Chapter 1
"Are you sure that you want to go live with your father…Emily?" Ellen told me. Ellen is my mother.
"Yes…ma don't worry about it…if I don't like it you I'll come back." I told her
"Okay…darling…have a good time and enjoy your senior year…with your dad"
"Yes ma."
Ellen and Scott split up three years after they adopted me. Scott moved up to Seattle, Washington. Ellen and I moved to Lake City, Florida.
"Darling?"
"Yes?"
"I'm going to miss you a lot and so will Harry"
Thinking of a good-bye hurts. "I'll miss you too and tell Harry to take care…and you too ma."
"Ok…I will"
I realized that we were at the airport already. I pursed my lips and tighten my jaw so I would not cry. I succeeded but a tear escaped. I wiped it off immediately. Ellen didn't notice.
"Here you are…honey…if you need something call me…and also call me when you get there"
"Will do ma…I'll miss you"
"Miss you too." I noticed that she was crying, but I tried to resist not crying. I succeeded.
I opened the car door and stepped outside. A cool breeze whipped through my hair. I felt like I was really going to miss this place. I will miss the warm air, and the beaches. I walked through the door. I am 4 hours early and I looked around for something to do. I found a café. I walked through the door and ordered my favorite latte. I sat in one of the booths of the café and took out my favorite book Romeo and Juliet. I have read this book over five times but I love this book.
The hours passed quickly. I heard the announcement for the Seattle plane. It was canceled because of a snowstorm.
"What!? It's canceled!?" A boy yelled from behind me. He had long black hair that dropped down to his shoulders. He was taller than me but he had a baby face. He was probably a year older than me.
"Yes…it is…now sit down Jake," a middle-aged woman said in a smooth voice but still threatening.
"Yes mom" he mumbled under his breath.
I got up from the booth and pulled out my cell phone from my bag. I dialed my mother's number. It rang twice and the sweet voice of my mother answered. I have not even left and hearing her voice, started to well up tears in my eyes. I resisted.
"Hello?"
"Ma?"
"Yes? What happen?" her tone started sounding worrisome.
"Oh nothing…ma…it is that the flight was canceled due to a snowstorm up in Seattle."
"Oh…do you want me to pick you up or take you something?"
"No ma…don't worry about it…I'll be fine…I'll call if I get any news about the flight"
"Okay"
"I love you ma…and I'll call if I need something"
"Love you too…"
"Bye"
"Bye darling"
I hung up. Tears started to well up. I could not cry now. I have to be brave enough to let go. Also, she needs her time with Harry. It has been a while since I have slept well and I was tired. I have not heard anything from the flight, so I decided to lie back on my seat and rest.
"I think you are going to miss the plane, if you don't wake up" a smooth velvety male voice whispered in my ear. I could not recognize the voice. But I managed to open my eyes to find a pair of emerald green eyes staring at me. As I came back to consciousness, I suddenly noticed that I had fallen asleep.
"Huh?"
"Come on…sleepyhead…your going to miss the flight and so will I"
"Who are you?" I asked.
"I'll explain inside the plane…now come on"
I got up from the seat and fixed my shirt. I noticed that this guy with emerald green eyes was Jake. He was the one that had yelled when they announced the flight had been canceled. I looked around for my bags. Then I noticed that he already had them in his hand, ready to take it for me.
"Hold on…gimme a second" I mumbled looking through my bag for my cell phone.
"Alright…"
I dialed Ellen's number as quick as I could. This time it was not Ellen who answered; it was Harry.
"Hello?"
"Hello Harry…put my mom on quick please."
" 'K…hold on"
I looked to Jake, who was standing there patiently.
"Hello…Emily what happen?" Ellen said. Her voice filled with worrisome.
"Nothing ma…the plane is going to departure…I'll call when I get there…"
"Oh…okay"
"Bye"
"Bye…I lo" I hung up before she finished her sentence. They were now calling for last minute calling.
"Come on…Let's go." Jake said.
We ran toward the plane's doorway. We made it just in time. I looked for my airplane seat. Luckily, the man that sat next to me, was happy enough to switch to first class with Jake.
"Do I know you?" I asked Jake. Finally we had about 4 hours to talk without being interrupted.
"No…sorry about that…my name is Jake…what's yours?"
"Oh…my name is Emily…how did you know that I was taking this plane?"
"Oh…that…I was not eavesdropping or anything…I just overheard you telling your mom on the phone that the flight was canceled to Seattle…so I knew that we were taking the same plane…"
"Not eavesdropping…huh?"
"Nope"
I started to giggle. I couldn't hold it any longer; I started laughing. I noticed that he started laughing too.
"So Emily…what brings you up to Seattle?" he asked me.
"I'm moving up here with my dad…and you?"
"Oh…I live in Seattle…I was just visiting my aunt down there in Florida."
"Oh"
"How old are you?"
"17…and you?"
"18"
"You look really tired…if you want you can go to sleep…I won't bother you this time" he started laughing and I did too.
"But I am not tired"
He laughed. "You might not be…but you look like a mess…get some sleep you need it"
I laughed. "Fine".
I laid back and closed my eyes. I felt Jake's gaze on me. I opened my eyes. "Jake?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks…for waking me up in the airport…"
"No problem…I wouldn't let a beautiful girl like you stay in an airport."
I laughed. "Well…see you in a few hours…"
He laughed "Sure…Sweet dreams…"
I closed my eyes. What can he have possibly have seen beautiful in me? Me! A girl with light brown hair, honey colored eyes, 5'6" tall, and skinny. What can he possibly see beautiful in a girl like me? I thought to myself.
"Hey…sleeping beauty…wake up…or do I have to kiss you to wake you" His velvety smooth voice whispered in my ear. I flunged my eyes open.
"What!?" I said so loud; I almost screamed.
He laughed. "I knew you'd wake up…but tell me…did you want the kiss from your prince charming?"
I laughed. "Seriously Jake…we just met"
He laughed and so did I.
"Jake?"
"Yes?"
"Why in living hell did you wake me?"
He laughed. "We already landed and we need to get off the plane now or they will kick us out."
"Oh."
I grabbed my bags and my purse. Jake grabbed my luggage and my hand. We walked out of the plane hand in hand. His hand was warm and soft. I spotted my dad. I immediately let go of his hand and ran toward him.
"Dad?"
"Emily?"
"Dad!" I exclaimed. I threw my arms around him. He caressed my hair as he had done the first time.
"Oh my God…you have grown so much"
I laughed. I turned around finding Jake's gaze. "Jake…come here"
"Dad…this is Jake…I met him at the airport…"
"I know who he is…he is my girlfriend's son"
"Girlfriend? More like fiancée" Jake said pretending to shove Scott.
"Fiancée?" I said in a whisper feeling dizzy. The word fiancée took me by surprise. Everything went black. I heard a loud thud. Fiancée. That middle-aged woman with the smooth voice that's Jake's mother; that's Scott's Fiancée. My head was spinning. I couldn't see anything it was black. I couldn't feel anything.
"Emily!" I heard someone say with worrisome. It was Scott. "Wake up"
"She'll be fine…Scott relax…Let's go to the kitchen and get something to eat" a woman said. Her voice was smooth and confident. "Jake will take care of her…don't worry."
"Okay" Scott Said. "Jake…if she wakes please let me know"
"Sure Scott" Jake said. "Don't worry she'll be fine with me." Then I heard a door creaked open and then close.
"Emi…" Jake whispered in my ear. "Can you hear me?"
As Heard Jake's voice, all my senses came back to me. I felt as if I was on a bed or a sofa and not on the cool ground. I felt soft warm fingers intertwined with my fingers. I felt cold. I shivered. I felt two firm arms wrap around me keeping me warm.
"Emi…can you hear me?" Jake whispered again. This time I didn't feel as if I was on the bed or the sofa. I felt as if I was flying. But then, I landed on something I didn't know what it was but it felt like a cloud.
"Emi…Come on…Wake up…Can you hear me?" Jake whispered in my ear again. My eyes fluttered open. I could see everything. Jake was holding me in his firm arms. I was sitting on his lap. We were in a room.
"Hey Jake" I whispered. My head was still spinning.
"Hey sleepyhead" he whispered back.
"Where's my dad?"
"In the Kitchen"
"Oh…what time is it?"
"Ummm…" he looked toward his watch. "It's 8:30"
"P.M. or A.M.?" I asked sounding stupid.
He laughed "P.M."
"OH MY GOD" I said really loud jumping from his lap. "Where's my purse?"
"Right there" he said pointing to the leather sofa that was next to the bed. I raced toward the sofa and grabbed my purse. I zipped it open and grabbed my cell phone.
"Emily?" Jake whispered.
"Yes?" I said dialing Ellen's number.
"Scott already called your mother and told her what happen…so relax."
"Oh…but I still want to talk to her." I said putting the phone to my ear.
"Okay…I am gonna let Scott know you woke already…"
I nodded. The phone rang five times before someone answered.
"Hello?" It was Harry.
"Hey Harry"
"Oh…hi Emily How are you feeling?"
"Better…can I talk to my mom…if she is not busy?"
"Sorry Emily…She's went to the store and left her phone here…I'll let her know you called"
"Sure…well bye"
"Bye"
I hung up.
"Emily?" I turned around. Scott was there standing by the doorway.
"Hey dad"
"How are you feeling?"
"Err…a little better"
"Can I talk to you?"
"Err…sure"
He walked over to where I was standing and sat on the bed. He gestured for me to sit. "Sit" he said in a calm and soothing voice. I did so. Scott grabbed my hand. He started tracing the lines with his index finger. "Emily?"
"Yes dad? What's Wrong?"
"Nothing…it's that Sarah and I were talking and we think that it is better if we give each other time and so I can have time to talk to you. So…ummm…yeah…that's all."
"Is Sarah your Fiancée…dad?"
"Yes…but for now she is just a friend"
"What!?" I yelled. "You and your fiancée are breaking up because of me!?" I yelled. I was more than angry. I was infuriated. I tighten my jaw so I would not cry. Every time I am furious I would start crying.
"Sweetie calm down…It's okay…Sarah and I talked and we think it is better that we give each other some time and I can use my time to talk to you…and of course be a father." He said in a confident and smooth voice.
"No! I am not going to calm down" I yelled, irritation building up. "You can still be a father and get married…I fainted because I was not ready to hear that news to soon…but I heard it now and I am okay with it and I want you to be happy with Sarah!"
"I know you do Emily…but I think it is better for all of us." He said still calm.
"It might be better for you…but not for me. Knowing that you and your fiancée broke up because of me!" I yelled breaking out into tears. "Knowing that I spoiled your happiness…maybe you can live like that…but I could never live knowing that I spoiled someone's happiness." I said still yelling. I ran out of the room. I ran through the hallway until I got to the door and I ran outside. It was raining cats and dogs and it was already dark. I stood on the porch getting soaked. Then a black Nissan 350z drove into the driveway.
"Emily?" Someone yelled from inside the car. "What are you doing outside? It's pouring. Get inside before Scott sees you." I was relieved that it was Jake. I ran toward the passenger side of the car. I yanked the door open and got inside.
"Jake…please take me to the airport…I want to go home…" I said still in tears.
A confused feature came upon his profile. "What!?...Aren't you home already?"
His phone rang. He answered it.
"Hello?" he said in the cell phone.
"Relax…Scott she is here with me in my car in the driveway"
"She told me to take her to the airport that she wants to go home"
"I told her that"
"Oh…okay…I'll try to talk to her."
"Sure…Bye"
He hung up and turned his head toward me finding my gaze. I had this feeling in my chest. I hugged myself and broke out in tears.
"Hey…hey…hey…no crying in my car…" he said playfully but his eyes were filled with concern.
"Please…Jake…take me home. That's all I am asking for…please." I pleaded still in tears.
"Fine…" he mumbled under his breath. He started backing up from the driveway.