The Story of Us (Book 1 of "The Story of Us" Series) [Completed]

Chapter 16 - Rumor Has It

[Nick]

 Hurting Harley was the last thing that I ever wanted to do. I guess that's why I put it off for so long, especially after everything that happened to her lately, with her Mom passing away.

 But, I had to do it. I had to leave her. I had to do it and I don't think anybody understands that but me. Harley didn't understand it. Brian didn't understand it. AJ didn't understand it and neither did Howie, Kevin, my parents, all of the people that we are both friends with and especially... the fans. 

The fans didn't understand it at all. My fans were pissed off at me besides the random few who hated Harley and those that actually liked Paris. The message boards went crazy, especially when it came out that I had dumped Harley for Paris. 

I don't know how that came out because I know Harley would never release that. My management suggested it was Paris' people because even at that point in our relationship, I knew she was a master at manipulating the press to her advantage. Deep down, I didn't want to be hated for dumping Harley but I was always having an awesome time with Paris. The rumors were all true. 

The girl was fucking crazy, in and out of bed. We partied all night, slept all day and did it all over again. She could get into the best clubs, the best restaurants and have them basically pay her to show up. I'd never seen anything like it before. I tried to stay away from what Harley was doing but it was hard. She was working on finishing up her album. 

Rumors had it she was getting ready to start working on a movie with Ashton Kutcher, which I could believe. Harley always liked him on "That 70's Show." But she had been quiet about the breakup, only saying that yes, it was over. I had to commend her on that. She could have totally gone out there and say all kinds of things about Paris and me. 

Behind closed doors she wasn't quiet.

 Our mutual friends would tell him about how Harley heard about Paris' talking shit about Harley when I wasn't around to the media. Paris denies it, but I don't know. I would hear about how Harley always had some vulgar name for Paris when speaking her name. That didn't surprise me at all. Harley always thought Paris was a whore, even by just watching her on television. I guess that's why when she found out I was interested in her, she got so upset.

 [/Nick]

[August 2003] 

Harley sat in the back of a fancy New York City restaurant. She was in New York to meet with her management, do some photo shoots and to do a few interviews that would be out around the time her album came out. She had one thing she wouldn't talk about - she refused to talk about her break up with Nick in the interviews. 

"My album will say everything I need to say," she told one of the reporters that had hung out with her the day before while doing a few different photo shoots for her album. 

The album still didn't have a title, but she was working on that. She was debating between a few of the song titles or just a different title in general. Her management and label were pressuring her to pick one and she had a deadline to meet in two days with it. 

Her management thought the idea of spilling about what she was feeling about her ex-boyfriend who was now dating one of the most famous people in the world on an album was brilliant. It was a great way to get press for the new release, her first on that label and it was a great way to get people to buy the album. 

To Harley though, it was the only way she could say anything about it without crying. She could sing about what happened, but there was no way she could sit and talk to someone about the person she thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with breaking up with her for someone like Paris Hilton.