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Chapter 20.

Natalie and Avery drove down the highway in silence blankly staring at the road ahead. They were both so depressed to be leaving. They passed the Orlando City Limits sign and both looked at each other. “This sucks!” Avery said.

Natalie nodded “It’s funny how we can feel so bad after having the most amazing week of our lives.”

Avery sighed. “I know. How are we ever supposed to go back to our boring old lives now? I’m gonna have to quit my job now.”

Natalie smiled for the first time since they left. “You’re not gonna quit.” She laughed.
Avery laughed. The girls were almost relieved to be having this conversation again. It was a hint of normalcy. “So,” Avery said, “What did Brian say last night?”

“What?” Natalie asked.

“Brian. He said ‘I meant what I said last night.’ What did he say?”

The smile faded from Natalie’s face. “I should probably start from the beginning.” She said.

Avery nodded ready to hear the story.

Natalie had a long story to tell. Things had happened so fast that she and Avery hadn’t really had a chance to talk since the morning before they left the resort. Natalie started from the conversation with Kevin on the bus and then how Brian told her what had happened between him and Linda. She went on to tell her about filming the last scene. She told Avery about Brian being all cute and playful and how it was driving her nuts because she was so nervous. She tried to describe the kiss between the two of them but just couldn’t seem to find the words. All she could say is that she was going to be hopelessly in love with him for the rest of her life. Avery knew the feeling all too well! “Then you guys left and we were sitting all alone in the hotel lobby. It was so awkward.”
“So what did you do?”

“Well he asked me to go for a walk. Said there was something he wanted to show me…



Flashback
*********************************************************

Brian and Natalie walked out of the hotel and down the street. Natalie stared at her feet as she walked. Brian didn’t let go of her hand. He kept glancing over at her. She could feel his gaze but didn’t look back at him. He wasn’t sure exactly what to say. He didn’t understand why she was so upset. He thought things had been going so well this afternoon. And that kiss! He wanted to talk to her but thought better of it. He decided to wait until she said something first. They crossed a street and entered a park. The same park that Avery and Nick would visit later that evening. They walked past the roller rink. Natalie looked at the skaters and smiled. “Just like Central Park in New York.” She said.
Brain looked at the skaters. “A lot smaller. And no zoo.”

“Bummer.” Natalie replied, “I love the zoo.”

Brian smiled relieved that she was at least talking now. They walked through the park past the large fountain. Brian fumbled through his pocket, fished out a coin, kissed it and then flipped it into the water without saying a word. Natalie watched him intrigued. “It’s a wishing fountain.” Brian said seeing the look on her face.

He handed her a coin. “Want to make a wish?”

Natalie took the coin, thought for a minute and then flipped the coin into the water. “I always make a wish when I pass this fountain. I have ever since I moved here.”

“So how many of your wishes have come true?”

“Just one wish.”

“Only one has come true? I don’t think I like those odds.”

“No I mean I’ve only ever wished one wish.”

“You mean you wish for the same thing every time?”

Brian nodded. “Why?”

“I’m still waiting for my wish to come true.”

Natalie looked at the fountain. “Some wishing fountain.” She said sarcastically. “I guess I won’t hold my breath waiting for my wish to be granted.”

Brian smiled. They continued their walk through the park. They passed a couple making out on a bench. Brian watched them as hey passed. Natalie looked nervously in the other direction. They got quiet again. When they reached the other end of the park they crossed another street. They walked down the street for about another 10 minutes until they came to a high-rise building. Natalie looked up at the building confused. “This is where we’re going?” she asked.

Brian smiled and nodded his head. As they walked up the steps to the front door a man in a uniform held the door open. “Hey Manny.” Brian said.

The man looked at Brian and smiled. He seemed surprised to see Natalie. “Brian! Welcome back. Almost didn’t recognize you with a beautiful woman at your side.”

The man tipped his hat to Natalie. “Thanks.” Brian said pretending to be hurt. “Manny, this is Natalie.”

“Hello Miss Natalie.”

Natalie smiled at the friendly doorman. “Are you home for a while this time?” He asked Brian.

“I don’t know. That’s never up to me anymore.”

“I don’t know how you do it.”

Brian shook his head. “I don’t know how I do it either. But I do know I will be here for at least a few days.”

“And will miss Natalie be staying as well?”

Brian looked at Natalie and smiled. “I wish I were that lucky.”

“Alright then.” Manny sighed. “You kids have a good evening.”

“Thanks Manny.” Brian said waving goodbye.

“So this is where you live?” Natalie asked as she and Brian got in the elevator.

Brian nodded. He pulled out his keys and Natalie watched curiously as he stuck his key in the elevator and hit the button for the 22nd floor. “I thought you were afraid of heights.” Natalie said.


Brian shrugged. “I don’t go near the windows much.”

“Then why live so high up?”

“It’s all they had. This building is one of the most exclusive in the city. Security’s pretty tight. That comes in handy sometimes.”

The elevator door chimed and Natalie and Brian stepped into a lobby. There were only 3 doors. “So what are we doing here?” Natalie asked.

Brian unlocked one of the doors and flung it open. “I wanted to show you something.”

Natalie followed Brian into the apartment. “It’s big.” She said as she looked around. The place was very nice. It was nothing as fancy as Natalie would have expected from the look of the rest of the building. Aside from the floor to ceiling windows with the incredible view of the city, the place felt very much like home. Natalie looked at the Pictures of Brian’s family that sat on an end table in the living room. Then she walked over to the windows and looked at the lights of the city. “It’s beautiful.” She said to herself.

Brian smiled watching her from the other side of the room. She turned around and smiled at him. “How do you possibly avoid these windows?” She asked.

Brian smiled. He pushed a button by the front door and a set of blinds closed automatically. Natalie nodded. “Ah.” She said.

There was an awkward silence for a moment. Natalie broke it by asking, “So what did you want to show me?”

“This.” Brian said holding his hands out to either side. “I wanted you to see where I live.”

“It’s nice.” Natalie said a little confused.

She sat down on the couch and picked up the picture of Brian and his family. She looked at it closely. Brian came over and sat down next to her. “My parents and my brother Harold.” He said pointing at the picture. “That’s the house I grew up in,” he said smiling at the memories.

“Your parents still live there?”

“Well no. They had to move when my career took off.”

“I’m sorry. That’s a bummer.”

“It was kind of sad, but they said it was worth it to see my dreams come true.” He smiled again. “They’re the best parents in the world.”

Brian looked at Natalie and nervously said, “I wanted to show you where I live so that you could see that I’m as normal as anybody else.”

Natalie smiled touching the cute little house behind the glass and then put the picture back in its place. “We’re not from two different worlds.” Brian said taking Natalie’s hand.

“Yes we are.” Natalie said.

She got up and pushed the button that opened the blinds. She looked out over the city below her. “This isn’t my world.”

Natalie turned back around. She felt bad when she saw the disappointment on Brian’s face. Brian stood up and slowly walked over to her trying his best not to look out the window. “It’s just a view.” He said turning his back to the window. “And I always keep the curtains closed anyway.”

Natalie glanced out the window again and then looked at Brian. He was so cute and so charming. He really was irresistible. Natalie could feel herself starting to give in. Brian hugged her and she felt an ache in her stomach. All she could think about was having to say goodbye in the morning. She tried to be strong. She pulled away from Brian’s grip. “Maybe I should get back.” She said.

Brian was starting to get frustrated. He was so confused. He was scared of what he was feeling in his heart but he couldn’t help it. He liked the feeling and didn’t want it to go away. He was desperate for Natalie to stay. He grabbed her hand. “Don’t go.” He said.

“I have to.” She whispered.

“Not yet.” He whispered back

Natalie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could feel Brian squeeze her hand. She opened her eyes, forced a smile and kissed Brian on the cheek. She let go of his hand. “I don’t understand.” Brian said. “After everything that’s happened this week, and the way you kissed me today?”

A memory of the kiss flashed in her mind. “It was just a kiss.” She said.

“Was it?”

“It was for a video. There were cameras! We were acting.”

“I wasn’t.” Brian said feeling a little choked up.

Somehow Natalie already knew that but to hear him say it made it feel real. Natalie felt her heart breaking. “Don’t you get it?” she sighed. “This week has been like some kind of crazy dream to me and tomorrow I have to wake up.
”
Brian smiled. “But it wasn’t a dream. This time its real.”

“None of this is real! It can’t be!”

Brian looked at Natalie more confused than he’d been. “I have to go home in the morning! Home! To Michigan. That’s like a million miles from here. If I stay right now it will only make it that much harder to leave in the morning.”

“I don’t care! I love you.” The words left Brian’s lips without thought.

Brian stood there stunned. His mouth hung open. He stared nervously at Natalie and let go a heavy sigh as he realized that what he said was true. It was like the revelation was mind blowing. Natalie was as shocked as he was. She couldn’t believe she had just heard that. She didn’t know what to say. She stared back terrified. Brian shrugged his shoulders speechless. “Just tell me one thing, for my heart’s sake, and then I will take you back.”

Natalie nodded. “Did that kiss really mean nothing? Don’t you like me even a little bit?”

Natalie sighed. “I’m sorry I’ve been acting so crazy. It’s just that I got a taste of my dreams this week and I don’t know how I’m ever going to be able to go back to normal. I’ve been in love with your voice for years. I created this image in my mind of what I thought you must be like and you were perfect. Then I met you and somehow you exceeded every expectation I had. Saying goodbye to you is going to break my heart. But what really scares me is that when I get home, you will be there. You’re everywhere. Every time I hear one of your songs, see a picture on a magazine cover my heart is going to break all over again.”

Natalie looked down at the floor. Her eyes welled up with tears. “My life is never going to be the same.” She said through her tears.

Brian wrapped his arms around her. She buried her face in his chest. Brian held her tightly. “It’s not goodbye forever.” He said and kissed her…

********************************************************
End flashback


“Then we just spent the rest of the night talking.” Natalie said to Avery. “He showed me pictures of him when he was a kid. He even got out his guitar and sang, “That’s What She Said” to me. After that we made out for a while. Eventually I fell asleep and I woke up in his bed this morning. It was a perfect night.”

Natalie sighed and looked back at the road. “So then,” Avery said a little confused, “Are you or are you not his girlfriend?”

Natalie opened her mouth to answer the question but wasn’t sure of the answer, “Um, well, I guess technically, no. I mean we didn’t really say it.”

“But he said he loves you?”

Natalie nodded her head. “And you said you love him too?”

Natalie debated the question in her mind. “In so many words.” She said, “He did say that it wasn’t goodbye forever.”

Avery thought about it for a moment. “Whatever!” she said finally coming to a decision. “He’s your boyfriend.”

Natalie smiled at the thought. They drove past a sign that said, “Now leaving the Sunshine State.” The girls were more depressed than ever! They could tell that the drive home was going to be a long one.