NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT.

nathan "nate" boyd, 27, north end, bartender at the cellar, poker player. “Running away is easy; not knowing what to do next is the hard part.”

[natexboyd-blog]

davis.

Davis hadn’t even thought to consider what sort of reception he’d have if he ever ran into Nathan Boyd again, but he figured if he had, he would have conjured up a scenario something like this. Worse, honestly, and while he knew he deserved it, it didn’t make the sting of rejection hurt any less. Because once upon a time Nate had been like a brother to him - literally, almost, if things had gone his way eleven years ago - and while he knew he’d left with not even a word, his affection for the younger man never had. 

As he took in Nate’s defensive stance, his angry gaze, Davis could see the subtle changes of time - Nate had finally grown into his nose and filled out his body in a way that brought a new sense of confidence with it. He’d aged nicely in all the ways Davis hadn’t, but underneath it all, he could still see the same old Nate - protective and loyal until the bitter end. 

“I, uh, I came by to see your dad,” he explained awkwardly, scratching at the back of his neck the way he always used to in high school, back when Nate had been just as distrustful, but Davis actually had hope of winning him over. 

“Why?” He asked even though he knew it wasn’t any of his business. His dad had always had a weakness for Davis — something that had only ever bothered him for a moment back in high school, but was creeping back now. For a long time he understood why his dad liked him, why Hazel liked him, and why his entire family did, but it didn’t mean a thing to him anymore. It was funny how things could change just like that.

It was the first time he saw him in over a decade, and although he had aged visibly — in ways he couldn’t quite piece together, it was still very clear that this was the same Davis he had known in high school. Or maybe not the same anymore, not really.

“He’s not in available for visitors at the moment, only family,” he said and kept his eyes on Davis stubbornly. He almost couldn’t have said it any clearer than if he had actually said the words “and you’re not family anymore”, because that was how he felt. Maybe he had knocked up Hazel again and tried to make amends, even helped financially, but how did that make up for disappearing from one day to another, and breaking his sister’s heart? His family’s heart.

[natexboyd-blog]

ophelia.

                    Ophelia practically jumped into his arms, beyond excited to see him back in town—- even if she knew he probably wouldn’t stick around for that long. At that point, it hadn’t really hit her that he was most likely here because of his dad’s current condition. She didn’t want to think about that, however, so for now she reveled in the fact that he was here. “I didn’t know you were back,” she said and stepped back to look at him, her smile big and wide. “I just saw you from my window. Are you back-back? Like, not just for a quick visit, but here for a little while?”

He closed her eyes and hugged her as tightly as he could without hurting her, breathing in the familiar scent of her shampoo. Home felt a lot like this to him, and he realised then how stupid he had been for disappearing for so long. It shouldn’t take seeing Ophelia to make him see that, but it did and it kind of sucked that whatever feelings he had once harboured for the girl still seemed to linger somewhere in him. “I don’t know Ace, I haven’t decided yet but if you greet my like that every time you see me, I might just stick around for a lot longer.” He laughed and pinned a lock of her hair between his fingers, tucking a little before putting it back behind her ear casually. “You got time for an old friend?”

[natexboyd-blog]

aspen.

“Drinks for the night,” Aspen repeated, giving a short nod. She watched him, her head tilting to the side as he thought about it. She let out a laugh, nodding again, amusement clearly on her face. “Lucky for you, I’m not that picky when it comes to alcohol. You got yourself a deal.” 

“Well I guess I can’t say no to a pretty face like that, so you’re on.” He chuckled and grinned before he headed inside with the woman. “What’s your name?” He asked when he realised he had no idea at all.

[natexboyd-blog]

hazel.

&&. @natexboyd

“So, now that we’re finally alone… Are you okay?” Hazel looked over at her brother sitting on her couch. He had been back for almost a week and she hadn’t actually seen him that much. She couldn’t be sure if he was avoiding her, or if he was avoiding everything. Either way she really didn’t blame him - she could only imagine how overwhelming it was to return and find their dad in this horrifying state of deterioration. A lot had happened over the last eight months… Both good and bad. “I’m really, really glad you’re here, you know that right?” She smiled and handed him a beer before sitting down next to him.

“Am I okay? Is that what you ask me now that we’re alone? Seems like a pretty innocent question, Haze.” Nate chuckled even though he knew it wasn’t something to laugh at because he knew his sister, and he knew how she worried and how that question wasn’t light at all. He just liked it better when it were. “I’m okay, Hazel… Promise.” He smiled up at her and took the beer with a thank you. “I’m glad I’m here too… Well, kind of at least. It’s good to see you and mom at least. And Ben and Eric… And Dad. But I don’t know, Haze. Everything is so fucking glum right now, you know? I can’t stand it.”

[natexboyd-blog]

olive.

“….Okay.” Olive told him after a moment, looking from the man back to the front of the bar. “It doesn’t seem like the kind of place that would make amazing drinks, if we’re being honest. So, I feel like you’re going to wind up totally owing me. For the moral support, of course.”

“You’d really judge a book by its cover, just like that? Wow—“ he chuckled, but tried to pretend he was shocked. “I promise the drinks are great, but the offer still stands, so if they’re not, if you don’t like them. I’ll buy you something else. Are you coming or not?”

[natexboyd-blog]

isabella.

“There you go, nothing to worry about.” She told him with a little nod even though she silently hoped for some drama or a show while she sipped on her drink. Nonetheless, as long as she had some alcohol to soothe the pains of the day she just had, then she was sure there was nothing to complain about. “You might just be my favorite person yet.” She told him, bringing wide at him before she moved to the bar. “—But I imagine it being so much fun.”

“Not a damn thing, no.” He chuckled and saw how that kind of disappointed her. He couldn’t blame her — it would’ve been more fun as a bystander, if he had to work for it a bit harder, maybe even endure an embarrassing conversation. “I should be everyone’s favourite person, so try to spread the word,” he joked, chuckling. “Laughing at me isn’t fun, so keep dreamin’, babe.” He smiled and left her, coming back about five minutes later with a big grin on his face. “Well, that was easy.”

[natexboyd-blog]

drew.

Drew nodded a shrug following soon after. “I’m a man of wisdom, what can I say?” The smile that appeared on his face widened as soon as day drinking was mentioned. “I’m the king of day drinking, please. Should I feel bad about it? Because, fuck, I’m in deep if that is the case.” Laughing he nodded, following behind the man. “So are you warming up with a drink or just asking for the job sober?” Drew inquired as they entered the bar.

“Can’t argue with that,” Nate said and chuckled. He shook his head with clear intention. “Nah man, you should never feel bad for enjoying a drink or two no matter what time a day it is.” He laughed with him and then thought about his question when they walked inside the familiar place. “Good question. I’ll have to go with the warming up first. Can’t say no to a drink.”

[lyricsgraphy]

 jeremih -  all the time 

[natexboyd-blog]

lily.

“Someone’s heading into a bar and you offer to pay for a drink. I mean, it’s a dumb move, especially when you’re not even sure you’re gonna get a job.” She placed her hand on his shoulder as to signal that she was giving him a tough time. “Range Rover. I’d like a motorcycle or a jeep, but beggars can’t be choosers so I’m sure you’ll pick the perfect car for me.” With a wink, Lilith walked in and headed straight for the bar. 

“What can I say, I was never the brightest in class,” Nate said, even though he’d never had anything to complain about when it came to his grades — but she didn’t have to know that. “Ah, well job or no job, I think I can afford to buy a pretty stranger a drink. It’s an investment, let’s just say that. I mean, who doesn’t like bonding over alcoholic beverages?” He wiggled his eyebrows and chuckled. “Well, you can exchange the Range Rover then.” Nate laughed and followed her in, waiting for her to seat herself before he asked the bartender over. “Order whatever you’d like. I’ll be right back — keep your fingers crossed for me.”

[natexboyd-blog]

harlow.

“You wish.” She told him with a little scoff. Though when she thought about it, she couldn’t exactly remember why she kept Nate around as he was such a damn pain in her ass on most times. But there was something that she must have liked given that she continued to hang out with him. “I know. I’m going to have to find a way to change that.” Her smile was mischievous when she wiggled her brows at him. Then her gaze shifted, shoulder lifted and fell. “Something like that.”

“No, I know,” he said with a grin on his face and a little too much confidence. “I mean, why else would you still hang around me? I know you miss me when I’m not here.” He chuckled and poked her in the side, wondering how long he could keep this up before she walked out on him. Hopefully a little longer. “Oh yeah? You think you can change that?” He licked his lips, but not very discretely. “And how do you plan on doing that?”

[natexboyd-blog]

libby.

Libby smiled at the contact, savouring it best she could as they walked towards the entrance. She wanted to catch up with Nate, know what he’d been up to since she last saw him; it had been way too long. “Well, I-I’m not everyone.” She told him confidently as they walked into they bar. She waited for him to come next to her. “Did you call beforehand, or.. a-are you just gonna walk up and ask for it back?”

“You’re definitely not ‘everyone’, that’s very true.” He smiled lightly and stepped up next to her when they were inside, waiting to figure out what she wanted to do. “Bar or booth?” He asked, not wanting to dictate anything after he’d seen her hesitate to go inside in the first place. Yes, indeed he could be a considerate fella when he wanted to, or when his loved ones were involved, more accurately. “Nah, didn’t call. I’m just gonna put on my most charming smile and offer to work a couple of shifts for free — that usually does the trick.”

[natexboyd-blog]

karla.

Although Karla was about the most impatient person on the planet, she didn’t mind waiting in the name of alcohol, that or possible embarrassment on another person’s behalf. She watched with crossed arms at him walk over to a figure standing in a doorway. It was only just a few seconds later that he was walking back over in her direction, a satisfied look on his face. “Karla—and yes to that drink.”

“Wasn’t that pretty impressive though, Karla?” He asked, now that he knew her name. He chuckled because really, he hadn’t expected this to go in any other direction. For some reason he could always count on this place for a job, even if the hours were few at first. “So what will it be?” He gestured towards all the bottles of liquor on the shelf behind the bar.

[natexboyd-blog]

sierra.

                  She had nothing to hide, so Sierra shrugged and tilted her head to the side. “Well if you want to know, he’s my ex-boyfriend too… Fortunately for us we’ve stayed friends, but I don’t see him all that often—” Maybe friends wasn’t the right word, but Sierra still checked in on him once in a while. “What’s it to you anyway?” Narrowing her eyes, the brunette gave him a stern nod. “You’ve got that pompous frat boy kind of vibe, it’s really not original.” With a grin on her face, she pursed her lips and quickly turned it into a dramatised frown. “Unfortunately, Princess, we can’t always get what we want. Now be a big brave boy and go in alone.”

“That makes more sense,” he said and smiled lightly. He’d never been good with girlfriends himself, especially not the ex ones, but that was probably because he’d only ever really cared about one of them — or, well, he cared about them all, but there was only the one he’d actually thought he would grow old with. It was kind of sad and pathetic now, so he tried never to think about it. “Nothing to me, I’m just curious,” he said, shrugging. She didn’t have to tell him anything, but she did anyway and for a second he took that as a vote of confidence. “Oh man, I do? Wow, that’s kind of compliment.” Nate laughed, actually very amused by this. “Never had the means to go to college, but I guess frat boys are everywhere now, huh?” He chuckled, not one to take such things personally. “Really, you’ll really let me go in alone? Alright, I see how it is. Well, I guess I’ll see you around somewhere else then. What’s your name?”

[natexboyd-blog]

ophelia.

                     “Oh my god—-“

Ophelia blinked a couple of times, honestly not sure if she was seeing things from the lack of sleep and overall exhaustion, or if this was in fact real life, if it was in fact Nate Boyd down there on the street, visible from her kitchen window. She rubbed her eyes, and when she looked outside again and he was still there, she abandoned the carrots she’d been peeling and bolted out the door and down the street.

                     “NATE—”

He would go home and see his family first, then get his old job back, and if he still hadn’t run into Ophelia by then, he would seek her out himself. Even after all these years, and all the time he had spent away from Lanford, she was still a top priority — she probably didn’t know that, but he liked it that way. It was safer anyway. When he saw her running towards him down the street though, taking him by surprise when he had meant for it to be the other way around, his chest burst with a sudden happiness that he really, really needed right about then. “Hey there Lia —“ he laughed and pulled her against his chest in a bear hug. “How’d you know I was back?”

[natexboyd-blog]

peyton.

“Definitely not the marrying kind.” Peyton laughed, shaking their head just at the thought. They pursed their lips after his second question, giving it thought. “Why? Are you going to buy me whatever it is I tell you that I want?”

“Well, we can’t all be,” Nate said, and furrowed his brows when he realised he made it sound like he actually were the marrying kind. He definitely wasn’t… Was he? “Probably not. I mean, it depends on what it is — if it’s a keychain or something, I might do it, but if it’s a car, then probably not.”

[natexboyd-blog]

emily.

Emily smiled at the male and shrugged. “Oh, please. I’m n-not pretty. You are surely more adorable than me, Nate.” She said, blushing. “I think you’d probably look good doing anything, honestly. Starbucks is always hiring and free coffee is always good. You can hook me up.” She said, smiling. “Th-Thank you. Such a gentleman.” 

“I beg to differ on that one,” Nate said and laughed. “Besides, haven’t you heard men don’t like being called adorable? We want to be hot and sexy, attractive at least.” He chuckled. Nate would never take anything like that too seriously, and would definitely never get offended by being called adorable — it was definitely not the worst thing a man could be called. “Free coffee is definitely always good, but I also like free booze, and I’m not much of a morning person, I have to admit. Let’s see how this goes first.” He winked and put an arm around the petite girl, leading her inside. “No problem.”

[natexboyd-blog]

douglas.

“Always. I don’t lie” he knew how easy it could be, but he also knew that was how every problem started. He had enough of those as it was. “Almost summer anyway, problem solved”.

“You never lie? Not even the little white ones?” Nate asked, and actually kind of believed the man — there was something honest about his face or something. “Yeah, I hope for your sake you’ve got air condition.”