Mutiny Below

Natalia

My last day in Arizona was finally here. There was a big party planned since the boys were leaving for tour and I was going home. I wasn't sure whose idea it was to have said party at John and Jayce's tiny apartment, but that was the plan. I, of course, was completely dreading it. I didn't want yet another night of seeing John and Jayce all happy together, but everyone else seemed to be stoked about it.

Eric woke me up at the crack of dawn to go to the store with him to buy beer and Nick decided to tag along with us. Eric seemed to be in his own world but Nick, who was walking beside me, elbowed my side.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Natalia," he scolded.

"I'm fine, Nick. It's just-.....weird that I'm leaving tomorrow, I guess."

"Aww you're gonna miss your big brother," he cooed as he threw his arm around my shoulders. I rolled my eyes and shook him off.

"Not you. Eric."

"Jesus, Natalia, are you seriously still lying to me?"

"Nick, don't go there," I mumbled. "Please."

"I don't understand why you don't just tell him. I told Jayce about my feelings."

"Yeah, and look where that got you. Not very far."

"Natalia, look at it this way. You're always gonna wonder what could've happened if you don't tell him. I know you. You dwell on something until it makes you crazy."

"Nick, this is different."

"You need to stop being so scared of your feelings and just admit that you have them. Because it's not like they're going to go away because you kept them quiet."

"Why are we having this discussion in the middle of a grocery store?"

"Because you're trapped and you can't run away from me."

"You suck."

"You love me anyway."

I rolled my eyes. "For some unknown reason."

Eric appeared at the end of the aisle and he glared at us. "Where the fuck have you two been? I need help carrying this beer, you know."

I followed Nick over the the fridges at the back of the store where Eric was and held the door open while they took out as many cases of beer as the two of them could carry. The old lady cashier gave the three of us a dirty look as she rang up everything and took Eric's money. Once we got out of there and got back to Eric's apartment, Nick was whining about his hunger pains.

I wasn't expecting to see Gemma and Kennedy at the diner when we walked inside. But she immediately spotted us and waved us over to their table. She slid over to make room for me and Eric squeezed in next to me while Nick sat on Kennedy's side of the booth.

"I'm so sad you're leaving tomorrow, Natalia!" Gemma pouted, wrapping her arms around me. "I feel like I'll never see you again!"

Nick shook his head. "Of course you won't. She won't come back here after all the hell we've put her through."

All the others took it as a joke but he caught my eye and gave me an apologetic look. I sank back into Eric's side and frowned, while Gemma started to talk excitedly about all the places they'd be going on the upcoming tour. Honestly, I was relieved that I'd finally be away from all the drama that had been going on since we got to Arizona, but at the same time I was going to miss Eric like crazy not to mention John. I hated the position I was in.

Over an hour later, we were finally leaving the diner to go home. Eric got all sentimental and insisted that we spend my final day here just the two of us. Nick gave the rebuttal that since I was his sister, he should get to spend the day with me. Eric begrudgingly agreed to share me so the three of us changed into swimsuits and went down to the complex's pool.

By the time we got back to the apartment, it was past time to start getting ready for the party. I took a quick shower to get the chlorine out of my hair then went to my room to get dressed while Nick and Eric fought over who got to shower next. When I had finished drying my hair and getting dressed, I went to wait for them in the living room.

The three of us walked over to John and Jayce's together and already my palms were starting to sweat. I really didn't want to be there but I knew I had to be. I knew people would ask where I was. We were greeted by everyone when we walked in and I gathered that we were the last to arrive. People were in every single corner of the apartment, plus the back yard. Some of them I'd never even seen before.

Eric of course headed straight for the beer and Nick followed shortly after him, leaving me standing alone by the door. I kept my gaze on the ground for awhile trying to not see John or Jayce but then I couldn't help myself anymore. I looked around the room for them but I only spotted Jayce talking to a guy I didn't know. She smiled when she saw me and grabbed my arm.

"Nat, this is my brother, Adam. Adam, this is Nick's sister, Natalia"

"So you're the one dating Mouth Breather."

I smiled sheepishly and he chuckled while Jayce smacked his arm with the back of her hand. "Stop calling him that. He doesn't like it."

"I wonder why," he replied sarcastically.

I left the two to their little sibling argument and waled around a little, taking in everyone drinking and having a good time. Eventually I got thirsty so I pushed my way toward the kitchen to get a Sprite.

As soon as I stepped foot in the kitchen, I froze. John was leaning against the doorframe of the open sliding glass door, looking out at the people playing beer pong in the back yard, and Jayce was leaning against him, with both her arms wrapped around him. She said something to him and he looked down at her then smiled and pressed his lips to hers.

I frowned and looked back to the selection of drinks laid out on the counter. Instead of going for the Sprite, I took a deep breath and grabbed a can of beer instead. If Nick and Eric and everyone else could drink it, so could I. I popped the top on it and John's head snapped over to my direction. We made eye contact briefly and he frowned before I turned on my heel and went back into the living room.

I took the first sip and almost gagged at the taste. Why in the world would anyone drink this on purpose? I ignored my gag reflex and kept on drinking it, hoping I'd get used to the taste and that it eventually wouldn't be so bad.

Finally, I did. I was well into my third by the time I saw John again. He looked at me like he was concerned, which I knew he wasn't. He felt guilty. I ignored him and finished the beer then headed toward the kitchen for another, stumbling a few times on the way. Luckily, the wall was there to help me steady myself. I grabbed another beer off the counter and went back to the living room.

I had just popped the top on it when John appeared in front of me. He grabbed my hand before I had put the can to my lips.

"Natalia, what are you doing? You don't drink."

I pulled my arm away from him. "I do now."

"Please don't drink that. You've already had three."

"You're keeping up with how much I drink?"

"Don't do this to yourself."

"What do you care what I do to myself?"

"This is all my fault," he said, defeated. "I'm sorry about the kiss, okay? I didn't mean-"

"Don't, John! Don't apologize to me again. I don't want you to be sorry. It makes me feel terrible that you're sorry you kissed me. Because you know what? I'm not sorry! I wanted you to do it. I've had feelings for you for awhile but you never see that because you're always so worried about your problems with Jayce"

He looked shocked to hear what I'd just told him. I hadn't thought it was that much of a secret that I liked him; I wasn't that great at hiding it.

"I-I'm sorry, Natalia.....But Jayce is my girlfriend and-"

"Don't give me that argument. You kissed me, remember? Besides, it's not like she's been faithful to you either"

I had barely even realized what I'd said and even if I had, I wouldn't have cared. I was suddenly telling things I wouldn't have dared to say sober. And I still couldn't stop. The words were just spilling out of my mouth.

"You are so fucking blind, John! You still haven't even noticed that Jayce and Nick have been sneaking around behind everyone's backs since we got to Arizona!"

The room suddenly grew very quiet and I was now aware that the people around us had been listening to my drunken confessions. They were all looking around, speechless at what they'd just learned. John had stopped gaping at me and was now staring wide-eyed at Jayce, who was beet red, teary-eyed, and looking from her brother to Nick. I looked over to Eric, who was one of the shocked ones, then to Nick, whose disappointment was obvious in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, breaking the heavy silence in the air. I turned on my heel and pushed through the crowd of people to try to leave. When I finally made it to the door, I stumbled my way out but within two seconds, I heard someone calling my name. I ignored it and kept going but Eric quickly caught up to me and grabbed my arm to pull me back. I tried to free myself from his grip but he was stronger than me.

"Whoa, whoa, it's me, Nat. Calm down"

I covered my face with my hands and he pulled me into his chest as I started to cry. The alcohol was really screwing with me and I just couldn't seem to control my emotions. "I messed up everything"

"Come on. Let's get you home," he said, ignoring my statement. He wrapped his arm around my body to help me walk since I wasn't doing so well on my own.

Once we made it back to his apartment, I collapsed on the couch and he sat down on the arm of the chair, looking at me. "All those times I asked you what was going on and it was that?"

I tried to nod but wasn't very successful. My head felt like it weighed fifty pounds.

"Wow," he breathed. "I never would have thought. And you. You like John?......Natalia, is that why I did this whole fake boyfriend thing? To make John jealous?"

I nodded again, squeezing my eyes shut.

"Which obviously worked, since he kissed you....Jesus Christ, is there something in the water? Everything's completely upside down right now."

Suddenly, I felt very nauseous. I jumped up and stumbled made my way down the hallway as fast as I could, barely making it to the toilet before dropping to my knees and emptying the contents of my stomach into the bowl. When I was finished, I flushed it and leaned my back against the tub. Eric appeared in the doorway, looking sympathetic.

"I can't believe you got drunk."

"Me either."

"You should try to take a cold shower or something. That might sober you up."

"Mmhmm."

He disappeared from view for a minute but when he came back, he had my pajamas in hand. "Here you go," he said, setting them on the counter. I held out my hands. "Can you help me up?"

He chuckled and made his way over to me, helping me off the floor then heading back to the doorway. "Don't drown in there now," he warned playfully before shutting the door. I stripped off my beer-scented clothes and climbed into the shower, turning only the cold water on. As soon as it hit my body, I squealed and I was pretty sure I heard Eric laughing out in the hallway. I turned the H knob so that the water temperature was more comfortable and let the water run over my head.

I had sobered up by the time I dried off and pulled on my pajamas. I left the bathroom and went down the hallway to my bedroom. When I opened the door, I was surprised to find Nick sitting there on the edge of my bed. He looked up at me and sighed.

"Natalia," he started.

The tone of his voice immediately made me tear up. I felt so guilty for selling him out to everyone at the party. I could barely catch my breath I was crying so much when he got up and pulled me over to the bed to sit me down.

"I'm so sorry, Nick. I didn't mean to-"

"You got drunk, Natalia? Since when do you ever want to drink at all, much less enough to get you wasted?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. Just....John and.....I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry."

He sighed and wrapped his arms around me, gently stroking my hair. "It's okay, Nat."

"No, it's not! I told everyone! I embarrassed you."

"You didn't embarrass me. Maybe Jayce a little bit." He chuckled, even though the situation wasn't funny at all.

"I'm sorry, Nick."

"It had to come out sometime, Natalia. He would've eventually found out."

"Still."

The tears were still steadily streaming down my face when Eric knocked on the open door, looking in at us. Nick and I both looked up at him and he raised his eyebrows, as if asking if everything was okay. Nick kissed the top of my head then stood up, going over to where Eric was standing. He looked back at me again.

"I love you, Nat. Don't worry about this, okay?"

With that, he clapped Eric on the back then disappeared into the hallway. As soon as he was gone, Eric shut the door and moved over to where I was. I slid up to the top of the bed and crawled under the blankets and Eric got in beside me. I turned off the lamp beside the bed and immediately curled up in his arms.

"It'll be alright, Nat. Everything will work out," he mumbled.

I just sniffed and nodded as sleep began to overtake me. The combination of the alcohol I drank coupled with the stressful situation I'd created were weighing down on me.

At least I would be gone tomorrow.