Peter instantly switched emotional gears. "Emma, are you okay? I'm so sorry." He reached his hand out to help her up. "It was just-"
"An accident?!" Emma scooted away from him. "Just like every other time was just an accident?! Well, I'm tired of being the victim of your accidents!"
Peter was shocked by what he was hearing. "Emma, this is Jay talking, not you. He's been filling your head with what he wants you to think. You know I didn't mean to hurt you!"
"You never do and yet it keeps happening!"
"But, I love you," Peter insisted.
"I'm done with your lies!" Emma's fall had finally cracked her rose-colored glasses. "How can you say you love me and then treat me this way?!"
"Come on, we can work this out. Just let me help you up." Peter tried to grab for her arm.
"Don't touch me!" Emma pulled away from him again.
Meanwhile, Jay had just left school, as well, when he heard Emma yell and then he saw her on the ground with Peter standing over her. He ran over to them. "Aww, hell no!" He grabbed Peter's shoulders from behind and turned him around to face him.
Peter rolled his eyes, angry that Jay was in the middle of him and Emma once again. "Man, stay out of this! Can't you just mind your own business for once?!"
"Who are you kidding?" Jay scoffed. "Emma ismy business, has been for months, and that was the last time you will ever hurt her!"
Jay pulled his fingers into a fist and drew his arm back, but before he had the chance to give Peter exactly what he deserved…
Emma shouted, "Jay, no! Please, don't!"
Jay dropped his arm and grabbed Peter by his collar with his other hand. "Why not?! It's not like he doesn't have this coming." He looked past Peter to where Emma was still down on the ground but trying to get up. He pushed Peter away and went over to help Emma.
As she tried to push herself to her feet, she began, "I know, but listen-"
Jay reached out to help her up. "Here, let me help you."
As Jay pulled her up, Emma finished her sentence. "…There's no doubt that Peter deserves whatever you were about to do to him, but it's not worth the risk of you getting in trouble for it." She was finally standing again. "Thanks." She smiled at Jay.
Peter came back up behind Jay, determined to turn this all around. "Let me handle this, man! Just back off!" He tried to touch Emma. "Emma, come on, I love you."
Emma jerked away from Peter as Jay still held onto her.
Jay made sure that Emma had her own balance and then turned and pushed on Peter. Speaking calmly, Jay showed greater control of his anger than Peter ever could. "You need to just take a step back."
"Don't tell me what I need to do!" Peter swung at Jay but missed when Jay ducked out of the way.
"Oh, that's it!" Jay drew his arm back again.
Emma put her hands gently over Jay's fist. "No, please Jay, it won't change anything."
Peter opened his eyes back up when he realized that Jay was not going to hit him and was shocked by what he saw. "Emma, your arm. You're bleeding!"
Jay turned his focus to Emma. He positioned himself directly in front of her, blocking Peter's view of her. As he held Emma's arm in his hands, he asked, "Are you alright?"
Emma looked at her arm. "Yeah, I think it's just a scrape."
Suddenly, pummeling Peter was the last thing on Jay's mind. "Let me take you home," he offered.
Emma was embarrassed and wanted a chance to compose herself before facing her parents and Manny. "No, I can't go home right now."
"Then, I'll take you to my place." Jay was adamant about getting Emma somewhere safe. "You gotta get that arm bandaged up."
Emma nodded her head and shyly said, "Okay."
Jay and Emma completely ignored Peter as they started to walk to Jay's car.
Peter was stunned that the two of them just walked away, he stood in the same spot they left him in, and yelled out to them. "Emma, I'm sorry! Emma! Come on, I love you!"
Emma shook her head and got into Jay's car.
"This isn't over!" Peter shouted as the car sped away.
Ok, so I know that was not the fight that a lot of you were hoping for, and I really did consider adding a bit more of a physical interaction here just to please my loyal readers. I kept it like this however, because it felt more in Emma's character to ask Jay not to fight. Also, the next chapter is one of my favorites, and if Jay had done any serious damage to Peter it just would not work. But, like Peter said, this isn't over and it is not the last confrontation between the two guys. Thanks for reading and reviewing! More is coming soon!