Chapter 10

A New Start

For the whole week, Emma has been keeping in touch with Matthew constantly as if they were already a couple. He'd asked her whether she had her lunch, asked her about her day, sometimes they'd even spent hours talking on the phone talking about literally anything they could think of. Matthew would also show up to her office when they'd have lunch right after. Emma had to admit that this week has been fun for her and she was enjoying it very much.

Tonight is their 'official first date', it's kind of silly since they've been seeing each other more than one time in just a week. He brought her some flowers, a white lily as she liked. Somewhere along their long phone conversation, she might've mentioned it and he remembered. They went for a movie, a romantic comedy just as she liked it and he didn't even mind. Then they walked toward one of the restaurants nearby and had their dinner. He then kindly walked her back to her apartment.

"This is it." She smiled and said as they arrived at her door.

He was somehow nervous which she found cute.

"I have a great time tonight." He admitted sheepishly.

"So am I." She replied with a sweet smile.

"Uhm, uh.. Do you want to come in?" She suddenly asked and he blushed a little before she nodded.

She smiled before she took out a key from her purse and opened the apartment door. She let him in as she grabbed a couple glasses and a bottle of wine.

"Wine?" She offered.

"Sure, thanks." He replied with a smile.

"So, do you live alone?" He said as they sat on the couch.

"Nah. I live with my cousin. But she's back at her parent's in Westchester." She explained.

"Erica isn't it?" He asked and she nodded.

"Wow. You remember?" She asked.

"Yeah." He replied.

There was this awkward silence between them for a few moments.

"Uh..Uhm.. I better get going. It's late." He said nervously as he put the empty glass on the coffee table and he stood up, which she quickly followed.

"Thanks for tonight. I really enjoyed it." Emma smiled and said as they locked gaze.

"No. Thank you for tonight. It's been a while since I had so much fun." He said wholeheartedly and she smiled at him. She couldn't agree more. It's been a while since she stopped thinking about Aaron whenever she's with Matthew and it feels great.

He then slowly leaned in before he brushed his lips against her softly. Before she knows it, she kissed him back with much more passion, which he gladly accepted. Her hands started to roam around the back of his neck as his hands started to caress her back. Overwhelmed by the kiss, the back of his feet hit the sofa and they fell into the couch with her on top of his. Soon after they're making out on the couch.

Emma knew this would only lead to something but that night she didn't know what's gotten into her, she didn't stop it nor she wanted to. She wasn't the kind of girl who would sleep with a man on their first date, but tonight was different for some reason. It's either the alcohol or her hormones that were going crazy at the fact she hadn't had sex for almost eight months that lead her to slowly unbuttoned his shirt. Matthew was slightly startled by her, so he looked at her to ask for a confirmation before they go any further.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked, a little out of breath.

It's not that he didn't want to. God knows he wanted her so bad. It's just he didn't want her to regret everything and then ruin what they have, because he started to really like her and he didn't want to lose that.

She then gave him a smile and nodded, "Uh-huh."

He then gently brushed a strand of hair from her face and smiled before he gave her a kiss.

With that, they started to kiss again, this time with much more passion. He then started to unzip her dress and carelessly tossed it on the floor, leaving her with only her underwear. Things heated up really fast as he started to kiss her at her neck, softly sucking it which caused her to moan in response. And an hour later they found themselves laying naked on her bed with her head resting on his chest as they slowly drifted into their slumber.

...

The next day Emma woke up with a little headache. She took a look around her bedroom and found her alone. She was wondering if last night was just a dream, but a knock on her door answered her curiosity.

"Hey.. Good morning.." Matthew said as he carried a tray full of breakfast for both.

Emma smiled at him before she said, "Hi... Breakfast in bed, huh? I could get used to this."

"Just a simple egg and toast." He said modestly before he put down the tray in front of her and joined her.

"Thanks." She said before she realized she was still naked.

She quickly covered herself with her bed sheet, not that it's necessary since the thing they've shared last night.

"Can you pass me my clothes please?" Emma said as she pointed her finger at her dresser.

"Sure." He stood up and gave her a shirt and a short for her to use.

"Uhm, I'll be looking at this side of the wall, so you can just change comfortably. I'm not going to peek or anything." He said shyly as he turned his face around toward the opposite direction.

She smiled at his kind yet silly gestures before she thanked him. She then quickly put on a shirt and a short before she sat back down at the bed.

"Done." She said and he slowly turned his body around and smiled.

"Uhm.. About last night.." He said nervously and she smiled at that.

"It was amazing." She said with a smile which instantly made him feel relieved.

"It was." He replied.

"So, do you have something to do today?" He asked as they started to eat their breakfast.

Just before she could answer the doorbell rang.

She quickly got up from her bed, put on her robe, and said, "Let me check it." He then nodded and she left to answer the door.

She was stunned as she opened the door and found him standing in front of her.

"W-what are you doing here?" Emma asked nervously.

"Mind if I come in?" The guy asked.

"I-I kinda have a company." She explained.

"Oh." He replied with a hint of disappointment which didn't go unnoticed by her.

"We can talk in the hallway if you want." Emma suggested.

He nodded but then a voice interrupted them.

"Ems, Can I borrow a towel?" Matthew yelled from inside the house.

Emma started to somehow feel guilty and uncomfortable.

She quickly yelled back, "It's in my second drawer in my bedroom!"

"Okay, thanks!" Matthew yelled back.

He was stunned. Here he was about to give them a second chance after a week of consideration, but it turned out he had missed his chance, or that's what he thought. She was with someone else and it broke his heart.

Emma then closed the door behind her and asked, "So? You're saying?"

"Nothing. It looks like you have an important company inside, I don't want to interrupt you two." He said with slightly annoyed tones which confuse Emma a little.

"No, it's fine. He can wait." Emma said calmly but he quickly turned away and left her dumbfounded.

Emma then chased him down and grabbed his hand.

"Aaron! What is wrong with you?" Emma raised her voice.

Aaron scoffed, "What is wrong with me? No, Ems. What is wrong with YOU?!" He raised his voice, completely oblivious at the fact that they were both standing in the hallway early in the morning.

"W-what?" Emma was left speechless while they stared at each other intensely. Then it hit her, he was jealous. She found it hard to believe since he was the one who had a girlfriend all of this time and when they finally got closer than ever he dropped that bomb in front of her.

"That's right. What is wrong with you? Huh? You said you like me, and then just in a few weeks you already fuck with someone else!" He blurted out which immediately he regretted. It came way too harsh than he intended to.

She was furious now, she couldn't believe he said those things to her.

"What do you expect me to do, huh?! Just wait for you and Molly to break up and not date anyone? Do you realize how unfair is that? You got to be with your girlfriend all the time while you pretend to like me-" She wasn't finished with her words when he cut her off.

"Hey! That's unfair for me too! And just so you know, I do love YOU! Probably more than you could ever imagine!" He yelled.

Once again she was left dumbfounded. He loves her? What she was supposed to say now? That she love him too? A part of her wanted to say that so badly, but her brain told her no.

"Y-you love me?" She asked with tears started to fall from her eyes as she was getting more emotional

He nodded and sighed, "It doesn't matter anyway."

"W-why?" She asked.

"Why? Because clearly you have moved on from me and found another man. That's why!" He said.

"Okay." She barely said with a voice just above a whisper.

"So, what now?" She asked as she finally gained her composure.

"I don't know. You tell me." He said exasperatedly.

"What do you expect me to say?" She asked as she looked straight into his eyes.

"I love you too, would be nice." He said.

"And if I said that and then what next?" She asked.

"I don't know. Maybe I'll dump Molly and you dump him." He said.

"And then what? Hurt them both for the sake of 'us'?" She asked exasperatedly.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I'm damn sure Moly and I don't belong together. Do you think you belong with him?" He asked her.

"I .. I don't know. But that's not the point! Don't you see?!" She started to raise her voice again.

"So, what's the point huh, Ems? To be with other people when we both clearly knew WE belong together?" He retorted.

"I DON'T KNOW OKAY!" She snapped as she sat on the floor with her head buried on her knee.

He sighed then sat next to her.

"All I'm asking you is to give us a chance. For once let ourselves be happy. I don't know if you also feel this way, but I'm sick of pretending I'm in love with someone else when I clearly am in love with you and no one else." He said calmly.

He was right. She was sick of it too. Matthew was a nice guy and all, but he wasn't Aaron. But is it enough to justify what they're doing? Is it enough to hurt both, especially Molly? Is it enough for her to give them a chance?

"Can you give me time to think this thoroughly?" She asked as she held her chin up and they locked gaze.

He nodded and smiled, "As long as you needed to." He said then he gently brushed her hair and placed a kiss on it.

He then stood up before he said, "I better get going now. I think someone will freak out if you're missing for too long." He chuckled a bit and she finally smiled.

She then stood up and wiped the tears on her cheeks.

"I'll give you a call when I'm ready." She said with a smile.

"Okay. I'll be waiting." He then placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Bye." He said, she nodded, and then he left.

She sighed heavily and went back to her apartment.

She wasn't sure what she would do about them, but one thing she clearly has to do is to avoid one more casualty to their love games. She had to dump Matthew and it will be hard since he was being nothing but kind and sweet all this time. She took a deep breath before she opened the door. She had to do this and silently prayed she made the right choice.

...

Aaron walked outside her apartment and took a look at the apartment building for the last time. It was a crisp autumn morning. The leaves had started to turn yellow and orange. It was beautiful and people were stopping to take some pictures around the beautiful trees. Then there was this college couple who were cuddling and taking pictures on a bench under the tree. He was jealous of them for one obvious reason. He was hoping it was him and Emma who'd do that. He sighed once again as he started to kick a stone that was laying on the ground whilst he sunk deep in his thoughts.

He was slightly relieved at the fact that he finally admitted to her that he's in love with her, but a part of him couldn't help but also felt petrified. What if she chooses to bail on them? Because it's an easy choice and honestly, the fact that she was close with Molly is making things more complicated. Then other thoughts came into his head. Will Molly even forgive them both? Did he make a right choice in asking Emma to give them a chance? Or will he hurt both girls even more by the decision he'd make?

He shook his head and for once he determined to be with Emma, whatever the consequences might await for him. He was confident he could deal with the aftermath, or at least that's what he thought.

He then took his phone out from the pocket on his coat and dialed a number.

"Hey, Molly.. It's me. Do you have time for me? I need to talk to you. It's important." He said.

This is it. He was going to follow his heart and first thing first, he needed to break up with Molly. It's going to be hard but he had to do this.

He took a deep breath before he dropped a bomb on Molly, "Let's break up."