I'm back! LOL! Sorry it's taken me so long to get this up but real life has gotten in the way. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed. It really means a lot to me. Here's the next chapter. It's unbelievably short and I feel bad about not giving you guys something longer after the last one and being away for a while but this needed to be done. It has a more serious tone to it then the earlier chapters but you'll find out why soon enough. Here we go…

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Chapter 3

Neela looked out of the window of the break room quietly contemplating her situation. She loved Ray with every fibre of her being but there had been a time when she had felt that way about another Barnett. Neela knew that the time she had been with Nate was long before she had ever met Ray but considering how many problems their relationship had caused for the entire Barnett family, she doubted Ray would see it that way. Not that she blamed him. She would feel the same if she was in his shoes.

Neela heard the door to the break room creek open but didn't bother to turn around, she knew who it was. She'd always been able to sense when he was close by. At a certain point in her life she had thought that proof that they were soul mates, destined to be together. She scoffed at the notion. Her ideas of love had once been so innocent but life had taught her that it only caused heartbreak. Soul mates, destiny, they were just something for the young and pure to believe in. Something she had never been.

'Hey' he whispered, standing beside her.

'Hi'

Nate turned to look at her trying to read the expression on her face. He took the opportunity to study her. Time had been very generous to her and she looked even more beautiful then she had all those years ago. Ten to be exact. At the time she had taken his breath away but now…when he saw her he had stopped breathing. He tried to squelch the waves of love he felt at standing beside her once again before it engulfed him. He reminded himself that this wasn't the same Neela he had fallen in love with. She had been naïve and innocent despite her claims otherwise and he had taken that away. Shattered her adolescent mind and heart, crushed her spirit. Something he had never forgiven himself for and never would.

They stood together silently, staring out the window. They didn't need words.

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What's the verdict? In the next chapter Neela and Nate will actually have a proper conversation and secrets will be revealed. Sad ones at that. But you won't find out if you don't review. LOL!