"Did you grab it?"

"Of course I grabbed it. I can't go anywhere without it." She flashed him her cell phone as they walked out the front door of their apartment. He was heading for a job interview, she was heading for yet another day of her final year at college.

"Well you could, technically." He wrapped one of his arms around her waist and put his cheek against her hair. "I love you," He told her.

She glanced back at him, his soft brown hair, trustworthy blue eyes, and she got that feeling in her gut again. She passed it off as love, but she was beginning to doubt that. There was just something that was haunting her from her not-so-pleasant past. Back from when she was at Bloor's Academy. It was him.

"I love you too, Ayden." She told him and gave him a kiss as they arrived at his car.

He kissed her back, not wanting to leave her. "Are you sure you don't want me to give you a ride? I can drive you out to the college."

"No, it's out of your way. Just go nail that job interview." She gripped his hand tightly as he opened his car door.

He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Whatever you say, Emma." He told her before slipping into his car and driving off.

Emma waved at the retreating vehicle until it was out of sight, then turned to walk towards the bus stop. This was their usual routine. Ayden and Emma, Emma and Ayden all day every day. She surprisingly ever not got tired of it. But Ayden wasn't him. Even though he pissed her off more than she thought anyone could and she couldn't be in the same room as him without wanting to tear his head off with her bear hands. It had been years since they'd even been in the same room as each other. But he had returned to her thoughts a lot more than he should have lately.

With the thoughts of him came the unavoidable heartache. She tried to change her thoughts, but then the bus stop bench came into view. It brought back the memory, the first memory that started it all.

He walked down the streets, lonely and tired. He was heading off to one of his college classes he didn't want to go to. College wasn't his thing. He was going to be a teacher, something he didn't really want to do. It was her fault. His world always had and always would revolve around her. He just couldn't be happy when he was all by himself. Because he screwed everything up. Tancred had to admit, he was a complete and utter idiot.

He then turned the corner of the street and saw the bus stop bench. His mind stumbled back to that day. His mind stumbled back to her.

*flashback*

The green bus pulled up as Tancred sat on the bench, early on a Monday morning with a duffel bag slung on his shoulder. It felt like an ordinary day, but there was just something… off. It was in the air. His palms were beginning to sweat as he stood. He had no clue why. He wasn't one to get nervous.

As he stepped onto the bus, he looked for a place to sit. Usually he sat by Lysander, but there was already somebody by his side. The two-person seats were all full. Except for one, right next to a pretty girl with blond hair.

He moved towards her and cleared his throat. She looked up, slightly startled, from the book in her lap. "Y-yes?" She stuttered.

"Can I sit here?" He wondered as the bus started moving. He grabbed the edge of the seat before he could fall at the vehicle's sudden lurch.

She nodded, but didn't say another word. Tancred sat down and watched as she read her book. For some reason, the way her brow furrowed in concentration as she read made him smile. It looked cute on her.

"I hate to interrupt your reading," She looked up at him again, avoiding his gaze and closing the book, "But I thought I'd introduce myself. Tancred Torsson."

"Emma Tolly."

He smiled. "Emma Tolly. I like it."

She turned her head to look out the window so he didn't see her blush.

"It's a lot better than Emelia Moon. I'm happy Charlie saved you. I just realized that's where I knew you from." He told her, and stopped himself before he could babble on about any more nonsense.

"I'm happy too," She turned back and flashed him her book. "I live with my Aunt now. In a bookstore. It's a lot better than the Moon's house."

"I'd bet." He grinned, "You know, I helped save you." No, he didn't have too much to do with saving her, but he was slightly involved.

"Well then thank you, very much. I don't think I would have been able to handle the Moon's for much longer."

The bus pulled up in front of the school. Tancred looked up and swore mentally before looking back at Emma. She was standing, ready to go, waiting for him to let her through. "Hold on. Before you go, you've got to promise to eat lunch today. I expect you don't have many friends, just coming back from being Emelia Moon and all."

She smiled. "Okay. Thanks."

Once they were off the bus, she slipped through the crowds, away from him. He watched her go, feeling like the happiest person in the world.

*End Flashback*

It took both of them a moment to realize the other was standing on the other side of the bench. Emma looked up first, and took a step back in shock at his blond hair and tall figure. So much hatred coursed through her veins. She was about to pull her cell phone out of her pocket to call Ayden to come and pick her up when he turned and looked at her, except love coursed through his veins. They would never feel the same thing towards each other again.

"Emma," he gave her a smile she didn't want. It was the same one she'd fallen in love with so many years before.

"Tancred," the name tasted like acid on her tongue, but it felt good to get it off her chest, to admit he was really here. "I didn't know you still lived in town."

"Please, I'm still living with my parents. Of course I live in town."

She laughed, "You still live with your parents?"

"I don't have a job to support myself. I'm almost graduated though. I'm just starting my last semester of college."

"Just starting? Shouldn't you have been in your last year a couple years ago?"

"I took a break after Bloor's. Couldn't take it. I was tired of school."

Neither said anything for a moment before Emma told him, "I'm starting my last semester of college, too."

Tancred raised an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah? What classes?"

"Psychology, an art course, and I'm student teaching at Bloor's. Art teacher."

"Really? I got psychology as well. And I'm also student teaching at Bloor's. Sculpting."

Emma scowled.

"What?" Tancred chuckled.

"You did it on purpose. How did you know this was what I was doing? Have you been stalking me or something."

"No, no, no. Of course not. Teaching was the only thing I could think of."

"You're not that good at sculpting."

"I've gotten a lot better. You should come see my work sometimes."

"When pigs fly." She retorted. "I would never set foot in the same room as you." She said as the bus turned the corner.

"You're about to step onto the same bus as me, so you better get used to it."

She scowled as he stepped onto the bus, making sure to sit as far away from him as possible.

This is good. I have another story, which means I'm not leaving fanfiction any time soon. I really hope you enjoy this. I have big plans for this story

press the magical review button
please
l
l
l
l
V