Here's chapter 15, updated quickly as promised. Please read and review. Thanks! Chapter 16 up soon.
Dear Diary,
It's been a week since I saw Corey, I don't know what do. Should I call him or just throw his number away. Many things have been going through my mind, like, has he changed? Does he love me? Is this all a façade? Is he after something I'm to naïve to see? I have a voice inside screaming No! Just forget him and move on. But then there's this other voice, which, however hard I try, I just can't ignore and it's telling me to forgive him, and to give him another chance. I don't know who to listen to. Every time I look down at Lyle, I can see Corey's face. How will I explain to Lyle when he is older about his father? Maybe if he has changed it will be easier and then we can be all I've ever wanted. But what if he's the same? Am I risking my life and Lyle's for the sake of a dream that can't come true?
The book slammed shut and went under the mattress of Emma's bed. She'd held Corey's number tight in the palm of her hand as she sat on her bed.
"What should I do?" Emma looked around her room; her mobile lay next to her. Surely one call wouldn't hurt, who said she had to see him again. Maybe she could make her mind up if she spoke to him again. Slowly she tapped in his number. Then there was the dialling tone. As it rang her stomach flipped over and over.
"Hello?" Corey answered
"Er… hi" Emma said quietly
"Who is this?" Corey asked not understanding Emma's quiet voice
"It's… Emma" she said wishing she hadn't phoned
"Oh… hey" he replied his voice softened
"Yeah… I'm sorry it took so long to call," she said quickly
"That's okay, so why are you calling now?" Corey asked
"I…I don't really know" Emma said hitting herself for being such and idiot
"Oh okay then" Corey replied before there was a silence on the phone.
"So do you still want to see Lyle?" Emma asked
"Of course I do, and I want to see you to" Corey replied hopefully
"Then, meet us in the village at 12:00pm tomorrow" Emma said as confidently as she could
"Okay, I'll be there" Corey replied smiling to himself
"See you tomorrow then" Emma said pressing the cancel button on her phone.
She through it onto the bed and buried her face into the pillow. Why had she just done that?
The next day Emma awoke at 10:00am. She looked over to Lyle's crib, it was empty. She went downstairs, and saw a note on the table:
Em,
Took Lyle round to Aunt Phoebe's for the day, give you a bit of time to yourself. Enjoy it whilst it lasts. Love Mom xxxxxx
"Perfect timing mom!" Emma muttered to herself as she took a piece of toast out of the rack. She went upstairs and typed a message into her phone.
Corey, it's Emma, mom has taken Lyle out for the day, no point in meeting up.
She clicked send and went for a shower. 10 minutes later she arrived back in her room and noticed her phone was flashing.
Hey Em, Can we still meet up? I told you I don't just want to see you for Lyle I want to see you for you. I'll be there at 12 whether you are or not. I hope to see you then. All my love Corey xxxxxx
"Crap!" Emma said as she put on her t-shirt. She decided to go along, she could always walk away.
"Emma!" Jack shouted from down the road.
"I don't believe this" Emma muttered to herself before turning around "Jack! Hey!"
"Where you off to?" he asked noticing there was no pram
"Just into the village, Mom's got Lyle so I thought I'd do some shopping" Emma smiled
"Oh okay, well do you want some company?" Jack asked
"You hate shopping though?" Emma replied
"Yeah, but I'm bored" Jack replied
"Listen Jack, I'm not going shopping" Emma said
"What?" Jack was confused
"I'm meeting Corey" Emma told him "Not for long, just to tell him I don't want to see him"
"Couldn't you do that over the phone?" Jack asked
"I'm doing it this way, just don't tell anyone please Jack" Emma looked him in the eye
"I won't but I'm not happy about this" Jack replied
"You don't have to be" Emma said before walking off.
"Emma! I'm so glad you came" Corey said standing up from the wall he was sitting on
"Yeah, well I just thought I'd tell you that I'm not that comfortable with you seeing Lyle" Emma told him
"What?" Corey asked
"I've debated this for a week now, and every time I think you will have changed, the image of your face comes in to my head from the night you tried to…" Emma's voice trailed off as she felt a lump rise in her throat.
"Please Emma, believe me I have changed, I can't make you trust me, but don't cut me off completely" he took his hand in hers.
"I don't know" Emma's heart melted as she looked into his eyes.
"Give me a chance" He smiled at her and she fell for it
"Okay"
He smiled again and hugged her. She didn't know why she had just agreed to this but she decided to give it a go.
"So what do you want to do?" he asked as they walked down the street.
"I don't mind, but we need to keep of the high street, my mom and aunt might be there"
"Okay, well why don't you come back to mine and we'll watch a video" Corey asked
"I don't know about that" Emma edged away nervously.
"C'mon, then you can see how much I've changed" Corey looked at her
"I guess…but only for an hour," Emma said following him
They arrived at a small apartment block just a short while from the shops.
"This is my place" Corey said putting the key into the lock at turning it.
The apartment was quite big. From the outside it would deceive you. It was certainly different from his old apartment. This one was clean and looked like a real house. It had a lot of cookie artifacts around. They looked like they came from all around the world.
"Frank?" Corey called into the empty apartment
"Frank?" Emma whispered
"My roommate" Corey answered back
"Ah"
"He's not in, okay well do you want to sit on the couch and I'll get you something to drink" Corey said showing Emma on to the couch.
"Thanks" she said looking around the apartment.
"So what's it like looking after a baby?" Corey asked pouring some juice
"Like looking after a hungry-crying-pooping machine," Emma said matter-of-factly.
"Okay then" Corey said not knowing how to reply. "Here" he said handing Emma the juice
"Thanks"
"So what do you wanna watch?" Corey asked looking through a pile of Dvds on the floor
"Nothing really" Emma said putting the juice down
"What?" Corey said turning round
"I want to know something Corey" Emma said looking into his eyes
"Sure, what?"
"What is so appealing to you about a 16 year old with a kid that makes you think that they're worth fighting for?" Emma asked
"I love you both" Corey smiled trying to take Emma's hand
"You don't know the first thing about either of us" Emma pulled her hand away
"I want to know it" Corey said
"But why?" Emma asked "You could get yourself a proper girlfriend and start again, you seem to have done that with every other aspect of your life. Why move on with everything else but not me?"
"I don't know, I've thought about moving on, and starting a fresh but then I think of a life with you and Lyle and my heart swells and it makes me feel so happy" Corey looked straight into Emma's eyes.
"Wow" Emma said speechless.
"I know it might sound corny but I do love you, and all the time I've spent without you has made me realise how much. I want to be with you Emma and although we may be young, I feel like you're the only one I will ever love. I want to be a family," Corey said sitting next to Emma on the couch
"Your saying these things to me, but I find it hard to believe that any 18 year old wants to be tied down like that, you've got your whole life ahead of you, why do you want to throw it away for a kid with a kid" Emma said realising how much she was demeaning herself to prove a point.
"I know I wouldn't be throwing my life away. I love you; I want to be with you Emma. I've thought about this every night I've been away from you. I wish I could turn back time and erase the past, but I can't. All I ask is for another chance" he looked deep into her eyes.
"I want to say yes, but I just don't know" Emma whispered a reply
"Maybe this will change your mind" Corey said as he leaned in and kissed her.
A key turned in the lock and opened the door.
"Oh I'm sorry, I just came to see if Frank was in" Phoebe said as noticed two people kissing on the couch. Emma pulled away from Corey.
"Emma!" Phoebe said shocked
"Aunt Phoebe? What are you doing here?" Emma asked startled
"I came to see Frank, what are you doing here?"
Just then Rachel came up the stairs.
"Phoebe, have you got the…" She saw Emma standing next to a young man
"Emma? Why are you here?" she asked confused "and who's that" she asked pointing towards Corey.
"That's Franks roommate," Phoebe told Rachel "Corey isn't it?"
Rachel's face went white as she realised exactly who he was.
"Mom, please its not what you think" Emma said as Rachel looked her in the eye.
"What's the big deal here" Phoebe asked slightly confused
"Remember the man who got Emma pregnant, that's the slime ball there" Rachel spat
"Corey? No way, he's straight up! Nothing like the guy Emma described to me" Phoebe replied
"It is him, I know" Rachel said
"Are you sure?" Phoebe asked looking at Corey
"Yes"
"Are you him?" Phoebe asked Corey who's face had dropped to the floor
"Oh my God, it is you" Phoebe said as they all stood in silence.
