Natalie arrived home late from the library. She sighed as she closed the door behind her. She felt exhausted.
She tossed her book bag aside as she slumped into the sofa, making an 'oomph' sound. Resting her eyes she counted the hours of studying in her head. She accomplished so much with the help of Barry in the past weeks, she was definitely determined to finish community college. She was so engrossed in thought she didn't notice her cousin rushing around the apartment.
"I'm going to be late tonight and I won't be home till ten-ish. So, I won't be home to make anything, alright?" Penny said grabbing her coat.
"Yeah, yeah.. I can cook for myself." She slouched over shoeing her away with her hands.
Without another word, Penny was out the door. Listening carefully Natalie rushed to the door pressing her ear against it before looking through the peep hole. Thinking she'd see her cousin on the other side, she seen nothing. Giggling to herself she ran to her book bag and dug into the pockets for her cellphone. Immediately she pulled it out and begun to text with a smile on her face.
[Penny won't be back till 10, want to watch a movie. ;) - Nat]
Few seconds later her phone vibrated.
[Sure, what movie? I'll bring something over. I'm feeling Chinese. - Barry]
[I rented, Rubber. I haven't eaten today, so that would be great! - Nat]
[Sounds interesting. I'll be over in a bit. :)- Barry]
Natalie squealed as she tossed her phone aside and ran into Penny's room to slip into something more comfortable. She slipped out of her tight school clothes and slid into a black pair of leggings and a baggy shirt that hung over her shoulders. She examined herself in a mirror. The tight leggings shaped her legs perfectly and her shirt showed just enough skin. She didn't give her hair a second thought as she tied it into a messy bun.
Running out of Penny's room she realized that the apartment was a mess. Sighing with frustration she quickly went to work. She picked up random objects off the floor that were scattered around and put them away or made room for them in other places. The dirty dishes she tossed into the sink or empty cupboards.
After the room was clean enough, she set the TV and put the DVD disc into the player.
A sudden knock at the door startled her.
She ran over to the closest mirror and applied a bright shade of lipstick before answering it.
"Penny?" A familiar voice was heard from behind said door, Leonard.
Rolling her eyes she opened it. "Nope, Natalie. You just missed her." She gave a weak smile.
"Oh, well.. Do you know where she might be?."
"Not a clue, but she'll be home around 10?" she shrugged.
"Thanks, I'll just get back then I guess. Do you want to come over?" He pointed to his apartment with his thumb.
Natalie figured that Leonard was only nice to her on the count of his relationship with her cousin. That was the only reason, she thought. It was not the first time she had to be included because of her popular cousin, and she figured it wouldn't be the last. She was constantly living in her perfect shadow and it was really begining to piss her off. Leonard and everyone else that hungout in the apartment across wasn't her friend, their were Penny's friends.
"No, but thanks. Just me and a movie tonight. So, yeah." She nodded trying to end the conversation.
"Really? Which movie?" He smiled.
Natalie sighed, just as she was about to blow Leonard off, Barry appeared behind him with a tray of drinks and bag of Chinese food.
"Hewwo, Hofstadaw." Barry said clearing his throat. A small flash of worry rushed to him, but quickly faded as he guarded himself.
"Kripke? What are you doing here?" Leonard said with a surprise tone in his voice.
"I was invited. We'uh going to hangout and watch a movie."
He held out the drinks to Natalie and she quickly grabbed them, gesturing him to the apartment.
"I'll just be a sec, I just have to talk to Leonard." She smiled.
Barry looked back at them as he entered the apartment. Natalie closed the door slightly as she grabbed Leonard by the arm and directed him to his apartment.
"So, you and Kripke, huh?" Leonard said slightly concerned and confused.
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention this to Penny, she's," she looked back to the apartment, "a little over-protective."
"I won't, but Kripke?!" He was still confused.
"He might act obnoxious and a bit of a jerk towards you guys, but with me he's different. And just so you know, that is my sole purpose in dating him. He's like, a really great repellent." She smiled.
"He's different? That's a bit naive." he thought.
"Yeah, he's a repellent alright," he said, "I just don't think Kripke is the kind of guy for you, you're a great girl, Natalie. And I don't think I can lie to Penny."
Natalie clenched her jaw as she was becoming impatient explaining herself to Leonard about Barry. Thinking about it she didn't feel the need to explain herself to anyone.
"Do what you want, Leonard. I'm going to continue seeing him whether you or Penny like it or not."
"Look, I get it alright. I promise I won't mention it to Penny. So, you guys have fun and I'll talk to you later." he said leaving.
Leonard entered his apartment as did Natalie and waiting for her sat awkward Barry.
Barry had put the Chinese food on the counter and sat on the couch waiting for her. Looking around the apartment in his seat.
"I take it yew didn't mention me to anyone." He rubbed his knees to his thighs.
"I'm sorry. If Penny found out she'd rat me out to my parents and apparently everything I do in their eyes is wrong, so." She walked over to him taking a seat next to him, handing him the drink tray.
"It's awight, I mean. If they did find out yew'd aweady know what to expect, wight?" He smiled. Knowing all too well about disappointing parents.
"That's true. It's none of their business anyways." She smiled.
"This ones fowah yew, Gween tea. Bwack." He smiled back at her.
"Thanks, you're a doll." She took the warm cup in her hands.
"So, wets eat." Barry jumped to his feet.
Between Barry and Natalie was a gap. Sitting on the opposite side of her was Barry, slouched over picking at his food with chopsticks. Taking a few bites every now and then as his eyes wondered away from the TV to his food. Natalie sat cross legged with a pillow on her lap as she struggled with the sticks in her hands. She would get a firm grip on the slippery noodles and hover it slightly over her mouth. She thought she looked silly, playing with her food like a child.
When Barry glanced at her, he had the perfect view of her throat and jaw as her tongue licked the noodles into her mouth. It was a sensual gesture as he imagined how she'd look like from above with her tongue out.
"Want a fowk?" He asked with a grin on his face. He knew exactly how that came out.
"Yes." she said almost instantly.
"What?"
"Hand me the fork," she said with her hand out and smile on her face, "I can't use these."
Barry handed her the plastic white fork and sheepishly went back to watching the movie and eating his food.
They were half way into the movie and Barry would pick pointless flaws at the movie. In his view he found the movie to be ridiculous. A rubber tire had been travelling around telepathically killing people. He was becoming annoyed with the film. Suddenly, the power shut off.
"What the hew?" Barry said jumping forward.
"What happened to the power?" Natalie said with annoyance..
A sudden shout of 'No' was heard from across the hall. It was none other than Sheldon Cooper. They must have been playing some sort of game and he was winning.
Barry just looked at Natalie and they chuckled..
"I guess, we should go see whats going on, huh?" Barry took a seat back on the couch.
"Nah, we're fine." She slid over the couch, closer to him.
.
Sheldon retrieved the emergency pack to light the room for this sort of occasion and continued to freak out on the count of his loss in the game. The boys were bummed they had to quit the game on the count of a technical glitch.
Howard had left in search for the management to help only to return shortly after.
"The back up generator will be up in a few minutes they're already checking the problem that caused the power outage. It's only our building that's been effected, it's probably just shortage in the wiring." Howard clapped his hands taking a seat next to Raj...
"How did the entire building become powerless?"
"I know. Stuff like this doesn't happen so suddenly unless there was a crisis." Bernadette looked to Howard slightly worried..
"I don't know, but do you think we should check on Natalie?" Amy said..
"She's in there. Alone. With Kripke." She continued, "If Kripke is the man you say he is than his primal instinct must have kicked in already."
"I don't think we have to worry about that, he's practically a stranger." Leonard said heading to the kitchen.
"Only, he is not a complete stranger. They have been familiar with one another for quite awhile now. Kripke, has been showing her around Caltech and she's been 'sneaking,' as she put it, off, to visit him at his apartment when she was suppose to be studying at the library. And from my understanding, I believe this is their third date together. The relationship protocol states that after the third date they must engage in coitus." Sheldon said taking a seat in his spot.
"And you're only telling us this now?" Bernadette squeaked.
"Well I assumed everyone knew?"
.
The room had become silent and slightly eerie.
Barry sighed leaning his head back onto the sofa.
Natalie leaned her head back onto the sofa and pulled her legs into herself as her eyes adjusted to the dark, she looked to Barry. She let her eyes wonder over his facial features.
When the both of them would hangout together it had been fun and they would have long conversations about anything, but the moment they were finally alone together. In the dark. Nothing came to mind, but one thing. Natalie shook the thought from her mind she wondered if she should check her phone, but also wondered if it would be rude. She contemplated over the cellphone situation, completely forgetting she was staring at him and he was now staring back at her.
"Can I ask yew something? It's kind of sewious and pewsonaw." Barry said leaning on the pillows that were placed between them.
He was closer now, but not close enough.
"Sure." She leaned in closer.
"You've nevah been in a sewious wewationship have yew?" He asked.
Natalie shook her head in the dark. Not that he could see, but it was a natural reflex. "No, you know how high school kids are, they're fickle. They only have one thing on their minds and after that I just, sorta kept to myself. I like my freedom. " She wasn't really interested in the topic, but she knew it would come up eventually..
"So, yewah still a, a. You know." He said, slightly embarrassed to ask. When he would ask personal questions she'd usually change the subject or she would give him a sarcastic answer.
There was a pause for a moment. A sudden burst of confidence emerged from the darkness.
"A virgin? Pfft, god no! No, I've been with boys before, couple of times. But never a man." she said with a smile plastered on her face.
"Besides, going out in search for men is ridiculous. Why go out when I can have pizza ordered and a vibrator?" She chuckled.
Barry was caught off guard, but laughed at the sudden outburst.
"Since you asked what about you?" She got closer as her curiosity grew. She quickly wanted to change the subject from herself.
"Well. Uh." He was suddenly embarrassed to answer. "The fiwst time I experienced sex was about eight yeaws ago. With a woman whose pwofession isn't exactwy, wew. Pwofessionaw." He smiled to himself.
Natalie burst out in laughter. "You had sex with a hooker," She shook her head, "I knew it!"
"No. I was just messing with yew," he grabbed a pillow that was between them and gave her a smack with it, "I can't bewieve you'd assume that!"
"I was joking too, obviously," she chuckled, "Now, c'mon, seriously, tell me."
"Awight, but I'm wawning yew. It isn't aw that exciting and it might huwt my ego just a bit." He smiled patting his chest. "It was, pfft, yeaws ago and with a high school frwiend that I bumped into." He paused. "It was just a one night stand and they wewah a few more aft'ta that. Nothing speciaw." He tossed the pillow up and down.
After that, he had been in more relationships, but ended quickly.
They never had a serious conversation about sex or past relationships. He never knew that side of her. He wondered. If they were together would more serious conversations come up in the future? Barry thought to himself. Was there going to be a future?
"Fair enough." She stood to her feet, stretching them out.
"How about some music? It's too quiet." She stumbled around the room for her Ipod touch.
"Suwah." He said getting comfortable on the couch. He rubbed his tongue across his teeth making a small clicking noise as he waited for her to return.
"Found it." She said as she used it as a flash light.
She flashed it in his face causing him to squint.
She took her original seat and scrolled through the list, clicking on Pretty Thoughts by Alina Baraz & Galimatias.
The melody of the song echoed as she placed the Ipod on the coffee table.
Barry didn't particularly like her taste in music, but listening to it now the beat was similar to the music he heard at the strip club near his apartment. His train of thought wondered about the strippers and to Natalie in lingerie, swaying her hips back and forth for him. The image of her as a stripper, stripping only for him burned into his memory and he couldn't shake it off..
~You looked at me, with certainty. I, I couldn't look away. Took your jacket, off like, like you were here to stay. Chasin' your pretty thoughts. And your plastic, love. There goes my mind. Let it go. You're, that, lace trimmed danger. One day you'll be the face of a stranger. Stranger, stranger, stranger.~
"Barry, can I kiss you?" she whispered.
"What?" he said turning to her.
She gently, but swiftly pressed her lips to his and slowly pulled away.
~I couldn't look away. Chasin' your pretty thoughts. You're mine. You're sinking' in my soul. Chasin' your pretty thoughts. ~
"Yes." He said as he leaned into another kiss.
When she pulled away again she climbed onto his lap. Barry licked his lips as she leaned forward. Their noses touched as she hovered over him, their lips an inch away from each other, she lightly licked his lips before finally touching. She felt weightless as her lips crashed into his and her body reacted on its own. She slid her hand from his chest, over his shoulder to wrap around his neck and slowly with one hand she ran her fingers through his hair.
~In intervals you're sinkin' in. You're sinkin' in my soul. Thought to myself, "Don't, don't you lose control." Started to undress you, with my wandering eyes. Told myself you'd be gone by sunrise, 'cause you're that lace trimmed danger.' One day you'll be the face of a stranger. Stranger, stranger, stranger. ~
The kiss deepened and heated as their tongues massaged each other. She could taste the Chinese food from earlier. Barry pulled her closer to him and pressed her against his hips, revealing the bulge in his pants and she was the cause of it. Natalie let out a low growl from the back of her throat. Hearing her drove him deep as his hands wondered up her back over hips and ass, repeating his wondering touch. They were so lost in their own world they didn't notice that the power had turned on. However, the only source of light escaped from the TV screen, a bright blue hue lit the room around them.
~I couldn't look away. Chasin' your pretty thoughts. You're mine. You're sinking' in my soul. Chasin' your pretty thoughts.~
Barry slid a hand beneath her shirt and over the thin fabric of her bra, grasping her breast.. He had a light, but firm grip on her chest and begun to massage it gently. The small bud in his hand hardened as he massaged it with his thumb. She felt the excitement inside her rise as she grind her hips into him.
The music was loud enough to mask the noise of jiggling keys. Just then, Penny opened the door.
"Oh, what fresh hell is this?" Penny stared at the two.
Natalie pulled away from Barry's grasp and looked over her shoulder. The red lipstick Natalie wore was smeared over their mouths and Barry's tousled hair was wild, it was clear to Penny what was going on.