Chapter 14

Summertime in New York City is a crazy time. There’s endless nights at clubs, long days lounging at the beach and horrible mornings with killer hangovers.

When summer began officially on Memorial Day Weekend, I promised Hope and Ricky we’d start the summer off right.

We were going to club hop till we dropped from exhaustion or drank way too much.

I ran around the apartment like a headless chicken as I searched for an outfit. I wished that I did my laundry more often at that point.

I picked up the phone that was ringing off the hook and greeted my mother who yelled at me for never calling her.

“Mami, I’ve just been really busy, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She sighed. “Un hombre came to the house looking for you.”

“Huh? Who was it?”

“He looked like he was about 50. He said something about wanting to talk to you about a job.”

“A job?” I scratched my pin straight hair, trying to figure out who it could be.

“Si… something about a Secretary…”

“Oh my God… I applied for that job in like March. I don’t want it now.” I rolled my eyed and chucked my clothes around my room. “That’s weird, why would they go to your house Mami?”

“I don’t know, I thought it was rado.”

“Hmm… well if you hear anything else Mami, call me. I’m going out to a party tonight.”

“Another one?”

“Yes, Mami, another one. I need to get ready, I love you, bye!!” I hung up the phone quickly and rolled my eyes.

Gah! I loved my mother but she could be really annoying sometimes. I realized I needed to be careful, but I was 19. I wanted to have my fun.

I sighed and dug out a pair of long bar earrings and put them on. My hair was scrunched and up in a ponytail. The earrings helped to dress up my hair.

I ran down the hallway searching for my Clinque lip-gloss as the phone started to ring again. I groaned and picked up the portable.

“Hi How can you help me?” I said, stealing Rick’s catchphrase for answering the phone.

“Natalia, this is Mr. Fatone. I just wanted to tell you that some guy was here at the Bar looking for you.”

“Uhm… who was it?”

“He said he was an old friend… your teacher from photography in high school.”

“Mr. Stevenson?” I said confused. What the hell would he be doing looking for me.

“Yeah… I gave him your address, he said that he needed to give you back some picture from a contest…”

I couldn’t believe it. The picture I had one first place for taking in the Kodak Originality Photo Contest. Mr. Stevenson told me I’d never see the picture again and I couldn’t believe I was getting it back.

“Wow… uh… well…I was about to head out but thanks Mr. Fatone.”

“Oh wait, Natalia, I was wondering, do you wanna go out with me tonight?’

I paled suddenly, not able to believe that Joey Fatone asked me out. He was my boss, and very nice but also MARRIED with a fucking child!!!!

“Uhm… I’m busy… I’m going out with my boyfriend Ricky.” I lied, covering my ass. Mr. Fatone had seen Ricky many times when he came to visit Hope and I at work.

Ricky also pretended to be my boyfriend a lot of times when scary men hit on me. I did the same for him when he was in a scary situation.

This tradition began in junior year, when this girl stalked him. Ricky hadn’t admitted that he was gay, so he dated girls to please his family. But he had this one girl stalking him. I of course found it funny, but he begged me to bail him out.

It’s been a tradition we’ve held up to all these years.

“Oh… I thought he was gay…”

“No he isn’t.” I lied and headed towards my room. “Well Mr. Fatone, I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye!”

I quickly hung up and sighed. Good God, I seemed to be getting all the crazy men lately. Justin, Joey…

God why did I think about him? Justin… the psychotic man who kidnapped me, who shot my brother, who loved me, who I had sex with.

I felt so dirty for sleeping with him. Ricky and Hope couldn’t believe it when I told them. Hope figured it would happen eventually, but Ricky was shocked that I would do that.

Ricky claimed that I had to have cared about him to have slept with him. I didn’t think it was true. I thought that maybe I was just lonely and scared and Justin offered me a little comfort. Ricky laughed at my opinion.

He could be so stubborn sometimes.

**

I made my way to the bar, Desire. I looked like a hooch, wearing a short gray skirt. It was pretty, with different shades of gray adorning it. I placed on a simple black tube top the clung to my body and showed off my huge chest.

Yeah, I knew I looked good.

I headed through the crowded bar and saw Ricky downing a shot of some funky looking drink. I jumped on his back and placed a big kiss on his cheek.

“HI!” I screamed in his ear. He laughed and grabbed my arm.

“You need a boyfriend Natalia.” Ricky shook his head at me and I rolled my eyes. “Too bad the only guys I know are gay.”

“And the straight ones you know are scary.” I laughed and sat down next to him on the barstool. I ordered a drink and looked at Ricky.

“Maybe you’re just picky.”

“You’re annoying.” I rolled my eyes at him and smirked. “So where’s Louis? I wanna meet him.”

“He’s running late, he said he’d be here at 11ish.”

“Okay…” I drank my rum and coke and looked around the club, trying to see if I spotted Hope. She was supposed to meet us and as far as I could tell she wasn’t here yet.

“Don’t embarrass me? Please?”

“I already told you I’d be good. I promise.” I beamed at Ricky as he rolled his eyes at me.

“Whatever, I’m going to the bathroom.” Ricky got off his stool and headed into the crowd toward the bathroom.

I sighed and sipped some more of my drink. The music was blasting through the bar and a few skanky girls were dancing, hoping to get a guy to buy them some drinks.

That was pathetic.

I mean ew, I’d buy myself a drink before dancing around like a trained dog for some scary guy to notice me.

I noticed Hope walking over to me, wearing a red poncho and a pair of red short shorts. She walked over to me and sat down with a smile on her face.

“Guess who’s coming tonight?”

“Who?” I asked, smiling a little bit.

Hope had been having a lot of trouble getting over Tommy. She didn’t say it, but I could tell that when she was spacing off she was thinking about him. She tended to do that a lot.

I guess it’s hard to get over love, even when it’s for the best.

“Andrew!”

“My brother Andrew?!”

“Yeah!”

What?! I had no idea that Andy liked Hope. I mean yeah Hope liked Andy that was obvious but oh my God. I mean it was cute and all but I couldn’t believe it.

But it would be kinda cool to have Hope as my sister in law.

“Wow… are you guys gonna hook up?”

“Maybe!” She giggled and ran her hand through her hair. “Do I look alright?”

“Yes!” I smiled, feeling kind of awkward at the fact that I was the only single one.

Ugh! I hated when that happened. I hated feeling like the third wheel. I just forced a smile and hoped for the best. I probably could find a normal guy to hang with… right?

Eh. I doubted that but I could still have fun anyway.

“BOO!” Ricky said and jumped on me. I almost screamed and glared at him.

“I hate when you do that!”

“Psh... whatever. You love it.”

“Ricky, get a life.” I grabbed him and licked his cheek, making him freak out.

“EWW! Natalia that’s gross!” He wiped at his cheek while Hope and I giggled at him. He was so adorable sometimes, I absolutely loved it.

“Oh stop it.” I kissed him on the cheek and smiled at him. I know what you’re thinking, I’m flirting with him. No, that’s just the way me and Ricky are. We just like to mess around with each other.

I can’t lie, I had a crush on him when I was younger, but it wasn’t meant to be. We’re more like brother and sister then anything. We even plan on moving next door to each other when we’re both settled down.

“Ugh, now I smell like spit. I can’t stand you Natalia.”

“Oh my God!” Hope squealed suddenly, looking toward the door. I turned to see who it was and smirked when I saw Andrew walking in.

“What’s up Andy?” I said with a smile as my brother placed a small kiss on Hope’s cheek, then mine, and shook hands with Ricky.

“Nothing, I haven’t seen you in forever, brat.”

“I know. You’re too busy for me.”

“Whatever.” He rolled his eyes and laughed a little. Andy sat down next to Hope, the two of them started to make small talk.

Ricky and I decided to leave them alone so we headed to the other side of the bar where we just talked about a bunch of things and drank. We weren’t getting crazy drunk because that’s just stupid.

I mean its okay to do that sometimes, but fuck that, I had to drive home. I sure as hell didn’t want to go home with some scary man either.

Speaking of scary men, I saw my employer, Joey walking around the bar. I tried to hide from him but he spotted me and headed over to us. I clung to Ricky as Joey stepped right next to us.

“Hi Natalia…” Joey licked his lips at me and I could feel Ricky start to shake with laughter. I elbowed him in the stomach and forced a smile at Joey.

“Hi Mr. Fatone. You remember, my boyfriend, Ricky right?”

Ricky immediately got the hint and stuck his hand out to Joey.

“Yeah, I remember you.” Joey sneered and unhappily shook his hand. “I just wanted to tell you that I need you and Hope to help train this new girl next week.”

“Okay cool.” I smiled and placed a kiss on Ricky’s cheek and looked back at Joey. Joey smiled at the both of us but I could tell he was annoyed. He started to walk away and I hugged Ricky tightly.

“So how much is that you owe me now? I mean I’ve got claims on your kidney but I think I deserve a lung or something.”

“Quiet, because I do a lot for you too.” I said, sticking my tongue out at him and laughing.

“Keep telling yourself that, Nat.”

I rolled my eyes and sipped my drink, looking around the club for someone to make fun of. That was when I spotted this very good-looking brown haired guy come into the club.

I couldn’t stop looking at him. God! He was gorgeous; he even had these blue eyes that reminded me of Justin’s… GOD! Okay. Will not think of him again.

 The man smiled at me and started walking over. My heart started beating like crazy, I couldn’t believe it. Hey, maybe my luck wouldn’t be so bad.

“Hey, Teddy Bear…” The man said as he reached Ricky and I.

“Hey!” Ricky got up and hugged him tightly and my mouth dropped. Ricky placed a small peck on the guy’s lips and I pouted. Ricky ALWAYS got the hot guys. “Natalia, this is Louis, Louis this is Natalia.”

“Hi nice to meet you.” I smiled and shook the gorgeous man’s hand. Breathe Natalia, breathe!

“You too.” Louis smiled warmly at me.

Ugh, so not much happened after, the three of us talked and stuff and I definitely approved of Louis. He was really sweet and seemed to really like Ricky. They looked adorable together too.

Ricky and I staggered out of the bar at like 2am while Hope was still busy making out with my brother. The night wasn’t crazy cool, but the shit was about to hit the fan.