"Nat, you're not being much help here" Sarah finally said, as she turned from the dress she was trying on and saw Natalie looking out her window a distant look on her face.
"Huh? What?" Natalie said as she pulled her gaze away from the view of the backyard where Nick and Cassie were sitting by the pool looking happy together.
"Come on Nat" Sarah sighed. She walked over to the window and drew the curtain, giving Natalie a serious look. "If you keep staring at them, it won't make you feel any better."
"I know, I know. I just think that if I keep seeing them together long enough I'll desensitise myself and I can forget about Nick already."
"I don't think that hurting yourself is gonna do it." Sarah said knowingly. She took a seat opposite Natalie and patted her comfortingly. "You know I would love it if that was you sitting there instead of her as much as you would. But Nat, that's Cassie down there and as much as everyone hates to admit it, he has fallen for her."
"Yeah, I know I'm being stupid but I'm honestly trying to keep my feelings in check. But I can't help it if everytime I see them near each other I want to puke."
Sarah gave a small understanding smile. "Hey they make me want to bring up my breakfast too, but we gotta learn to deal with it. She's a part of his life now."
"I hate it when you're rational" Natalie finally said, a small grin creeping onto her face. "Why can't you be normal and tell me she's horrible and she's got big thighs?"
"Hey I may be rational, but I can bitch about her if you want me to" Sarah grinned. "It's one of the basic job requirements of modelling. Thou shalt tear other girls to shreds."
"Yeah that'd be fun, but there's nothing to say about her. So there's no point. The girls is flawless" Natalie sighed.
"Nobody is flawless" Sarah countered. "She walks funny for starters. I was watching her the other day and she sorta sticks her ass out when she's walking. I don't know how Nick puts up with it."
"Thanks Ser, but she's still beautiful, smart and she's got this acting career thing going on and all I am is a boring college student."
"Puh-lease, acting career? She's been in one ad for shampoo, on cable I might add, and she had a minor speaking part in some soap opera where she asks some guy the time. I'd hardly classify that as being in the line for an Oscar" Sarah remarked, hoping to make Natalie feel slightly better.
"Haven't you heard? Nick told me a couple of days ago she got some part in a movie and she's playing someone's underage wife in a country town in the middle of Hicksville" Natalie said, with a small smile. "She's gonna be in a movie for crying out loud!"
"That sounds like such a challenging role, how does she do it" Sarah said sarcastically before laughing. "Don't let crap like that bug you, you're a great person Nat, even if Nick is a bit too stupid to appreaciate that."
"I'm sure being called stupid would go down well with him" Natalie laughed.
"I've called him worse. He once chased away this guy I had this immense crush on from asking me out cause Nick apparently didn't like him and told him that I was planning to join a monastery in Nepal" Natalie recalled with a laugh. "I used practically every swear word I could think of and wouldn't talk to him for three weeks."
Natalie laughed and looked down at Nick who was now having a water fight with Cassie in the pool. She sighed. "Maybe I should just become a nun, things would be a whole lot simpler."
**************
"So who are you taking to the awards ball?" Brian asked Nick after receiving their invitation from Denise that evening. They had just finished up rehearsals for the upcoming tour, and were sitting in the dance studio relaxing, while trying not to laugh at Howie who still couldn't get the dance moves and now had both Fatima and Kevin coming at him from all directions.
"Cassie probably" Nick shrugged. "I think BJ's sick of being my date at these things."
"Don't sound too happy Frack, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I was just thinking that Nat would love to go but we're not exactly talking alot these days so I can hardly ask her" Nick replied, as he watched Kevin throw up his hands in frustration and tried to hold back his laughter.
"Also the fact that you have a girlfriend now so I don't think taking your room mate instead of Cassie would go down too well" Brian pointed out.
"Yeah but she might be shooting a movie or something so I don't think she'd make it anyway."
"And I think AJ's gonna take her anyway" Brian said, noticing Nick suddenly perk up with interest.
"AJ? When did he say this?"
"I don't know I just figured since he and Natalie knew each other way back when, and Denise knows her as well that AJ would probably end up taking her" Brian casually responded, notcing Nick glance over at AJ who was talking away on his cell phone. "You think he's talking to Nat already?"
Nick continued to looka t AJ, wondering if he was already making plans for the ball. "But I've known Sarah for practically my whole lie and she doesn't come anywhere with me as my partner."
"Nick, Sarah's got a brain, she's probably too ashamed to go anywhere as your date" Brian teased.
"So you really think AJ will take her along" Nick asked, barely acknowledging Brian's joking comment.
"Probably, but the million dollar questiion is why do you care either way?" Brian remarked with a knowing look, leaving Nick in a stunned silence.
**************
"Nat!" Nick said, as he startled Natalie and she hit her head on the fridge, when she brought her head up in surprise. "Sorry are you okay?"
"Jeez Nick, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that" she remarked while rubbing her head.
"Sorry I didn't think you'd get scared so easily" Nick shrugged.
"Well besides almost giving me brain damage did you need anything else?" Natalie asked.
"Oh yeah" Nick suddenly remembered. "Can you help me out, I need you opinion."
"Uh sure alright" Natalie hesitated before following Nick to his bedroom. He had several shirts tossed onto his bed and asked her to pick one.
"Where are you going?" Natalie didn't even know why she asked, she already knew with great certainty it was a date with Cassie.
"Date with Cass, I'm taking her out to dinner" he grinned excitedly. Natalie smiled for his sake, trying to cover up the fact her heart was breaking in tw as she looked at her with a happy and excited look on his face. "So which one?"
"I don't know, I haven't seen you with it on" Natalie shrugged as Nick proceeded to take his shirt off and pull another one over his head. Natalie felt compelled to look away. "Must've missed the day when you decided you felt comfortable enough to chnage your clothes in front of me."
Nick looked at her with a wry grin. "Don't feel so privileged, I've seen you naked remember."
Natalie pulled a face. "How could I forget such a horrifying experience."
"So anyway which one?"
"Take off your pants and I'll tell you" Natalie said cheekily, trying to keep a serious look on her face.
"Excuse me?" Nick said uneasily.
"You heard me, take your pants off."
"You're just messing with me, you don't really need me to take my pants off" Nick said with an almost worried expresison on his face.
"Get em off Nick. The quicker you take them off so I can see them with your shirts the quicker you can get dressed" Natalie replied, with her hands on her hips.
"Nick looked at her questioningly before he reached for his zipper and Natalie quickly stopped him amidst her hysterical laughter. "You're so gullible Nick. I can't believe you were just gonna take off your pants like that."
"Well you said to" Nick protested.
"Uh-huh and you're lucky I didn't take advantage of you right here and now" Natalie laughed.
"What would you have done?" Nick asked, looking confused.
Natalie continued to laugh at him silently thinking what wouldn't I do.
Chapter Sixteen
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