55. Win Natalie- Jacob -.By Monday I feel better. It’s not the end of my life. Hanna and June added me into a group chat and kept texting me the world’s absurdist plans to ‘Win Natalie’.Most of them were to fuck with me.They named the group ‘Help Jacob Win Natalie Group’ and gave it a stupid long description: ‘We have gathered here for a humble cause of providing help and assistance to Jacob with his troubles with the only woman of his life. The Natalie Relish.’
57. Mocktail- Natalie -.As I wake up in the morning and glance at the clock. I grin. I still have a half-hour to sleep. It’s been a few days since I have been going to school with Jacob. I panicked every morning when I looked at the watch, thinking I missed my bus. Took me a moment to recall that Jacob is giving me a lift to school nowadays.No longer, the first words out of my mouth in the morning are ‘Oh shit’ and I love it. With Jacob, I don’t have to get ready more than an hour ago to catch the bus on time. I don’t end up in school half-hour early. We leave for school barely twenty minutes befor
59.Horrified- Jacob -.As little as it may be, I enjoy snippets of my time with Natalie. Sometimes we study together or go for a jog. If none of that happens, we will surely come to school together. If there is no hockey practice, I give her a lift on the way back home too.I love listening to her voice and I love to make her laugh. A few days back, while we jog by the lake. I was teasing her. She turned back, grabbed my neck, and lightly strangled me.I haven’t been the same ever since.I crave her touch so much these days. I haven’t had many chances though.I am in class, taking notes and minding my own business, and suddenly I get an urge to look at her. She usually sits back in the class. If I turn, it would be awkward. Then I realize I didn’t see her walking into the class.Isn’t she here?I ignore the awkwardness and glance behind me to notice that she indeed isn’t here. I patiently wait for my chance to use the phone and text her as soon as I get one.Me: ‘You alright? Just n
61. Asleep- Natalie -.“Natalie!”The door pounds, and it wakes me up. I startle at the loud sound and realize I had fallen asleep.“Natalie, are you in there?”Fuck, it’s Dad.I glance at my watch while rushing to the door. The school has been over for two hours. Dad hugs me as soon as I open the door and says, “You gave me a panic attack, Natalie.”Then looks at my face, “Are you ok? What happened?”“I... I fell asleep.”“Kids these days... I have to lock the building, Sir. Would you mind taking this reunion somewhere else? “A man in his 60’s grumbles behind my father. I hadn’t realized he was standing there all along.Fuck, this is so embarrassing.Slept and left behind in school like a 5-year-old. I grab my stuff and walk out of school. Even the parking lot is empty.“Would you tell me what happened?”Jeez Dad, give me some time to think of a better excuse.“Nothing… I just fell asleep.”He stays quiet for a moment, then asks while driving, “Why have you been crying?”I sigh.My
63. Dopamine- Jacob -.It was a mistake to go into my room after Dad belittled me. I wish I had gone out of the house instead. But I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing our conversation bothered me.I go into my room and try to process everything I just heard from him. His warning. Name-calling. His disdainful tone… laced with disappointment.Instances like this are not common, but when it happens, it widens the crack in our relationship a little more each time. Still, it doesn’t sting any less when I see how differently he treats me.I love June to death. But on days like this, I cannot help but envy her.
- Natalie - . “Let’s start small. Ask me something..” He says, and my heart flutters with hope. But I hesitate for the first question. “Your argument at home. Was it bad?” He sighs. “Yes.. kind of… My turn. Why is your face swollen?” My eyes pop out. Is it still swollen? Fuck. “Ohh…” I wince and mumble,” I kind of cried a little… for some lame reason...” He goes quiet for a while then says, “Well, if it made you upset enough to cry, I am sure it wasn’t lame.” His words are oddly comforting. We ask short but random questions back and forth, without touching the real reason why we ended up here tonight. “Your turn.” He says. I think for a while. I have a million questions, but none seem appropriate. So I settle for the least appropriate one. “Why are you still single?” He raises his eyebrow. “I remember you told me you dated almost a year ago. That stalker girl, right?” He gives me a tight smile and nods. “So, why are you still single?” I repeat myself. He chuckles an
66. Two steps back - Jacob - . Ever since I met Natalie, things have been one step forward, two steps back. I had such a blissful time with her on Friday evening. Despite my worse coming out experience and argument at home. I would say it was one of the best nights of my life. We shared so much, enjoyed each other’s company, and had our first kiss. It was exhilarating. In morning, she woke me up before sunrise. “What!! It’s so early...” I told her while rubbing my eyes. She gave me a quick peck on cheek and it shooed away my drowsiness. “My dad sometimes wakes up early. I can’t risk that. Let’s go.” As she freshen up, her kiss lingered on my face and I wondered if we still need to wait a week? That blissful feeling barely lasted half an hour. As she was about to enter her house, her father opened the door. He was waiting for her. I was in the car but I saw it all happen. He gave me a stern look from his front door. It grilled holes in my head even when I was fifty yards awa
68. Poison- Natalie -.I gotta pick a bone with West.That Jerk!As I am raging through the school corridor to find him, my head is throwing me warnings. It’s probably not a good idea. But I won’t be that weak spooked Natalie he met last Friday. This Friday he gotta see the fierce me.It’s probably none of my business. But I cannot stand this. I cannot ignore it this time. After looking for him in Library and counselor waiting room, Boy’s locker room is my next guess. It’s an odd time for him to be there, but I gotta see him now. So I go in there.Probably there will be o