Chapter 4

Nat walked into Cooper's apartment unusually early carrying his lyric notebook. "I smell a new song!" I announced to everyone in the room.

I looked around to see David playing a video game on the television by himself, Rosalina filing her nails, and Quasim fiddling with his cell phone. No one even turned to greet Nat. Even through there were 6 people in the room anyone in the next room could swear it was abandoned.

"Uh, hi guys," said Nat giving an unenthusiastic wave as he strolled over to Cooper. Nat leaned over and whispered in Cooper's ear, "I need to talk to you." Cooper gave him a brief nod and they went outside shutting the door behind them. "What's with them?" asked Quasim finally putting his phone down. "Dun no," I mumbled to him a little taken aback. "If it's about one of us why didn't he want to share it with everyone?" I thought. A moment later as quickly they had exited the room, Nat and Cooper reentered both holding unreadable expressions.

"What's wrong?" asked Rosalina sitting up on the couch worried. "Nothing," said Cooper solemnly. "Cooper," mumbled Nat in an almost troubled voice, "tell them- no wait I'll tell them." "Tell us what?" David cut in quickly. "We'll never know if you don't shut up," Quasim retorted. "You can't tell me what to do," David countered. "What makes you so su-" Quasim's retaliation was cut short by Rosalina's taunt, "I'm the oldest and I'm telling the both of you to shut up." "Thank you, Rosalina," said Nat gingerly. Rosalina gave him a modest look before Nat continued. "I talked to Thomas yesterday on the phone," his hollow tone indicated that something was wrong instantly. Nat took a deep sigh before he concluded, "And he isn't coming back."

I felt as through David, Thomas, and Quasim had put another huge icicle down my shirt; even bigger than the one they'd found last winter. As Nat walked back outside grief clearly gripping his eyes, I knew we would never have another Winter War together again. I couldn't even brace myself to look at everyone else instead I decided to go for a walk. "Why us?" the same question echoed through my head over and over again as I raced to Juanita's.

"I'm sorry, Alex" Juanita said softly as she sat down next to me on the couch in her apartment. "It's okay; it's not your fault." My eyes sulked down to the floor not wanting to face the fact I had just lost one of my best friends.

Actually he's Nat's best friend; but Thomas always thought up the best pranks to play on everyone and sometimes he would consider me as his sidekick. This can't be real. Thomas would never leave us, would he?

Eyes clouded; I looked up at Juanita. I stared into her eyes, but the familiar sparkle they had was gone. I took a deep breath before bracing myself for the answer of the question burrowing its way around in my mind. "Juanita?" She blinked as though her eyes were looking right through me before. "Yeah?" I looked directly into her eyes again; fighting back my emotions I asked: "Can people change?"

A light rain pour began to spill over Manhattan as I trailed home. My old sneakers were waterlogged and squeaked as they pushed through mud, puddles, and loose gravel. I yanked up my flimsy jacket's hood and kept my eyes low to the ground.

Only when crossing the final street to my apartment building and also the busiest did I look up to look for oncoming traffic. When I couldn't see a car in sight I jetted across. Quickly skimming the steps I grabbed for the door and hurled it open.

My brown curly hair plastered its way to my forehead as I pushed the elevator button in the hall. I looked outside the window just in time to see a flash of lightning. "I don't want to get trapped again," I muttered turning away from the elevator door to the stairwell and looked up to my floor which just like the friendship of the band seemed a million miles away.

It wasn't long before Nat came home. He looked as through he had gotten caught in the worse part of the storm; his hat and clothes were no doubt 100% soaked, his hair glued to his face, and his lyric notebook along with some pens and pencils were safe in a waterproof bag he had brought to the meeting with him.

"Nice new hair doo," I laughed sitting on the couch in a pair of yellow and gold striped PJs. "Oh, yeah and nice pajamas," he smirked; taking off his hat and shaking his hair all over me.

In less than a second I was treated to my own personal inside rain shower. I grunted and ducked away under my blanket. Only when I couldn't feel the small pellets hammering the blanket any longer did I pull it off.

Nat wasn't there anymore. "Nat?" There was no answer. I shrugged; "he probably is up in our room," I thought.

I climbed the staircase and casually greeted Lucky when I got to the top. He wagged his tail and followed me down the hall to my room. I threw my damp blanket onto my bunk and went over to the window. Sure enough it was cracked open. I raised it and was met by a huge spray of rain water.

It didn't look like it would let up anytime soon. A sudden thought came to my mind why would Nat be out in all this. He was already soaked when he came in and Nat hated having a cold.

"Owe!" I felt something hit my head and I turned around just in time to have a pencil eraser hit me directly in the face.

"Ha, ha!" It was Nat. He was holding his pencil case that probably had more erasers in it. I dived for my bed, but he caught me and pushed me to the floor. "Now say Nat Wolff is the smartest guy in the world and I will never stand up to his greatness." I grunted and attempted to pull out of his grip but he had me firmly locked down. There was no escape.

Finally I gave in. "Okay, okay," I said, "I'll say it. Nat Wolff is the smartest guy in that world and I…" I paused, waiting on the right moment, "I can't believe he just fell for that." I pushed him off me and jumped for my bed. "Come here!" I felt Nat jerk my legs from under me. I grabbed for my bed, but he only pushed me to the floor again. I squabbled out of his grip and tried to crawl to the door, but he pushed me down again.

That went on for hours and when the rain finally did stop, the thunder had broken and the lightning had faded, our dad said he came in and found us sound asleep on the floor.