Something Worth Fighting For

With September came a whole lot of changes. Natalia would be going to York. The only problem was where she would be staying.

Natalia's parents had decided she would stay with her aunt while Natalia hunted for a place to live. Natalia had been more than happy with the arrangement.

It was when school started that Natalia got a real surprise. She had classes with both Matthew and Taylor. She had found out when she walked in to the lecture hall for her math class ...sitting right in the front row was none other than Taylor. He grinned as he saw her.

“What are you doing here?” Natalia had asked in surprise, as Taylor gave her a hug. “The same thing as you! Learning math!” Taylor had laughed.

Of course Matthew had caught Natalia off guard. Natalia had been sitting alone, in the second row of her chemistry lecture. She had been going through the course outline, when two hands wrapped themselves over her eyes. Natalia had fought the urge to scream.

“Taylor?” She had whispered. “No! You should be ashamed of yourself...not knowing it's your cousin.” Came Matthew's voice. He chuckled as his hands came away from her face. Natalia smacked him. “I don't know you by your hands, Matt!” She told him, all the while smiling.

So Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; she would see Taylor in the morning for her math lectures. On Tuesdays and Thursdays; she would see Matthew for her chemistry lectures. Natalia couldn't believe her luck. She had been worried about being alone at school, now at least she would have them around.

Another smaller surprise had been that Derek had gotten her a cell phone.

The first week of school was going well. She had liked all her professors...just that she would need to work really hard for her math class. Her professor had decided on quizzing them each week. Why he wanted too was beyond her, but she was grateful considering the fact that the quiz marks would give her an idea of what area she needed to work on more.

-----

Dallas couldn't believe his luck. It was seven in the evening and who was walking out of Curtis lecture halls?

Natalia walked up the ramp and headed for Steacie Science and Engineering library. Dallas knew she hadn't seen him. He had been sitting outside the computer science building finishing up his food, when he had seen her.

His first impulse had been to go to her. But he stopped himself. Instead he decided to respect her wishes.

Throughout the week he couldn't believe how close she had come to seeing him, but luckily he would walk in the other direction. Dallas didn't think she knew he was around.

He had thought he was being safe taking night classes, he should have known Natalia was serious when she had told him she was planning to live in Steacie.

Dallas watched as Natalia pulled the heavy doors of the library building and disappeared inside. He stared long after she had gone.

Dallas shook his head to clear his thoughts, before heading for his class. This was going to be another long lecture, he thought to himself.

-----

Thursday had come, and Natalia couldn't believe how fast the week had been going by.

It was four o'clock. Matthew and Natalia had just gotten out of their chemistry lecture. They walked out of Stedman Lecture Halls.

“I love this class.” Natalia told her cousin as they walked outside. “Why?” Matthew asked, looking confused. “The professor is awesome. He's knows everything about everything. Did you hear him talking about the o-rings on the space shuttle Challenger and then relating it to why we need to know how to convert properly and taking care of significant digits and everything.” Natalia told her cousin.

“Must have missed that part when I was sleeping.” Matthew answered. “Matt!” Natalia smacked his shoulder. “No sleeping!” She scolded him.

“I was tired.” Matthew told her. “Of what? Watching TV?” Natalia rounded on him. “Shut up...” He muttered.

“Let's go eat.” He told her changing the subject. “Okay, where?” Natalia asked, as they headed towards York Lanes. “I don't know, let's look around.”

They walked around twice before Matthew came up with an idea. “How about Blueberry Hill?” He asked Natalia.

Natalia was appalled at the idea. “What? So drunk people can attack us?” She asked in irritation.

Matthew laughed at that. “No one is going to attack you, Lia.” He told her, still laughing at her. “It'll be my treat.” He told her, pushing her in to the restaurant.

“What! No! I can pay for myself.” Natalia protested.

“Nope, I worked during the summer. So now we are going to eat the fruits of my labor...labor?” He said to her.

“It's okay, I can take care of myself, Matt.” She tried to force him out of it.

“Nope! I'm older, so that means you have to listen to me.” Matthew shot back.

“Like by a few days!” Natalia retorted. “Five days, Lia. So I get to pay.” He told her, not budging.

“Fine...then I'm going to order a lot.” She told him, snidely. “There is no way you can eat more than me!” Matt retorted.

“You're probably right...” Natalia laughed as they ordered two chicken sandwiches, drinks, salad, and fries.

-----

It was late Friday evening. Natalia had decided to stay until the library closed. The only problem was that she had not been accounting for it to close early at eight o'clock. I should have read the hours, Natalia thought as she trudged along the halls of the Petri building.

She was waiting for her uncle to come. Apparently he worked close by and was on his way home when she had called. He had been more than happy to drive her home.

Natalia walked along the first floor. She had noticed that each corridor was a different colour. Green doors were where the chemistry labs were, blue doors were for the physics labs, yellow doors were where the geology offices were, and the red doors were in the astronomy hallway. At least thats what she thought the colours meant.

Natalia walked along, reading all the pictures and posters that ran along the hall. She had reached the yellow hallway when she noticed she wasn't alone.

She saw a blonde headed boy walking out the other end. Could it be...Natalia stopped the thoughts before any more could form. Instead she decided to ignore the incident.

-----

The following week, Natalia tried to ignore the things happening around her.

She had been sitting in a cubicle, studying, when the person across the barrier had gotten up to leave. She looked up as the guy left hastily. He looked a lot like Dallas. The resemblance was beyond a coincidence.

Natalia tried to put it out of her mind. There was no way Dallas could be here. After all he had practice and games and he said he would go to a school near his home and the field.

-----

Wednesday evening, Natalia had headed in to the library building. She opened the heavy doors and walked in to the hallway to where the library was located. She had been busy with class until now. It was almost seven o'clock.

She was about to enter the library when something stopped her.

It was that guy from the cubicle. The one she had thought looked like Dallas.

He was heading down the hall.

Natalia just wanted a better look, just to know if he was just someone who looked similar to Dallas.

Just so that she could put her mind at ease.

Natalia kept behind him, following him at a distance.

'Dallas!” She called out, but it seemed he had not heard her.

He went down a staircase and in through a door labeled 'Pedestrian Tunnel'. Natalia followed him down to where she saw a shuttered opening in the wall, with the sign 'Science Stores' underneath.

She had only turned to figure out where she was for a moment. As soon as she turned back he had disappeared. She had been sure it was him.

“Dallas!' She called out for him. No reply came.

Natalia frantically hurried along one of the hallways. She walked along past the Student Machine Shop and she found herself staring at red doors. The entire place was empty. He was no where to be seen.

-----

Dallas had hurried in to the corner of red doors that were at the end of the hallway.

He could hear Natalia calling out for him. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't.

She broke up with me, He thought.

He was late for class. Yet still he couldn't help himself but listen to Natalia.

“I'm sorry Dallas...I wish I never ended things...I hate myself...because I still love you...are you happy now? I'm miserable because I'm without you...”

-----

“I'm miserable because I'm without you...” Natalia called out in desperation. Still there was no response.

Tears started to fall. “I always screw everything up...” Natalia muttered.

She was lost. She had no idea where to go. Natalia pulled out her phone and called Matthew. She walked around trying to figure out where she was.

“Matt...I'm lost. I don't know where I am. Come find me.” She told him, when Matthew answered.

-----

“Come find me. I'm at some basement engineering computer lab and there are red doors.” Dallas heard Natalia tell her cousin.

Dallas could feel his heart going out to her. He wished he could bring himself to say something. He listened to Natalia's voice as she described where she was for Matthew.

It wasn't long before Dallas heard another pair of footsteps.

“Lia, you're in the tunnel!” Dallas heard Matthew tell Natalia. “Come on, if we go this way we'll end up at the Chemistry building, which is right next to my residence.”

“Thanks...” Dallas heard Natalia mutter.

“Aww...why are you crying, Lia?” Dallas heard Matthew ask.

She's crying? Dallas thought. It wasn't long before he realized why. She's crying because of me...

“I'm just...I don't know...I was panicking...I didn't know where to go...” Dallas heard Natalia mumble.

Dallas waited until the two of them had left before he headed to class. He walked away thinking of a plan.

-----

By Friday, Natalia had managed to forget about the Dallas dopleganger. She had successfully gotten lost while walking to the Technology Enhanced Learning Center, TEL building for short. It had been the longest walk she had taken so far.

Why is it that all the other math professors have their offices in Ross but noo...he just had to have his in TEL, Natalia thought irritatedly as she tried to figure out a way back to the Chemistry building.

She had only gone today to pick up her math quiz from last week. Both Matthew and Taylor had told her to take some short cut that was an open path between both Accolades East and West. Some short cut, Natalia thought with irritation. She had taken a wrong turn.

Natalia had wound up at Atkinson, and then had trekked her way to one of the tall residence buildings. She had walked down the street to finally find the TEL building.

That hadn't been the only thing to sour her mood. Finding her professor's office had been another nightmare, and once she had gotten there, he had come half an hour late. Natalia wasn't exactly thrilled.

She now found herself walking behind the Curtis Lecture Halls building. She had even found the nursing building.

Natalia wound her way, looking for some sign that she was going in the right direction. She could see the parking structure that was across from the Chemistry building and veered her way towards it.

Soon, something else caught her attention.

Natalia looked to her left only to find a large lake. She smiled. Around it were weeping willow trees, several geese and sea gulls were in the water.

That wasn't the only thing that had put a smile on her face. He was standing right there, looking picture perfect. Natalia was sure it was him.

She started to walk towards the lake and to him.

-----

Dallas was alarmed to see Natalia. Did she know it was him? She couldn't have. He was sure Derek hadn't told her. Dallas quickly walked behind a tree. He didn't want her to find him.

-----

Natalia had only turned around for a moment, to see if she could still see the parking structure, when she turned back he had gone.

Natalia felt her heart drop. Still she walked to the lake. He had to be around here.

“Why are you doing this to me?” Natalia called out in frustration. “Isn't it enough that I'm sorry!”

There was no reply.

“I know it's you Dallas. And if you're trying to punish me by making me feel like I'm going crazy...then you win!” Natalia didn't know what else to do.

“I must be out of my mind...” Natalia muttered. She sat down on the grassy bank, watching the birds fly over head and in to the water. It was soothing, and helped put her mind at ease.

-----

Dallas watched Natalia sit there.

She wanted me to go, He thought, trying to justify his actions.

It was my fault with Mollie...The thought came as he left quietly, taking one last look at Natalia.

It was then that Dallas suddenly realized.

There is no Mollie here...there isn't anything to break us this time...

Dallas decided he would go through with his plan of action.