Hi everyone! Thanks for reading this far into my story! If you're not in internet, you may have trouble following, since there are some pictures included that are a part of the storyline; specifically text conversations. Sorry for any incovienence, but I thought it'd be a cool and different way to read dialogue.

I just got finished yelling at Paully, and now I was looking at a text from Johnny. Why is he messaging me? We weren't what I'd consider friends...more like friends by association.

Johnny and I grew up going to the same schools all my life. It wasn't until last year that we started talking as friends, and that was only because I started dating his best friend, Ryan. Of course, Ryan and I broke up because I had to move...which sucked. But, I coped by convincing myself we would have broken up after highschool.

Getting a text from Johnny was like getting catapulted back into my old life. The life when I had a connection to people, and knew that they had one with me. I could count on them to have my back, no matter what. I still did, even though I was miles away, in Texas. I knew they'd be there for me if I ever needed them.

I hoped he wasn't planning to beat around the bush. I couldn't stand when people did that. I was more of a "rip the bandaid off quick" type of person. But, if I knew Johnny, he'd want to ease into whatever news he had to tell me, especially if it was bad.

It took only a minute or so for him to respond.

Okay, so whatever he had to tell me he thought was too important to text. That's wasn't making me nervous at all. Nope, not one bit. I was as cool as a cucumber.

And yes, I was being sarcastic.

"What's going on?" I asked, bluntly, as soon as I heard the call connect on the other end.

"Hello to you too, Nat," he said in a smart-alec way.

"Hi, Johnny. Now, what's going on?"

"Well, hold on a second. Why don't we catch up a bit. How's it in Texas? Are you feeling like Sandy Cheeks from Spongebob, yet? Or are you feeling more like-"

"Johnny, get to the reason you had me call you. Then we can catch up," I asserted, cutting off his nervous ramble.

"Right...the reason I wanted to talk to you. Well, you remember Kennedy, right?" he asked, his voice going up an octave at the end of his question.

"Of course I remember her. She's my best friend who I just talked to a couple days ago. Why?"

I listened for his answer, but he was just silent on the other end.

"Wait, did something happen to her?! Is she okay?! JOHNNY, FREAKIN' ANSWER ME!" I demanded, suddenly feeling like I was going into cardiac arrest.

"No, no, God no, Nat. She's fine. It's nothing like that," he assured me.

"Oh, thank God. I don't think I could handle the idea of her getting hurt," I said, catching my breath.

"It's just, she's kind of hooking up with Ryan now," Johnny rambled in a rushed voice, like he had to hurry up and say it or he wouldn't be able to finish his sentence.

"What did you just say?"

My mind was moving a mile a minute, but my heart was standing still, frozen.

I've only been gone a week. A WEEK! There's no way he's telling the truth. Johnny must've been confused, or misunderstood something he saw, that's all.

"Kennedy and Ryan are hooking up," he stated again, his voice steady but also remorseful. "I know Ryan is my bro and all, but I just felt like I owed this to you, you know, after everything you did for my family."

Johnny was referring to how I babysat his little sister for free when his family needed it. His dad was like mine, a single father, and they were struggling to make ends meet. One day I got a call from his dad who had seen one of my flyers and just like that, I was watching Johnny's sister.

The first two years of highschool, I would watch Camille everyday after school, while Johnny went to his part-time job, until his dad got home from work.

"Thanks for telling me, Johnny," I managed to say after calming myself to the point I felt my voice wouldn't break with anger.

"No problem. I'm really sorry. I know this probably hurts, but if you could not-"

"I won't say you told me."

"Thanks," he said. "I'll talk to you later?"

"Sure."

After ending the call with Johnny, I opened my laptop, and logged onto FaceBook. Still hearing Johnny's words replay in my head, I knew he was telling the truth. He had no reason to lie.

It sucked hearing what happened so soon after I left, between the two people that should have been the most upset about it. But, everyone has a choice, and they made theirs. I guess when I finally moved back, I'd have two less people to visit.

I pulled up Kennedy's profile, and without hesitation, I unfriended her. Then I did the same thing to Ryan. And I repeated the process again on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat.

I didn't bother sending them a message. They didn't have to know that I knew, at least not now. I actually wanted to see how far they'd take it, or if they'd even bother telling me. I assumed they weren't doing this behind my back when I was still in New Jersey, but even that was questionable now. Man, you think you know a person and then this happens.

The rest of the night went by like usual. Tracy came home with dinner, and we ate; although this time I took my plate to my room. Then, I took my shower, did any homework I had, and lounged in bed until I fell asleep. I hoped I'd dream of those backstabbers getting a certain type of disease, but as usual, I was disappointed.

When I woke up the next day, it was because of a knock at my door. Something that never, and I mean NEVER happened.

"Ugh, come in?" I said, well, more like questioned.

The door swumg open and Paully was awkwardly leaning against my door frame. A little in doubt, I reached over to my bedside table and grabbed my glasses. When I put them on, sure enough, Paully was standing there. Well, this is new.

"What do you want?" I inquired, still a little bitter from yesterday.

"Will you give me a ride to school today?" he asked, looking everywhere but me.

I'm sure my jaw was nonexistent at this point. Did he seriously just ask me for a ride?! Is it because he doesn't want to walk, or is Tracy not driving him today? I knew he didn't have a car, but he never asked to ride with me anywhere. I guess he kinda couldn't considering he never spoke to me.

"I understand if you don't want to. I just thought, maybe we could talk?" He scrunched his shoulders at the end of his question, and suddenly everything clicked.

Paully was actually trying to spend time with me. I guess something I said yesterday bothered him and this was how he was making an effort to fix it.

"Uh, sure. Be ready by 8," I agreed. After three years, I wasn't going to say no to this opportunity.

After he left, I threw on my black, baggy overalls over my white short-sleeved crop top. I decided to wear my hair in a side part, with my neon green cap, but I wore it backwards. And I finished the look off with my white Adidas.

I put in my contact lenses, making a mental note to pick up some more before the end of the month, because I was running low.

For makeup, I went with the same look as yesterday: mascara and lipbalm. Then I thanked God that my skin was clear enough to get away with having no makeup skills, whatsoever.

Grabbing my bookbag, I headed downstairs for breakfast. Paully was already there, eating his cereal and listening to music, with his blue hoodie pulled over his headphones. I glanced around, but it didn't seem like Tracy was there.

"She left to run some errands," he shrugged looking up at me.

I had to admit, it was weird hearing his voice directed at me, but for some reason, it made me happy. I should have yelled at him sooner!

After eating breakfast, we got in my car and were on our way to LHHS. When we'd been driving for a couple of minutes, Paully took his headphones off. I could see him looking at me, but I didn't say anything. A few seconds later, he spoke up.

"So...ugh, what is your middle name?" he asked, breaking our silence.

I couldn't help the small giggle that came out as I thought back to when I made the comment about Tracy not knowing my middle name. I hadn't even thought to say that he didn't, which he clearly didn't .

It was funny...my dad always said you didn't have to raise your voice to be heard. Clearly that's not always true.

"I'm serious?!" he insistsed, but I heard the awkward laughs breaking through his voice.

"Leigh. Natalie Leigh Drake," I finally said, a huge grin spreading across my face.

It might have been small, but this was the first time in three years that he'd asked me anything about myself. Being an only child was lonely, and I'm sure he could relate, but I always felt like Paully handled it better than I did. Just talking to him made me feel less isolated. Less alone.

We spent the rest of the ride asking the simplest of questions, like:

What's your favorite color?

Favorite food?

Favorite memory?

"What do you miss most about New Jersey?" he asked, a sudden seriousness taking over the conversation.

I thought of my answer as we pulled into the half empty parking lot of school. When I finished parking in a spot up front, I had my answer.

"I miss feeling like I belong," I shrugged, looking at him.

I was being brutally honest, and I didn't want him to laugh at me, so when I looked at his face and he looked just as sad as I felt, I knew we're on the same page.

"Me too," he said, giving me a small smile.

After a few silent moments passed, he gathered his things and stepped out my passenger door.

"Don't worry about me after school. I think I'll stay back and get some work done in the library," he stated. Then I watched as he walked toward the building.

I decided to be productive and use the time I had before first period to figure out where all my classes were. I did not want a repeat of yesterday, even though it was the reason I met Riley.

As I stepped out, I heard a car come to a sudden screaching halt. It sounded like it was right behind me, but I avoided looking in that direction. Instead, I focused on getting my stuff out my car.

"Hey!" a familiar voice roared. I recognized it because of the repulsion I felt when I heard it.

Turning around, I saw the green-eyed cretin himself coming right towards me.

"We need to get a few things straight about what happened yesterday!" Drew shouted as he marched up to me, his jeep boxing my car in.

Seriously?! Does this guy have to make a scene right now? Everyone there was already looking at us, expectantly. What, do they think we're going to start throwing punches or something? I wished they'd just find something else to look at.

"Will you keep your voice down? I don't want to be seen associating with you again," I said in a hushed tone.

"You don't want to be seen with me?! Do you know how many girls throw themselves at me on a regular basis?!" He asked, crossing his arms.

This guy's cockiness was suffocating, although I didn't doubt he got plenty of propositions from infactuated girls all the time. But I just wanted to shove a sock in his mouth to shut him up.

"Does it look like I care? Those girls must have poor taste and you clearly have a god-complex about yourself," I spat, throwing my bag over my shoulder.

Yesterday, he took up all the time I had in the morning by pissing me off and taking my parking spot. I wasn't letting him do that again. I started walking away, but he grabbed my arm.

"Don't walk away when I'm talking to you," he said, his voice deep and authoritative.

I'm sure any other girl would do as he said, mesmerized by his face and intimidated by his voice. Me? I was NOT that kind of girl.

"Don't touch me," I growled, looking up at him. Every word was uttered with as much authority as his were.

He let go, looking around at his surroundings. Some people were still watching us, but most had moved on. I guess the new girl wasn't as interesting her second day there.

I was startled when Drew suddenly grabbed me, pulling me into his side and in the opposite direction of the school.

"Hey! I said don't touch me!" I shouted, fully irritated and trying to get out of his hold. "You can't just go around grabbing whoever you want whenever you want!"

"Just calm down," he said, annoyed. What do you have to be annoyed with?! I'm the one being taken against my will.

Well, I was being taken against my will...

Out of nowhere, a guy in a blue hoodie pulled me out of Drew's grasp, stepping in front of me; something about him felt vaguely familiar. It wasn't until I got a good look at him that I realized he was Paully, and that his hand was balled up in a fist that was headed straight up and at Drew's face.

So...what do you guys think of Paully? Is he making things up to Natalie, or is he just making things worse for her?

Also, did you guys like the way I showed her text conversations?

Remember to vote, comment, and share!

*Added note (7 April 2019): So, a few people have asked about Natalie's middle name, wanting to know how it's pronounced. It's Leigh as in "lay". NOT LEE. 😅 I don't know about you, but Natalie "Lee" Drake would be a bit much in my opinion. It's Natalie Leigh ('lay') Drake. Okay, that's all. 🙂