Page 6 of Noticing Natalie
The party lasted all afternoon, with many of our classmates running around and participating in the activities Lynne and Pete had set up in the backyard. The yard was packed, since all of Tim’s sisters had invited several of their friends over, too.
I didn’t really do well in crowds of people. I preferred to observe everyone from the outskirts of the party. I stood under a big old water oak near the creek Tim and I explored nearly every day. I leaned against the trunk and smiled as I watched everyone running around and having a great time.
My smile faded a bit as I saw Tim walking towards the back of the yard to the bench Pete had built for Lynne so she could take a book or her Kindle out and read near the creek. He was holding Annika’s hand. She looked beautiful in the late afternoon sunshine and had tucked a sunflower from the bouquet Tim had given her behind her ear.
I felt another unfamiliar pang as he sat on the bench with her and the two of them talked. I had to look away when he bent down and kissed her.
I stared down at my scuffed-up shoes, not really seeing them. I didn’t know what these new feelings I was having towards Tim meant. I hoped they didn’t mean that I had more than platonic feelings for him.
I knew tortoises were better than flowers. I very much appreciated the hard work that had gone into Tim giving them to me. Still, the two gifts were strikingly different. I knew no one would ever give Annika a reptile. And I was afraid I was the type of girl who would never get flowers.
Especially from someone like Tim.
CHAPTER TWO
Natalie, 18
“I don’t want to hear this again, Nat!”
I closed my mouth tightly, my lips thin with anger. He just wouldn’t listen. No matter how many times I tried to tell him that Annika was cheating on him with half the school, he shut me out.
One time last year, he’d gone an entire month without speaking to me when I’d dared to say anything against Annika. Or any of those ‘friends’ of his he was always hanging out with. They all laughed and talked with Tim, threw their arms around his shoulder, ate barbeque at his parents’ house, and acted like he was their favorite person.
But behind his back they’d almost all slept with his girlfriend. I knew they weren’t real friends. He wouldn’t listen to me, though.
I stood up. “I just want you to think about something. I’m your best friend. The last thing I’d ever want is for you to be hurt. Why would I tell you something that wasn’t true?” I had tears in my eyes. “Tim. I promise you. She is cheating on you. It’s so hard for me to tell you this, but I’m forcing myself to because I’m tired of her making you look like a fool.”
“Look like a fool?” He shook his head at me. “How can you say that? Look, I know you don’t like Annika. You’ve made that abundantly clear. But you need to quit attacking her character,Nat. She’s always kind about you. She’s never said a word against you. So how can you sit there and make up these awful lies about her?”
The hurt in his blue eyes was painful to look at, especially knowing I’d put it there. I shook my head. “I swear to you, I would never make that up. I’m the least likely person to spread rumors or gossip. You know that. So why would I make up stuff about your girlfriend?”
“Because you’re jealous,” he spit out. “I spend more time with her than you, and you can’t stand it. I think we need some time apart.”
I let out a frustrated sound and rested my head on the wall I was leaning against. “Seriously? Again? You know what? Fine. I’m tired of this.” I looked him directly in the eye. “But I want you to know something. Most people would say ‘don’t come crying to me when you find out the truth,’ but I care too much about you to say that. When you find out—because you will find out—I’ll be here. I’ll never hold it against you that you didn’t believe me, either. I’ll just be your friend, the same as always.”
Tim studied my face, a slight frown wrinkling his forehead. For the first time, I saw a hint of doubt creep into his expression. Good. Maybe he was finally hearing me.
“I’ll see you later.”
I left his room, ran down the hall and down the steps, and hurried out before I burst into tears. Then I got in my car and headed home. It never felt like home anymore, except for Anne and Gilbert and memories of Mom. But I couldn’t hang out at the Summers’ house and watch Tim continue to date a girl who didn’t care a thing about him.
***
Tim
I was walking into the downtown to meet Annika and a bunch of friends one Saturday. Once again, I’d tried to talk Natalie into coming with me, but she’d turned me down. She was still mad because we’d spent a couple of weeks apart since she couldn’t quit telling lies about Annika. For some reason, she didn’t like Annika. Oh, she’d never said as much to me, but it wasn’t hard to figure out. Ever since I’d started dating Annika the summer between middle and high school, Nat had become more and more scarce in my life.
I hated it, but I couldn’t force her to hang out with me and my girlfriend. Annika always seemed upset that Natalie didn’t want to be with us. Besides accusing her of cheating on me, Nat never said a word against Annika. She’d get this skeptical look on her face, though, if I mentioned that Annika wished she would hang out with us more.
I sighed. It was hard feeling torn between my girlfriend and my best friend. Nat was… everything to me. But Annika? I mean, I wanted to marry her one day. She’d been my first kiss, my first girlfriend, we’d lost our virginity to each other, and I was almost positive I was in love with her.
God. I was borderline obsessed with her. She was beautiful, with that golden curly hair, those big blue eyes, and a fucking body that wouldn’t quit. I spent as much time with her as I possibly could. The only real drawback was that Nat and I didn’t see each other half as much as we used to. It didn’t cause us to feel distant from each other, though.
Nat and I were simpatico like that. We could be apart for days and days, get back together, and it would be as if no time had passed at all.
Still, I missed her. As I walked into La Cocina, I saw a big table full of my friends mixed in with Annika’s friends. A lot of my guy friends dated friends of Annika’s, which made things easy and fun. If I could just get Nat to join us from time to time, it would be perfect.
I frowned when I didn’t see Annika.
