...Chapter Two...
...Going Away Party and Airport...
Chuck and Rayanna got to his place five minutes later. They went up to the Bass suite and as soon as Rayanna got off the elevator, she went straight to Chuck's room. Chuck was looking through the mail and listening to the messages on the phone. When he was finished, he looked around and didn't see Rayanna.
"Ray?" he said, before walking into his room.
"Hey." she looked at him with tears in her eyes.
He sat down next to her. "What's wrong?"
"Um... I just don't want to leave you guys."
Chuck wiped her cheeks with his thumbs. "Ray, where ever you end up, we'll come visit you or you can come visit us."
"But, Chuck... this past year, it finally feels like my life is going back to normal, and now I'm getting ripped away from all of it."
Chuck pulled her into his arms for a hug and said "Everything will be okay." she nodded into his chest. "Summer is right around the corner. We'll take my private jet and take a vacation."
She giggled. "Okay." she let go of Chuck. "So, how long until we have to be at Blair's?"
"Um." he glanced at his watch. "Like, four hours."
She laid down on his pillows. "I'm taking a nap."
"Ray, what's with you? You're always tired lately."
"I don't know... just come take a nap with me."
"Okay." Chuck sighed, then laid down next to her. He set a timer on his phone to go off at five fifty, then both of them fell asleep.
...
When Chuck's alarm was beeping, both of them woke up. Before they left, Rayanna washed her face, re-applied her make up, and fixed her hair. They arrived at Blair's ten minutes later. As Rayanna stepped off the elevator, she heard everyone scream "Surprise!"
Rayanna laughed. "Thanks everyone!" then the party was in full swing. Rayanna was talking to everyone that shown up for the party. She looked over and saw Haley by the punch bowl, looking upset. "Haley? Are you okay?"
"Not really."
"What's wrong?"
"I don't want to leave."
"Neither do I, but we don't have a choice."
"Well... I don't know about you and as soon as I turn eighteen, I'm coming back here." she started to walk away. "I'll meet you at the airport, tomorrow." then Haley left.
A little while later, Nate found Rayanna out on the balcony. "Hey, what are you doing out here... all by yourself?"
"Thinking."
He stood next to her. "About what?"
"Everything going on - past and present." she paused. "Also the future."
"Do you want a drink?"
She shook her head. "I can't, Nate."
"Why?"
Rayanna turned around to face him and took a deep breath. "Okay, I've been friends with you longer than anyone."
"Since we were two." he said, nodding.
She smiled and said "Yes... since we were two."
"Ray, whatever it is, you know you can tell me anythng."
"Yes, because I trust you."
"Okay... so what's going on?"
Rayanna took another deep breath. "On Halloween, the anniversary of my parents death... I did something really, really, really stupid." she took another breath. "I was sad, upset, and vulnerable." tears were rolling down her cheeks. "And I can't take it back."
Nate wiped them away with his thumbs. "What did you do?"
"I was just extremely upset... and Chuck was there." she mumbled, looking away.
The light bulb clicked in Nate's head, then his eyes widened. "Oh no, Ray... you didn't."
"Yeah." she nodded "And now I'm pregnant."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah." she looked back over at him. "The doctor confirmed it, a few weeks ago."
"How far along are you?"
"Just eight weeks." she shrugged and Nate looked away. "I just don't know what to do."
Nate looked back at her. "We're here for you... you know that, right?"
"I know, but I'll be all the way in Hawaii." she paused. "And even if Chuck knows about the baby or not, he'll never care and love me, like the way he does Blair."
"Or like the way... I love and care about you?"
Rayanna's eyes widened. "Wh... what? You what?"
He wiped more of her tears that were falling. "You already know, I care about you." she nodded. "Ray, I've always loved you since as long as I can remember. But... if would have been there for you that night, like I should have been, instead of Chuck." he put his hand on her stomach. "Then this would have been our baby."
"Nate.." she whispered.
He let go of her stomach, grabbed her hands. "Ray, it's fine. I'll be there for you every step of the way... if you let me." she nodded. "Because, I love you." he pulled her in his arms for a hug. "Everything is going to work out, Ray."
"I hope so." she whispered.
Nate and Rayanna didn't notice Chuck watching them hug. He walked out on the balcony and cleared his throat. "Is everything okay?"
Rayanna let go of Nate, wiped her tears from her face. "Yeah."
"Do you want a drink? I can have them make you a Long Island Iced Tea."
"No, Chuck, I don't want a drink."
"But it's your favorite." he paused. "You know, you've been acting really strange the past few days... what's up with you?"
"Um..." she started. "Chuck, I'm..."
"She's just upset, that she has to leave us." Nate said, cutting her off.
"Ray, don't worry. I told you that we'll all be back together for this summer." Chuck said, then took a sip of his drink.
She glanced at Nate. "You're right."
"Of course I am... I'm Chuck Bass."
Nate and Rayanna laughed, then went back inside with Chuck, and enjoyed the party. For the rest of the night, Rayanna said her 'Goodbyes' to all of her friends, then Nate took her back to her grandparents.
As she was getting out of the limo, Nate stopped her. "Wait. Where ever you end up in Hawaii, I will be there for you."
"Really?"
"Yes, Ray... I'm just a phone call away." she smiled, then Nate gave her a heartfelt kiss. "Goodbye, Ray."
"Bye, Nate." then as she went into the building, Nate took off.
When she got up to her grandparents suite, and stepped off the elevator, it was dark. So, she figured everyone was asleep. She went into her room to start packing, before she went to sleep.
The next morning, Rayanna woke up at the sound of her alarm clock, going off at seven am. She took a shower, then got ready to go. Rayanna, Sophia, and Max met Haley at the airport an hour later.
As they were going through the airport security, Rayanna heard her name being called. She looked around and didn't see anything. Seconds later, she heard it again. When she turned around, she saw Nate running towards her. Rayanna stepped out of line, running into Nate's arms.
"Ray!" yelled Haley.
"I'll meet you over by the terminal!" Rayanna yelled back. Haley rolled her eyes, then went through the security with their grandparents. "Nate, what are you doing here?"
"I had to see you one last time before you left and to give you this." he pulled a gift bag from behind his back and gave it to her. "Don't open it, until you're on the plane."
"Okay." she nodded.
He gave her a hug. "You don't have to say it back, but I want you to know that... I love you." he looked into her eyes and gave her a long kiss. "Text or call me when you get in and have a safe flight." he wiped her tears. "Goodbye, Rayanna."
"Goodbye, Nate." she smiled, then she walked back in line as Nate left in the other direction.
After Rayanna got on the plane, she sat behind Sophia and Max, but sat in front of Haley. She didn't want to sit next to Rayanna, so she had her own row to herself. As the plane took off, Rayanna opened the bag that Nate gave her. Inside was a note, a small blue velvet box, and a grey t-shirt. She read the note first.
"Ray, I had to see you before you left to say goodbye and to give you these things. I gave you my shirt that you love so much. Now, look inside the little box. It's a promise ring. A promise to always be there for you and the baby. I'll move to Hawaii, so I can be with you. So, call me or text me when you get in, I don't care what time. I love you always, Nate."
Rayanna opened the little box and inside was a platinum princess cut diamond promise ring. She took it out and put it on her ring finger. Then she looked at the shirt and smiled. It was Nate's old, grey, tattered shirt with the Batman logo on the front and she loved it. She sat there looking out the little airplane window, thinking to herself, that everything is going to be okay.