Hi. It's been a while.

First off, sorry for how long it's been. Not long after I posted chapter 6, I had my winter break and I made the mistake of reading a Faberry fic. I went from reading one fic to another, and the next thing I knew, my break was over, and not long after that, I started writing a Faberry fic of my own and it sort of took over. I finally finished Past Mistakes, though, so before I start another, I decided that I needed to finish this one. I was never going to not finish it, but it's been a longer hiatus than I thought it would be.

Thank you to everyone that has left comments or sent messages on here or tumblr asking about it. Before I quit working on it, I had begun to get discouraged, so it was nice knowing that people still wanted to read it. It's one of the reasons I'm finally finishing it.

So here's the deal…I will be posting pretty much every Monday and Thursday until it's done. There will be one week where I won't be updating because I need to write a chapter of Chosen and The First Year, but other than that, you're getting two updates a week. As long as I don't have to deviate from my writing schedule—and I haven't in the 6 months I've been keeping it—this story will be done around the end of May.

Chapter 7

"Fucks sake, Katie," Emily said, groaning. "You don't have to empty my whole closet out."

"Why the fuck don't you have anything to wear?" Katie asked harshly.

"Uh, I have stuff to wear," Emily said, motioning around the room. "It's just all on the floor at the moment."

Katie rolled her eyes. "I meant something acceptable."

"It doesn't matter," Emily said, shaking her head. "I'm not looking to go there and hook up with some guy; I don't even want to go to this party."

"Why not?" Katie asked. "If you ask me, you could use it; maybe getting laid would help."

"Help with what?" Emily asked, frowning.

"Babe, you're too uptight," Katie said to her sister; she shook her head and sighed softly. "Sometimes I feel like I don't even know you anymore. I know you and Effy have become friends, but I'm still here, yeah? I have to fucking drag you to a party to even spend some time with you now."

Emily sighed. "Katie—we live together. You see me every day."

Katie shook her head. "Forget it."

"Katie—"

"No," Katie interrupted. "I said forget it, okay? Here—" Katie thrust a top into Emily's hands. "That will go perfectly with the jeans you're already wearing."

"You sure?" Emily asked.

Katie smirked. "Of course I'm fucking sure."

Emily took her t-shirt off and put the rather low cut top on. She looked at the mirror and scrunched her face. "Are you sure you're sure."

Katie scoffed. "You look perfect, babes."

"She's right," Effy said, leaning against the wall, intently watching Emily. "You look hot."

Emily rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't go that far."

"I would," Effy said, smirking.

"Can you please stop flirting with my sister?" Katie threw her arms up. "It's gross, you know."

"I'm not flirting with anyone," Effy said, shrugging. "Merely stating a fact."

Katie threw a disgruntled look at Effy. "I'll be in the front, waiting on you two to stop eye-sexing each other."

Emily frowned and looked at Effy, who just shrugged.

"You look hot too, Katiekins," Effy yelled down the hall, smiling when she heard Katie snort.

"Do I really look okay?" Emily asked the brunette.

Effy shook her head. "Why do you always do that?"

"Do what?" Emily wondered.

"Doubt yourself," Effy replied. "I meant what I said—you look hot." Effy walked over to the redhead and grabbed her hand. "Let's go before Katie accuses us of having sex back here."

The three walked across campus to one of the streets on the western side of campus, where many students lived. It was immediately obvious which house the party was at; cups already littered the yard and people were loitering around. The music was loud and Emily mentally prepared herself for a long night of drunk people, flirting guys, and her sister trying to get her to loosen up.

"You okay?" Effy asked, eyeing Emily.

"Fine," Emily lied, plastering a smile on her face.

"If you ever want to go, come find me," Effy instructed. "I don't really want to be here either—too many people—too many memories."

Emily was worried. "Do you want to go now? If you're not feeling up to it—"

"No," Effy replied. "I'm okay to stay for a bit. Besides, Katie would kill us if we disappeared the moment we got here."

Emily looked across the yard and her sister was already flirting with some fit guy. One thing she'd learned about her sister years ago was that she didn't waste any time when it came to guys. Emily couldn't help but laugh sometimes at how different they were. They may look alike, but they were such complete opposites when it came to their personalities.

"I'm going inside to get a drink," Effy said. "Do you want one?"

Emily shook her head. "No—I think I'm going to have a look around."

Effy nodded and walked toward the door while Emily looked around. She really wasn't ready to go into the house full of strangers; it was a nice night and she actually didn't want to be indoors at all. So, when she noticed the fenced off backyard, she walked toward it, opening the gate, and letting herself in. She walked into the yard and was surprised to see that it was empty except for one guy that appeared to be passed out in a chair. The yard was fairly well lit; clear lights were hung around the parameter and the moon was shining brightly above.

"Why are you everywhere?" Emily heard a voice ask, causing her to jump.

"Jesus," she shouted, noticing Naomi sitting on a bench, under the tree in the corner of the yard. "I didn't see you over there."

"Clearly," Naomi replied. "Considering your reaction. You know—you scare easily"

"Only when crazy people sneak up on me," Emily said, scowling a bit.

"I didn't sneak," Naomi replied, crossing her arms. "I was here first; it's not my fault you didn't see me sitting here."

"Fine," Emily huffed, taking a few tentative steps toward the blonde. "What are you doing here anyway? This doesn't really seem like the type of thing you'd do on your weekend."

"Because I'm so antisocial?" Naomi asked, raising her eyebrows. "And I could say the same thing about you."

"My sister made me come," Emily admitted.

Naomi nodded. "My roommates made me come. I figure I can hide out here for a bit and they'll get so drunk that they won't even notice when I leave."

Emily laughed. "Why didn't you just tell them to fuck off?"

"I tried that." Naomi sighed. "They promised if I came tonight that they wouldn't harass me anymore about it. I figured it was better to get it over with and get them to shut up."

"They sound lovely," Emily joked.

"Oh yeah—we're the best of friends," Naomi said, smiling.

"You didn't know them before you moved in?" Emily wondered.

Naomi shook her head. "Total strangers."

Emily laughed. "Sounds like fun—I couldn't imagine living with two people I don't know."

"So you know both of your roommates?" Naomi questioned.

"Yeah—well, obviously there's my sister and then Effy, who we've known for a few years," Emily said, kicking a rock with her shoe. "I've always had to share a room with Katie, and Effy isn't hard to live with, so it works out great. I just wish Katie would stop dragging me to these parties."

Naomi laughed. "I feel your pain."

"Yeah—" Emily looked up at the moon and smiled to herself. "It's peaceful out here."

"Yeah, if you can ignore all that shit." Naomi nodded to the house.

It was true—the music was still easily heard out here, and you could hear all the commotion from inside the house, but it was still peaceful. It was a very calming place and Emily could see herself sitting out here for hours, given the opportunity.

Emily shrugged. "I guess I've learned to block stuff like that out."

"Why did you do it?" Naomi quietly asked.

Emily frowned and looked at the blonde. "Do what?"

"Help me," Naomi clarified. "With my mum last week."

Emily thought for a moment—the truth was, she wasn't really sure why she'd helped Naomi. The girl hated her and Emily wasn't really fond of the blonde either, but yet she felt compelled to intervene.

Emily shrugged. "I don't know—I guess I just know how it is to have your mum harassing you about things."

Naomi snorted. "What would your mum have to harass you about?"

"Are you kidding?" Emily asked, sitting down on the bench beside the blonde. "All she does is complain about who I'm friends with, why I'm not dating anyone, how I dress—she wishes I was more like Katie and she just can't accept that I'm not."

Naomi scrunched her face up. "Why would she want you to be more like her? You sister dresses like a—"

"A complete slut?" Emily asked, finishing her sentence.

"Yeah," Naomi said, laughing. "Sorry."

Emily shrugged. "It's okay—she does dress like a slut."

"I just don't get why your mum would want you to be more like her," Naomi said, shaking her head. "What's so wrong with who you are?"

Emily smiled sadly. "I think it's more that she's afraid of what I might be."

"And what's that?" Naomi wondered.

"Someone she doesn't want as a daughter," Emily quietly said.

"Well that's a bit fucked up," Naomi replied, crossing her arms.

"A bit, yeah," Emily agreed, watching the blonde.

Emily heard the glass door slide open and looked over to see Effy standing there with her arms crossed over her chest and a distraught look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Emily immediately asked.

"I need to get out of here," the brunette said, her voice cracking a bit.

"Okay," Emily said, jumping up off the bench. She then turned to the blonde. "Sorry, but I have to go."

Naomi shook her head. "It's fine; go take care of your friend."

Emily nodded, smiled sadly, and took a few steps forward. "You know—" Emily turned around to look at Naomi. "You're not so bad to talk to when you're not insulting me."

Naomi smiled. "Don't get used to it."

"I won't," Emily said, smiling back. "I'll see you Monday."

Naomi nodded. "Goodnight."

Emily caught up with Effy, who was already walking through the house, toward the door. The brunette was walking quickly and Emily had to dodge several drunk people, one of which nearly spilled a drink on her.

"Wait up," Emily called to the other girl. "I'm shorter than you; I don't move as fast."

Effy couldn't help but smirk as she stopped walking for a moment. "Sorry."

Emily finally caught up to the brunette and the two walked down the street, side by side. "What happened back there?"

"Nothing," Effy said, shaking her head slightly.

"Well, are you okay?" Emily wondered. "You bolted so quickly from that place."

Effy shrugged. "It was just—too much."

Emily nodded, knowing the other girl didn't deal too well with crowds anymore. It was selfish of Katie to drag Effy along. Freddie's death had changed the brunette; until then, Effy had always been up for a party, but now she just seemed to want to be alone or with, at most, only a few friends. She'd never said anything to Emily, but the redhead knew her friend well enough to figure it out. Effy blamed Freddie's death on her mental breakdown and she knew that Effy was afraid of losing control again. She still drank her fair share, but she had stopped using any drug that wasn't her medication. Parties were a temptation to her and Effy didn't want to go back to her old life.

"I was surprised to see you willingly talking to Naomi," Effy said, a smirk plastered onto her face.

Emily shrugged. "She was in the backyard when I went there."

Effy nodded. "It looked like you two were actually getting along."

"Yeah," Emily said, frowning. "It was kind of unnerving. She was actually being nice to me—I'm not sure how much I like that."

"Why not?" Effy asked, laughing lightly.

Emily shrugged and watched a cat run across the street before replying. "I guess when she's being a bitch to me at least I know where I stand. We have that second project coming up next week and now I don't know if I should expect her acting like a normal human being or if I should prepare myself for another onslaught of insults from her."

"She's cute—" Effy looked down the street, smiling.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because I'm still waiting for you to open your eyes and notice," Effy said with a shrug.

"What would it even matter?" Emily asked, shaking her head. "She's straight."

Effy smirked. "What makes you think that?"

"Oh please," Emily replied.

"Oh please what?" Effy asked.

"Okay, say I thought she was cute and that she happens to not be straight—she hates me," Emily stated.

"She doesn't hate you," Effy replied.

"How do you know?" Emily asked.

"Because she wouldn't have talked to you tonight if she hated you," Effy reasoned. "She would have just walked away—or bitched at you, whichever."

"Maybe—" Emily sighed. "Can we not talk about this?"

"Whatever you want," Effy said before falling silent.

"Did you tell Katie we were leaving?" Emily asked as they neared their room.

Effy nodded. "She was flirting with some guy and didn't want to leave, but I told her to call us if she needed us to walk her home."

"I guess that means we shouldn't go to bed anytime soon," Emily said sighing; it had been a long day and she would love nothing more to curl up in her warm bed and sleep.

"Would you want to watch a movie?" Effy asked, sticking her key in the lock and opening their door.

Emily shrugged. "Sure—why not."

"What do you want to watch?" Effy asked, throwing her shoes by the door.

Emily shrugged. "You pick. I'm going to go get into something more comfortable."

The redhead quickly changed and walked back into the living room to find Effy curled up under a blanket on the couch.

"Rocky Horror or Chicago?" Effy asked, looking up at her.

Emily couldn't help but laugh. "What is with you and musicals?"

Effy shrugged. "They make me forget the world."

"How about both," Emily said, plopping down next to Effy, who threw the blanket over her.

"Good answer," Effy replied. "I already put one in."

"Am I that predictable?" Emily asked, laughing.

Effy smirked as she laid her head on Emily's shoulder. "A bit."