Hello! Remember me? :/ I can't even begin to explain what happened, I just lost my spark for this but I got the urge today to update and so I've written 2 chapters... I really want to make it to the end! I'm not sure if anyone cares about this anymore but if any of you do, I hope you enjoy! This chapter is shorter than usual and shorter than the next 3

"Emily?"

No. I can't do this. I am not going to do this. Her phone buzzed in her hand again, making her want to throw it against the closest wall. Anger simmered inside of her, quickly turning to a worrying boil. Aiden and… NO. "I'm sorry, I- I have to go," she uttered, getting down from the stool so quickly and awkwardly that she almost fell.

"Emily, I know-" Lydia began but Emily really wasn't in the mood to stick around and hear what she had to say. She walked, although it was more of a run, straight out of the room with absolutely no idea of where she was going. She couldn't think or breathe and her vision was becoming clouded by tears of anger and betrayal. But the pain, the agony in her chest was the worst; like a fist that was clenched around her heart, squeezing the life out of her, killing her…

Before she knew it, Emily was closing the door of her room behind her, sinking down onto the floor behind it when her body would let her go no further. Her phone buzzed again and she just wanted to scream at it to leave her alone. She wanted to scream at him to leave her alone. So she did something she knew was completely stupid- worse that stupid- she answered the phone.

"Emily. Thank god. I need to talk to-"

"No. You don't."

"Emily, please let me explain-"

"How, Aiden? How can you explain? Why-" she never got a chance to finish that sentence, tears quickly overcoming her, taking her ability to speak. Emily sobbed and then sobbed some more, hating herself for allowing him to hear her like that.

"Emily," he stated plainly and softly and it only angered her even more.

She wiped her eyes with agitation before all the energy seemed to drain from her body. Don't do that. You cannot just do that. "What?"

"I'm sorry- I am so sorry. You have absolutely no idea. This isn't what I wanted, believe me, it's the furthest thing from what I want. I think it's a terrible idea. But I was backed into a corner and there was nothing I could do. It's… It's your mother and I panicked, okay? I panicked. But I'm going to call her now and tell her that I can't go with her. I'm not going to the wedding."

It was all she wanted (and needed) to hear but it still didn't make her feel better. It made her feel scared, because for some crazy reason she wanted to be furious with him- she wanted to scream at him for betraying her but she couldn't. Because he was right. But it still hurt so badly. Her adoptive mother, of all people, could go on a date with her boyfriend and she couldn't. And worse, she had to watch them together. But she knew there was absolutely nothing she could do. "No."

"No?"

It's going to kill me to say this… "You can't change your mind. She-" shaking her head to herself, Emily took a deep breath in an attempt to level her breathing, "She saw how I reacted when she told me… If you tell her you can't go now she'll only get suspicious."

"Emily… I'm so sorry. I wanted to tell you myself so I could explain before you got upset. You… you don't understand how terrible I feel."

"Okay."

"Okay? That's what you're going to say? You're going to have to tell me what that means…"

"It means okay. I understand. I don't like it, but I understand why you did it. I'm going to go now."

"Emily-"

"I'm sorry, Aiden. I just need some time."

"Okay, I respect that. I'll be here. I love you, Emily."

"I love you, too."

"Emily? Are you nearly ready?"

Resigning herself to staying in her room for as long as possible, ready ages but putting off the moment that she would have to go downstairs and see Aiden with Lydia, Emily sighed, getting up from where she had been sitting on the bed with very little enthusiasm. She grabbed her purse from the desk and took one last look in the mirror, more a formality than actually caring about her appearance, before making for the stairs. Nolan, being the gift from above that he was, was waiting patiently there for her at the bottom, all dressed up to the nines and waiting to accompany her. It was only then, as he wolf whistled to voice his approval of her ruby red dress, Lydia and Aiden close by and Tyler even closer, that she realised just how messed up the situation was. My adoptive mother is going with my boyfriend and I'm going with my adoptive brother's boyfriend.

Tyler, funnily enough, had been very much on board with this from the start, probably just happy that he could attend with Nolan without actually attending with him.

"My, my, Ems… Aren't you a picture?" he grinned, extending his arm for her to take which she did gratefully, finally allowing her eyes to wander to her boyfriend, unable to help the way the corners of her mouth tugged upwards despite herself.

"Emily, you look… very lovely."

Heart going like a freight train, seeing him so close and so handsome in his tux making something burst inside her like a dam, wanting more than anything to just run to him, wrap him up in a hug and kiss him until she banished every memory from the past week when they'd kept their distance from each other in preparation for this moment from her mind.

"Thank you. You look rather dashing yourself."

"Everyone ready to go?"

And then Lydia had to go and link his arm with hers, Nolan doing the same to just reassure his best friend that he was there, feeling Emily's nails dig into his arm at the sight. It's going to be a very long night. Let's just hope we all make it through.

"I got you," Nolan promised for what seemed like the fifth time (how he knew she needed to continue to hear it she didn't know) as they stepped out of the car outside the hotel; five star, of course, just off the beach though she wouldn't expect anything less.

It was at moments like that that Emily was once again reminded of how much she loved Nolan. He was her soul-mate, she had no doubt, albeit her platonic soul-mate. "Thank you," Emily replied once again, low enough that only he could hear her. Squeezing his hand tighter, she took a deep breath, knowing full well that the fun was only just beginning.

They were later than most to arrive (probably thanks to her) so the ballroom was almost completely full with people when they finally reached their destination. It took a minute or two for them to find their assigned seats, and it was all Emily could do not to groan when she saw with whom they were seated.

What a wonderful table it was… herself, Nolan, Aiden, her mother, Tyler, Victoria, Conrad, Daniel, Ashley and last, but by no means least, David.

Could things possibly get any worse, she wondered almost desperately. If it wasn't enough that she had to be miserable, Emily also had to keep up appearances for the rest of their friends. For a moment she wondered if she was being cosmically punished for having a clandestine relationship with a member of school staff.

"Ah, Lydia. So pleased that you could finally join us," Victoria joked just as Nolan pulled out a seat for Emily to sit down like the gentleman he was, "we were beginning to get worried."

"You can blame my lovely sister for that," Tyler offered good-naturedly, "It takes time to look that good."

Emily narrowed her eyes at him, doing the same to her best friend when he giggled too.

"Now, Tyler. You should know you can never hurry a woman, they run on their own time. Emily, you look absolutely ravishing," Conrad complimented her, sounding like he really meant it too. She could never really completely figure out what his angel was, but it made her slightly uncomfortable, especially when she caught Daniel's eye and he immediately looked away. Still, she gave him her thanks as always before answering the waitress with a very eager 'yes, please' when she offered to pour her something that was probably very fine Champagne. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Aiden discreetly raise an eyebrow at her but it was one glass, it wouldn't do much harm.

"Daniel, you're collar's a mess," Ashley chuckled, voice a little too sweet to be completely natural, as she leaned in and fixed it. It looked perfectly fine beforehand to Emily. When she finished she leaned in and pressed a kiss against his lips, looking rather smug while Daniel just looked downright mortified.

Emily had to resist the urge to scoff. It surprised her no more than the fact that Ashley was trying to make her jealous did. But, regardless of her apathy, she felt weary, like this day was going to test her to her maximum. All she wanted was for it to be over so that she could go home and wallow in self-pity in the comfort and privacy of her own room.

"To Bill and Atlanta," David raised his flute of Champagne, noticing that things were getting a bit too tense for so early in the evening. They all followed his lead, Emily wanting nothing more than to just commandeer a bottle and go drink it somewhere dark and deserted by herself. Maybe, just maybe, it would help to numb some of the pain…