Learning to Survive without You
Chapter 1
Three weeks had past since Emmett came back from the music festival and things have changed drastically. Daphne stared out to the pool from her bedroom above the garage, thinking about how much her life had changed. As she stared at the ripples the wind creates against the surface of the clear, blue, water she thinks about how change is created out of no where and is inevitable part of life. Nothing remains the same or constant. All there is left to do is to change too, but how can she move forward when she lost the one person she would talk to about all of this. This makes her think back to a conversation Emmett and her had just a few weeks prior.
As she awkwardly ate breakfast with the Kennishes, Emmett pulled up on his motorcycle for school like always but Bay ran out to kiss him. She wasn't used to feeling heart broken never having a serious relationship before. It was new to her to feel like this. She was sad when she broke things off with Liam, but Emmett was different. He was her best friend, a constant in her life and now it was hard to look at him, let alone talk to him. As she said goodbye to her biological parents she walked past Emmett and Bay on the drive to the front door of her home, the guest house, to get her backpack. As she tried to avoid the repetitive conversation that became routine, Emmett waved her down as usual to ask her if she wanted a ride to school. As usual, Bay kissed him on the cheek gave an awkward glance to her and then turned to enter the house where she most likely was spying on the conversation.
Emmett signed, "So now that school is almost out for summer I was hoping to give you a ride to school like old times." The hope on his face was endearing, but she told Bay she would wait for Emmett and she was not one to play tricks so waiting from afar seemed less painful. So she replied with a simple "No thanks, I got a ride" and continued up the steps to her home. As she walked inside her bedroom and grabbed her school bag, she peaked out the window facing the drive and noticed Wilke, her ride, pulling up in his convertible. As she turned to leave she ran straight into Emmett, who apparently followed her.
"Emmett, what are you doing? You scared me!" That was when she noticed that Emmett's hands were still holding onto her arms from steadying her. When Emmett came to this realization he quickly released her and his cheeks became slightly pink. However, that didn't stop him from signing "I know you get a ride from that punk Wilke, but it's ridiculous that he drives you when we are the ones that go to the same school. Why can't we go back to being the good friends we used to be?"
I just stared dumbly at Emmett wishing that I could tell him that was possible, "I wish we could and I realize how I am being selfish after all the times you were still my friend when I dated other boys, but this is different…" Emmett angrily cut in, by wildly signing "how is this different?" That was when I took a deep breath and signed, "I never dated the "me" from another life." Emmett responded immediately with "That's not fair…" But I cut him off signing "what is not fair is why her of all people…if you want me to be honest I feel betrayed by you both. You were the one who told me I shouldn't date Liam because I might mess everything up in this crazy situation I call my life and then behind my back you two start dating!" The tears begin to build in my eyes and Emmett's face begins to soften. He is about to sign but I cut him off again, "Look I'm not trying to make you feel bad but things aren't going to be the same between us." "We both know Bay wouldn't feel comfortable with us being friends again and frankly it just hurts too much for me to try." "So just give it a rest and continue to move on like when you chose to when you spoke the words that YOU WANT BAY!" "You made your decision so now just live with it and leave me be!"
Emmett's face looked pained but she grabbed her bag, ran out of her house, and jumped into Wilke's convertible. Wilke noticed her pained expression and faced her "So I see your day has started marvelously! Shall the chariot depart?" I gave a giggle and nodded. From the passenger seat I watched as Emmett watched me drive off from the drive with sadness in his face.
I pushed the curtain back to hide the crystal clear pool that all seemed like a wonderful dream, a wonderful life…until now. I plopped down on my bed and stared at the vaulted ceilings thinking about how the rest of the day at school, or the past couple of weeks even, I avoided Emmett which was hard at first because he was adamant to apologize, but I told him that things between us have changed and that it is best to just give me space. That was about 4 weeks ago and from the outside it didn't even appear that we used to be friends at all. Sure I saw him at family dinners and at school but I didn't really participate in conversation and left early most of the time.
That was when Toby, my biological brother came into my room for the first time. "So you about done wallowing because your mothers have teamed together, which is scary by the way, and have asked me to take you to the end of the school year party at Leaf's or Clover's…whatever her name is." I responded by saying "I don't think that Clover is my biggest fan after the whole cooking class fire fiasco." Toby gave her a cocked eyebrow look while responding with, "I hear she barely remembers her own name so I think you are safe. Plus, Wilke will be there and our band is going to play for about an hour so come and "feel" the beat!" With the last statement Toby lamely danced to make me laugh and he accomplished that.
"So I am assuming that Emmett is going to be there since he is apart of your band right?" Toby became wary and saw that his plan might not work but recovered quickly by saying, "I'm not going to lie but he will be there, but you don't have to talk to him there will be plenty of other people there, maybe even Liam." "Toby nothing is going to happen between Liam and me. I told him a long time ago that it didn't feel right since Bay was with him, I just wish Bay had enough decency to return the favor."
That was when I realized that I took it too far especially to her brother because Toby squished his face in the same look when he lost a poker match at Wilke's. So I quickly responded "Forget what I just said, I'll go to this party to see YOU and Wilke play. It sounds like fun!" Toby softened a bit as if he himself was shedding light on my situation, from talking about the Liam situation to the Emmett situation. "Great I'm so glad you are coming, I will guarantee you that my mission is for you to have a fun time."
With that said, Toby walked out of my room to leave me to my thoughts once more. Now tonight I have plans to go to a Buckner party and from what I have heard is that a Buckner party can get a little out of control. But I guess these days I could use something to distract myself from thinking inside my head.
