Filling The Void | ✔️

Filling The Void | Chapter Nineteen | Chances

I'd never liked school, mostly I just had a passion for seeing my best friend and getting free cookies at lunch. However, now that is ruined due to the purple haired girl staring at me across the lunchroom.

"It's beginning to make me uncomfortable." Kaitlyn whispers, leaning toward me on the bench.

I nod, "Do you think she knows about what I told Ryder?"

"No," She shakes her head, "Ryder's clueless but not stupid."

I bite my lip, setting down half the cookie on my napkin. When I look back up Natalee is walking toward our table and my heart dips before jumping back up.

I swallow, glancing over at the shocked Kaitlyn.

"Hey girls." Natalee sighs, sliding into the seat across from us.

We stare at her, her solemn frown apparent as her eyes search the cafeteria.

We hadn't heard in weeks after she'd heard about my relationship with Bash I hadn't gotten one nasty comment from her. It kind of made me wonder if backing off from Ryder was helping.

"What's wrong?" I ask, wanting to know more about why Ryder wasn't here and less about her feelings.

She looks up at me, playing nervously with the bracelet on her wrist. "It's just, things haven't been so great between us two..." Her eyes snap over to Kaitlyn who has put on a strong closed off front, her arms crossed.

"Well, the three of us," She corrects, "We haven't been on a very good note. I think that maybe we should start over. I was being territorial, and feeling guilty."

"What could you possibly feel guilty about?" Kaitlyn snaps, her eyes narrowing.

Natalee wets her lips, "I treated you horribly and I thought you'd never forgive me. I wanted to at least keep Ryder. He was so nice to me and I hadn't realized what a jerk my ex-boyfriend was."

Kaitlyn scoffs, "So you thought you could run back to the boy you hadn't seen the good in until you were left with no one?-"

I place a hand on her shoulder, "Let's hear her out."

My words were silent but demanding and she looks over at me, her eyes showing confusion and repulsion. The worst part is that it's directed at me and I wasn't sure how she'd handle it from here.

I wanted to know why Natalee did what she did. She'd been rude to me despite our nonexistent past and if she was trying to make an effort to fix things, I wouldn't be a sore loser about it.

I give her an expecting look, my brow poised in awaiting the excuse she'll give.

She sighs, pushing around her salad, "I want to make up for what I said and did. Obviously, Ryder has a thing for you or whatever...I shouldn't get in the way."

"So then why are you here?!" Kaitlyn scoffs, a mocking laugh in her tone as she rolls her eyes.

I swallow hard, Natalee's words making sense but not at the same time. I turn back to face her, "Ryder doesn't like me, I have a boyfriend so it's not like it matters."

She's looking at me as if this is the most absurd thing she's ever heard, her eyes wide as she pauses.

"So you really are dating Sebastian Trey?"

A small snicker escapes me and I flick my head across the room, "Yes, we're together."

She whips her head around to find Bash looking right at our table like he has been for the past fifteen minutes.

"Why isn't he over here?" She asks.

Shaking my head in disbelief and pop a tomato in my mouth, "When he first started sitting over here it felt weird. Kaitlyn and I had always sat alone here and when someone else joined it seemed forced, I didn't like it so we agreed to sit in our normal spots."