1 month later

Natalie's POV
All I could think about was the party, we were hours away before the launch of the magazine. And I was on the edge of my seat, hoping this would go well. People were running across the venue, fixing every slight problem, every slight issue or just checking for a second time that everything was absolutely perfect.

I knew I shouldn't have been running around, I could already feel the tiredness come over me. I knew I was pushing my limits and so did everyone else, which is why Melody had ordered me to sit or she would call Nolan, and then by the time he comes he'll start suggesting I shouldn't go. I would rest, but I wouldn't miss this, this was my work, our work, it was something I had worked on for months.

"Here, drink this", Melody handed over a bottle of water, and I quickly opened it hoping it would recharge me as fast as coffee did.

"Can I have coffee?", I asked and she looked at me as if I had just asked her this an hour ago, which I had. The doctor said no caffeine, but I couldn't help myself I just needed to make it through this event.

"No coffee, end of story", she said as her eyes moved to the door and quickly averted them back as she saw just a waiter come in. Almost as if she was disappointed and waiting for someone. Maybe this would be a good time to ask her about the secret wardrobe that wasn't hers.

"Looking for someone?", I asked, as I sipped my water slowly.

"No, just keeping everything in order", she said looking away from my eyes yet again. She was hiding something, and she had to have known by now that she was terrible at it, except when she had the emotionless look on her face she could shut everyone up with that face.

"You're definitely looking for someone", I said pointing out the obvious, as an embarrassed smirk covered her face. Now she couldn't hide that she was looking for someone, the only question I had now was who.

"Just drink your water women", she snarled playfully back at me as she raised her phone, holding down Nolan's contact and his phone number against her thumb.

"It's definitely a boy, definitely", I said annoying her for the second time, now I was scared she was going to make me drink the rest of the water in the venue.

"It- He's- It's not what you think", she stumbled along her words, hinting at the fact that she had no idea what they were.

"I couldn't like him, he's arrogant, rude and he has no manners, we're not even friends",she rambled on nervously. It was a key thing for the women of our family to ramble when answers to questions we shouldn't share get asked.

"So then why are you looking for this guy?", I asked and she looked at me with the 'you wouldn't understand' glare and I backed down from my wanting to be all-knowing stance.

I guessed it was one of her friends from school, everyone from that school had their hands in some big money organizations that were invited tonight. The only difficulty would be finding out which 'friend' or not 'friend' according to Mel, was the one who had her eyes occupied.

"Everything is set, I double, triple checked, why don't you two head home and get changed and when you arrive back there will be a beautiful venue waiting for you", the manager praised the venue as she escorted us out. I could tell that she was kicking us out so the crew could freak out together, they were panicked and I guess having the people who are paying watching was making them even more nervous. I just wanted it to be done, I didn't care if I was here or there, I was just ready for this venue to come to life.

She sent us in our car and shut the door waving and as I turned around the manager was already gone.

Mel was silent the whole ride home, almost contemplating something that she wanted to say but she didn't have the words to explain it perfectly.

I sent her to get dressed and me as well, but after five minutes I saw a beautiful smile cover her face as she waltzed in her dress.

"It looks so beautiful on you", I told her and she stood in front of the mirror watching the material fall against her body.

"Please take it easy at the party", Mel blurted out to me as she stood in my mirror watching her reflection twirl in the dress she had picked out for the event. She looked absolutely beautiful in the dress, it complimented her beautifully and I hoped whoever she was looking for at the setup earlier would see her as well.

"I promise I will take it easy", I told her hoping she wasn't worrying about me. I knew she had been having a hard time lately, it was hard not to notice these things. But something had her a bit excited lately, looks like all she needed was an adventure and I'm guessing the day she lied to me about going to Lola's was the day she had that adventure of hers.

"When are you putting on your dress?", Mel asked, and I checked the time quickly, knowing Nolan had told me to wait for some mysterious reason.

"I'm supposed to wait until Nolan gets home", I said, trying to sound the least weirdest that sentence could ever sound. She gagged at my words and looked at me as if she didn't want to know more and also didn't want to see where this would lead.

"That's- I'm going to go", she stumbled on her words and took out the door, closing it. I slipped my robe off and stood watching my reflection, the bump was barely there, but it was there definitely. After today the magazine would be launched and the news would hit the books.

I went looking through my closet, knowing I had a dress I could wear but I hadn't picked one out for this occasion. I had been so busy with everything that I had no time.

I felt his hands wrap around me and I turned around to his warm embrace. He kissed me roughly, as his hands glided down my back.

"I missed you", he whispered into my ear as I just hugged him, wallowing in his scent and embrace.

"I missed you too",I said back, he had been gone on a business trip the last few days and I had never realized how big our bed is and our house. I missed his cuddles, his kisses, I missed his smile and his worrying. Calling each other every now and then, I couldn't live off of.

"I got you something", he said, breaking away from my hug and rushing to his suitcase. He had gone to Paris to open up a new building in the area, and I could only imagine the things he could bring back. And once I saw the box, I knew what he had gotten me.

It was a silk black dress, with sleeves that go down the side, and it was loose, loose enough to conceal the bump.

I kissed him passionately loving the gift he had gotten for me. We quickly got dressed, as he kissed me every moment we had until it was just an hour before the event started.

"How do I look?", I said, twirling in the dress he had bought for me in matching heels and jewelry layered on me.

"Do we really have to go to this?", he said in between kissing me, I knew he was tired and I knew we had both missed each other to an amount that we needed that release after being so apart from each other.

"There's tomorrow", I said and he nodded his head and got up slipping his shoes on, as I went to go get Melody.

I knocked on the door and opened it, as she quickly rushed to stuff something back in a box. It was clothes, and by the size and the style I knew they weren't hers.

"It's not what it looks like", she blurted out as she tried to block the box with her body. By the reek of the clothes itself it was someone who carried the smell of cigarettes.

"I just borrowed them from a friend, well he's-they aren't a friend but I'm giving them back", she said, and now I knew it was definitely who she was looking for at the venue. I knew it was those clothes she came back in after "sleeping over at Lola's" but as I heard from Lola's mom she never showed up.

"Do you want to-?", I asked, but was interrupted as she shoved the box under the bed and turned to head out the doorway.

"No, it's nothing, we should get going right?", she said fast and left out of the room and I did the same, wanting to know whose clothes those were.

Mel's POV
The car ride was silent as Natalie and Nolan both worked in the car and all I had was the looming presence of my mind asking all these question.

I don't know why I was so nervous giving the clothes back to Dallas. Nothing happened between us, and nothing would, but I noticed maybe he could be nice sometimes. He was cold, arrogant, mean and some other choice words I can think of, but he may just have a soft side.

Maybe we could be friends, I had already pushed out the idea that anything could happen between me and him. He clearly didn't want anything to do with me, but he was kind enough to let me stay there and to not let me drown in wet clothes and he probably saved me from getting in trouble with Natalie from being at that party in the first place.

"Just smile and nod if anyone talks to you", Natalie said snapping me out of my thoughts as I knew the amount of her success riding on this one event. I would make sure not a single person messed this evening up, this evening for Natalie needed to be the most unproblematic evening of all. She was already stressed out. I looked out the windows of the car and I heard the flashing of the cameras and the commotion and the yelling. First Nolan went and the cameras were following him, fast yelling questions at him as he opened the door for Natalie and then I. The cameras, the yelling all reminded me when I was at the station, the amount of people taking pictures of me, yelling questions at me. But like Natalie said just smile and so I did as I battled my inner thoughts.

We got in to the lively area and servers offering glasses of champagne and appetizers. It looked beautiful and from the large smile on Natalie's face I could tell she was so happy with how everything had turned out.

I slipped away from Natalie and Nolan who were crowded by people with questions and such, I just wanted a break from the sound.

And that's when I saw him, smoking a cigarette as his wrist danced around with the glass of champagne. His back was supported against a wall as he looked out into the crowd.

"Hey how are you?", Avery asked as she came into view. She was wearing a beautiful dress, and her ring was not the only shiny thing on her, as the dress was detailed with gems.

I could still see Dallas out of the corner of my eye as he took a swing at the champagne, he had the confidence to make everyone believe he was allowed to have that. And no one checked ID's around here, I had learned that when your rich you can just get out of anything, so cops don't bother writing reports cause they'll soon be out by the family attorney threatening to stop donating a generous amount of money.

"I'm good, you look absolutely stunning", I said, bringing my attention back to Avery and she complimented my dress too.

"I'm going to grab a drink, want a mock tail?", she asked and I was about to say I wanted a drink, but then I met his eyes. Cold, and fiery were the only words I could describe it. He smirked, proudly drawing me back to Avery still waiting for an answer.

"I'm good, thank you", I said as Dallas pointed to the hallway leading to who knows what and slipped in. Avery took off, and I followed Dallas down the dark and creepy hallway.

There was not a single light down the hallway, except a creaking door with a light switch, I went to go turn it on just as a hand grabbed me into one of the rooms, and I yelled as a hand crossed over my mouth. The smell of cigarettes reminded me of Daniel and I felt the coldness, he was haunting me now.

I bit the hand, tasting blood through the encounter and soon the hand was being pulled away. I turned around to see what fucker tried to mess with me and I saw the very same man that had dragged me down here.

"Fuck you", I blurted out and made my way out of the small room, just as his hand grabbed for mine.

"You bit me, don't you think you owe me an apology deary?", he sneered, getting closer and closer, and still feeling the sting of my bite. Now I looked at it, I felt bad that I had bit him in the first place, but that was just my fight or flight and I would always fight.

"I don't owe you anything", I said holding my ground and he nodded, making the space between us even smaller.

"You scared the shit out of me, you're glad the only thing I did was bite you", I spat out to him and he looked pissed now, as I waited for his retaliation, he was relentless.

"You didn't have to follow me in here", he said, and now the space between us was further as he stepped back.

"I wanted to return the clothes that I borrowed from you", I said and it dinged in his mind for him as he remembered.

"You can keep those, I don't need them, you probably like them", he inquired and I shook my head, knowing the obvious reason why I had them under my bed in a bag then a box. The smell of cigarettes reeked from the clothes, now knowing he didn't care for them they would surely be in the garbage.

"Trust me I don't like them, and I don't want them", I told him surely of my decision, how could I keep something that reminded me of the worst moments of my life.

"Uh huh, sure", he acted as if he believed me, but I knew he was just having a hard time processing the fact that I didn't like him, I wanted nothing to do with him.

"I hate the smell", I said, trying to make him understand that I also hated him and that I would never keep something that reeks of bad memories.

"Most girls like my husky smell", he said leaning in closer, and I was appalled, how could someone like the smell of cigarettes, Daniel's fingertips had turned black from his addiction of smoking, it had become a sick habit for him and ever since then I couldn't stand them they reminded me of him, the smell it brought back the worst memories.

"It's not a husky smell, it stinks of cigarettes, I hate those cancer sticks", I spoke hoping he wouldn't turn out the way Daniel did, by the end of his time he had a raspy voice and an addiction to nicotine.

"Since when are you so health conscious?", he asked, as I took a seat on the chair next to us, and he stood still fidgeting with the end of his suit shirt.

"Cigarettes can fry your lungs, you should take better care of yourself", I told him and he seemed surprised by words, almost taken aback by them.

"And why would you care", he asked, as he stared at the ground avoiding eye contact. I cared for him in the sense that I care about his well-being, just like I cared for everyone else, but my care for him was nothing special.

"I -don't, I just don't want you to die", I said calmly and still his eyes were pointed towards the ground.

"That sounds like you care about me", he said, trying to get a rise out of me. I think he was still having issues accepting the fact that I didn't like him.

"We should all care about each other", I said happily and he looked at me confused, I could feel him roll his eyes as he looked back at his shoes.

"I don't give a fuck about anyone else", he spat out, loud and proud were two words I could use to describe him and every time he spoke. I knew he didn't care what anyone thought about him, if I was him I would let the words affect me. But he stayed unbothered by the mumbling, the questioning if he was really the bad boy everyone thought he was.

"You should, you should care for others", I told him and rolled his eyes again, hoping I didn't see it. He had to have cared for someone, he had close friends, he had his mom.

"Caring means valuing other people's opinions about you, you want to be someone worth caring for in their eyes", he spoke letting the words simmer in his words, he spoke of pain. Something so subtle yet unspoken of.

"It doesn't always mean that, I don't care what people think, but I still care for people", I said as a scoff came from his mouth and his eyes rolled yet again.

"You care what people think, I've seen you wander the halls like you're scared of being an inconvenience to everyone, I bet that goody-two shoe cared what everyone thought didn't he, well let me tell you something sweetheart I don't give a fuck what anyone thinks about me and it's time you did the same", his voice was strong and loud, and his face was inches away from mine as I felt his breath blowing against my face.

He was right, I cared. Zeke cared the most about what everyone thought, he made sure we were in everyone's good graces and we were even voted the couple to most likely to get married. That was all him though, it was always all about him.

"I should go", I told him as he leaned against the wall and I went to open the door, just as it opened itself.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know anyone was in here", I noticed the voice at once and turned around knowing if they saw me with Dallas I would be ratted out to Natalie.

"It's okay", I said in a lower voice with my back turned towards the door, and I heard the door almost close and then I heard the hesitation.

"Melody?", I turned around and noticed Tyler at the doorway and luckily Dallas still against the wall, quiet as a mouse.

"What are you doing in here, the parties out there?", he asked, trying to joke with me.

"I just wanted some air, so uh what are you doing here?", I asked him, hoping he would leave before he could realize Dallas attached to the wall.

"Oh Avery wanted to find the bathroom, I offered to look for it as my own kind of air", he said, and I nodded my head hoping he would continue his search and leave us to be in this suddenly super hot room.

He made the mistake of coming more into the room and then he noticed Dallas just standing there, I was more embarrassed about the whole situation myself.

"Oh I didn't realize you had company", Tyler said as he got up from the seat next to me and made his way out the door and paused at the doorway.

"Oh no, it's okay we were just leaving actually", Dallas said, grabbing my hand with his as Tyler too off the other way. I hoped he would lock his mouth and not say a word to Nolan about this. His grip on my hand was strong as he pulled me out to the garden in the courtyard.

"What is it with you pulling me to places?", I asked, releasing his grip from mine. He looked stumbled at first, with the question itself.

"It's not a thing, don't make it seem like it's one", he said fidgeting again with the bottom of his sleeves.

"We keep fighting, it's getting tiring", I said exhausted as I sat down on the bench in the garden, it was cold and stone I wish I could go back inside and sit on that plush couch even better my own bed.

"Let's just put this all behind us and we can be friends, we don't have to fight", I told him and this time his eyes came directly towards mine, they seemed cold, they felt cold as his gaze lingered my sitting self.

"I don't make friends", he said confidently and kept his eyes locked on mine. Cold ripples were felt along my body as his stare intensified, and his stance changed, he had the height advantage as I sat down.

"Our families know each other and they seem to like each other so I'll be seeing you every family event, we might as well put this past us and just make this situation better for both of us", I spoke truthfully, friends with Dallas was tolerable. And it wasn't the kind you thought of it would be the casual friend, I wasn't talking about being his best friend or even a close