CELESTIAL | legacies

eight.

Natalie shakes her head, "You don't have to give me anything."

"Isn't that what friends do?" Hope asks.

"Well yes, but-"

"Then I'm getting you a gift," Hope tells her with a grin.

Natalie rolls her eyes, "Fine, but you'll be like the only person."

"Josie doesn't get you anything?" Hope asks and Natalie shakes her head.

"Josie and I usually just try and give each other our presence, the best gift of all when you have abandonment issues," Natalie says with a smile.

"I guess so," Hope agrees with a smile.

"So is Landon a good kisser?" Natalie asks, "Because that would make up for all his other faults."

Hope laughs and throws a pencil at her, "Shut up!"

Natalie dodges and looks at Hope with a grin, "So is he?"

Hope shrugs, "He's decent."

Hope eventually leaves her to start working on her super-secret birthday present and Natalie spends most of her birthday hiding away in her room, thankful that for the first time in weeks that it was peaceful on campus.

There was a soft knock on the door before Josie poked her head inside, "Hey."

"Lizzie finally let you free?" Natalie asks with a smile and Josie shoves the door open wider as she comes inside.

"Party setup has already begun. Are you excited?"

"For Lizzie to be the center of attention? Always," Natalie says with a laugh, "Have you got yourself an escort yet?"

"Nope," Josie says, "I was actually wondering if you wanted to go together?"

Natalie raises an eyebrow as she looks at Josie surprised, "Me?"

Josie nods with the prettiest smile that Natalie has ever seen, "Yeah you. Why do you sound so surprised?"

"I don't know if you know this, Josie, but like everyone wants you."

"Well I don't care what everyone else wants. I want you," Josie says, and this really isn't helping Natalie get over her crush on Josie, "Besides, I have to get to you before Hope does."

"Hope?" Natalie asks with a snort, "I'm certain that Hope has no interest in being my escort."

"Yeah well she knows something about you that I don't so I can't give her the opportunity to be your escort," Josie tells her and Natalie grins sheepishly.

"Possessive, are we?"

"Of you?" Josie says, "Always."

Natalie laughs, though her heart wants to burst through her chest, "Well you'll be disappointed to hear that I told Penelope she should be your escort."

"Why would you do that?" Josie asks.

"Because she's in love with you? It's terribly obvious, but she wants you to step out of Lizzie's shadow."

Josie looks at her, "Do you wish that I were more independent?"

"No," Natalie answers instantly, "I mean I do hate that sometimes I can't get you without having to get Lizzie as well, but I wouldn't change a single thing about you, Josette."

Josie groans, "Not the full name."

"Definitely the full name," Natalie teases.

"Can I sleepover?" Josie asks suddenly, "Apparently Lizzie and Rafael slept together, and she is currently unbearable."