The Reason Why [✓ Completed~ editing]

Chapter 7: Natalie

Chapter 7

*Alexa Shiffer*

She looked about my age, with wavy, chestnut hair that hung to her waist. Her eyes were light green in colour, and were surrounded by black streaks of mascara where it had run as she was crying. She offered me a weak smile as she turned around.

"Hey," she sighed gratefully, rubbing her eyes, spreading her makeup even more.

"Hey," I smiled back, reaching out my hand to her. "Come on out."

She stumbled out nervously, one stiletto on, the other in her hand. The moment she saw herself in the mirror, she burst into tears once more.

I didn't really know what to do. I was never really the one that comforted people when they were down. That was Japera's role. I guess I could be a bit intimidating sometimes.

I put on my kindest face and rubbed her back awkwardly. Luckily, she was a talker. She turned to me and smiled sweetly, a few stray tears escaping the corners of her eyes. She stuck out her hand.

"Natalie Coleman," she sniffed, shaking my hand, surprisingly confident.

"Alexa Shiffer," I replied back, squeezing her hand gently. "Now what's up?"

It came out a little harsher than I thought it would, but she must have notice my expression as she just giggled and dismissed it with a wave of her hand.

I noticed her fingernails were bitten, the red nail varnish that matched her strapless dress was peeling at the tops. She hesitated slightly before smiling bravely and taking a deep breath.

"It was me and my boyfriend's 2 month anniversary and.." Oh, so this was a relationship crisis. Great. I was no good with this. She went on after a few more sniffs.

"Well, he told me that..that our relationship wasn't working out..a-and..*sniff*...he t-told me that he thought that..that we should b-break...up," the moment she finished telling me this, she was already in a state. She was crying her eyes out.

2 months? That wasn't such a big deal. One year, maybe, but 2 months? You hardly even know that person. You may think you do, but it's not long enought to be certain. I didn't tell Natalie that, as I felt it would make the situation at hand a lot worse. Instead, I tried my best to encourage her.

"I..er.. I'm sure he wasn't worth it-" I started.

"BUT HE WAS!!" she was off again. Okay, now what. I tried to imagine what Japera would do... Yeah, I really wasn't good at this.

"Okay," I tried. "Tell me exactly what happened." Should I have asked that?

~*~

Twenty minutes later, we were still sitting on the counter in the restroom. No one came in or out so Natalie's story wasn't disturbed. I regretted asking her what was wrong after the first 10 minutes, but I didn't want to interrupt, so I simply nodded now and then.

I found out that Natalie was 17 years old, same as me, and she had moved to Michigan this year during her summer vacation. She had met Aaron, her boyfriend, in the first few weeks of being here, but they just started off as friends.

She described to me about all the things they did together, and all the places they went.

She had just come from a party, which explained the dress and stiletto's, which was when they broke up. She left immediately and came here to clean up. And to cry.

From what she had told me, they seemed like the perfect couple, with no complications.

So what had made them break up? She couldn't tell me. Because she didn't know the answer.