Title: It's too late

Rating: T for the story plot.

Summary: "My 12-year old self, absolutely, but my 21-year-old self, no." Those were the words Emma answered when asked if she'd like to kiss me. I looked at her briefly and then faked a smile. I couldn't do anything. My girlfriend was there, and when she sees my depressed reaction, she'll get furious.

After the interview, Tom caught up with Emma at the parking lot. He sent his girlfriend home immediately after the press conference, lying that they will have a post-Deathly Hallows premiere party exclusive for the Harry Potter cast only. Jade, being slightly naive, agreed to go home. That left Tom with on thing and on thing only to do: Emma.

"Emma!" I shouted while running as Emma was slowly walking to her car. She stopped when she saw me. She looked great as always, with that V-Neck shirt and jeans she put on after the press conference. I always loved her like that. Simple yet elegant, just as she is.

"Tom. What are you doing here? Where's Jade?" She asked, trying to look behind my back to check if Jade was there. Her hair was pinned with a hair pin in the front, and her make-up has been removed with only her lip gloss left. She looks at me, but then looks somewhere else.

"I uh- I sent her home. I wanted to talk to you alone. You know how she is when she sees us…..together." Emphasis on 'together'. Emma's a smart girl. She'll get what I mean.

"Right. Well, what do you want to talk about?" I inwardly sighed. Why is she making it difficult for me?

"You know what I wanna talk to you about. Why did you tell the press that? Why did you have to lie?"

She scoffs. "You think I lied? No lies were said on that interview. All of what I said were true." She said calmly.

"Come on, Emma. It was pretty obvious you lied. You even used Jade as an excuse to not answer truthfully. " I folded my arms over my chest, like what I always do when I know I'm right. She put on the 'winning smirk'.

"Wasn't she always the excuse? All those…., all those times when you said you're in love with her? How about that time when I confessed to the whole world that I like you? People asked your opinion on it, right? You gave me a compliment, but then you told them you're too in love with her. That was a lie, wasn't it? Oh and, that recent thing about the MTV Awards? How can you say that you didn't know I was going to present the clip when we're the only Harry Potter cast present on that event? It was going to be either me or you. There was also that time where you went off with your girlfriend while I was about to present the clip. Do you think how much I was distracted?" She was crying now. I wanted to hug her, but I know that I couldn't anymore, so we just stood there, staring at each other. She was wiping her tears furiously.

Emma waited for me to say something, but when she realized I couldn't, she started to walk towards her car again. But before she could fully walk away from me, I grabbed her arms and spun her around. Her eyes were red, and her tears are still flowing.

"Look, Emma. I didn't want this. I loved her. But I don't anymore. That small thing that I felt for her was pure infatuation. I was just scared of what the public will think of me once I break up with her and then move on to you. That thing about the MTV Awards? I had to do that, or else other will notice that there is something going on between us and they would suspect. It's not only bad for me. It's also bad for you. I don't want to ruin your reputation by telling I'm in love with you while I have a girlfriend. I'm sorry, Emma. I love you. I hope you forgive me."

I almost whispered the last part. She stopped crying now, which I took as a good sign. But then she broke free of my grasp and spoke the words I'd never want to hear.

"Too late, Tom. You've hurt me enough already. I love you, and I'm sorry too, but you're already too late."

She went inside her car and drove almost immediately. I was left there, holding on to the only positive thing she said. I love you. It was all too late. We wouldn't have our second chance. I wiped the tear that left my eye and called Jason, the only person who know's my past relationship and what I still feel for her.

"It's too late."