Incognito.
24
(Pictures are at the bottom.)
I woke up and rolled over, stretching a bit and getting up. I heard talking across the hallway, but ignored it and continued down the hall. I entered Nate’s room and he was playing with a toy car on the railing of his crib.
“Nate, want to come eat breakfast?” I offered. He let out a scream that I can only interpret as ‘Go away’. I quickly closed the door and headed downstairs. I heard some dishes clanking and new a few people should be up. I headed down the staircase quietly, patting my hair down along the way before stopping in front of the kitchen. I rubbed my eyes before erupting into laughter.
“Shut up!” Bill groaned putting his head on the table and covering his new haircut with his arms.
“No, no. Just,” I managed to stifle my laughter and then looked at Pete, breaking into a whole other set of giggles. I stopped however, when my stomach growled, loudly.
“Well, do you want breakfast?” Greta laughed.
---
“Oh, my God!” Adam laughed, “Tom Conrad. She hates Tom Conrad.” He paused to cough a little before continuing, “He tried to hate her, but in the end he just would annoy her purposely.”
“Wait, how did you guys know him?” Brendon asked through the phone from his spot perched at the end of his bed.
“Oh, Tom was my best friend. We grew apart a bit after I met Natalie, but we’re still friends, I actually saw him yesterday.”
“She’s never mentioned him.” Brendon shrugged, though Adam couldn’t see.
“Yeah, well, she never mentioned me either,” He paused for a second before sighing and continuing, “So, how’s she been acting lately?”
“The same. Yesterday she was downstairs all day doing some school stuff.”
“She’s in school?” Adam asked surprised.
“Oh,” Brendon was taken back, “She does college online.”
“Hmm,” He hummed.
“But besides that,” Brendon continued, “She’s been really distant, even to Nate. Like, Bill used to be the only one that she would let help her out with him and now she doesn’t really care.”
“She’s guilty.” Adam stated, “Or she feels guilty anyway.”
“For?”
“Well, she’s most likely blaming herself for one of the following. A) She made all of you move away from Reno and your families and friends, B) You’re all in danger, or C) She’s totally regretting kissing you. No offense.” Adam said.
Brendon frowned, “Wait, I thought she liked me?”
“Dude, she may, but she doesn’t want to date you right now. Her boyfriend’s going to die in like two days.” Adam paused before breathing out, “Crud, I only have like two more days to fill you in on everything,” He paused again, “Okay, here’s the basics, or well, kind of,” He breathed out a laugh. Brendon listened intently. “She wants to tell you about her past, you just have to get her started. She’s just turned into a huge introvert since everything, but if you get her talking and keep her distracted, she’ll just keep going. Oh, speaking of talking, you guys need to talk about the kiss. If you ignore it she’ll ignore it, too. She has this fear of getting on people’s nerves, so she’ll try to stay out of people’s way most of the time. She is a total party animal, sometimes, or when she’s comfortable where she is. She randomly sneaks places and won’t tell anyone, so if she disappears in the middle of the night don’t be too alarmed…” Adam continued to fill Brendon in on everything.
I woke up and rolled over, stretching a bit and getting up. I heard talking across the hallway, but ignored it and continued down the hall. I entered Nate’s room and he was playing with a toy car on the railing of his crib.
“Nate, want to come eat breakfast?” I offered. He let out a scream that I can only interpret as ‘Go away’. I quickly closed the door and headed downstairs. I heard some dishes clanking and new a few people should be up. I headed down the staircase quietly, patting my hair down along the way before stopping in front of the kitchen. I rubbed my eyes before erupting into laughter.
“Shut up!” Bill groaned putting his head on the table and covering his new haircut with his arms.
“No, no. Just,” I managed to stifle my laughter and then looked at Pete, breaking into a whole other set of giggles. I stopped however, when my stomach growled, loudly.
“Well, do you want breakfast?” Greta laughed.
---
“Oh, my God!” Adam laughed, “Tom Conrad. She hates Tom Conrad.” He paused to cough a little before continuing, “He tried to hate her, but in the end he just would annoy her purposely.”
“Wait, how did you guys know him?” Brendon asked through the phone from his spot perched at the end of his bed.
“Oh, Tom was my best friend. We grew apart a bit after I met Natalie, but we’re still friends, I actually saw him yesterday.”
“She’s never mentioned him.” Brendon shrugged, though Adam couldn’t see.
“Yeah, well, she never mentioned me either,” He paused for a second before sighing and continuing, “So, how’s she been acting lately?”
“The same. Yesterday she was downstairs all day doing some school stuff.”
“She’s in school?” Adam asked surprised.
“Oh,” Brendon was taken back, “She does college online.”
“Hmm,” He hummed.
“But besides that,” Brendon continued, “She’s been really distant, even to Nate. Like, Bill used to be the only one that she would let help her out with him and now she doesn’t really care.”
“She’s guilty.” Adam stated, “Or she feels guilty anyway.”
“For?”
“Well, she’s most likely blaming herself for one of the following. A) She made all of you move away from Reno and your families and friends, B) You’re all in danger, or C) She’s totally regretting kissing you. No offense.” Adam said.
Brendon frowned, “Wait, I thought she liked me?”
“Dude, she may, but she doesn’t want to date you right now. Her boyfriend’s going to die in like two days.” Adam paused before breathing out, “Crud, I only have like two more days to fill you in on everything,” He paused again, “Okay, here’s the basics, or well, kind of,” He breathed out a laugh. Brendon listened intently. “She wants to tell you about her past, you just have to get her started. She’s just turned into a huge introvert since everything, but if you get her talking and keep her distracted, she’ll just keep going. Oh, speaking of talking, you guys need to talk about the kiss. If you ignore it she’ll ignore it, too. She has this fear of getting on people’s nerves, so she’ll try to stay out of people’s way most of the time. She is a total party animal, sometimes, or when she’s comfortable where she is. She randomly sneaks places and won’t tell anyone, so if she disappears in the middle of the night don’t be too alarmed…” Adam continued to fill Brendon in on everything.
♠ ♠ ♠
Sorry, it was short