CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE,
TRACK TWENTY-THREE
"shawty do you remember back in high school when i said, me and you will rise from the bottom until the end. you would be my ride or die until the end"
—— NARRATIVE
love sick
trippie redd
0:50────I─────2:08
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alejandro and natalia were making their way to catherine's house since catherine was inviting the gang over to swim, and at first natalia didn't even want to go but she felt more comfortable knowing ezequiel was going to be there.
the day of his welcome home party, she still felt weird being around mattia and sierra. she didn't understand how sierra could forgive her so easily, nor did she understand how the rest of the friend group could forgive her so easily as well.
she ghosted all of them. disappeared on them when they all needed to be together. she knew if any of them were to do that, she would have such a hard time forgiving them. what she didn't realize is that the group saw what everything did to natalia with their own eyes, they weren't going to hold such petty things against her when she was going through a whole mental breakdown.
natalia and alejandro weren't talking as much as he would like. they were okay but they weren't anywhere close to being on the level of friendship they were on before they started dating. as much as natalia truly missed alejandro, she didn't know if she wanted to pursue anything with him anymore.
"what are you thinking about?" alejandro interrupted her thoughts, natalia turning her head to look at him. she furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head looking outside the window once again.
"oh come on, i know you like the back of my hand. you have your thinking face on," alejandro chuckled, turning onto the street where catherine's house was.
"i just feel so fucking weird dude, like how can she just forgive me so easily?" natalia asked. alejandro snorted at her question, shaking his head at the girl next to him.
"you're literally picking at reasons not to get down, leave it alone. everyone is moving on but you, natalia." alejandro snapped. he's finally had it with her excuses. he knew it was easier said than done but she wasn't even making the effort.
"look, alejandro. you forced this upon me! if it were up to me, i would still be in san diego right now without talking to them. you didn't give me the time i needed." natalia snapped back, alejandro parking by the curb. natalia got out of the car and walked inside catherine's house, a small smile appearing on her face as she was greeted by catherine's parents.
she walked to the backyard where she watched the group mess around with each other, the flashbacks of the confrontation between sierra and natalia coming to her mind so vividly. a terrible friend, that's all i am.
she opened the sliding door to see ezequiel turn his head to look at her, natalia waving at him as he walked towards her. ezequiel was truly an angel sent from the big man himself.
"where's alejandro?" ezequiel asked.
"he'll be here in a sec," she replied, wrapping her arms around ezequiels stomach as he took her in his arms. everyone's attention shifted on natalia, but was quickly shifted when they proceeded to do what they were doing.
"hi nat!" alvaro jumped out of the pool, running towards natalia. "let's go for a swim!" he grabbed her phone as ezequiel held onto her tighter. giggles could be heard throughout the backyard as alvaro ran back and grabbed her legs.
"no! i'm in my clothes!" natalia shouted, the smile on her face wide. she didn't bother fighting them off, she knew they were way stronger than her and she would go in either way. the boys threw her in the pool and she came up to surface, a pout on her face as she wiped her eyes.
"you guys are truly assholes," she shouted at the two boys who were laughing at the edge of the pool. alejandro was watching everything take place from inside the house, warmth running through his body as he heard natalias laughs from inside the house.
"never understood why you guys broke up," catherine's dad stood next to alejandro, watching everyone interact with each other now. even natalia and sierra. the two were actually talking, and alejandro was happy to see it.
"it was a right person wrong time situation." alejandro folded his arms, biting the inside of his cheek. "we had a few things we needed to work on, but i'm working on getting us back on track." alejandro nervously chuckled, putting his hand on the back of his head as he nervously scratched it.
and it was true. they were soulmates, they are soulmates. but the both of them had a lot of growing up to do. they both had their own issues, and even though alejandro believed that natalia was the only one who needed to work on herself, alejandro recently realized that he had to work on himself too.
"don't rush her, alejandro." catherine's dad patted his back, alejandro turning his head to look at him. "catherine tells me everything, and the drama in your friend group is crazy." her dad laughed, alejandro chuckling and shaking his head.
"but really! do not rush the girl, she'll come along slowly but surely," catherine's dad began walking away from alejandro, alejandro nodding and walking outside.
everyone's attention shifted on alejandro, then quickly shifted to mattia. sierra looked at mattia and gave him a look that said 'go get your brother back.' mattia shook his head at the girl but she glared at him once more, mattia putting his hands up in defense and swimming towards the shallow side of the pool.
"you coming in monkey boy?" mattia shouted, everyone trying their hardest not to look at the two boys who use to be inseparable. alejandro looked at mattia and waved his hand at him.
"only if you come get me, arlo," alejandro smiled, natalia and sierra both letting out a sigh of relief. the two girls looked at each other, laughing at the way they released their stress.
"say fucking less!" mattia shouted, jumping out of the pool. alejandro took his shirt off and threw it on the tanning chair, laughing as he ran past mattia and jumped in the pool. alejandro shook his head of the water, laughing as mattia threw his hands in the air.
"made me get out of the pool and for what!" mattia groaned, the group laughing at the two boys. for a minute, it felt like they were back in high school. like the drama never happened and everything was okay, and everything truly was okay between the group. of course, there was still tension but that was quickly broken as soon as jokes were cracked and playful insults were made.
despite everything, the group was going to stick together forever. whatever obstacle life threw at them, they'd easily get passed it. it might take time, but there was no way the group would be broken up over petty arguments.
they were each other's ride or dies until the end. forever.
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lyss' personal
lyrics!
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it sounds like i'm ending the book but this
book was so depressing and deserves some
happy shit so it ain't ending just yet. also,
sorry for the lack of updating, haven't had
the motivation to write for this book LMAO.
this is unedited so pls excuse any mistakes
you find. hope ya'll enjoyed !
don't forget to vote + comment <3
word count: 1283