The New Queen in Manhattan [Based on Gossip Girl - Nate Archibald]

Chapter 18- First Day

After a few minutes, Nate picked her up and walked to his right, into Astrid's bedroom. He sat on the bed, slowly so that Astrid wouldn't look his balance, with his back against the wall, with Astrid still on top of him.

Astrid broke the kiss and moved onto Nate's neck, while Nate brought his hands up to unbutton her blouse.

"Wait, wait. Stop."

Astrid pulled away and looked at Nate worriedly, after he said those words.

"What's the matter? Do you not want to?" Astrid asked softly, with her hands still on Nate's shoulders.

"No, no of course I want to... but do you want to?" He replied softly looking at her.

"Of course I want to." Astrid said.

"Are you sure? Because it feels like you're just doing this to avoid other things," Nate said, hoping that he didn't cross the line but also didn't want Astrid to regret any of this.

Astrid scoffed and climbed off Nate and sat beside him.

"It's complicated. The whole thing. And once I tell you, you're now involved and you'll get to see the vulnerable side of me that most people haven't seen," Astrid said, playing with her fingers nervously.

Nate noticed and placed his larger hands on top of hers. "Hey, you can never push me away. I'm here to listen to what you have to say."

Astrid looked at Nate and back down at her hands. "It's just stupid family stuff Nate. You really don't wanna know."

Nate sighed and then turned to Astrid, crossing his feet in front of him. "If I tell you my family drama, will you tell me yours?"

"Nate...you don't have to do that if you don't want to," Astrid replied, turning to face Nate, but not wanting to push him too far.

"I trust you and you trust me. It's okay." Nate let out a deep breath and then said, "my parents are getting a divorce. My mom doesn't want to deal with all of the illegal things my dad did so, she's planning to divorce him and move away."

"What?" Astrid was at a loss for words. "She's just moving away? Does that mean you're moving with her?"

Nate let out a small laugh. "Nope. New York is my home. I'll go visit her but I think this is where I belong."

Astrid smiled and watched him, as he was lost in his own thoughts, as if just realising why he decided to stay in New York.

"Okay. Your turn," he said turning his attention back to Astrid.

"I may have ruined my relationship with my dad... over someone he's dating! That's such a stupid reason ugh."

"What happened?" Nate said, worriedly.

"I kinda told him that if he doesn't break up with her, then he wouldn't have a daughter anymore." Astrid laughed and then dropped back into her pillows. Nate mirrored her actions and dropped next to her.

"I'm sure he knows that you didn't mean it."

"You know, after my mom died, everyone just kept asking why I wasn't crying or just not doing anything that a child who just lost their parent should've done. But that's because I got to say goodbye to her. I spent two weeks with her in the hospital, every single day just lying with her and being there with her. So there was nothing left for me to express when she was actually gone. Except that as I grew older, I started to feel the effects and that's when I actually processed everything that happened."

Nate turned his head to the right and watched Astrid, as a tear slid down her cheek but a small smile was on her face.

"I just... My dad and I never fought like this before. He always taught us everything, even when we got him mad, but nothing like this ever happened. It's just so different and i don't know if it's because we're changing willingly or because New York is changing us."