- What if 𝙉atalia can't
except getting things
thrown at her anymore?
ᶜˡᵃʸ ʲᵉⁿˢᵉⁿ
𝙉atalia 𝘽exley was an ordinary girl. Her grades were good and she had good friends. The girl had never experienced anything...
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NATALIA KNEW NEWS circulated her gossipy school quick, but she didn't think Tyler's testimony would spark such a reaction. Not only that, Monty spilled all of the information her knew plus some he made up to the whole school. Clay couldn't even look in Nat's direction. Zach was a sweet kid, but she wasn't sure she wanted that type of attention.
Zach attracted the bad kind of attention. He didn't bring in the positive type. It wasn't his fault. He wasn't who his friends were. He sometimes reminded Natalia of Jeff. She figured that was his appeal to her.
However, now that Montgomery added some extra and very false details, the whole school was gossiping about how Natalia was some huge slut.
Natalia had only slept with two people and even if she did sleep with more than that, she was no slut. It was such an overused term for people who didn't deserve to get called it. So, she spent her day hiding in the shadows. As much as she could.
Clay's gaze glazed over her in a ignorant way. He wanted her to know he acknowledged her, but he didn't want to associate with her. Didn't he already know what ignoring and sliding past something did to someone?
Crossing her arms, she looked around. It was her imagination playing games. Nobody stared at her yet it felt like there was a spotlight on her. Natalia's stomach swirled with an undeniable feeling of anxiety.
Couldn't anyone learn how to be nice?
That answer became more evident as Tyler Down stormed down the hallway. Natalia furrowed her eyebrows and followed him. If anyone knew cruelty, it was Tyler.
So, she followed him. She wasn't sure why. Maybe it was to catch a glimpse in his life, or to find out why his usual slow pace turned into a high speed walk.
The girl even ignored Zach, who had sent heart eyes her way. Montgomery's announcement made him think they went public, however, Natalia wasn't so sure that's how she felt. Did she really want to be with Zach or did she like the familiarity.
✺✺✺
Hannah hadn't been talking for the majority of the day. She'd been in some type of daze. Her lips were in a straight line, maybe she'd been in thought. It was the last day before Christmas break.
Natalia assumed her mind was by the Christmas tree, sipping hot chocolate alongside her parents. It was certainly a long day, so Natalia assumed it was normal.
"Do you think about love?" Hannah quizzed as her pencil lazily scraped back and forth across the paper. Natalia smiled down at the book in front of her. They were in the library, killing time before the last bell.
"Yeah." Natalia replied with a sweet look upon her face. For a moment, Hannah envied her.
She always envied the beautiful Natalia Bexley, but in this moment she did even more. Of course this girl could smile about love while others feared it. Hannah set her pencil down and met Natalia's eyes.
"When you think about love, who do you think about?" Hannah quizzed and Natalia put a bookmark in her book, closing it.
"My parents... you... Clay... Justin... Jeff... oh, and I love Lana Del Rey." Natalia answered and Hannah nodded, crumpling the piece of the paper in front of her.
"You love me?" Hannah asked and Natalia chuckled, smiling at the girl in front of her.
"Obviously, you're my bestfriend," Natalia replied and she folded her arms, resting her head in her arms. "It's good to have friends who have things in common with you."
"Like someone who doesn't talk your ear off about Alien Killer Robots?" Hannah questioned and Natalia chuckled at the girl.
"Exactly."
✺✺✺
MOMENTS WHERE NATALIA felt like she could slip into the underdogs shoes, she took the opportunity. Being called a slut when all you want is a true connection with someone is the worst. It felt like hell and then it made sense why Hannah brought love up and talked about it. Just to get a taste of what it could be.
Natalia slipped into Tyler Down's shows as she followed him quietly. It seemed like her plan would work until the door behind her opened and snapped shut. She found Clay, staring back at her.
"Oh, Jesus." Natalia mumbled and Clay scoffed.
"What are you doing here? Are you trying to see if your boyfriend did the job right?" Clay questioned and Natalia furrowed her eyebrows.
"What job?" Natalia asked and Clay rolled his eyes, trying to brush past her. The girl held her arm out stopping him beside her. She looked up to him which made him look down. "And what fucking boyfriend? Remember where believing rumors got us, Clay?"
Clay clenched his jaw and pushed past Natalia. He pretended as if her eyes on him didn't make him feel good. The last time he'd been able to really look in her eyes is the night he confront Bryce.
"You know what, Natalia, fuck off." Clay spat as he walked into the photo lab. Natalia rolled her eyes and slipped out of Tyler's shoes, storming out of the room.
The worst thing was about this school, a couple twist, turns and you're in the face of someone you know.
With embarrassment, she collided face first into Zach Dempsey's arms. All his name translated was Zach, not anything else. There was no other word that came to mind, no title beside fucking friend.
Being Natalia Bexley, she smiled up at him and swallowed the tears that had threatened to fall moments ago.
"Oh, hey Nat. I saw you earlier, you must've missed me," Zach suggested and Natalia nodded with a smile. "We should hang out today. I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks."
"Yeah, of course." Natalia muttered into the space between them. She was the one to close the gap and press her lips against his which made not only him surprised, but the group of jocks watching their interaction from down the hall.
She pulled away only to notice Clay walking in the opposite direction. Instead of dwelling on that, she pressed her lips to Zach's despite the gnawing kind of feeling in her stomach.
Not a single butterfly swarmed the blondes stomach while she made Zach swoon. Was it just her? It must be her fault for the lack of attraction. Zach was hot, but something was missing. It wasn't her. It must've been him.
One thing was for certain, things always got worse when things were misinterpreted. Now, it felt like all of the rumors were spoken and different languages.
