The Other Bass - Nate Archibald

Chapter 43: One Big Lie

Saying that I was feeling better would be an understatement. It's sickening how I allowed myself to get so caught up in not being with Nate that I almost jeopardized my entire life. But he's moved on, and it's time for me to do the same.

Dan has been incredible through all this. It's strange because we've been close friends for so long, but when we kissed, something just clicked. I genuinely like Dan. But, I don't want to rush into anything. While I want to move on from Nate, a part of me is still deeply in love with him. Those emotions don't vanish easily. 

We decided to go out for breakfast this morning and now we're strolling through Central Park. I know it's public, and we might end up on Gossip Girl, but honestly, I don't care if people see us together.

"Even though it's not Yale, I'm still excited to go to NYU," Dan starts as we walk down the trail.

"I'm excited for you," I reply, reaching out to hold his hand. "You're going to love it! And you won't have to deal with all the Upper East Side drama anymore." We both chuckle at the thought.

"Yeah, but... the Upper East Side comes with you," he teases, and we stop walking, facing each other. "And that makes it worth it." A warm feeling spreads through me as he smiles, and then he gently cups my face with his hands, leaning in for a brief but delightful kiss.

After breaking the kiss, we gaze into each other's eyes. I feel like I'm floating on cloud nine. Dan intertwines our fingers, and we resume walking.

"So, have you made a decision about college?" he asks, and I purse my lips in contemplation.

"I don't know," I admit. "Part of me thinks I should go for the experience, but another part of me just wants to dive into bass designs right after high school." I voice my uncertainty, and he sighs thoughtfully.

"I usually advocate for college because of the benefits it offers for the future," he says. "But you're different. You already know your passion and are so talented. Maybe college can wait. You're in your prime for designing and modeling. It'll still be there if you want to go back later." His supportive words bring a smile to my face, and I look up at him, squeezing his hand as I rest my head on his shoulder, feeling content.

Dan's phone interrupts our moment, and he checks the text he received.

"Alright, my dad wants me and Jenny to go to some antique shop with him... but let's hang out tonight?" he suggests, and I nod eagerly.

"Maybe we can even play Scrabble," I say in a teasing, seductive voice, wiggling my eyebrows. He laughs and plants another sweet kiss on my lips before we continue walking hand in hand, eager for what the future holds.

-

I gaze down at the scrabble letters arranged before me, attempting to put on a facade of understanding the game. To be honest, I'm not really familiar with how to play, but it's one of Dan's favorites. Looking at his face, I can tell he's having a blast. We're cozily seated on opposite sides of the coffee table in the living room of the penthouse, the warm glow of the fireplace adding a touch of romance to the atmosphere.

"Quiz," Dan says, revealing his next word, and I lift my eyes to him, utterly clueless. He has a bunch of words while I only have two.

"This sucks," I half-jokingly huff, leaning back, not feeling much like continuing the game.

"Alright, so, you need some training... you have to be prepared when I take you to the next Humphrey game night," he playfully suggests.

"Whoa, are you asking me to meet your family already?" I tease, and he laughs in response.

The sound of the elevator bell ringing interrupts the moment, and I inwardly groan, wishing to have Dan all to myself. My attention turns to Chuck, who walks into the penthouse, squinting his eyes at us.