Chapter 1- The Death of Emmett
"Aria, there's your guy." My best friend Bree whispered into my ear. I looked in the direction she was point and a smile crossed my face. Our eyes met and I turned bright pink before lowering my head. "Are you seriously still being shy?" she asked and I shook my head slowly. "Bree, he has a girlfriend already." I said. My eyes found the beautiful dark brown ones of Emmett McCarthy for the second time and again a blush graced my cheeks. "Aria, he broke up with her like 2 weeks ago! What is wrong with you? You guys have been friends since kindergarten!" she hissed furiously. "Bree, we haven't said more than two words to each other since the 6Th grade. It's been 4 years." I said. "And yet you pretend not to care knowing that you do. You have been in love with him since I could remember." She said.
"In love with who?" a deep voice asked. I jumped and looked up startled before blushing at Emmett standing there. "No one. Absolutely nobody at all." I recovered quickly. "Good because that means you'll be my date to the football formal right?" he asked. "What?" I shuddered confused. "Of course she will. She has the perfect dress too. She was waiting for you to ask." Bree spoke up. "Awesome! I'll pick you up from your place at six." He said before winking at me and walking away. I looked at Bree horrified as the bell rang to end lunch. We both stood and head for the library for our free period. "Bree, I don't have a dress or anything to go with him. Why did you tell him that?" I asked. "You can borrow one of mine. I'll just go home and pick up some things and then meet up at yours so I can help you get ready." She said.
I frowned internally but remained quiet all the way until cheer practice. I was hit with one of the practice balls and it knocked me off my pyramid. I landed on my back hard but recovered quickly. "Aria!" my name was screamed by both high pitched and deep voices. "Aria, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Emmett asked as he stood me up. "I'm fine honestly. It wasn't that much of a fall." I said. I winced a little as he poked my back. "That was a ten foot drop to hard dirt on your back! I call that a pretty big fall!" he challenged. "Emmett, I'm okay honestly. It doesn't even hurt anymore." I said as I pulled away gently. He frowned and I didn't miss the glare from his ex-girlfriend Taylor. He nodded and everyone went back to practice.
At the end of the day, I grabbed my gym bag and headed for my car. "Hey!" someone called as I shut my trunk and went toward my door. Bree and I both turned to find Taylor coming towards us. "What's up Taylor?" Bree asked. "Are you and Emmett like a thing now?" she asked. I shook my head and frowned. Taylor was the reason that Emmett and I had officially stopped hanging around each other at the beginning of the year. "No, he just decided we should be friends again." I said. I turned and got into my car before she responded. I drove home contemplating just how badly this could go if Taylor was jealous.
As Bree promised, she arrived at my house at 3 and started on the 2 hours of beauty prep. This included waxing, plucking, and the most painful threading of my life. Finally I was about to showered and adorn the navy blue strapless thigh length cocktail dress and get my makeup done before the knock came at my door. Emmett looked beautiful in his suit as he complemented my dress and thanked Bree for helping me. I smiled at him as I climbed into the passenger seat of his dodge Challenger. We loved the time spent together that night and four days later he officially asked me to be his girlfriend. We dated until the beginning of our senior year. That week he died and I would be blamed.
"Emmett, honestly I love it but don't you think it's a little much?" I asked as he speeds down the high way back to our little town of Grifton in Tennessee. He had given me a beautiful silver chain with a diamond emblazed "E" on it for my birthday. We enjoyed dinner and a movie before heading on our way home. He looked over at me and smiled. "Hey, keep your eyes on the road." I said quickly. He turned back to the road and chuckled a soft "Yes ma'am". I giggled and took his hand while playing with the necklace in the other. "Aria, I think it's perfect just like you. I love you." He said. I turned to look at him as I repeated his last words back to him. He leaned over and kissed me. "Happy Birth-"he was cut off by sudden blackness.
Neither of us had seen the headlights of the drunk driver as he swerved into our lane and hit us straight on. I awoke as they were attempting to get me free only I wasn't where I had been. I was covered in blood and sitting behind the wheel. "Emmett? Emmett?" I asked softly. I couldn't turn my head because a fire fighter had his arms through the broken window and was holding me still. "Emmett? Where is he? Did you get him out? Is he okay?" I begged. "Ma'am, we are trying to get you out. Please stay still for just a few more minutes." He stated. "No! You don't understand. My boyfriend was driving and it all went black. Where is he? Where is Emmett? Did you save him?" I asked. "Ma'am you are in the driver's seat. There is no one else here but you. We've already made sure that you are the only one." He said.
My head spun and I blacked out. When I awoke again I had been in surgery 3 times to fix broken bones and a punctured lung and liver. By the time I was released, they had already had a service and buried an empty coffin for Emmett. My parents were the ones who told me that everyone thought I was driving and that I had killed Emmett. I was absolutely devastated and fell into depression. My parents told me a few weeks later that I would be going to like with my uncle in Forks, Washington. I didn't even argue. I had no friends here anymore; even Bree began to believe what people were saying. I simply packed my bags and boarded the plane. The only reminder of Emmett and everything I was running from rested around my neck. The "E" symbolizing his name rested between my breasts as I shut my eyes and fought back tears. "I'm so sorry, Emmett. You didn't deserve this." I whispered before falling asleep.
