The Best Things Happen When You Least Expect Them

Silence

Natalie hadn't reappeared that night. David had been lingering, trying not to eye the stairs too obviously, hoping she would come down again so that he could see that she was ok. But she didn't, and at some point he had to step out into the garden again, since that was where the main party was going on. Everyone was having a great time, but after the pool incident David was just over it. Cassandra's passive aggressive verbal slap had sent him into a state. Was that how people saw his and Natalie's relationship? Wasn't anyone aware of them going back way further than anyone in this friend group? Expect for her and Ilya of course... he rubbed his eyes firmly, trying to rub away the images they were producing at the thought of his two best friends.

David turned around and was about to pay another pretense visit to the living room in order to check on whether Natalie had showed up there, when Carly came the exact opposite way towards him. When she was near enough, David saw her eyes narrowing and realization hitting her. Great, another one had caught onto him.
"She's just left. Cassandra drives her home, I guess." Great, so much for that. Carly looked at David sympathetically, he replied nothing.
"I don't think she was that unwell actually, but Cassandra insisted. Said something about this not being the best environment for Natalie to be in right now... Who knows what the fuck she meant by that", she looked at him quizzically, obviously expecting him to answer her implicit question.
Again he didn't bother to reply but instead gazed of into the distance. Interesting, he thought, Cassandra insisting Natalie to leave a party she had put so much time and effort in, even though she could've stayed. Of course he knew what environment she was talking about and who she meant by that, but he wasn't going to tell Carly. She obviously already suspected enough. Sensing that this conversation was not going anyway, Carly let her eyes wander the crowd, probably in search of a more talkative person.

As she left him standing there, he seized his opportunity. The good thing about never being the life of the party was that people didn't even expect it at his own birthday party. When he was out until the early morning hours it was because he was taking advantage of his friends making fools of themselves, but because of that brilliant wheel he already had plenty of footage, so he wasn't too worried about missing out on something. Knowing that it couldn't take long before the next person was going to approach him, he quickly felt his belongings in his pockets and strode purposefully towards Jason's gate. Just as he was about to reach it, said person appeared in the corner of his eye. He was standing there, watching David. Had he noticed David lingering in the living room? Or had he only seen the glances David shot towards the upper floor from outside? Either way he was becoming way too observing for David's liking. Before Jason had a chance to catch him, David slipped out of the gate and jogged towards his car.

He had been expecting to meet her there, at the house, it hadn't even crossed his mind that Cassandra might have taken her somewhere else. This was home after all, the place you come to when you're not ok. But as David stepped inside, he immediately sensed that he was alone there, the darkness of the place was proof of it. Natalie always put on at least one light, afraid as she was of supernatural apperances. But tonight, the house was dark and remained so. David didn't even bother reaching for the switch as he tumbled into his bedroom, drunk on nothing but the unresolved tension in his chest.

Natalie didn't come home until late afternoon the next day. Of course David wasn't alone when she appeared behind the glass door, the couch was densely populated with people reliving the previous night in hungover remembrances. She was greeted by half-hearted shouts and undefined utterances. Upon seeing her Zane jumped to his feet and captured Natalie in a tight hug.
"Are you ok, baby? Oh my god, I'm so fucking sorry, I have no idea what went through my head." Natalie didn't raise her arms to return the embrace but pushed her head back to not collide with his shoulder. David was leaning against a wall, watching as Natalie entangled herself from Zane and pushed her bag before her chest, almost as if to create a physical barrier between her and Zane's obviously unwanted touch.
"It's fine Zane, let's just be happy that you didn't break my back", rolling her eyes playfully she turned to the others, "and could anyone tell Jason that he can collect his pool water at Cassandra's? I left it there, silly me." Hysterical laughter accompanied her as she made her way towards her room. Cleverly played, David acknowledged silently. Natalie knew how this world they lived in worked: make it a joke, erase every last bit of seriousness and they will never take anything serious again. She didn't look up as she passed his crossed arms and watchful eyes, disappearing behind her bedroom door.