Searching for my Identity

14. Chapter You've got a Friend in Me

I know it took me a long time to finish the next chapter. But finally, after a long abstinence, I managed to write the next chapter. @ClaudiaCleland and @LindaProsser1 a big thank you to both of you. Thanks for the great support. In this sense, I hope you enjoy reading my latest chapter and feel free to leave a comment at the end of the chapter. I'd be very happy about it.

You've got a Friend in Me!

Finally, it was Saturday morning, and Nathalie was happy to be at home and what could be better than having a long weekend because her teachers had a teacher's conference on Monday.

She put her finished Biology homework back in her backpack, and could hardly resist a big smile when she saw that her best friend Liam was online on Facetime.

Nathalie clicked on the facetime app, pressed the green phone and shortly afterward the clear picture of her friend Liam appeared on her laptop display.

"Hey sweets, God it's so good to see you again. How are you, Nathalie?" Liam beamed at his best friend when he saw her.

"Hello stranger, I'm glad to see you too. Oh, it seems to be like an eternity since I saw you when we said goodbye at the JFK airport about 30 days ago. The last weeks were pretty boring without you at school.
Tell, me how you're doing? I'm so excited to hear your stories about the boarding school!"

Liam nodded and observed his best friend closely. He had known Nathalie since they were in their diapers.
Together they had experienced so much; laughing with each other, sometimes arguing and complaining about their teachers when they were giving them an exorbitant amount of homework.

Liam was worried about her, despite seeing that her eyes lit up and she was smiling at him. But it wasn't a real smile, and he didn't want to ask her about it right now. He would have to wait and see if Nathalie herself would start talking about her problems and if not then he would then ask her again what she had on her mind.

That's what best friends do when they know that their friends were in need of help and eventually they could listen or give them the advice to help them solve the problem.

"I know Nat and boarding school is cool, and I miss you a lot. It's not the same without you, but I'm getting used to it. I made a lot of new friends in my class."

"Good to hear troublemaker and I miss you too. How is Vienna? Is it a boring or more a cool city where you can do great stuff?"

" It's great here in Vienna. It's a beautiful place many cinemas, parks where you can relax, coffee shops on nearly every corner and hot dogs kiosks. My favorite place right now is the Danube Island."

"Really? That sounds awesome Liam and why is this place your favorite spot?", she questions.

"The Danube Island is really huge. In the summertime, you can even go swimming in the Danube and there are so many people who have the endowment to paint really cool graffiti artworks. Immediately I had to think of you when I saw an awesome picture from the niffler. I'll send you the picture via Whatsapp if you want to.", he stopped for a moment.

He looked into the smiling face of his friend after he had mentioned her favorite fantasy creature the niffler from the Fantastic Beast Saga, with the indication for jewelry and money.

"This would be so great, I've never seen the Niffler as a graffiti art on a wall." she nodded and couldn't stop smiling.

"Then there are several sports parcours. And well 4 weeks ago I met Emma in one the famous shopping streets in whole Vienna, when I was skipping my English class. It was a little bit bizarre because she's acts similar to you.
She loves coffee, books, and movies. Especially Dirty Dancing, Casablanca, and the Fantastic Beast Saga as well. I've got more feelings for Emma than I could imagine. I guess I'm falling for her" he dropped the bomb and Nathalie couldn't believe it.

"Wait, what? No way, you're a ladies man who has nearly broken every girl's heart in your classes at Chilton?
I mean I'm stunned about it. Are you sure that it's not a kind of crush?" she asked and looked at her friend with an incredulously facial expression.

"I know I couldn't believe it either. But she enchanted me from the first minute I saw her.
I never imagined it could be so amazing to be in love. Nat, I can't even describe how great this girl is. Yesterday we kissed for the first time while we were watching Dirty Dancing at the cinema," Liam rambled with a smile on his face while he talked about this new girl Emma.

Nathalie stared at her best friend in disbelief. Liam was a real ladies man before he went to Vienna.

"I don't know what to say. Who would have thought my best friend Liam Finnegan Morgan would seriously fall for a girl." she chuckled.
"Liam and Emma are sitting in the tree kissing..." she continued, began to sing along and took a blonde strand of hair behind her ear.

"Very mature you're a wisecracker. What about you? Anyone in sight your dad can chase away?"

Nathalie bit her lip unsteadily and looked at him thoughtfully. "There's someone, but I don't know where it is going to lead me...", Nat explained and frowned.

She liked Jason although she was afraid that he didn't see in her more than a friend. He would often flirt with her and he was very popular. She was glad she hadn't talked to her parents about it. Nathalie didn't want her parents to worry about her. In the last few weeks, they had been acting weirder than usual.

"Who is it?" Liam's voice brought her back to reality.

Nathalie embarrassed lowered her gaze. "You don't know him, Liam. Jason is attending the same classes as me after you were shipped to Vienna. Of course, I had 2 dates with him but somehow it's hard to get through to him. Jason's a womanizer, and everything at home is so weird. I'm scared, Liam."

"Oh Nathalie, why didn't you call me earlier?", he sighed and let Nathalie continue.

"Since my birthday, Mom and Dad have been acting strangely. I don't think I've told you about my birthday breakfast yet, have I? I guess not.
Everything was fine until the photo slipped out of Dad's pocket before he went to call grandpa Mitchum. " she started chatting.

"No, you haven't told me about your birthday breakfast. I'm all ears and you know I'm always here for you and you told something about a picture. Shoot" Liam shook his head.

"It was a baby picture of me Liam, and before I could even say a word, Dad picked up the photo and he stormed out of the kitchen. I noticed that the picture was torn apart in the middle, " she answered him honestly.

Liam listened and tried hard to find the right words to comfort Nathalie. He hated nothing more than when his best friend was sad. "Hm, did you bring it up again?" Liam questioned.

"Yes of course, but he'd just denied it again and said it was a photo of me, but something's wrong. I've been thinking about it, I don't understand his behavior and why he would storm out of the kitchen upset when I saw the photo." Nat shrugged her shoulders.

"I must confess that sounds totally weird. But I would suggest talking to your grandma Lorelai.
Maybe she's able to help you, and you have always had a strong bond with her"

"Oh boy why didn't I think of it before?! You're definitely a genius Liam.
I'm really looking forward to seeing you on your summer break. Hey, maybe you can bring your girlfriend with you.
I want to meet the girl who has stolen my best friends heart..", she smirked.

"That's a good idea, and I can't wait to you see you too. I'm counting the days until I see you again Nathalie.
Don't forget that you can call me any time.
You're my best friend Nathalie. Just in case you're feeling lonely think about the time when we saw the whole Toy Story movies together. „You've got a Friend in me," Nat!"

Nathalie began to laugh and shook her head. Her best friend was so sweet and caring.

"Yeah you're right, well I gotta go now to catch the bus to Stars Hollow. Thank you so much, and I'm happy that I've got you in my life. Take care and tell Emma that I say hi. Love you, Liam!"

"Love you too, and you take care of yourself too Nathalie. See you soon. Bye.."

"Bye Liam!", Nathalie said, ended the facetime conversation and asked her dad if he could give her a ride to Stars Hollow.