Natalie had been on her way downstairs to call Cristian and ask him to come over when she almost bumped into him in the hall. "Cris?"
She watched as he turned around and her palms instantly got sweaty at the sight of the rose, was it for her? "Hi," she said nervously. Why had it looked like he was leaving? She nervously pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, was he going to say anything?
"Uhm, this is for you," he said quickly offering her the rose.
Natalie smiled and Cristian thought that she looked absolutely beautiful when she smiled.
"It's beautiful," said Natalie taking the rose, and in the process her hand brushed Cristian's. She held her breath, what was wrong with her? They had touched many times, this wasn't any different.
"Thank you," she said lifting it up and smelling it.
"I thought you might like it," he said weakly, the white rose brought out the color in her big blue eyes, the red of her lips, her soft, warm, skin.
"I do, I think I'm going to put it in a vase," she said giving him another smile before going downstairs, some how something between them had changed, and it wasn't unpleasant.
Cristian leaned against the wall and let out a big breath, some time in the last couple of days his feelings for her had changed and he was just starting to realize how much. Maybe it was because he wanted to protect her, maybe it was something more, whatever it was he liked it.
She came back with the rose in a small crystal vase and he followed her into her room where she sat it beside her bed on the night-stand.
"I wanted to make sure you were okay, after yesterday, you know..."
"I'm doing fine." She sat down on the bed and then motioned for him to sit next to her. "I talked to Jessica yesterday."
"How did it go?" he asked sitting down, he was too close to her, yet not close enough. He silently reprimanded himself, this was not how he should be thinking, especially with everything that had happened to her recently.
"It was a little awkward but I think maybe she forgave me. I talked to Viki this morning and I told her everything, I think that she is possibly the nicest woman in the whole world."
"Believe me she probably is."
"Have I met your mother yet?"
"I don't think so, I have a brother too, his name is Antonio, he's a police officer."
"Oh, I'd like to meet him sometime."
"I think he'd like you," Cristian couldn't see how anyone couldn't like her, one smile and she'd win anyone over.
Natalie closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them, just to make sure this wasn't some dream. Here she was with a wonderful mother and as far as she could tell Ben was a nice guy and hopefully her relationship with Jessica had taken a turn for the best and she had Cristian, the greatest guy in the world, someone she couldn't imagine living with out, if it wasn't for him she'd probably still be lying at the bottom of that ravine, dead.
"You are the greatest," she said leaning over and kissing his cheek, she couldn't help herself, she just wanted him to know how much he meant to her.
"What was that for?" he asked hoping he wasn't wearing a goofy smile.
"For being the best friend I could have ever asked for. Let's go somewhere," she said getting up and putting on her shoes.
"Where do you want to go?" he asked standing up.
"I don't know but it's been two weeks since the accident and I want to start a new life, I need to be normal, I am so tired of sitting in this bed and resting."
"Okay, I'll take you wherever you want to go."
"Let's go then."
They ended up at the student center at Llanview university, she had said she wanted to see new people and he had ended up telling her about the student center and that's where they were.
"You don't have to go in if you don't want to, we can go somewhere else," said Cristian looking over at Natalie.
"It's no big deal, they're just people after all," she paused. "Do I know any of them? I mean I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by not remembering."
"It's been in the newspapers, everyone knows."
"Well hopefully that'll save us from some awkward conversations."
She looked over at him and he squeezed her hand, "It'll be okay," he said giving her a smile.
Natalie smiled back at him, "Okay, let's go," she said getting out of the car.
The weather had lightened up but Natalie was still cold, she was wearing a heavy sweater and a fur-lined coat. They walked into the student center and Natalie smiled, she had almost forgotten what so many voices sounded like in one place.
"Do you want anything to drink?" asked Cristian taking off her coat.
"Yeah, thanks." She watched with a smile as Cristian walked across the room, her eyes wandered around and she saw two empty chairs, she walked over and sat down, at least no one was openly staring at her and the room hadn't gone hush the minute she walked it. She looked around and noticed one person was staring at her, glaring was a more appropriate term. Probably another person she had upset in her 'former' life. She decided to make amends for whatever horrible thing she had done to this blonde haired woman. She got up and walked towards the woman who was absently talking to a guy in a wheelchair, she smiled and tried to look friendly.
"Hi, I'm Natalie Balsom."
"I know who you are," said the woman with ice coating her words.
"Well, I can't say the same, I noticed you looking at me and I was wondering who you were."
"Natalie, we both know that you're faking, so, why don't you stop playing your little games?"
"Jen, calm down," said the man next to her, putting his hand on Jen's arm.
"Natalie, I got your drink," said Cristian from behind her. She turned around and he stopped as he saw Jen and Al sitting together.