For the first time in weeks, Natalie Goodman felt normal.

At first, normal was something she couldn't even dream to hope for. And yeah, she was still struggling, and so was her dad, Dan Goodman. But days came where they felt like a normal family; just the two of them. And she never took those days for granted.

"Hey, Dad," Natalie called cheerily down the stairs as she put her hair up in a ponytail.

"You're perky today, Nat," he called back, pulling out her chair at the kitchen table. Natalie passed right by, however, heading toward the fridge.

"No time, sorry," she explained, grabbing a sandwich and tossing it towards her bag. "I'll have to eat on the run."

Dan settled in his own seat at the table, sipping his morning latte casually. "What's your excuse for going early this time?" he raised his eyebrow inquisitively. "You have nothing to rehearse for."

"Henry and I were working on something after school yesterday, remember?" Natalie reminded him. "He wanted to come early to finish it and I figured I should help."

Dan grinned to himself. "Go on ahead. But--at least grab a slice of bread, sweetie...breakfast is importa--"

"Way ahead of you," she laughed, shouldering her backpack. With a mouth full of bread, she mumbled "bye!" and headed out for school. Dan laughed and shook his head, pulling Natalie's unused chair back into place with his foot.

Natalie headed for the practice room that she and Henry frequented more often than they cared to admit. Ever since the 'Weeks of Wasted Practice' (as Natalie has dubbed them) where Henry interrupted her recital rehearsals to "make sh*t up", they've basically lived in that little practice room. They jam, they flirt, they joke around, they make out occasionally. It's their little practice room, and it's almost an unspoken rule that they aren't to be disturbed.

Natalie knocked on the door but didn't bother to wait for a response before she poked her head inside. "Hey," she called, smiling at Henry who was buried in his thoughts, fingering something on the piano.

He looked up and smiled as she closed the door behind her. "Hey," he replied, scooting over on the piano bench to make room for her. She looked down at his fingers, then closed her eyes to listen to what he was playing.

"That's new," she remarked on a riff he had repeated for the third time. "When did you come up with that one?"

"I didn't come up with it," Henry admitted. "It's a piece I'm rehearsing for--"

"Wait..." Natalie cut him off. "You never rehearse. Like, ANYTHING."

"I was going to finish," he continued, running the riff again. "It's for jazz band. I still get to improvise but it has a central melody, you know?"

"You're in jazz band?" Natalie asked. "I mean, I should've known, but...jazz band?"

"Yeah," he confirmed. "You should've guessed, honestly."

Natalie crossed her arms playfully. "Isn't it too structured for you?"

Henry shot her a smirk and paused. Then he started a new piece...a piece Natalie recognized.

"Invention in C?" she asked, taken completely off guard.

Henry just nodded. "I'm classically trained," he informed her.

"You? Classically trained?" Natalie snorted. "I don't believe it."

"That's the reason I like jazz so much," Henry explained. "I got fed up with just reading the notes on the page, you know?"

"I'm just surprised you haven't brought it up before."

"We've been busy!"

There was a pause. "So..." Natalie continued. "Jazz band?"

Henry shook his head quickly and got back on topic. "Yeah; I joined as soon as I could. It's a hoot, really...you should come to rehearsal sometime."

"Okay, I'm game," she decided. "When do you meet?"

Henry finished up the piece with a flashy unresolved chord, closing his eyes and drinking in the clashing sound he loved so much. "We meet today, actually," he told her, turning to face her. "Just after school. Band--"

"Band room," Natalie finished for him. 

"Lucky guess?" Henry mocked her often sarcastic tone.

"No, I can read," she shot back at him. "You've written 'Jazz band rules' at least five times on the white board in there."

"That would be a good hint," he admitted, leaning in closer and kissing her gently. Natalie once told Henry that she wouldn't put anything in her mouth that was on fire, but every time Henry kissed her she felt sparks dancing on her lips. It was something she thought she'd get over, but Henry was right...he was perfect for her.

After a while, Henry pulled away. He looked into her eyes for a moment before grabbing his bag. "I'll see you after school, then?"

"We have class together, like, five times," Natalie argued, grabbing her own bag.

It took Henry a good three seconds to formulate a response. "I...like to focus on my schoolwork," he reasoned.

Natalie raised one eyebrow. "You doodle all over your notes."

"It helps me focus!" Henry laughed. Before Natalie could reply, the bell rang sharply.

"After school?" Natalie confirmed. Henry nodded.

"See you in jazz band," he grinned, waving at her as he left the practice room. As Natalie made her way into the stream of people walking the hallway, she somehow felt less alone.

~* WHOO YEAH HERE WE GO THIS IS GONNA BE TRASH I CAN FEEL IT

who else ships them with their whole being

I have bootlegs I need to watch *BANDSTAND cough cough cough* so this will be it for now. I'll have at LEAST two more chapters, maybe more than that who knows *~