Chapter Three "Kim you take forever. Come on." April said checking her watch "yeah what did she say at the airport about not getting attached." Emma said "Yeah really." "Hey i hear you two talking about me." Kim said coming down the stairs. "your not planning on bringing anyone home with you are you?" Emma asked "You don't mind if i do huh?" Kim asked stopping at the end of the stairs. "Well, I guess not." Emma said while straightening you her hair in the mirror "Good." Kim said walking out the door smiling "God what have we gotten ourselves into." April said watching her walk out. "Oh come on it probaly won't be that bad." Emma said walking out and shutting the door behind her. "Say Justin how bout we go out tonight." Trace said plopping down on the couch by him "Naw man you go on ahead. I don't feel much like partying tonight." "You'll have fun i know you will. It'll get your mind off of.... " Trace had to stop and think.... he couldn't even remember the girls name and justin had been talking about her non-stop. "...Uh.... " "Emma." Justin said looking away from the tv... "you really don't listen to me when i talk to you?" He said returning to channel surf. "I do man... i'm sorry it just slipped my mind..." "No it's okay... i just hate all this mess."He said while rubbing his Temples "You go though and have fun." Justin said throwing the remote and getting up " I feel more like writing anyway." he said as he walked into the kitchen. "Alright only if you say so." Trace said grabbing his Jacket and walking towards the door. "I do! now go." "I'll be back later... Bye." he said walking out the door. "So your sure this place if filled with hot guys?" Kim asked as she was getting her hand stamped. "Well I've been a few times and there were more than enough to go around." April said "good good..." Kim said smiling and walking ahead "Hey are you okay?" April asked as she waited for Emma to get her hand stamped "Just not really in the mood...do you know what i mean?" She said looking at April "yeah i understand but you'll have fun." April said putting her arm around Emmas shoulder "Who know's you may even find you a guy to take home... At least Kim won't be the only one getting any action tonight." "April shut up." Emma said pushing her away playfully and sitting at a table. "There's that smile i like to see.. now cheer up.... there's more fish in the sea.." April said catching up with Kim. "can i get you something?" A waitress asked "Just a water.." "Okay a water it is." The waitress said as she started to walk away. "Or ya know what....make that a Long island." "Do you want ice with that?" "Yes please." "Alright i'll be right back." "I mine as well have fun while i'm here." Emma said to her self. *Hours later* "Hey Emma I want you to meet someone." April said walking up to Emma on the dance floor where she was dancing with some guy. " This is Trace." April said smiling "OH!... HIIIII... i'm Emma.." She said falling all over him. "it's nice to meet you. April You were right... I'm sooooo glad you guys made me come." She said hanging back on the same guy. " This is.... what's your name again?" Emma said looking up at the guy. "Matt... It's nice to meet you." he said sticking out his hand. "Hi." April said shaking it. "Emma have you been drinking?" "Nooooo... of course not... you know i quit drinking." "She wasn't like this when i asked her to dance... and she just kept on asking the waitress for a drink and i hated to leave her here by herself cause there are some real creeps around here." "Yeah there really is." Trace said speaking up "But every time i asked her if she was here with someone whatever and she just started talking about some guy named lucas i think." Matt said talking over the music. "yeahhhh... it figures...umm.. trace would you mind helping me get her to my car i think its time we better go..." "Yeah no problem. " he said taking her out of the other guys arms. "I'll just go wait by the door." "Listen thank you so much for keeping an eye on her..." "Oh it's not a problem... I'd give you my phone number but i think she's got enough guy problems..." "Yeah she does... but thanks again." April said walking off to find Kim "hey April... you were right this place is full of guys." "We have to go." "what!?" "Emma's drunk and i need to get her home." "Oh... well go ahead i've got someone to take me home" "Kim are you sure? you don't know anyone here." "It's ok... if i have to i'll call a taxi." "okay. I'll leave the door unlocked for you." "Alright bye." she said waving at her as she walked away "You think you can dance her out to my car." April said laughin at the site in front of her. "yeah i think so... "Trace said picking her up and cradling her in his arms. " I think i'm gonna be sick." Emma said laying her head on trace's shoulder "Oh god..." trace said looking at Emma..."Please don't throw up on me." "Here." April said unlocking the passenger door. "Listen thanks for this." she said pointing to Emma "she doesn't usually drink." she said turning her gaze back to trace. "It's fine... i've delt with this stuff before." "Ok well i'll call you." April said opening her door and getting in... "Bye." Trace said helping her shut her door. "Emma what were you thinking?" She asked as she stoped at a red light. "Emma?" "Huh?" she said turning her head. "what were you thinking?" "What i had a little fun... are you gonna kill me?" " no... but you know how you get when you drink." "You mean how i used to get." "Whatever emma." "Emma get up." April said sitting on Emma's bedside "Go away." Emma said coverying up her face. "It's like 2:30 and lucas has been calling all morning and whinning about some briefcase." "Tell him to fuck off." she said turning over. "Well here take these youll feel better." she said sitting some tylenol and a glass of water on her table. also disregarding her last statement "Where's kim?" Emma asked sitting up. "She's down stairs me and her are gonna go shopping." "Oh, well you guys have fun." SHe said taking the tylenol. "i would have asked you to go but i know you have to go to lucas'." "God don't remind me." "Ya know you really had me scared last night." "I'm sorry." Emma said avoiding her face "Yeah?" "April i'm truely sorry." she said with a pleading voice "I thought you were past all this stuff." "Can we not talk about this." Emma said looking away "No i think we need to." "okay so what, I felt like letting loose last night you and kim are the one's who dragged me over there." Emma said getting up. "Fine. Answer that i know it's him." she pointing to the phone and getting up and leaving. "Hello?" "Well finally..." Lucas said hollering "Stop hollering... please i have a headache." She said pulling the phone away from her ear. "Well when the hell are you going to bring me my stuff?" "When i get dressed." She said hanging her head. "Your just now getting up?" "Yeah so what?" She said getting defensive "nothing just hurry up." He said hanging up the phone. "Well bye to you too." she said hanging up the phone Emma reluctantly made her way to the bathroom She stopped and looked at herself in the mirrior. She had bags under her eyes and they were still blood shot from the night before. Disgusted with the way she looked she turned away and made her way to the shower. Walking up to Lucas's apartment door she slid her sun glasses back on her face. "I'd rather die than go in here." she said to herself. She hadn't even remember the ride over to lucas' because she was so out of it. That state of mind had been the norm for Emma these last few days and she was sick of it. No one should have to live there lives this way. Miserable and wishing they could just die. That's all she wanted to do was die. She raised her fist and knocked on the door a couple times "Well, well. It's about time." Lucas said opening up the door. "It's nice to see you too." She said handing him his briefcase. "Thank you." he said closing the door behind her. "What's in that thing anyway?" She said looking around his apartment "Why?" "Because you act like it's your child." "It's work stuff." "Oh that's right i forgot your work is like your child." She said turning to face him " where's my stuff." "what's that suppose to mean?" "nothing. Just tell me where my stuff is." "Umm... around. I didn't fool with any of it." He said scraching his head "Great." She said walking to the other side of the room. "So do you wanna talk?" He asked sitting on the couch. "Bout what?" She said stopping and looking at him. "That comment for one. I don't know. Anything." "well if you don't know then what's the point." She said walking away. "I don't know i just thought-" "Shoes." She said looking up at him "What?" "I left a pair of shoes here have you seen them?" "No... will you please come talk to me?" "Why lucas why? what have you possibly got to say to me that i'm gonna wanna hear?" Emma said yanking off her shades lucas didn't say anything because he was surprised by her out burst. "Emma,.... are you sick?" He asked noticing the drained out look on her face "No.. i'm fine." Emma said walking away and attempting to slide her shades back on her face "Wait." Lucas said getting up and grabbing her arm "Look at me...... Emma look at me?" "What?" She said turning her gaze toward him "Have you been drinking?" "Yeah." she said her face growing an evil grin " I drank my brains out last night Lucas and then I slept with some guy I don't even know" "You didn't sleep with someone else." "Ya know what Lucas i didn't, Because i wouldn't do something like that. Because i actually cared about you." she said walking away. "How many times do i have to say i'm sorry." He said following her "Your not sorry Lucas. If you were sorry you'd be telling me we could work this out. Or that you didn't care about some 18 year old slut, that you had made a mistake and you wouldn't have broke of the wedding." She said picking up a picture and throwing it against the wall. "Hey that's my stuff." "Oh but i didn't think you really cared." She said picking up a nother one and trowing it "Emma quit." He said walking to her "No you just stay away from me." SHe said walking to his room "all i wanna do is get the rest of my stuff and get out of here." " there's your shoes." he said pointing to the floor. "Lucas?" A girl from the living room asked Emma looked up as if stunned to hear a nother voice. "Emma just stay in here." Lucas said blocking her way. "No move i wanna meet her." she said trying to get around Lucas "Emma...NO!" he said losing his grip on her "So you must be his new little girlfriend." The girl looked shocked that emma was even talking to her. "Uh... Emma this is racheal." "I don't care." Emma said turning around and looking at lucas. "Here have this." Emma said pulling her engagement ring off her finger and throwing it at the girl "I don't need it anymore." "Emma wait don't leave." Lucas said hollering down the hall way "Let her go." Racheal said walking up behind him "Just let her go." Emma walked into her house about 7:30 that night. She was emotionally drained after her visit to lucas' house. She was surprised to see that April and Kim were back. She had expected them to stay out all night. Her house was quiet and she was thankful for that. But she knew of the noise to come if she didn't get away from these two and be by herself. "God where have you been i've been trying to call you for hours." April said walking up to her "I had my phone off." She said sitting her keys and purse on the table next to the door. "Why? Are you okay?" April said following her up the stairs "Yeah... fine." "How did your visit go?" "What do you think?" she said opening up the hall closet "Not good then." "Nope." "Do you wanna talk about it?" April asked following her back down the stairs. "No." "Well do you wanna eat... me and Kim were thinking about ordering-" "All i wanna do is be alone." Emma said turning around abruptly "I don't wanna talk I don't wanna eat... i'm just gonna go out back and sit for a while." Emma said walking away "Okay." April said stunned Emma sat down on the seat and wrapped the blanket she got out of the closet around her. The Cool november wind hit her face like a thousland knives sticking in her. The tears slid down her face like waterfalls. Her life had become such and mess and so complicated. The only man she had ever loved had turned out to be the biggest jerk she ever knew. and now all she could think about was how bad she wanted to talk to Justin. She knew the reaction she would get out of april if she called him to come over, but right now she didn't care. She needed to feel that comfort she felt with him the other day. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed his number. "Hello?" "Justin?" "Yeah. Who is this." He asked Cautiously "It's Emma." "Oh... hey I didn't recgonize your number. I almost didn't answer." Hey said sitting down in a nearby chair "This isn't a bad time is it?" she said wiping her eyes. "Well i was just about to go meet with record producer." He said looking up to see if anyone was around listening to him "Oh okay well i'll let you go then." "No i've got a couple minutes. What's up?" "Umm... I just thought maybe we could talk." She said trying to hold her tears back. "Well i should be through here in about 30 minutes if you want to meet me somewhere." "Well..." "Unless you need me now.. Are you okay?" He said noticing her strained voice "Uhh...No.... i just had a really bad day and i just wanted to see you." "Well i can come now.." "No, no you have a job...I would never ask you to jepordize that. I can wait." "Well i'll come over as soon as i get done." "that'll be fine." "Alright talk to you then." "Bye." "Bye." She hung up her phone and sat it on the table in front of her. She got up and walked around her pool and across her back yard with the blanket still wrapped around her. She sat down on the Swing that was facing the oppisite direction of the house. "Hi." Kim said answering the door. "Hi is Emma here?" "Yeah come on in." "Thanks." "I'm Kim." She said shutting the door behind him "Justin." "Yeah i know." She said smiling "Shes right out there somewhere." Kim said pointing to the back door. "Thank you." Justin said walking to the door. He immedatly notice that she was on the other side of the yard and that she hadn't noticed he was even here. He walked up to her quietly and could visibly see that she was upset. "Hey. There's that look again." He said getting her attention "Hi... that was fast it's only been like 25 minutes." She said looking at her watch. "I cut my meeting short." he said walking to her "I told you not to do that for me." She said rubbing her eyes "Well i was worried." "You don't have to worry about me.....Sit down." SHe said patting the seat by her "Are you cold?" "no... i'm fine. So what's up with you?" He asked turning to face her "God." She said leaning her head back and looking up. " Everything." she said starting to cry again "Well talk to me." "I went to lucas' today." "Lucas?" "Yeah... i guess i didn't get to that the other day." "No not quiet. Is this the guy you just got out of a realtionship with?" "Yeah. I've been in love with lucas since i was 16." "Oh yeah?" "We were suppose to get married. But he informed me the other night that he's been sleeping with some 18 year old." "that's rough." "Yeah. That's the night we meet. That's why i was so upset." "So you've known him since you were 16?" "Yeah... ever since i moved North Carolina." She said shaking her head " I didn't know you moved up there." "Well...my parents decided when i was 15 that they wanted to move. so they found a really great house there and we moved 3 weeks before my 16th birthday." "So how'd you meet him? IF you don't mind me asking about it." Lucas was the last thing she wanted to talk about but she figured he meant no harm in asking. " At school.... he was the first person i talked to." "Oh...Well i'm sure you don't really wanna talk about him. does your parents still live there?" "Ummm... no." "Oh so they live here Los angles?" "No.... about a week after my 17th birthday my parents went out to dinner by them selves kinda like a date i guess... i went to lucas' that night to watch a movie or something. and about and hour after they dropped me off it started raining.. and on there way back to come get me they lost control of the car and hit a tree." she said turning to look at Justin "i waited for hours and they didn't show up and i started to get worried ya know... and i kept calling and i couldn't get a answer anywhere. At home their cell phone. So when the police officer showed up at Lucas' door i knew something had happened. Apperantly they died on impact." She said holding back tears she knew would soon fall "God Emma i had no idea." He said pulling her in for a hug. "I moved in with Lucas and lived there till i was 18..." She said realxing in his arms. "My dad had stocks his hole life and when he married my mom he got her one so they've invested thouslands and thouslands of dollars and my cousin she's a stock broker person and she handled it all for me when they died. i couldn't get my hands on any of it till i was 18. I made the decision then to sell the stocks and collect the money. that's how i have this massive house in Los Angles. IF you were wondering." SHe said looking up at him with tears in her eyes. "You've had one hard life." "yeah. And the one time i need my mom the most and she's not here." She said crying on his shoulder. "I mean she's held my hand through everything even after she died... my graduation, awards night, and everthing else i was involved with at school. And now i feel like she's slipping away when i need her the most." "SHhh... it's okay.. i mean.... Maybe it's time she let go..." he stopped to see if she had a reaction to that. Not knowing if that was the right thing to say... " I can't begin to wonder what it's like to not have my parents around." "It's okay i never asked you too feel sorry for me." She said raising up. "I really appericate you listening. i mean i can't talk about this stuff with kim she wasn't around and april she just doesn't like listening to me." "That's not much of a friend." "Well i haven't been the greatest friend to her. See after my parents died i quit eating and i didn't go to school for like 3 weeks or longer. and i closed everyone out of my life. Even lucas. and especially kim. when i did go back to school i started hanging with the wrong people... don't ask why it just happened ya know? And lucas' older brother Josh was like 21 at the time and i had him buying me alchol. So Josh and those people i was hanging out with were the only ones for a while that knew i was drinking. I was ruining my life and i didn't care. April caught me drunk one day at Lucas' and she called him cause he wasn't home and by the time he got there i was thretining to kill myself. It liked to have give her a heart attack. So that's why she stays away from problems like this... or that's why i push her away. I don't know." Emma said sitting up. "So what happened after they caught you?" "Luscas' parents sent me to this rehab place.... i almost didn't graduate on time... but the school was cool about it. luckily. And i had some pretty cool teachers ,but he was there for me through every second of it, and that's why it's so hard for me to accept what he's done." "i can see where it would be hard to accept." he said taking her hand. "Look at me i'm Losing it." She pulling out of his grip and walking away "Emma your not losing it.... well maybe. " he said laughing."But it's got to get worse before it gets better." He said walking up behind her and putting his hand on her shoulder. "Look at me....." He said turning her around. "Everyone goes through stuff like this... I mean look at me i was with someone who i've know practically my hole life. And look what she did to me." "How am i ever gonna get over this." She said folding her arms "You... Have... to take everything one day at a time... and every little thing one step at a time... And cry non- stop." he said looking at her and laughing "That's not funny." she said smiling "No i'm serious. It's not good to hold it in or bottle it up. You've just got to move on.... find someone that will love you for you and.... someone that won't do something like this." "And you think i can do that?" She said looking him straight in the eyes "I know you can." He said as he pulled her in for a hug. "Justin i don't know what i would have done without you tonight." She said unfolding her arms and hugging him back. "I'm happy to be of some service to you." "Well thank you i really do appericate it." She said pulling back and yawning. "Are you tired? it's not but 8:15 he said checking his watch." "Yeah... it's just been a really long day." "Well here." He said picking up her blanket. "Let me take you put you in bed." He said extending his hand "Okay." she said taking it and letting him lead the way. "Which one's yours."He asked when he got to the top of the stairs "That one right there." She said pointhing to the double doors in the middle of the hall Opening her door she let Justin in and laid her blanket on a chair in the room. "Do you sleep on the floor or something?" He asked noticing there was no bed. "No... i sleep right up there." She said pointing to the stairs in the far corner. "I'm gonna go change i'll be right out." "Okay i'll just... wait. Unless you just want me to go ahead and leave." "If you've got something to do then go ahead." She said stopping at the door. "No... nothing" "Then you can... wait if want to." "Alright." "I'll be right back." she said closing the bathroom door behind her. When she came out she noticed Justin wasn't no wheres around and figured he went up the stairs to where her bed was. She had no intensions of anything happening tonight while he was here. It actually made her nervous to have another guy in her room... she had never even kissed anyone but lucas how was she suppose to move one. "You've got a really big house ya know." He said as she came up the stairs "Yeah.... i really like it." She walking past him and sitting on her bed "Your room's really... big too." he said turning around "Yeeeahh...what are you looking at me like that for." " nothing... you just...look different." "oh... I put my hair up?" she said tugging at her ponytail "maybe...I dont' think i seen that much skin on you either." "uhh... it's not like i naked or anything." she said looking at him funny "your kinda creeping me out." She said getting under the blanket and scooting to the other side of the bed "I'm sorry.. really." he said laughing at the look on her face. "you should see your face...." "Yeah well.... your wierd." "No i'm not... can i sit down?" he said walking over to her bed.... "i promise i won't bite." "Sure..." "So are you gonna be okay?" He said looking up at her "Yeah... i just needed a pep talk." She said pulling her knees to her chest. "If you ever need to talk to me or just wanna see me... just call." He said putting his hand on her knee " you don't have to worry about getting me in trouble with work or anything." He said starting to get up "Where are you going?" "I just thought i'd leave let you get some rest." "No. Well.... i mean... why don't you just stay for a while until i fall asleep." SHe said laying down "Is that what you want?" He said sitting back down "yeah." "Alright." he said reaching for the light switch and laying down beside her. "will you hold me?" Emma said abruptly The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. She closed her eyes so she couldn't see his reaction. She just knew he was going to jump up and go running out of her room and her house. But all of a sudden she felt the warmth of his body next to hers. He was actually under the covers with his arms around her. She was completely surprised by how quickly he moved next to her and how comfortable she felt in his arms. Her body was all tensed so she attempted to relax. Shortly after she drifted off into a nice dreamy sleep.