1273 Dean Avenue

Inspired by Sarah Smoke's 128 Redding St.

I spent too long thinking about it for me not to get curious...and begin my own chapter. Good artist steal, right?

1273 Dean Avenue was where a small loft just off a busy street resided. Natalie lived there alone, but never by herself. Her place was the place to crash.

“Wanna watch a movie?”

 “Yeah, see you at Natalie’s.”

Then everyone would show up thirty minutes later, and Nat would still be in her bra, quickly throwing a sweatshirt on. Joan was there most often, the neighbors all thought she lived there. She actually lived in a small apartment on the university’s campus, but you would never know it. On this particular day, Joan was sitting on Natalie’s couch skimming poetry, she never read without skimming first. Nat had just woken up, Joan must have let herself in. In an oversized t-shirt and bikini panties, Natalie started to make breakfast. She knew better than to ask Joan if she wanted some-Joan always wanted some. “Was that Peter’s?” Joan asked, not looking from her book. Nat rolled her eyes and grabbed the shirt, smiling. “Yeah,” she replied. This made Joan laugh. They both knew that it wasn’t Peter’s, they didn’t have anything of his anymore. Joan always just teased Nat because her boobs were bigger. Natalie cooks in the kitchen listening to the music that never stops playing, and when she begins to pull out plates, she always grabs more than she needs. She knows when she turns around there will be a cluster of hungry people waiting for their eggs. Sure enough, she hears the door open and heavy Doc Martins pounding on the wood. Natalie ignores it, as Toby goes to the counter because he knows not to go in the kitchen when Nat is cooking. He grabs a plate, dishes up and just smiles at Nat as he takes his place on the couch by Joan. Joan glances up from her book and looks disgusted. “No one told me they were done!” she screams, and she over dramatically throws her book and dishes herself some eggs. Meanwhile, Wyatt comes in with his sunglasses and four Starbucks. Joan looks back and smiles. “I was wondering where you were!” “Toby made me drop him off before I parked,” Wyatt says and an awkward laugh follows. Joan sniggers and Toby just waves. Wyatt puts the coffee by the sink, and slouches against the counter. “Wyatt, you want some eggs?” Nat asks looking over her shoulder. “Oh sure,” he says nonchalantly and waits for Natalie to serve him. Grabbing her toast, Nat looks over at everyone. Joan is sitting cross-legged on the counter with her plate balancing on her knees. Toby is still over on the couch checking his phone while eating, and Wyatt is facing Joan, leaning against the stove. Natalie carries her plate over to the table. Wyatt turns to the fridge and begins to move things around. “Where’s the bacon?” he asks, but Natalie doesn't respond. She looks down at her plate, making sure not to make eye contact with anyone. Joan shakes her head and hops off the counter. She sets her plate next to Natalie’s, and Wyatt sets his coffee by Joan’s. Natalie smiles and is a little more pleased, and Wyatt repeats his question. “Where’s the bacon?” Natalie looks over at Toby. Rolling her eyes, Joan yells, “Toby, get your bum to the table, you bum!” Toby does a small groan while muttering, “I just can’t…” and sits down on Nat’s other side. “I ran out of bacon yesterday.” Natalie finally answers.

This was a typical day on Dean Avenue. People were always flowing in and out, but Natalie didn't mind. She wasn't sure if it was her motherly instincts kicking in, but she actually liked it. She had always been the nurturing one, Joan had always been the defensive, closed off one. Or, at least, that’s how it appeared. Joan was actually quite caring and loving when you got to know her, she just preferred to show no emotion to those that “didn’t matter”. Joan got stressed out way too easily, and the only way she coped with it was to stop letting people in. It was a shame, because Joan was the most loyal person Natalie knew. If you cracked her shell, she’d be by your side for eternity.  Even through the rough times, Joan and Nat had never stopped being friends.

The girls awkwardly balanced many friends. Wyatt and Toby were the fun ones, the spontaneous ones, the glamorous ones. With them, they lived a life of 90201 on Dean Avenue (or at least what they imagined it to be.)

Brian was the awkward one. They had met through mutual friends, but it seemed Brian never left after that. Joan was really close with him, spilling secret after secret out, and he was always there. Joan took the better part of three years trying to get romantically involved. She honestly couldn’t picture herself with anyone but him, but unfortunately, he didn’t feel the same way. What was worse was that he was completely oblivious to her advances, he thought them honestly just friends. When she finally came clean, Brian laughed. True, Joan had tried to play it off as a joke, something that wasn’t that big of a deal, but it was still one of the most hurtful things he could have done, and he didn’t even realize it. But then again, he never truly understood what he did to people. That was Brian for you – completely and utterly oblivious. Joan had a lot of bottled up resentments about him, but always managed to push them aside when they got together. Brian still thought they were as tight as Twizzlers, so Joan played along. No one would ever know, but every time they got together, Joan still thought What if?

When Natalie first saw Brain she was instantly interested. She was always looking for love. Slowly, they became friends and he made it clear that he was not interested in being anything more than friends. She was okay with that. Talking to Brian was so easy for Natalie. They lived for movies and late nights spent together.  The longer they were friends though, the more complicated their relationship became. Natalie was naïve and wanted to trust him. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about her, but he was confused. He seemed to have too many friends to focus on just one. He never remembered her birthday or did the simple fun things friends are supposed to do. He seemed to not call her anymore and things were just awkward. However, for Joan’s sake, Natalie endured him on a weekly basis.

Then there was Alfie and Ashley. Nat and Joan didn’t like to talk about Ashley much, she had hurt them and acted like it was nothing. But that was the thing you had to realize about Ashley, nothing was ever her fault. Ever. So they continued to talk to her mostly just out of kindness. Natalie was a lot better at it than Joan was, but neither of them thought they’d have to continue it out of high school. They had been wrong, because Ashley kept trying to peer into every aspect of their lives, calling and texting them constantly. Both of them continued to tolerate it, knowing that without them, Ashley had close to nothing.

And Alfie, oh Alfie. He was a friend that never gave up on the girls. He was always there for a deep talk and a good laugh. He was a terrible driver which always made for a good story. Nat never knew anyone else who drove 80 on State Street, but then again she was the one hanging out the sun roof.

Next came Peter. He was a tender subject for both the girls…

Natalie: When I hear that scumbag’s name I think of all the great times we had together. Some of the best years of my life were spent with him. I even let him read my diary. That is how close we were. Somedays we would just drive. We could talk forever without always having to say words.  He was fracking rich and a gentleman when he wanted to be. He could be the most generous person you knew. Once, before he changed, he could make me smile when I felt like dying. He wanted to be everything he thought I deserved and more. He gave me a hickey on my couch while my mom was home. That jerk. In front of my best friend. Then he gave her some too. It was kind of gross. *Joan laughs and agrees* We were so stupid. He didn’t take me to Disneyland. I hope he remembers when he licked my eye because he will never be able to come that close to me again. He is trash. He looks fat with a beard though.

Joan: What a dick. Man, I thought he was a true friend. I really did. He was the kind of guy you could just be yourself around, ya know? We had the best of times. We could not talk for weeks and still be best friends. I laughed the loudest and loved the most with him. You could always count on good old Peter, or so I thought. He got in a really toxic relationship with some fake bitch and it all spiraled downhill from there. He felt the need to lie and ended up just pushing everyone away. Like, seriously, we were best friends. Like Natalie said, we all wanted to know what a hickey felt like, so what’d we do? Get Peter to give us hickies. It was hilarious. Looking back now I realize that he is truly, honestly, an ass. He just uses everyone’s emotions when he needs them, and wipes them under his shoe when he’s finished. He’s a cocky, fake, jerky little dick. And I never used the word ‘dick’ until he turned into one. And honestly, I think that’s what he thinks with, his dick. Cause he’s a dick, the little dick. Dick dick dick dick dick diccckkkkkkkkkkk dick dick dick dick dick dick HE’S A DICK.

You know the worst part? We’re still friends. I guess me and Nat just couldn’t let go of what used to be. What a dick.

And that’s how it goes. There’s of course more people that pass through the doors of 1273, but these people have found a place in the heart of Dean Avenue. And now that you know the basics, my dear, please understand that our story has only just begun.

to be continued.

also, i'm shocked if you read all this.