Natalia woke up late in the evening feeling refreshed but terribly hungry! She changed into a free cotton jumpsuit and picked her phone before leaving the tent.
Natalia looked around the beach but couldn’t find Elva or anyone! She got a bit scared as she moved around but found everyone at a gathering. The entire students from the four schools were sitting round the biggest campfire she had ever seen! They were taking turns to tell stories.
Natalia texted Elva and she replied immediately, telling her where they were. She waved her over and Natalia waved back.
“Hey.” Evans smiled as she sat beside him.
“Hi.” She smiled back. That part of the crowd was a bit too occupied so the rest of her friends were sitting behind.
“Here.” Elva passed her a wrap of chicken sandwich and a can of Pepsi. Natalia smiled in gratitude and happily began to munch her snack as another student volunteered to say a story.
“A pic?” Evans raised his phone. She took a funny selfie with him with a full mouth.
“You look like a chubby buffalo!” He giggled. Natalia blinked and poked her head in. She laughed because it was true!
She ate the last sandwich and tossed the bag aside, dusting her hands.
“Here.” He wiped the sides of her lips.
“Thanks.” She said. He smiled and returned to his selfies.
“So what’s the story about?” She nodded towards the story teller.
Evans chuckled and playfully inched his head closer. “What if I told you I got NO idea?”
She rolled her eyes and pushed his head away.
Seeing that the rest were robotically busy with their phones, Natalia looked back ahead to find Arian at the other end of the huge circle, staring at her. She glowed and smiled at him but the young French scoffed, rolled his eyes and looked away. He was at a secluded side with a moody Jeffrey, a bored Ricky, a flirty Damon and a clingy Selena who stuck to his sides like glue!
Selena looked desperate, saying something he obviously wasn’t listening to. Couldn’t she be less irritating? Natalia tried not to scowl.
And what’s up with him?!
“So we’ve heard a couple of stories now. Let’s try something else. How ’bout a song? Who’s gonna volunteer?” A teacher asked after everyone had polietly clapped for the last story teller.
“Yeah, PLEASE let it be a song! We’ve got a guitar here.” A guy from the crowd yelled and everyone shouted in agreement.
Suddenly, a girl came out and the crowd applauded. She sat on a chair placed in the middle and sang ‘Without Me’ by Halsey.
She was so good! Everyone cheered when she was done but Evans’ was the loudest.
“That’s my baby girl!” He cheered to no one. Natalia looked confused.
“My kid sister, duh!” He explained. And she laughed out again. Evans was crazy!
He did it better than a six year old! She looked away and caught Arian’s glare again.
Seriously, what’s with the dude??
“Okay since we’ve got a girl sing, now we need a boy. Only one more song before bedtime.” Natalia looked at Arian to see Selena tugging at his arms with a pout.
He finally said something which made her face fall then stood up to leave.
“Okay, we’ve got a volunteer.” The teacher started the applause, thinking Arian was gonna sing.
He confusedly frowned at her and silently nodded but the girls in the crowd started cooing and cheering. The noise began to build. Natalia knew Arian was starting to hate it, judging by the look he had on his face. He turned to leave again but they blocked him.
Arian breathed out before walking to the guitar and everyone cheered again.
These guys are funny! Natalia thought and giggled. Arian sat and picked up the guitar. The campfire provided a lot of light for Natalia and other girls…. unfortunately…. to gawk at him.
He was on a big white shirt with grey cargo pants and white beach slippers. His silver pendent glittered in the moonlight. It looked pretty… really pretty. Natalia concluded she was gonna ask him the meaning of it later on because she noticed he never took it off.
Arian moistened his lips and pushed his long hair back. A reflex action which got everyone swooning, including the princess. Like, how does he do it??
~ To be young and in love in New York City.
~ To not know who I am but still know that I’m good as long as you’re here with me.
~ To be drunk and in love in New York City.
~ Midnight into morning coffee.
~ Burning through the hours talking.
~ Damn, I like me better when I’m with you.
~ I like me better when I’m with you.
~I knew from the first time, I’ld stay for a long time ’cause..
~ I like me better when
~ I like me better when I’m with you..
Everyone screamed and cheered when he was done. Natalia remained speechless even though others gave a standing ovation. Somehow she felt the lyrics were for her, were sung to her. Arian meaningfully looked at her for a moment before walking away.
~ He’s so cute!!
~ Try hot! Wonder how I got stuck with that loser I’m with! Gosh! He knows nothing than to screw around with things under skirts!
~ I wonder who the lucky girl is??
~ (Gasps) So you noticed too?? I’m so jealous!
~ Yeah! He’s definitely in love.
~ Whatever. She’s such a lucky bitch…
They were all going back to the city tomorrow so the teachers told the students to get an early night. Natalia took a shower and changed into a white, long gown with straps. She didn’t know who won the rest of the competition so she stayed up with the girls talking and laughing.
“I don’t wanna go to bed yet.” She whined.
“Me too. But Leo’s gonna haul me in and tie me to my blanket if I don’t!” Becky smiled and stood up. The girls giggled.
“What?!” She yapped.
“Nothing.” They chorused and she squinted her eyes at them before leaving.
“Whipped!” Elva cooed and they chuckled.
“Ooh! I left my phone with Stan! Mom calls every night so I need to get it. Elva could you give these lotions to Ricky and force him to use it, please??” Nicky pushed a bag to her and ran away in her shorts and crop top without waiting for a reply.
Elva grumbled and slowly turned to Natalia with a pout.
“Don’t even think about it!” The princess looked away, feeling too lazy and touched her pendant. Elva groaned and stomped away in her tank top and beach shorts too.
Crazy peeps! Natalia smiled and removed her necklace. It was beautiful, just like Arian’s.
Oh yeah! She suddenly remembered that she wanted to ask him what it meant to him! Since he always kept it close.
But… would he be asleep by now? She thoughtfully bit her lips before standing to look for him…
***
Arian De’ Argent was mad and a little jealous seeing Natalia and the brownie together. You can beat him up later about the ‘brownie’ of a thing but the dude looked like a cute cake with his sleek brown hair!
No offense.
But he’s one brownie Arian would love to crush with his fingers and then trash!
Sighs.
The song he sang felt true to him. From Arian to Natalia. It was the first that popped into his head and he’d sang it.
Afterwards, the young French headed back to his cabin and took a cold shower. Then he pulled on white shorts which stopped before his knees and kept a white long sleeved shirt handy.
Arian never slept with a shirt on and he preferred it that way. He went to bed after having a video call with mom and Tommy.
Some time during the night, he felt someone crawl up beside him on his bed. Soft kisses fluttered around his jaw then slowly slid up his cheeks, forehead and nose.
“Natalia… not now.” He mumbled sleepily and drifted off again. The figure froze for a while but then continued the seduction game again. This time, she sat on him and resumed the kisses, running her expert hand through his body.
Just when she was about to intimately connect their lips, Arian’s eyes snapped open with a single thought;
Natalia wasn’t cheap!
The full moon shone brightly through the window so there was no need switching on the bed lamp.
“Selena!” Arian snapped and sat up. She was still sitting on him clad in a skimpy nightie. Anyone could see the audacious curves of her body on a closer look but Arian didn’t care.
“What are you doing here?” He gritted, getting sick of her persistence.
“I was lonely and cold, so I came here.” She whispered and leaned closer but Arian moved his face away.
“So? Don’t you have a roomie and a sweater?”
“I wanna spend the night with you.” She was brazen and deliciously ran her fingers through the phoenix tattoo he had near his waist. But Arian snatched her hand away.
“I’m gonna say this for the last time! The only reason I’m being accommodating towards you is because of my father. I’ll ignore this today but the next time you try this shit, you won’t like the other side of me.” He flung her hands away.
Selena looked a bit frightened but Arian couldn’t care less. She held him back as he tried to push her off him.
“Are you sleeping with her?” She glared. Arian knew exactly who she meant but played ignorant.
“Get off me!” He snapped. But she cut him off with an intimate hug.
“Are you crazy? What…” Arian was cut off again when someone chose that exact moment to walk in!
He forcefully broke free and looked towards the door. The young French’s heart stopped beating when he saw Natalia staring in shock at the both of them…
Chapter 65