Ethan had scored tickets for the bus, and wandered back to Thayer and Emma who were laughing and seeming to have a good conversation. The morning was cold, but not anything they couldn't handle.
"So are you coming to Vegas, Thayer?" Emma said holding out a ticket to him. "We could all live in an apartment together, the three of us with no futures" Emma cracked a smile.
"Thank you, but no thanks," he shrugged, "I'm in love with Sutton, and I've got to stay here and try to figure something out" he said, "and talk about me being the awkward third wheel" he laughed, and Emma and Ethan also tittered at the joke. Emma realized they needed to get over to the bus soon.
"Say your goodbyes, we got to go," Ethan said, sucking in his lips. Just another goodbye, just another memory lost in the dark abyss of these past few months.
"I'm glad you helped with this, you have been such a good friend and I probably don't even deserve it…" Emma felt tears welling up, she promised herself she wouldn't cry about the loss of Sutton's life again- but it was almost a give.
"You deserved it, making Sutton turn into a good person probably took a lot more work than anyone would credit you for," Thayer laughed, thinking of Sutton, "I'm going to miss you but I truly hope you have a good life" he reached into his pocket, and quickly wrote a messy number on a gum wrapper and handed it to Emma.
"Your phone number?" Emma smiled; at least this goodbye was what she expected. Thayer nodded, and the two embraced before Ethan grabbed Emma's hand and they stalked away.
"Feeling better?" Ethan asked, "Trust me, leaving this town will be the best thing you ever did" he nodded and squeezed Emma's hand for reassurance.
"You and I are going to have a good life in Vegas," Emma said, almost like she was trying to convince herself. The two walked and sat on the same rusty green bench Emma had earlier. She rested her head in the nook of Ethan's shoulder, and the two sat and waited in silence. Both of them were nervous, a new life was more than just a certificate of independence.
The bus came rolling up, the creaky doors abruptly flying open. Emma and Ethan took deep breaths, kissed quickly and stared at the bus as the other tired, workers climbed aboard.
"Ladies first," Ethan winked, admiring Emma's butt and toned legs and she stepped up onto the bus. Yet, she paused in her tracks. In front of her was Sutton Mercer, sitting in the ripped blue bus seat, legs crossed with a smirk scarring her face. Beside her was two cops, she had staged this moment. Emma gasped and turned to Ethan, who at the moment couldn't think of anything to do.
"That's her!" Sutton said to the cops, and they hopped up and escorted Emma off the bus, with Sutton trailing behind them.
"Let her go!" Ethan shouted, but they spun me around and wrapped handcuffs on my wrists. "You don't know the story! The truth! Don't you care?" Ethan said helplessly. He grabbed the policemen's arm, and they handcuffed him too for assault. Emma knew the truth would come out, justice would prevail. She hoped. Emma and Ethan were placed in the backseat of one of the cop cars. Before the door was closer, Sutton sauntered over to Emma and crossed her arms.
She talked in a devilish tone, filled with revenge "Never fight fire with fire, against a bitch that's better with matches".
THE END.