The Loneliest Stars

Chapter 19

A storm was brewing, the reports showed that it would crash through Texas in the next few hours, it was supposed to be a major weather incident, but all that happened so far was a few strong gusts of wind and rain. Natalia was no stranger to either, she was from a temperamental weather beaten island. She felt like a lot of it might have been blown a little of proportion.

She had gone to school at the crack of dawn so she wouldn't bump into Gabe. She was so early that his truck was still in his driveway. Parked offensively, twinkling in the brightening dawn of the day. She stared at it; a little sad but mostly angry and drove herself to work.

She just needed to get through this day before she had the whole weekend to recuperate. She obsessively avoided Porsha, despite the number of texts and calls she had received from her last night alongside the ones from Gabe that she had ignored. She just wanted to get in, teach her classes and go home.

At around noon, she bumped into her favourite human being in the whole world: Agnes, on her way to the canteen to grab a slice of pizza so oily it could power a small Middle Eastern economy. 

"Natalie," she said. The leggy redhead looked smug as she eyed Natalia with a vindictive little  smile.

Natalia stared back with disdain, not bothering to hide her dislike for her at all. She wanted to wipe that smug look off her face, but she was also a grown woman and it wasn't within her constitution to fight over a man. Hell would freeze over before she ever did that.

"You ran off yesterday, I'm not sure if Gabe and I did something to upset you..."

Natalia laughed, the noise sounded mirthless and distorted. She knew exactly what she had done.

"I don't know what the crack you're smoking is cut with but if you don't stop antagonising me, I will have to show you how we do things where I'm from." Natalia snarled losing her temper and bumping shoulders with Agnes roughly, sending the slimmer woman flying. And as far as she was concerned if she wanted him, she could have him.

She had one class followed by a free period after lunch so she stayed in her classroom instead of going to her office, where she would be a sitting duck for bumping into all the other people that were looking for her.

School had been closed early that day because of the storm. Natalia had gone straight home, skipping a staff meeting that had been scheduled for the end of the day, she had sent a message to Ella telling her she was feeling unwell. It wasn't far from the truth.

Avoiding Gabe, fighting the urge to strangle Agnes and not discussing things with Porsha, whilst carrying on business as usual had really taken its toll on her. She had a migraine brewing, almost as foul as the weather.

Her plan was to pop a migraine pill and crawl into bed, taking advantage of the early finish and float her way into a dreamland where her heart wasn't a little bit fractured.

She stared at her reflection in the toilet mirror, taking in her bedraggled appearance. She'd been lucky she hadn't bumped into Gabe at all today, she was not a sight for sore eyes.

She sighed deeply. "I'm such a fucking mug," she told the woman staring back at her. It was childish but she had a little cry when she had come home from the dance, she had really liked Gabe, despite their differences and despite their rocky start.

When she was around him, she felt comfortable and safe in ways that she hadn't felt for a long time. And she thought the feeling was mutual. Yes, they had never discussed what they were, it was way too early for that but she had gotten the impression that they were similar in that they didn't play games and they both had transparent intentions.