He probably thought she was an immature
girl that couldn’t even handle being kissed by a guy. She didn’t want to tell
him the real reason. She barely knew him and even though he saw how Tony acted,
he wouldn’t understand.
“We all do, Natalie. You’re not alone.” His voice, sincere
and heavy all at the same time, told her he did understand.
For a moment she sensed a closeness being formed between
them. She closed her eyes and kept silent. Her heart kept telling her to not be
scared but her mind told her the opposite.
“Despite what happened, I’d like to see you again.”
Her eyes popped opened. Her heart leaped into her throat
urging her to say yes. Her head continued to warn her otherwise. She promised
herself she would not get involved with another guy for a long time. “I don’t
think it’s a good time right now. I’m about to head home for the week.”
Ryan hesitated for a second. “Natalie, I know I will have
regrets if I don’t tell you that… I can’t stop thinking about you. I know I
felt something between us. Something I have never felt before and I think you
felt it too.”
OMG, he felt it too. “I… I don’t know.”
Lise motioned to her with praying hands, mouthing the words,
“Please.”
Natalie ignored her.
“Don’t deny what you’re feeling. I know you’re scared of
getting hurt again. But you know what…so am I,” Ryan said with vigor.
The more she tried to discount her emotions, the need to be
with him intensified. She took a deep breath and held it for a second. She
wanted to say yes, but was afraid.
“Please go out with me. We can do something laid-back, like
dinner and a movie. I really want to see you again. I… can’t stop thinking
about you.”
She couldn’t resist the plea in his voice and all the
emotions he stirred up in her. The words slid out of her mouth effortlessly.
“Okay. How about when I get back?”
“You will?” His voice raised about five octaves. “Alright.”
He chuckled slightly, apparently pleased with his tactics of persuading her.
Natalie smiled. “I’ll give you a call when I get back.”
“Sounds good. Be careful. Talk to ya soon.”
“Bye.” Natalie hung up the phone and let out a long and
drawn out sigh. What did she just agree to do? Why wasn’t she following her own
rules? She knew she was setting herself up for another broken heart.
“OMG, Nat. You have to be the most difficult date ever. Poor
guy. He must really like you if he’s willing to work that hard.”
Natalie rolled her eyes at Lise. “I’m not difficult.”
Lise broke out in laughter and threw her arms up in the air.
“Whatever.”
“I don’t like to jump into things without thinking through
them first.” Natalie lashed back.
“Ouch.” Lise put her hand over her heart.
“Sorry, but it’s the truth.” Natalie got up and gathered her
things.
“I really wish you would stay so we could double date. You
can always leave tomorrow. Please?” Lise begged.
“No, I already told my parents I’m coming home today. I need
to get going so I can get home by dinner time. I’m dying for a good home cooked
meal.”
“You and me both.” Lise pouted and then picked up her
laundry bag. “Come on, I’ll help you take your stuff to your car.”
***
“Mom… Dad, I’m home.” Natalie came in through the back door
from the garage. She set her bags down and walked into the kitchen area.
Her mom, Gloria, leaned over the stove cooking. “Mija. I’m
so glad you’re home. I missed you.” Her mom rushed to her side and hugged her.
“It feels good to be home.” Natalie embraced her mom and returned
a kiss on her cheek.
“So you’re doing okay? I’ve been worried about you.” Her mom
stroked her hair. “I hate that you’re over there by yourself, trying to get
over Tony. Maybe you should come home and go to school here.”
Natalie pulled back from her mom’s thin, bony arms. She didn’t
feel like hearing her mom’s persistent
girl that couldn’t even handle being kissed by a guy. She didn’t want to tell
him the real reason. She barely knew him and even though he saw how Tony acted,
he wouldn’t understand.
“We all do, Natalie. You’re not alone.” His voice, sincere
and heavy all at the same time, told her he did understand.
For a moment she sensed a closeness being formed between
them. She closed her eyes and kept silent. Her heart kept telling her to not be
scared but her mind told her the opposite.
“Despite what happened, I’d like to see you again.”
Her eyes popped opened. Her heart leaped into her throat
urging her to say yes. Her head continued to warn her otherwise. She promised
herself she would not get involved with another guy for a long time. “I don’t
think it’s a good time right now. I’m about to head home for the week.”
Ryan hesitated for a second. “Natalie, I know I will have
regrets if I don’t tell you that… I can’t stop thinking about you. I know I
felt something between us. Something I have never felt before and I think you
felt it too.”
OMG, he felt it too. “I… I don’t know.”
Lise motioned to her with praying hands, mouthing the words,
“Please.”
Natalie ignored her.
“Don’t deny what you’re feeling. I know you’re scared of
getting hurt again. But you know what…so am I,” Ryan said with vigor.
The more she tried to discount her emotions, the need to be
with him intensified. She took a deep breath and held it for a second. She
wanted to say yes, but was afraid.
“Please go out with me. We can do something laid-back, like
dinner and a movie. I really want to see you again. I… can’t stop thinking
about you.”
She couldn’t resist the plea in his voice and all the
emotions he stirred up in her. The words slid out of her mouth effortlessly.
“Okay. How about when I get back?”
“You will?” His voice raised about five octaves. “Alright.”
He chuckled slightly, apparently pleased with his tactics of persuading her.
Natalie smiled. “I’ll give you a call when I get back.”
“Sounds good. Be careful. Talk to ya soon.”
“Bye.” Natalie hung up the phone and let out a long and
drawn out sigh. What did she just agree to do? Why wasn’t she following her own
rules? She knew she was setting herself up for another broken heart.
“OMG, Nat. You have to be the most difficult date ever. Poor
guy. He must really like you if he’s willing to work that hard.”
Natalie rolled her eyes at Lise. “I’m not difficult.”
Lise broke out in laughter and threw her arms up in the air.
“Whatever.”
“I don’t like to jump into things without thinking through
them first.” Natalie lashed back.
“Ouch.” Lise put her hand over her heart.
“Sorry, but it’s the truth.” Natalie got up and gathered her
things.
“I really wish you would stay so we could double date. You
can always leave tomorrow. Please?” Lise begged.
“No, I already told my parents I’m coming home today. I need
to get going so I can get home by dinner time. I’m dying for a good home cooked
meal.”
“You and me both.” Lise pouted and then picked up her
laundry bag. “Come on, I’ll help you take your stuff to your car.”
***
“Mom… Dad, I’m home.” Natalie came in through the back door
from the garage. She set her bags down and walked into the kitchen area.
Her mom, Gloria, leaned over the stove cooking. “Mija. I’m
so glad you’re home. I missed you.” Her mom rushed to her side and hugged her.
“It feels good to be home.” Natalie embraced her mom and returned
a kiss on her cheek.
“So you’re doing okay? I’ve been worried about you.” Her mom
stroked her hair. “I hate that you’re over there by yourself, trying to get
over Tony. Maybe you should come home and go to school here.”
Natalie pulled back from her mom’s thin, bony arms. She didn’t
feel like hearing her mom’s persistent
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