The Summer Scene

Six days passed. Six days of trying to incorporate Nathan into my Arizona lifestyle. I tried meeting up with the guys, but it was awkward being around John, and plus Garrett and Pat were busy with graduation plans and preparations. Occasionally we would meet up with Eric, Kennedy, Jared, Gabi, and Rach if it was a good day where they were all free; but typically we spent them by the pool in the Gomez’s backyard and at The Summer Set’s band practices. Josh, Brian, Stephen, and John where more welcoming towards Nat than my preferred friends.

-xxx-

I parked the car as close to Max’s house as I could get, but Rach was right about everyone they knew being here; the closest I could get was all the way down at Gabi’s place. The front yard was silent; there was no hint of underage partying going on from the first glance.
Nathan and I walked hand-in-hand through Max’s crowded house, past people we didn’t know as well, but I said hi to anyway, and made our way to the backyard where a majority of the festivities was occurring.

Once exiting the house and onto the back porch, I heard a familiar voice, “Hey, Natalie.”
Garrett’s older brother Trey greeted me sweetly. “Nathan.” He tipped his head towards, acknowledging him as well, but not as nicely as he did me.

I looked out into the crowd of friends dispersed throughout the large yard. I spotted Rach with her back to Nat and I. I released my hand from Nathan’s and silently sprinted towards her, embracing her in a hug from behind.

“Ah!” she squealed with a little laugh, once she realized it was me who scared her.

“Congratulations!” I told her, pecking her cheek, then releasing her from my grasp.

Three of Rach’s friends, one girl and two boys, whom she was previously talking to stared oddly at our exchange. “Thanks babe.” She replied, turning to face me. “Did you see the boys yet?” She asked referring to Garrett and Pat.

“Nope we just got here.” I told her, she then looked over my shoulder and spotted Nathan.

“Hi Nathan.” She greeted him to be nice, of course; she was trying. “Well let’s go find them!” she grabbed my hand, dragging me along with her as we went on a mission to find our little boys; Nathan following slowly behind us.

We came to the far back of the yard to where a beer pong table was set up, and of course the group of my closest friends was hanging around it. It was Eric and Max against John and Tim, with Jared, Garrett, Pat, Kennedy, Rex, and some other’s I didn’t recognize standing around as bystanders.

“Hey!” I loudly interrupted. “Take a break from the beer and come say hi!”

“Hi Nattie.” All my boys said in unison.

I moved around the table to Garrett and Pat and flung my arms around both of them.
“Congrats, boys.” I whispered in their ears. All the while the Tim and the others continued their game.

“Just think, we’ll be doing this again next year for you.” Garrett said as I released their necks.

“Not like it would stop you guys from throwing a party anyway.” I rolled my eyes at him.

“She has a point.” Pat agreed with me.

“Whatever man.” Garrett replied, turning his attention back to the game.

Max and Eric lost, not surprisingly since Tim was one of the best beer pong players I’ve ever known, followed by John; not that I know a lot of them, but still. Max was just in it to drink, and Halvo actually thought he had a chance at winning; he just needed to pick the right partner.

“Natalie,” Max called me, shaking a party up in his hand. “for old times sake.” It was a statement, not a question.

I walked over, grabbed the blue plastic party cup out of his grip, chugging it in one sip; cheers were erupting from the crowd of bystanders.

“You remember what happened last time she drank.” John finally spoke, informing and reminding us all of last year; all except for Nathan, he didn’t need to know about that. His voice was kind of hoarse. Was he sick? Or was he just nervous?

“But we all like Nattie here, and there aren’t any bitch girlfriends around that want to kill her.” Max retorted, again reminding us of last year.

“And I’ve learned to hold my alcohol.” I added in.

“Is this your doing?” Tim looked over to Nathan who was still standing on the opposite side of the table from me and the group, jerking his head towards where I stood between Garr and Pat.

“Partially. We have wine or champagne every night at dinner.” Nathan stated shyly. When my mother wasn’t home, which was often, and I didn’t feel like fending for myself, Nathan would invite me over and I specifically would have an alcoholic beverage so I learn to hold it down.

“Fancy.” One of the guys mocked.

“We don’t have any of that stuff here.” Tim chuckled to himself.

“We got Corona, bud, Heineken, and Jack Daniels.” Max rolled off what he could remember purchasing.

“And grey goose for the girls.” I heard Lauren add in.

“And grey goose for the girls.” Tim said again.

“Water’s fine with me.” Nathan said his voice a little shaky from being put on the spot.

I left my group to go help my boyfriend in his time of need. “Come on Nat, I’ll go find you some water.” I grabbed his hand and we walked away.

“I’m sorry about that.” I apologized.

“For what? They were just asking questions.”

“For putting you on the spot like that. They aren’t naturally this mean.” I told him, still leading him through the yard and back into the house.

“It’s okay. I can tell that they care about you the way that they’re trying to protect you from me.”

I chuckled. If only he knew. “Yeah, we’ve grown on each other. They’re like my actual family. The family I actually like and love to be around.” I confessed, hoping to get across how much being here means to me without overly dramatizing it or releasing information of years past.

I reached into the fridge and handed him the water bottle, then proceeded to make my way back outside so I could spend more time with my family.