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Prologue
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The night that changed Emma's life began with a morning like any other Friday.
As usual, the Nelson-Simpson house was a flurry with activity as everyone flew around preparing for the day. Spike was getting Jack dressed, carrying him in one arm while she searched for his socks. Snake was trying to finish breakfast and get his papers together for class. Manny was over, picking up the last of her stuff before school. It had been almost a month since her parents had asked her to move home, but her clothes had maintained their residence just in case she decided to come back. But so far, things seemed to be going good. Meanwhile, Emma was trying desperately to locate her book report and Sean was attempting to escape a phone call with his mother.
"Mom, I'm gonna be late," he said.
Emma ducked around him, looking for her paper on the coffee table and surrounding surfaces. The exasperation in his voice made her look up at him and smile. He made a face at her and she giggled.
"Mom," Sean tried again, "I really have to go. I'll call you later."
He hung up the phone. Emma was looking at him with a bemused expression, having found her paper under the couch.
"What?" he asked.
She shrugged. "Nothing. You're just really cute is all."
He grinned at her. "Then you won't care to help me put this stuff away." He gestured at the pillows and blankets on the couch. Ever since Sean had been staying there, they had made it a habit of fixing the couch each night before he went to sleep together and then putting everything away in the mornings.
"I think I can be persuaded to do that," she said.
She loved this little ritual. Sean's staying with them after his release from jail had been weird in the beginning. He had been so eager to be helpful around the house at first; that was where the bed making began. Eventually, her parents had just told him that they wanted him there and weren't going to kick him out for not doing every little thing around the house. They were just trying to help him get back on his feet.
Snake and Spike walked into the living room, both about to head out, and laughed at Sean and Emma's playful tussle over the blanket they were folding.
"Guys, we need to talk to you for a second." Spike said.
Manny hobbled back in the room, weighed down by the vestiges of her closet, and sat on the couch beside Emma, tossing her clothes on a nearby chair.
"We're going away for the weekend." Spike readjusted Jack in her arms, taking in the surprise on the three teenagers' faces.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Emma asked, a slightly bitter tone in her voice at being left out of the loop.
"We weren't sure until last night. One of my customers has a cabin about an hour away and offered it to us. She just called yesterday and said it was definitely free."
"And Jack?" Emma inquired.
"Staying with my mom." Snake added.
"So that means you guys will have the house to yourselves. But there are some rules." Spike interjected, taking note of the falling faces at her last sentence.
"Like what?"
The serious look her mother gave her made it very clear what the first rule was; Sean would still be sleeping on the couch. No exceptions.
Sean cleared his throat uncomfortably. Emma wasn't the only one who had understood the deliberately unsaid rule and the tension in the room soared.
"No parties, no drinking, no overnight guests, generally no behavior that you think we would disapprove of in any way." Snake chimed in, more to break the tension than anything else. But his words left little to be said in regards to the weekend's guidelines.
"Okay." Emma agreed. "We'll behave."
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"You are not serious!" Manny exclaimed loudly, a look of shock and disapproval springing up across her face.
"Shh!" Emma hissed. She looked around to make sure they hadn't been overheard by the substitute teacher. Manny had been trying to weasel information out of Emma about what she had planned for the weekend all day. Finally thoroughly exasperated, Emma had just admitted that she was going to treat it like any another weekend.
"Em, your parents are leaving you alone for the entire weekend. And Sean. Alone. In a house. With no parents. Alone." Manny said as if she were talking to a small child.
"I get it." Emma said quietly. "And could you keep your voice down?"
"What, are you guys fighting or something?" Manny asked.
"No, we're not fighting. We just …" Emma trailed off, a blush creeping up her face.
"Hang on," Manny held up a hand to stop her. She peered around the lab to make sure no one could overhear them before continuing, "Don't you want to be alone with Sean?"
Emma fidgeted in her seat. She was purposely avoiding Manny's gaze, trying to force her to drop the subject by insisting they had to finish their work.
"You mean, you guys haven't yet?" Manny's eyes were as big as saucers and the surprise in her voice was unmistakable.
"You can pick your jaw up off the table," Emma said sarcastically, "and no. We haven't. We haven't even gotten close."
"Why not?" Manny asked, as if it were unfathomable for two people to date and not have sex.
"Are you kidding? Manny, Sean is living at my house."
"Which is like, every teenager's dream. Easy access." Manny said. A small grin formed on her face as she imagined the possibilities.
"Yeah, it would be if we could ever get a minute alone. My parents are stricter lately than yours were in grade seven."
"Ouch."
"Tell me about it. Sean's not even allowed in my room, and between school and his job, we just never get any time alone."
Manny looked at her best friend, who looked dangerously close to tears. She had always figured that Emma had slept with Peter, and given the way Manny felt about him, just chose not to tell her. But now, looking at the actual terror in Emma's eyes, it was clear that Emma was nervous because not only had she not slept with Sean; she had never slept with anybody.
"Well, do you want to?" Manny asked, her voice suddenly taking on a sincere note.
Emma was bright red by that time, and looking everywhere but at Manny. "There's more to our relationship than just … you know, the physical stuff. I love Sean."
"And he loves you. That much is crystal clear. But Em, this isn't exactly something you can ignore. It'll keep coming up until you deal with it."
Emma sighed. The bell rang and they gathered their books, heading out into the hallway. At their lockers, Emma pulled Manny closer so they wouldn't need to talk above whispers.
"My mom was really clear and everything, but I know Sean. He's off all weekend, and with my parents gone …"
"You're worried he might be thinking …maybe it's time?" Manny trailed off.
Emma sighed and leaned back against her locker. The cool metal distracted her for a second, but it did nothing to quell the bundle of nerves in her stomach. "I know he would never push me or anything, but it's bound to come up."
"Well just … don't let him try to talk you into anything you're not ready for." Manny said seriously, placing a comforting hand on her beset friend's shoulder.
Manny's comment broke the tension a little, and Emma laughed. "You sound like Miss Sauvé."
"Okay, okay. I'll stop. On another note, did I tell you that Craig called last night?"
"Only about twelve times." Emma stated, rolling her eyes at the repetition.
The students walked by on their way home for the day. They watched the crowd moving past them, both caught up in their own thoughts.
"He said he's probably going to be back in a few days. I can't wait. Do you realize it's been almost eight months since he's been gone?" Manny rambled on , examining her nails.
"He was here for graduation." She reminded her, thinking back briefly to Craig's visit in May and the night they'd all hung out with Peter at Joey's while Craig regaled them with stories of recording and Vancouver's hot spots.
"For one day." Manny scoffed. "This time he's staying two whole weeks." She spread her arms wide, trying to illustrate the time span with her hands. Emma laughed. Manny's grin was so big, she looked like she had a coat hanger in her mouth.
"So it looks like I'm not the only one with a potentially romantic weekend on the horizon." Emma bumped her shoulder against Manny's playfully.
"I just hope yours goes as well as mine's going to." Manny said smugly.
"Someone's arrogant." Emma joked.
"Someone has every right to be arrogant. I get Craig all to myself for two entire weeks."
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"I'm coming!" Ellie yelled.
She skidded while running through the hallway in her socks, and nearly collided with Dylan's antique end table. Whoever was at the door had been ringing the bell consistently for nearly five minutes and she had run down the stairs in the middle of getting ready for class.
"Anybody I know?" came a voice through the door. Ellie stopped, her hand on the doorknob. She knew that voice.
Ellie opened the door and much to her dismay, released an overly excited, and completely out of character, squeal at the sight of Craig on the other side.
He laughed and pulled her to him in a tight hug. "Guess that means you missed me, huh?"
"Maybe a little," she said, blushing slightly as she pulled back. "What are you doing here?"
"I just got in. The cab was passing by, Marco gave me the address, thought I'd take a chance and see if you were home." He looked her up and down with a grin. "You look great, El. College life really agrees with you."
"Likewise," she told him, still unnerved that he was there and her reaction to him, "you look like a real musician."
"I am," he said smugly.
She smacked him lightly on the arm. Opening the door for him, she walked backwards as he followed her through the house. "I want to hear all about it. Don't you dare leave a single detail out."
Craig settled in at the kitchen table while Ellie made coffee.
"It was incredible," he told her. "Vancouver is … its so great, El. You have to come visit me out there. You'd love it."
"Sounds like it." She placed the coffee on the table, Craig's with milk and cinnamon, and pointedly ignored the mention of her coming out to visit him.
"Yeah." He went on, getting too excited to notice her lack of enthusiasm. "Leo really came through. He got me a great place to stay, and the best back up musicians. He's really looking out for me."
"Well, he can see you're gonna be a huge star. Better get on your good side while he can," she said, venom dripping from her words.
"Someone's still bitter." he quipped.
Ellie made an outraged noise. "I am not bitter. I just didn't like the way he used the band to get to you."
"If you say so." Craig sipped his coffee. She narrowed her eyes at him. He laughed, taking in her appearance.
"You going somewhere?" he gestured at her state of dress with his coffee cup.
Ellie cursed and jumped up. "I'm gonna be late for class." She hurried up the stairs, muttering with every step.
Craig chuckled as he shook his head. Some things would never change. Like Ellie. And he was grateful for that. It made it that much easier on him.
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