~Natalie~
I woke up in the morning and started immediately freaking out. I didn’t recognize the room in the early morning light. I started trashing around and expected Scary Man to come out laughing from the closet.
But then I remembered everything.
Dad was gone so I was staying at Jeff’s so I wasn’t in the apartment alone.
I heard a knock at the door. I started freaking out again until I realized that Scary Man would never knock.
“Come in,” I squeaked out.
“Morning Natalie,” Jeff said poking his head into the room. “I uh, forgot to grab clothes when I left last night. Do you mind if I come in to get some?” He asked hesitantly.
I took one last breathe to calm myself down further. “Yeah sure,” I said with more confidence than what I was feeling.
“Thanks,” he said. “Light.” I looked down at the comforter as light suddenly flooded the room.
I got out of bed and went to where I had left my bag on the floor. I searched through it for my brush. When I found it I carefully ran it through my hair, cautious of all the knots I knew would be there.
I looked back at Jeff and caught him staring at me. He quickly looked away and continued going through his closet for clothes.
I glanced down at what I was wearing and it just added to my confusion of why Jeff was staring at me. I was wearing my purple pyjama bottoms with the yellow polka dots and a baggy white t-shirt from a summer camp a million years ago. It was rather old, so it was kinda small and tight across my chest.
“Um, when do you usually leave for school?” I asked just to break the silence.
Jeff glanced back at me with clothes in his hands. “My dad normally drops me off around five after. We still half almost forty minutes to get ready.”
I nodded. “Oh.”
“Um I’ll leave you to get uh, changed,” Jeff stammered out. He thought for a moment then he shook his head and left the room. Guys are strange.
I took a fast shower and then changed into the clothes I had brought. I hadn’t even brought my shampoo and conditioner and I had only brought one outfit because I hoped Dad would show up today and the whole thing would be a misunderstanding.
I towel dried my hair and left it to do its own thing, I didn’t care anymore. I gathered up my stuff back in my bag, careful not to leave anything behind and then I went back to Jeff’s room to leave my bag on the floor there.
“Morning Natalie. Did you sleep well?” Jade sang out from where she was making eggs at the stove.
“Yes thank you,” I said politely. I sat down at the table and took a muffin from the plate in the middle. “Thank you so much for letting me spend the night,” I said.
“No problem dear, you can always stay here.” I smiled my thanks and continued eating my muffin. I glanced at the newspaper Jeff’s dad, David, was reading and saw a picture of Dad one the front cover. I immediately looked away.
He is safe. It’s just a misunderstanding, I told myself.
Jeff came in a minute later and sat down next to me, after giving me a small smile.
While I ate breakfast, Jade told me that I could spend the night again tonight. She asked me if I wanted to go to my apartment after school and pick up more things and I said no. She offered to do it for me while I was at school if I left her a key and a list of things to pick up.
I agreed to do that. As I finished the last of my muffin, I wrote up a quick list of things I would need. Just simple things. A couple changes of clothes, my shower stuff and my laptop. I had been smart enough to grab my iPod last night so that I didn’t have to listen to the whispers today.
I left the note on the table along with my key and then Jeff and I left with David for school. I made sure to put Jeff’s sweatshirt on again. It made me feel a lot better for some reason.
“You going to be okay?” Jeff asked after David had dropped us off.
“Mmm hmm,” I mumbled as I slipped in my ear buds for my iPod. I clicked on the first song I saw, but kept it low enough so that I could still talk to Jeff. I didn’t want to start ignoring my only friend.
“Are you sure?” He asked looking at me with concern clearly evident on his face.
I nodded. Then I felt guilty because he deserved more than just a nod from me. “I’m just worried about what other people are going to say,” I admitted.
“I’ll be here to help you through everything,” Jeff said looking me in the eye to show me just how serious he was.
I gave him a small smile. “Thank you.”
Jeff shrugged. “Anything for you.”
If only all guys could be as sweet as him.
~Jeff~
After school Natalie came back to my house right away. I don’t think she could even bear the thought of going back to her empty place.
As soon as we got in the door, she said something about homework and disappeared to my room.
I don’t mind the fact that for the foreseeable future my room is now hers. At lunch she told me we could switch rooms, but I refused her. Brandon has some pictures and things taped to his walls that I much rather Natalie never see.
I would remove them, but Brandon must have used super glue or something I can't get them off.
So I am going to be staying in his room. Natalie can have mine. I have nothing disturbing in my room.
I was in Brandon’s room reorganizing the boxes he had left in there with all of his stuff to make things more comfortable for me. Mum had brought my laundry in here so that I could put away in here, because there was no point putting it in my room with Natalie in there.
I had just gotten off the phone with Brandon. I had called him to tell him about my new predicament and to complain about the disturbing images around the room. He had just told me man up and to clue in to the fact that there was chick living in the same house as me. All he had said about Natalie’s dad missing was ‘that sucks man’ and ‘you’re dating a tiny celebrity’. Brandon may just be a little inconsiderate.
I heard the door of the room open. I looked over expecting it to my Mum, but I was surprised to see that it was Natalie instead.
Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her hands were shaking uncontrollably. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out.
“Natalie,” I said. I didn’t know what else to say. I couldn’t comfort her without scaring her and I didn’t know what words would make everything better.
One hand went up to cover her perfect little mouth and nose, and the other went across her stomach. Then she stumbled across the room and fell onto the bed.
She didn’t lay there sprawled out for long. She quickly curled into a ball and cried as silent sobs shook her body.
I went over to her immediately and say next to her. I lifted my hand to put on her back, but then I lowered it before it even came close to making contact with her. I didn’t want her flinching away from me. It would hurt more than just watching her cry.
One of her hands came out of her protective position and she patted the bed next to her in different spots. She found my hand and pulled it to her.
I almost fell from the sudden force but managed to catch myself in time. Natalie brought my hand to her moist cheek and held it there.
She had grabbed my right hand, forcing me to lie on my back so that she could hold it. I wasn’t the most comfortable. I slowly slid my hand from her gasp and almost wanted to start crying myself when I heard her whimper as my skin left hers.
I replaced the hand quickly with my other so that I was lying on my side facing her and she now had my left hand. My arm now crossed my body and rested comfortably against her soft skin.
Natalie laid her hand over mine to hold my hand to her cheek. Her tears ran sideways across her face and into her fiery hair spread out against the white comforter of the bed.
We stayed like that for a while. I didn’t dare move to try and do anything else to comfort her, I didn’t want her moving away from me. This was enough for me.
Natalie looked so small in my sweatshirt. She almost seemed to be drowning in it. I was honoured that she was still wearing it, but I don’t know why she was. But it looked better on her, than it ever had on me. Even when tears were streaming down her cheeks, her eyes bloodshot, her nose red and her hair all messed up, she was still my gorgeous angel.
Finally, Natalie stopped crying enough to speak.
“Called…everything…no…” she took a breath and tried again. “He’s gone,” she whispered her voice breaking.
“I know,” I said. I didn’t want to lie to her. Nothing I could come with to say was the guaranteed truth. I know people don’t mind being lied to, to make them feel better. But I don’t think I could ever lie to Natalie.
“Mommy,” she whispered.
“I’m sorry,” was all I could think of to say.
“Why?” Natalie questioned.
I didn’t have an answer for that. Natalie was only part of all this because her parents had adopted her. But she would have lost out on a lot of her life if they hadn’t. The goods cancel out the bad in this scenario.
“Shh,” I told her.
“Jeff…I…” Natalie shook her head and started over. “I’m broken.”
“No you’re not. You just are going through a tough time right not,” it sounded good in my head, so I hoped it was the right thing to say.
Natalie shook her head again and didn’t say anything more.
After about another half hour, Natalie’s tears ran dry, but she stayed curled up next to me. Then she drifted off to sleep no moving at all.
I carefully slipped out of the bed and padded softly to the door, shutting it slowly behind me.
“How is she?” Mum asked as I came into the kitchen.
“I think she called her dad again and he didn’t pick up. She just kinda snapped and broke down,” I relayed rubbing the back of my neck nervously.
“You’re a good friend son,” Dad said.
I nodded and sat down at the table. “Not good enough. I haven’t been able to save her from pain.”
“Yes you have. You’ve done plenty for her. You are a very good friend to her. Don’t beat yourself up because you can't make her life perfect,” Mum chastised.
“I can't help it,” I said sheepishly.
“You’re doing your best,” Mum said sternly.
I put my head in my hands and closed my eyes.
“Does Natalie know you like her?” Mum questioned.
I shook my head, my eyes still closed. “Make sure she doesn’t find out until she is able to handle it,” Mum said sternly. Then she softened. “She is very lucky to have you.”
“I just want her happy,” I complained.
My parents smiled at me. “You’re giving her so much. But happiness is one thing you can't just hand to her. It’s going to take some time.”
I wanted to protest further, but was too tried to argue. I just nodded into my hands and remained silent.
***
It's short but oh well.
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