The Girl he Wants

11-...You Chicken?

   As the party stretches on and the pool becomes more and more crowded, Elizabeth makes her way over to an empty spot in the yard. She plops down on the soft grass, and then begins to check her iPhone. Still dripping wet, she scrolls through Instagram quickly, opens a few Snaps, and then clicks on her iMessages to see if her brothers or parents texted her. Fortunately, she hasn't received any texts, so she tucks her phone away in her sling bag and glances up.

   To her surprise, there is a girl sitting right beside her. She jumps, the breath escaping her lungs. "Whoa. I did not know you were sitting there."

    It's the pretty girl from before. The one with the light brown skin and the long, black hair. She smiles kindly at Elizabeth, reaching a hand toward her. "I'm Natalie."

   "Elizabeth." She replies. Her heart still rams into her chest as she shakes the girl's hand. "Do you come to Asher's parties often?"

   "Yep." The girl tips back the beer can she grips in her hand. Her lips thin into a grin afterwards. "Nobody notices me, though. I don't even know why I come, to be honest."

   "Oh, what?!" Elizabeth feels her lips form a frown. "I doubt that's true. I'm sure plenty notice you. You're very pretty."

   The girl stares at her blankly.

   Elizabeth blinks. After a few minutes pass by, Elizabeth shifts uncomfortably and then asks, "Are you going to say something?"

   Natalie replies. "I was just waiting for you to laugh."

   "Why would I laugh?"

   "Because it's a joke, isn't it?" Natalie's eyebrows draw up, the seriousness of her tone surprising Elizabeth.

   "What's a joke?" Elizabeth's confusion is written all over her face.

   "That I'm pretty." Natalie slowly gets out. When she sees the scowl on Elizabeth's lips and the sincerity in her eyes, she glances at her hands. "You're not kidding, are you?"

   "No." Elizabeth responds with a quick shake of the head. "Why would you think that?"

   "I dunno. People don't normally compliment me." Her voice is small and her eyes distant.

   "Well, they should." Elizabeth's words climb out from the bottom of her heart and wedge a smile on Natalie's face.

   "Thanks." Her smile is bright, like a glowing horizon during a beautiful sunrise. "I like you. You're nice."

   "Ha." Elizabeth grins. "Thanks."

   Then, as their conversation ends, a boy passes the two of them. He has a head of messy brown hair, a wickedly wide grin, and a pair of cloudy hazel eyes. Elizabeth doesn't think anything of him until Natalie calls to him, waving. "Hey, Nick!!"

   The boy, apparently named Nick, turns his head and glances at the two of them. He spies Natalie, but no recognition flashes in his eyes, so he just places a confused and weirded-out expression on his clueless face, and waves back.

   Elizabeth's eyes fall to Natalie as she explains. "That's Nick. He's in my German class."

   Then, in a much lower and very sad voice, she says, "He is the closest thing I have to a boyfriend."

   Elizabeth's heart cracks a little, although at the same time laughter threatens to break through her lips. This poor girl. The boy didn't even recognize her and she admits that he is the closest thing she has to a boyfriend.

***ASHER'S POINT OF VIEW***

   Asher Weston sips at his beer and leans his hip against his bar. His pale blue eyes survey the lit party, and he grins in joy. There is nothing better than a crazy night.