David awoke with a yawn. He tried to sit up but found a weight on his chest.
He looked down.
Natalie had her head laid on his chest, her left arm wrapped around his torso and her left leg wrapped around his waist.
David couldn't help but smile at the sight.
He reached out and gently stroked her hair, moving it away from her face.
He sighed.
Natalie's cheeks were red and her nose was slightly puffed. It was obvious that she had been crying throughout the night.
David cursed himself for falling asleep before her... she was still crying, and he wasn't "there" to comfort her.
Even so, David still thought she looked beautiful.
The longer he looked at her tear streaked face, the more enraged he got. He had to have a talk with Todd.
As gently as he possibly could, David slowly untangled himself from Natalie and got out of bed.
David quickly brushed his teeth and got dressed. As he was leaving his room, he heard some movement.
David turned back towards the bed.
Natalie, eyes still closed, was reaching for his side of the bed, trying to find him.
"Mmm... Dave?" She muttered in her sleep.
David's heart melted.
He grabbed a pillow and as gently as he could, put it into Natalie's outstretched hands.
He leaned in and whispered into her ear.
"It's okay, I'm here. Go back to sleep."
Natalie hugged the pillow closer to her chest, before quickly falling back asleep.
With that done, David grabbed the keys to his Tesla and set off.
David and the rest of the Vlogsquad hated drama, especially when it was amongst themselves.
Right now however, he just couldn't bring himself to care.
Todd had hurt Natalie. His employee, his best friend, his soulmate; his Natalie.
Although David would never admit it, Natalie was the one person outside of his family that he would give his life for without an ounce of hesitation. That didn't mean he did not care about his other friends, it was just a difficult choice to make... to die for someone.
With Natalie however, it wasn't.
David was so lost in his own thoughts, that he did not realize that he had arrived.
He had overshot Todd's house by nearly 50 feet.
After putting the Tesla in reverse and repositioning it, David stepped out of the car and walked to the porch.
He beat on the front door as hard as he could, until, finally, Zane answered the door.
"Oh hey baby! What's- oof" David shoved his way past him.
Todd had, conveniently, chosen that moment to re-enter the house. He had been tanning in the backyard.
He visibly tensed at the sight of David marching towards him.
"Hey, listen man, I- Natalie- OW!"
He was silenced by a punch to the face. Although Todd was a frequent kickboxer and could take a fair amount of hits, he was neither prepared for, nor expecting David's punch.
"You keep her name out of your mouth!" David demanded.
"How could you do that to her Todd?!"
"Dude, it was never serious, you know that!"
David shoved Todd to the ground.
Zane and Scott looked on from the kitchen. Although they wanted to step in before either of their friends got hurt, they both knew that Todd had had this coming to him for a while now. It was just a question on who was going to finally snap and put him in his place. They were shocked that it turned out to be David.
But then again, David had always been more protective over Natalie than all the other Vlogsquad girls. Todd should have taken that into account before messing around with her.
"I just need to know one thing," David growled.
"Did you love her?"
Todd looked up at him.
"What...?"
"Did you love her?"
"Of- of course I did, she has an amazing personality and she's extremely beautiful-"
"NO TODD!" David roared.
"I mean did you see a future with her?!
Did you see yourself marrying her?!
Did you see yourself having kids with her?!
Did you see yourself growing old with her?!
DID. YOU. LOVE. HER?!"
Todd stared up at his friend for what seemed like an eternity.
Finally, he broke eye contact, dropping his head in shame.
"I...
no..."
David only shook his head in disgust, before storming out of the house.
— THREE MONTHS LATER —
It was 10 in the morning; David was sat on the couch, editing his latest vlog.
Now that the quarantine was over, they could all get back to posting, and the Vlogsquad took full advantage of it.
People however, were starting to notice that Natalie was no longer on Todd's Instagram stories and that that Todd was not appearing in David's vlogs anymore. They were coming up with all kinds of theories as to why. Almost all of them involved a break up, but no one knew for sure the reason for the break up.
David wasn't going to address it.
He had been told by Zane and Scott how bad Todd felt. How he had been sulking for days and that he never goes out of the house anymore. They said that Todd is truly remorseful and just wants to be friends again.
David didn't care.
While he was, in a way, betrayed, it wasn't nearly to the degree that his best friend was.
Until Natalie got an apology, David wasn't going to waste his time thinking about Todd.
One thing he had been noticing, was that him and Natalie have been getting even closer the last few months. Flirting, hugging, and even a few pecks on the cheek here and there.
When she allowed David to hold her as she cried, Natalie had exposed a side of herself that he had never seen before. She had hid her emotions well when she ended her relationship with Shawn by burying herself in her work.
It touched him that she trusted him to see her in such a way.
David was shaken from his thoughts by a knock at the door.
Taylor was about to go open it, until she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.
It was David.
"I'll take this one."
Taylor slowly nodded and went to go busy herself by sweeping the garage. She didn't want any part in their drama.
David opened the door.
Todd had obviously seen better days.
There were bags under his eyes, his hair was a mess, and it was obvious that he had gained a few pounds from his lack of exercise.
David felt slight pity for him, but he quickly pushed it from his mind. Todd didn't deserve pity.
He got straight to the point.
"What do you want Todd?"
"Can- can I talk to Natalie?"
David crossed his arms.
"Natalie is asleep at the moment, I wouldn't want to wake her. Especially if it's you—"
David was interrupted by a hand on his shoulder. It was Natalie. Taylor hadn't gone to sweep the garage. She had actually gone to wake Natalie, afraid that a fight was going to break out between the two boys. One that she knew she could never get under control.
"It's okay Dave," Natalie said. "Go finish your vlog, I'll handle it."
David glanced at Todd, then at her. He reluctantly nodded and walked back inside; but not before shooting Todd a small glare, and giving Natalie a peck on the cheek for good luck.
"Holler if you need me," he whispered in her ear. Natalie nodded, giving David's arm a reassuring squeeze.
Now it was Natalie's turn to cross her arms.
"Okay, I'm listening."
"So... you and Dave huh?"
Natalie's eyes narrowed.
"My love life is none of your business, especially not anymore."
Todd gulped. Natalie continued.
"But if you MUST know, no, we are not together. You broke my heart and he spent the last three months trying to put the pieces back together."
Todd sighed. "Look Natalie, I'm so sorry I led you on like that, believe me I am. I just... I don't know... I thought the both of us knew it was just something casual."
"And I thought we were building something real." Natalie growled.
Todd looked down. "I know, and I'm truly sorry for that. I just want to be friends again. I've missed you... as a friend!" He quickly added. Natalie's gaze softened.
"I've missed you too... as a friend."
They both chuckled a little.
"To be honest, I think somewhere deep down, I knew we weren't going to last, even if it got serious." Natalie admitted.
"I don't like it when there's a fight in the friend group."
Todd nodded. "Me neither, that's why I want to fix things. I know I can't make it right today or even next month, but I'll do everything I can to do so."
" 'To do so!' Toddy Smith can speak formally! Who knew?" Natalie joked.
They both chuckled again.
"So... are we good?" Todd asked hesitantly.
Natalie smiled softly.
"Yeah. We're good." They quickly hugged, before Todd bade his goodbyes and got back into his car.
"Hey Natalie," He called. "Good luck with David, he's lucky to have you!"
Natalie blushed a little, before nodding and waving Todd goodbye as he drove off.
Natalie shut the front door and walked to the kitchen. Taylor had finally gone to clean the garage, leaving just her and David.
He looked at her in both curiosity and sympathy.
"How'd it go?" He gently asked her.
Natalie wrapped her arms around David, pulling him into a hug, one that he returned.
"It went good," Natalie whispered. "I forgave him, we're all good now. I know I can't force you to, but I think you should forgive him too."
David slowly nodded. "I'll think about it."
"David..." Natalie warned.
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'll talk to him next time I go up to their house."
Natalie sighed and leaned into him, resting her head on David's chest.
"You know?" Natalie started. "I never really understood why everyone shipped us until now..."
David looked down at the girl in his arms.
"This whole thing has made me realize that... that what my heart truly wanted was right in front of me this whole time. I love you, with all my heart."
Natalie quickly realized that she had rambled for too long, and looked up at her best friend.
His eyes were wide in shock and wonder.
Natalie quickly broke the hug, stepping out of his arms.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I uh... I'm going to go take a shower."
Before Natalie could get any further, she felt herself getting grabbed and pulled back into David's arms.
"I've wanted to hear you say those words ever since I met you." David admitted.
He cupped her face in his hands and smiled at her. "I love you too."
David then closed the gap and kissed her.