-Natalie Mariduena x David Dobrik-
{Likes and comments are greatly appreciated and really motivate me so if you have a few seconds to spare that would be the definition of awesome! -Ella 💞}
Summary; David throws one of his legendary parties and none other than Liza Koshy, famous (perhaps infamous) ex, is in attendance. This leads to a rather jealous Natalie! Pre-relationship! A tad ooc but you take what you can get in these dark tumultuous times. (That podcast, that video, that disposable camera, gah.)
The raucous, often obnoxious, laughter rose from the living room and commuted into each and every room of David’s house. Anyone within a five miles radius could hear the booming music which was on full blast. (Un)luckily for Natalie she was within a fifteen metre radius of the speakers. Which really should be renamed as yellers.
“Shots at the pool table in five y’all!” Zane yelled and danced out the glass patio doorways. Stassie’s fluffy faux feather pink scarf was draped around his neck and Stassie was too.
“Why couldn’t they just do shots at a regular table? Do you know how many times I have to replace misplaced balls?” Natalie sighed out from her place on the couch alongside David. “I’ve got two extra ones here if you need them” He chuckled, shooting her his signature cheeky grin. Natalie rolled her eyes and shoved him gently. “Shut it.” She quipped.
David froze up slightly as Natalie leant her head down onto his shoulder, shifting closer to her. “Gross” He said nervously. The brunette appreciated the warmth radiating from his sturdy frame. She was dressed up in a red jumper, David’s newest merchandise, and black shorts yet she still felt the chill of the biting night breeze.
As she curled her tanned legs up so her knees rested on David’s thigh she wondered how the other girls were lasting. Stassie, Kristen, Erin, Carly, Corinna you name it were all scantily clad in shorts and dresses and glittery tank tops. Natalie’s teeth were chattering and yet they were dancing precariously like no tomorrow atop tabletops and balcony boundaries. They look hot, wandering lustful eyes from the boys proved that, but they must be freezing.
Natalie could see David’s fingers twitching to grab his camera and shoot some footage and yet he stayed alongside her with his arm draped across the back of the couch. She wished he would just wrap it around her should- wait what? “David bro! This party is insane!” Jeff cheered as he and Cody bundled through together to get some drinks. “Nat organised it!” David winked at them and raised his glass of vodka in their general direction. “Good job Natalie!” Erin cheered as she and her fiancé passed on by down the corridor. Natalie let out a tired cheer in response. “Those two better not go in my-“ The door crashed to a close “-bedroom.” David finished with a thin lipped smile.
Natalie tilted her head up to watch him as he chatted animatedly with some other party goers and influencers who she didn’t particularly know that well. David oozed charisma. She admired his smile as he laughed at one of his own jokes (of course).
“Don’t you agree Nat?” He suddenly directed at her and Natalie’s head shot up, a cutely confused look on her face. “Hmm? Yeah yeah! Totally!” She spluttered out and leant her head back down, this time moving it onto David’s toned chest. The soft fabric of his black t-shirt rubbed slightly against her cheek as his frame shook in bellowing laughter.
“Pizza’s here!” Todd cheered, ignoring the glares shot his way from Corinna, sprinting over to the doorway. The flashing lights from the disco ball were so bright Natalie swore she could see them from space if NASA actually followed through on their Twitter proposal. Her eyes fluttered to a close and she shifted in even closer to David, her hand resting limply on his semi solid stomach.
Natalie’s breath caught in her throat as David’s arm suddenly wrapped around her shoulders, bundling her even closer to him. The conversations around her grew fainter as she focused solely on him. David’s thumb stroked her shoulder, an action very unfamiliar to the pair in recent times. Despite the material of the jumper she could still feel her skin heat up from his touches.
She had wanted David to go back to his more openly affectionate self with her for an embarrassing amount of time and now-“Holy shit! That’s not Pizza it’s Liza!” Todd’s voice announced and those surrounding him chuckled.
In a split second David had shrugged away from Natalie and had bounded around the sofa, craning his neck to see his ex girlfriend. Natalie blinked as she struggled to regain her awakeness. Her previously content smile faded as she watched David wrap Liza up in a hug without an ounce of hesitance. ‘Why couldn’t he be like that with me?’
“Liza’s here!” Carly squealed and squeezed Liza’s hand from where it was draped around David’s midriff. The blonde jumped excitedly on the spot. “Now the party is properly started!”
Conversation and laughs arose once more and the music was turned up to the highest notch possible. Natalie sunk back into the couch as David led Liza out into the backyard by her manicured hand. There was no denying that Liza looked killer tonight, her usually curly hair was up in space buns and her babyhair were slicked back. Her red, strapless, leather dress clung to curves that Natalie didn’t even know she had! And her smile was so radiant and happy as she let David introduce her to everyone. Everyone in the house and kitchen seemed to gravitate towards Liza until Natalie was the only one on the couch.
A sting of pain hit her as Natalie noticed David’s hands on Liza’s shoulders. As if sensing Natalie’s eyes on him David made to turn towards her but before he could a longtime fan bounced up to him, phone at the ready.
Natalie sighed as she watched the celebration unfold. Everyone was much too busy dancing and acting up to notice her. Occasionally people would rush into the kitchen for more drinks but no one really took heed of her or her down expression.
Her head tilted downwards and she messed with a thread on the couch. She would have the whole damn thing undone by the time this party was finished. “Hangover already huh?” Scotty grinned as he passed by, making some tequila. It was silent for a second, only the rattling of the metal shaker heard. “Yeah something like that.” Natalie lifted her head and plastered a smile on her face.
Please don’t come over for just 24 hours she said. Party-time they said.
Eventually Natalie began to feel awkward sitting inside, she felt like people were secretly pitying her or some shit like that. She made her way outside to the grass area where Carly and Erin and the rest of the vlog squad girls were sat upon deck chairs (or under them in a drunk Corinna’s case). “Hey guys” Natalie smiled and dragging out her y’s. Just as she was about to sit down however Erin held her hand out. “Agh Nat Liza told us to reserve that seat for her, I’m sorry! Hotel d’Erin at your service!” The girl said apologetically. It wasn’t a big deal really so Natalie kicked herself mentally for feeling hurt and instead took a seat on the grass. It felt prickly underneath her thighs.
“Carly! Erin! Corinna! Come here! I want to get a bomb picture!” Liza’s voice suddenly chirped up. Natalie scoffed quietly as the girls shuffled over to Liza enthusiastically.
“Natalie will you take it?” Liza then asked and Natalie stifled her mumbled curse before getting up.
A sharper pang of pain spread through Natalie’s wrists as she stared through the screen of Liza’s phone. She stepped back until everyone at the party (except her) was in frame, very nearly tripping over discarded cans. Tears pricked her eyes as she watched David and Liza leaning into one another whilst smiling at the camera. “Say cheese!” Natalie called out shakily, a lump steadily growing in her throat. A not so melodic chorus of a Cheese hence followed and she snapped and saved and snapped and saved around four pictures. She placed a thin lipped smile on her face as Liza rushed over. “Thank you Natalie!” She said brightly and suddenly many heads crowded around the phone and Natalie was pushed out of the circle. Not that she was complaining because she was starting to find it hard to breathe.
“My eyes were closed! In all of them! I look clapped man.” Zane struggled out.
Natalie sat back down on the grass, leaning against the palms of her hands and throughly missing the couch (and David). She watched as people grinded and danced and fell and spun. David’s smile was wide and his eyes even wider as he attained hilarious vlog footage content. However that’s not to say he got all the golden vlog footage because a lot of the time his camera was on Liza.
“Natalie! Can you get us a drink please?” Carly yelled out as she wriggled against her boyfriend. “Me too Natalie!” Liza said. It wasn’t long until Natalie had seven drink orders in place.
The kitchen was a welcome quiet from the music and melodrama, the speakers having been lugged outside. Natalie’s shaking hands sifted through the array of presses, she took her time gathering all the ingredients (even mini umbrellas) so as to avoid having to rejoin the havoc.
She sniffled and tried to ignore her watering eyes. ‘Is that all I am to them? To him? An assistant?’ Natalie poured the drinks with more force than necessary leading to a lot of liquid spilling onto the marble countertops. ‘Why is he so unaffectionate with me but not with Liza especially and everyone else? God I sound desperate.” The glasses clinked together and she shoved them onto a tray. ‘Why’s it always me making the first move? Me starting the conversation? Why’s it when she comes along it’s like I’m invisible to everyone?’ The glass patio doors were flung open as she stepped through, handing out the drinks.
Natalie spotted David and Liza laughing up a storm by the balcony and hesitation laced every movement she took towards them. She abandoned the tray on a nearby stool and approached the pair with Liza’s gin and tonic. David’s laughter shrunk as he saw her approach. “Hey Natalie!” He enthused and stepped back so Natalie could see Liza too. Natalie didn’t respond and instead just handed Liza her drink with a small barely existant smile.
“Thank youuu! What was the hold up eh?” Liza put on a faux show of anger, huffing before breaking into a laugh. That wasn’t even funny. Natalie took a flitting look at a confused David before answering. “Kitchen was a mess.” She answered stiffly. “You’ll have a hard time cleaning up after these mad children tomorrow!” Liza joked and both her and Natalie took a moment to look around. Broken glass shards and bottles and paper cups and vomit puddles galore. “Yeah. So what were you two laughing at? I could hear you from the kitchen” Natalie made an effort to change the subject.
“An inside joke. You wouldn’t get it- it’s very complicated! You know how it is!” Liza chirped and Natalie fiddled with her fingers, feeling all shades of left out. A lull in the conversation hit so David piped up. “Good job on the party Natalie! I mean it. You’re the best assistant, I’d be lost without you.” He complimented and watched the girl. She made brief eye contact with him before looking away into the crowd.
“Thanks Dobrick.” Natalie sniffed out a breathy smile. David hitched an eyebrow at that. She rarely called him Dobrick, usually only Dave and David. “What? No ‘I’m also your best fucking friend’ this time?” David chuckled and tried to meet her eyes. He set his hand just on her upper arm and this seemed to cause her to jolt back. “I’m going to head back to the party. Assistant duties. More drinks to serve!” Natalie knocked her hand upward using her thumb to signal behind her and this action caused David’s hand to be moved off.
David tried hard to maintain his cheery disposition amongst his friends and potential future workmates but he constantly found himself eying up Natalie. He had planned to just stay on that couch really, vlog footage or no vlog footage. His fingers had yearned to hold the camera, his fingertips knowing every groove on the device, but nevertheless he stayed.
David looked beside him at Liza who was fixing her bracelet. Her sudden arrival to the party was unexpected to say the least but he appreciated it. Liza had her YouTube Red Season renewed for at least another two seasons with a possible movie follow up so he knew her schedule was already packed to the brim with publicity interviews and the like. “You okay Dave? You seem out of it. Vodka too strong?” Liza joked and he laughed along. He had missed the friendship aspect, their easy banter that flowed smoothly without hitch.
“Brings me back to our minor days.” He taunted and stuck his tongue out. Liza strung up a conversation with a nearby girl as David leant his back and elbows against the balcony barrier. He had been looking for his escape back to Natalie all night yet people had kept dragging him into pool table games and whatnot. David was well aware of the more subdued grumpy image he had attained from the media when he wasn’t recording and he wanted to prove them wrong. Whoever them were.
Screams and squeals of excitement filled the air as the candles and sparklers on David’s celebration cake were lit. It was in the shape of a camera, how surprising, and was absolutely massive. Natalie knew there would be cake leftovers in the fridge for days on end.
“I just want to say a big thank you to Natalie for making this happen!” David announced as he grinned at the girl who stood off to the side. Lights of phone cameras shone in the darkness of the night as guests took in the incredible display. Natalie looked pointedly at the cake as claps surrounded her. David had his arm outstretched for her to run into as she’d usually initiate a hug and give him a side hug during occasions like this. Tonight however she remained in her spot.
David’s arm dropped back down to his side and his eyes grew worried as he noticed Natalie retreat to the side to listen to Erin’s rambling.
He tried hard to focus on possible reasonings for the girls closed offness tonight. ‘Maybe the wanting space for a day thing?’ David ruffled his hair and vowed to set down more solid space rules tomorrow.
David ran his eyes up and down her body after examining her face and her pretty, if not forced, smile. He gulped and even when people came up to him throughout the night he constantly found his eyes drifting back to her. She looked stunning.
The partygoers had slowly piled out of the house one by one, staggering through the front door. The remnants of the vlog squad took refuge on the couch, nursing their oncoming migraines and hangovers with fry ups and black coffee and water.
Natalie scurried around trying to make tidying up process of morning a bit easier by picking up the more larger pieces of rubbish. She kept a safe distance from the vlog squad, rather hurt that no one attempted to include her or strike up conversation instead ordering drinks, drinks and more drinks.
“Natalie!” David’s voice called from the couch and complaints of his voice volume followed soon after.
“One minute, sir.” Natalie murmured the last part under breath as she carried two bin bags beside the front door for less disposal distance. She could feel David’s roaming over her body and face as she wiped the perspiration from her forehead.
“Nat. Come sit down.” David breathed and patted the seat beside him on the couch. Natalie melted at his use of her nickname and his soft tone of voice but quickly resumed her tidying of the table, brushing wrappers into the dustpan. She made brief eye contact with him, brown eyes meeting brown eyes. “I’ve gotta get this down David.” Natalie sniffled, now shivering from the cold dawn breeze.
David bit his lip in thought and she tried not to make it obvious she was watching from the corner of her eye.
Natalie hooched upwards from kneeling to feet and carried the dustpan in one hand. She stepped over a snoozing Zane, careful not to tred on his toes or his drooling face.
Suddenly though, without warning, David’s hand grasped her free one and yanked her down on top of him on the couch. The pan and it’s contents went everywhere but that was the least of her worries. Natalie’s heart completely stopped in her chest and she was pressed flush against him, her thighs messily straddling his lap without one mere inch of space between them.
“David! I’m going to have to clean that up all over again!” Natalie hissed and cursed inwardly for feeling her eyes tear up again. She attempted to get off of him, despite her body not wanting to obey at all, and sat next to him before making to get up. Another sigh of annoyance and confusion left Natalie’s mouth as David tugged her onto his lap. A small almost inaudible gasp left her mouth as he pulled her back against his chest, her sitting sideways upon him now.
She looked at him with pure irritation in her eyes. “I’ll get a maid Nat. Please stay?” David whispered with a mischievous smile but caring eyes. His heart did a nervous bounce. This whole affection thing was now new to him really, and it took a lot of bravery to be affectionate with Natalie.
Natalie’s gaze shifted from one eye to another but nodding stiffly. She was thankful that the others who were actually still awake were engaged in some rant causing topic. “Okay.” Natalie said and tried hard not to smile as a grin overtook David’s face. David wrapped his arms around her waist tightly in a warm embrace as she curled hers against his chest and hesitantly leant her head down to rest in the crook of his neck.
“You’re cold.” David mumbled in worry as she shivered. “I’m fine Dave” Natalie whispered, her breath tickling his neck, her lips brushing against his skin. A smile played on her lips as David draped a fluffy blanket around her shoulders and tugged her even closer to him if that was even possible at this stage.
Eventually Natalie’s rigidness and stiff posture sunk against David and she felt on his hands being placed on her thigh, his thumb brushing the skin there delicately whilst his hand kept her curled legs locked near him.
“Guys would you mind helping tidy up when you’re less looking like death?” David said and returning Carly’s stuck out tongue with his own stuck out tongue. “I feel like I’ve been run over by bulls at that festival in Spain!” Heath groaned and Mariah pouted, brushing her cool fingers over his forehead. “That would make excellent vlog foota-“ David was cut off by various groans and grumbles and Hell no’s (or heck no’s in Matts case). David smiled to himself as he heard Natalie’s soft sleepy laugh escape her.
Even though the possibility of the wrecked vlog squads spotting of this was high? David couldn’t help himself and pressed his lips quickly against Natalie’s temple. He burned a deep pink afterwards but was rewarded with a noise of contentment from a now dozing Natalie.
He leant his mouth down towards her ear.
“Seatgeek is an amazing app-“ “David shut up.”
Apologies for the length! Haven’t yet figured out how to attach the « press to read more » button. I hope everyone has a fantastic day! Can’t wait for the recording of the podcast to come out..I swear Guru gossip datalie thread are almost body language experts at this stage! I’m sorting through old messages tonight but please still send in ideas! Comments and critiques are much appreciated! No hate whatsoever to Liza or anyone else here annnd English isn’t my first language. Ah thats it for announcements! Byeee! -Ella 💕
