Bad neighborhood
43. Ira
🤍🖤💜 Jacob 💜🖤🤍
I hadn’t heard from Natalie since morning. Maybe I was getting antsy because I had sent her my apology at 6 in the morning and it was almost 9:30. It wasn’t like I was getting myself riled up barely two minutes later. It had been more than 3 hours.
I didn’t want to wait another 24 hours to figure out if she had decided to quit talking with me again, So I called her. She didn’t answer my call. Instead, a musical voice did.
Now it looks like I will be having my lunch with two girls. For some reason, I feel like they will grill me. Especially Ira.
I park my car in Ira’s apartment complex and press the buzzer of the apartment building for her to let me in.
“Who isss itt?” Ira asks in a musical voice again.
“Somebody invited me over lunch this afternoon,” I answer her over speaker, grinning.
“Ohh really!” She says.
“Let him in already, God Dammit!” I hear Natalie’s faint voice.
Then some scuffle and the door opens. I reach their apartment and Natalie opens the door.
“Hey!” she says.
Her face looks swollen. Hangover?
“Looks like you had a thrilling party last night.” I quip while entering the apartment.
She looks perplexed at first and glances at herself in the mirror hung next to the door. She says with indifference, “Don’t ask! I am sure you had a better night.”
“Probably?” I say with caution. I indeed had an outstanding night. But I don’t think I can admit it to Natalie now. Looks like I barely entered the house and have annoyed her already.
Good job!
It suddenly dawns upon me that it’s Ira who invited me. Probably Natalie didn’t want me here? Oh God!
She didn’t even reply to the messages. I was so busy driving; it didn’t cross my mind. She could still be upset with my messages from last night.
Crap! Too late.
Natalie gets me seated in the living room, and after a while Ira joins us.
“So… you are the one who kidnaped her yesterday.”
I raise my eyebrow. “Is that what she told you?”
“Oh No No.” she waves me off. “She is still reeling under Stockholm Syndrome.”
I chuckle and Natalie flusters, then says, “It’s not even funny anymore! Quit it already.”
Ira says,” There is nothing to be ashamed of Natalie…”
I chuckle again, and Natalie glares at me.
Ok!! Wipe off that smile Jacob.
If Ira is grilling Natalie, so I guess I am in the safe zone?
We continue our casual chatter and after a while, Ira asks me, “How did you two meet? Natalie never told me.”
“Coz you never asked… and you already know we are neighbors!” Natalie defends herself.
“Ok I am asking him now… and yeah, I know you guys are neighbors… but how did you meet? I mean… Did you see him across the window in his room changing his clothes and you wa-”
My eyes pop out at the innuendo.
“He joined us for family dinner!” Natalie cuts in.
I cough. I don’t wanna get on the bad side of Ira. Ever! I can’t imagine how this grilling would feel if it was intended for me.
“Okay…!” She raises her arms in surrender. “I was just curious...”
She stays quiet for a while then asks, “I still want to know… Are your rooms across from each other? So you can see each other changing-”
“NOOO,” we both exclaim.
“Jeez, just curious. Chill guys…” saying that Ira gets up and leaves the room.
“Please ignore her. I am not even sure what’s up with her right now,” Natalie tells me.
” That’s all right…”
“I will be back.” She is about to get up, but I stop her.
“Natalie…” She turns.
“I am sorry about last night’s messages. You never replied.”
“Oh,” she thinks for a moment, then says, “Oh yes. I guess I didn’t… that’s alright Jacob.” She smiles and leaves the room.
I exhale in relief.
After a while, I hear Natalie giving Ira some earful in another room. She isn’t very discreet with her voice.
“You better decide if you plan to embarrass me more, or should I leave with him now.”
“You are literally blushing at every single question, not my fault… it’s hilarious to watch… aaaouch ouch ouch. Stop pinching!”
“Behave yourself.” She hisses at Ira.
Both of them come back to the living room, Natalie with a grin and Ira rubbing her arm. I try to act indifferent but cannot control my smile.
“You heard that, didn’t you?” Ira asks laughing.
Now I cannot hold my laughter anymore. Natalie pouts and smacks Ira with a cushion.
44. Bad neighborhood
🤍🖤💜 Jacob 💜🖤🤍
I help the girls with cooking. Ira casually asks me random questions. It gives me a chance to ask a few things about Natalie, too.
“I don’t get it… No offense… but how?” Ira asks. “How come you guys went from sketchy to super-rich neighborhood?”
Natalie glances at me with curiosity. Is this a big deal? Well, yeah.. Grandma’s place wasn’t in a nice locality but…
“We don’t live in super-rich neighborhoods. Right?” I ask Natalie.
“It’s on higher-end… but definitely not super-rich,” she says then mumbles, “But not everyone has a jacuzzi and walk-in closet, you see…”
I frown at her and ask,” How do you know about that? You didn’t see my room…”
She flusters.
“Don’t tell me you have been sneaking up to my room behind my back.” I tease her.
“Or probably when he is asleep,” Ira adds, grinning.
“Amy told me!!!” She defends herself, but her cheeks are red.
Of Course, she did or June would have. The real reason June tried to embarrass me that day was that she was damn jealous that I got to call dibs on that room.
She never skips a chance to comment on how she would have kept that room better if she got it first.
Too bad for her that Mom had taken my side, which is super rare. Mom told her, “He will be gone in 6 months. You can take the room afterward.”
“I am not sure.” I think and try to make sense, “ I guess dad saved enough for 7-8 years when we were living at grandma’s place. Everything was cheaper there.”
If you think about it. No rent, no property tax. Add that on top of some inheritance we got. Yup! That’s it.
After lunch, we head home. Natalie sits next to me and glances at the back seat.
“Odd right?” I ask her. I dreaded my drive this morning. I know Coco is happy. But that doesn’t stop me from missing her.
She sighs,“Yes… What are you gonna miss most about her?”
“Her hugs.” Probably everything, but it was comforting to be around her when I was upset. “I should probably buy a big side pillow now,” I add, to lighten the mood.
She grins. “You won’t regret it.”
I am mulling over how I should ask her out or spend more time with her. I know I can think about it later, but for some reason; I don’t want to wait.
As I pull over to my driveway, I ask, “You take a bus to the school, right?”
She nods.
“I can give you a lift to school if you-”
“Jacob…” she cuts in.
I glance at her. Her expression is pained. I embrace myself for what she is about to say.
She isn’t looking at me. “I am sorry. Not sure how to explain it… But Can we… ” She fiddles with her finger and finally makes eye contact.
“Let’s just not talk to each other at school. Ok?”
I nod slowly, trying to understand. But why?
She promises to keep in touch but says avoiding each other at school is for the best. To be honest, it doesn’t make any sense to me. I have got a vague idea about things she is probably facing at school. But isolating herself… Is this a good way to deal with it?
I am not close enough to push her right now, so I just agree with her.
