Chapter Twelve
I Can Go The Distance

"Hey Thomas," I sighed, hugging my former roommate's devastated boyfriend.

"Hi Tay," he whispered, hugging me fiercely back.

I pulled away from our embrace and stepped back, "Thomas, this is Emmett, a friend of mine from home. Emmett, this is Thomas."

"It's nice to meet you," Thomas replied, braving an attempt at a smile.

"You too, man," Emmett said, shaking Thomas' hand.

It was finally Saturday. The day of Noelle's funeral. Emmett had flown to Miami with me the night before, and we were heading back to Washington the next day.

"Come on, it's starting now," Thomas muttered.

I slipped my slender hand in Emmett's rather large one, and we followed Thomas into the church.


I pulled my long brown, almost black hair out of the braid it had been in for the funeral and shook it out. My make-up was running due to the constant factor of the tears spilling down my cheeks.

I had managed to keep it together during the funeral but the moment, I entered the hotel room I was sharing with Emmett, the tears began to flow freely.

"Hey, hey, hey," Emmett soothed, wrapping his brawny arms around my torso and pulling me to him. I gripped his t-shirt and sobbed into his chest. "It's okay. In all honesty, I'm surprised you lasted this long."

"What do you mean?" I asked, meeting his gaze.

"I didn't think you were going to make it through the church," he smiled at me.

Ignoring this comment, I snuggled my head in the crook of Emmett's arm, "it was harder then I thought," I replied honestly.

"You're a very good actress," he complemented.

"Thanks," I smiled through my tears.

I pulled away from Emmett, and grabbed a pair of American Eagle yoga pants, and a tank top from my suit case, and left Emmett lying on the bed, and went into the bathroom to take a shower.


"Are you hungry?" asked Emmett.

"Nah," I replied, turning the page of Pride & Prejudice. "Not really."

Emmett nodded his head in silence, and sized up my book. "Pride & Prejudice, huh?"

I smiled and nodded, "yeah. It's one of my favourites. You ever read it?"

"No," laughed Emmett. "I'm not much of a reader."

"You've never read Pride & Prejudice?" I asked, incredulously.

"Is it good?"

"Good?" I stressed. "It's amazing! It has to be the best book ever written!"

"That good, huh?" Emmett smiled.

"Are you kidding me? It has everything! Love, drama, conflict."

"Really?"

I nodded, "mhm. You see, first there's Elizabeth and Darcy, who are passionately in love, but neither of them wants to admit it."

"Because of pride?" Emmett joked. "And prejudice?"

"Something like that," I replied, giving him a wry smile.

I returned my attention to my book. "So, why won't Darcy and Elizabeth admit their love for each other?"

I looked up from my book, and saw Emmett sat on the bed, watching me. I smiled, and closed my book. Standing up, I walked over to the bed, and sat next to Emmett.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, you said that Elizabeth and Darcy are in love, but they won't admit it to the other. Why's that?" he asked, simply.

"Well, first of all, Mr. Darcy made an horrible first impression on Elizabeth, which caused Elizabeth to have a negative notion of Mr. Darcy in her head."

Emmett's brow furrowed, "but, if he loved her, why would he be horrible to her?"

"He didn't know her then," I replied. "He doesn't realize that he loves her until later."

He focused his attention on the book that was laid on the bedside table. "Mind if I check it out?" Emmett asked, hesitantly.

"Not at all," I smiled. "Knock yourself out."


"So, when are you heading back to Rhode Island?" Emmett asked me.

"I told you," I sighed. "I'm not going back."

"Taylor," he began.

"Emmett, listen," I replied. "I thought college was what I wanted but, honestly, now I'm not so sure. I just need some time to think it through. I'm not going back to finish the year."

"And there's nothing I can say to change you're mind?" Emmett asked me.

"Not a word."

"So what are you going to do with your life, Taylor?"

"Hang around La Push, get a job. Maybe travel. I've always wanted to see Rome. And the coliseums. Maybe I'll get to do that. I don't know, Em, I'll figure it out."

"Okay, sorry," he apologized. "The end of that conversation."

"Good," I said. I failed in stifling a yawn and replied, "I think I'm gunna call it a night."

I peeled back the sheets, and snuggled deep into the bed. "Night Emmett," I sighed.

"Goodnight beautiful," he murmured, giving me a tender kiss on my forehead. Before I drifted out of consciousness, I could've sworn I heard Emmett mutter, "I love you."

For never was a story more of woe.

Then this of Juliet, and her Romeo.

"Romeo & Juliet" -William Shakespeare