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

Chapter 36 - Grenade

[Harley]

For three months, I sat in my bedroom, staring at the four walls. Every day I would think about what Ella would be doing if she didn't die. I thought I was stronger than I was. I thought that I would have a grieving period and go do the tour as if nothing happened, but I couldn't. I canceled the European tour. I couldn't go out there and sing songs that I had written about someone had literally ripped my heart out and stomped on it.

My Dad, for once, was saying that I was being too hard on Nick. He told me that I needed to remember that Nick lost Ella too. That might be true, but he didn't have the connection with her that I had. To him, it was just a baby that I was carrying, but to me, she was a part of me. I felt every move she made from that very first butterfly feeling until the last time I felt her kick.

I heard from someone that Nick had went to Brian's after leaving my house. For a few days after Nick showed up at my house, I kept getting flowers – mostly pink roses, my favorite. He even came by the house once again but my father wasn't home and I wouldn't let him in. I just sat at the bottom of the stairs, listening to him talk over the speaker. He knew I was in there, but I never said a word.

He told me how much he loved me, how he had always loved me. He told me how he just went along with the agreement just to be close to me again and how he hoped that one day I would realize that I wanted him back.

Then he started crying and it killed me.

But he was right. I did realize that I wanted him back like we once were but after Ella and what he did, I didn't know if I could ever look at him the same again. I couldn't look at him without thinking about Ella, wondering if she had my chin or his eyes or his nose and my ears. I never got to see her, not even a quick glimpse. I knew those thoughts were going to haunt me until the day I died.

But after those three months, I knew had to do something. I had cancelled the European tour, but I needed to keep myself busy or else I would be the one at the Betty Ford Clinic. I hadn't heard from Nick since he confessed everything to the speaker at my front gate. AJ told me that he ended up getting probation and community service for the arrest.

I just hoped he had learned his lesson and was moving on like I was trying to do.

[/Harley]

[November 2006]

Nick walked up to the bar, calling the bartender over and asking for a Scotch. He wasn't in much of a mood for partying, but wanted a drink. He had been in the studio all day with the guys, working on their next album... without Kevin. After Nick confessed everything to his four band mates, it was the tipping point for Kevin Richardson. He had already wanted out of the group and Nick lying about Harley being pregnant the entire time was the icing on the cake.

But he and the guys were trying to find themselves as a group without Kevin there. They were so used to him being there, being the boss and leader so it was weird being in the studio without that leader. It was stressful.

"Thanks," Nick smiled, dropping some cash on the counter. He turned his back to the bar, leaning against it to see that there was some big party going on in the VIP area. "Hey," he said, looking back at the bartender. "What's going on over there?"

"Private birthday party," he said as Nick took another sip of his drink. "I think you know her."

"Who?"

"Harley Harper."

"What?" Nick asked, taking his cell phone out of his pocket to see the date. November 11. It was Harley's birthday. He hadn't even noticed. He finished off his Scotch, sitting the glass on the counter and started walking through the crowd. He reached the VIP section, looking up to see a group of about 25 people singing 'Happy Birthday' to Harley.

Nick sighed, staring at her. She looked different. Her hair was shorter, just below her shoulders, and her makeup was darker. But her eyes, her eyes still looked empty.

"Make a wish!" Nick heard Scarlett yelled as she stood beside Harley. Harley laughed, taking a deep breath and blew out the 25 candles on her cake. Then she froze, staring back at Nick. Nick gave her a quick little wave and Harley looked away quickly at Scarlett. Then Scarlett looked over at Nick and started making her way out of the VIP section.

"Nick," Scarlett said, walking up to him. "What are you doing here? How did you find out about this?"

"I stopped by after working all day," he said, crossing his arms across his chest. "The bartender told me who was over here. I want to talk to her."

"She doesn't want to talk to you and it's her birthday, Nick," Scarlett said as Nick sighed. "Just let her have some fun tonight? Okay? She's got a date and she's trying to move on."

"A date? Who?"

"He's not famous, so you don't know him. He's a songwriter from Nashville."

"Well, tell her happy birthday for me," Nick said as he walked past Scarlett and back towards the bar. He couldn't believe that Harley was already dating after what happened. Sure, he slept around, but he wasn't anywhere near dating status with anybody.

"Another?" the bartender asked as Nick sat down on a barstool, nodding his head.

"Make it a double," Nick muttered, resting his head in his hands. "Fuck, triple it. I don't care. Just keep pouring when it goes empty."

"Your mood sure did change quick," the bartender said, watching Nick guzzle the alcohol down.

Nick sat there for what seemed like an eternity, drinking drink after drink, when it reality it was barely an hour. He kept turning around every so often, looking towards the VIP area of the club. He kept wondering why she was having her birthday party at a club in L.A. of all places. She hated L.A. She hated clubs. She hated the whole scene.

"You're not driving are you?" the bartender asked as Nick shook his head. "Good."

"Can I get a Sex on the Beach?" Nick heard a familiar voice ask as he looked over to see Harley standing there.

"You didn't come up next to me and ask for a drink when you could have gotten one of your people to do it for you," Nick said as Harley ignored him. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you," Harley whispered, her voice sounding shaky. She looked over to see Nick's glass and snorted. "I see some things haven't changed."

"I see some things have changed," he said, staring at her. "Why is your party here of all places?"

"Management is throwing it," she whispered. "Wasn't my choice. I didn't even want a party. What the hell do I have to celebrate?" she asked, taking the drink from the bartender and started to turn around until Nick grabbed her hand, turning her around to look at him. "What, Nick?"

"How are you doing?" he asked as she looked away. He could see her eyes welling up and that answered his question. "Why don't you come with me?"

"Nick, I have people over there that are here for me and I have a date and Scarlett is here..."

"Scarlett's a big girl, she can take care of herself," Nick said as Harley rolled her eyes. She looked down at their hands as he entwined his fingers with hers. "And if this dude was that awesome, you wouldn't have came over to order a drink right next to me at a bar that is almost as long as half a football field."

"Nick, we need to move on," Harley whispered as Nick nodded.

"But there's still things that need to be said before either of us can do that and you know it," Nick said as Harley sighed, looking back over at the VIP section.

"Nick, I can't," Harley said, letting go of his hand. "I can't ditch my birthday party, I'm sorry." He watched her as she walked back through the crowd, making her way back to the VIP area. At least he tried. He couldn't say he didn't try to talk to her.

"I'm done for the night," Nick said, turning around to look at the bartender. He tossed some more cash on the counter and put his wallet back in his pants. He looked back as he started out of the bar, seeing Harley hugging Scarlett and sighed.