Can't Stop Now

Written by: BurntOrange

Disclaimers: Same as Chapter 1

Everyone—thank you for your continued reading and reviewing. I enjoy reading every review and each one inspires and motivates me to continue writing more. I apologize for the long pause between this and the previous chapter—the weather in Houston (where I am currently residing) has been quite stormy and has knocked out my wireless internet. However, during my absence I got a bunch of writing done and have figured out where and how our story will end.

Song: "Honestly" by Cary Brothers

"It's your choice," said Rizzo after he and Natalie discussed their movie viewing options.

"Hmmm…" Natalie picked at the steering wheel of her car. "You said that a theatre was showing Animal House?"

Rizzo nodded, "Yeah…but don't pick it because you think it is guy friendly, I'll see whatever you want to see."

Natalie smiled, "Are you kidding? I love that movie, I saw it three times when it came out last year. I'm excited that a theatre is showing it again."

"Wow…" Rizzo shook his head while smiling, "I didn't think you would like that movie. Well then…let's go."

Natalie enjoyed the comedy with the Raisinettes that Rizzo bought for her. Although it was winter, they decided to take a walk after the movie. Natalie munched on her remaining Raisinettes ad she and Rizzo talked. As they talked about their collegiate lives, Natalie realized that for the past two years she had been perfectly happy being single, why would she change that now? And just because she had to make up her mind regarding two boys, it didn't necessarily mean that she had to say "yes" to one of them.

As they approached the dorms where most of the team was staying, Rizzo turned to Natalie and smiled. "I had a great time and I hope you did too."

Smiling, Natalie adjusted the scarf that was around her neck, "I had fun."

"Maybe we could do it again sometime?" His voice became slightly higher as he asked her the question.

Natalie sighed slightly and chose her words carefully, "Rizzo…you know what situation I am in right now. And you know that I cannot say 'yes' to one of you without saying 'no' to the other. Because you and Robbie are teammates and I don't want to do anything to change the great camaraderie the team has, I can't pick either one of you."

Rizzo shook his head, "Don't make your decision because of the team."

She smiled, "I am making the decision that I want to make. Right now I am happy being single and I don't want to change that. So, I am not saying 'yes' to either of you…I guess you can say that I am turning both of you down."

He nodded and looked up at the sky, "Does Robbie know this yet?"

Shaking her head, Natalie answered, "No, I figured this out during the movie."

Rizzo laughed, "You mean that you found sound reason during Animal House?"

Natalie laughed as well, "Yes, that's right…in the middle of the Toga party." They shared a laugh for a few seconds before Natalie continued, "But just because I am not dating anyone right now doesn't mean that we can go see a movie again or something casual like that…we are friends after all I mean, Bill and I go have drinks or something at least once a week."

"Friends…right." He looked around for several seconds before looking back at her, "I think you made the right choice."

"Really? If you hate it, you can say so, I won't hate you."

"Ha ha…I am serious."

"Seriously?" asked Natalie.

"Seriously," he replied with a smile. He gave her a hug, "See you at practice."

"Yeah…I'll go upstairs with you," she said as she gestured towards to building.

Rizzo looked up at the building and then back at Natalie, "What…Why?"

Natalie bit her bottom lip, "I need to talk to Robbie."

"Ooohh…right. Well, let's go inside," he opened the door to the building for her and let her go up the stairs first.

Natalie knocked on Robbie's door, bracing herself—things were slightly awkward between them since the previous day. It felt like both of them didn't know what to do, should they embrace what happened or pretend nothing happened? Robbie opened the door and smiled once he saw Natalie, "Hey Nat…come on in." Natalie smiled and entered his room. She gulped when she saw that Silkie, his roommate, was not there. The door closed and Robbie turned to face her. Natalie felt her throat become sandpaper and her hands become clammy. Rizzo was a nice guy and all, but it was Robbie that had an effect on her.

She opened her mouth to begin the speech she had planned to say, but before she could get a word out, Robbie kissed her. Immediately she kissed him back as if it were a reflex, but after a few moments she backed away, "Robbie…we can't."

"What…why…" First he looked confused, then a look of recognition crossed his face. "You chose him."

Natalie shook her head, "No…I didn't."

"Then what is it?"

She braced herself, trying to look at everything in the room except him, but she still found herself looking at him every five seconds. "I am single and am staying single." Natalie took a deep breath, "I have been happily single for two years and I intend to stay that way for a while. To choose either one of you would split the team back into separate camps and I cannot do that to you, Rizzo, Herb, or anyone else on the team. I am such an insignificant person to ruin what you guys have."

Robbie's face softened, "Nat…you are not insignificant."

Natalie tried to ignore his comment or let it affect her, "And I expect you to follow through on your promise and support my decision."

"Of course."

"That means whenever we go out somewhere you can't act the way you have been recently, you can't get angry whenever Rizzo and I do something because we're doing something as just friends—like we will be doing. And you really need to stop calling me Nat."

Robbie ran his hand through his hair, "No."

"What?"

"I am going to keep calling you Nat."

Natalie huffed, "Robbie…"

"No, I am keeping this. I care about you Nat…a lot. And no one here calls you 'Nat' except for maybe Baker once or twice, but I call you 'Nat.' I understand that you don't want me to be as affectionate as I might want to be, but I get to keep this. I get to keep my term of endearment for you." He noticed that Natalie was about to argue him and he interrupted before she could say anything, "If you notice, you are the only one who calls me Robbie…everyone else calls me 'Mac.' And to be honest, I like you calling me Robbie and I want you to continue doing so, therefore I get to continue calling you 'Nat.'" He smiled, "And I swear to God, you better not try to be all egalitarian and make Rizzo call you that as well."

Natalie smiled, "Okay…"

"Okay? No counter-argument?" asked Robbie, poking at her side.

She giggled, "I need to go home."

"Alright, see you in the morning." He gave her a hug and opened the door for her, "And just so you know…I don't mind waiting."

Natalie paused and turned around, "What do you mean?"

Robbie smiled, "Think about it," he said before closing his door.

As she drove home and entered her empty apartment, Natalie came to the realization that being single was severely overrated