Chapter 20

Nate’s POV:

I paced in my room annoyed. Since when did my mum care enough to punish me? She barely spent any time at home and comes back for my graduation and now thinks she can punish me. Lucky for her she has the key to my room otherwise I’d be gone by now.

I slumped down on my bed looking out the window at her house. She had been there a few hours ago but she wasn’t anymore. I don’t blame Arianna for not wanting to be in her room. Her room was in such clear view of my room.

Finally mum unlocked the door telling me I was only allowed out for lunch. Like hell! I grabbed my jacket and car keys and jogged down the stairs. She was standing in the kitchen cutting sandwiches. I moved straight towards the front door.

"And where do you think you’re going?" she asked and I stopped glancing back at her.

"Leaving"

"Why?"

"Why else mum? I need to make her understand"

"No, you did the damage and now you have to live with the consequences"

"Gee mum sound like someone you know! Why do you suddenly care what I do?"

"I always care what you boys are doing"

"You have a great way of showing it, off fucking some guy in another country"

"How dare you?! I provide for this family—"

"You’re never here, mum!"

"Don’t be ridiculous, I visit you boys all the time"

"Twice a year doesn’t count. We’ve basically raised ourselves since you wanted to go overseas"

"Nate, you’re pushing it"

"Why? Cause I’m telling the truth?! Mum you don’t give two shits about us, so why bother now? Just let me go, you would any other day!"

"Nate! Stop it!" she yelled jamming the knife into the cutting board.

"See the truth does hurt—"

"Like you would know! You’ve been going around fucking with this girl’s heart! The truth does hurt and you’ve hurt her bad!"

"Don’t use that against me"

"I will because you can’t say that the truth hurts and not expect this to come back at you. Why did you do it anyway? A little petty joke with you friends? It’s not nice to play with people's emotions."

"I wasn’t messing with her, mum! I swear to god, I never meant for anything to happen to her"

"Then why didn’t you tell her?"

"Mum it was a stupid bet, made weeks ago and even I’d forgotten about it! It just didn’t matter anymore"

"That’s not what she’s going to think"

"You think I don’t realise this?" I yelled back at her, willing her to believe me.

"I don’t know, Nate. I barely know you anymore"

"It would help if you actually tried to get to know me in the first place. Why don’t you just go back to America and fuck Stanley"

"His name is Stewart and he is a very nice man. He cares about me"

"And probably your money too"

"You aren’t getting any lunch, go back to your room right now!"

"I’m not hungry" I growled at her moving towards the front door. I flung it open walking outside.

"Nate!" I heard mum scream from the front door as I climbed into my car. I shook my head starting the car.

"Get out of that car, right now!" she warned me but I ignored her reversing.

Once on the road I turned looking at her. She widened her eyes shaking her head but I just looked away speeding off down the road. Everything felt like it was stuck in slow motion and it was driving me insane.

I raced to the other side of the lake to her house. I skidded to a stop and jumped out of the car racing up to her front door. I knocked continuously on it until the door opened.

"What? Calm down…you!" it was her mum.

"Please, wait! Just listen to me, I can explain everything" I told her before she chewed me out.

"Well I’m waiting then"

"The bet was nothing. It didn’t mean anything. I had completely forgotten about it, and I swear to you I never wanted to ever hurt Arianna. She was my everything and I need her in my life. There is no point to life without her. I have to make her understand"

"I’m sorry but she doesn’t want to talk to you"

"I wouldn’t either but she has to. I need to make her see; even if she doesn’t forgive me she still deserves the truth"

"And you would give her up like that?" she asked narrowing her eyes.

"Never. I would try for the rest of my life to beg her to forgive me, to make her believe in me again. I would—"

"I get it…" she told me smiling sympathetically.

"So can I please speak to her?"

"I wish I could let you but she’s not here"

"Then where is she?"

"Nate, she’s at her granny’s"

"Where’s that?"

"London"

"London?!" I exclaimed. She left the country?! Wow, I must have hurt her worse than I thought.

"She left a couple of hours ago actually"

"Are you kidding me? I can’t go to London. My Mum would never fund that," I muttered mainly to myself, but I spoke loudly.

"I will…"

"You will?"

"If you promise me one thing"

"Anything, anything at all"

"You make sure you never break her heart ever again. If you do, I will boil you alive and feed you to the dogs, got it?"

"Got it" I whispered eyes wide.

"Then we have a deal"

"We do" I nodded and she glanced behind her.

"Go home and pack and I’ll come by—"

"No, I don’t want to pack. Mum won’t let me out of the house again"

"Fine, I’ll just go get some stuff and be right back. Wait in your car" she told me and I nodded. She closed the door as I turned jogging to my car. I climbed in taking a deep breath. I needed to calm down and relax.

How the hell can I relax at a time like this?! I should be rushing and panicking to get her. I just needed to wait the long flight before I could see her. Even then would I be able to find her.

In twenty minutes Mrs Bode was in my car and we were on our way to the airport. She had her phone and was quickly booking a last-minute flight.

"Okay your flight is booked and I’ll have to give you the address to granny’s house. Don’t worry, I’ll explain to her so she won’t overreact."

"Thank you so much," I told her and she smiled nodding.

"It’s alright, just keep our promise and all will be good"

We reached the airport and I gulped. Just one flight between her and me now. Hopefully she would allow me to explain everything and I hoped she forgave me.

Arianna’s POV:

Granny’s bakery looked the same, except her tables and chairs. I smiled as we walked through the place to the back. I followed her though the kitchen into the mini office. I sat down on the spare spinning chair.

Granny set out working off the computer. She explained she had things to do, papers to complete and all that other stuff. I was happy sitting there with her for about the first ten minutes. My mind kept flittering back to the incident. I curled my feet up under my bum and bit my lip.

I began twisting around in the chair until I really did get bored. I told granny I was going for a walk and took off into the kitchen and wondered around a little. There were only a few people working and baking things.

I found two girls sitting in the staff room and smiled as I walked past. I went to the toilet really quickly then moved back to the office. I stayed with granny until she closed up the bakery at nine. I helped her clean up and watched as the workers left farewelling granny properly.

The ride back to granny’s house was quick and in no time I was eating dinner at the dining table. We just ate spaghetti and meatballs. Once dinner was done I helped wash up before I ventured upstairs. Granny offered the TV to me but I refused. All I needed was to lie down and think over this stuff.

I changed into my pj’s and sat down on my bed. I grabbed my phone and slid through the contacts. I came across that one name and I watched the picture beside it. I felt my eyes tear up and I quickly wiped it away moving down my contact list. I pressed dial and waited.

"Ri? Oh Ri, how are you?" mum cooed into the phone and I smiled at her voice.

"I’m fine mum, spent the afternoon at granny’s bakery"

"Oh is it still the same?"

"The very same. Granny hasn’t changed either, still her happy cheery self"

"And I hope you can be too. We miss you so much here"

"I miss you guys too"

"Oh shoot, I’ll have to give you to your father. Someone’s being rude, banging on the bloody door" she told me and I heard the phone being handed over.

"Hey daddy" I greeted. I could hear the loud banging still until it ceased. Mum must have answered the door.

"Hey sweetheart, how are you? Are you still doing okay?"

"Dad I got here today, I am still okay"

"That’s good, how’s granny?"

"She’s doing alright, Dad. The bakery is the same old, same old."

"Oh that’s good. Dekan finally woke and he was wondering where you are"

"Oh can I talk to him"

"He’s on his play date for now but if you call in a few hours he should be back"

"It’s nearly ten pm here dad"

"Oh sugar, I forgot about the time difference. It’s morning here"

"Oh I didn’t wake you did I?"

"Oh don’t be silly, with a toddler in the house no such thing as sleep"

"Dekan isn’t that bad" I told him and heard his light laughter.

"I know sweetheart, I was just messing around. Do you feel okay? Do you want us to send more money?"

"Dad I’m fine. I feel okay and I have plenty of money"

"I know…I’m just worried that’s all"

"It’s okay, just trust me on this. I’m fine and granny will take care of me when I can’t"

"I know, I trust you both but I’m a parent of course I’m going to get worried"

"At least you care, right?"

"That is a good point"

"Well what are you and mum going to do today?"

"Well we’ve got some shopping to do and then we’re off to visit some old friends"

"Oh well, I better let you go and besides I really have to get some sleep"

"Hmm okay, you call again tomorrow okay?"

"I will do"

"Love you, sweetheart"

"Love you too, dad" I whispered into the phone dropping my hand to my leg. I hung up and threw the phone behind me. I closed my eyes as my lip began to quiver.

My mind raced back to prom. Everything came racing back. Watching my friends dancing and messing about. Nate was there, watching me. I was leaning against the wall holding myself. It felt everything began moving faster and next thing you know I was laying on the bed looking up at Nate.

I tried to make the memory leave but it didn’t. I squeezed my eyes shut and they flung open. Luckily I was back in reality. I looked down at the ground blinking back the tears but they became too much.

I let the tears flow and leaned against the wall. I held myself tightly wishing my family had never moved to the lake. Or even if maybe I just hadn’t been outside that day. None of this would have happened, I never would have met him and I never would have gotten hurt like that.

It just hurt so much, what was the point of trying anymore? Was there anything left fighting for? Was anything worth it now? My heart had been ripped out and shredded. It hurt a lot too, I felt like giving up.

My tears seemed to be flowing harder and quicker. Granny peeked in through the door and I looked up at her. She smiled moving into the room.

"Are you alright? I can hear you crying downstairs"

"Oh I’m sorry; I don’t mean to be loud"

"It’s alright, do you want some comfort?"

"Sure, thanks granny" I nodded and she moved to the bed, enveloping me into a big hug.

"Everything will get better soon. Say since you’re gonna be here for a little while and I don’t want you to be sitting around doing nothing, why don’t you come down and work for me? I’m sure, Steph won’t mind training you a little. You could serve people"

"Oh granny, I don’t know. I don’t wanna get in the way of you—"

"Oh don’t be ridiculous. I love the extra company and besides we’re like family down at the bakery"

"Well if you insist"

"I do…so how about it?"

"Sure, I’d love to. Something to get my mind off…it"

"Speaking of, wanna tell me about it?"

"Not really granny, sorry but the wounds still fresh" I explained and she nodded hugging me closer.

"That’s okay, I don’t expect you to come right out and tell me. I dealt with a bad break up like this too"

"When?"

"When I was about your age, maybe a little older. Actually it’s something very personal to me and even your mother doesn’t know but I guess maybe you need some guidance"

"What is it?"

"I was eighteen and I happened to just…I ended up pregnant with grandpa. He didn’t expect it and for that whole nine months he left me. But he came to terms with everything and begged me to take him back. I took him back because those nine months had been the worst nine months of my life. He was the love of my life. I just knew it. Besides there was always that saying if you love something set it free and if it comes back to you, you know it’s yours but if it doesn’t it was never your"

"Is the baby aunty Anne?"

"No"

"But she’s the oldest of you children"

"No she’s not. My oldest child is my baby boy"

"Boy? But you only have girls?"

"I gave him up. I knew I wasn’t ready for a child. There was no way grandpa and I was as a couple. We were still having problems and we had only just gotten back together, there was no way we could raise a kid together. Of course time came when I fell pregnant five years later with Anne"

"What was his name? Granny, have you tried to find him?"

"His name's James Neight, and he has a wife and three children."

"Wow, does anyone else know about him?"

"No…when grandpa died a few years ago he asked me to promise him to find our first born. And I did. I couldn’t believe it, I found him that week and in no time we met and I just couldn’t believe it. We meet regularly, once every couple of months"

"Aren’t you going to tell the rest of them about him? I mean they have a right to know their brother"

"I know but I’m just scared of what they’ll think of me. For giving up their brother like that—"

"Granny if you explained to them what happened, I’m sure they would explain"

"You know, for a young girl you are quite the smarty pants"

"Thank you granny"

"You’re welcome dear, now we best be going to bed. Our shift starts at eleven am sharp"

"Thank you for telling me that granny, goodnight"

"You are welcome dear, goodnight…sleep tight…"

"Don’t let the beg bugs bite" I finished and she smiled turning the light off and closing the door. I sighed pulling the sheet over my head. Tomorrow was a new day and something good always happened on new days.

Nate’s POV:

Who thought I’d be flying across seas like this? In a race to fight for my girl. I always thought my first trip overseas would be with my family and wife. But I guess this was just as good. I had just gotten into the airport and it was two pm London time.

I managed to get a taxi and in no time I was standing in front of granny Bode’s house. I was suddenly nervous as I walked up the foot path. I took in a deep breath and knocked on the door. The door opened and I looked up at the older version of Mrs Bode. Boy did they look alike.

"Can I help you?"

"I’m Nate…um Mrs Bode told me I could find—"

"Arianna here, yes I know. I’m still not convinced you didn’t mean to hurt my grandbabies heart"

"I swear on my life I would never mean to do it on purpose. I want…no need I need to spend the rest of my life making her forgive me—"

"You speak like a gentleman but I don’t trust you. A man once said that to me but left me…for a while—"

"But he came back, did he not?" I questioned seeing the truth in her eyes.

"You can’t use that against me now, your man came back to you"

"Yes but he left me again"

"Only death"

"no—"

"Don’t lie to me—"

"Dear young boy, how dare you test me? I am older therefore wiser and I know exactly what my grandbaby wants and it certainly not you"

"I don’t care if she doesn’t want me…well I do but I just want her to forgive me. To see that I wouldn’t hurt her like that, she meant everything to me. Have you ever held something so precious to you that when it’s gone, you feel like…you feel like you have no purpose anymore. Like you had no idea why you were here until you met her? I just want her to forgive me, but she doesn’t have to take me back. I am not worthy of that" I told her, my eyes welling. She held her head high and smiled.

"That is exactly what I wanted to hear from you…but Arianna isn’t here"

"Where is she then?"

"She’s at my bakery until four"

"Can you take me to see her?"

"Boy it’s nearly three thirty—"

"I’m desperate here, just please?"

"Okay…just let me get my keys" she disappeared returning with her handbag and keys.

We drove quickly through town and I spotted the bakery before she pointed it out. It was a nice-looking bakery, but as we neared, that wasn’t my focus. No it was the beauty collecting empty coffee cups from the table by the window.

The second the car was parked I was out of the car and racing towards the entrance. I burst through the door catching everyone’s attention. Arianna turned looking up at me. Her mouth fell wide and the tray of dirty cups and plates she was holding slipped from her hands and went crashing to the ground.

Everything went silent for about a second until several people came racing to clean it up and make sure it was okay. Her granny raced past me to see what was going on and I found myself glued to the spot. I found her and I didn’t even know what to say.

"I’m sorry…I have to leave" she told one of the girls cleaning up and took off out the door past me.

"Nate!" I heard someone yell and looked at her granny. Everyone looked at me and she sighed.

"Go after her, now!"

"Y-y-yes" I stuttered finally moving. I turned racing out the door and down the street. I spotted Arianna moving into a side alley and moved quicker to get to her. When I made it to the alley she was tearing off her apron and was wiping her tears away aggressively.

"Arianna…" I breathed but she shook her head, keeping her back to me.

"Finally I thought I could have a day where I wouldn’t think about you but no…you show up in person. Is this even real?"

"It is real and I’m sorry"

"Sorry for what? Showing up here now or for everything else?"

"I’m sorry for everything. For hurting you, for letting you go and just for everything"

"I hope you didn’t expect me to leave with you" she asked turning to finally look at me. I moved forward slowly.

"No I don’t expect you to leave with me at all, Arianna. I just want you to forgive me, I can’t go on knowing that I stuffed up and I was never forgiven—"

"Nate, I think it’s too soon to ask me of this. How long had it been going on?"

"The bet?"

"y-yes"

"When I first met you but—"

"All this time and you didn’t even tell me. Even if you had felt an inch of emotion towards me and you still didn’t tell me"

"Ri, I had completely forgotten. I thought only me and the guys knew but I guess it wasn’t. Please don’t go back to Marcus, whatever you do"

"Marcus? I’m completely done with him; I have been for a very long time"

"Just promise me"

"Why?"

"Please, just promise me"

"I promise I’ll never go back to Marcus"

"Can you find it to forgive me?"

"I don’t know how to, Nate. You hurt me so much, I felt used. You tried so hard and I let it string out. Maybe if I had just slept with you straight up you would have given up and I wouldn’t be as heartbroken but no…I had to prolong it—"

"Arianna! Don’t you dare ever say that again" I cursed reaching out to hold her shoulders.

"Why not? It’s true—"

"No, it’s not. It’s far from the truth. Remember all those times you really wanted it but I never gave it to you? I was prolonging it so that I could be with you without the complication. I don’t even know what’s wrong with me anymore. You know I haven’t been to sleep once since graduation"

"Nate, that was two days ago"

"Exactly. I can’t sleep; I can’t think properly I can’t do anything without your forgiveness"

"Why do you want my forgiveness? All those movies I watched the guy always wanted the girl to take them back…don’t you want me? Have you ever?"

"Of course I still want you, Arianna! But I don’t deserve you. If I screwed it up the first time I’m probably going to stuff it up again"

"Now who’s being the glum one" she told me shaking her head, showing the first sign of a smile.

"I want you to know I am really sorry…more than I could ever say"

"Then I can forgive you, Nate. I forgive you for what you did but it still hurts and it will for some time. I promise you I will never return to Marcus but yet only to return to someone I love"

"I want you to know…the best times I ever had…I had them with you…"

"I know…"

I bowed my head letting the tears fall from my eyes. I turned walking back out of the alley. She forgave me and now we could both move on. We could both get over this heart ache and hopefully she would find a guy who deserved her.

"Nate? Where are you going?" she asked and I glanced back at her shrugging.

"Wherever life takes me"

"I told you, Nate…I would only return to someone I love…" she told me moving towards me. I frowned slightly confused. She finally reached me before speaking again.

"Nate?" she whispered and I looked up at her.

"Yeah?"

"You are exactly where I want you to be…it’s by my side for good. I love you and always will"

"You love me?" I asked and she nodded.

"Yes, Nate and I want you to beg me to take you back. I want a guy who fights for me, I guy who wants me more than he’s ever wanted anything in his life. I want someone to love me as much as I love them"

"And you will find someone like that" I told her and she growled shaking her head. I turned walking off away from her before my heart really did break again.

I continued walking and refused to look back. If I did I would lose all my strength. I needed to allow her the freedom to move on and although it almost destroyed me she deserved the best.

"You are an asshole, Nate Williams!" I heard Arianna yell at me. I froze turning to look back at her. I thought she forgave me?

"I’m an asshole?"

"Yes and you are really stupid! Really stupid!" she smirked walking forward the utmost confidence. I was stunned, was she lying when she said she had forgiven me?

"I’m not stupid" I told her and she raised a brow.

"You are annoying…stupid…liar…"

"I am not! Ri, you said you forgave me!"

"I did"

"Then why are you saying these things?"

"Because you are too stupid to see what’s right in front of you!"

"I told you, I’m not stupid"

"And COD sucks so much…and you don’t even know how to play it properly" she teased and I clenched my jaw tighter.

"Arianna…stop please"

"No! I want you to see!"

"See what?"

"That you are stupid…that you don’t know how to listen—"

"Arianna, please stop. I have to go"

"Why? Can’t handle the truth? Why can’t you see what’s right in front of you? I don’t call myself loose but I thought I was more obvious than that"

"What are you talking about?"

She shook her head invading my space and cupped my cheeks. Her lips landed on mine and my eyes widened. What was she doing? My eyes instantly closed and I pulled her closer and enjoyed it while it lasted.

"Well that didn’t take long at all" a voice spoke loudly and we both pulled away turning to see her granny there.

"Granny? You…you are so sneaky. How did you know he was coming?"

"Arianna there is something you must know, no matter what the guys always come running. I knew long before your mother called me"

"Mum called you?"

"I begged her to listen to me" I told Arianna and she looked back at me.

"You would do that for me?" she asked looking into my eyes. I nodded finally deciding on the kind of guy I was going to be.

"I would fight for you, I need to protect you, I need to savour you and I need to have you by my side for the rest of my life. You do realise I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you?"

"I know" Arianna whispered and for the first time in a while I smiled, broad and wide.

"I’m right where you want me" I told her and she giggled nodding.

It felt like everything slipped back into place. My perfect life was back because my perfect girl was back. If only she had waited to hear the story rather than skipping across to another country. All was well now. I had my girl back.