I walk to the bench and stand in front of the girl. She had her eyes closed. It was the girl from the hotel. And now that I got a closer look, not only did she look like Natalie, it was Natalie. MY Natalie!
I get over my shock and find my voice. "Hello Natalie." It had been so long since I had talked to her. Too long.
She opened her eyes and looked up at me. She got up and turned to walk away. This was just GREAT! She didn’t want to even talk to me. But I couldn’t let this opportunity slip by like our friendship had.
"Natalie I am so sorry….." I walk towards her. When I am two feet away I stop. " I could never tell you how sorry….." I didn’t get the chance to finish my sentence. I was interrupted by her throwing her arms around my neck. At first I was surprised that she would do that after not speaking to me for almost four years. But, I put my arms around her and hug her back.
"Brian I have missed you so much!!!" Again I am shocked at her actions.
"I’ve missed you too. More than I can tell you." I don’t want to let go of her. I don’t want to loose our friendship again. "What are you doing in New York?" I let her go and look down at her.
"Visiting an old friend." She said with a sly smile.
"Who? Nick?" I smile back at her.
"Yeah right! Nicky? He wishes. Actually I brought a friend that is about his age."
"That’s cool. Well, since your friend isn’t here why don’t we stay out here for a while?"
"OK!" She smiles. God she’s grown up since the last time I saw her. You see she is a year younger than I am. "Why don’t we sit down?"
"Fine with me!" I tell her. "My God Nat, it has been almost four years since I’ve seen you, spoke to you for that matter. And all because I had to hang out with the guys that afternoon. I’m so sorry! I should have let you come along. All we did was play basketball in the park."
"I know. I saw you guys playing. I drove past on my way to Carmen’s house. I remember thinking, 'He blew me off to play B-ball with those morons?'"
"I was wrong. I had just spent five months with those guys and hadn’t seen you in nearly that same amount of time. You’d think that I would be sick of them. But I think I was so use to them that it felt weird to me to not have them around 24/7."
"That’s why I came over that day. To see if you wanted to take some time off from the guys."
"I’m sorry Nat!"
"It’s OK. I’m not saying that it didn’t hurt that you would rather spend the afternoon with nine guys you had just spent five months with, then spend it with me. It hurt Boo. But I can understand why."
"I’m glad one of us does because I sure don’t."
"I was crowding you. I don’t know how I managed to do that but I did. I was trying to be what you already had. A best friend. What I had been before. I was for a while and then suddenly I wasn’t and I didn’t know what to do. And then you went out on tour. I wanted you to be home, next door if I needed you. I just couldn’t adjust to two big changes in my life, both of which involved you. The fact that I was no longer your best friend and that you weren’t going to be there when I needed you."
As I sit here, I feel hurt that she could ever think some of the things she was saying. "Who do you think replaced you as my best friend?" I ask. I already know her answer but I have to be sure.
"Who do you think? Nick, of course!" She was crying, had been for a few minutes. Just tears trickling down her cheeks every once in a while. It makes me sad to look at her. She is so beautiful. And I made her cry. Some best friend I am.
"Nattie, no one could ever replace you as my best friend. Not even Nick. I love you too much. And I would have been around if you had needed me."
"Brian, that’s just the thi… Whoa! What did you just say?"
Did I just tell Natalie that I love her? Did I? As a friend. Yes, definitely.
"I love you like a little sister. You’re my best friend. You know me better then I know myself"
"OK, just checking. But Boo you won't always be around. You weren’t around. You’re always on tour."
"I’ll think of something" I have to think of something.
