Phantom

Chapter 3: Surprise
After breakfast, Nathan ran the both of us to Cowen Park. When we got there, Nathan took my hand in his as we walked around the park, our hands swinging back and forth. The weather was extremely beautiful and strangely steady in Seattle, Washington. Usually, we’d have all four season in one day but lately, it’s been all sun all the time and I loved it.
We stopped at a nearby smoothie vendor. We got one piña colada that we shared. I absolutely adored these kind of days. Day’s that seemed so perfect and normal. It made me actually feel like a normal girl with the laughing, smiling, and simply perfect boyfriend.
I was positive Nathan felt the same way and it was evident by the way he looked at me. Even though we just simply glance at each other, our eyes would still meet and lock. It was like one of those real life love stories except much, much more.
I hadn’t realized that we’ve been just walking around in circles for the past hour until my feet started to ache a bit. Nathan being with me kept me preoccupied. It was like he was the only thing in my world and everything outside of my world didn’t hold any significance toward me.
“Do you want to sit down?” Nathan asked me.
“Yeah. My feet are being a bit of a rebel right now,” I said and laughed. He chuckled.
We walked over to the swing set that was meant for little children so it was very low to the ground that we both had to bend our legs just a little. Nathan took my right hand with his left and we swung subtly back and forth with our hands connected in the middle.
“Natalia!” Someone called from behind me. My eyes widened. I knew exactly who that voice belonged to. I felt my heart race in my chest and I quickly snatched my hand away from Nathan’s before they got a bit clammy and he’d notice my mood. He looked at me, confused.
“What’s wrong?” He asked.
“Oh, nothing,” I said, my voice was stuttering.
“Natalia!” He called again.
“I think someone is called you,” Nathan said and twisted in his swing to see who it was. The voice was getting closer. I closed my eyes and hoped I was just in a dream but that was impossible because the only dream I was allowed to have had to be affiliated with what I was and Lawren definitely wasn’t affiliated.
Nathan twisted back in his seat and cursed under his breath.
“Hey, Nat,” Lawren chirped. He was close to me. I opened my eyes and slowly looked up at him.
“Hi,” I said bleakly. Why was he suddenly talking to me? Why would he suddenly think that I would want to talk to him after what he did to me? I decided to just see what he wanted then walk away with Nathan, my boyfriend.
“What’s up?” He asked conversationally.
I moaned. “What do you want, Lawren?”
“I want to talk!” He replied.
“Then talk,” I insisted rudely.
“Well, not while in this position. I want to have a conversation with you. Like old times.”
This angered me. Does he really think that I’m passed what he did? I honestly didn’t need Lawren in my life. Who cares if I didn’t have a best friend? I had Chloe and Alex. They were close enough.
I couldn’t believe that he’d have the audacity to come up and talk casually to me while I was with Nathan. He knew Nathan and I where together which clearly states that I’m over him.
“No,” I said firmly. I jumped up off of the swing and took Nathan’s hand and walked away childishly, hauling Nathan behind me.
“Natalia!” Lawren called from behind me. I heard him running toward us. I started to walk faster.
“How about we hide in a bush and you transform and take me away from here?” I suggested to Nathan.
Nathan chuckled.
“I was serious,” I whispered. “I don’t want to talk to Lawren and I don’t want him to talk to me. And I thought you didn’t like Lawren! You can easily get me away from him.”
“True,” Nathan agreed.
“You walk so fast,” Lawren breathed when he got ahead of us and blocked out path.
“Lawren, go away,” I said through my teeth.
“What happened to you?” Lawren asked, scrutinizing me.
I glared at him. “Nothing,” I hissed.
“Don’t deny the obvious,” he said. “You seem so… different. You were never so aggressive. What happened to that sweet, shy girl I loved?”
I heard Nathan’s jaw clench.
“She’s standing right in front of you and now she wants to get away,” I responded. “Now if you don’t mind, my boyfriend and I would like to get on with our date.”
Lawren’s gaze turned to Nathan. He looked at him in utter disgust. His eyes turned back to me.
“Natalia, can’t we just talk? I miss you. Things don’t feel right without you.”
“Lawren, stop it! Just stop! What you did to me…. What you said to me…. It’s all just so impairable. I probably might forgive you someday, but just not today or any other time soon.” These are the times I wished I wasn’t too normal and I still had my ability to make people do what I want but since Nathan, my personal tranquilizer was with me, he completely neutralized my ability.
“Is it because of him?” Lawren asked and looked at Nathan.
“What? What’re you talking about?”
“Is he why you’re changing? Is he why you’re acting like this?”
“I would like to let you know that Natalia is not changing. She is still the same girl you once knew but she grew more confidence and strength over time,” Nathan said a bit smugly.
“Over time as in three months?” Lawren scoffed.
“Lawren, you talk about how I changed?“ I hissed. “People can be such hypocrites,” I muttered and walked around Lawren with Nathan.
“Natalia, wait,” Lawren said, blocking my path once again.
“Lawren just go away,” I sighed.
“Look, I’m sorry I’m being so rude…. It’s just that I really want to start over. Take another try on us.”
“Lawren,” I sighed, more sympathetic than before. “I’m not the one that ended us. You did. It was your decision to walk out on us. I begged and pleaded you constantly to stay.
“I’m with Nathan now. Someone who understands me. Someone who gets me and takes the time to listen to my explanation and not just jumps to the first conclusion. But… I’m willing to give our friendship another try if it makes your happy.”
Lawren’s face lit up. “Really? That’s great! We should make plans to hang out. How about on Monday? Are you doing anything then?”
“Uhm, sure. I’m free,” I mumbled.
“So I’ll call you then, alright?”
I grinned and nodded my head.
“Bye,” Lawren chirped and waved his hand at me awkwardly.
I waved back. Lawren finally walked away, giving Nathan one last glance.
I looked up at Nathan who looked like as tense as ever. His jaw was locked, his hands were balled into fists, his face was rigid, and he looked as still as stone.
“Nathan?” I squeaked.
He looked down at me, not moving.
“Are you mad at me?”
I sighed, letting go of the air he’s been holding. “No. I’m not mad at you. I can never get mad at you,” he said and smiled a bit. He put his arm around me and we started to walk.
“Then why was your expression so… soldier like?”
“Well how would you feel if my ex-girlfriend suddenly came up to me and started talking about how she wanted me back right in front of you?”
“You don’t have an ex-girlfriend,” I reminded him.
“Theoretically speaking,” he added.
“I’d be… jealous?”
He looked down at me, smiled and nodded his head.
“Nathan, like I said before, you have nothing to worry about. I only want you and nothing can get in the way of that.”
“Except for that desperate brown pom-pom,” Nathan joked referring to Lawren’s curly brown hair.
“Not even him.”
Suddenly, my phone started vibrating in my pocket. I pulled my bedazzled phone out of my pocket.
“Hold on,” I said to Nathan. I looked over at him and he had his phone out as well. He was reading a text message I was assuming. I looked at my phone and it said “new text message”. That was odd. I didn’t have text messaging on my phone. My parent’s refused to get me it due to our lack of money. I clicked the green button to read the text.
The message was from a number I didn’t know. It had an odd area code as well.
The message said:
“Vanburen’s coming. Save Natalia Wellington and Nathan Franklin.”
“Nathan,” I murmured. “What’s this about?” I looked up at Nathan. He was frozen. His eyes were staring straight ahead and empty and his hands were shaking. His phone slipped out of his hand and fell to the ground. The battery, sim card, and cover fell out of the phone.
“Nathan?” I asked, worried.
He still didn’t respond.
“Nathan! What’s going on? What’s this about?” I cried. “Nathan answer me!”
“They’re coming for us,” he finally managed to say through unmoving lips.
“What? Who is?”
“They are. The Vanburen’s. They’re coming for us.”