Lily's POV I was determined to make the best of that party, cause for me, it was the crest before the dip. I knew what I was doing, very well. “Emma, I'm just gonna take this call.” We had been ‘banging up this club’, as Emma put it. Emma was a man magnet, I couldn't even keep tabs of how many men I had to ward off. If Emma's mom thought people who partied in the daytime as jobless, then we were quite a burden on the country's GDP cause there were a lot of us. I eased my way, among the teeming crowd of butt shakers, and dry humpers.The DJ was killing it, and everyone was feeling him. The transitions were so smooth that they made the crowd go wild. I was so sad I had to miss I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas. It was one of my favorite ever. I didn't even check the caller ID, I just picked the call up. Hearing Jessica's voice on the other side blew me off my high. Jessica was a fucking wrong choice, and I hoped that despite how fogged and clouded my thinking was, I passed
Lily's POV “Do what?” I asked, pretending to not know what he was talking about. “You know what?” He said, keeping his eyes on the road and his hand on the steering. “I'd rather we have this talk when Emma's awake.” “I want to tell her myself.” I replied to him. “Alone.” I added. “Nope. You're gonna tell us.” He said, stressing the ‘us’. “I'm not comfortable…” I objected. “I wasn't comfortable with everyone seeing my dick on a big screen either.” He retorted. “That wasn't just me.” I confessed. “I never said it was.” He shot back. “Could we be less cold, you know, cause of Emma?” I asked. Emma was an excuse, it was because of me. My heart was heavy enough, it felt like I had a shit ton of stuff there instead. “No.” He replied, snidely. “Alright.” I was done with having that conversation, I didn't want it. “This isn't the way home.” I observed. I was half sober, but still very conscious. “You just realized?” He asked, sarcastically. “Matter of
Lily's POV “Why did you do this to me?” Emma cried, staring me straight in the eye. No excuse at that point seemed to make any sense. “I called you my friend.” She continued, “friends are supposed to have each other's backs, friends don't treat friends that way.” “Emma, I know, I wish I didn't.” I cried, Gray was holding me back but there was no more point to the secrecy, I wanted to come out, and I wanted it to be all out. “Were you jealous?” She asked me. I suddenly ran out of words, well, my tongue got stuck. “I was.” I admitted, Gray flinched beside me, but I paid him no mind. “If I'm gonna be honest I was never really into him. He was an eye candy, quite alright, he was also the guy every girl wanted, he was attracted to me, I didn't even have to do too much. I basically just went with the flow.” I explained to her. “It didn't seem like you were going with the flow when you called me by his name.” Gray objected, taking his hands off me like I had suddenly gr
Grayson's POV When I called Jessica and sent her Chase's address, I meant it to be just three of us, talking out our shit. The past two weeks had been quite dramatic, and I was freaking ready to call it all off. I had lost it all, Lily, everything really, everything. “Jessica, please you have to be reasonable.” I begged her, as Lily approached us. “Get the fuck away from me.” She said, looking at me. “Why do these stupid riders take so long?” She muttered, tapping her phone, senselessly. I was tired of being shunned. I grabbed the phone out of her hand, and reach. “If it's a joke, stop it.” She warned, without looking up. “It's not, Jessica.” I said, bringing her head up to mine. “You can't possibly be willing to throw what we have away over this.” I added. Lily's presence interrupted our conversation, but only solidified my argument, to me at least. “I know she's sorry, she even just said it.” I reiterated. “The thing with you, Gray,” She said, touching my ches
Chase's POV Gray was gone, leaving Emma and I to ourselves. the one thing I had been looking forward to. “What was that about?” I asked her.She did not respond. I found that fishy as fuck. And I knew for the next part of the night, I needed to be high. I shoved the lip of the bottle in mine and threw the bottle away, caring less about the shattered shards of glass. “I'm talking to you, Emma!” I screamed. She startled and jumped involuntarily. I saw her breathe faster, and lick her lips. “It's nothing.” She replied weakly. “We were just, uh, talking.” She lied. “I miss the old you, Emma.” I said, collapsing on a one seater. “The one you embarrassed?” She asked, suddenly finding her voice. “Hell nah!” “Matter of fact, I do not.” I said, she looked up, confused. “I don't miss a girl with entanglements in another city.” I said. “Emma, I remember mornings where my head didn't hurt, mornings that really felt good. It was not on those mornings I got texts like this.
Emma's POV I was so freaking pissed and ready to be in bed. It didn't help that I was emotionally spent and had been crying almost non-stop for about two hours. Funny shit, and something I won't ever admit to anyone but myself, I wanted to spend more time with Chase. The disrespect was getting over the roof, and I think I had scores to settle with my mom. I admit to never telling her the full details because of Mark. I felt she was gonna do something silly out of annoyance. It was more than just salting up my wounds when Chase confirmed that she did. Why could she have acted like she didn't know anything about it? Why didn't she say anything?I kept mulling over those thoughts in the car with someone I was highly attracted to, and also very repulsed from. I stole glances at Chase, who looked so sinfully sexy. I felt so much desire for him. I knew it had to be the drink. There was no way he was really that goddamn handsome. He looked like perfection. I was almost beginning to f
Emma's POV Nothing mattered anymore. Not the curfew, not anything. Lily was gone. A joke, a really big joke. I sat, almost lifeless myself, outside the hospital. I was having trouble connecting it all. Life was cruel to me. I kept mulling about how horrible my existence was, stopping only to laugh when my brain made the cruel joke that I no longer had to avoid her. She was gone. The universe had done my job for me. It was even funnier to think that I had wished only about two hours ago, to never see her again. I felt like shit. The air in my lungs was stuck, and breathing got increasingly difficult. I thought I was done with the hardest part of the night when we had all those confessions, or confrontations, whatever. Only for that to happen. “Please let's go home.” Chase broke into everyone else's mourning. I cuddled her brother, and he rested his head on my chest. The little boy was a little too fatigued, and had slept off. Tear marks on his face reminded me of how muc
Chase's POV It was a really surreal moment for all of us. Gray was beside himself with grief. Prom was a little over twenty four hours away, it used to be what was on everyone's lips. I remember him telling me that he was thinking about taking the chance to propose to Lily before everyone, just like I did., before shit hit the roof. “Hey man.” I called him as soon as I settled in. I had much explaining to do, to Mrs Linda and my dad. Hearing myself say all the words, almost made me cry. But I had been through worse shit than that in my two decades of living. Nothing could beat holding the body of my mom in my hands as a ten year old. Mrs Linda flinched and winced and groaned and cried in all the right places, puncturing my report. “Thank you,” He said, his voice still sounded very hoarse, I could imagine the effort he put into speaking. “Where are you now?” I asked him. It was a little past midnight, I stayed over at my dads because of Emma, but she was being a bit b
Emma's POV “Welcome. I've got wine.” I said, and sprang up to my feet as soon as Kevin got close enough to me. I didn't enjoy the rush of blood to my nether regions at the sight of him and smell of his cologne, but really, my body had a lot to do in coming to terms with my mind and heart. “Not too happy to see me.” He said and smiled sadly, looking away. “Would you rather be alone? I'd just drop this and be on my way.” He held my keys up, before tossing them gently to my reading table. “You're breaking me, Kevin.” I managed to say. “I don't even know where we are, I don't even know where to start, you can't blame me for acting like this. Even though I genuinely think wine would help.” I said, looking down. I didn't have the mind to look Kevin in his face. I felt so shitty. This must've been how Chase felt every single time he fucked up. It hurt so bad being on that other half of a relationship drama. As horrible as it is to admit, I'd rather be the one cheated on. I just cou
Emma's POV “I think you know where your keys are.” Chase looked me in the eyes. His blue eyes were no more sexy, they were icy. “We can take it from here, Dave.” I turned to the uber guy, dismissing him. “To think that you're the one who was so concerned with how I'd handle Kayla!” Chase screamed. “I think you should know that I didn't think this was gonna happen!” I yelled back at him. I wasn't known to be the noisy neighbour, and I didn't want Chase to make me be seen as one, so I entered my apartment, which was stuffed full of flowers and hampers and gifts, a note on my reading desk which I snatched up immediately, and a wine on my bed. Gosh! It was so sexy. I didn't know how to feel. Kevin really went out of his way. What I didn't understand was why he'd do that, knowing when he left, he left me to Chase, and really, the outcome was inevitable. “I see y'all have a fun night planned, I wouldn't want to interrupt any plans you've made.” Chase said, with his hand
Emma's POV “Is it just me, or is this trip actually unnecessary?” I asked him, as we boarded a flight back to MA. “Come on!” Chase said as he took my hand. “You know it is. We're not planning to accumulate a lot of school work, are we?” He smiled. We didn't have to wait with the business and economy passengers, cause, well, we're first class. “Every single trip to reality sucks so much.” I whined. Chase held my hands tightly under his, maybe ensuring I wasn't gonna run away, and it's not like I wanted to either. “We have to keep taking it.” He said and sighed. “You really do not know much about being supportive.” I muttered and just let myself be led like a sheep to the slaughter. “Come on, Em.” He said, still not taking his eyes off the road, “You know everyone's just doing what they have to do.” Chase said. “Do I have a choice?” I whispered to myself. I wasn't mad at Chase, I was just angry that our little baecation was over and that we were gonna be separate
Emma's POV “Hey mom!” I was overfilled with excitement and anticipation. From what Chase briefed me, we had a whole lot of fun stuff to do. It was quite risky that we were taking such a break from school, but it's nothing Chase's dads connections couldn't fix. He said that we were gonna have fun, and he was gonna make sure of it. “How are you, sugar?” She asked. It'd been a minute since I saw my mom that happy. “Never been better.” I replied a little too enthusiastically, I was so happy to be away. Somewhere no one knew me. “You look it.” She smiled. “Why did you not call me? Forgot about your woman in all your boy dramas?” Unfortunately for me, the phone was on speaker, and Chase wasn't far. Which definitely meant he was paying more than the usual attention. “Come on, mom!” I chided. “It didn't exactly end the way we thought.” I was trying to be as cryptic as possible, if I had my way, I'd have avoided the whole topic all together. “Tell me.” She said, looking s
Emma's POV “Do you wanna come in with me?” Chase asked. The answer was gonna be hell yeah, but because of what happened in the past-less than twenty four hours ago, the question was necessary. “Yes.” I answered affirmatively. “Are you sure you're gonna be comfortable here?” He asked again, looking at me doubtfully. “I'll try.” I replied. “That's not such a good thing.” He remarked, heavy on his amateur British accent, taking a step back. “I can't help it. It's too many memories.” I apologized. “Don't do that.” He said, and appeared to think pensively. “Let's go somewhere. What do you say?” He looked at me. “What?!” I asked. Can't lie, I was shaken a bit. “Just like that?” I blinked so hard and fast. “Yeah. Somewhere different. Somewhere we could be ourselves. Somewhere we can start on a fresh slate and get back on our feet.”He couldn't have sold the idea to me any better. “Uhm, I,uhm. Is that possible?” I asked. The sun was so bright, I had to squint, and
Emma's POVDon't even ask why I walked out of Chase's house, cause I couldn't give myself a sensible reason. I just wanted to be away from there. It felt like something was haunting me. I had a troubled sleep, matter of fact, I had no sleep at all that night. I tossed and turned and cursed myself out for being so trashy. I kept wondering if I was cursed. Could I just not mess my own happiness up? I wanted to do something desperately. It was the day after and I was still the only one in Mark's house. It gets lonely real fast when no one is home. “You've gotta do something, Emma.” I said to myself as I sat alone in Mark's big ass living room. Confused and ashamed, but ready to make things right, I hopped into the easiest car to back out of the garage, and once again, was on my way to Chase's house. As I drove, I thought of a million things I could say. Really, just anything to explain my behavior the previous day, but nothing came to my mind. I could not even convince myself t
Chase's POV “Fuck!” I didn't understand why Emma was in such a rush to get away from me. We literally were just unloading our hearts content to each other. Was she bored? Tired of me? Did she see something that triggered her? She wasn't even with her phone. I'd have concluded that she got some type of news. Two days after my dads anniversary dinner, and I was still in Starry, against my own will. Having sworn to leave town, immediately after the dinner, with all traces of me gone if Emma didn't come into my life, I surprised myself. For every single thing I thought could never be, life kept sending it my way. Emma and I had sorted our issues, but she wasn't speaking to me. I woke up as early as 6:00am, checking my phone for texts from her constantly, and there were none. I wondered what I did to deserve the cold treatment again. It's one thing to be in someone's bad books, it's another thing not to know why. I thought long and hard of what to do. But no sensible ideas wer
Emma's POVThe person I was at Chase’s house wasn't the regular me. I was feeling a million things and I wanted anything, anything at all, that would make me feel even just a bit better. Being that close to him, saying everything I said was a new feeling. My heart was racing and my throat constantly ran dry. “Can I admit something I think of sometimes?” I asked Chase. “Yes.” He said, really enthusiastically. I thought to myself if he'd be that hyped up if he knew what was on my mind, but since I'd concluded that I'd stop keeping stuff I thought to just myself, I said it. “You might not be too enthusiastic if you knew the shit that's about to fly out of my mouth.” “Come on, Em.” He said. “I don't fancy when you refer to yourself that way.” “Okay, okay.” I said, putting my hands up in surrender. “What if Gray and Lily weren't there?” I asked him. Chase looked at me, for about ten seconds, his bright blue eyes were beginning to get their spark. Instead of being terrified
Chase’s POV “I was about to ask if I ever made you doubt that, but I remembered I have, over a thousand times.” I said, shooting myself in the foot. “People change, Chase. I believe you can too.” She said like she was holy or something. “Come on girl, don't treat me that way.” I played along. “Can we sit?” she asked, pointing at the chairs I'd already wrapped. “Sure we can,” I said, “tear them off.” “What were you gonna do, really?” She asked her. “I don't know, actually, and I'm not even lying. The plan was to be away from everywhere you were.” I replied, truthfully. “Do you still feel that way?” She asked me. “Come on!” I said. “You know that's not possible.” “Just checking in to make sure, really.” She remarked and looked away.. “Can I go now?” I asked her if I could ask my own questions. “How do you think life would have been if both of us ended up in MIT?” I asked her. “I know it'd be great, for sure. I also know it'd be straining, maybe a