"So, are you going to tell me why you slapped that blonde dude with the big mouth last night?" Noah asked nonchalantly as he dipped a pretzel bite into the melted cheese and stuck it into his mouth.
He and Natalie were sitting on a bench in the middle of the local mall watching Beth chase a boy who looked to be about her age, around the small play area that was set up in the center of the food court. They had decided to check out the shopping mall seeing as how Kurt was starting to freak out that he was running out of clothes to wear and Blaine said something about a new bowtie.
And of course when shopping was mentioned, Rachel had to come along to make sure they had stores that sold her teddy bear and unicorn sweaters so her dads wouldn't have to mail her new ones every few weeks, meaning that Finn was also forced to go and hold her bags.
This left Natalie and Noah to walk around the small mall with Beth holding one of each of their hands and happily pulling them from one store to another. When Beth said she was getting hungry, they both sighed in relief and made their way to the food court were Beth spotted the play area and instantly forgot about her hunger as she gave Noah the puppy eyes to play for just a few minutes.
Noah had ended up caving and he and Natalie had found a small concession to get some nachos and pretzel bites to tie them over until dinner time. They were currently sitting on one of the many benches scattered around the area, munching on their food in silence when Noah had asked the question.
"What?" Natalie asked as she tore her eyes away from Beth to look up at Noah, a tortilla chip covered in cheese half way to her mouth.
Noah laughed a little and shook his head as he picked up another pretzel bite. "That blonde guy from last night, you slapped him. And from what I could tell you got him pretty good." He smirked as Natalie rolled her eyes and stuck the chip in her mouth. "I just wanted to know why, I mean I heard that you guys had plans for today and seeing as how you are here with me instead and not with blondie, I figured that slap had something to do with it," he shrugged and Natalie nodded her head a little, but didn't say anything as she avoided his eyes.
"Well?" Noah probed her in the side with his finger lightly and chuckled when she turned to glare at him, "What happened? Did he say something to offend you? I would say that I would kick his ass, but I think you got it covered already."
Natalie rolled her eyes again and couldn't stop the light blush that spread across her cheeks as she found Beth's blonde curls in the sea of children once again, "I just told him that I had other plans and he didn't like it. Said something's that I didn't like, so I smacked him," she shrugged like it was the simplest thing in the world and turned to look at him, "What?"
He was looking at her with a look on his face that said he either didn't believe her or thought there was more to the story, "Soooo, what did he say? It had to have been something serious to get a reaction like that out of you," Natalie rose an eyebrow at him, "You have to remember that I am your brother's best friend and I pretty much grew up picking on you and calling you names and no matter what I say or how much of an ass I am to you, not once have you smacked me like that." He pointed out as he waved his pretzel around in front of her face, "The last time I saw you hit someone like that was when Karofsky brought up your dad." He raised both of his eyebrows and nodded as he took a bite of his pretzel and leaned away from her, never breaking eye contact.
Natalie remembered that day like it was yesterday. It was the first day of their junior year and Karofsky was giving Noah and Finn shit about being in glee again. She had gotten fed up with it and didn't want either boy getting in trouble for fighting on the first day and stepped in between all the jocks, pushing Karofsky back against a locker softly. She had told him to back off or she was gonna get Sue.
Karofsky had scoffed and said Finn would have been able to take care of himself and not have to have his sister step in for him if their dad was still alive. She didn't even blink as her hand landed across his right cheek and the sharp sound echoed through the hall followed by the gasp of everyone who was watching. She had threatened to cut off his manhood if he ever mentioned her father again and he walked around with a welt on his face the shape of her hand for the next week.
She didn't mean to hit him that hard. It just happened. He had been talking crap about her father who she loved with all her heart. Her dead father. She only got upset like that when people started talking about the ones she cared about and loved. And she had smacked Sam for the same reason, he was talking crap about Noah-her brother's best friend, the guy who was like a brother to her and nothing else, right?
She was pulled from her daze when she heard the loud cry come from across the play area and looked up just in time to see Noah dashing across the makeshift bridge to pick up Beth who had apparently fallen down. She quickly cleared off the seat next to her as Noah carried Beth to the bench and set her down.
"Oh, Sweetie, what happened?" Natalie asked as she wiped the tears from Beth's face and Noah dropped to his knees in front of the small blonde to pulled her jeans up and inspect the damage.
"Th-Th-That boy I was chasing?" Beth stuttered out as she tried to control her breathing and sniffled here and there. Natalie nodded as her eyes found the little boy Beth had been chasing standing in front of an older woman looking very guilty, "He pushed me down and-and-and I hurt my knee." Beth's lip quivered as her eyes filled with a fresh batch of tears.
"It's not that bad, baby girl," Noah said as he kissed her carpet burnt knee and began to put her pant leg down again, "It will feel better in the morning."
Beth nodded a little a wiped her tears away before she launched herself into Noah's open arms. He stood from the ground and sat back on the bench next to Natalie stroking her blonde curls as Natalie rubbed her back softly.
"You know," Natalie said in a low voice next to Beth's ear, making the small girl look up at her, "Sometimes when a boy likes a girl, he makes fun of her and pushes her around a little." Natalie smiled a little when Beth's face lite-up a bit.
"Really!" Beth asked in awe and giggled a little when Natalie nodded her head.
"Don't tell her that," Noah narrowed his eyes a little at Natalie who just smiled and shrugged before winking at Beth.
"Daddy," Beth looked up at her father with a hint of mischief in her eyes that Noah knew she got from him, "Did you ever push Natalie or call her names?"
Noah furrowed his brow a little and slowly nodded his head as if afraid of where this was going. As soon as the giant grin broke out across Beth's face, Noah instantly regretted his answer, "Beth, it's not-"
"I knew you always liked Natalie!" Beth exclaimed as she smiled wider as she looked from her red-faced father to Natalie who had both of her eyebrows raised and back again, giggling like crazy.
"Excuse me?" a woman's polite voice broke through Beth's manic giggles and all three turned to see a woman standing and holding the hand of the little boy Beth had been playing with, "Logan just wanted to come over and apologize for pushing your daughter."
She lightly tugged his hand so he was standing in front of her as Noah placed Beth on the ground. Both kids stared at their feet for a few seconds before Logan's mother cleared her throat and lightly pushed Logan toward Beth.
"I-I'm sorry," Logan mumbled as he glanced up at Beth from under his lashes only to find her staring at him and he blushed and looked down again.
Beth smiled a little and reached out to punch him in the shoulder, "You're it!" She yelled loudly and took off running across the play area again with Logan hot on her trail.
Noah, Natalie and Logan's mom watched them chase each other again and laugh, "Ah, puppy love." Natalie sighed dreamingly and laughed again when Noah glared at her lightly.
Logan's mom laughed again and looked back at the two sitting on the bench, "I'm sorry about Logan. He has two older brothers so he's used to playing a little rough. I'm just glad your daughter was so forgiving."
"She gets that from him," Natalie rolled her eyes and pointed to Noah who stuck his tongue out at her in return.
Logan's mother laughed again and sighed, "You two remind me of my husband and I when we were young and in love," she sighed as if she were remembering the old days, "You hold on to each other and stay as in love as you are right now and you will get through anything life throws your way." She winked and turned her back as she began to walk away.
"But we're not-" Natalie started, but failed to finish as the woman was already out of ear shot. She huffed and crossed her arms as she watched Beth and Logan play.
"Hey, don't worry about it," Noah nudged her a little with his shoulder, "We know the truth about our relationship and that's all that counts. I know I don't have a chance with you." He shrugged and looked down at his feet as he leaned forward on his knees.
Natalie furrowed her brow and looked back at him, "What do you mean you know you don't 'have a chance' with me?" she asked as she leaned towards him a little.
Noah's cheeks turned red and he lifted his head opening his mouth to respond but was cut off by Kurt's voice, "Nat! Look at this amazing scarf I found at American Eagle! Isn't it soft!" he rubbed it across her cheek, but Natalie didn't pay any attention to the fabric that was being rubbed against her skin as she kept her eyes on Noah who blew out a breath of air and stood up.
"You guys ready to head out then?" he asked Finn who was trying to balance the hundred shopping bags Rachel had shoved into his arms.
"Uh, yeah I think so." Finn's muffled voice came from somewhere under the bags and Noah nodded as he called out to Beth that it was time to go.
"So what were you guys talking about?" Kurt asked Natalie as the group made their way out of the mall.
"Huh?" Natalie asked as she finally pulled her eyes from the back of Noah's head and looked at Kurt, "Oh, uh. Nothing really." She shrugged and looked back at Noah's tall frame carrying Beth across his back.
Honestly, she didn't really know what they were talking about, but she knew she had to get Noah alone again and somehow bring up that conversation, because for some stupid reason, hearing him say those words had made her heart beat a little faster and her eyes fill with hope. Damn Kurt and his super soft scarf.