Natalie || Bruno Mars

Chapter 17

Persey's (Natalie) POV

I stayed silent at the backseat, looking out the window beside me with my arms folded across my chest, seeing cars passed by and the tall buildings that stood on the streets of Los Angeles. The afternoon sky was as gloomy as my mood.

Bruno was sitting on the other edge, opposite to me, while Ali was in between us. Dre was driving the car and on the gunshot seat was Phil. We were heading back home now from where Bruno and his band shot their guest appearance in a talk show.

None of us was talking, especially Bruno and I. Awkwardness was filling us again. The only thing in the car that was covering the deafening silence that was surrounding us was the 70s music playing on the radio. "Awkward," I heard Ali drawled with a tiny voice, teasing the both of us again.

I was a little upset with Bruno for making things more complicated again, and especially for playing innocent to the question earlier that I was dying for him to answer.

"I never stopped loving her."

Ugh! His voice was still ringing in my head. I can't seem to get it out. I sighed and shook my hands in frustration. I badly wanted to know if Bruno was lying about everything he said earlier or not. Is he playing tricks on me? Is he trying to play with my heart now, like what I did to his before?

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, wondering what he was doing now. I saw him just staring out his window too. I closed my hands into a fist, trying not to call out his name to ask the same question that I had been wanting him to answer. But I ended up doing so, "Bruno", "Natalie" We called out each other's names in unison. He called me by my screen name... and I just realized why.

"Awkward again," I heard Ali muttered again making us feel more awkward with each other.

It took a short moment for one of us to finally speak again, and that was Bruno. "What were you asking me a while ago?" he asked and in my mind I was like, "Really? I've said the question clearly and I even said it for two times!  How can you not know my fuckin' question?!"

I scoffed. "Forget it," I replied rolling my eyes and leaning my forehead against the window shield.

"C'mon, tell me," he begged and I didn't answer. "Look, I know you're mad about the paps. I'm sorry. Please understand that they come at anytime and anywhere to take pictures and annoy you, especially when you're with someone like me." I wasn't actually mad about the paps. I was mad at Bruno. He was pretending he doesn't know what I was asking about which made me think that he was only lying when he said those good stuffs about me and that he never stopped loving me. Was it just to show off? Was it just for people to believe that he still was the sweet guy he was on his first album era?

"C'mon! What is it?" he continued begging.

"I said forget it!" I unexpectedly raised my voice which made Bruno shut up. I felt bad for shouting but I can't do anything now. I didn't want to say sorry because of my pride. I just chose to be silent again as well as Bruno. Then again, we were filled with silence.

Bruno walked me to my condominium unit where I chose to stay in for a little while to get rid of James. I swiped my key card to unlock the door and then walked in with Bruno following me. I placed my bag on the couch and threw my jacket onto it. I faced Bruno and saw him looking down on the floor with his hands in his side pockets. "I'm really sorry about what happened earlier, Persey. Don't worry. I will convince the media to believe that you are not Natalie, you're not my girlfriend," he said and then looked at me.

I bent my head to the side and folded my arms, raising one eyebrow at him.

"Are you sure you'll be fine here?" he asked.