Invisible String

12

"We'll be okay, you need to calm down Nat. I can assure you we'll be safe."

"If you say so, but I say fire them and get someone like me." I say with a cheeky grin and nod.

"You're my favorite sibling."

"Yes!" I shout with a fist in the air.

"Don't tell Austin." Taylor says as she glares at me, her finger on my nose.

"My lips are sealed."

Alex's POV

"How was your day?" Natalie asks me as she pulls out the chair for me.

"Thank you." I say as I turn to give her a smile. "It was you could say eventful."

"I hear that the team is preparing for the olympics, how's that going?" Natalie asks as she takes a seat across from me.

"It's going, I think we have a chance in winning gold. I hope we do." I say with a smile.

"I'm sure you will." She says with a smile and taps my hand.

"How was your day? Busy? Or not busy?" I ask as I slightly tilt my head.

"More like boring, I went with my si- my uh silly boss you know Taylor, I went with her to an interview." Natalie says as she fixes her shirt. "I waited outside for hours, I eventually went out to a near by bakery. I enjoyed it very much."

"That boring huh?"

"Tell me about it." She says chuckling.

"What's it like working with Taylor?"

"Oh god, it's great, we really hit it off from the beginning."

Ouch.

"Oh." I say and her eyes widen.

"Oh god no, not like that. Taylor and I have a connection like many other people, it's just uh well we just get along well. She's great though, writing music with her and just being around her gives me comfort."

"That sounds amazing." I say with a tight-lipped smile.

"It is. She really gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. I'll forever be thankful."

"Are we ready to order?" The waiter asks us both.

I look over to Natalie and she looks at me. Clearly she was awaiting for me to say yes or no.

"I'm ready, Alex are you?"

"I'm ready." I say with a nod.

We give the waiter our order, he grabs the menus and takes off to the kitchen.

"Taylor's friends kept saying this was a date." Natalie says as she nervously laughs, her hand on her neck clearly rubbing it because she's nervous.

"Well is that not what we agreed on?" I ask and she stops her movements.

"I- uh well yes, but I- um you know. I don't know if you're like you know out there and you know I don't know really I'm gonna shut up now."

"What are you trying to say?"

"You know you have a big fan base, lots of eyes on you, media and stuff, you're the face of the U.S women's soccer. Just that well I don't know if you'd want to be seen around another woman for a dinner. Also I'm five years younger. Which isn't big but you know."

"I don't think anyone would care who I'm with. This is my life no one can control it." I say and she smiles.

"Well I'm glad. I don't have eyes on me like you do, so just wanted to you know, well know." She says with a shy smile.

"I understand. Don't worry."

"Awesome."

Natalie's POV

"So what are your parents like?" Alex asks and I choke on my crouton. "Oh my god are you okay?"

I shake my head as she quickly gets up and pats my back. I drink some of my iced tea as she goes back to sit down.

"Sorry it's just well, my mother passed away from cancer when I was seven, my father well it's complicated. My whole life is complicated well not too complicated but it's not something I share. If I'm being honest only a couple people know." I say rambling.

Alex placed my hand on top of mine, I looked up and she gave me a soft look.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to. I keep screwing it up don't I? Points off for me."

"It's okay, it's just it's a story for another time. Is that okay?"

"That's okay." Alex says and I nod.

"Thank you."

Huh someone who's okay with not knowing? That's new.