"I won't let you die"
"I don't think that's how it works"
Natalie Parker and Zachary Mitchell were best friends. Upon first meeting them, you would think they hated each other with how much they argued. And they did hate each other at first but now...
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Natalie's neck ached from how fast she whipped her head around. She thought she had been alone in the corridor. She had not heard, as she passionately ranted about cats and misery, the patter of feet against the lino floor. She couldn't find the energy to scold herself for getting distracted as she stared at Gray Mitchell, the two of them wide-eyed.
Her mind did, however, allow her to curse Zach for not looking after his brother like she had told him.
"You like Zach?" Gray asked again, the tips of his eyelashes grazing his brows as he gawked at Natalie. "Like, like-like Zach?"
"Erm..." She was trying to say 'Gray', but the only noise Natalie could seem to make was a crackling, croaking noise. "Uhh..." 'Shit'.
The sound of her Aunt Cass's muffled voice finally pulled her to her senses. In her surprise, Natalie's hand had dropped from her ear, her phone now pressed against her flushed neck. Bringing the mobile back up to her eye, Natalie sputtered out, "Aunt Cass, I gotta go. Talk t'you later." Her racing mind had barely given her the power to form the short sentence, her words had slurred together that even Natalie had difficulty understanding what she had said.
Ignoring her aunt's questions, Natalie hung up. Her eyes had not left Gray for a second, nor his from hers.
"Gray--"
"Does Zach know?" Gray interrupted Natalie.
Natalie's head dropped in defeat, her body soon following as she fell back into the wall behind and slid to the ground with a 'thump'. Closing her tired eyes, she pulled her knees to her chest to rest her head upon them. "What are you doing here, Gray? You're supposed to be with Zach?"
Natalie could hear Gray quietly make his way over to her, sitting on the floor beside her with much more ease. "I needed the bathroom, Zach wouldn't take me," he explained quietly, knowing that she was upset. Natalie scoffed at his answer, not at all surprised. "Does Zach know that you like him?"
"...No," Natalie finally lifted her head up to look at Gray, who was already staring at her in confusion and concern. "Gray, I need you to listen to me. You can't, under any circumstance, tell Zach."
"Why not?"
"Because!" Natalie stopped herself as soon as she realised her voice had raised so loud. She didn't want to shout at Gray, she couldn't. He didn't do anything wrong. This wasn't his fault, if anything, it was her own. "Because, Gray," she started again, her voice much softer, "If you tell Zach and he doesn't feel the same way about me, then I can't be friends with him anymore, it would be humiliating. I can't take that risk, your brother means too much to me."
Not only would it be humiliating but she knew the pain she felt now would only intensify. She liked Zach and seeing him with other girls hurt her, but he didn't know how she felt about him. If she told him, however, and he carried on the way he does now, her heart would shatter.
