misidentifying the nerd

jessy

Chance's POV
As I watch Nat leave I felt like my heart was going to shatter. I couldn't think on that long because I could feel the piercing stares of the group on me. With a bit of annoyance I glare back at them.
"what the hell you all looking at!" I growl out to my friends
"What was that all about, you completely scared away pour Nat." Jessica, head cheerleader asked giving me a dirty look and I was just about to answer when Jessy spoke up
"Well it's obvious he likes Nat and Nat was exactly scared of by him but more by all of us staring." Jessy says getting up and gathering his things and speaks again before turning to leave. "You all have a lot to learn about Nat, pour thing is probably having a panic attack over this. By the way Chace I'll talk to Nat on the way home about you, but dude slow things down for now. Nat's going through a tough time right now."
As he leaves we are left dumbstruck, and the rest of the day passed by quickly after.

Nat's POV
I was standing by my locker wait for Jessy to head home, and thinking about what happened at lunch earlier today. I was sitting there eating my lunch and reading when I felt a pair of eyes on me and I saw Chace staring at me. When I saw this it felt like my heart stopped. Why was he staring at me. I had given up on my crush on him along time ago when i realized he saw me for who everyone saw me as and that was all he would ever see. Nat the school nerd, i would never be anyone special or at least that's what i thought until now. I was at the moment completely doubting everything i thought i knew before. Does Chace like me, why was he looking at me like that, was he going to kiss me before the moment between us was interrupted?
When I was forced to move and I had to go to a new school during seventh grade I thought I would never have a friend until Chace had seemed to take an interest in me. For the whole first semester of middle school I had no friends but Chace always had some excuse to spend time with me and it was during that time i had grown a crush on him. By second semester Jessy had convinced his mother to allow him to transfer to my school, He had always said he could stand the idea of me not going to school with him. Soon after he transferred his mother was hired to teach at the local elementary school so they ended up moving and me and Jessy became neighbors again and our friendship picked up from where it was as if no time was spent apart, but after that Chace grew at bit more distance. By freshman year he became friends with Jessy since they were both big with sport but he never really spoke to me again. It was then I decided he didn't like me and I chose to forget my feelings and became very harsh to him when he did speak to me. During freshman year i decided Jessy would be my only friend and i didn't need anyone else. Over the years Jessy tried his best to try and get me to open up but everytime I refused. Which leaves me where is am now standing in the school hall in my senior year completely confused about my actions.
"Hey ready to head home?" Jessy called out making his way to me bringing me out of my thoughts. I decided i would have to talk to Jessy about this he was the only one who I ever spoke freely with. When he got to my side I courtly nodded my head and we head out of the school to his truck. Once we were making our way home Jessy spoke up.
"So about lunch today..?" He trailed off expecting me to pick up where he left off but I was still too embarrassed. He seemed to pick up on my mood and went on. "okay fine but you're coming over and we are talking about it Nat." He says as we turn onto our road and drove to his house. When we got there I had still not spoken a word and just got out and started to head toward his door knowing I couldn't go against his request to have me over. When we were in said Jessy continued what he stated in the truck while he got out some snacks.
"So are you going to start talking Nat? I know you try to be dense when it comes to emotions but I also know for a fact you know what happened during lunch and I know you still like him." He says as I make my way to the couch to relax, but still ignoring his advances to make conversation. He comes out of the kitchen with his snacks setting them down on the coffee table still continuing if futile effort to get me to talk. "NAAAT! come on you can't just sit there forever. I know you want to talk about this I saw it in your eyes when you were waiting in the hall. I was written all over your face that you wanted to talk so start talking."
I let out a long breath "No Jessy I don't want to talk, can't you just drop it?"
"Nat, you need to talk, hey isn't your mom letting you officially change your name?" He asks changing the subject to what had me worked up all day.
As a gift for my birthday my mom had finally allowed me to take her maidan so I could finally let go of the one thing keeping me tied to my good for nothing father. When I was little before i met Jessy I lived with my father and mother. All I remembered about him was that he was abusive. He was determined to make a "man" out of me. From the moment I was born he was disgusted by me and he changed from the kind peaceful man my mother knew to the monster that I knew. When I was five my mother finally divorced him and we moved to the neighborhood where I met Jessy and I stayed there through elementary.
"Ah yes she is, it'll be official on my birthday." I asked him picking up a few chips from the bowl in front of me. Jessy being the only person to know of my terrible father continued his efforts to talk
"Well if that so Nat this is your chance to finally put him behind you and open up, this is your chance Nat to be who you really are instead of always hiding. I maybe your best friend and know a little more than everyone else but I still don't know YOU." He emphasises his last word by pointing to my heart. I feel myself start to break. this wasn't the first time Jessy has started this conversation but this time i could tell he wasn't going to drop it. SO before i could break down I get up to leave Jessy jumping up to stop me.
"No Nat you are leaving this here like this you need to move on it's been 12 year Nat 12 years it's time you start being you and stop hiding what he hated." I try to pull my arm from him feeling the tears building up "Nat stop. Nat, Natty, please." He tries again losing his grip I know my struggling is breaking his heart but i take this as my chance to break free but just as I get to the door he calls out again.
"Natalie! please you have to try!" At this I can't hold back the tears. He only ever used my real name when he was serious. As I cry I feel his arms wrap around my small frame and rubbing my back soothingly.