This Girl

Chapter 18: Its Natalex all the bloody way

I rush out of the room and plonk myself down into a chair, I sit on it, bringing my legs up to my chest as I stare out of the small window at the rain pouring outside in the darkness. There is no noise in the kitchen, only the faint sound of Alex and Amanda's singing. 

I put my above my legs and I'm alone with my thoughts.

What the hell is wrong with me?

Was I legit checking him out before?

Well, he sorta does look good...

What the HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, NATALIE?

I decide to stop thinking about Alex all together, instead, I just pull out my phone and start playing candy crush. I've been playing level 50 when my phone runs out of charge and I turn it off.

"Hi."

I look up and see Alex standing there, he's holding a bouquet of roses and is looking at the floor and scratching the back of his neck.

"Hey," I say quietly, bringing down my legs and standing up, walking over to him. Even though he's looking like a God, I try to keep my face as normal as it usually is. 

He looks up. "Um, how was your first day?"

My heart flutters and the butterflies return. I look at the ground. When he asked me how my day was this afternoon, I thought he was just being annoying, now, when he asks me this, my face is going red. "Um... good."

"Oh, great," he scratches his neck again when I look up, once my face has returned to its normal color, because I come to the conclusion that I'm angry at Alex for being so annoying, which is why I'm feeling nervous and red.  

"Did you get those for your performance?" I ask, gesturing to the flowers.

"Um, no actually... they're for you," he gives me the flowers.

I raise my eyebrows. "Me? Why?"

"I was rude to you this afternoon," he says, staring into my eyes.

"Rude to me? You're always rude to me," I roll my eyes. 

"When I walked away from you without saying goodbye," he says. 

"Oh, Patricia, that never would have happened if you'd never said hello to me in the first place," I raise my eyebrows again. 

He laughs awkwardly. "I better go," he says, looking behind him. 

"Yeah, thanks, by the way, you didn't have-" I'm stopped by a shrill voice from behind Alex.

"Baby? What are you doing with her?" Amanda screeches. 

"Oh, I was just leaving," Alex looks down. 

"Alex, I thought you weren't going to talk to that fugly chick again," she says, sighing. 

"What the hell, Amanda?" Alex turns to her.

"What, she's the most ugly thing I've every laid eyes on," she rolls her eyes.

Alex turns back to me. "I'll see you at school," he says, looking at me with an expression I can't place, sadness? Regret? Anger? 

I don't know. I really don't know. 

The couple walk away and I slump back down into my chair, placing the flowers on the counter beside me. I put my head in my hands and think about what just happened. 

The way he gave me those flowers. How nervous he was. How good he looked. How he stood up for me. 

Dammit, I just need to get him and his jerky-ness out of my mind.