It Wasn't Supposed To End This Way (A Starkid Fan Fiction)

Chapter 36-"Happy" Valentine's Day?

"College happens to be not so flexible at times I need it to be, and flexible when it's convenient for them. May I come in?"

I nod as she enters, her blonde hair swishing around. Natalie is a sophomore in college now, going to some fancy school in Florida. She wants to become a doctor, so naturally her parents were willing to give her any type of education possible. So, she picked this great school in Florida and has been living there since Nicki and I were juniors at Kutztown. Funny how we never really left Pennsylvania and Natalie did.

"How is she?" Natalie asks, taking off her coat. I take the coat from her, hanging it on the hook behind the now closed door. "Mom called me three days ago, and after my last test I got here as fast as I could. God I feel awful not being able to come up here, you remember how hectic college was, don't you? I'm lucky I don't have any tests or papers due next week. The trains are barely moving, half of the schools are closed around here because of all the goddamn snow and...dammit I'm rambling again, I'm sorry."

I shake it off. "Natalie, it's okay. She's asleep right now, I just woke up about a minute before you got here."

Natalie pulls off her scarf and adds it next to her coat, as well as wiping her forehead. "Thank God she's okay. What exactly...happened?"

"Well I know she was calling you last month about some things," I comment, turning away to the coffee machine. "Coffee?"

"Regular's fine. And yes, she called me, what about it?"

Turning on the machine, I start Natalie's coffee first before turning back around to her. "Did Nicki tell you about...you know, her and Joey?"

I can see the worry on Natalie's face tighten at my words, and her eyes dart down to her feet. "I should have known she told you about the baby, too. Living together, being best friends and such..."

"Natalie, she didn't want to tell me, that's the thing. I forced her to tell me in November."

"She told me in December, called me up out of the blue, crying. To think, my big sister crying to me, little old Natalie." I hand Natalie her coffee as I begin to make mine, her nodding her thanks. "I just can't believe it. Joey of all people is whom she chooses to sleep with. I thought that flame died after he graduated high school."

I turn around, nearly spilling my coffee as I do. "What?" I comment. "What did you say?"

"You didn't know?" Natalie's face is truly shock, obviously knowing something that I don't. "I can't believe she never told you."

"Told me what, Natalie?"

"Alex, Nicki's liked Joey since she met him. Maybe since then her feelings dissapated and then rekindled when she saw him again, but she's liked him since you guys were in high school."

My mind is swirling everywhere right now. How could she have never told me this? "Why did she tell you?" I ask, confused. 

"I mean, I always teased her about being in love with Joey, she never actually said it. But I know my sister, Alex. I know her sometimes better than you do, and I know you don't want to hear that. She had this way she would talk about the three of you, her attraction well hidden from the world, but not from me. I picked up on all her little habits throughout the years."

I can't believe Nicki never told me.

"Don't feel bad about not knowing, Alex. You two have more in common than you realize. She always liked to keep certain feelings hidden away from the world. Sometimes I was the only person she talked to, and that's because I forced her to at times."

"Natalie, do you know what's happening right now, at this moment?"

Nodding, but sighing heavily, Natalie replies. "Joey needs to realize that Emma isn't the person he's supposed to be with. Emma isn't for Joey, he isn't in love with her the same way he's in love with my sister. I love Joey, and I love Nicki, but I swear to God they are some of the most stubborn people in the world."