A/N: Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter after watching this week's episode. I've added a little twist to this one – instead of Emmett reading one of Bay's letters, it'll be a bit different – you'll see what I mean when you read it. I decided to focus this chapter on the scene where Bay is telling Emmett about the showcase and then I kind of put my own spin on it from there. I've pretty much avoided the second half of the episode where all hell breaks loose for both of them and I didn't include the whole Skye kissing Emmett reaction because clearly that's all going to play out next week. I'm trying to have faith but it seems as though my OTP ship is sinking so I'm not happy about that at all. The SAB writers are doing everything to sabotage Bemmett and it's not fun haha. I can't thank you enough for the wonderful reviews and I hope you guys are enjoying this story. Enjoy!
(10.18am – Bay)
I HAVE EXCITING NEWS :D CAN YOU VID CHAT NOW?!
Emmett reads the text from his overly joyous girlfriend with a smile as he strides across the USC campus.
(10.19am – Emmett)
Me too! Yeah I've got some time before my next class. I'm just on my way back to my room. Give me 5 mins (:
He had just finished talking with Skye and he couldn't wait to video chat with Bay and tell her all about the invitation to work on the film set this weekend.
Once his bag is set aside near the door and laptop open while sitting on his bed, Emmett connects the video chat with Bay and beams when her face fills the screen.
"Hey! Oh my god, oh my god, you'll never guess what happened!" she signs animatedly, bouncing around on her bed.
Emmett laughs. Bay's smile is infectious and there's nothing he loves more than seeing her happy, especially now.
"Hey. Tell me, what is it?" he signs in reply, matching her enthusiasm.
"I got an email from the Kansas City Artist Showcase! I made it into the final round and I'm getting interviewed tomorrow. I just have to finish a few of my pieces today so that they'll be ready for show," she signs.
"Bay, that is incredible! I'm so proud of you!" he grins wide-eyed.
Bay nods and signs the word 'thank you' to him before continuing.
"But apparently I'm not the only one with great news, so tell me! What's the latest in LA? I wanna hear all about it!"
Still smiling, Emmett rubs his hands together trying to think where to start because honestly everything had been looking up for him lately.
"Well… the classes are pretty great. I'm enjoying them and all the course work is interesting," he signs. "Oh and this weekend I'm going to be on set for a movie that's being shot in a sound stage in a real studio lot! I made a new friend in my film theory class and that's how it all worked out."
The whole time Emmett's talking, Bay can't wipe the smile off her face. The long distance thing was hard enough, but on top of that, Emmett had moved to a place where he knew no one. It quickly became Bay's daily mission to try and instill positivity every time they texted or video chatted so that she could convince him that this whole thing wasn't a mistake. It was nice to know that he was finally getting use to life in LA and meeting new people.
"Emmett, that is amazing! I knew it would all turn out just fine! On set of a movie? That sounds like so much fun, you're completely in your element," she signs.
Emmett nods and is thankful for her reaction.
"So…your friend sounds nice. Is he deaf or hearing?" Bay signs in question.
Emmett doesn't fail to notice the way Bay assumes his new friend is a male.
This will be interesting, he thinks apprehensively.
"Well, her name is Skye," he starts to sign, also not missing the way Bay gulps in surprise when he mentions the word 'her', "…and she's hearing but she use to babysit a deaf boy in high school so she knows some sign language which makes it easier for us to communicate. She wants to be a Director of Photography and she's really bubbly, which is probably a good thing because if she wasn't, I probably wouldn't have at least one friend by now."
Bay bits her lip and nods as if she's taking in every word of what he's saying but her smile doesn't quite reach her eyes and Emmett sees straight through her.
"Bay…" he signs timidly.
"What?" she signs, pretending to be oblivious.
"You're jealous, aren't y-" he signs.
"No, no not at all," she signs quickly, cutting him off. Then she looks down in her lap, fiddling with her fingers for a moment before looking back at the computer screen and sighing.
"Okay, maybe a little…"
Knew it, Emmett thinks.
"Bay, I'm only interested in you. I don't care about any other girl. I'm only into you," he signs lovingly with those soft blue eyes.
"I know," she signs, though Emmett's still not sure she's convinced.
"It just sucks that you're so far away and some random girl has the privilege of being around you all the time. I guess I'm more jealous of the physical contact. I almost forgot how good it felt to be held in your arms or even just holding your hand. I miss that so much."
Emmett nods sadly, his frown identical to Bay's. Whenever they were around each other, even around other people, they were always touching somehow. If it wasn't a hand around the other person's waist, it was a hand on their leg, or around their neck or their fingertips would be drawing patterns on the other persons skin. It was just them.
"I know exactly what you mean. I miss it too," he signs, trying to mask his disappointment as an idea ticks over in his head.
"Listen. Go and finish the rest of your pieces. When you're finished later, come back to your room and check your emails. You'll find one from me."
Bay's eyebrows furrow in confusion but she doesn't question Emmett's instructions as he gestures reassuringly through the computer screen.
She nods in understanding and then looks down towards her anklet before looking up at him again.
"Okay well my anklet is finally charged again. I'll go get started and I'll text you later after I read whatever it is that you're being so vague about. Have fun in class."
Blue eyes meet brown and Emmett wishes he could reach through the screen and pull her into his arms.
"Okay, I love you," he mouths while making heart eyes at her.
Bay grins adorably and blows a kiss towards the screen.
"Love you too."
As the video chat ends and the computer screen fades to black, Emmett can still see himself smiling in the reflection of the screen. He looks up in the top right corner and notices that he's still got some time before his next class so he clicks out of the video chat screen and opening up a new email, he starts to type away at the keys, pouring out his heart.
For the next four hours, Bay slaves away in her studio finishing her other artworks and only stops for a lunch break. She wants all the pieces to be perfect and when she's finally satisfied, she heads on back upstairs and takes a shower to cleanse herself of the paint that had gotten all over her face and up her arms.
Once out of the shower, she remembers Emmett's request to check her emails and goes to do exactly that. Sitting in her inbox is an email from her boyfriend with a subject field that reads Open When You Need To Be Reminded Of How Much I Love You. Smiling, she clicks on it and sits back comfortably before reading it.
Bay Madeline Kennish,
From the moment I first laid eyes on you, I knew I had to get to know you.
For a long time I always told myself I'd never date a hearing girl. But as we started to spend more and more time together just laughing and hanging out, you changed my perception and that's when I knew exactly what I wanted. You.
Loving you is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and it still hurts to think just how much I nearly screwed it all up with everything that happened on my prom night. We go through our ups and downs; sometimes a lot more than there should be in relationships. We're both stubborn, we've both gotten jealous when we've tried to move on from one another, and we have our fair share of fights, but somehow none of that is enough to keep us separated.
Now since you've told me stories in your letters, it's only fair that I share one with you too.
Do you remember the night you found out that Regina had known about the switch for all those years? You drove straight over to my house and you didn't tell anyone where you were going. You were angry and you were frustrated with me because you were talking so fast that I couldn't understand you and then you turned to walk out of my room, but I grabbed your hand and hugged you as you cried. You told me that you didn't want to go home and that you just wanted to stay with me. We just sat on my bed and talked for hours about anything. You ended up falling asleep against my shoulder and your hands were gripping my t-shirt the entire time, like somehow you were worried that I would disappear. I didn't want to move incase I woke you up so I sat there with an arm around you and watched you sleep, as creepy as that may sound. I didn't want to get on your dad's bad side and so I knew I had to wake you up eventually so that you'd get home in time for curfew, no matter how much you didn't want to go home. Before I woke you though, I couldn't resist taking a photo of you sleeping. I'm just lucky my camera was in arms length.
That photo became everything. I kept a copy of it in a secret compartment in my wallet and it's still there now every time I open it. It was also my phone wallpaper when we were broken up because I knew you'd never see it. I had to look at that picture every time my phone lit up and I was glad that you didn't know about it because it was something I could keep for my eyes only. When I was sitting on the plane to LA, I changed my wallpaper back to that very same photo so that I could carry a personal reminder of you everywhere I went. It's my most prized possession and it's one of the only things that's getting me through every day – the thought that soon I won't just be looking at a photo of you sleeping, I'll be seeing it with my very own eyes.
So please don't be jealous. I carry this reminder of you every day and everywhere I go. Even this many miles away, you're always the first thought on my mind. There's not a damn thing we wouldn't do for each other, and our relationship has survived through enough for us to realise that.
Besides, how the hell are any other girls suppose to claim my heart when you've already stolen it? (;
Always yours,
Emmett xoxo
Reading the email is just what Bay needs to be put in a more comforting mood. She'd been going crazy with the house arrest situation and the jealousy thing was just another way to occupy her time. Picking up her phone with a massive grin on her face, she finds Emmett's number and texts him.
(3.28pm – Bay)
Damn straight your heart is mine!
(3.31pm – Emmett)
Like you would ever let me forget it (;
(3.32pm – Bay)
You're right, I wouldn't.
(3.32pm – Bay)
I want to see that photo by the way.
(3.34pm – Emmett)
I'll be sure to show it to you some day.
(3.35pm – Bay)
If you're lucky, maybe I'll even show you some of the photos I have of you.
(3.38pm – Emmett)
You have photos of me that I don't know about?!
(3.39pm – Bay)
What, you think you're the only one that can take sneaky photos?
(3.40pm – Emmett)
No, I'm just surprised is all. When did you take them?
(3.42pm – Bay)
Oh wouldn't you like to know (;
(3.42pm – Emmett)
I really would.
(3.43pm – Bay)
We'll see.
(3.44pm – Emmett)
You're evil, Bay Kennish.
(3.45pm – Bay)
But you love me anyway.
(3.45pm – Emmett)
Yeah okay, you win this time x
