Love Restrained | Yellowjackets

chapter two

II

Natalie was the last one to leave the locker room. She usually was. She took as much time as she could there because she didn't like being home.

It wasn't new to anyone that Natalie had big issues with her family. First, everything that was related to her dad and what a shitty man he was. And also all the rumors about her shooting her own dad. That was not what happened, but again, Natalie couldn't bring herself to care what others thought happened. It was just awful that even after the man was dead, she was still haunted by him and deeply affected by the horrible years she had to live in the same house as the monster she once called dad.

As for her mother, she wasn't much better, not aggressive or abusive like her father but still was a shitty parent. A drunk woman who spend the whole day rotting on the couch and didn't give a shit about her child.

The environment she grew up on reflected directly on her present lifestyle. Always drinking, skipping school, doing drugs, hanging out with the wrong people. Nobody cared about her or what she was doing. That could be good in a way, since no one expected anything from her, and living with no pressure was something comfortable for her.

Soccer was maybe the only good thing happening in her life, the only thing she cared about little. Even though she sometimes skipped practice and was constantly late, she did her best when she was on the field. She never felt like she really belonged there with those girls, but they were ok, they almost never bothered her, except for Hayden Atkins.

Natalie's mind replayed the argument she had with Hayden right after practice. It was nothing new, they clashed almost every day. Every time she stopped to think about their relationship she realized how complicated and messy it was.

It started on freshman year, the year Hayden's mother died. The news spread quickly through the small town, a tragic overdose, leaving the five siblings to pick up the pieces.

Soon after, the whispers started. Natalie's father had been involved in shady dealings, but she had never known the specifics. Then, the rumor surfaced: Her dad had sold the drugs that killed the woman. No one knew where it came from, but it took hold fast. Hayden, in her grief and anger, latched onto it, needing someone to blame.

Natalie could still remember the first time she saw the change in the girl's eyes, she knew they were never really friends, but they would greet each other in the hallways sometimes. It was pre practice, in the locker room. Hayden walked past her without a word and the look she gave Natalie was filled with cold fury. From that day on, Hayden's animosity was palpable. She didn't confront Natalie directly, but the hostility was evident.

Hayden  never spoke to Natalie about it, never asked if the rumor was true. It became an unspoken truth between them, an elephant in the room. But Natalie knew what Hayden believed, and it poisoned every interaction.

The fights started not long after, with Hayden hurling insults and icy glares at every opportunity. Natalie tried to avoid her, but it was impossible, their lives were too intertwined, their town too small, they were in the same soccer team.

One time it got out of control. Hayden and Natalie had an argument, Hayden cornered her after practice, her words sharp and venomous as she called her a whore, who was gonna end up just like her fucked up dad. So Nat decided to show how much of a whore she could be.

Later that day, during a party at the Matthew's mansion, the alcohol coursing through her veins made her bold, reckless. She spotted a tall handsome guy across the room. He was leaning against the kitchen counter, laughing with a group of friends. Natalie knew he was older than her, she knew he was popular and that he had a reputation. She also knew that he was one of Hayden's brothers, Mitchell.