Backwards is the New Forward || Nair
Blair entered her home with a big grin on her face. Her hair was slightly ruffled due to the soft November breeze that blew about occasionally during her walk home. She would’ve taken a cab if she didn’t love the weather so much, so she didn’t really mind the effects of it. Setting her many shopping bags down upon entering, Blair immediately used her now free hands to smooth down her hair. It was a nice day for her — she was actually happy and not only just because she went shopping. For the first time in months, Blair felt like her life was running smoothly; she had her best friend back, her relationship with her mother wasn’t rocky and the same went for her father, she wasn’t feeling too confused about boys these days, and now, she had her outfit planned for her upcoming birthday events. There wasn’t too much drama in her life and everything was kind of back to the way it used to be, except… Better.
Heading to the kitchen to get something to drink, Blair was greeted by Dorota and before she can even say something, her Polish housemaid spoke instead. “Miss Blair, there’s note for you in your room from Mister Nate,” she said, her thick accent hanging on every word, “Go read, he say ‘important.’” Blair’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the woman’s words and she would’ve thought that the note had some bad news if it weren’t for the smile that was on Dorota’s face, thankfully.
"Okay," Blair replied, a smile now finding it’s way on her face as well, "Thanks." She would’ve ran to her room if her pride weren’t stopping her, but it didn’t stop her grinning like a giddy little schoolgirl. If she were happy before, Blair was over the moon right now — this little "note" seeming to make her day a hundred times better than it already was. Bounding up the steps and to her room, Blair found the note as soon as she walked in; the white envelope resting against the beige comforter. Her name was scribbled on the front in Nate’s familiar, rushed handwriting that she always bothered him about. As much as she hated surprises, because she always liked to know what was going on, she was already loving this one.
Opening the note, Blair’s eyes immediately scanned the piece of paper, easily deciphering his handwriting and the clues. Dear Blair, So we’re backwards. There’s really no arguing it at this point, so I’m going with it and that means you are too. I promise it’ll be worth it to follow this through to the end. The spot you’re standing in now is kind of where it all started. We’re going back from there. You have been wanting effort and you deserve it so I spent some time thinking about this and I hope I came up with stuff you like to remember. All you have to do is text me a picture from the first place this note leads you and then I’ll send you the clue for the next place. And my mom helped me with these so don’t blame me if they totally suck. Here’s your first one. “We had a lot of first, and none was quite as disturbing, maybe, as our first date. Not because my mom dropped us off or because I didn’t want to go with you, but because I’ve never seen anyone throw up quite that much. The place isn’t the same anymore, but I remember staying up with you all night because that’s what a good boyfriend is supposed to do. If this date makes you sick like that one did, I promise I’ll hold your hair back again. I really hope it won’t come to that.” So go. See you soon. Love, Nate.
The letter sent butterflies to flutter around in her stomach and a wave of heat to creep up and into her cheeks. It was sweet, it was heartfelt, and the letter(not to mention the whole plan that followed it) had a lot of effort put into it which was all she wanted. She was impressed with him; Nate was doing good and they’d barely even started. It kind of shocked her, though, that Nate was able to come up with something like this and slip by unnoticed. He’d planned everything behind her back, and it worked out. It took her all of three seconds to think of the restaurant he was referring to in the letter, but she knew it was closed down. Still, she left the letter on her bed and left, telling Dorota that she was on her way.
* * *
It took fifteen minutes to go back almost 7 years in time. Of course it liked completely different now, the restaurant that had given food poisoning wasn’t there but instead, it was just a vacant space. It saddened her a tiny bit, but only because of how Nate was that night. It was kind of like revenge to them for getting her sick in the first place, those bastards. Pulling out her phone to snap a picture, she sent it to Nate excitedly: Hurry up and give me my next clue so I can come and kiss you soon.