Ok, not too much for me to say, I'm sure you guys are awaiting to see what happens anyways! So, here ya go!
"I'll go home." Chad said.
"No, you don't have to leave." Troy replied.
"No, you and Emster need to talk about this yourself. I'll see her tomorrow." Chad walked into the living room. Troy watched from the door as Chad said good-bye to Emily.
"I'm going to go, okay?" Chad quietly said.
"No, please stay." Emily pleaded as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"You and Troy need to talk. I'll see you tomorrow." Chad kissed her gently and walked out the door.
Emily curled into a ball. Troy quietly entered the room and sat next to her.
"Something you want to tell me, Em?" He stared at the wall in front of him; Emily did the same.
Emily shifted her chin so it rested on her knees. She remained silent, still staring at the wall.
"Em, please tell me. What's going on with you?" Troy turned to face her. She still remained silent. He put his finger under her jaw, turning her to face him. "Please?"
Emily studied Troy's face. It was full of worry and etched with fear. Her guilt raced through her body. 'Why don't I just tell him?' She thought. "I'm fine." She whispered.
"You are NOT fine. People who are fine do not wake up shaking and crying!" Troy became angry.
"Troy, please-" Her voice took on that teary sound again.
He calmed down. "Emily, just tell me. We're all worried about you." He scooted over closer to her and placed his arm around her. She uncurled from her ball and leaned her head on his shoulder.
She launched into the whole story about the nightmares. He listened patiently; squeezing his grip on her when she got scared or upset and made comments where neccessary.
Once she finished, he wasn't angry or upset. Actually, he showed no emotion at all. He looked empty, almost hollow. His reaction was somewhat..scary.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He murmured in a low voice.
"I didn't want to worry you." Emily whispered.
"Too late for that." Troy got up from the couch.
"Please don't be mad, Troy." Emily followed him as he started to walk up the stairs.
"I'm not mad."
"Yes, you are."
"No, I'm not."
"Troy, I've known you my whole life! You are angry!"
Troy reached his bedroom door. He turned to face Emily.
"You're not getting any sleep! That's something you should tell me."
"Why? So you can react like this?"
"I'm worried, Em. Chad, Nat, Sadie, Jason and Zeke are all worried, too."
"I'm sorry..I really am. I should have told you."
"You're right you should have." Troy turned around and opened the door.
"Troy, please!" Tears streamed down Emily's face. Troy stopped in his tracks. He closed his eyes and sighed before turning back around.
He walked to her and held her. She cried into his chest for a while. "You're scaring me. I just don't know what to do anymore. You've always been stronger than me. Now that you're acting like this...It just really scares me, Em." Troy confessed.
"It scares me, too." she whispered, "me, too."
"Have you seen Troy?" She asked Chad in free period.
"No, your dad is mad. He's missing free period workout."
Emily rolled her eyes. "Oh dear."
Chad studied her for a moment. "Troy told me."
"Oh, joy." Her voice was drenched in sarcasm.
"Talk to me, Emster." He lifted her chin with his finger.
"I can't get over it," she said after remaining silent for a while, "I can't get the image out of my head."
"What image?" Chad leaned her close to him.
"Her body. Her lifeless, cold body. She was my age. It could have been me." Tears stung her eyes.
"But it wasn't, so don't think like that." He held her. It hurt him to see her like this. Chad had never known Emily to be so scared. She'd always been confident, strong, fearless. But, that one act of violence had changed her forever. Chad had a sudden anger rise in his chest.
He wanted to hurt the person who had caused Emily to be like this. He wanted to kill the man who killed that innocent student and scared his girlfriend into sleepless nights.
"I can't help it. I don't know how to make it stop. These nightmares just torture me." She leaned her head on his shoulder, hoping to push the image out of her mind forever. The sinking feeling came to her stomach as her latest thoughts wove their way back into her mind. "Chad, if I told you something, would you think I was crazy?"
"No."
"I have this sinking feeling.."
"About what?" Chad questioned.
"I think...I'm next."
"Emster, what are you talking about?"
"I think..I was supposed to be the one killed."
Emily sat at the table with Natalie and Sadie. She was silent, only picking at her food.
"Ems, what's up?" Sadie looked up from her gossiping with Nat.
"Oh, nothing. Stressful day, that's all." Her bracelet jingled as she poked her fork into some kind of meat the cafeteria had served that day.
"Does it have to do with you running at full speed out of the gym during free period today?" Natalie asked.
"Gee, let's not beat around the bush, Natalie." Sadie glared at Nat.
"Sorry." She sank in her seat a bit.
"You guys, I'm fine." She looked at them.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Sadie raised an eyebrow.
"I'm okay, really." Emily stood up and threw away her lunch. She walked up to the roof, only to find her brother there.
"Hey there." She murmured.
"Ems." He said smiling. He pat the seat next to him and Emily walked over. "What's on your mind?"
"Death." She cupped her chin in her hands.
"Death?! Em what's up?" He sat up.
"I'm surprised Chad didn't tell you." Emily sighed.
"I don't have Chad third period, now tell me."
"I think I was supposed to be the one that was killed. Not that other girl." Emily looked down.
"What? Em, that's impossible." Troy scoffed.
"No, it's not! Think about it! You said yourself that girl looked like me!"
Troy thought on this for a moment. He had said this.
"She was my age, my hair color, my eye color and she lived one dorm down from me!"
"But still, Em, I mean-"
"Troy, it's too much of a coincidence!"
"You can't be serious! Come on. Like the murderer's seriously going to track you down all the way in New Mexico to find you and kill you? Em, come on."
"Believe what you want, but I think he will." Emily heard the bell and she left Troy to walk to class by himself.
I'm sure most of you think Emily's crazy! Thanks for all the reviews I got just while writing this chapter!
Please review! Jordan said I can't give away anymore of her desserts, sorry. (HA! And I just made some chocolate chip cooki--I MEAN...I just threw away my baked goods...hehe. -Jordan)