The Blooming Of Natalie Flare

Chapter Eleven: It's Your Fault

Natalie

Lenicia had that skeptical look on her face and Kathryn's jaw was on the floor.

"Nathan? As in Dooley? As in the surfer dude?" Lenicia asked for the third time.

"Yes." I nodded.

"We have to meet up!" Kathryn squealed. "You got his number right?"

"No, but I gave him mine, hopefully he'll call."

"I can't believe it. He's actually still alive. I was sure he'd be shark shit by now." Lenicia remarked.

"That's what I said!" I laughed. "Well, not exactly like that."

"What makes you say that? He was a great surfer." Kathryn furrowed her brows.

"He was okay back then, but he should be pretty good now since he teaches the sport." I said.

"Wow, he did it, he's doing what he wanted to do his whole life." Lenicia smiled and nodded in approval.

"I'm really happy for him." Kathryn agreed.

"And..." I drawled. "He finally got a girlfriend."

"Really?" Kathryn quipped, surprised.

Lenicia threw her head back on the couch and went into a fit of laughter. "That's what he told you?"

"I actually met her. She was with him at the beach." I assured them.

She suddenly stopped laughing and looked at me incredulously. "Wait, for real?"

"Yes! I mean, you should see him now- he's not too shabby."

"Then we seriously have to meet up." Kathy announced.

"Yeah, I've got to see this." Lenicia nodded.

"You're always so skeptical about everything." I rolled my eyes.

She grabbed a pillow beside her and threw it at me in response. Kathryn only laughed at our little exchange.

We were currently lounging in my living room, watching The Real. Kathryn was laying on her back with her head on my lap and Lenicia was sitting on the recliner eating some of the steak aunt Jackie gave me this morning. I noticed she'd been eating a lot lately.

"You're gonna get fat." I blurted and quickly added; "No offense."

She gave me a glare. "Some taken."

"She's right. I mean, you have been eating a lot these days." Kathy commented.

"It's not my fault Jackie's food is amazing." She kept her focus on the show.

Kathryn and I shared a look and decided to leave her.

"How was it anyway? The sleepover?" She asked.

"It was great. I missed it there and it was refreshing to finally go." I smiled.

"Yeah... it's nice to go home once in while." Kathryn smiled too.

"Although my tire got punctured and I had to leave it at that old gas station in the middle of nowhere and come back to get it with Collin." I said distractedly as I watched Loni and Adrian make 'snackwiches' on TV.

"Then how'd you get home?" Lenicia questioned.

"Bennett gave me a ride. I was actually lucky that he was there at-" I was cut off by Kathryn.

"Woah, woah, woah... Bennett? Who's Bennett?" She sat up straight.

Crap.

I'd forgotten that I hadn't told them about him. I pretty much shared everything with Kathryn and Lenicia but for some reason unknown to me, I felt a bit uneasy talking about him.