The Heaven I Found In Hell (49 page)

They looked at each other, and with one gaze, she immediately knew what was clouding her brother's mind. Her best friend. She wasn't mad at Alex, never, not even disappointed. She reacted the same way the first time she learned about the nastier part of her being a supermodel. She got irritated, but somehow, what she felt couldn't compare to what her brother was agonizing about. Nathan took a harder blow. His heart was aching. And what scared Riley the most was that if her brother wasn't willing to give her friend a second chance. He needed to accept her and what she did. Or else…

"I will. I will," he answered, as he buttoned his polo half-way leaving a few buttons open.

Riley rested a hand on his shoulder, as she tried to soothe him. She was starting to worry for real. Ever since Nathan had arrived, he hadn't laughed nor jumped for joy. Sure he smiled, but it was what you'd call being plastic in order not to hurt the other's feelings. He loved her. He still did. But he was stubborn. She knew he didn't want to get his pride stepped on by his heart, and that was what Alex was doing to him, unconsciously of course.

"Okay, take care," Riley said before she left to pretty her own self up.

The door closed softly behind him, and he let out a deep sigh of slight confusion and tiredness. He laid on his bed, with his back against the soft mattress while his legs dangled on the edge of the bed. Sounding exasperated, he exhaled deeply and then covered his face with his hands. Trying to wake himself up, he rubbed his eyes before he sat up and did last minute preparations. After thirty minutes, he left his room and joined his family with Anthony downstairs. They entered their Rolls Royce as they headed over to their village's lush Country Club. During the ride, Nathan didn't speak nor did he engage in a conversation. Well…he did, after Riley pulled a few of his strings.

"Nathan, you can't be acting like that," Riley said, sounding annoyed.

"And why can't I?"

"Because," she said unsure of how to answer her brother. "Alex is probably dealing with your break-up in a better way than you are."

"Honey," Riley and Nathan's parents warned their daughter.

Mother and father knew how much talking about a girl was a sensitive topic for their son. They knew how he had always dated, and played with the hearts of many girls, that was why they were enthusiastic to hear the news of their eldest child being changed, for the better. They weren't mad at Alex or at the things she did which had ended the couple's relationship. They weren't blaming anyone and were just simply saddened and disappointed.

"We are not 'broken-up' yet," Nathan said firmly stopping word after word.

Sure he spoke but it was in a tone of irritation. Well…something's better than nothing…

"Just…I don't like seeing you like this," Riley revealed, as she took her boyfriend's hand for comfort.

Nathan, for the first time, felt something else aside from deception to sympathy. When he looked at his sister a feeling of worry ran through his veins. She was his sibling. The teary-eyed woman was his little sister. She cared for him so, so much.

"I'm not mad at anyone," she continued, tugging at Anthony's polo. "I just want you two to make up. You guys were happy. Why did you have to get mad?"

And then something unexpected happened. Riley hit her brother. The smack was nothing like a girly girl's punch. The contact was full of sorrow, sadness…and anger, and it hit Nathan on his chest, a place very near his heart.

"Riley, stop," Anthony said, as he got his girlfriend's hand and held them tightly.

"Riley, dear," her mother started. "Why did you do that?"

Riley could only let a tear fall from her eye, and to soothe her, Anthony pulled her head closer to his chest. Their position remained like that, Anthony caressing Riley while she with a handkerchief on her face, sobbed until they arrived at their destination. One-by-one they got out of the luxury car and took to elevator before they arrived at the main ballroom.

The place was decorated lushly with gold and black cloths hanging from end to end from the ceiling. The tables and chairs were covered with the same material of the same color while the walls had posters of then and now celebrities stuck on then. This was supposedly a getting-to-know party, and a few days from tonight, they were going to have another ball, for Christmas. Christmas…Nathan thought. He had expected to spend his Christmas with Alex beside him.

"Shit," Nathan cursed to himself.

He was thinking about her again. How could she make him act like that? So lost? So helplessly in need of her? He shook his head and smacked himself mentally. He wanted to forget about her. He needed alcohol.

"I'm sorry, did I do something?" an unfamiliar voice asked.

Nathan looked at the stranger who stood before him. She was an Aphrodite…like Alex…but in a different sort of way. She had whitish blonde hair and the bluest eyes. They were the color of an ocean glimmering by the sun's rays. She was radiant, and the way she carried herself…arrogance surrounded her aura. In her bright red mini dress, she stood in front of Nathan with her left leg in front of her right, and in her silver Jimmy Choo's, her muscles tightened, her already long legs lengthening even more. Her skin was pale, an imperfection, or so he thought. Her kind of beauty was the opposite of Lexy's, but nonetheless, she remained stunning.

"I was kind of surprised when you cursed me," she said smiling seductively. "Did you really?"

Nathan smiled sheepishly.

"No. You got it all wrong," he answered not at all falling for her flirtatious acts. "I just remembered something."

"Oh," she replied innocently, brushing her arms against his in an accidental manner.

Nathan moved away, and the woman frowned. She was surprised at how this guy was acting. Nathan Adams? Like this? And so…that must mean the rumors she heard from last year were all wrong, but if ever they were…what had happened to the playboy? She was expecting him to fall for her, caught in her gaze, hypnotized by her beauty. She was starting to get irritated. She needed to have him by the end of the night. She couldn't fail or her pride would be extremely hurt and that couldn't happen.

"I'm Amanda by the way," Going for a different approach, she said before she pulled in for a hug from the model-worthy seventeen year old.

Nathan hugged back, but his arms didn't circle Amanda's body tightly. He just didn't want to be rude, and the woman didn't want her new victim to be playing the hard-to-get game.

"Nate," he said in a very soft voice.

Amanda let out a very girl high-pitched squeak before she said, "I know. Everyone knows."

Nathan sighed. Rumors. Speaking of which, he was wondering if whether his cool-off time with Alex would reach the tabloids. He hoped for the best which was that that would never happen. He didn't want the whole world to know about his life and how miserable it was, but before he could think more of the girl he missed the most, Amanda spoke up.

"You don't talk too much," she said giggling. "Is anything wrong?"

Before Nathan could get time to think, the rude monster in him woke up and answered, "Nothing that's your business."

Amanda tried to keep her mouth from opening, but she failed. She didn't expect an answer like that to come from him, and so, that totally shocked her. What did she have to do to get him to loosen up? She wanted him…or what he could give her…by tonight.

"Why won't we go sit down with my friends?" she asked, trying to get him to lighten up. "I'm sure they'd want to meet you."

"Thank, but no thanks," Nate said in reply. "I have my own friends to go to."

With that, he sauntered off to one of the table in the middle of them room. He took the seat beside Riley, and his sister could only look at her brother in concern. She didn't know how much he was hurting. She wanted to help, but how could she? Nathan himself wasn't opening up to anyone. She needed to talk to Alex, badly.

"Hey guys, got to go to the bathroom," Riley said standing up and leaving the two guys, Anthony and Nathan, to have some 'guy time.'

"Okay, we'll be waiting," Anthony said giving his girlfriend a small gentle kiss on the lips before she left.

Nathan saw that minuscule act of affection, and suddenly, he felt his heart beating faster and his chest tightening even more. He had no one to kiss…anymore, but it wasn't all about the physicality…it was more…no, it was all about her. He absolutely missed her. He wanted her back in his arms, their lips crashing against each other, their bodies fitting one another perfectly, and their hands on each one's sides. He missed Alex Levi. He missed saying, "I love you."

"Excuse me?" that voice of Amanda's asked. "Did you just say?"

Nathan looked up from his plate to the sexy woman that stood beside him. He then moved his eyes from her, as they landed on Anthony's surprised figure.

"What the hell is happening here?" Riley's boyfriend asked to no one in particular. "Who are you?"

"She's no one," Nathan said, the harshness of his voice coming back.

"Well, I'm Amanda," she said, stretching her hand out for Anthony to take.

"Anthony," he returned. "And please excuse the ass I call my friend."

Amanda frowned mentally and asked herself why her charms weren't working on her new eye-candy. If he had been somebody else, they would have probably banged each other, pissed drunk and too stoned to care. But here comes somebody…so mysterious…so harsh. But that didn't matter. He was god-ish hot, the perfect boyfriend for the head cheerleader. The only problem was…he wasn't cooperating like he should.

"It's okay," Amanda replied. "I'm actually getting used to him and his attitude."

Anthony smiled politely. He wanted her to leave. She needed to leave. She was just going to embarrass herself.

"Are you done?" Nathan asked which made Anthony elbow him.

"I was wondering if you two would want to ditch this boring party."

"And?"

"Well, my friends and I are heading over to the pool, to swim and drink," she said, smiling a mischievous and hinting one. "Interested?"

"Actually…" Anthony said sounding unsure. Where was Riley? Where the hell was his girlfriend? "I'm looking for my girl…going to ask if she wants to come,"

"Oh…" Amanda said in response, and then she turned to Nathan. "How about you?"

"Sorry, but I'll just go hang with the oldies," he said, standing up and leaving his best friend with the girl he was so keen on calling…bitch.

Anthony left Amanda and headed over to the hall where the bathrooms were. The place was empty, and all he could hear was the familiar loud voice of Riley. She sounded like she was talking on the phone. He walked closer to the sound and his eyes widened in surprise.

"You have to come here, Alex," Riley said, as Anthony pressed his ear against the wooden door of the female's bathroom. "My brother is a mess!"

Anthony opened the door and stepped in the women's restroom before he thanked God for it being empty. Boyfriend and girlfriend looked at each other in shock, neither one speaking nor talking. After a few seconds, Anthony opened his mouth.