Chase's POV “Emma?” I called out to her. We'd spent the last two days together. I spent every hour of those days reassuring her that I was there for good. Meanwhile, my dad had been put under house arrest, meaning that we needed to go through due process to see him, or Emma's mother. “Yeah?” She replied softly. “How are you, really?” I asked her. “I remember the first and last time we had a conversation like this.” She said, turning in my sheets. They looked so perfect around her. Two days with Emma, and life was just what it was meant to be. “You were gonna propose the next day.” She said, I searched her face for annoyance, or residual hurt, but there was none. “I had my heart in my mouth all the while.” I confessed. “It's a thing with doing the right thing with the wrong motive.” “Don't ever pull that stunt on me again.” She said, “I swear.” I replied. “Could you please sleep back? I was gonna do a ‘breakfast in bed’ type of thing.” I poured playfully. She ha
Emma's POV I hadn't seen a worse expression on Chase's face than I saw when I announced that I was pregnant. Not like he looked disgusted or angry, it was just blank. The kind of blankness that births bad decisions. I literally didn't know how to do it any better. “You're not saying anything.” I croaked, nearly choking on my words. It wasn't exactly the best time to announce it, but I literally didn't know what else to do. The past days had been bliss, so beautiful I held the news back. I was scared of what his reaction would be, which is the exact reason I decided to say so in the midst of people. Chase had his eyes fixed on me, but still it didn't see like he was actually seeing me. “Baby?” I called him. “Uhm, I'm sorry.” He said, “Can we talk about it later?” He asked. “Sure.” I didn't have the emotional strength to even have the conversation at all. “I'll be back.” He said, and kissed my forehead. It was frosty as hell. It didn't feel like the warm lips that k
Chase's POVI knew I was kinda weird, maybe a bit confused. But I had genuine reason to believe Emma was doing too much. The food arrived soon, and we went to get it at the door. We were cool just a moment ago. I hate how we weren't yet at the point where we handle our shit maturely. “I'll get that.” I said, reaching for the bigger and heavier boxes. It was only instinctive to be more protective of her. She was carrying my baby. Whether or not we were ready for it. “Emma.” I called her quietly since we weren't both far from the rest’ earshot. “Yeah.” She turned, I saw the tear marks on her face. I was gonna say how I was sorry for blanking out on her, but the words just couldn't get out. “I'm…” I started, looking in multiple directions at once. “It’s okay.” Emma said, and walked in. I took a minute to process what had just happened. “Where were you man?” Gray screamed in delight as I entered. “Been looking in that direction for the past minute.” He added. I kn
Emma's POV “Would you have me read the results with him present?” The doctor asked me. “Yeah, he's my boyfriend.” I said, smiling. I rubbed Chase's face, pulling his beards with one hand, and rubbing my belly with the other. “You might want to sit up.” He said. “We are happy you came in for a check up today.” The kind old man said. I smiled. It was a big hospital downtown, fancy and very modern too. I felt more at peace with Chase by my side. “Emma Watson,” He wore the glasses which hung down from his neck and read my name out from a file in his hand, “I'm afraid, but we couldn't find a heartbeat.” I knew nothing about stuff like those. I'd never been or lived with a pregnant woman. I remember the look on their faces while the nurse kept tapping my belly and scanning round, but I didn't think it was a big deal. “What does that mean?” I heard Chase ask as my heart was already shattering, it could only mean one thing. My baby was dead. “Your baby is dead.” The doc
Chase's POV “Baby,” I called out to Emma as soon as we got back home, “I hate seeing you this way.” My voice snapped her out of her thoughts, she breathed deep and came out of the car, leaving both her phone and purse behind. “I'm really tired, Chase.” She said, “I just want to rest.” “That's totally fine.” I took all our stuff out of the car and ran after her. Let me help you.” She looked and felt weak. “Thank you.” She said, as I helped her up the stairs. “Can I get you something to eat?” I asked “I don't feel up to it right now.” She replied. “Can I just try?” I asked her. “Don't bother.” She snipped. “Do you need something else?” I asked her. “Just stay next to me.” She said, It felt like an honor to be told such by her. “Let me jump out of these clothes.” I tore the clothes, a reminder of where we'd been and what'd happened. “Pull me closer.” She cried. I pulled Emma so close. Her body felt heavier, and was even warming up. “I'm sorry, Emma.
Emma's POV I changed out of my already stained towels. Chase just got them from a fancy women's store, online, about two days ago. I felt bad that it had to get ruined, but it was all part of my healing. The doctor said I was gonna be bleeding for about four days. After bawling my eyes out again on Chase's shoulders, I logged my tired body back into the bathroom to wash up. I was weak as fuck, and definitely worse of emotionally. I put a sanitary pad on and then went to bedI didn't think it was gonna be easy sleeping, so it was not a surprise when all that closing my eyelids did was usher in the horrible memories. I began to think of something I thought I'd cast to the back of my mind a long time ago. Every now and then, I felt Chase's hand on my body. It was hard to tell him that the hands I once died for, the hands I once fantasized about being wrapped in had started to irritate me. The day went by slowly, I subconsciously looked at the digital clock on the dressing ta
Emma's POVHow the call ended was a bit strange. I didn't know why my mom had to cut it off. As much as I wanted to dash to Mark's, I wasn't feeling up to it and I had started to feel gnawing pains in my belly. I concluded my mom was gonna be alright and left it at that. When I called her, I wasn't expecting to hear her say those things she said, but they sure were what I needed to hear, in retrospection. Maybe it was better after all. My raw maternal instincts were mourning the baby, but a baby wasn't really what I needed. And she was right about the other part too. Chase and I were going to college in less than a month. She said two letters came from different schools for him, it was a lot more than a punch in my gut that he applied to two schools, none of which I applied to. I thought the plan was to be together. Apparently, I didn't mean so much to him. As I held my head in my hand, I cried to the God I don't know if I believed in. I'd been cheated so badly in my ver
Chase's POV. I was still very much haunted from how I reacted when Emma told me about it. Every time I saw her wear a painful look on her face I remembered how it mirrored the look she wore when she told me. The sleep at night was somewhat chaotic. She had a bout of nightmares. I was scared to my bones when I heard her scream the first time, but it was rather a relief when I saw she was still asleep. It happened three times more, and every single time, I got less scared than I was before. “How are you?” I asked. I'd been staring at her for over an hour, when the day was still a bit dark. “Better.” She replied, turning from me and facing the wall. I thought today was gonna be different. Maybe she'd be warmer, calmer, more composed. I had the most beautiful smile on, ready to make her world different from what it used to be. “I loved watching you sleep.” I said, like I'd done every morning since we'd been together. Emma's smile was a bit shy, or cold, frosty, I didn't w
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