Chapter 28

I was so burned from going to the beach every chance I could. I decided to take the night off from work and decided to just relax at home. It was strange though, everyone was home but no one was talking.

It was weird because it was like everyone was so damn secretive. I mean Ricky and me were keeping the big Justin secret from everyone and I could only imagine what Savannah and Hope knew.

Then again, I could just be paranoid. I always am anyway.

I signed off the computer after finishing enrolling in Pace for next semester. I was nervous about going back to school after such a long time. I mean things had changed and I had changed. I hoped that I would be able to get "back" on track.

I was never on track to begin with but maybe this time I'd be able to get on it.

"Rick, I'm bored."

He knew everything that had happened at Hollie's house. Ricky was very surprised to hear that Dylan was in the mob. Dylan always seemed like a nice guy to him, but I guess you could never be certain with stuff like that. People are never what they seem.

"Yeah so am I."

"Play video games with me?"

"I hate playing with you because you always win and run around like an idiot, shoving it in my face." Ricky said and continued doing work for his job at Tommy Hilfiger. He was a lucky bastard to have such a cool job.

"Don't be a sore loser."

"Then don't be a sore winner."

"Ewww. Someone's bitchy." I pouted and sat next to my gay best friend.

"I'm just busy, I'm sorry. Gimme a little while and we'll do something."

I pouted and walked behind Savannah and jumped on her and yelled, "BOO!" in her ear. She screamed and threw the phone up in the air. I died laughing at this point.

"YOU ARE SUCH A BITCH!" Savannah yelled but at the same time laughed. She picked up the phone from the floor and shook her head.

"Oh hush. You love me."

"Yeah sure." She replied sarcastically, I gave her the puppy look. "You're like a little kid. God damnit."

"I was just bored, everyone's too busy for me."

"Please don't tell me that you're gonna make me play video games with you…" Savannah said, with an ounce of dread in her voice.

"Why does everyone hate playing video games with me?!" I exclaimed and crossed my sun burnt arms. I yelped in pain and closed my eyes.

"Because you always make me play the ones you’re good at, and you always end up beating me. I really think that you cheat."

"I sooo do not! I just have skills!"

"Whatever. I can't though babe, I'm about to go out."

"With who?" I inquired and smirked.

Did she have a date? How awesome would that be! All of us had boyfriends and we were all happy! I was ecstatic for my friend.

"No one you know." Savannah smiled and headed into her bedroom. "Sorry mama, I need to get dressed."

"Alright." I pouted and went to look for Hope, but to my dismay, she was out with my brother. They were like attached at the hip.

I decided to call Justin, so I grabbed my cell phone and headed into my bedroom. I shut the door behind me and dialed his number.

"Hello." Justin answered his phone, sounding a little annoyed.

"Hi baby…You busy?"

"No, but today just won't fucking end."

"Ugh. I know, I'm just so bored. Everyone's too busy for me and did I mention my burn hurts badly?"

"I told you to put on sun block, but you bitched that you wanted to tan."

"Fuck you. I'd rather be red than albino." I replied with a yawn. "I miss you."

"I miss you too. I wish I could be with you right now."

"How much more do you have to work? I'm bored."

"Tommy's got me working all night baby, I'm sorry." Justin stated and l sighed.

"Get out of it please?"

"You know I'm doing this only because I love you."

"I know." I grinned and made a kiss sound into the phone.

"I'll pick you up at 10, okay?"

"Okay bye baby."

"Bye Natalia, I love you."

I hung up the phone and spaced off. I still couldn't shake the feeling he gave me when he said he loved me. I mean it was crazy. He loved me? I just could never stop wondering why.

I grabbed my care bear stuffed animal and hugged it tightly. Love is such a crazy thing. I mean you shouldn't say it if you don't mean it. Did he really mean it?

My cell phone started ringing and I figured it was Justin calling me back. I grabbed the phone and answered it, using a stupid voice to bother him.

"Hello hello?"

"Nat?"

"Uh… who's this?"

"It's Dylan."

WHAT?! What the hell was he doing calling me? How the hell did he have my number?

"Oh… hi." I responded, unsure of what to say to this man. What did he want from me? Was this a ploy to hurt Justin and to get dirt on him?

"How are you?"

"I'm fine…"

"Nat, I was worried about you the other day… you shouldn't be hanging around with someone like Justin. I mean he kidnapped you and he's in the fucking mob."

"You mean someone like you?"

"…What?" I could hear the shock in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm not stupid, Dylan. I know the truth."

"You mean Justin fucking told you, he's afraid of a little competition so he's trying to keep me away from you."

"Dylan, what are you saying? What do you want?" I demanded, pushing my care bear on the other side of the bed and looking down at the floor.

"I just wanna talk to you. Let's go somewhere and have coffee."

"I don't think so."

"Natalia, come on. It's just coffee."

"Fine." I replied, getting very annoyed with Dylan. I really didn't want to see him, but at the same time I wanted to know what he was up to.

Why couldn't things ever be simple?

**

I made my way to a Starbucks in the village, wearing a black baby doll tube top dress. I had on a pair of black sequent high heeled flip-flops and my hair was down and straight.

In a way I knew I was only getting myself into trouble. I shouldn't have gone to see Dylan. I was with Justin and I knew all Dylan was going to do was badmouth him.

I hoped things would go all right, but I seriously doubted that.

Seeing that Dylan was sitting down in the Starbucks, I headed over to him and sat across from him. I half-smiled at him and played with the necklace Justin gave me earlier that year. I had given it back to him, actually thrown it at him. He gave it back to me when things were better between us and I hadn't taken it off since.

"Hey…"

"Natalia, I'm glad you came."

"Yeah, well… I figured I oughta hear you out."

"Good." Dylan replied and sipped his iced latte. He leaned back in his chair and sighed. "He's no good for you, Nat."

"Who are you to tell me who is and isn't good for me? You don't even know me anymore."

"You haven't changed. I still know you, and I know well enough that he's taking advantage of you. You're a sweet gi-"

"Okay… fuck you, because you took advantage of me just as well, so you have no right to say anything. He's been amazing to me."

"I'm sorry I hurt you Natalia, but that was along time ago. I'm just trying to warn you, he doesn't love you. He's just going to throw you to the side as soon as he gets bored of you."

"But you did that too, Dylan. You got bored of me and then made up some dumb ass excuse to dump me so you could go bang other girls freely. I'm happy right now, and I don't need you coming back in my life trying to be my white knight." I said and stared right at him. "I can take care of myself."

"I didn't get bored of you, I just had a lot going on in my life and I needed space. I'm sorry I lied and said the relationship wasn't going anywhere, I didn't want to hurt you." Dylan stated in reply. I rolled my eyes. "Obviously not seeing that you're too blind to see that he kidnapped you and shot your brother, what else could he do to you?"

"I trust him, Dylan, and with him I have no regrets. With you, everything is the opposite."

"Don't think that…"

"Well I do. Now tell me. What are your real motives?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why did you really want to talk? Did the Lopez's force you?"

Dylan looked at me stunned, unable to believe that Justin had told me so much. I decided to add the icing on the cake so I leaned over and smirked.

"Or was it my Uncle Eduardo?"

His mouth almost dropped. I knew he couldn't believe that Justin had been so honest with me. I just smiled innocently and crossed my arms across my chest. I was no fool, and Dylan was finally realizing that.

"Natalia, your Uncle is doing this to protect you…just like I am."

"My Uncle can't protect me, not from Justin or the Ryan's."

"Fine, I understand you don't want to be helped but can I at least be friends with you?"

"You didn't want to be my friend before, what's different now?"

"I just wanna be here for you." Dylan simply replied. "I don't want you out of my life."

"Alright… friends…" I stuck my hand out and shook Dylan's hand. He half smiled at me and I got an eerie feeling in my stomach.

Could I actually trust him? Or in the back of his mind would he always be after Justin? I didn't know what to think, or what to even do anymore.

"I should be going." I got up from my seat and headed to the door. Dylan followed me to my dismay and held the door for me. I headed out the door and he was walking with me. Great. I reached my destination, the subway, and turned to smile at Dylan.

"See ya Nat, stay safe."

"You too Dyl." I leaned over to hug him and give him a kiss on the cheek, when his lips met mine. All the breath was knocked out of my body by this point.

This was no friendly kiss; this was a full on make out session kiss. I pulled away with my eyes widened. I HAD KISSED BACK!

"Later." He simply said and headed down the street.