Chapter 45: The Boys are Moses and the Others are the Red Sea.

Well done. Now, cow, stop looking at him. It gives the fact that you like him away.

And so that's what I did. Alex and I ignored each other all week, and there hasn't been a shred of natural light peeking through the curtains. I'm afraid if I open them he'll be right there. Calculus is really boring without him, I know he's sitting behind me, but it doesn't feel right not to have his arm wrapped around my chair. And It doesn't feel right not to bicker with him. I'd never admit it to him (not like I can anymore), but I kind of enjoyed the debates.

I walk into the musical on Friday with Bubbles with my head down. Alex doesn't have his usual bad boy stuff on. Instead, he's wearing a hoodie and a beanie. His nose is red and his hair is wet. He wasn't here today, I don't know why, but he doesn't look so good. Callum is sitting on the seat and patting his friend's arm awkwardly. I look away and walk over to some seats in the front row. Alex slumps down in his seat beside and Bubbles walks over to Callum.

"C'mon everyone! We're going to actually start rehearsing the script today!" Ms Carter says. Great. The only day we're actually learning lines instead of dance moves and songs is the only day I don't want to. I sigh. It's just acting. I'll be fine.

"Ok, Alex... Natalie! Up here! We're doing the 'can I have this dance' scene," she claps and I get up. Alex does too and we make our way up to the stage. I avoid looking at him. "Well... come on you two! We don't have all day."

I quicken my pace a little and stand in front of Ms Carter. "Are you two ok?" she whispers to us. We don't reply and she nods.

Alex coughs. "Ms Carter, could I talk to you for a second?"

"Of course, Alex," she says and they walk off stage. I just stand awkwardly on stage until they come back. Ten minutes later Ms Carter returns with a grim face and places a hand on my shoulder.

"Alex had to go home. His Mum's been in the hospital and she's returning. His dad needs help with his siblings. I don't even know why he came today," she shakes her head. I nod, feeling guilty. I didn't even know. I'll go over today. Ignoring Alex is not worth not seeing Michelle.

"Do you want to just rehearse the scenes at Stanford?" Ms Carter asks.

I nod. "Sure."

***

I put on a maroon hoodie and some ripped jeans and head down the steps.

"I'm going next door!" I say to Mum. She nods but stops me before I walk out the door.

"Can you give her the beef pie I baked?" She says, taking a container out of the fridge and handing it to me. Obviously, she knew I was going to see Michelle.

I open the door wider with my foot and step out. "See ya!"

"Bye," She says and she shuts the door behind me.

I pull up my hoodie, balancing the container with one hand. I run quickly along the grass and reach the patio, dinging the bell.

The rain keeps pouring down on the grass. I wish I still had the entryway to Alex's bedroom. Then I wouldn't have a wet hoodie and it would mean that everything's ok.

The door opens and I look up. Alex has taken off the beanie and his hair's wet again. His eyes are a dark shade of blue and his jaw is clenched.

I look at him for a few minutes. "Um, hey. Can I come in?"

He looks down at me and nods. I step inside and dodge him. He looks away. I bite my lip and stand there awkwardly.

"Alex, who's at the - Oh, hey Nat," Felecia says, walking around into the living room.

"Hi!" I say, a bit too excitedly.

"Um... ok?" Felecia looks at me strangely then back to Alex. "Oh, you two are fighting? Have you kissed yet? Did you get mad at each other because of Amanda?"

I quickly walk away from Alex as Jackson enters the room.

"Oh, hey Nat! Is that a pie?" he asks, sliding over to me with his socks. I laugh.

"Yeah, for you guys," I say, handing it to him.

"Great!" he says. "Could you stay over here for a while? I'm sure Felecia wants to talk and Liam keeps crying. Alex could probably use a girlfriend here too?"

"Oh.. we're not-" I start but he's already walking into the kitchen. I look back down at the floor and Felecia swings an arm around me.

"C'mon, I'll take you away from the stinky boy," she says, dragging me to the games room. Liam's in a chair, and there are pencils and pens on the floor with a drawing of an elephant on a notebook in the centre. Felecia must've left Liam there. He's crying now.

When he sees me he stops. "Nat! Nat!" he says, clapping. I walk over and take him out of the baby chair.

"Oh, Liam, you're getting big!" I say when I feel his weight. He giggles.

"Ma wak!" he says, bouncing so that I put him down. He stands on his feet and walks over to Alex, who enters. His little brother clings to his legs and rubs his face against his jeans, smiling a little. Alex ruffles the light hair on his head and I hide a smile. Why does he have to be so sweet? Like, is it in his genes?

"Se!" Liam squeaks at me and I nod, smiling. I sit back down on a bean bag and Liam walks over slowly. I clap for him when he collapses into my lap. Alex goes over and walks into the basketball court. I look away as the door closes.

Liam climbs up onto the bean bag beside me and stands up, supported by my side. Liam smiles brightly at me and I pull him onto my lap and blow raspberries on his stomach. He wriggles around and giggles. I stop when I hear the sound of a basketball bouncing. I ignore it and Liam curls into a ball on my lap.

Felecia sits down on the bean bag next to him. "Are you the reason Alex's been grumpy all week?"

I shrug as Liam starts to snore. "Dunno."

"What was the fight about?" she asks.

I shrug again. "Nothing much."

Felecia raises her eyebrows but doesn't say anything. Jackson opens the door and pokes his head in. "You wanna see Michelle, Nat?"

I nod and carefully lift Liam into his chair.  Jackson opens the door wider for me. I step through and he closes it. We walk down the hallway and up the stairs.

"Alex has been unhappy all week," he says. "Is that because of you?"

"Nah, we're good," I lie.

"Alright," he says, softly placing a hand on my shoulder. "She's in there."

I nod and thank him before walking into the room. Michelle's lying on a bed with white doona sheets. It's a four poster and has a bedside table at either end. Michelle looks over at me and smiles. I sit down on the chair next to her.

"Oh, its ok darl, just come onto the bed!" she pats beside her. I notice a tube running down the inside of her nostrils. She must have the same kind of cancer Hazel Grace did in the Fault in Our Stars by John Green, but I don't know.

"Are you ok?" I ask. "Mum baked a pie."

She smiles again. "I'm fine, just had a bit of a faint last night coming up the stairs, some issue with my lungs," she waves a hand around then laughs. "You would think I'd use more correct terminology, right? I'm a doctor! But thank Sarah for me, love."

I nod. "I will."

"Alex hasn't been all that bright this week," she sighs and looks over at me. "Does that have anything to do with you?"

I sigh. "Yeah... maybe."

"You're good for him, you know," she says, staring up at the ceiling. "He loves you. I can see it. It's in his smile when he talks to you and his eyes when he looks at you. Whenever he comes back from somewhere he's beaming."

"If I die, I want you to promise me you'll keep making him happy. I don't want him to be with some other b**** like that Amanda girl. Keep him safe. Love him. Don't hurt him," she turns her head from the ceiling to look at me. "Now, let me sleep!"

I laugh and she smiles. I walk out of the room and back down the stairs. I quickly poke my head through the door and say bye to Felecia. Liam is asleep. I walk back into the front of the house and call out a quick thank you and goodbye to Jackson before pulling up my hoodie and running across their front lawn to ours.

***

I get to school on Monday morning without Bubbles, who's gone to Canberra to see her great-grandmother, who is very sick. I get to my locker and spin in the combination when Leo and Callum come up to me, everyone in the hallway clearing a path for them as though the boys are Moses and the others are the red sea.

"Hey," I say, slipping a few books into my backpack. "What's up?"

"We need to talk," Leo says, crossing his arms. I zip up my bag.

"Ok, shoot," I say.

"Not now," Callum intersects. "Lunch. Taco Bell. My car. ASAP after the bell."

They turn and walk away, the red sea parting again. Sorry to the gingers in the crowd - but it did look like a red sea. Whoa. I think I see Ginny Weasley. OH MY GOD, LOOK! THERE'S RON!

***

The morning tea bell rings and I quickly duck out of music. Alex wasn't in there, and I wanted to get away from Meghan, who wouldn't stop talking about how Alex and I needed to "freaking make up and then out."

I'm walking back to my locker when I'm slammed softly against the locker. I look up and see eyes shaded by sunglasses.

"Where were you in -" I stop asking a question I know would be normal if we were still talking.

"In what?" he asks, cocking his head to the side. I look away. I shouldn't be speaking to him. Amanda's probably sent little cameras rolling around the corridors to spot me.

"Please leave me alone," I say quietly. Then I swallow and stand up straighter, my face in his face. "I don't want you around."

He looks momentarily hurt but rightens himself. "You weren't saying that when you were in the cinemas with me and your sad excuse of a boyfriend. You weren't saying that when you saved my face as your background. You weren't saying that when you were teaching me how to fold paper cranes in that restaurant. You weren't saying that when I danced with you. Or when I almost freaking kissed you!"

He says. My heart starts to pound and I ignore the stares we're getting. "Alex," I whisper.

"It's fine," he says, throwing his hands up. "You can go and f***ing kiss my cousin if you like because I'm done with this! You won't even tell me why the hell you decided to push me away all of a sudden or why any time your phone buzzes you flinch and don't even look!"

"Please just leave me alone," I say quietly, pushing past him and through the crowd. Well damn, that red sea definitely didn't part for me.

***

The bell rings for lunch after geography and I rush out to the car park. I think Callum drives a red Mazda, so it shouldn't be hard to spot. Jokes, there are way too many red cars, including a Ferrari. I spot the boys leaning against a car near the front, so I walk over.

"Hi guys," I wave a little awkwardly. The gesture for me to come over. I'm grateful Alex isn't with them.

"Let's go," Callum says, hopping into the car. Leo follows me into the back seat.

"Why are we doing this?" I groan as he backs out.

"We needed to talk to you, remember?" he asks.  I nod, looking out the window.

Five minutes later, we pull up outside the Taco Bell. Callum opens our door for us. We get out and he locks it.

"Let's go," he says again, and we walk into the store.

Callum and Leo get grilled stuffed burritos. I order a California burrito and a lemonade. We've sat down at a booth and I'm playing with the number stick thing. Leo lays his hands in front of him, his glasses perched on the tip of his nose.

"So," he starts. Callum stares at me from beside him.

"So?" I ask, putting the stick back where it was.

"You. Alex. Fighting," he states shortly. I look down and play with my nails.

"Yeah?" I ask, not making eye contact.

"We've been talking to him," Callum says. I look up.

"You have?" then, seeing how hopeful I must seem, I look back down.

"Yeah," Leo says. "And don't worry, we've told him countless times to break up with Amanda... but we want to know why you made the decision to randomly delete him from your friendship list."

"What?" I ask.

"He means," Callum rolls his eyes at his friend. "That you got mad at Alex and now you're not friends. So... We want to know why."

I open my mouth to speak as the waiter brings over our food. We thank him and I take a gigantic sip of my drink that lasts for around thirty seconds. The boys watch me impatiently until finally Callum taps his watch and shakes me.

"We haven't got all day," he says. I sigh.

"I don't really think that Alex and I can actually be friends," I say.

"Why? Because it would too quickly turn into a relationship? Like... romanticly?" Leo says.

I shake my head and take a bite of my burger. "No, I just... don't like him as a friend. He's egotistical and bad. And he has that stupid habit of chewing that toothpick that makes him look like a hot cowboy cross bad boy. And he's way too diplomatic! And he's annoying. He's a douche. He's a smart alec and he's rude. He's obnoxious and arrogant. He likes champagne and choc chip muffins and always puts his sauce on his bread before adding the sausage. And he hates rock and orchestra music and his favourite NBA team are the Indiana Pacers. And I hate the way he always makes me smile! And the way he hugs me. And the fact that I can't tell him I-" I stop talking. The others are watching me with raised eyebrows. You flopping idiot Natalie! These are his friends, not yours. Stop rambling! "ANYWAY, that's why we can't be friends."

I take a gigantic bite out of my burrito and then sip my lemonade before I've even swallowed it. I can feel the boys looking at me but I focus on the napkin place and stare at it for the whole time.

***

When I arrive home from school the next Friday I collapse on the couch and hug wombat. Its only been a week and it already feels like I've got a hole in my heart. My phone vibrates about five times before it gives me a headache and I get up for some panadol. My parents have gone to watch the boy's football. I ain't sporty like that.

I call Adele and Bubbles on Face time with my phone and open up my Mac book pro to do my calculus homework. We talk for a while about Canberra. Bubbles says she wants to be an Australian.

"They're so tan! Oh my goodness! And we went to this restaurant called Dominos. Oh, my God! It had the best pizza. And there was a group of these boys who go to private schools and they all had these weird hats and were hitting on the waitresses. And the beach is amazing! Their lifeguard colours are red and yellow and they just sit there and watch everyone. And then the accents! That accent is to die for. Seriously. I want one. I'm gonna train myself to do one," she says.

"I thought you went to Australia to visit your great grandma, Bubbles?" I ask, typing in a response in a box on my One Note.

"Yeah. But she died. So we just explored," she says. Adele and I both look up at her and she smiles.

"It's fine. I barely knew her. And we knew it was going to happen anyway," she says. We smile back and I continue with my work.

"How're things with you and Alex, Nat?" Adele asks. Her hair is wrapped in a towel and she's painting her toenails. She's going on a date with someone tonight.

I shrug. "They fought. Have you two made up yet?" Bubbles asks. "I want you to be kissing when I get back, please!" Bubbles says. I laugh.

"I think I hear my parents," I say. "Buh-bye!"

"Bye!" the others say. I hang up and continue with my work, even though there's no key rattling in the door.

***

"Smile, Nat, you look sad. That's not good. You have a lovely smile!" my Dad says, clapping me on the back with his left hand. I smile fakely for him then turn back to the door, holding the plate of cheesecake in my arms.

The door opens and Jackson smiles. It's strange not to see Michelle there, smiling, her brown, curly hair bouncing around her shoulders. He welcomes us inside and I lay the plate down on the bench.

"Hey," I say to Felecia, who's already seated down and looking at something.

"Hi!" she says, looking up. I sit down next to her and see the phone in her hands. "Good news! Mum and Dad thought I was mature enough for a phone!"

"Cool!" I say, whipping out my own. "Can I get your number?"

"Sure!" she says, handing my phone to me. I type in mine and take a selfie. She does the same. I place mine in my pocket and Felecia puts her head in her hands, elbows on the table. "You look worse than you did Friday. What's up?"

I shrug. "Not much."

Everyone starts sitting down at the table. Liam gets placed in his chair by his Dad and Michelle comes downstairs with the help of Alex. I look away from him. He's wearing a blue hoodie that brings out his eyes. His feet are bare and he comes to sit down beside me since there's no other space. We both wriggle to the other side of our chairs. His hair's damp and I have a really good angle of his jawline right now. But I look away.

"Have you started writing your scholarship to Oxford, Nat?"  Jackson asks, buttering his bread roll.

I shake my head. "No, but I have decided what I want to do after."

"Really?" he says. "What is that?"

"I wanna be.. uhm..  A children's doctor," I say.

"That's great, Nat! Maybe you and Alex could work at the same hospital when you're married!" Michelle jokes. I smile. Alex looks at the roof.

"I'm gonna send my application in next term," I say. Michelle nods.

"We'll miss you," Jackson says, then adds, "And Alex."

"Thanks, Dad," Alex rolls his eyes sarcastically. Jackson smiles. "But we - I might not get in."

Jackson shrugs. "Well I'm hoping you do, we all want you out of here."

Everyone laughs. "I don't," I say. Alex looks at me and my eyes go up to the ceiling. I'm such an idiot. The adults begin a conversation. Alex shakes his head and eats a piece of bacon.

Felecia sneaks her phone out of her pocket and texts her friends secretly under the table. Mum feeds Liam. Alex pretends to not notice Felecia's misbehaviour.

I eat in silence. What if Alex does go off to college and I'm left here? Well, I won't be friends with him then. He'll still be with Amanda. I'll be off at some American college. He'll be happy. I'll forget him.

We all finish our food and the parents go out into the back yard to talk. The boys hop in the pool. Felecia gets changed and hands Liam to me. I sit down on one of the chairs near the pool. Liam sits squashed between me and the side of the chair. He holds onto my hands and leans his small head against my side. I play with the little boy's hair and watch my brothers play volleyball with their heads. Alex walks out with a towel and no shirt. Before he turns around and sees me staring, I whip out my phone and give it to Liam. He plays a car video game while I keep my eyes focused on the twins. Alex dives into the pool and starts playing with them. Dammit, even my brothers like him. Flop you, Alex.

***

I walk into school on Monday with a very talkative Bubbles by my side.

"Thank God Callum didn't come with me. He would've dumped me in an instant if he saw all the blonde girls going out for a surf in the apartment next to us. Oh, I'll shut up now, there he is. See ya!" she says, quickly running over to hug her boyfriend. I continue on the way to my locker.

I walk past my French teacher and she looks at me. I can't tell what the expression on her face is but she looks worried almost. She sips her tea and looks away. That woman is always drinking tea, I'll tell you that.

I walk towards my locker and see people gathered around it again. Oh, no, not again. They all turn and look at me with confused faces when I walk up. They step back until I have a clear view of my locker.

There's a picture of a pig's head stuck on it with the word: wh**e written on it in big, black letters. I put a hand over my mouth. What did I do? I hear footsteps beside me and look to the side. Alex stops and looks at the picture from my right side. Oh, no.

I quickly walk up and tear it down. But he's already got his mouth wide open. I dash off, throwing the picture in the bin as I go.

I try and push my way through the crowd with my shoulder, and finally, I collapse into a chair in an empty classroom. I bury my face in my hands and feel my phone buzz. I take it out and slam it onto the desk, not looking at it.

It keeps buzzing as though its a call. I open my eyes. Not just one, but all of Amanda's friends are texting me. I lay my head on the desk and start to tremble.

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HIIIIIIIIIIII BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS!

Sorry I haven't updated in soooooo long! But hope you loved the tea!

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- Abbey