Glass Hearts

one

a u s t i n  p o v

I was lying on my bed, re-reading TFIOS for what seemed like the twentieth time, when my phone screen lit up with a notification.

Nat: hey aust, wanna come over to hang?

Me: sure! be there in fifteen :)

Nat: cya! drive safe :)

I got up, grabbed a coat from the coat stand and threw it over my shirt and jeans before heading out the door. 

Starting the engine, I drove my brand-new, red sports car out the driveway and to Nat's house. I knew the way to her house by heart, having visited countless times since I first met her all those years ago. 

Pulling up in the driveway of her small, cosy home, I got out and searched for the spare key I knew they always kept under the flowerpot. Finding it at last, I turned the key and let myself in, out of the brutal January weather. I walked into Nat's room and opened the door.

"Hey Aust!" Nat called, looking up from her sketching. Nat was an amazing artist, and she spent all her free time drawing or reading. 

"It's freezing out there," I groaned, pulling my coat off and throwing it onto the floor. 

"Which is why I asked you to come over before you could," Nat replied, shooting me an evil grin. I rolled my eyes at her, but smiled anyway.

"How's life been?" I asked her. 

She scoffed. "Couldn't be better. I get 97% as my average in eighth grade, and my parents want me to drop out."

"Drop out?" I asked, shocked. I mean, I had known Nat's family couldn't afford much, to the point of her school uniform being tattered and frayed because her parents couldn't afford to buy a new one, but I hadn't known they couldn't even afford to pay for Nat to attend school...

"Yeah. I mean, I've had eight brothers and sisters go to school. I'm the last child, so, frankly, I'm not of much importance." Nat sighed. She had been born three decades after her oldest sister, when her parents were already in their fifties. 

Their family being too poor to afford another child, they had only given her the basic necessities, even that affecting their lifestyle. Furthermore, Nat was a girl, and her parents, having rather backward views on what girls were supposed to do, only sent her to school because she requested it countless times.  

Nat told me that her parents and siblings all viewed her as an unnecessary burden, and she never really mattered to them. From the way I had seen them treat her while I was around, I privately agreed. 

"Well, it's better this way. At least I won't get bullied as much," she said, smiling. Typical Nat, always making the best out of a bad situation. "What about you?"

"Well, I was just informed that I'm going to be playing in the school team for football!" I replied, not quite able to suppress my enthusiasm. 

"Oh! Good luck!" Nat grinned at me. She, and she alone, knew that my dream was to become a pro athlete. Unfortunately, my dad wanted me to follow in his footsteps and take over his law firm, something I didn't really have much interest in. There would be talent scouts from different sports schools watching, and I could really make it big if I trained hard for the upcoming national championships.

"Thanks," I grinned back at her. 

"Wanna go practice?" Nat asked me. I nodded, and she went to get a soccer ball. Meanwhile, I looked around the familiar room. The walls were painted white, with a small bed, and two nightstands on either side of it. Nat's sketchbook lay open on her bed. Moving closer, I realised it was a sketch of myself.

Before I had time to wonder what a sketch of me was doing in Nat's sketchbook, Nat burst back into the room with the soccer ball in her hands. 

"I'm ba- Are you looking at my sketchbook?" Nat asked, hurriedly walking over to me.

"Y-Yeah? Sorry for looking at it..." I trailed off awkwardly.

"You saw that drawing?" she asked hesitantly. 

"Yeah. Why were there hearts all over it?" I asked, deciding to just cut straight to the chase.

"I- I kind of, uh, how do I say this?" she played with her fingers nervously.

"Just say it, Nat," I found myself whispering. 

She closed her eyes, and before I could react, a pair of soft lips were pressed against mine.

A/N: it's drama time my friends! what do you think?? remember to vote and comment if you enjoyed! ily all :)

also, fifteen days to christmas!! aaa! are you excited?

-andrea 💕