CHAPTER ELEVEN
So while Natalie sat in guilt knowing that she was responsible for the hurt of so many people - Justin faced the same guilt laying in bed with Jessica. Natalie didn't know where to go from here or if there was anywhere to go from here.
Natalie decided to hang out with Jeff and Zach after Justin ditched her for the rest of the night. Natalie barely remembered seeing Clay leave, she just remembered Jeff telling her he would go on a beer run but she needed to stay there. Natalie had so many drinks that night on top of smoking way too much weed for her tiny body to digest.
It all came back in flashes. But she remembered Jeff and Zach took care of her that night - they always took care of her at parties. They always took care of her everywhere and anytime.
Natalie missed Jeff everyday - she grew up with him, she would spend summers with him, they were really really close. He always knew exactly what to say. And before she knew it, he was gone. She would do anything for him to tell her to chill out one more time.
"Seriously dude, that's bullshit. He got suspended for three days, that shit goes on your record, Marcus." Natalie lectured now that she was back at school and hearing about the recent drama she missed.
"Yeah, I don't really care. At least we shut him up." Marcus shrugged and Natalie rolled her eyes.
"We kept him out of school for three days - I don't think we shut him up." Zach shrugged as Natalie leaned her arm against the table.
"Okay. You guys wanna take him on another ride?" Marcus offered as she watches Alex walk back into the lunch room. "Cause that worked so well."
"His credibility is shot." Courtney suggests. "No ones gonna believe anything he says."
"Yeah until he plays him the tape or until Tony does." Natalie replies as she sees Ryan walk up to the table.
"Yeah, what happened there?" Marcus asked Ryan as he sat down, handing Natalie a coffee in which she raised her sunglasses to wink with her thank you.
"I tried. But Tony wouldn't budge." Ryan says and Natalie starts to think - she didn't understand why these people cared if the tapes were exposed or not - no one did anything as bad as her and Bryce. "He's got the tapes hidden somewhere and this medieval, self-flagellating mortal code. We have to do this another way."
Natalie sips her coffee as Courtney starts talking. "It's back to Clay and if he has started talking to Natalie about Jessica's party, it's probably too late."
"Why are we defending Bryce? Every single one of you knows what he's capable of." Natalie responded, taking everyone for shock. Maybe the first time in her 16 years she hadn't defended her brother. "Can someone tell me that? I mean, he's a ducking rapist."
"She's right." Ryan shrugged as Alex came back and sat next to Natalie.
"Can you keep your fucking voice down?" Zach looked at Natalie who shot death glares back at him.
"I published a poem. He's a fucking rapist." Ryan defends as Natalie nods in agreement.
"Stop using that word." Zach takes a deep breath. Deny, deny, deny. But they all knew the truth.
"Why?" Natalie asks and Alex quickly backs her up.
"What other word would you use?" He asked as they both stared at Zach for an answer.
"If Hannah's felling the truth, but Jessica says she's not." Courtney shrugged. Natalie was inches away from knocking her smug face off the table.
"Really, Courtney? Is that still your position? That Hannah was lying?" Natalie asks and they still all remained confused on how her view had changed so quickly. "Was she lying about you?"
So if there was one thing a Walker was good at - it was being an asshole. Natalie could switch her big mouth off and on like a light. "Shut up, Natalie."
Natalie stood up quickly getting angered. "How about you come across this table and make me?" But she felt Zach's arms wrap around her quick. She was going into a downward spiral and everybody could see it.
"Nat, come on." Zach kept his grip as he sat down next to her. "Okay guys, look - tapes go out, we all go down, no matter what we did or didn't do. Think people are gonna sort that out?"
"Maybe not. But maybe Bryce goes to jail." Ryan shrugged and Natalie took a deep breath.
"He wouldn't. I mean do you seriously think that would happen? Do you know who my parents are?" Natalie shook her head, she was as angry as anybody but she knew the effect her dad had on this town.
"Maybe we should find out." Alex shrugged and Natalie nodded. She was gonna go down for it - but it was worth it.
"I don't want too. No" Zach shook his head.
"We cannot let Clay pass on those tapes, period." Courtney says as Natalie looked around in confusion to see where Justin was.
" Or talk to Mr. Porter, which is why I wanted to buy us more time." Marcus follows up.
"So you kept him away from Porter, you still don't know what he's gonna do with his day off." Alex said. It seemed like the table was decided straight it half on which side they were taking.
"I'm with Alex. You guys are so fucking annoying. Let's go, Ryan." Natalie said as she stood up and went into the lunch room next to Ryan.
Going back to school her junior year was worse than she ever could have imagined. After Jessica's party and losing Jeff. She went back to school and saw drunk driving posters everywhere. He wasn't drunk. She may have been the only one to believe that but she was with him for the last half hour before he left and she had only seen him drink coke.
So Natalie was on a bitchy kick that day - she felt the need to be in everyone business and fix everyone's problems to get away from her own. Alex and Natalie walked for their second class together that they shared as she noticed Monty giving Tyler a hard time. Usually she would turn the other way but she felt different.
"Jesus, Monty. Leave him alone." Natalie approaches, bringing Alex with her.
"Oh, you wanna go again?" Monty looks at Alex, completely ignoring Natalie.
"Do you?" Alex responded quickly. "Didn't you just get back from a suspension.
"Fuck you, Alex. And you know what, fuck you too, Natalie." Monty said sternly.
"No thanks Monty, you're not man enough." Natalie responds and Monty looks at the ground in anger before a slight eye roll. He pats Tyler on the cheek before walking away.
"I'll see you later, Nat, I gotta stop by my locker." Alex says and Natalie responds as she stands next to Tyler about to follow until he stopped her.
"I suppose you expect me to thank you." Tyler said, crossing his arms.
"Actually I'd like it if you just left me alone." Natalie shakes her head as she walks back to her class.
Natalie drove home - remembering her parents were back in town so she would have to talk to her brother. But she couldn't do it anymore. She couldn't stay with her brother for the next six months and probably year and a half until she got out of town because he was useless and probably gonna be under her parents roof until they kick him out.
Luckily when Natalie got home, her brother wasn't there and she didn't care to know where she was. She made herself some coffee as she walked into her room.
She picked up the mess she had made the day before. There was a picture of her and Jess at the Walker Beach House before everything went to hell. Right next to it was a picture of her and Jeff at Natalie's freshman homecoming where he was her date because he didn't want her to be sad that no one asked her.
On the other side of the room, Natalie picked up a picture of Justin and Natalie from a party their freshman year next to Bryce and Natalie from Christmas. He was in 6th grade and she was in 5th back when he was her protector. But now she really had no one. She just felt lost.
A/N: Okay so this chapter is pretty much just a filler but it also signifies a lot of her breaking off her old relationships and making new friendships now that she knows the truth. I usually post a chapter everyday but took two days to watch and rewatch Hamilton but I'm back to daily posts! Thank you guys for your overwhelming love on this story! Remember to vote, comment and leave feedback if you guys are enjoying.
word count - 1498