Chapter 8 Finally

"Look, if this is about Nathan, we're just acquaintances. He's my classmate in Ethics and-"

"Acquaintance? But he kissed your hand."

My jaw froze midair, slightly open in shock. How did she even know about that? There wasn't any meaning behind it. I flinched as Natalie and her friends stepped closer, cornering me. A few students who noticed what was happening merely watched, some even smirking, clearly entertained.

"Who do you think you are?" Natalie sneered. "Do you honestly believe Nathan's going to fall for you just because he noticed you? Don't you know I'm his girlfriend?"

W-what? He has a girlfriend? My knees went weak as she shoved my shoulder, nearly knocking me off balance. Laughter rippled through the hallway.

"News flash, dear," she continued mockingly, looking me up and down. "He wouldn't be interested in someone of your... breed." Her friends snickered and high-fived behind her.

I said nothing, my eyes fixed on the ground. She wasn't wrong-I knew Nathan and I weren't in the same league. I never assumed he liked me anyway.

"You're boring, weird, and you look like some divorced mom."

Her words stung, but I stayed quiet. She shoved me again, and this time I tripped and fell to the floor. The laughter around me grew louder. I wanted to defend myself, to explain that nothing was going on between Nathan and me, but the words wouldn't come.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" she taunted, crouching near me. "Waiting for your prince charming? Please-those only exist in fairy tales."

Her fingers tangled in my hair, tugging painfully. I winced but still refused to respond. The less I said, the sooner this would end.

"What's going on here?"

The commotion stilled at the sound of that voice. Everyone turned-and there he was. Nathan stood at the edge of the crowd, his expression dark, his eyes sharp. It was the first time I'd seen him look like he wanted to punch someone.

"Nathan!" Natalie instantly shifted her tone, forcing a sugary smile as she rushed to his side. "Honey, what are you doing here?" She wrapped her arms around his torso, but he didn't react. Instead, his gaze locked on me-sitting on the floor, humiliated.

"Natasha?" His voice softened. "What are you doing down there?"

He stepped forward and offered his hand. I hesitated, aware of everyone's stares and whispers, but he didn't care. His brows furrowed in concern until finally, I placed my trembling hand in his. He pulled me up gently.

"Nathan, baby," Natalie said, her tone tightening. "What are you doing? You're making it look like-"

"Natalie," he cut her off, his voice cold. "You're not my girlfriend."

Her smile faltered. "W-What?"

Ignoring her, Nathan intertwined his fingers with mine and began walking away through the silent crowd. My heart pounded as everyone's eyes followed us. Then he glanced over his shoulder, giving a smirk that made people gasp.

"W-What? You're actually dating that junk?" she pointed her long nails at me.

"What if I am?" he said-and the hallway erupted in whispers.

We walked in silence. My mind spun, still trying to process everything. I felt lightheaded, like I might faint.

"Don't do that," Nathan said, chuckling softly when I pinched my cheek. "You're not dreaming."

I blinked at him. He stopped and looked at me seriously.

"I'm sorry, Natasha. Natalie isn't my girlfriend-she's just a clingy fling. I should've made that clear sooner." He sighed. "I'm sorry you got dragged into this mess. Are you okay?"

His sincerity caught me off guard. I hesitated, debating whether to walk away or be honest. But the words slipped out before I could stop them.

"Can I be honest? I'm not okay. What they said really hurt. I don't know how long it'll take before I forget it. Maybe we shouldn't hang out anymore, Nathan. People are starting to hate me because of you."

I turned to leave, mortified at my own confession. But before I could take a step, his arms wrapped around me from behind. I froze as his chin rested on my shoulder.

"It's okay to cry," he whispered. "I understand your pain. But remember this, Natasha-"

He turned me around gently until we were face to face. His eyes locked onto mine, intense and unflinching.

"I care about you. I know you'll freak out, but I actually-" His words trailed off. He cursed under his breath before resting his forehead on my shoulder.

"I can't stop thinking about you since that night at the carnival," he murmured. "And I keep thinking about... kissing you. But-"

I stared at him, speechless. He must have sensed my panic because he quickly added, "Not in a bad way! I respect you, Natasha. I just-"

"Do you want to hang out tonight?" I interrupted suddenly. "I'm free. No night shift."

He blinked, stunned, then broke into a wide smile that reached his eyes.

"We could go to the park," I said. "There are food stalls. My treat."

"Okay," he said, grinning like a kid. "See you later."

"See you."

I turned away, my heart racing. Normally, I would've avoided him after something like that, but for some reason, I couldn't. Despite everything, I trusted him. And for once, it felt like someone truly cared.

When my last class ended, I saw him waiting outside, chatting with a few students. The moment he saw me, his face lit up.

"Hey! How was class?" he asked, ignoring the others still trying to get his attention.

"It went fine," I said with a shy smile.

"Yo, Nathan, I thought you-" one of his friends called out.

"Sorry, Jacob! Hanging out with someone tonight. Promise I'll catch up later!"

Before anyone could respond, he grabbed my hand, and we walked to his car. We couldn't stop laughing at the shocked faces around us.

In the car, he turned up the radio, and soon we were singing along, completely at ease. For the first time, I realized how natural it felt to be beside him.

When we arrived at the park, the place buzzed with life-kids running, parents chatting, lights glowing softly over food stalls. The air smelled of popcorn and sweet pastries.

"Hey, kids! Can we join?" Nathan shouted, grinning.

I gave him a confused look, but before I could protest, a few kids ran up to me, giggling as they tugged on my hair and sleeves. Nathan burst out laughing and started chasing them. I was about to get up when they pushed me back into the sand, piling it on me like I was part of their game.

"Oh, great," I muttered, brushing sand off my clothes.

Then a small girl's cry caught my attention. A boy was laughing at her while she sat on the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks. Before I could react, Nathan was already there. He knelt beside her, gently lifting her in his arms.

"Hey, that's not okay, buddy," he said firmly to the boy. "You owe her an apology."

The boy crossed his arms and shook his head. Nathan leaned closer, whispering something only he could hear. Whatever he said worked-the boy's expression softened, and he trudged over to the girl, wrapping her in a hug.

I stared at them, amazed. Nathan looked back at me and smiled, and for a moment, I couldn't help but think-he wasn't the guy everyone thought he was.

Days turned into weeks, and somehow, he became a constant part of my life. We met after classes, shared snacks, and sometimes he even picked me up from my night shifts.

He wasn't just the charming, popular guy anymore. He was my comfort zone, my laughter, the person who made my once-quiet life feel a little less lonely.

For the first time in years, I didn't feel invisible. I didn't feel alone.