Teenage Wasteland

Chapter 7: You Said Okay

Natalie and I spend a lot of time together the following weeks.

She's right, I do get a callback, and I have a fairly important role in the play, so we go out with the group to celebrate. Edith had suggested a bar, but fake ID's don't get you far in a town of seven thousand people. We consider a bowling alley until Natalie mentions a traumatic bowling related experience she doesn't want to talk about, and eventually settle on a roller rink.

Natalie and I are on crappy roller rink pizza duty, while the rest of the group gets skates. She pays for a large pizza and hands me the pitcher full of watered down fruit punch to set on the table. "I told you you'd get a callback."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, yeah, You were right."

"Sorry, what was that?"

"I'm not saying it again."

She smirks and saunters over to our table, setting the pizza down and accepting the skates from Jack. He's currently preoccupied listening to Dante ramble about a bee documentary he's watched, and I can't tell what's interesting about this at all. Maybe I just don't appreciate bees enough.

"-It's no Shrek, but it's good." Dante finishes. Natalie rolls her eyes and tugs on Jack's collar.

"You two done talking about bees?"

He shrugs her off and stands up. "Yeah, yeah."

"Then let's skate already, jeez."

"No thanks. Take Dante with you, if you want."

Dante scoffs. "You're horrible at it, anyway."

Jack smirks. He's got this special sorta smile when he's being cocky. It's equal parts annoying and cute. "Oh, you know it turns me on when you're mean."

"Kinky." Natalie says.

Dante sticks out his tongue at Jack and takes Natalie's hand. They step cautiously onto the rink, and Natalie's smile is lit up with neon lights. I settle into the seat next to Jack, grabbing for a slice of pizza while still keeping my eyes on them.

"They'd make a cute couple." I comment. Jack almost spits out his soda.

"Wha-? Those two? No way."

"Yeah! I think he likes her."

He looks at me like I have two heads. It's not that unusual of a concept. They do seem to know each other pretty well, and he definitely got embarrassed when I brought her up. But Jack shakes his head. "Nah."

"How do you know?"

"She's not his type."

I frown. "Isn't Natalie everyone's type?"

He considers his drink for a moment, then looks back up at me and shrugs. "Point taken. Can't see it happening, though."

I glance back at the two of them and bite my lip. "Jack, can I ask you something?"

"Always."

"Do you love Natalie?"

Jack pauses. He exhales loudly, then turns away, swishing the liquid around in his cup. "I've known her a long time. I've dated her a long time. Still don't know how much of it was real, but, I guess...I do love her. Just not like I should."

"Like you should?"

"Natalie and I are together 'cause it's expected, you know? I'm the quarterback, she's the head cheerleader. Just how it's supposed to be."

I nod like I understand it, but I don't. The unwritten rules of high school are weird shit. "Do you think Natalie loves you?"

"No. I think she has to. We both do."