What I Wish Happened

Chapter Twenty-One

I climb out the elevator, my feet already aching from the heels I'm wearing, I step forward towards the glass doors of my apartment building sliding on my sunglasses, I step through, quickly becoming overwhelmed by the flashes of the paparazzi's camera., "Nova how do you feel about Leo's engagement?" My head quickly switched to see the man who had spoken, "What did you say?" My cheeks become red and I feel tears bubble up in my eyes as I realise what he said, "How do you feel about Leo Black being engaged?" I feel my knees crumble beneath me, and I look over to the car in front of me, I turn and run back into my building and into the elevator I lean my against the metallic wall.

When the doors opened up again into my apartment, "LEX!" I feel my knees buckle and fall to the ground tears running down my face Alexis walks in and see's me in my utterly destroyed state, she drops her mug to the floor spilling her coffee and staining the rug in the process. She runs to my side "Leo's engaged." She pulls me into her hugging me tightly as she has many times before. I calm myself and Alexis carries me over to the couch, and sits me down wrapping me in a blanket and handing me a mug of coffee. "I thought I would be Mrs. Black..." another set of tears run down my cheeks, "Nova, I know you don't want to hear this but he asked you to run away with him he basically did everything but say the words, 'will you marry me' and you said no, he was going to move on eventually Vee."

I shake my head and nod knowing she's right, "Lex, I was scared, he said he wouldn't leave once and then he moved to London, I didn't... couldn't get hurt like that again, I was dying without him." She nods and takes my hands in hers, "Nova, he left for his sister, he never really wanted to leave you, he wanted you to be his Mrs Black. You could tell by the way he looks at you, you could tell by the way he speaks about you, he will alway love you Nova, but for his own sanity he needed to move on, anytime I speak to him he asks about you and wants you to be one hundred percent happy, he thinks you didn't love him." I gasp and put my feet on the fuffly rug and lean my elbows on my knees, burying my head in my hands, "I love him so much. So much that it hurts not to be in his presence, and I feel like an idiot for sitting here feeling this way whilst he's out there moving-on, getting engaged, having a new Mrs. Black." She wraps her arms around me and begins to cry with me.

It has been almost six months since I found out Leo got engaged. Yet I still wear the necklace he got me in Paris, yet I still watch all the interviews he gives, I read all the joint interview with him and 'Emily' I look at all the photoshoots they do, he looks happy and that just breaks my heart.

I walk towards my car and climb in, my classic black pom-pom tickles my knee as I start the car and drive towards my favourite book store, I walk in and walk towards the back where my Mom's books are on display. The bell at the door rings shortly after, a beautiful young girl wearing a grey hoodie over an expensive looking dress walks passed me and picks up one of the books, I pile a stack of books in my arms as she does the same, she beats me to the register, and I line up behind her. As I wait for the cashier to check the young girl in front of me the bell above the door rings again, "Kaci, how long are you going to be." The voice makes my heart drop, and my books go falling to floor landing at my feet, my eyes meet his and my heart beats at a million miles a minute, "Nova?" He takes a few steps forward noticing the chain around my neck he picks up the gorgeous ring into his hand, runs his finger around the edge, I see small tears build up in his eyes. I looks down at his hand holding my necklace, his fingers are slightly calloused, I take a step back away from him and feel the ring hit my chest again. He looks at me in disbelief, stepping forward again pulling me in for a tight hug squeezing me into his body.

I push my body away from his landing into Kaci, I turn around and smile now pulling her into a hug, she smiles as I pull away and push a strand of hair behind her ear. I smile and back as the cashier announces the price of her books that are now bagged up on the counter, I hand him $100 in cash and push pass Leo to leave, I hear the bell above the door ding again as I start to walk away from the shop, I hear Leo shouting my name as I walk away, "Hermosa!" I stop in my tracks and turn to him again, he throw his jacket in the car beside his with the window open, revealing the tattoo that takes up the length of his forearm that is now decorated around the lettering with other tattoos, I walk back to him stopping inches away from him, "What do you want Leo?" He smirks slight when I say his name only for him to push it away again quickly after, "I need to speak to you..." I sigh and look around the street just to avoid looking at him.

He places his hand on my upper arm and his eyes roll down to my hands notices my tattoo, still completely on display, "Not here, meet at the coffee shop down the road next Wednesday at 2?" I nod, and turn to walk away before he quickly grabs my hand, tugging me back into his grip, I'm millimetres away from his face, I breath him in, my senses filling with him, "You are utterly beautiful as always Nova." I feel a smile encroach my face as the words leave his lips, he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear as he turns and climbs into the car we are stood beside, Kaci quickly comes out the shop placing the bags in the trunk and walks over to me, she smiles and stands on her tip-toes and pull me into a hug, "He's missed you a lot you know." I smile as she lets go and climbs in, they both wave as they pull away.

I walk down the street to the coffee shop, River and Meg sat beside each other in booth near the back, three cups of coffee in front of them. I wave and slide in beside my twin. "Hey!" I say it in the chirpiest tone I have spoken in, in a long-time. "Why so chirpy? You're the depressed twin." I smile take a large gulp of my coffee, "I bumped into Leo and Kaci. I'm meeting him next week." River's face falls, "Nova, his wedding is in a three weeks. Are you sure that's a good idea?" I sigh as I look to my wrist, running my fingers over the lettering, "I don't care River, I need him in my life, even if is platonically." He nods as we all take simultaneous sips of our coffee.

I look up at Meg as he cringes at her ice water, "You called me here for a reason, can I ask why?" Meg jumps with glee at me question and looks to my brother, "We are pregnant!" He says filled with happiness. My eyes widen as I throw myself toward him pulling him in for a tight hug. "Ah I'm so happy for you two!" I squeeze Meg's hand from across the table and look towards them as the lovingly look at each other. We quite quickly finish our drinks and make our way back to my apartment where my Mom is waiting for us.

"Hey Mom!" I walk in as she chops asparagus, she places down her knife walks over to us. She pulls me in for a hug. Then River, and just a glance at Meg her eyes light up. "YOU"RE PREGNANT!" I almost spit out a large sip of coffee I'm holding in my mouth. River's eyes bulge out his head and his jaw drops, "HOW?" Mom giggles and jumps up and down slightly before pulling me, River, Meg and Alexis in for a hug.

We all pull back and Mom looks towards me, "You saw Leo!" In that moment, my jaw drops, "How?" She smiles, "calm down, Alexis told me." I look towards Alexis, "Leo told me." I sigh and pour a large glass of wine for myself almost downing it in one go.