Name Your Price - 1. Chapter 1 - The Deal

I hate him! Oh God, how I hate him! I hate him so much, but... I can't help but love him still. Maybe that's why I hate him? I hate him.... because I love him? Yeah, because that makes sense. I just... I wish I didn't feel this way about him. No, no that's not right. Actually, I wish he felt this way about ME – not the hating part, mind you, but the whole 'love' thing. That would be my true wish at least. Unfortunately, that's never going to happen. Nope. No way in hell was he ever going to feel that way, and maybe that is why I hated him – knowing that I loved him, but that he was completely and undeniably straight as an arrow freshly carved from solid DIAMOND. He was off limits. He could never ever look at me the way I look at him.

Nathan Price, hearing thy name is kin to experiencing the sweet and soothing song of cherubs as one checks in to the grand hotel in the sky. Oh, he's so perfect! So perfect... yet sooo very far out of reach. He's the typical high school hottie; he's a jock, he's swimming in more popularity than he knows what to do with, and he can make any girl or little gay boy weak in the knees and short of breath with one little glance. Oh yeah, you know the type! He could be a freaking model if he wanted to be! I would be surprised if he hasn't gotten any offers from modeling scouts or anything! What I wouldn't DO to take him home and ravage him until the moon turned red! But alas... that isn't a prospect, like I said. He's a ladies man to the very core; he flirts with just about every hot, ditzy, double-D girl he sets his eyes on. Of course, those were almost always the cheerleaders. He even had a girlfriend in one of them, Becky Harris, although I don't know how they managed a good relationship when he was obviously flirting with the rest of the cheer team. Maybe Becky just accepted it as his nature and didn't care, content to just have a hot, popular, jock boyfriend. Maybe she was just stupid. My money is on the ditzy thing. Poor thing is a few cards short of a full deck. Well, perhaps... a full deck short of a full deck, but she at least had her looks! Until she peaks and hits ugly-ville as an adult! Hahaha! Can you tell that I'm just a tad bit jealous of her? I didn't think so! I would give the world to have him as mine though! I would treat him right! That Becky doesn't know anything! Sigh... life isn't fair.

I've been more or less obsessing about Nathan for the past three years. The crush started when he gave me a calm and cool 'hey' the first time I met him back then in middle school, and took off soaring from there. He was the sole object of my desires, my affections, my everything! From that point on, I was hooked on him. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to shake the love bug. I can't really tell you what made me love him though, because I myself really don't have any idea! My heart has 'Nathan Price' written all over it, and that's just how it was going to be! There's really no arguing when it comes to matters of the heart, now is there?

I laid down in my bed and tried to calm all the voices, and thoughts, and pictures from rattling around in my weary head. It had been a long day, and I just needed to relax. Sleeping was my only break from the torture my heart put me through my every waking hour. While I was asleep, at least I was usually somewhat at peace. I rested my head calmly against my pillow and sighed. I sighed and let my eyes flutter closed with one last thought: “I'd do anything! I think I'd even sell my SOUL to have you, Nathan!” I smiled slightly, finding humor in the extremity of the idea, and drifted off to sleep.

Suddenly, I smelled smoke. The heavy scent burned my nostrils and throat, which caused me to start coughing. Waking up, I opened my eyes to a cloud of grey and black, and immediately my eyes became irritated by the fumes and started to water. I stood up, getting out of my bed, and shooed the cloud of smoke out of my face.

As the air cleared, I became aware that I was no longer in my bedroom. In fact, I was not in a room at all. It appeared to be more like a cave; I was in a large, red, cave. Where in God's name was I?

“Oh... this land is as far from God's name as you can get, my child. I suppose you could say... it's quite in the opposite direction.” came a hissing voice from behind me. I spun around quickly to see where the voice was coming from, but did not find the source. “Welcome to my humble abode.” the voice hissed, but from the other side of the cave this time. I turned my head to face the source, but again I saw nothing.

“Wh-who... who's there? Where am I?” I asked fearfully. I heard a deep inhale. I felt like I was being sized-up; I felt like the being could sense my fear. A chill ran down my spine.

“Ah... my child, you are in my home. Don't make me explain twice. And I? I am your wish come true.” came the voice. Every time I looked in the direction it was coming from, it would move.

“Yes, but where is your home? Where is this?” Suddenly, I became aware of how hot it was in... wherever I was.

“Don't like the heat?”

“How did you...?” I began to ask.

“Ah... I know all, my child. I see all. I am all – all of the good things in life, at least.” it answered.

“I'm sorry? Who are you again? What's your name?”

“I am the morning star. I am the early light.”

“What? What should I call you?” I asked.

“You may call me Mr. Natas.”

“Mr. Natas? What an... interesting name....”

“I understand you're... in love?” Mr. Natas questioned.

“Uh... yes, well...”

“How about a little... deal?” he asked. There was something in his voice that sounded... untrustworthy; he sounded like he was scheming something.

“What kind of a deal?” I questioned, cautiously. Suddenly, flames came out of nowhere and began licking the walls of the cave as the room filled with a booming and maniacal laughter.

“Sit down, my child.” he said. I turned around and found a large, brown, leather armchair behind me that wasn't there before. The way he had laughed had left me feeling weary about all of this, but I slowly and carefully walked over and took a seat.

“So what kind of deal?” I asked.

“I have a little proposition for you: how about I... make this Nathan Price fellow... fall in love with you?”

“You can DO that?!” I asked, excitedly bouncing in the chair.

“Oh yes, my child... I can do a lot of things.” the voice answered.

“And what would you like in return?”

“Oh, I'm not asking much....” he said, fading out.

“Well what, then?” I prodded. I was afraid to hear what this being wanted from me. Something was telling me that I had every right to have my guard up.

“Oh it's nothing really, just... your SOUL.”

Suddenly, the air around me went ice cold.