TROUBLE (HaydenChristensenxNataliePortman)

Chapter Four

After some trouble with the contacts, Hayden finally got them in. It was strange to him how well he could see without his big, geeky glasses. And he loved it.

"Natalie, come here. I think I got it."

"Really?" she asked, running into the bathroom and standing next to him, looking at him in the mirror. "Wow. You did."

"You know what I just thought of?" Hayden said as he looked at Natalie.

"Huh?" Natalie averted her eyes from Hayden's looking down.

Hayden grinned, his heart beating fast with excitement and thrill. "You know how to cut hair?"

*

"Wow, Natalie, this is.... awesome."

"For real? Like, are you telling the truth?"

"Yes! It's so much.... better."

Natalie sighed; a breath of relief. "Good."

"Thank you," Hayden said, smiling. He stood up and looked down at Natalie.

She looked back at him, but her eyes were full of fear, it looked like. Not terrible fear, but.... fear. Worry.

"What's wrong?"

"Do you hear that?" Natalie whispered.

"Hear what?" he mumbled back.

There was a faint noise which sounded like stepping up the stairs. And then he figured....

That was what the noise was, along with someone calling Natalie's name.

"Hide!" she whispered, pushing him away from her and shutting the bathroom door.

As Hayden sat in the dark corner of the bathroom, he heard through the door Natalie's voice talking to someone else who sounded like a guy. The bathroom door rattled, and Hayden clenched his jaw, nervous. He braced himself, but nothing ever came.

When Natalie came back in, she sighed and smiled, turning the light back on. "Hayden, you can come out. It was my dad. He was just checking on me, and I didn't want him to see you because.... he's banned boys from here."

"Oh," Hayden said, standing up and brushing himself off. "How come?"

She looked at him, grinning slightly. "Because. One time, something.... happened. And he didn't like it, so, he kicked him out and forever banned guys from my house. As well as boyfriends from my life."

"What?"

"I'm not allowed to have a boyfriend unless it's this certain guy.... Rob. My dad only feels comfortable with him because he's known his parents for life." She rolled her eyes. "It's stupid."

"Same, my parents won't let me have a girlfriend." But I'm angry with them, so why listen?

She seemed to perk up at this, raising her eyebrows. "Really? This sounds weird, but do you.... like, I guess get along with your parents?"

"No," Hayden replied quickly. "I don't listen to them."

"You don't seem like the kind of guy to rebel."

"I am."

"Oh. Okay."

Hayden sighed. "Okay, well, I should get home. I'll see you later."

"Wait."

Natalie pulled him over towards her, making him sit beside her on the bed.

"What?"

"Just.... stay here for a second. I'm always lonely here. Are you sure you can't stay a few more minutes?"

"I-I.... I guess I could." He paused. "Natalie?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you like me?"

"When did I say I liked you?"

Hayden raised his eyebrows, surprised and taken aback.

"I'm kidding," she said, laughing. She wrapped her arm around his neck, a little closer now to him than she was a few minutes before. She rested her head on his shoulder, wrapping her other arm around his stomach. He tensed up for a moment, but then relaxed when she held on a little tighter. He put both of his arms behind him on the bed to steady himself. "Hayden, I like you a lot. As you can tell. And there's no question to it."

He looked down at her, smiling. "But I'm a geek."

"Not anymore, you aren't."

They laughed together for a minute, and Hayden felt so relaxed for some reason with her. More than he did ever. Usually he was tense and trying to impress people, not matter who it was, but he wasn't feeling that need anymore. He laid back on the bed, letting himself sink into the mattress.

Natalie smiled, and laid down beside him, playing with the collar on his shirt. "I like your hair a lot better now. You're welcome."

He looked at her and rolled his eyes, and she burst out laughing, her eyes bright. Hayden rolled over on his side, playing with her hair. "Hey, I have something to tell you. Or ask you, more like."

Natalie smiled, burying her face in his arm. "What is it?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Well.... I need to tell you and ask you something."

"Go for it."

"A couple of things."

"Just do it, Hayden!" Natalie exclaimed, laughing.

"First of all: I love you."