THE BOY WHO TALKED TO AIR #Wattys2018 (Wattys Longlist)

5. TWO-FACED

"Hey, you awake? It's Natalie—get up, sleepy head."

I jumped out of bed, and made my way to the window, where Natalie was standing below.

"It's not three in the morning, and I didn't use rocks this time," she said, with a grin.

I wanted to curse her out, and tell her what a jerk she was today, but I couldn't. There was something about the way she smiled at me, that instantly made me forget about what she had done.

"You shouldn't be here; my mom is sleeping."

"Yeah, I know. Why don't you come down, so we don't wake her?"

I should have closed the window, and put the covers over my head but I didn't. Instead, I went outside.

The night was brisk, with an October feel to it. I was dressed more appropriately this time around, wearing my Scranton high sweatshirt, and black sweatpants.

"What are you doing here? You really shouldn't be here," I said, trying desperately not to show my anger.

"I know, but I'm bored and nobody else is up."

"It's late," I said, "and I don't think you should be bored at twelve in the morning—you should be asleep at twelve in the morning."

"What can I say, I'm a night person," she said, and then giggled.

I stood there with this shit grin on my face, not able to look her in the eyes.

"What's wrong? You don't seem like yourself," she said.

"I'm fine," I said sarcastically. "What about you? Do you feel like yourself?"

I nervously kicked the dirt, avoiding eye contact.

"You're acting like a jerk," she said.

"Well, maybe this is how people act when they awake to people screaming at their windows at three in the morning."

"First off, it is midnight, and second, I was not screaming."

"Whatever, I don't care for the person I see in front of me. I thought you were one thing, but now I see, my judgment was way off."

"Is that so?" she said.

I stood there silentl kicking dirt, and struggling to pretend that it wasn't killing me to ignore her.

"Well...I guess I won't take up any more of your time then," she said. She started to walk away, but I was not about to let her get off that easy.

"My friendship is not something that you can order like a pizza, and then have it delivered whenever it's convenient for you."

"What are you talking about, Justin?"

"You know what I'm talking about, Natalie."

"No, I don't."

"This morning in the convertible with your friends."

"Huh? I still don't have any clue what you are talking about."

"Your friends almost ran me over in their precious little bBeamer, and you just sat there in the back seat— laughing like a hyena—pretending that you didn't even know who I was. I thought you were different, Natalie, but I was stupid to think that you were any different from any other girl in this shit town."

"Are you high?" she said. "I didn't laugh at you; I wasn't even in town today."

"Oh right, I just imagined the whole incident. Don't patronize me, I know what I saw."