"Come on, Alex. It was your idea to go in the first place!" Ben whined behind me as he trudged through my room and Mia collapsed on the floor in the corner of my room, bored of listening to Ben and I bicker back and forth about the trip.

"That was before," I argued back, sitting with my legs folded underneath me on my bed.

"I'm with Ben on this one," Rachel's voice flooded through the hallway and into my bedroom as she invited herself in, walking herself over to sit next to me on my bed.

"I think this trip could be a really good thing for you. It will get your mind off of everything and you can just leave it all behind for a weekend."

Rachel looked at me expectantly as I mulled over her words in my mind.

Did I want to go on this museum trip that I had signed up for almost a month ago when everything in my life hadn't taken a dramatic plunge for the worst?

No.

But as Rachel kept on and her words of wisdom crept into my brain, I knew she had a point.

I needed this. I deserved this, in fact. Some time away from the media, surrounded by my friends and art would be just the weekend of therapy I desperately needed.

The only downside would be the one person's absence that I craved the most.

Nathan.

After I had my 'Come to Jesus' talk with Mrs. Smith, I had tried to call Nathan only to be sent straight to voicemail.

And that was all the rejection I needed to know where he stood in regards to our issue driven relationship.

She was wrong and I was heartbreakingly correct, but I understood.

I couldn't hold anything against him for not wanting to have any further contact with me. I had flipped his life upside down within the time span of a few months. His career was at stake, his entire person was being judged by the whole state of Florida and most likely further, and when he needed me to trust him the most, I denied him; shut him out in fact and broke his heart.

Who in their right mind would be interested in continuing a relationship with me after all of that?

Certainly not Nathan McCoy.

This weekend would be a breath of fresh air and hopefully the perfect escape to attempt to mend together my shattered, unhinged mind.

"Fine," I answered in a mumble, playing with the frayed pieces of material at the end the blanket surrounding me aimlessly.

"So the trips back on?" Mia perked up from her spot on the floor to ask with wide, excited eyes.

Nodding my head and rolling my eyes playfully at Mia's enthusiasm, I replied, "Trips back on."

The drive down south was around four hours long and with every mile we passed on the highway, my heart sank a bit deeper. I tried to focus my mind on the car games that Mia insisted that we played to pass the time. I even took part in car karaoke for a few rounds but even the people in the vehicle next to us could hear the halfhearted effort I was putting into 'My Heart Will Go On'.

Tip for the future, Celine Dion is a definite NO to listening to after having your heart ripped from your chest cavity.

Once we finally arrived at the museum and I was able to get out of that car and inside the building filled with art for as far as the eye could see, I began to feel at bit more at ease.

The creative buzz and passion that the artists put into their pieces around me calmed my soul and put my mind on a tranquil setting that carried me through the halls of the museum.

I left the others behind, knowing that they truly had no desire to walk around an art museum for hours on end like I could without blinking an eye.

Every piece captured me in a different way, bringing me into the artist's mind and left me pondering each time exactly what that particular artist was trying to portray with their art.

I wandered through the sculptures, past the 3-D models, and into the digital photography room; my personal favorite.

My eyes were immediately propelled to a piece at the far end of the room. Without hesitating, my feet crossed over the flooring and brought me right up to the picture that seemed to have me in a trance.

A woman stared back at me. She was stunning. Her brown hair cascaded down her back, reaching all the way to her backside with bright white flowers placed throughout. She had an elegant, violet colored dress on that hung off of her shoulders and her arms clung around her chest, seemingly as if she were to let go, the dress would crumble to the floor.

But it wasn't her radiant dress or the lovely styling over her hair that drew me in.

It was her eyes.

Even as gorgeous and seemingly flawless this woman was on the outside, her eyes told a contradicting story. This woman looked so...broken. She looked lonely and pained...scared even.

She looked like me.

It was as if I was staring at myself in that woman's photo. I couldn't quite match her beauty but I could certainly duel the turmoil going on behind her eyes.

"Beautiful, isn't she?"

A male voice sounded behind me, breaking me from my concentration on the portrait and causing jolt of surprise to race through my body and a small gasp to escape from my lips.

"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. You just looked so lost in the photo..." The same voice spoke once again and this time, I turned to my left to see who has disturbed my peaceful alone time.

A man with short brown hair, clad in jeans and a white button up stood next to me. His face was clean shaven and all together pretty chiseled and I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something familiar about him.

"It's fine," I said slowly as I continued to take in his handsome appearance.

Had we met before?

"I'm sorry; you probably don't remember me, do you?" The stranger asked while running his hand across the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"Uh, no. Sorry." I shook my head as I answered, still perfectly confused with his presence.

"I'm Bryan. Ben's brother. We met once before at a party a couple years back but you obviously don't remember that so now I look like a total creep," he finished and clapped his tan hands together in front of him awkwardly, the sound echoing through the room.

And then it clicked.

"Oh! Yes, I remember now! Sorry, I was probably not in the best mind state at that party." I managed a small laugh that thankfully he smiled at, breaking the tension between us.

"If my memory serves me correctly then that was definitely the case. But you did have some mad dance moves," he complimented with a raise of his eyebrows and a small smirk creeping up onto his lips.

"Then yeah, that was definitely me."

We both laughed and lapsed into casual conversation as we strolled around the museum and towards the exit.

It turned out that Bryan went to school in the area, studying engineering. He was a year older than myself and Ben and was single, as he had mentioned many, many times. Ben had apparently told me that he was planning on inviting him when we originally planned the trip and the whole concept had just slipped my mind.

Slowly, we approached the doors leading out of the museum and a large part of me craved turning right back around and locking myself in here, surrounded by the calming art. Yet, I knew that it was highly likely that that action would be frowned upon by most.

So, I forced myself to walk to the ornately designed, wooded double doors with Bryan leading the way, pushing the door open for me to walk through.

I mumbled a polite 'thank you' his way and trudged out into the blinding sun and smoldering heat, my mood almost visibly dampening with each step taken away from the museum.

"So, do you have any plans after this?" Bryan asked, stuffing his hands into his front pockets as we descended down the museums steps outside that led to the busy street.

I shrugged. "Not really. I think Ben and the others are waiting for me out here somewhere and we're all gonna go get something to eat," I said as I scanned my eyes over the street which was filled with rushing bodies, hurrying to get to their next desired location, looking for any familiar faces.

"Well, how would you feel about continuing on without them? Grabbing a bite to eat ourselves?"

As soon as Bryan's suggestion came out of his mouth, my stomach twisted and I was incredibly uneasy, dying for any distraction to save me from this miserable situation.

"I think we should wait for the others. I bet they're dying to get some food too." I tried to sound as nonchalant as possible, praying that I didn't come across too rude.

"Well, to be completely honest, I'm dying to take you out; have been since I first met you. We could get some food, go to a club, anything to get you smiling again like when we first met."

I looked over at him and tried to force a small smile, knowing that I would inevitably have to turn down his offer and crush the swelling happiness in his hazel eyes.

"Now, that was a pathetic excuse for a smile. I remember how contagious that smile of yours was and I haven't seen it once today. Let me change that." His eyes sparkled into mine and even as he spoke those kind, adorable words, my heart just wasn't in it.

It wouldn't jump, swell, or writhe for any other man ever again they way it did for Nathan.

Slowly, I shook my head, casting my eyes down to the pavement so that I wouldn't have to see the rejection swimming in his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I can't."

"Oh," he mumbled dejectedly.

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

His question was like a swift punch to the gut, causing my body to tense and my chest to constrict painfully as I once again shook my head.

"No, but I just got out of something big. I'm surprised you didn't hear about it to be honest."

"Why would I have heard about it?" Bryan inquired exquisitely, his brows pinched together in confusion.

I took in a long, labored sigh as I prepared to answer. "Because it's been in all of the papers these last two weeks. Have you heard about the professor who was dating his student at Ben and I's university?"

He nodded, uncertainly still creased on his handsome features.

"Student," I said whilst pointing my finger into my chest and looked up to gauge his reaction.

It took a moment for it to fully register but as the seconds ticked away, I watched, tensing preemptively for his judgement, as it all clicked in his head and his eyes widened.

"That was you?!"

I nodded slowly.

"Holy shit," he breathed out, still staring at me with wide, wondering eyes. "I don't really read the paper so I don't know too much about it but I kept hearing about the story..." He trailed off with my least favorite emotions filling his eyes.

Pity.

"Is all of it true? The kidnapping..." His voice dropped off once again when I nodded, casting my gaze towards the graveled pavement.

"Damn... I'm so sorry, Alex-"

"Please-" I cut him off. "Don't?" I asked of him with entreating eyes.

With a sorrowful look encasing his features, he nodded his head to me, appearing to be reflecting on the revelations of our conversation.

"But... that also means that your professor saved you, right?"

"Yeah, he did," I answered with a small smile.

"Well then, I guess I can see how I don't stand a chance next to a guy who literally saved your life," Bryan said with a humorless chuckle, shoving his hands back into his front, jean pockets.

I managed a small tilt of my lips, attempting to take part in the conversation that was quickly bursting any small bubble of joy that had accumulated within my tour of the museum.

Thinking of what Nathan and I had only solidified the fact in my mind, reminding me over and over again that it was now gone. And I had a hefty helping hand in the matter.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar car drive up and soon enough, a familiar head of blonde hair popped through the passenger side window.

"Alex! Hey!" Rachel called for me, gaining the attention of half of the streets onlookers.

"Who's that?" Bryan asked from behind me as I walked towards the car.

"My best friend, Rachel."

Before he had a chance to respond, I had approached her side of the car, leaning myself over so that my arms were perched on the inside of the rolled down window, my face right next to Rachel's.

"Sorry we're so late but the hotel mixed up some rooms and we actually got all new room assignments. We already dropped your stuff off for you though," Rachel said rather quickly, her eyes gleaming with something undetectable.

"That's fine. Where do you guys want to go to eat?"

"You know what? We were actually thinking of bringing something back to eat at the hotel and then going for a dip. Plus, you look exhausted so how about we drop you back at the hotel and nap and we will bring food back for you?"

"Um...nah, It's okay. I don't wanna be a hassle. I'll just come with you guys."

"No!" Rachel all but yelled at me. "I mean, no, you're never a hassle to us, Alex. You should know that by now. Let us take care of you."

Rachel grinned up at me sweetly and if it weren't for the fact that a nap actually sounded glorious in that moment, then I would have fought her more on it. But Rachel seemed determined to get me to rest and I honestly didn't have it in me to argue.

"Okay, if that's alright with you guys," I said with referring to Mia, who was in the back seat and Ben who was driving.

They both nodded at me. Ben far more nonchalantly then Mia, her head bobbing up and down vigorously, her eyes alight with something strange.

"Okay then. Back to the hotel it is," I declared before turning around and practically running smack dab into Bryan, whom I had forgotten all about.

"Bryan! Where'd you come from, man?" Ben bellowed out as he gestured for his older brother to get in the car.

"I thought I was meeting you guys here and ran into Alex instead," Bryan replied, running a hand over his soft looking, short brown hair, sparing Rachel a glance before he walked to the other side of the car and got in.

Ben and Bryan proceeded to catch up as I felt a small pinch on my arm that rested on the open window.

"Ow! What?" I whispered to Rachel who was looking at me with curious eyes.

"Who's he?" She demanded in a low voice.

"Ben's brother and don't worry, he's all yours." I tapped my hand a couple of times over Rachel's before pulling open the door sitting behind her seat and plopped my tired body into the welcoming seat.

Not but a couple seconds later did my phone vibrate in purse.

Pulling it out, I couldn't help the small grin that formed on my lips.

HE'S SO CUTE!

-Rach

In no time, we were pulling up to the hotel that we were all staying in for the weekend and I pushed my car door open, grabbing my purse in the process and stepped out onto the warm asphalt.

"Okay, we'll be back with your food soon," Ben called to me from the front seat, gracing me with a friendly smile.

"Sounds good."

"And don't forget, room 221 not 237 anymore okay? 221!" Rachel reminded me for the umpteenth time.

"I got it," I shot back, adding a small, pathetic chuckle in at the end to make sure I didn't sound too harsh.

"Okay, okay. Just want to make sure." Rachel held her hands up in mock surrender, a gleeful expression plastered on her face.

In fact, both she and Mia looked extremely giddy sitting in the car, casting each other knowing looks every so often.

Without putting too much thought into it, I bid them all a goodbye and headed into the hotel lobby. I passed right by the front desk since I already had my key card and went straight for the elevators.

The hotel really was decent. The walls were painted an elegant cream coloring and the floors were covered in a deep, rich wood and the entire place smelled of faint citrus.

The elevator was pretty standard but once I stepped onto my floor, I was once again impressed by the hallways. They were designed with, what I assumed to be local art pieces. They were scattered all over the light yellow colored walls and gave the entire hallway a homey yet stylish appeal.

I padded down the carpeted hallway until I reached room 221.

Sliding the key card into the slot, I waited for the red light to turn green and I felt the lock automatically switch, alerting me that I was free to go inside.

Twisting the door handle, I pushed the heavy door open and stepped inside.

A gasp immediately rushed through my lips.

The room before me was unlike anything that I expected. An uncountable number of candles littered the room; each one's light illuminating the room in a dim haze. But that wasn't even the part that left my eyes wide and mouth agape, my heart pounding against my chest.

I barely heard the hotel door shut behind me, all of my focus was directed at the person lifting themselves off of the bed and strolling towards me slowly with a tender, lopsided smile on his full lips.

"Hi," his voice spoke and my body instantly responded, shivering at his deep, inviting tone.

My brows pulled together in confusion as I fought back every emotion that told me to fling myself into his arms and never let go.

"Nathan?"

There you go! I'm so so sorry it's late! I was sick and was also traveling and then work got busy but here it is! And I will try my very best to make up for it and have you all another chapter by Friday :) 

So what did you think?? Nathan is here and her friends totally played her! lol What great friends :) SO what do you think will happen? What's he doing there when he obviously rejected her call the other day?

Please vote and comment if you loved it! :D