Stroke of Luck

<15>

"How long will you be down?"

"Only for a few days, my mother is insisting that I help her with the garage sell." Seth whined putting on his sunglasses. "It's worth it to see your new honey though."

Looking down at her feet as they walked Natalia smiled, "I don't think you're ready."

"Girl I saw the kind of girl's you were with in college. This won't be nothing."

Raising an eyebrow Natalia let her smirk stay on her face. Stopping them both she put her hands in her pocket and looked at all the people who enjoyed the summer day. "Who do you think it is?"

Putting his shades down slightly Seth put his hand on his hip and hit his almost empty water bottle on his thigh. Looking out at the sea of people he caressed his mustache and hummed, "Is it the mom over there with the kids?"

Nat shook her head.

"The lifeguard?" Seeing her say no again he sighed, "Bitch I don't know, there's hundreds of people."

Biting the inside of her lip the blonde pointed out in front of her.

Taking off his sunglasses Seth shook his head.

Both of them stared as the girl who sat on her knees in the middle of the sidewalk with chalk. Her eyes never looking up as people walked around her. The hot breeze blew Nat's hair forward as she tilted her head and smiled. "You do see her too right? I'm not crazy?"

"Does she have mommy issues or something?"

Natalia rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious Nat how old is she?"

"She's 20, She works at the store with me." The blonde reasoned crossing her arms. "She just looks...younger than she is."

The man scratched his head. "I'm not saying nothing until I meet her. Looks aren't everything honey."

Walking foward they waded through the tall grass, "Just to let you know she concentrating really hard on her art, she's not trying to be rude"

He raised his eyebrow.

"And she's really smart but really shy so I don't know much she will actually say."

He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, "What are we walking into North Korea or something?"

Taking the smoke out of his mouth she threw it in the trash can. "You can't smoke!"

"Are you trying to stop or something?"

"I did stop, it triggers her."

"Triggers?" He stopped and put his hand on his hip again, "Bitch is she abusing you? She's like 5'4."

"No." Natalia rubbed her forehead and turned him around roughly. "She's had a rough life ok. It's not my place to tell all her personal stuff but it's really messed with her head." She whispered. "So please just try and be understanding."

Looking into his friends blue eyes he sighed and nodded.

They both turned back to the girl who didn't even notice they were there. Not until Hank who was laying next to her in the cool grass jumped up and started wagging his tail.

"Babe this is my best friend Seth, from college. Seth this is May."

Smiling the younger girl got up and wiped the chalk off of her pale hands before reaching out to give him a handshake. "Nice to meet you."

"Oh god." He shook her hand and rolled his eyes. "I just want to put her in my pocket."

Natalia bit her lip and winked at the girl who furrowed her brows confused.

"Did you draw this flower?" He looked down at the burning sidewalk and pointed his toe towards the simple lily.

She nodded, "I drew all of it."

Looking around he stepped back to see the entire sidewalk from the corner to the spot by the tree covered in a beautiful landscape of vegetation and flowers. The colors popping out making people passing by stop to admire them. Letting his mouth fall open slightly he walked on the grass down the sidewalk admiring the work. Every detail and in the simplistic of things made his eyes almost pop out of his head.

Looking up he stared at the shy girl who rubbed her nose and tapped her foot. Then he peered over at Nat who crossed her arms with an "I told you." Look.

"You-" he scratched his balding head again and shook his head. "How long were you waiting for me?"

"I left her with the chalk about thirty minutes ago." Nat whispered grabbing Hanks leash.

"I'm going to go um-" May held her dirty hands up and gritted her teeth.

"Go ahead sweetie."

The two friends watched her walk down to the rocks where she bent down and started washing her hands.

"Are we in a Disney movie?" Seth whispered watching some ducks quack and waddle up to her.

The blonde raised an eyebrow, "According to the sex...I would say no."

Shaking his head he looked to his friend, "Are you sure she's 20? There has to be something wrong with her."

Petting the panting Hank Natalia smiled, "Even the flaws are beautiful on her."

"Am I straight?" He whispered. "I've never seen a grown woman look that good in overalls."

The blonde held her finger up, "it took me an hour to convince her to buy that outfit. She thought only farmers wore them."

Wiping her wet hands off on her pants May made her way back up to the two, grabbing her flip flops on the way.

"Do you want to go eat babe?"

Nodding the younger girl took Nat's other hand as they started walking up the green hill.

Frank sniffed wildly stopping to mark his territory ever few seconds as the tall man drank his last bit of water. "I'm on like five dating apps Nat. What am I doing wrong?"

She squeezed Mays hand harder laughing at his joke. The two most important people in her life were there with her and she couldn't have felt any happier. Even Frank ran around with more energy than she ever saw before.

*unedited.*