I love Natalie, counterposed to Susie. You took an active role in the storyline building by inserting a new character who, in a way, amends for the first one. This, in particular, is valuable in the perspective of what the contest fosters, a.k.a. walking off the beaten track. I found the dialogue particularly immersive and found myself trying to guess what was Nick's special gift. Your ending is very sweet, like a balm for the reader's mind.