Chapter 11 - Maybe it's not that bad...

NATALIE'S POV

"So, let me get this straight ... she attacked you because you had lunch with her friend?" The girl in front of me resumed, tasting her strawberry ice cream like it was the best thing in the world. I just shrugged, tasting my chocolate ripple piece of Heaven. This one's the best in town. Definitely.

Aisha stared at me, eyes narrowed, like she just didn't understand, which made me chuckle and nearly choke on my ice cream.

When me met, just a few hours ago, she instantly made me feel better, I mean, I'd been crying on the floor for a while, till I felt a hand on my shoulder and when I looked up I saw this pretty girl with curly brown hair and light ebony skin smiling at me as she said 'don't mind that bitch'. I just laughed, unable to do else, then I stood up and we introduced.1

Turns out she's a new student, feeling a little lost because she's been here since two days only and everything's new and we're in January already so her load of work is doubled because she has to catch up with the schedule and so on.

Long story short, since I was late already, I decided I'd skip French and after I regained my composure, we remained in an empty class just talking. I did feel guilty for skipping, but Aisha told me French wasn't such a priority and she was sure I'd ace the final test anyway, which made me laugh, but I felt a little relieved.

It's good to have somebody other than yourself to talk to, you know. Yes, I have Jamie, but she's far away and we only talk over the phone or via text messages, while Aisha is here and ... well, I just met her a couple of hours ago, but I already like her. She's funny and honestly, with her expansive character, she makes my best friend look like a very introvert type, which, obviously Jamie isn't at all.1

"Are they just friends?" Aisha asked, returning to her ice cream.

We were at Dawson's, the best ice cream parlor in town, if you ask me, it was late afternoon already, which means Aisha and I have spent more than three hours together, starting from when she literally picked me up from the floor by 2 pm.

Once school was officially over, Aisha said she had nothing to do, so she'd gladly stick with me if I didn't mind and I obviously agreed, also meaning to show her the town.

When I got to the café with Aisha in tow, Sophie said I could take the day off because there wasn't really much to do, so I just spent my time with my new friend, or the one I already hope I can call friend.

In an hour I need to be at home to go with mom to Dr. Green's, which is a real bummer, because I really like chatting with Aisha. Although, she's spent half of the time comparing the town to LA, where she comes from, and then she's made me repeat over and over what Dana told me and everything, always grumbling the worst of things against my nemesis, which made me laugh and ... well, in the end I really felt better and was really grateful for having met Aisha.

What's odd for me is her siding with me while she's the kind of girl Dana would welcome with open arms in her clique, because, I mean, Aisha is cool and cured in everything and knows about fashion even more than I know about books, which may I tell you, is something. But she says she had enough of that type of girls back in LA and since Dana was so mean to make me break into tears in the middle of the hall, she can't be the kind of friend she'd want, which I'm awfully glad for. At least, maybe, if I've got this new friend by my side, these last months in this Hell won't be that awful.1

"For all I know, they are just friends, but you see, I'm not that up to date when it comes to gossip." I replied, nearly making out with the spoon as I enjoyed my last piece of chocolate ripple Heaven.

Aisha shook her head in disapproval, even though a smile was lingering on her full lips. Her deep brown eyes showed a light I don't think I've ever seen in anyone, especially not when they're going through a tough period: she told me her parents divorced a year ago and only now her mom decided it was time to move in, saying she needed fresh air, but Aisha bets it was because she just found out her ex husband was marrying the ... "lady" (Aisha used more colorful terms I won't mention) he'd cheated on his wife with.

I think that made us connect even more, seeing as we're both only children and our moms are both single. From what Aisha told me, her mother is nothing different from her, so she must be fun too.

"You should be, Cookie. It could give you the upper hand." I chuckled as she said that, shaking my head. She's been calling me Cookie since I told her one of the things I love most are triple chocolate cookies. I also said chocolate muffins and she would have called me that if I hadn't fiercely objected to it. She agreed Cookie was better, also because, apparently, I look as sweet as a cookie. You could bet she's the first one ever to tell me that, but whatever.

"I don't want the other upper hand." I argued, now playing with my spoon. "Why not? You might get something to blackmail her with, so she'll let you be." I chuckled at that, once more shaking my head.

"Aisha, if having the bad boy make her promise not to bother me again didn't stop her, I don't see what else could." She arched an eyebrow at me and I giggled.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot that ..." I mentioned, then explained her everything about Eric making Dana quit tormenting me. Aisha frowned. "Why would he do that?" She asked, to which I shrugged. "Have no idea."

"Are you guys friends or ... more?" I blushed, my eyes widening. "No! We don't even talk! I mean, I introduced to him just last Monday and while he said he knows about me, we've never been anything to each other and ..."

"Wait, what do you mean he knows about you?" I sighed. Duh, this will sound weird, I know that already. Gee, it sounds weird to me too. I told her about Eric and I's moment in the gym just this morning and her frown deepened, but in the end she grinned.1

"I think he likes you." My mouth just opened to form a perfect O as she said that, my eyes widening. "That's ... absurd."1

"Why? To know these things about you, he must have been watching you, and why would he if he didn't like you? I mean, I know very little about this boy, but I've been told he barely acknowledges people around him. So to know about you ..."1

I held my hands in front of me in protest as I cut her off: "Quit that already. Eric doesn't like me. He says he doesn't hate me, but I don't think he appreciates me either. I mean, all he ever does is glare at me."

Aisha shrugged, an impish smile playing on her lips. "He might just act, Cookie. Doesn't want you to know." I snorted at that.1

"Please ... why would he care if I know or not?" She shrugged. "He might just be afraid you'll reject him." I rolled my eyes.

Like I'm this unreachable perfect girl he might be afraid not to be able to have. Please ... I'm not even his type of girl. Boys like him, they might go after girls like Aisha, but me ... I bet I'm too boring and too ordinary for him, while Aisha reeks of that untamed spirit I know one like him would like.1

"He doesn't like me. He probably pitied me. But it doesn't matter, because now I've got that cobra on my heels again, which means his threats or whatever he said to her have no effect anymore." Aisha chuckled, shaking her head as she took a sip of her coke. "Try telling him she's started bothering you again. Maybe he'll see to it." I rolled my eyes as she suggested that.1

"Yeah, now I'm gonna be a telltale to daddy ... come on ..." She laughed at my comeback, nearly spitting out her coke while doing that. "I wouldn't call him daddy if I were you ... you don't know, that might be his turn on word ..."2

I blushed, deep crimson, as she said that, my eyes widening, which only made her laugh more, like ... seriously crack up, so much that she wasn't able to stop and went on for more than a few minutes while I just stood her, half annoyed, half ashamed. When she quieted down, she shook her head. "Man, I'm sure that's what he likes to be called."

"Aisha ..." I warned. "What? It's fun!"

"Not for me!" She just laughed more. "Why? You jealous of him now?"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I am not jealous. Not of him anyway." Her eyes brightened at that.

"Whoo ... than of who? You've got a crush? On who? Tell mama, come on!" I was about to talk, when I was startled to feel a hand on my shoulder. Turning around, my heart skipped not one bit, but a hundred, as I saw Kyle smiling at me.

"Thought I'd seen you here." He commented. I only managed to smile warily at him and ... only when Aisha slyly hit my ankle from underneath the table.

Kyle sat down beside me, leaning in a little, not much, but definitely more than my poor heart could handle. Judging from her grin, I was sure Aisha already knew that was my crush.

"I didn't mean to interrupt you girls, but I was walking by and spotted you here and ... well, long story short, how's it going?" Kyle asked with a charming grin. I was trying hard to make my heart slow down or I might just have a heart attack.

I'm sure Dr. Green will think I'm sick if he visits me and I'm in this state ... it's a routine checkup actually, mom wants me to go so that I can keep track of my allergies and so. I don't think he minds seeing us,better said, mom,though. I'm pretty sure he's got a crush on her.

"F-fine ... you?" I replied awkwardly.

"Great." He then turned to Aisha, who smiled at him and I was worried he might be captured by her because, honestly, she was obviously much better than me physically, but they just introduced and then Kyle, for some odd reason, turned to me again. "So, Nat ... I thought you were working today."

I swallowed and tried to sound normal as I replied. Gee, at lunch I wasn't this nervous, well, I was, but I did manage to look nonchalant even while my heart was racing, why can't I now? "I was supposed to, but my employer said I could take the day off, so ... here I am."

He nodded, some strands of hair falling on his forehead, actually making him look cuter, so that I couldn't hold back a giggle and as he looked up, he smiled at me, making my heart race even faster.

"I just finished my detention time, instead. It's such a pain in the ass ... but luckily by next week I'll be done. Thank God tomorrow it's Friday." He trailed off about the weekend he was preparing for, but I honestly barely caught what he said, as lost as I was in just watching him, so close, so handsome, so charming, so ... so everything!

Only a week ago I could only dream of being this close to him, now here I was, sitting in an ice cream parlor, with Kyle just beside me, talking to me like we were old friends. Well, I honestly wish we were much more than friends, but ... you know, I gotta start from somewhere.1

Time flew by as we three made small talk, although, to Aisha's credit, even if she remained there, after I gave her a dirty look when she tried to leave us alone, she barely talked, just let me and Kyle chit-chat, just like have at lunch.

Sadly, by half past six my mom called and I had to rush home to go to Dr. Green, but I left Aisha with the promise of catching up with her tonight and Kyle ... well, Kyle nearly caused me a heart attack when, to part, he saluted me with a hug. A hug! He hugged me! Yes, I know, I'm pathetic, but be honest, if your crush hugged you like he hugged me, letting you take in his cologne, you would nearly faint too!1

When before going to sleep I logged on Facebook I found his friendship request, which I greedily accepted and since he was online, we spent some more time chatting ... oh, good God, I can get used to this. Definitely I can.1

And if the price for spending more time with my lovely Kyle is Dana's wrath, then heck, I'm all in for it. I'll face the cobra and hopefully survive. If not, it'll have been worth it.+