Chapter 17 - Focus on the good

NATALIE'S POV

I was right. Focusing on Kyle works. When yesterday I came back home, I'd been mulling over Eric's odd behavior since he left, but then I logged on Facebook and started chatting with Kyle and every thought about the bad boy was thrown out of the window. Although, it's also that I was busy chatting with him, Jamie and Aisha at the same time.

My best friend wanted to know every detail about my conversation with my crush, of course, so, as silly as it sounds, I kept writing to him then updating her. Aisha, instead, well, she was her normal crazy, making me laugh only.

So, it's safe to say that I spent a pretty quiet night. No dreams haunted me. No divergent thoughts. All normal, well, as normal as my life is now that I am finally in my crush's orbit. I even spent a couple of nice hours watching a movie with mom. All was well.

More than well, because when this morning I arrived at school, Kyle didn't just wave at me when he spotted me sprinting towards my locker, but he also reached me and found time to make some small talk. Practically Heaven.

We didn't have classes together, but at the end of each of mine, he was there waiting for me. Why, I have no idea, but I was glad about it. I mean, I got to talk to him and laugh at his jokes, some were pretty bad, but I laughed anyway, just because I got to spend time with him.

As for some other boy, I barely saw him. I mean, apart from this morning, when I spotted him at his usual place, underneath the stairs, nothing, which is perfect for me, because the thoughts of him were starting to crowd my mind too much already.

Yesterday it was odd. One moment he's almost gentle, genuinely concerned about me fearing him, then he looks like he's about to murder me. It wasn't me. He said. Well, I don't need a moody boy around, I've come to admit. Too bad I'll have to see him again anyway, because of that darn fairy tale. But if he doesn't say anything about it, certainly I won't take the first step.

I know, I know, I talk like somebody that's cross with her sweetheart, but in truth, I am just trying to get a hold of my life before I let in the wrong people who could only disrupt it. Besides, as mom reminded me yesterday, it's high time to enroll for colleges. I've gotta pick which ones.

I've always had New York in mind, but I know I can't afford too much. Even though I've been sparing money since I work for Fran and mom too says I don't need to worry, she can afford paying my fees. I don't want to be a burden for her, though. Well, more than I've been already. I mean, she's raised me on her own, giving up on her own sentimental life to take care of me, working her butt off to get the necessary money.1

So, you see, this morning I woke up on a new side, determined to make the most of these last months, but more specifically to enjoy everything without worrying too much. Better said, without thinking of disruptive elements that change mood in the blink of an eye.

Just as I got out of my last class before lunch, I got a text from Kyle, who only last night gave me his number, saying this way we could communicate more easily (yes, I did squeal out of joy when he said that, so much that mom questioned my sanity), and he asked if we could have lunch together, and if so, to wait for him in front of the cafeteria, because he'd reach me in a few. Of course, I couldn't refuse, could I?1

I'd been standing there for a few seconds when I was pushed ahead by somebody kind of violently patting on my shoulder. Aisha, of course. The girl's pretty strong for being so thin, you know.

"Hey, Cookie! Who are we waiting for? Which one of the studs?" I rolled my eyes as she asked that, but she grinned, wrapping her arm around my shoulders.

We've known each other since a couple of days only and she already treats me like I'm her best friend. I don't mind. I like her. She's much fun to be around, almost in a cheerful mood ... almost like a female version of my lovely Kyle. The only difference is that she's way more touchy than him, but I guess that's easily explained with him being a boy and obviously thinking it twice before so easily laying hands on me, while Aisha ... well, she's a girl, so she's got free passes, right? Tell me it didn't sound dirty ...1

Once she'd freed me from her death grip, Aisha started babbling about how her day was and how she'd met cute boys in her classes, especially one, who she exchanged numbers with and would be certainly texting with all day. She described him, and I think I might know him, but I'm not sure. After all, I don't know, well, personally know, many people in this school. I'm that invisible girl, remember?

When I told her I was waiting for Kyle, she conveniently disappeared into the cafeteria, saying she'd have lunch with I don't know who. I bet she just wanted to leave me alone with my crush. Well, thanks, Aisha. As soon as she'd disappeared, I turned around, oddly feeling a menacing presence behind me.

Guess what, I've got sixth sense. Because the menacing presence I felt couldn't be more menacing than that. No less than the Devil standing in front of me, an odd look on his face, his hair as disheveled as usual, his t-shirt doing really nothing to hide all those goodies beneath it, but I forced myself not to gawk, instead focused on his face, and he did the same on mine, even though we remained silent for a moment, at least till I decided to be brave and ask: "You ... wanted to tell me something?" I practically held my own hands in a death grip not to fidget and so let him know I was already nervous.

Eric let out a big sigh. "Nothing." He replied, then stormed off towards the cafeteria. Well, talk about odd behavior here.

"Eric?" I called. He can't just be so enigmatic all the time. I need to at least get a hold of his thoughts towards me. I mean, one moment he's gentle, the other he's frightening, then he shows up from nowhere and stands there, like wanting to tell me something, but then just leaves. Girls like mystery, I get it, but for as much as I love an intricate plot too, I can't just go insane trying to understand him without any clue.1

When I called him, he froze in his spot, slowly turning to me.

"If ... it's for yesterday ... it's all forgotten." Not truly. But why bother? It was nothing more than a confrontation that ended up in an even worse result.

He frowned for a moment, then nodded and walked away. Duh, why do I even bother analyzing his behavior? It's useless. I shouldn't even care. We are nothing to each other. Nothing.

Lucky for me, not even a minute later, I heard that lovely voice: "Hey, Nat!" I turned around to face a super-cute Kyle grazing the back of his neck as he spoke: " Sorry, I'm late. Coach kept us longer than due."

I smiled, so that he mirrored me, and I said it was fine, I hadn't been there for too long, although it wasn't the truth ... I'd been waiting since ten minutes at least. But who cares. I was not just talking, but would have lunch with Kyle and we've been getting so close lately! So close that I can even easily talk to him without blushing! Well, when he doesn't make remarks about how do I look, that is.

I mean, sometimes he comes up with things like ... "You look cuter than usual today." Yes, exactly that. I was wearing nothing more than my usual loose jeans and Bugs Bunny sweatshirt hoodie, hair left cascading, glasses at their place, so I don't really think I could take him seriously, but he made me blush nevertheless, which he noticed and chuckled.

"It's the truth, you know." Even worse. My heart started racing, so I thought it was better to just smile and act like nothing, then walk into the cafeteria, knowing he'd follow me.

It was half full already, and some heads did turn to us, just like the other time, but I didn't really care. Especially not as I laughed at some lame joke he cracked as we joined the other kids in the queue.

"Oh, hey, um ... there's this party on Thursday ... wanna come?" Kyle asked all of a sudden, just as I was cursing the kid in front of me for being so slow.

I blinked my eyes, turning to Kyle, quite confused. I don't do parties. I think I've never gone to one in my entire life. Although, Jamie did try to drag me to one till she was here.

"A friend of mine is the host. I think it would be cool if you joined us." Kyle explained and I was trying to both breathe and grasp what was he saying. He invited me to a party, not on a date ... right? He just invited a friend to this party his other friend is hosting. Nothing more than that.

Seeing me confused, Kyle grinned, raking a hand through that mess he calls hair. "You can take your friend, if you want. That new girl ... what's the name ..."

"Aisha."

"Yeah, that one. You can take her, so you won't be alone." I chewed on my bottom lip, thinking it over. It'd be the first party in my entire life. Could it be that horrendous? Besides, Kyle invited me. Not some creep stranger. Kyle! He actually wants me to join.

"Um ... I ... don't really ..."

"It'll be fun. It's just for few people, so there won't be any problems." He assured me, knocking me down with his lovely billion dollar smile, so that I sighed and nodded. Guess I can start living like a real teenager. Even if so late.