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Thankfully, the discussion moved on to what other people from Castleton were doing with their lives.
I couldn’t shake the gross feeling inside me that had started when Natalie mentioned hooking up with Colby.
The feeling persisted, and I just wanted it to go away.
“You okay?” Natalie asked, during a lull in the conversation.
“Yeah. I think I ate too much butter,” I said, with a little laugh.
“There’s no such thing,” Linley said.
“There is if you’re lactose intolerant,” Esme pointed out.
“Okay, in that instance, yes,” Linley conceded.
“Do you need anything?” Paige asked.
“No, I’m good.” I rubbed my belly for good measure and hoped I sounded convincing.
“Do you want to go home?” Natalie asked, suddenly very concerned.
“I’m fine, I promise. I’ll be fine,” I said. Maybe I should have come up with a different excuse.
“Just let me know if anything changes,” Natalie said, rubbing my arm.
“I will,” I said, my face getting red. I didn’t need her to fuss over me. It just made things worse.
We hung out for a while longer, but I was getting tired.
“Okay, as much as I love you all, I would like to bang my extremely hot girlfriend, and I don’t need any of you here for that,” Paige announced.
“Seriously?” Esme asked, and then rolled her eyes.
“And that’s our cue,” Linley said, gathering up some of the empty cans and taking them to the recycling bin in the kitchen.
“Yup, you don’t have to tell me twice,” I said as we cleaned up as fast as we could to leave the couple to it.
“Thanks so much for everything,” Natalie said, giving everyone hugs as we left. She even paid homage to the pets, who were already in love with her.
Natalie was easy to love.
“That was really fun,” Natalie said, as I drove her back to her parent’s place.
“Good. I knew we’d all get along. I mean, we all sort of knew each other already, but it’s different now that we’re adults,” I said, babbling a little.
“I mean, they’re your friends, and you’re my friend, so it makes sense,” she said.
“Right,” I said. We were friends again. The bracelets on our wrists were evidence of that.
We reached her parent’s house way too soon.
“I definitely want to do that again. It’s so nice to have people to talk to,” Natalie said.
“You’re welcome to hang out with us anytime,” I said.
“Good,” Natalie said, and there was that pause again. That hint of something unsaid, simmering just behind our lips.
“Okay, well, goodnight,” Natalie said, with a little laugh. She got out of the car with the little box of goodies that Linley had brought her.
“‘Night,” I said, and she shut the door. Natalie waved before going in the house.
I squeezed the steering wheel until my fingers hurt, then sighed and went home again. Alone.
