Tangled Strings (sequel to Red Strings)

Chapter 25

"C'mon Natalie, you had promised Skyler!" Sylvana says as I pout at her, before burying myself into the duvet.  It was currently noon, and I had promised Skyler I would be over at the house today.  That was two weeks ago however, and let me just say I had changed my mind....slightly.  Yes, all the boys were going to be there, but Skyler reassured me that it would be fine.  I was supposed to be there at 1 and at the rate I was going, I wasn't exactly going to be there anytime soon due to my state.  I was enveloped in my new blue and white stripped duvet, and quite comfortable to say the least.  

"Natalie just get outta bed!" Vana begs and I peek from under my fortress and shake my head and say "NO WAY!".  I burrow back under the sheets and Sylvana sighs.  Theres a silence before suddenly I can hear her tapping away at her phone before she says "Hello?  Hi Sky!"  

I shoot up, covers wrapped around me in a massive cape and slice my hand over my neck indicating that Sylvana should stop.  "Hm?  Oh yeah Natalie's here.  Is she ready to come over?  Oh my GOD no.  Yeah she's still in bed, and she looks pretty shitty too.  Do you wanna talk to her?  Well she's acting like a freaking turtle right now, keeps going under the duvet.  Whatever, a girl can try right?  Here let me pass it over to her." Sylvana hands the phone over and I glare at her before hesitantly grabbing it.

"Hello...?" I say extremely softly before suddenly Skyler screams "Natalie Allison Lane if you don't get your ass down here for 1 o'clock SHARP I swear I will-" "Jesus don't let me go deaf!" I say pulling the phone away for a sec, before putting it back to my ear.

"Natalie you promised!" Skyler says and I sigh and whine "But I'm TIRED!" "Take a nap when you're at our place then!" Skyler offers "Nooooo I'm liking my bed right now!" I complain still wrapped up in the sheets.  "Natalie theres something really special here for you though...." Skyler says and I bite my lip.  "Define special...." "Can't its a surprise, plus you need to be here to see it." "SKYLER I HATE SURPRISES!" "Oh well doesn't that suck you'll never know what it issss!!" Skyler sings through the phone clearly teasing me.

I know she has me.  Was I gonna fall for it though?  "Wait, is there ACTUALLY a surprise though?" I ask biting my lip.  "Yes, but if you're not careful and don't come the opportunity might not come around again...." Skyler says and I groan and say "Fine I'll come!" 

"YAY!" Sky squeals and I then say "So 1 o'clock?" "SHARP!" Skyler orders before she hangs up on me.  I look over at the time.  It's 12:15.  "SHIT!" I yell throwing the duvet back and immediately aiming for the bathroom, washing my face as I yelled "Sylvana what should I wear?" "Wear that PTV tank!" she yelled and I grabbed my makeup bag as well, running back to my room before picking out my bleached shorts and my black Pierce the Veil tank, with the Collide with the Sky cover on it.  

"Hey Natalie we've gotta go or else you'll be late!" Vana calls and I burst back out of the room, grabbing my sandals as I ruffle my hair up a bit as I look in the mirror.  Despite the fact I still haven't put on any makeup, the rest of my outfit and hair looks pretty decent, especially considering the time limit I had.  We got down the stairs and into Sylvana's car, as she began to drive to the boys house, me doing my makeup along the way.

We've pulled into the driveway at 12:54.  Sylvana turns off the ignition and we sit in the car for a moment before I suddenly say "I don't wanna go in."  Sylvana sighs leaning back in the chair and says "Come on Nat, we've made it this far, don't tell me you wanna turn around now."  I know I'm acting childish but it couldn't be helped.  I really didn't wanna go, especially with this new "surprise" element.

"But that whole surprise thing and then theres-" "Oh my god Natalie that's it, we're going in NOW!  You promised Skyler, and I didn't drive us here to only turn back around!" Sylvana says and I pout, crossing my arms.  "You can't make me!" I say and Sylvana sighs before Skyler comes out.  "NATALIE!" she screams and she comes to the car door and she opens it and comes in and hugs me.

I'm taken aback but I realize that I did miss Skyler despite the fact it had only a couple weeks, and despite the fact we had mostly been fighting since I had left.  I look to see the Michael and Luke at the door and they run forward before suddenly Michael is hugging me first.  He squeezes me tight and when I pull away I can see his eyes have watered.  "Mikey I didn't go for that long!" I assure him, squeezing his hand and he nods and says "Well Calum's not any better." 

I freeze.  Michael realizes what he's said and a silence is what happens afterwards.  Now I really feel like leaving.  "NATALIE!" Ashton suddenly pops out of nowhere and I get pulled into a bone crushing hug.  "Hi Ashton!" I say slightly out of breath once he pulls away.  

"Well should we show her the surprise?" Luke says and Skyler nods and Ashton yells "You're gonna LOVE IT!!!" "Am I?  Am I really?" I ask in a monotone.  "She doesn't like surprises." Skyler informs the others and they all gasp.  "Come on surprises are AMAZING!" Michael says knocking shoulders with me.

"Yeah, but you don't know what they are, what's so amazing about that?" I ask as I get led back to the recording studio, even though Ashton ran ahead.  I see that there's a back turned to me and Ashton's talking to a guy, due to the lower voice.  I recognize this stranger's voice though.  It's like I've heard it through the tv or something.  Suddenly though, when he turns around my jaw drops.

"Holy shit." I breathe out and the stranger smiles.  "Hi Natalie."  It's Vic Fuentes.  Lead singer of Pierce the Veil.  Vic FUCKING Fuentes.  Holy.  I was shaking as he sticks out his hand and say "Oh um I uh....um...." "Don't worry I don't bite!" he says smiling at me.  HOLY SHIT HE'S SMILING AT ME!?  WHAT IS THIS?!

I take a deep breath and I say "This is probably one of the only surprises I've ever liked in my lifetime!"