Well folks here we go, the next chapter of Something More. I want to thank those who reviewed last chapter: reader and AJeff thank you so much for reviewing. Your thoughts and opinions really mean a lot to me. I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter as much as the first.
Chapter Two
Studying his image in the mirror, Nathan adjusted his bowtie. The benefit started in thirty minutes and he was still far from ready.
"Why do I have to go to this thing?" Peter, his younger brother, asked as he walked into the room, his own tie lying loose around his neck.
"I told you," Nathan walked over to Peter and tied the tie for him, "the whole family was invited so we all have to go. Besides, it's good publicity." He smiled that condescending smile that Peter hated.
"Great." The younger man muttered under his breath. He was not looking forward to this night; it was yet another way for Nathan to show off to the press and the public. Peter wasn't ready for the mind-numbing hours that awaited him. With a sigh, he turned to head back to his room so that he could finish getting dressed.
"Be ready to leave in forty minutes." Nathan called after his brother as Peter left the room. The door closed behind his younger brother, and Nathan returned his attention to the mirror. Running a hand over his neatly styled hair, Nathan surveyed his reflection with a confident smile. He was ready for the cameras.
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Kendal fidgeted with the slim strap of her dress. Why was it that social events always made her revert back to that teenaged, self-conscious version of herself?
The benefit for Third World hunger was the biggest event of the season. Everyone who was anyone in New York had shown up at the Met to see and be seen. Just four feet away from her, Kendal could see Donald Trump talking business with two of the many millionaires that New York boasted. And millionaires weren't the only people at the black-tie event. Celebrities of every type were there as well, smiling their bleached smiles and rubbing shoulders with the rich in an attempt to make more connections so as to boost their fame.
Grabbing a glass of champagne from one of the passing drink trays, Kendal plastered a fake smile on her lips and tried to feign interest in the conversation going on around her.
Only moments after walking into the room designated for the party, Kendal had been taken hostage by a group of her mother's friends, all of whom were eager to know about California and all the "handsome men that just had to be falling all over" her. All Kendal could do was grin and bear the bombardment. She answered their questions as best she could, but as soon as one would ask a question another would be right behind with her own question. It was all Kendal could do to keep up.
"Oh look, there's the Petrelli's." Miranda Hetchfield, Mrs. Shelton's oldest friend, said, inclining her head towards the door where the Petrelli family had just entered.
Discreetly, and under the guise of taking a sip from her glass, Kendal glanced over to the large doorway. Sure enough, there stood Nathan Petrelli in all his god-like glory, smiling and laughing with the press that wandered about the room and talking to the millionaires and celebrities as if he saw them every day. Nathan had always been the one who could handle social events; they had been his moment to shine. Even when they were kids he had been able to work a room and make everybody fall in love with him.
His smile seemed to light up the room, and Kendal could feel her heart beat quicken as she looked at him. He was just as handsome and enchanting as she remembered.
"Looks like somebody still carries a flame for her old love." Miranda joked, casting a sly smile in Kendal's direction. Heat rose in the young woman's face and she quickly turned her attention back to the women that surrounded her. But her thoughts remained on Nathan. She couldn't help but wonder if he still remembered her, if he still remembered what they had had together.
"Good evening ladies, I hope I haven't missed all the fun." Mrs. Petrelli's voice came from behind Kendal, startling her. The matriarch of the Petrelli family stepped into the circle of older women and her eyes immediately fell upon the young lady in their midst.
"Oh my, Kendal! I didn't even see you there. When did you come back to town?" Many things could be said about Nathan's mother, but the fact that she was not genuine could never be uttered. She was the most real person that Kendal knew within the society that she was constantly thrust into.
Mrs. Petrelli placed a hand on Kendal's arm; a gesture that Kendal knew meant the woman would have hugged her had they not been in public. Kendal smiled gratefully at the woman who had been like a second mother to her.
"I got back this afternoon." Kendal replied.
"You poor girl, you must be jet lagged."
Kendal shook her head.
"It's not too bad."
"Well, don't let your mother keep you here too long." Mrs. Petrelli whispered to her. Kendal's smile broadened.
"Well now, I have never seen a more beautiful group of women in my life."
The voice, so familiar to her, made Kendal stiffen. Slowly, she turned to face the man behind her.
"Hello, Nathan."
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Peter walked the perimeter of the room, trying to keep out of the line of sight of any old woman in need of companionship. He searched the crowd, trying to find anyone who could be potentially interesting to talk to and that's when he saw her.
At first he almost didn't recognize her. She had matured in those years she'd been gone. Her hair had gotten longer and she had highlighted it with a rich auburn color that complimented her natural mocha brown curls. The skin that had once been a beautiful ivory was now evenly tanned to a light bronze, and her cream colored dress accentuated the color.
But her face was still the same. He would have recognized that smile, those mint green eyes, that button nose anywhere. Long ago he had memorized every contour, every feature of her face and had, when he was younger, replayed her image over and over again in his mind.
He had been in love with her for as long as he could remember. But never had he so much as dared to tell her how he felt, she belonged to Nathan after all. That had been three years ago, though, and who knew if Nathan still cared about her. Peter knew, though, that his own feelings still remained. They would never go away. The way he felt about Kendal had been growing ever since they were children. They had been playmates since they were children; they'd been in all the same classes through all twelve years of school, and through it all Peter's love for Kendal had grown. When Nathan and Kendal started dating, Peter tried to stop feeling the way that he did, but it was to no avail. Every time he saw his brother with Kendal, Peter felt a part of his heart breaking. It had killed him to see the two so in love. But at the same time, he had been happy to see Kendal so happy.
When Kendal had left for California Peter thought that his feelings for her would finally disappear. Out of sight, out of mind. But that was far from true. If anything, her absence had only made him think about her more. At least for the first year. And then, finally, he had been able to forget about her.
And now here she was, standing only a few yards away from him and looking even more beautiful than he remembered.
Peter took a step towards her. For once in his life he felt a wave of bravery come over him and maybe, just maybe, this would be the time when he finally told her how he felt. And then Nathan approached Kendal.
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