Emmett could hear her crying from his place in the hallway. He sat on the floor, his back leaning against the wall of her room. He had given up on his attempts to talk her out of leaving, and focused on figuring out what to do to stop her from going.
She wouldn't just leave Paulette, he thought, she's Elle's best friend.
He knew, however, that it made no difference to the girl. Once Elle set her mind to something, it was almost impossible to get her to feel otherwise. What Emmett needed was something to persuade her.
Should he tell her that he loves her? No. If anyone's proposal would stop her, it was Warner's. He was the reason she was here, anyway, he was the chip on her shoulder.
Emmett cursed Callahan for acting like such a complete ass. If he hadn't tried to get his way in every aspect of his life, they wouldn't be in this situation.
He sighed. He had no one to blame for this. If anyone was to be passed the buck, it was himself, for not having confessed his feeling for Elle. She had always been one to tell the truth no matter how it came out, so why couldn't he do the same?
Hours later, the door opened. Emmett jumped to his feet, and came face-to-face with a mess that once was Elle. Her eyes were swollen and red, her hair was in a messy ponytail, and she was sweatpants and sneakers. Her arms were filled with pink suitcases of various sizes.
As he stood, he startled her, and she stopped all of the bags but her purse around her shoulder, Bruiser nestled inside. "Emmett," she whispered, but he couldn't tell if it was in relief, or disappointment.
"Elle, please, don't go." He said, picking up her bags.
"I have no choice," she sighed, gathering the cases in her arms. She tried to get all of them in her hands, but Emmett took the larger ones and followed her out to her waiting taxi.
"At lease let me take you to the airport," he said, hoping he's be able to then create a diversion.
She refused. "I need to say goodbye to Paulette, first," she said, and reached up to touch his face. "Besides, if I rode with you, I might not ever be able to leave the car."
Emmett placed his hand over the girl's, and sighed. "That was the point," he said, looking into her eyes.
She quickly dropped his hand and looked away. "Call me if you're ever in Malibu," she said, forcing a cheerful laugh that sounded more like a whimper. Elle cleared her throat and climbed into the back seat.
The cab pulled away from the curb, and sped up onto the street. Emmett broke out into a sprint and began chasing the taxi. "Elle!" he screamed, running faster than he ever had.
Elle only rolled up her window and looked away.
