A/N-Hey guys!
I hope you like the second chapter!
The next morning, Rosalina slowly opened her eyes to a dark bedroom. She looked on the floor to see only a pile of blankets. "Nat?"
No answer.
"Nat!"
The familiar sound of sneakers pounding on the hardwood floor met her ears, but it was lighter footsteps this time. The door opened, light flooded the dark room but Alex came in. "What is it, Rosalina?" He asked, flipping on a light.
"Where's Nat?"
"He went out," Alex replied.
"How long ago? What time is it?"
"It's only like...nine. He left a little while ago, but he should back soon. The guys left earlier this morning too, but they'll probably be back tomorrow for rehearsals."
"Okay, thanks, Alex," Rosalina said, pulling herself up into a comfortable position.
"Do you need anything?" Alex asked, trying to fulfill his brother's request of taking care of Rosalina while he was gone.
"No, no, I'm fine, thanks. But when Nat comes home, can you tell him that I wanna talk to him?"
Alex smiled. "Sure,"
"Thanks, Alex. You're the best step-brother ever," Rosalina said, carrying on their little inside joke.
"No prob, sis," He said, walking back into the hallway.
A little while later, she heard the front door open and then shut, and voices of Nat and Alex. Rosalina turned herself over and pretended to be asleep. The door opened and soft footsteps walked up to the bed, and she could feel a hand on her shoulder. She turned back over and opened her eyes. "Hey, Nat."
"Hey, how are you feeling?"
"Better, my ankle doesn't hurt as bad."
"Can I look at it?"
Rosalina was hesitant, but nodded, pulling back the blankets.
Nat looked at her ankle, and then back at her. "The throbbing has definitely gone down. Do you want to try walking on it?"
"Sure,"
So, using the bed and Nat as her balance, Rosalina tried to stand up.
"Ready?" Nat asked, looking at her.
"Yeah," She nodded.
He slowly let go of her waist.
Rosalina began walking—well, more like limping towards the door. Nat stood next to her in case she fell. "Rosie?"
"Yeah?"
"Try to put a little pressure on your foot," Nat said, watching her look down at her ankle then back up at him.
She took a deep breath. "Okay...," She tried putting pressure on it, but it didn't work out to well.
Nat caught her just in time.
Rosalina looked up at him, waiting for a response.
He only shook his head and said, "C'mon, let's go put some ice on it."
After Rosalina had literally begged Nat to try walking again, after having ice on it for a long while, Nat helped Rosalina up again. This time she walked a little further and didn't limp. She was so happy she jumped into Nat's arms.
"See, I told you, you could do it eventually," Nat said, helping her sit on the couch.
"It wasn't perfect, but I guess it was better then last time," Rosalina shrugged.
Before Nat could respond, the phone started ringing. He groaned. "I'll be right back."
Rosalina tried to hold back a laugh.
Once Nat came back, he fell onto the couch next to her. "That was my dad," He said.
"And?"
"I told him the situation."
Rosalina remained silent signaling Nat to continue.
"He said that you could stay here as long as you need but he's going to be out of town for a few extra days too."
She nodded.
Someone knocked at the door.
Nat groaned again.
Rosalina laughed this time.
He walked up the door and looked through the peep-hole. His eyes widened. "Rosie," He muttered, turning back towards her.
"What?" The smile on her face dropped immediately.
"It's him, you need to hide or something, I don't want him to see you."
"Why, are you embarrassed to have me here or something?"
'No, that's not it at all, its just I don't want him to hurt you anymore then he has," Nat said, helping her up, and hurrying her back into his room.
Josh pounded on the door. "Nat, dude, are you home?"
"Yeah, hold on!" Nat called, from the hallway. He helped Rosalina into his room and onto the bed. "Stay here and don't make a sound, I'll come and get you when he's gone."
"Ok, and Nat?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you," She smiled.
"Alex," Nat said, grabbing his little twelve year old brother by the shoulders as he passed in the hallway. "Stay in here with Rosalina, okay? And don't make a sound." Nat shut the door and judging by the clicking sound it made, he locked it.
"What's going on?" Alex whispered.
"Josh is here," Rosalina whispered back.
"What's wrong with Josh being here?"
Rosalina sighed, decided now was better then ever to tell her the reason she was here, in this position, and why Nat made her sit in his room.
When Rosalina finished the story Alex looked a little scared, angry, and confused all at once, which gave him an odd look on his face. "How could he?" He whisper-yelled.
"Shh, Alex, I wanna hear what their saying," Rosalina said.
Nat and Josh's muffled voices came from through the walls.
"So what's up, man? Why'd you come around here? I haven't seen you in a while." Nat's calm, nonchalant voice said.
"I gotta tell you what happened last night dude," Josh said.
"What's wrong?"
"Last night, Rosalina ran away."
"What happened? Is she okay?" Nat asked, pretending to be in total surprise.
"Well...our dad...he's been a little off lately. I mean, I've never seen him like this. He's always so angry and stuff. Then last night, he started hitting Rosalina. It was really freaky, Nat."
That liar! He was blaming it on her father!
"HE'S A LIAR!" Alex screamed.
"Shhh...Alex, calm down."
"Oh my God man, that's...that really sucks. I'm so sorry."
"I know. I just came by wondering if Rosalina had stopped by here, and said where she was going?"
"No, no, she didn't come by. But if she does, I'll be sure to give you a call," Nat said.
"Thanks Nat, I knew I could count on you." There was a pause and then Josh continued, "Why is there an ice pack in here?"
"Uh, um, that's just for...me, because I..hit my head."
"Okay...well, I'd better get going in case Rosalina goes home."
"Yeah, okay. See you later, dude."
With that, Nat let Josh out and ran back into his room. "You guys okay?"
"Yeah, we're fine. I told Alex why I was here too," Rosalina replied.
"Good, so Alex if Josh ever shows up, this is what's gotta happen, okay?"
Alex nodded.
"C'mon, Rosie," Nat said, pulling Rosalina to her feet, and helping her back into the living room. "You okay?" He asked, as soon as they sat down.
"I can't believe he's blaming my dad for all this," Rosalina said, in disbelief.
"I know. You're dad would never do that, I don't know how he thought that story would pass."
"Do you think everything'll be okay?"
Ignoring her question he asked, "Are you okay? You look tired."
"Answer my question first," Rosalina said, looking straight at him.
"I'm sure everything'll be fine. We'll get it all sorted out, I promise. Now, answer my question."
"I'm a little tired...it was weird actually, about what happened last night."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean after I couldn't fall asleep everything went kinda hazy...and I fell asleep. But the weird thing is I don't know how."
"I was singing, but that's all I did."
"You were?"
"Yeah, I thought it would help and it obviously did."
"Yeah, it did. Thanks."
"You wanna try to get some sleep now?" Nat asked.
"I'm not that tired, I'll be okay."
Nat nodded.
"Hey, Nat?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks...for you know, protecting me," Rosalina said.
Nat shrugged. "It's what best friends do."
"I just can't help but think about what would've happened if you hadn't have come. I might not have a broken ankle but I might be at home...injured or worse..." She trailed off.
"Don't think like that, why are thinking like that?"
"I don't know, because it's true."
"Well, I would've done something after a while. I would've found out eventually because you would've told me...you would've told me, right?"
Rosalina looked down.
"Why aren't you answering, you would've told me, right?" Nat said, with urgency in his tone.
"Well...maybe...maybe not," Rosalina said, avoiding Nat's gaze.
"Why wouldn've you have told me?"
"Nat, your getting upset over nothing. It didn't happen! It won't happen, because you found out and I told you!"
Nat took a deep breath and relaxed. "You're right, sorry. I'm just upset that you wouldn't have told me."
"You said so yourself, you would've found out. I was planning on telling you that night too, that's why I was running to your house, but other stuff happened."
He nodded.
"Ok, I don't mean to interrupt your lovey-dovey conversation, but I'm kinda hungry," Alex said, coming into the living room.
"Alex, were you eavesdropping on our conversation?" Nat said.
"No..." Alex said, getting up and quickly walking to the kitchen.
"No way Alex, get back here!" Nat said, getting off the couch and running to grab his brother. "You're going down! Rosalina, toss me a pillow!"
"No! No! Rosalina don't! Please, I beg of you!" Alex yelled dramatically.
Rosalina laughed. "Sorry, I'm on Nat's for the day," She joked, tossing Nat a pillow.
Nat laughed with an evil smile on his face. "You're goin' down! Down!" He said hitting Alex with the pillow.
"Ok, ok, ok, I'm sorry! I swear I'll never do it again!" Alex yelled.
Nat stopped, still laughing. "Good, that'll teach you a lesson."
"Rosalina, c'mon! I would've been on your side!"
"I doubt that, Alex," Rosalina said, trying to calm down from laughing so hard.
Nat fell back onto the couch. "So, what do you guys want to eat?"
"Anything's fine for me," Rosalina shrugged.
"How about pizza?" Alex suggested.
A/N-Sorry about the kinda bad ending..hope you guys liked it!
~NatalinaFan2011~