Disclaimer: I don't own the Night World
A/N: Chapter title based off of "Don't Forget" by Demi Lovato. Hope you enjoy!
Forget
School was pure agony, torture. It used to be bearable because Storm and Emerald would text each other, keeping Emerald amused. Not only that, but Storm was still with Emerald. Now he'd dumped her and totally pretended she didn't exist at all. They could've possibly still been friends, at least she'd get to see him and talk to him, but it just seemed like he didn't want anything to do with her anymore and she just couldn't understand why.
It was especially hard because sometimes it'd just hit her all of a sudden. That overwhelming, breath-taking, heart-stopping pain. Images and memories playing out before her like a movie that she was being forced to watch. Sometimes it wasn't even that, it was just the sensation of Storm's arms holding her comfortingly, his soft-spoken words, the sound of his voice, the scent of his skin when she had awoken from a nightmare, screaming, drenched in a cold sweat. Sometimes his voice would whisper in her ear all the things he said; how he was the only one for her, how he loved everything about her, how he could never love anyone else but her, how he'd always wanted her by his side.
And it was all she could do to not totally collapse and fall to pieces, to leap up and run out of the classroom, to not cry, to not scream at the top of her lungs until her voice became so hoarse she wouldn't even be able to talk for the rest of the day, maybe even the day after that.
So the week seemed to drag by, slowly, slowly, slowly. Emerald wanted to just give up and go back to curled up, under the covers of her bed in her suite, and sleep like she had before, but then she remembered what had happened the last time she tried that. And she just wasn't going to risk two more people abandoning her because of her own actions. She just had to push through the pain. If Storm could act like they hadn't had a relationship for three years, and hadn't proposed to her, then so could Emerald….
Saturday came around, but Emerald didn't know what to do or how to busy herself. With school, though a pain to go through, at least she had homework to do (and she did have a job, too, but she didn't work on weekends). When the weekend came she had nothing to do and was easily tempted to just sleep all weekend, at least she wouldn't be in pain anymore.
Carter knew this too, so when the weekend came she was at her door, knocking away inviting her to the midnight premier of a movie that Carter and Sky were going to see.
"It'll be fun." Carter assured, smiling and nodding.
"I thought you were going with Sky." Emerald said, confused, stepping aside to let Carter in and closing the door.
Carter shrugged and turned just in time for Emerald to see her role her eyes. "Prince stuff. He had to cancel. So I'm asking you."
"What movie is this again?" Emerald asked cautiously. She didn't think she could deal with romance whatsoever right now. Thankfully it was an action/thriller/adventure movie. There was probably going to be some kind of romance, like there always was in almost every movie ever made, but hopefully she'd be able to just grin and bear it. At least the movie didn't totally revolve around romance.
Emerald sighed heavily. "Okay, I'll go." she agreed, hoping maybe she'd get to sleep just a little before midnight came, but Carter, trying to snap Emerald out of her depression, decided she'd stay and try to cheer Emerald up.
It worked for a little while: they talked about normal things, like school. Well, mostly about how Carter was doing in school because Emerald hadn't seen Carter in a while and whenever she did see Carter, things seemed to revolve around her, Emerald, which was unfair.
College was going great for Carter. She was very eclectic in her dance styles, learning ballet, hip-hop, freestyle/break dancing, tap, and Irish step dancing. She'd also made several music videos and has a running webseries. She was hoping to do a bigger production, though, like a parody or even adapt one of her favorite books into a ten-part movie with a group of friends she'd made over at the college.
Sky was doing very well too. He'd originally been hiding from all his duties—even though he was just the cousin, he still had a bunch of things that he needed to be doing—but with a little convincing and coaxing from Carter he finally put his big-boy pants on and went back to his parents and owned up to all his responsibilities. They didn't know about his social or love life, at all, though. Their wedding had been very private with only a few close friends who didn't mind humans and Night Worlders together.
"How do you do it?" Emerald asked, looking Carter. They were sitting next to each other on the small couch in the little living room, Emerald sitting criss-cross.
"I missed something." Carter said shaking her head, confused.
"You and Sky. You guys have a near perfect relationship and I just can't fathom how you guys do it." she elaborated. "All my relationships are so screwed up."
Carter gave her friend a sympathetic smile and sighed.
"I'm not really sure. I don't think there's any kind of… equation to a good relationship." Carter shrugged. "All I know is that… I love him and he loves me. We still have fights, just like any other couple, but I don't think that they're as… large in magnitude as yours are. I mean, I think that it depends on circumstance too, you know?" She finished, not saying more, not wanting to, afraid she'd offend or possibly hurt Emerald by bringing up Storm. She wasn't oblivious. She could see Emerald flinch if Storm was brought up, if his name was even just said.
Emerald sighed with a wistful smile on her face.
"Sometimes I wish that I was just a girl, like you." Emerald murmured, still staring into the middle-distance.
"This'll be good for you." Carter assured as they took their seats.
Emerald forced a small smile, but Carter being her friend knew this and rolled her eyes and sighed.
"I'm trying, Emerald, now it's your turn." she pointed out, looking at her raven-haired friend.
Emerald sighed. "I know." she muttered, resting her chin on her hand. "I am trying. Though it may not look like it."
"You might want to start trying a little harder, then." Carter mumbled just as the previews before the movie started.
Emerald sighed again, but kept quiet and watched the previews hoping that there weren't going to be any romance movies coming out soon. Of course, with Hollywood and all, there were two and in the middle of the second one, just as Emerald thought that her troubles would be over two people snuck in quietly, sitting a few seats down from Emerald and Carter.
Even in the dark she could clearly make out who it was… well one of them at least. Her spine went ram-rod straight and she tensed, her breath catching, an unexpected and unprepared-for volley of metaphorical knives crashing down on her, one striking her heart. For a moment, she felt herself gasp for air, catching Carter's attention.
"You okay?" she whispered, putting a comforting hand on Emeralds, who were gripping the armrests so hard, her knuckles turned white and she could clearly hear the small screws being pulled forcefully from the armrests.
Emerald gritted her teeth. She was trying. She was trying. She wasn't going to ruins Carter's night out. The plan was Sky and now that he'd canceled and probably already ruined the night anyway, Emerald had to make sure not to ruin this night any more for Carter.
"It's nothing, I… just—uh… remembered that I didn't pay for anything. You got the tickets and food. I just… feel guilty." Emerald made up a lame excuse. Carter knew this but figured she was, in fact, trying and took it.
"Don't worry you can pay me back tomorrow." Carter joked, nudging Emerald's arm playfully.
Emerald smiled and pushed her back before someone behind them shhed them. Carter and Emerald glanced at each other and giggled before turning their attention back to the now starting movie.
Emerald's eyes strayed back to the two in front of her though. She couldn't help it. He'd already found a girlfriend? They'd broken up, like, a week ago and he was already on a date? How long had they been going out? When did they meet? She just couldn't believe that he could move on so easily after everything they'd been through! It's like their relationship meant nothing to him and that cold fact of reality hurt. It hurt a lot.
Emerald took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on the movie, but every now and again she'd hear Storm's familiar voice whispering to his… girlfriend, and her eyes would snap down to them, seeing him lean over, a playful smile on both their faces as he told her a funny joke involving the actor of the movie. At one point, movement caught her eyes, and Emerald looked down at the couple just in time to see Storm do that cliché yawn-and-stretch-thing, putting his arm around his date's shoulders, she leaning in and getting comfortable.
Emerald furled her hands into fists and crossed her arms tightly over her chest and trained her eyes on the movie, forcing them to stay on the screen. It didn't matter if they laughed, it didn't matter if they merely shifted positions. It was none of her business. If Storm could get over it that fast and act like nothing happened, then so could Emerald. She was much stronger than this. She was much stronger than this!
Even so, as soon as the movie ended and the end credits rolled Emerald was up and out of the theater before anyone else could get up and exit. Taking a deep breath she sat on the bench right near the entrance/exit to the theater, putting her head in her hands, letting her hand falling around her face, shielding herself from anyone that was coming out if they were any sort of person who'd ask what was wrong.
Footsteps flowed through the doors, but Emerald ignored them, waiting for Carter's familiar little bounce she always seemed to have in her steps. But it wasn't her that came out first.
"Emerald?" a startled but all too familiar voice asked.
Emerald froze and didn't look up for a minute. Pressing her lips together she slowly lifted her head, quickly pulling off her engagement ring (that she regrettably couldn't get herself to take off) and sticking it into her pocket as she lowered her hands and looked to her right at Storm, with a pretty witch (like from the Night World) holding onto his arm. She was just about as tall as Emerald with golden-blonde hair that was currently pulled into a milkmaid braid some of her wavy locks hanging out on either side of her head. Her eyes were deep pools of cornflower blue.
"Carter dragged me out of my suite, kicking and screaming." Emerald told him, answering his unspoken question. "Sky was supposed to come but he canceled because of his duties."
The witch looked up at Storm, tugging his button down a little, "Storm," she prompted her eyes flickering in Emerald's direction.
"Oh," Storm exclaimed. "I'm sorry. That was rude of me. Valerie," Storm looked at the blonde standing next to him before gesturing to Emerald. "This is Emerald, my…" his voice faded out, not quite sure how to put it, what to call Emerald.
"Ex." Emerald confirmed to Valerie. No need to stir the pot… as much as Emerald would've loved to.
"Oh, well it's very nice to meet you." Valerie smiled detaching her arm from Storm's and held out her hand, but Emerald couldn't get herself to shake it. It's not like Valerie wasn't a nice person, her smile was sincere, her eyes held no emotions of disdain or jealousy or hate toward Emerald, and her tone of voice held no sarcasm. But it was too soon. And though Emerald could not feel anything but longing to be at Storm's side again like Valerie, she just couldn't get herself to reach out and shake her hand. So, instead, she stared at it blankly.
Valerie's hand slowly lowered, but still there was no awkwardness or disbelief to the situation, like she was understood why Emerald didn't want to shake her hand and didn't hold it against her at all. It was an oddity to Emerald. But she couldn't help but admire Valerie for being so nice. If the roles were reversed, she wouldn't be downright mean, no, but she certainly wouldn't be this nice.
"Yeah, she's not much of a hand-shaker," Storm mumbled after a brief moment had passed. "I probably should've told you that. Sorry."
Valerie laughed and gave a small wave of her hand. "No worries. I know people like that. To each their own, right?" She turned back to Emerald. "It was very nice meeting you, Emerald. Did you enjoy the movie?"
"It… was nice meeting you too, Valerie." She shrugged. "I thought it was okay." That seemed like a normal answer seeing as she wasn't paying attention half the time. "Did you enjoy yourself?" she forced. It just didn't seem right that she didn't return Valerie's hospitality.
Valerie tinkled a laugh, looking up at Storm for a moment, who looked down at her with a smile that Emerald knew all too well, a beautiful smile that lit up his eyes, a smile full of warmth and love. Another wave of pain and longing rushed through Emerald, but she fought to keep her face a mask of at least indifference.
"We had a wonderful time. I actually really enjoyed the movie. Sorry you didn't." Valerie answered.
Emerald shrugged about to tell them goodbye and just wait outside for Carter when Carter finally came through the doors.
"Emerald!" she exclaimed not seeing Storm or Valerie at all. "There you are! I was freaking out for a moment when I looked over and didn't see you. But you totally missed it, there was this hilarious little deleted scene of some kind where—" She broke off when she finally noticed Storm and his new girlfriend. "Oh… who's this?"
"I'm Valerie." Valerie said holding out her hand with that same warm smile.
"Oh, Valerie…. Nice name. Strong, healthy, fierce." Carter's eyes flickered toward Emerald who gave a slight nod of her head. "Nice to meet you." She took Valerie's hand then. "I'm Carter, Emerald's friend."
"Oh, Carter? Isn't that a guy's name?" Valerie asked totally and completely innocently. Emerald could detect no mocking or teasing in her tone. Even so, Emerald noticed the little embers in Carter's eyes blaze up. She stood and put one arm around her coppery-color haired friend's shoulders and the other on Carter's left shoulder, holding her back subtly.
Emerald had to stifle a snort of how ironic this whole situation was with Emerald holding Carter back instead of the other way around.
"Well, we should be going. It's pretty later—ere, early?—and Carter needs her rest. She doesn't do very well without a good night's sleep." Emerald said quickly, ushering her past the two lovebirds. "Nice meeting you, Valerie!" she called over her shoulder as they left. "Nice." Emerald commented as soon as they were out of earshot.
Carter shrugged and smiled. "Thank you. I did handle that rather nicely."
Emerald snorted and rolled her eyes as her friend's antics.
I hope this chapter was okay….
thank-you-for-everything
~ See you at the Millennium!