"But the one thing I wish I'd forget. The memory I wanna forget is goodbye."
Goodbye by Miley Cyrus
Alex and Miley could sense the timidity in Nate's tone. They glanced at each other before looking directly back at Nate. The two girls stood there, nervous and perplexed, not knowing what to say or how to react. So they stood still in the middle of that empty hallway, letting the awkward silence swirl around them.
Alex wanted to throw her arms around Nate, yearning for the love of her life. Yet at the same time, she wanted to link her arm in between Miley's, standing straight on the ground, and proving that she was downright the greatest best friend known to girl. Though, Miley wanted to scream at Alex as she remembered the atrocity her on-and-off best friend committed then run off with Nate, rubbing in Alex's face that he was all hers. But she knew that Nate wasn't just hers, and she knew that Alex wasn't the worst person alive.
"What's up?" Alex asked, seeing that Miley wouldn't say anything. She acted as if they were just friends. Not enemies, not lovers, but just friends. Alex could barely handle the explosion of butterflies inside of her stomach right now. She tried not to smile dreamily or gaze at him, knowing that her newly restored friendship with Miley could easily get shattered by just doing that.
"Well…" Nate scratched the back of his neck and looked absentmindedly at his shoes. He didn't know how to word this. What could he say? I'm leaving you for California to pursue my dreams? He didn't think so. Nate took a deep gulp and shuffled his foot against the tiles. Miley glanced at Alex again whom was beginning to get really impatient.
"What do you want to tell us, Nate?" Miley asked before Alex would start complaining a storm. Nate looked up sullenly and frowned. "Is it something bad?" Miley and Alex knew that there was a dilemma once they saw Nate mute again. "What happened?" Miley whispered. She was too scared to raise her voice, knowing that it will crack.
"Well…Hollywood Records is asking my brothers and me to make a demo for them. They'll sign us in if they like our stuff." Nate mumbled. Miley and Alex smiled and hugged Nate tightly from each side. They were too happy for him to even realize the unhappy look on Nate's face. "But…there's a problem."
"What? Why would there be a problem? Nate, you're going to be a popstar!" Alex cheered, wrapping her arms around his neck and embracing him lovingly.
"I think Natey prefers the term 'rockstar'. I know Shane does." Miley laughed, hugging Nate's waist. Alex giggled as well.
Two gorgeous girls hugging you adoringly, loving you endlessly was a position any guy would kill to be in. Any guy but Nate.
He slipped out of his girlfriends' arms and took a step back, still frowning. He took both of their hands and squeezed them, wishing that he wouldn't have to let go of them. "But if the record label likes us…I'm going to California." He said, looking back and forth between the two. Miley and Alex still looked puzzled. Nate sighed. He didn't want to say it, but there was no other way to explain it. "Meaning…I'll be in California…and not come back."
Those words struck Alex and Miley like a bullet. Their visions were blurring by the incoming tears. They knew that they couldn't leave each other, but that meant that the love of their life had to go instead. Nate looked down. He couldn't handle the devastated expressions on Alex and Miley's faces. He felt their grip tighten on him, not wanting to let go as well.
"Oh…" Alex whispered. She chocked back a sob and looked down, wiping her eyes with her free hand. "Well then…" she added, making this conversation more heartrending by the second. Miley couldn't even speak. It was hard enough that she wasn't the only love of Nate's life, but now he has to go? She just couldn't take that.
"Guys-" Nate started.
"Don't leave me!" Alex wailed. She couldn't hold her tears back any longer. She looked at Miley whom was crying as well. "Don't leave us. You said that you loved us! Was that some stupid lie?!" Nate opened his mouth, but Alex cut him off again. "You know, I've been hurt by guys so many freaking times. I've been fooled to be in love. But you, I thought you were a whole entire different story. I backstabbed my own best friend for you. And now you're just going to leave me – us – and think that it's alright?!"
"Alex-"
"Alex is right! You turned our lives upside down! You ruined our friendship to the worst measure, twisted it into a knot, and threw it into the ground like you don't even freaking care! You said that you loved me and only me, Nate. You promised Alex that you were going to love her no matter what. Is all you say complete lies?!"
"Miley-"
"Why couldn't you just choose one?!" Miley and Alex screamed at the same time. Silence poured amongst them again. All they could hear was the heavy huffs coming from Alex and Miley. Nate sighed deeply, his eyes watering up.
"Because I can't." he chocked out. "I never thought that I could love two girls as much as I ever loved you two. I can't live without both of you. I can't breathe unless I know that the two of you, okay. I feel like I'm going to cry when I see you guys crying because I know that it's my entire fault. I'm sorry that I can't pick the two of you because really, I love both of you." By now, Nate was in tears. His voice was husky hoarse, his eyes were depressing again, and Miley and Alex were speechless.
"Sorry for cutting your hair off in kindergarten." Alex mumbled. Nate cracked a smile.
"Sorry for gluing your hair to the wall." He said. He then looked at Miley. "And I'm sorry that I did this to you." He said, his smile wearing off. "To both of you."
"We're pretty sorry too." Miley answered back.
Suddenly, the gym doors opened and Miss Auburn came out. "Oh, Alex, good you're still here! Come inside, we're announcing the five students who'll be accepted to New York's Fine Arts Academy!" she said, smiling gladly at her. Alex sighed and reluctantly followed Miss Auburn back inside with Nate and Miley trailing on behind her.
I really don't need this. What I need is a long crying fest, a stack of romantic comedies, and chocolate ice cream to eat with Miley. Scratch that. I need Miley as my best friend. I need Nate as my boyfriend. I need Miley to not hate me. I need Nate to not leave me. I need…love.
Alex wiped her remaining tears with her hands and mixed in with the large crowd that was forming in front of the stage. She stood on Nate's right and Miley stood on his left. They had a gap in between each other, trying not to touch, trying not to feel. Alex glumly stared at her shoes, dragging her foot back and forth on the gym floor. She could honestly care less about who gets accepted or not. She just wanted to find a solution to all of this. A result with everyone winning.
But no result will end like that. Someone has to lose, someone has to win. In the end, they will all be truly broken.
"I've seen many talented artists in this room. So many that we feel so bad about not accepting all of you into my school. Really, I wish that you all can come and show this world how important and beautiful art truly is. But now, we must choose the five students out of you twenty to come to New York with us for the summer and to enroll into our school next fall. Before I announce all of them, I have to say that one stood out from all of you. One showed me that she just wasn't another girl who could draw really well. She just didn't know how to paint. She knew how to feel and express herself and had no worry of showing it." Miss Auburn said.
Whispers filled the gym as the students wondered who this mystery girl could be. Alex sighed and leaned on Nate's shoulder. She wasn't even listening to a single word Miss Auburn said. Her mind was drifting away to its dark room where everything was equivalent to Hell.
"Come on, Alex, lighten up." Nate whispered into her ear. Alex grumbled and walked over to Miley. She leaned on her arm instead. Miley rested her head on Alex's and looked down morosely as well. Nate sighed and rubbed his eyes, knowing that this was a whole lot harder than he expected.
"And this girl reminded me what art was all about. It was about how much you loved it. How much you didn't care what the world or critics think, or how much people can degrade you because of your art. All what mattered was that you added love into it. I have to be honest, not many people can do that. All they think is if their painting would get sold or not. But not her. All she cared was if she was included enough love into it. And I'm proud to say that that girl is none other than Alex Russo."
Alex's head quickly shot up. She stared at Miss Auburn, astonished. Her mouth dropped open but was quickly twisted into a smirk once she heard the rest of the student body gasping, demanding a second look at her work. Alex's ego was back, and now was the perfect time to show it. Alex walked up the stage and received the certificate.
Nate smiled and clapped his hands which were soon followed by a long round of applause. "Isn't this great?" he asked Miley. Miley nodded her head weakly and looked down. Nate noticed the look on Miley's face and began to frown as well. He wrapped his arm around Miley's shoulders and pulled her closer.
First her boyfriend and now her best friend. Miley didn't know if things could get any worse.
Alex's heart sank as she looked out in the crowd. Even if many students surrounded her sight, all she could see were Miley and Nate. Alex felt like she was going to fall on her feet as she watched Nate comforting Miley. Then it hit her. Alex was leaving too. She was separating herself from her best friend. She was moving farther away from her boyfriend. Alex gulped and looked down at her certificate, wondering if she should accept it or not.
This was her dream she was willing to throw away. But she knew that it was for a good cause.
"What is she doing?" Miley asked as Alex stared down at her certificate with uncertainty. "She should be doing her stuck up, bratty thank you speech by now!" Nate said. He looked at Alex and smiled at her encouragingly. Once Alex caught his look, she shrugged at him. Nate nodded his head and grinned even wider at her. Alex sighed and looked at Miss Auburn.
"I don't think-" she started.
"Go, Alex! Woo!" Nate yelled, trying to cut her off. He elbowed Miley and she did the same thing. The two started to cheer and yell, praising Alex. "You deserve this!" Nate said loudly, emphasizing 'deserve'. Alex sighed and smiled reluctantly.
"Thank you." She said before walking off the stage. No egoistical remarks, any gloating, no Alex-ish ways, but just a small 'thank you'. Alex knew that she had no time to do any of that stuff, or enough happiness to. She walked through the loud murmurs of the students around her while Miss Auburn proceeded to announce the rest of the winners. Everyone believed that Alex won the best prize, but Alex truly knew that she's about to lose the most important one.
She up to Nate and Miley and hugged them. "Thank you." She repeated, closing her eyes. Nate and Miley squeezed her tightly, closing their eyes as well. The three secured their hold on each other, hoping that they didn't have to let go. That all of this was just another nightmare that they've been dreaming during a history, and that they needed to wake up badly this instant.
All they really wanted was to try not to cry.
OMJ
It was inevitable that the three will leave each other by the end of the school year. They will all go their separate ways and practically disappear from each others' lives. It was something they can't block away from their minds, something that they can't ignore, something that simply won't get better.
"So, Nate, how did it go?" Alex asked Nate as he and his brothers walked out of the recording studio. She and Miley stood up from the steps of the building, waiting for their answer. The three boys looked at each other, wondering if they should be happy or not. Either way, someone was going to be distressed. "So was it good or bad?" Alex asked, a small amount of hope in her voice.
"Hollywood Records loved it. They'll fly us off to California in about a week." Jason said, giving the two girls a small smile.
"Oh." Miley and Alex said at the same time.
"Well congrats." Alex said, trying to look happy for them. Everyone could tell that it was forced.
"We'll meet you in the car, Nate." Shane said, patting his younger brother's back. He nodded his head in Alex and Miley's direction before he walked back to their car. Jason did the same and followed behind Shane. He glanced back at the three before he entered the car and sighed, still disappointed in Nate.
"So…what song did you sing?" Alex muttered.
"You know that that's not the last thing you want to tell me before I leave." Nate said.
"What's the point? You're still going to leave us." Miley replied for Alex.
"Guys…" Nate couldn't find any words to say. Once again he was speechless, stumped, simply wordless. Nate frowned and buried his hands in his pockets and gave the two girls a small smile. "Why don't we make this something to remember? So when we all make our…separate ways, we know that at least we spent our last moments together…happy." Nate forced out. He felt like he was about to choke on each word he said. Or break down.
"What do you have in mind?" Miley asked quietly.
"Let's have those days together. You and Alex have your girly 'Best Friend Days'. Maybe we could…"
"Have a Nate and Me Day?" Alex asked, a smile forming on her lips. Nate nodded sheepishly. Alex and Miley looked at each other for a second then immediately burst into fits of laughter. "Oh, god, do you have any idea how stupid that sounds?! Ha!" Alex laughed. She clutched her stomach and tried to breathe as her laughter overtook her small body. Miley turned red and was on the verge of tears as she couldn't stop laughing either.
"Nate and Me Day!" Miley repeated.
"Okay, okay, I get it, the title sounds stupid. But do you want to do that or not?" Nate asked, trying not to join in with the laughter. His lips twitched into a smile and his laughter was just short inches away from being released. Alex took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to catch her breath while Miley covered her mouth, muffled laughs coming out of her.
"I guess we could…" Alex said, her bright and playful smirk on her lips again. Nate smiled at her, loving how he's beginning to see the old Alex in her again. Alex looked at Miley who finally stopped laughing. "But only if it's okay with Miley. I mean, doesn't that sound kind of wrong? Sharing you for a week? That screams out desperate, and I am so not desperate." Alex scoffed, rolling her eyes. Nate rolled his eyes as well.
Yeah, the annoying, self-absorbed, and infamous Alex Russo is definitely back. But at least it's the same girl who I fell in love with. He thought.
"Alex is right. What will the people at school say when they know that we're sharing you? It's wrong, and it makes it seem like Alex and I are tramps." Miley said, folding her arms. Nate sighed and shrugged, looking like this was the only thing they could possibly do unless they want to spend their last week together living an unmemorable moment. Once they noticed Nate's look, Miley and Alex glanced at each other again. The two girls sighed at the same time. "But I guess we could do that…if the school doesn't know."
"Of course not!" Nate said. Miley and Alex smiled back at him. Nate sighed, finally a breath of hope instead of despair. He took his two girls in his arms and held onto them. He knew that he shouldn't, but he kissed both on their foreheads. "I love you." He muttered. Alex almost forgot that Nate wasn't talking to only her. Miley as well. The girls looked at each other before smiling weakly up at Nate.
Shane began to honk the horn on the car furiously. Nate's head shot up and he glared at the car, giving his brothers an annoyed look. Shane rolled his eyes and tapped on his watch impatiently. Nate rolled his eyes. "You better get a move on. Shane looks like he's ready to rip your head off." Alex laughed. Shane practically punched the horn this time as he saw that Nate hasn't moved an inch. Alex and Miley giggled.
"Ugh, he's an idiot. He's probably going to end up more of a jerk than he already is if he keeps this up." Nate said, shaking his head. He hugged each girl separately, making sure that he added enough passion into each one before he began to jog towards the car. "I'll see you guys at school!" he called behind his back. Alex and Miley nodded. They watched Nate's car drive out of the parking lot until it was entirely out of their view.
The second the car was officially gone, Alex and Miley turned to face each other. "We need to talk." They said simultaneously. "About Nate." They said in unison again. "You first." Alex smiled while Miley laughed silently.
"Okay, clearly we have the same idea in mind, so I'll just speak up." Alex said. Miley laughed again, this time a little bit louder. The two girls sat on the front steps of the small recording studio and looked at each other straight in the eye. "We both know that we love Nate enough to…actually trade off with him. I know I said that I don't like being desperate and that we don't want to seem like we're tramps, but let's face it. We're desperate and close to being called tramps."
"You got that right." Miley muttered, her uplifting mood fading away. She rested her chin on her palms and her elbows lay on her legs. "But what are we supposed to do? We can't hate each other, but we can't stop loving Nate. No matter what happens, it just ends in the same way. We. Share. Him."
"I don't like the sound of that."
"Me neither."
"But it looks like this is the only thing we can do. God, why did we just have to fall in love with the same guy?" Alex groaned. Miley sighed.
"Nate's just too perfect." She whispered. Alex nodded in agreement. Miley looked at Alex and frowned. "Do you think that he should…forget it." Miley looked down and sighed. Alex nudged Miley in the side until they were looking face-to-face with each other again.
"What? Tell me." Alex said. Miley made a face, not knowing if she should say it or not. "Come on, Miles, just tell me. I won't judge…well I won't try." Miley cracked a smile and sighed.
"Okay, I'll spill. It's just that I was wondering if…we should make Nate choose." Alex blinked at Miley, thunderstruck. Miley looked down at her legs again, feeling ashamed that she actually brought that up. "But…I mean…we love Nate enough to make him happy right? We all know that he shouldn't be allowed to be happy with two girls. He only needs one…right?"
"Oh…so this is for Nate?" Alex asked sourly. Yeah right. You probably just assume that Nate will chose you because you're the most sensitive human being on this planet and that you will cry your eyes out nonstop once Nate even thinks of picking me. For Nate? More like for Miley.
"Alex, I know it sounds selfish, but I'm trying to make it fair here. I love him enough that I can handle it if he picks you. I know you love him enough to get through with it if he picks me. But if you don't want to do that, then we'll just be living the rest of our lives known as the two girls who were obsessed with Nate Gray." Miley said, defending herself. She could tell in Alex's bitter eyes that she got the wrong impression. Alex huffed and folded her arms across her chest. Miley frowned angrily as she was growing more frustrated by the second. "You know what your problem is? You can't take the fact that you can't get everything you want. You always have to get everything, even if it means stealing that 'thing' from someone else."
"Excuse me?!" Alex stood up as her anger shot up through the scale. "Are you calling me a spoiled brat?!" Alex demanded. Miley stood up as well, her face not nearly as irritated as Alex's. She didn't answer but just merely shrugged. "Well you know what your problem is?! You can't handle the fact that I actually get whatever I want! You've been jealous of me ever since first grade!"
"What?!" Miley screeched. She had to plant her feet into the cement to stop her from slapping Alex across the face. "Look, we don't have a lot of time with each other. I just want to spend my whole entire time with this girl named Alex Russo who's my best friend since she's leaving me and I probably won't ever get to see her again. Not some bitch you're turning into." Miley said. Alex felt her insides just got stabbed again. She watched Miley walk down the stairs until she was out of sight as well.
Alex sighed and dropped back down on the stairs.
Why? Seriously, why me? She thought.
OMJ
Miley sat on her couch, obviously depressed. She just buried her face into the pillow as she let out a series of frustrated groans and aggravated screams. Jackson walked downstairs and gave his sister an odd look. "I would ask what was wrong with you, but then I'm wondering if I care or not." He said as he sat next to his troubled little sister. Miley glared at him and smacked him with the pillow. "Ow! Okay, I'm really sure that I don't care now." He said, rubbing his arm. Miley frowned and looked down. Jackson knew that something important was up. "What's wrong?"
"It's just that-" Before Miley could finish her sentence, the doorbell rang. Jackson got up and opened the door to find Alex standing on their front porch, looking like a total mess. Alex's eyeliner was running down, her mascara was smudged; her lip gloss was fading away, and her blush looked like artificial color under the light.
"Oh, god, what happened to you? Did you forget how to use your makeup correctly?" Jackson laughed.
"Ha, funny. I'm guessing you forgot how to dress up like a regular teenage boy as well." Alex said, eyeing Jackson's attire snottily. Jackson stopped laughing and rolled his eyes. "But insulting your hideous outfit isn't the reason why I'm here. I need to talk to Miley." Alex said.
"She's pretty bummed out. I think she just wants alone time at the moment." Jackson said, his face actually serious right now. He glanced at his little sister before giving Alex a look. Alex almost kicked Jackson and tackled him on the floor as annoyance rose higher and higher inside of her.
"I don't freaking care! I need to freaking talk to her!" Alex yelled, loud enough for the whole block to hear her.
"Jeez, did you lose your pills or are you just PMS-ing?" Jackson rubbed his ears. Alex scowled and pushed Jackson aside. She quickly walked into the living room where she easily found Miley laying on the couch, staring idly at the blank TV. Jackson quickly trailed behind Alex. He was ready to throw her out forcefully if he had to. "Alex, do you seriously want me to call the cops?! Just because you're Miley's friend, doesn't mean that I won't! I'll seriously-"
"Oh, just shut up! Give me five minutes and I'm out of here! You're such an impatient prick!" Alex yelled at Jackson. Jackson cursed under his breath and walked upstairs to give the two girls some privacy. Alex sighed angrily and turned back to face Miley. She frowned once she saw the stressed look on her face. "Sorry you had to see me get all…loud." Alex said, laughing slightly. Miley turned on the other side and faced the direction opposite where Alex stood. "Miley, I'm sorry that I was a…bitch to you. I really am." Alex apologized.
"Yeah, and to my brother too." Miley muffled through the cushions.
"Oh please, I'm always mean to your brother. I've always had since I was six. You know some things can't change." Alex grinned. Miley turned to face Alex and stared at her emotionlessly.
"Funny. I thought you and Nate would always hate each other since you and Jackson seem like you'll kill each other if anyone ever left you two alone in a room. Amazing how things never change." She said sarcastically. Alex frowned and kneeled in front of Miley.
"I said some things can't change. Miley, I'm really sorry that I'm this stuck up person with a big head and with major bitchy problems. But that's just who I am."
"No, you have a big head, yes, but you're not this major jerk. You're funny, you're encouraging, and you can be nice. You changed though. You changed a lot." Alex sighed and laid her head on Miley's legs.
"If it makes you feel better…we could ask Nate to choose before he leaves." Alex said. Miley raised an eyebrow.
"And you won't make a big deal about his decision?" she asked, no amount of trust in her voice. Alex raised her hand as if she was swearing to an oath.
"Promise." She said. "Now I think Nate owes us a Nate and Me Day." Alex smirked. Miley smiled and shook her head.
OMJ
Final words were said, final hugs, final kisses. They made sure that nothing was forgotten and nothing was missed. It was the end of their close relationship, and they were now ready to face the hardships of loneliness. Nate would go to Hollywood. Alex would go to New York. And Miley would stay in New Jersey. That was how it would end.
Shane and Jason went inside of the airport with their parents and other family members behind them. They were excited to get on the plane and fly all the way to the city of fame and success. Nate on the other hand was feeling the exact opposite. He was nervous, uptight, and paranoid. He felt like something will mess up and another thing will go terribly wrong.
He told his family that he would stay and wait out at the front of the airport because he needed to say goodbye to a couple of friends. Nate leaned back against the wall as he waited quietly for them. He looked at his watch every few seconds, thinking that they were either too despondent or too furious to come. Nate sighed and began to head towards the opening doors.
"Nate!" two voices yelled at the same time. Nate turned to find Miley and Alex running up to him. The two girls ran into his arms and hugged him securely.
"God, I thought we were going to be late!" Alex said, panting for air.
"The traffic was horrible!" Miley said, giving Nate an excuse for their short absence.
"It's fine. I'm just glad that you two are actually here." Nate muffled into their hair. He kissed them both lightly on the head and squeezed them tightly in his arms. "I can't believe that I have to go…" he whispered.
"Well believe it because your flight is in thirty minutes." Alex said, glancing at the clock in front of the airport. She released herself from Nate. "We don't want to be the reason why you'll miss your plane, and you'll never get your shot at being a popstar." Nate gave her a look. "Oh, sorry, I mean rockstar." Alex quickly corrected herself. Nate smirked and laughed. Miley stood by her side and looked at Alex, implying her something. Alex nodded.
"What? Am I missing something?" Nate asked.
"It's just that…we were wondering…now that you're going to leave us and all…" Miley started. Nate looked back and forth between the two. Miley and Alex quickly looked at each other before the stared back at Nate. "If you had to choose between us, who would you pick?"
Nate frowned. He absolutely hated that question. He hated that choice. He wished there was an alternative to this so that everyone was happy. But there was no other way out.
"I thought I told you this already. You both know I can't choose between you two. It's impossible for me." Nate said.
"But if you had to." Miley persisted. Nate sighed. He knew that Miley really wanted the answer to this, and so did Alex. Even if she wasn't saying anything, Nate could tell from the way her eyes looked eager, she wanted an answer just as bad as Miley does. "Who would your choice be?"
"So I can't pick both?" Nate asked. Miley and Alex shook their heads no. Nate sighed and scratched the back of his neck. "Then I guess I'd pick neither." Miley's eyes widened with shock while Alex's mouth dropped open. "I mean, I can't stand hurting the both of you. I can't choose both since there'll be a huge amount of controversy. I can't choose one of you because I can't handle hurting the other. So I pick neither since that's the only fair way."
"B-but you c-can't! Surely, you love one more than the other!" Miley stammered.
"Well I don't. I love both of you equally and entirely." Nate whispered. He took a glimpse at the clock and sighed. "My parents are probably worrying about me now. I have to get inside of the airport before the plane leaves without me." He said in a low voice. Miley nodded her head while Alex looked down.
Nate sighed. He took Miley in his arms first and gave her a deep kiss. Alex practically felt like she was standing in fire as she watched them kiss. Seconds later, Nate pulled away. He then looked at Alex and smiled at her. He almost instantly grabbed her hand and pulled her into another kiss, a lighter kiss though, but a more passionate kiss than lust-filled one. Sadly, he pulled away as well.
"I am sorry that I hurt you so much. I'm sorry that I'll have to hurt you even more once I leave." Nate repeated. He placed a hand on each of the girls' arm. "But just remember that I will never love another girl as much as I ever loved both of you." He said. Alex's heart shattered while Miley's insides ached. "Goodbye." Nate gave them a small smile before he walked through the airport doors.
Then he was gone.
Alex buried herself into Miley's arms and bawled her eyes out. Miley cried along with her too as she embraced her best friend. That one sentence Nate just said replayed over and over in their heads. It was like a broken record player that did nothing but repeat that once phrase. But just remember that I will never love another girl as much as I ever loved both of you
And that was Nate's choice.
Neither of them.
A/N: Oh god, sorry for the delay. Instead of listing the bunch of excuses, I'll make it short and sweet: I was busy, and my laptop has another stupid virus.
Anyways, this chapter signifies the end of Nate's Choice! Well, technically. I'll have the epilogue posted as soon as possible. I was hoping that I kept you guys wondering who Nate would pick! Obviously not Miley, but I never really clarified if Nate would choose Alex or not. I'm sorry this ended on a sad note, and the epilogue probably will too, but this is supposed to be a sad story anyways.
Oh, and by the way, this is the longest chapter I've posted up for this story! And the last chapter had the most reviews! I want to thank you guys for being such awesome people and reviewing! Reviews always encourage authors to continue to write :)