The sun was pouring through the house when Natalie finished up her phone call with Rob finalising their plans for the day. She smiled to herself knowing that her feelings for Nick were starting to lessen each day.
**************
Natalie quickly put up the last remaining strands of her hair nad checked over the outfit she was wearing. She was humming along to one of Nick's Boyz II Men CDs, which to her surprise she'd only noticed were personally autographed that morning. She smiled at her reflection before hearing a knock at then door. Making her way through the house to answer it, she found Sarah at the door holding a gigantic teddy bear and several balloons.
"Sarah, is that you?"
"Uh-huh, can I come in?" Came Sarah's muffled response.
"Sure, who's your friend?"
"Don't play dumb with me Nat" Sarah grinned.
"What?"
"I know what today is."
"What's today?" Natalie said, trying to hide her smile.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Sarah exclaimed with a grin.
"Thanks Sarah, I didn't think anyone knew" she smiled while Sarah enveloped her in a huge hug.
"Not a chance. Do you like him?" Sarah said nodding at the teddy bear.
"He's so cute Ser. How did you know?"
"Just cause I'm blonde doesn't mean I'm an airhead Nat. We've been friends for almost a year now and you didn't think I'd know when your birthday was?"
"Okay, okay sorry, thanks Sarah, you're the greatest" Natalie smiled, giving Sarah another hug.
"Yeah, I know" Sarah joked. "So what's up for today?"
"Nothing I guess. Rob and I were just gonna go out. I didn't want to make a big deal out of it" Natalie shrugged.
"So what'd Nick get you?"
"Nothing, he doesn't know it's my birthday."
"Oh he does so! I bet my money he does. He'd probably just out shopping now."
"Nope I bet he doesn't. I saw him before he left this morning and he just grunted at me. You know how he is in the morning."
"Yeah but he has to know it's your birthday, he's not that oblivious" Sarah commented. "So you and Rob are like really close now" she said, deciding to change the subject.
"We're pretty close. Don't read too much into it though Sarah. I know how your mind works."
"And how would that be?" Sarah grinned slyly.
"Don't make me go there" Natalie laughed.
"Well I'm glad you're starting to get over Nick. I'm very proud of you" Sarah said.
"Actually so am I" Natalie grinned.
"Well what are your plans for this morning then?"
"Don't know, I'm pretty free" Natalie replied.
"Great" Sarah said excitedly as she linked her arm through Natalie's. "I have a credit card and a mall with both our names on it."
**************
"It's alright Nat I'll get it" Sarah called out as she ran for the door with half a banana in her mouth. "Hrmmcrmn."
"Translation?" Rob laughed.
Sarah took a moment to swallow before letting out a small laugh. "I said hi Rob come in."
"Thanks Sarah, is Nat ready?"
"Ugh Rob this is a girl were talking about, never expect us to be on time."
"I'll keep that in mind" Rob nodded. Sarah smiled at him before Rob pulled out a box from his pocket and whispered softly. "Sarah can I show you something?"
"Oh I don't know Rob I'm not ready for that kind of commitment" Sarah joked when she caught sight of the small velvet box.
"Well do you think you could bring yourself to look at it anyway?"
"Yeah, what the hell" Sarah shrugged as she opened the box Rob handed to her. Inside was a small pendant of an 'N' and a heart. Sarah grinned. "But my name starts with an 'S' Rob."
"Yeah, yeah you know who it's for. What do you think?"
"Beautiful, she'll love it."
"Great cause I know it's her birthday today and everything and I wanted to give her something" Rob said shyly.
"Aww so cute" Sarah said with a grin before she led Rob into the living room. She flicked through the channels and got Rob a drink, trying to entertain him until Natalie eventually decided to come out. Sarah was laughing at Rob's lame joke when Nick walked in with Cassie in tow. Rob said a very friendly hello, but Sarah noticed that all Nick had on his face was a forced smile. Cassie gave her usual inviting expression, while Nick went to check the answering machine paying not much attention to anybody in the other room.
"Hey Nat, your mom called" Nick yelled in the general vicinity of Natalie's bedroom.
"What?" Natalie shouted before she came out causing Nick to have a double take when he saw how dressed up she was.
"Your mom called. Where are you going?"
"Can we not do this again Nick" Natalie said, adjusting the straps of her white dress.
"What? I just asked where you were going" Nick countered defensively.
"Yes but you've been doing that alot lately and I don't know why you have been."
"I was just asking Nat" Nick replied.
"I'm going out, do you need to know anything else I don't think so."
"Who are you going with?" Nick demanded.
"You don't need to know that either!" Natalie exclaimed. "I can look after myself Nick, I don't need your input in every little thing I do."
"Are you going with him?" Nick said.
"Who?! I'm going with Rob if you must know."
"You've been doing that alot lately."
"So? What concern is it of yours if I go out and with whom?"
"I just don't like him that's all."
"Well I'm the one going out with him, not you. So there's no problem then is there?"
"Nat I'm afraid you're moving way too fast and you can't handle things like that. You're not ready."
Natalie gaped at him in shock. "How the hell would you know that?"
"I know you, you're not ready and I'm afraid to say he obviously is."
"Go to hell Nick" Natalie hissed as she tried to shove past him.
"No, listen to me Nat I know what I'm talking about" Nick tried to reason, while grabbing her arm.
"Nick I don't care what you may think. Don't act like such a..."
"Such a what?" Nick demanded.
"For crying out loud you're acting like my freakin' boyfriend!"
"Call it whatever you want I'm just trying to protect you."
"Read my lips I don't need protection Nick, especially any from you. You're not my boyfriend!"
"Thank God" Nick yelled before realising what he'd said and regretting it as soon as he saw the look on Natalie's face.
Natalie glared at him before tears sprung from her eyes. She slapped him hard against the cheek as Sarah gasped at them from where she was standing, on the way to see what was going on. "Thankyou Nick" Natalie hiccupped before she stalked off angrily.
"Fuck!" Nick let out, immediately bringing his hands up to his face in shock. He turned to Sarah who was now giving him equally disgusted looks. "What?!"
"Congratulations Nick, for being the world's biggest jerk at this point in time."
Chapter Twenty
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