Datalie - if the world was ending

Chapter Seven

The party was in full swing by the time the vlog squad rolled in. Everyone with the exception of Jeff and Natalie had a steady buzz, and it looked like some members were ready to kick it up even more. Out of nowhere Todd appeared with shots and started to pass them out. David took it and smiled in Natalie's direction before leaning in and whispering in her ear.

'You're right, I did need this. Thank you!' He pulled back with a smile that Natalie returned. He reached to hold her hand, which she gave one squeeze before dropping it. David looked slightly hurt and pouted while Natalie giggled.

'Friends don't hold hands Dave,' she said quietly. David looked a bit confused before he realized what she was trying to say. He was just about to answer when he was pulled away by Zane and taken into a crowd of people.

'Well looks like it's just you and me now,' Jeff said.

'Oh yes. Are you ready for a fun filled night of not drinking and babysitting?' Natalie chuckled. Jeff smiled in return and put his hand on her upper back to direct her away from the middle of the room and closer towards where people were sitting.

'I figure we have about twenty minutes of peace before all shit hits the fan and we're left picking up pieces of whatever Zane's done,' Jeff joked as they sat down on the couch.

'So, what's new with you Nat? Anything fun and exciting that's happened lately you want to discuss?' Jeff said with a smirk. Natalie looked a little shocked and tried to read his face to see if he actually knew something or if he was just trying to pry information out of her.

'I don't know what you're talking about? Besides almost dying in an earthquake, life has been pretty boring if you ask me.' Natalie answered. Pretty sure he knew nothing.

'Don't be dramatic, no one almost died!' Jeff laughed. 'But if you insist that's all that's new I guess I'm entitled to believe you.' Jeff said. His tone implying that he didn't quite believe her.

'Well I insist!' Natalie said with a laugh. 'Come on let's go make sure no ones passed out yet.' She said and patted Jeff's thigh as she stood up from the couch.

Jeff and Natalie walked around the party to try and find their friends. They found Carly and Todd recreating Tik Tok dances on the dance floor. Zane and Heath playing beer pong against Jason and Mariah. And Scotty, Matt and Erin talking and laughing in the backyard.

'Have you seen David anywhere?' Natalie asked Jeff, shouting over the music that seemed to be getting louder by the second.

'Not yet! Let's go to the stairs and try to get a better vantage point to see if we can spot him,' Jeff answered and led her towards the grand staircase. They climbed a few steps and turned around to survey the room.

'There!' Natalie said and pointed towards the corner of the room. She saw David with a group of five or so girls. She knew she shouldn't feel jealous but Natalie couldn't help but feel the green eyed monster climb into her head.

David wouldn't do something like that. She told herself as she walked down the stairs and towards where David was standing. Jeff close behind her. They watched David speak and all the girls throw their heads back laughing while David looked around the room. Natalie could tell by his clumsy movements while he talked that David was indeed very drunk. Her and Jeff watched a rouge ping pong ball come flying towards David, who's reaction time was inexistent and it hit him in the head.

The girls around David screamed and Natalie rolled her eyes. You would have thought it was a missile that just came towards them. All the girls began to fawn over David, asking if he was okay, and just when Natalie was about to reach them, one of the girls leaned forward and placed a kiss to David's cheek, dangerously close to his mouth, right where the ping pong ball had hit.

Natalie's mouth dropped open and she immediately changed course and walked the other way. Jeff looked on in amusement at her obvious jealously and finished the last two steps it took to make it to David.

'Don't do that.' David slurred and tried to move away from the girl.

''Don't do what?' Another asked as she too placed a kiss where the ping pong ball had hit him.

'No! STOP!' David's voice rose as he tried to walk away from the girls. 'Jeff!' David called out, as if only just realizing he was there!

'Ladies, may I direct your attention to Jeff, who is actually single. Maybe he will be actually interested' David slurred once more. Jeff raised an eyebrow at David's admittance of not being single, but felt best to not comment on it now. The girls looked a bit put out and all disappeared.

'Where's Nat? I thought she was with you?' David asked.

'Yeah, we were on our way over here when she saw the girl kiss you. She just walked away, I'm not sure where she went.' Jeff answered. David's eyes widened as he took in what Jeff was saying.

'No, that wasn't what it looked like! I didn't want that!' David began as he started staggering into the crowd to find Natalie. Jeff smiled to himself. Okay, those two are either hopelessly in love with each other and dating, or they're about to start soon, Jeff thought to himself.

It took David about an fifteen minutes to find Natalie. She was coming out of a bathroom and to someone who didn't know her well, she would appear to be totally fine. But David did know her well.

'Nat! There you are! That wasn't what it looked like I swear!' He slurred as he basically fell into her. She quickly steadied him, and David swung his arm around her shoulders. She pulled him back into the bathroom she has just come out of, closed and locked the door.

She leaned David against the counter and went to stand back when David, who still had his arm around her, moved her so she was standing between his legs, and her arms on either side of him.

'Nat, I promise.' He said again. And Natalie finally looked up and gave a weak smile.

'It's okay Dave. I mean, it is kind of my fault,' she whispered.

'Are you on fucking crack?!' David asked. 'Nothing about that could have been your fault. Especially since it was nothing!' He hiccuped out.

'I'm the one who doesn't want anyone to know, I can't be mad that other girls are trying to get with you. I mean I get where they're coming from,' Natalie spoke softly and David's heart melted.

'Man, I love you.' David spoke with such admiration that Natalie blushed and finally leaned into him, so her face was buried into his chest.

'Can we go home now?' David asked after several minutes of just standing with Natalie and being content.

'Yeah, come on, we'll grab an Uber.' Natalie said as she put David's arm back around her shoulders, steadied him and left the bathroom into the noise of the party once again.