Chapter 5: Oblivious To Her Emotions

We pull away and I notice the moisture of tears under her eyes.

"Mom. Stop it, please. I'm not dying, I'm going to the bonfire party. ", I state and wipe her tears. She chuckles.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You can leave. I just got overwhelmed with feels. "

I kiss her cheek and pinch it before walking away. Grabbing my sneakers, I push them on my feet and stand up. After leaving the house, I phone Chase to ask him where he is. He says he's already there. It's for the school's basketball team. They've won the championship third time in a row. Only this time, without me.

I drove to the right place, away from the center of the city, and when I arrived it was already full of people. They haven't lit up the fire yet. They'd do it at midnight. I glance through the crowd only to see a familiar couple sucking faces. My lips curve into a grin as my feet carry me over to them.

"What's up, you two? ", I tap their shoulders.

Chase and Celest pull away and smile.

"Hey, man. ", Chase greets me with a short hug and a handshake.

"Hi. ", I hug his girlfriend and pull away. "When do you think Natalie and Cole are going to arrive? "

"I have no idea. Just so you know, those two have been sneaky lately. Always with each other and cutting the topic of their conversation when somebody walks over. If you ask me, they as hell are an item. Plus, they're kinda cute. Not cuter than you two, but definitely yes. ", Chase explains and I raise my eyebrows.

"Cole and Natalie? My Natalie? No way. ", I laugh.

"Your Natalie? ", my goofy friend smirks at me. I wave my hand in his face.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that she was mine because we are best friends but not that she belongs to me. I mean, I wanted to say that her and Cole look ridiculous together. ", I sigh in frustration, knowing that I have no idea what I've just said and that it sounds as ridiculous in Chase's head. He will tease me about this. I'm such an idiot.

"They sure don't. ", he speaks. It annoys me.

"Whatever. I'm sure if Natalie had a crush on him, she would have told me. I am able to pull all the information from her. ", I smile.

"That's what you think.. ", he murmurs.

"What? ", I turn to him.

"Nothing. Dude. You should totally call one of them right now. Just to see if they're fucking or not. "

I roll my eyes and pull out my phone.

"Hello? ", Cole answers at the second ring.

"Sup man. You coming? ", I ask.

"Coming? Oh yeah. I am. Soon. ", he groans.

"Can you hurry? I wanna get there. ", Natalie's whining voice speaks.

"Cole, what the fuck? "

"What? Natalie's with me, yes. "

"When you said you were 'coming'.. ", my speaking slows down.

"Matthew!! You idiot! Of course not like that. What the hell? Who put the idea in your head? ", Cole spits.

I glare at Chase who just smiles at me cheekly.

"I'm sorry. It's Chase. Just please come soon so I don't have to be stuck with him and Celest. ", I growl and hang up.

"I just made a fool out of myself because of you. ", I poke his shoulder and walk past him.

"Matthew! "

"Oh. Hey Q. ", I greet Quentin as he runs up to me.

"They serve barbeque over there. Wanna get it with me? ", he points his finger at a small crowd of people. I nod and pat his back.

"Sure. I'm always hungry. Plus, I need to gain weight because I look awful. Look at how skinny I got in the past few months. ", I look down at my legs. Two thin freaking sticks.

"You're exaggerating. You're not as bad as you were when you got out of hospital. ", Q comments.

"Barbeque will fix that. Let's go. I'll get some for Cole and Natalie so we wouldn't run out of it until they arrive. "

"What about Chase? "

"He can fuck himself. ", I answer.

Two and a half hours later, we are all chilling out at the lawn. My head is laid on Natalie's backpack and arms crossed under it. Natalie's head is on my chest. Q is sitting near us and talking, Cole is conversing with Chase and Celest is next to Quentin, jumping in the conversation from time to time to say her opinion.

"Why would you bring your backpack? ", I ask Natalie and chuckle.

"I have a blanket in it and I'm kinda cold anywhere I go. Plus, I have two bottles of water, in case the fire spreads and candy for us to eat if we need it. "

"You're a creep. ", I laugh. "I'm telling you Laur, it's safe. The fire will not spread. We are not going to burn. "

"Whatever. I still like to be prepared. ", she sticks out her tongue at me and I smile amusingly.

"They're about to light up the fire! ", Chase yells and jumps to his feet. All of them stand up.

"Come on, you two. ", Cole gestures to follow them.

"I'm tired. ", Natalie speaks.

"And I'm her pillow. ", I close my eyes.

"Alright.. "

They leave to watch people light up the huge fire a few meters away and Natalie and I sit up. A shiver runs down my spine. It is kinda cold. I rub my forearms.

"You see? It's good that I've taken this. ", she pulls the blanket out of her backpack. I shakily laugh and the cover is dropped over my shoulders. Natalie sits next to me and smiles.

"Thanks. ", I speak. "Come with me. "

I raise the hem of it and she looks at me. The sudden fire lights up her face and I notice a small blush on it as she moves closer. She lets me throw a part of the blanket over her shoulders and I wrap an arm around her waist. We stare at our friends as Quentin begins to yell at Chase and chuckle in unison.

"So.. You don't really like Cole, do you? ", I look at Natalie who's now almost at my eye level as we sit.

"No. ", she laughs and leans into my chest. "Why would you think that? "

"Just trying to make sure. "

"Why? You don't want me to like him? "

"It's not that. I don't really care but it would be weird for our little group. I don't know. Then Q and I would be the only ones left without a girlfriend. "

"The solution is obvious. You two go gay for each other and everyone's happy at the end. ", her grin is teasing as she looks back at the fire. I look at her and tuck a piece of hair behind her ear.

"I'm begging you, don't be with Cole. ", I grimace, thinking of Quentin and I. Natalie laughs.

"I'm just teasing. Cole.. He is helping me with something and he's an easy person to talk to. I only needed a friend. ", Natalie sighs as her eyes soften.

"What? If there's a problem, why wouldn't you talk to me about it? Why Cole? We are best friends. ", I ask, kind of upset.

"It's.. I don't wanna talk about it right now. "

"I want to. ", I squeeze her hip. "You should tell me. I told you about what's been bothering me. Just share. "

"I can't. I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me. ", her eyes meet mines and I just wanna yell but something stops me. I bite on the inside of my cheek and look away.

"Fine. Whatever. You trust him more, alright. I'm not mad, nor upset. Nope. ", I drop my arm from around her.

"Stop being so childish. You're my best friend, Matthew. Absolutely the best. Regardless of that, I can't speak to you about everything. "

"But you can with him? "

"You know more about me than he does and ever will, yet you make drama over one small thingy he knows. "

"It's not.. ", I look down at my lap, then back up at her. "You're not sick or something like that and hiding it from me? "

Natalie's eyes widen and she leans in to hug me tightly. "No! Of course not. You were worried about that? Oh god, no. "

I sigh of relief and wrap my arms around her, resting my chin at the top of her head.

"Thank god. Then what is it? "

"Just drop it. "

"I can't. I wanna know every single detail about you. "

"That sounds possessive. ", she giggles and kisses my cheek.

"I'm serious. Stop laughing at me. ", I glare, which causes her to laugh more.

"Natalie, it's not funny! I'm upset that you trust him more, with whatever it is, than me. "

Natalie looks up and I see Cole watching her from the distance. My jaw tightens.

"He's watching you. Are you two dating? ", I scoot away from her.

"Don't be ridiculous. No. "

"Whatever then. ", I huff and run my fingers through the grass. Natalie stands up.

"I'm gonna go to them. You obviously don't wanna hang out with me.. ", she sighs and leaves me the blanket, joining our friends by the fire.

I tuck myself better and watch her as she walks. I frown and my eyes meet Cole's. He glares at me and pulls out his phone, pointing his finger at it. I take a few seconds to realize what he meant and pull out my own. I got a text from him.

Cole: >> dude! You just blew it all! > blew what? > she fucking likes you and you are so freaking oblivious you are getting on my nerves. You only upset her > she told me she does ?