."

"That's so amazing, Nathan." The genuine appreciation in her eyes made his heart flutter.

Nathan smiled back a nervous smile.

"Preston reminds me of Josh," spoke Eleanor nostalgically. "He was goofy, funny and pure at heart. And the bond you share with Preston is a lot like how Stef and Josh were with each other. We were a gang of four best friends who thought nothing in the world could tear us apart....but we-we broke apart...."

Nathan saw a pained expression cross her face.

"Are you....are you okay?" Nathan asked doubtfully, not knowing what to do.

"Yea--Yeah, I'm fine, thanks." Eleanor rubbed off the little bit of moistness in her eyes and gave him an empty smile.

Around the same time, Devon happened to come downstairs from his room and spot Nathan and Eleanor sitting together at the steps and talking. Devon clenched his jaws harshly and his irises grew cold....

"Anyway, I should be off to sleep now," said Eleanor, raising to her feet. "Night."

"Good night," smiled Nathan, feeling the butterflies multiply in his stomach.

After Eleanor headed upstairs in the East Wing, Devon approached the bespectacled boy with a deep grudge in his chest.

Nathan was mortified knowing he had been seen with a girl. He made sure his feelings for Eleanor were not too obvious on his face.

"I thought you didn't like talking to girls," taunted Devon.

"No no nothing like that. Eleanor was telling me about her childhood friends and that the four of them are no longer in touch with each other..."

That caused Devon's expressions to grow silent and grim.

After a brief pause, Nathan added thoughtfully. "She looks sad. I think she had to go through a lot of nasty stuff in the past."

Devon's shoulders grew stiff hearing that.

***

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