Maybe it's all for the best

Chapter 17: Leaving

"Nate... we're gonna be late if we don't leave now... it's brunch not lunch" I sighed, tugging my dress back over my shoulders. I pulled my hair into a messy pony tail and turned to look at the naked man lazing on my bed.

"Can't we just spend the day in bed?" He pouted and patted the bed again. "I haven't seen you in so long... I miss you... Besides, I don't think your family likes me very much" He pouted. "Especially Roe"

"Roe doesn't like anyone when she firsts meets them. Her and Dra-Harry hated each other when they first met" I corrected my slip up quickly.

"Yeah but I'm Nathanial Carter. I'm famous" He puffed himself up. I suppressed an eyeroll.

"I'm famous too... My family doesn't like to treat people differently is all" I shrugged and leant on his shoulder.

"It's weird... can't we just stay at home?"

I shook my head. "No we can't. You wanted to meet my family and friends, so that's what we're going to do" I glanced at my watch again. "Shit. We're going to be late if you don't hurry up now" I sighed and pulled open the bedroom door.

I stepped into the hall and walked right into Harry. "Oh sorry!"

"Sorry Harry" I mumbled, feeling awkward as he caught me around the waist. He let me go just as quickly and ran his hand through his hair. "Where's Roe? We're running slightly late..." I bit my lip, hoping my face wasn't as flushed as it felt.

"I was just coming to tell you that Roe probably won't be going today... she's really not well" Harry bit his lip.

I cocked an eyebrow.

"That dirty brat is faking it isn't she?" I scowled. "Where is she?"

"Back at her apartment" Harry dropped his voice low and we moved to the lounge room. "Her patronus really didn't look well, Riles"

"Oh no, don't you cover for her" I shook my head. "I'll be back ok?" I glanced toward the bedrooms.

"Riles don't!" He exclaimed but it was too late. There was a crack and I was standing in the living room of Roe and Draco's flat.

"ROSALIE! GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!" I exclaimed, marching through the living room and down to the bedrooms.

"Riley, good morning. Nice to see you here so early" Draco drawled from the kitchen behind me. "Roe is sick"

"Like hell she is. She just doesn't like Nate" I narrowed my eyes.

"She's in the bathroom throwing up Riles... go see" He pointed in the direction of his room and shrugged a shoulder. I marched in there and came to an abrupt stop when I saw her hunched over the bowl, looking genuinely sick.

"You look awful" I wrinkled my nose.

"Gee thanks little sister" She rolled her eyes. "I feel better than I did" She wiped her mouth and flushed the toilet.

"What happened?" I asked, biting my lip, feeling slightly horrible for calling her a dirty brat.

"I don't know... I woke up, started to get ready and then just... threw up everywhere" She shrugged, picking up her tooth brush. "Would you hate me if I didn't come? I feel so tired" She sighed.

"No you stay here... Nate's still in bed anyway" I rolled my eyes.

"You better go hurry him up. Hermione and Ginny will be getting to the cafe soon" Roe looked at the clock.

"Oh shit" I sighed. "I'll see you later. Love you" I waved my hand and apparated into the alley beside Harry's building. I hurried up and entered the apartment.

"And is Roe really sick?" Harry asked when I walked into the living room.

"Yeah she is actually" I grinned guiltily. He smirked. "Oh come on, it's something Roe would do"

He nodded in agreement. "Nate still hasn't surfaced by the way" Harry added, opening one of Teddy's books and handing it to the small, blue haired boy.

I groaned and marched into the bedroom.

"Nathaniel get up NOW!" I exclaimed, banging the door open. "We're now late and I'm pissed. You have twenty minutes or I'm leaving without you"

"Baby fiiine" He drawled, pulling himself out of the bed. "I'm coming"

I didn't say anything, just slammed the door and went back into the lounge. "You ok Riles?" Harry asked.

I glanced at him. "Of course" I lied. He gave me a small smile and nodded. Clearly he didn't believe me. "He's just being so..."

"Selfish?" Harry supplied.

"Yes. Selfish. He came to meet my friends and family and is now complaining because he has to get out of bed" I blew some hair off my head. "I just... I'm fine" I took a deep breath and smiled.

"Of course" Harry mimicked my expression. I stuck my tongue out at him.

I waited 20 minutes before Nate appeared, dressed in a light blue short sleeves shirt and black cargo pants.

"Finally. We're so late" I growled and shot out of my seat. "Thanks for lending us the car Harry" I took the keys from the side table and kissed Harry's cheek without thinking about it. Nate shot him a glare.

"It's no problem. Nice meeting you Nathaniel" He ignored the glare and shook hands with Nate.

"You too" Nate said stiffly. I ushered him down to the car and slid behind the drivers seat. "A kiss babe? Really?" Nate snapped.

I glanced at him and started the engine. "Yes. A kiss on the cheek... so what?" I asked. I pulled out of the car park and into the traffic. We didn't have to go far, a few blocks at the most. We could have walked it except Nate would have dawdled and wanted to look at everything.

Ginny was gonna kill me.

"So... you just kissed another guy in front of me" He grumbled. "I mean I know you're pissed because we're late to this silly brunch but really? You're trying to make me jealous?" He rolled his eyes.

"Silly brunch?" I exclaimed, a little louder than I should have. "This is a chance for you to meet my family Nate. Why isn't this important to you?" I asked. "And it was just a thank you peck on the CHEEK! I've seen you have longer kisses with your co-stars" I rolled my eyes.

He stared at me, wide eyed. "It's not that important to me because you've already said yes to me and we never see your family. They're not exactly going to be a problem are they?" He rolled his eyes. "And the kiss thing? Well I know that was just a ploy to make me jealous in revenge" He let out a sigh.

I gripped the wheel tightly. He was ticking me off big time. I couldn't believe him. It wasn't important to him to meet my family because we never saw them, and I'd already said yes to marrying him?

"You know what? I may have already said yes to you, but I can certainly throw this ring out of the window right now and call the whole thing off" I snarled, pulling into a car park outside of the cafe. I turned in my seat and glared at him.

His expression was shocked. Sure, we'd had fights before but I'd never actually stuck up for myself. I'd never fought back. "Riley... really?" He raised one eyebrow.

"Don't tempt me. You're in my home... I have nothing to lose in this place because whether you're here or not, people love me" I opened the door. "So you better make impressing my family top priority" I got out and slammed the door.

He got out as well and was slightly more subdued. He could have been pissed but I didn't look at him long enough to find out.

"There she is!"

"Finally!"

"I'm so sorry we're late! We got stuck in traffic!" I pulled a face at my friends and hugged them.

"It's not a problem... so where is this hot celebrity you managed to bag" Ginny smiled at me.

"Guys, this is Nate... Nate this is Hermione and Ginny" I smiled and put my arm around Nate's waist. He held me tightly and I knew he'd forgive me.

"The best friends" Nate smiled. "Pleasure to finally meet you. Riley talks about you a lot" He kissed Ginny's cheek and then Hermione's. I suppressed an eye roll and sat down. "You wouldn't happen to be related to her sisters partner, would you?" Nate raised an eyebrow at Ginny's hair.

Ginny grinned. "Yeah, he's my older brother" Ginny nodded. "I have 7"

"Wow. Seven...boys must have a tough time getting to you?" He laughed.

"Pretty much" She nodded in response. Hermione still hadn't really said anything. She must have spoken to Roe.

I relaxed as the brunch went on. Nate talked more about himself and his movies than he should have, but I couldn't blame him for that. At least he was trying to get along with them. Our little tiff in the car must have put things in perspective.

I was still proud of myself for standing up to him. Honestly I'd never done that before. I'd always been too scared of losing him.

Maybe you're not now... The thought hit me like a tonne of bricks. I wasn't scared of losing him now, because I didn't want to be with him now. I didn't want to get married, I didn't want to live with him and I didn't even think I wanted to live in New York.

I really just wanted to be with Harry.

Nate placed his hand on my knee and squeezed it. I glanced at him guiltily, hoping he couldn't read my thoughts. He was such a sweet guy when he wanted to be, so gentle and kind...

I had to stick with him.

My heart sunk when I realised that I couldn't be with Harry. I'd made a commitment to Nate and I had to stick by it. Besides, I had other commitments in New York... modelling, friends, my own life. I couldn't hold on to the past, no matter how much I wanted to.

I drove Nate to the airport straight from brunch/lunch/afternoon tea.

"Your friends are lovely baby" He said as we sat in the terminal.

"I miss them a lot" I agreed. "Maybe we can have them over to a weekend when we get our new apartment?" I asked.

"Of course... we'll invite everyone to a housewarming party" He kissed my head. "I'm sorry that I made you feel like I didn't care... I really do. You're my world Riley. I love you"

My stomach squirmed. "You too" I mumbled.

"You should come back to New York with me" Nate pouted. "We can start looking for the apartment..."

I groaned, rolling my eyes. "I have 11 days left with my family. I'll be home soon" I smiled and kissed him softly. "I'm glad you came and met them though" I murmured.

"Anything for you babe" He hugged me tightly. My stomach jolted remembering Harry saying those exact words to me the night before. Somehow, it meant more coming from Harry than Nate.

"Good evening passengers and welcome to Heathrow International Airport. This is a boarding call for flight HGN76J to New York..."

"That's you" I looked up at Nate with a smile.

"Why do you sound happy about me leaving?" He chuckled.

"I'm not!" I said, a little more quickly than I should have. He shot me a funny look. "I'm just gonna miss you for the next 11 days, that's all" I sighed, kissing his lips softly.

"Come with me now then" He urged.

I shook my head. "11 days" I kissed him once more and pushed him away. "Bye"

"I love you" He smiled, picking up his overnight bag.

"You too" I sighed. He blew me a kiss and disappeared down the flight tunnel. I turned and walked back to Harry's car. I slid into the BMW, my mind reeling.

I had no idea what I was going to do. Dealing with conflict was not my strong point. I loved Harry, there was no doubt about that... but I couldn't go back. Harry was my past and Nate... well Nate was my future.

That's the way my story went.

Plea's Note:

So I admitted to my boyfriend tonight that I write fanfiction... AGHHH... Review and till next time.

Plea

p.s. I only quick edited this so if there's anything wrong with it i APOLOGISE PROFUSELY... ALSO Alice Cullen Cutie and Purple Cow... when you review please leave somewhere that I can reply back to you! I'd love to reply to your reviews but can't!

xo Plea