Rocky opened his eyes and rolled onto his back. First day of school as a coupled man. An honest man in a real relationship. He smiled, soft and small as fragile as his relationship. He can enjoy this. He is allowed.

'I am allowed.' He sat up and got out of bed. Today, Rocky declared, was going to be great!

Today, Emily declared, was going to be awful. She's been up and getting ready for school, but she still can't shake the dream. No. It wasn't because of the dream. It was the emotions encasing her. The sound of cars bashing into ech other was so loud. The jarring, uncontrolled movmenment caused by it. She barely finished going left before she was thrown forward. The blaring horn felt like a flat line.

The brush was stilled. She looked herself in the eye and then smiled. It was not a smile that meant ahe was happy. It was a smile meant for reassurance to create a space for healing. If one doesn't start trouble, then there will not be trouble. 'Deep breaths. Chin up. Perfect posture.' Emily gave a nod.

She left her bedroom for breakfast. The smell of eggs and bacon drifted pleasantly through the home.

"There you are." Her mother noticed her daughter was dressed for going out. She frowned. "Why are you dressed for school? I thought you'd be staying home today?"

"No. It's better that I go. I don't want this to become a habit of running away from a problem or fear."

"That's my strong girl." Her father kissed the top of her head.

Emily sat at the table, and then reached for a croissant and the tub of Nutella. "I wonder if bacon would taste good in here?"

"There is chocolate coated bacon."

"Really?" She took a bite from the buttery sweet pastry.

"Please don't defile my food." Mrs. Farmer placed a plate onto the table then sat.

Emily chuckled when her father placed bacon and eggs between his peanut butter and jam croissant then took a big bite. Her mother scrunched up her nose in disgust.

...

Rocky waved when seeing Emily exit her home. His heart swelled seeing the radiant smile that appeared on her face when seeing him. She looked both ways before hurrying across the street.

"Hi, Rocky." She leaned forward. "Huh?" She intoned when he moved back from her kiss to avoid it.

"Oh, um, sorry." He replied. Stepping back was involuntary. He would have loved nothing more than to kiss his girlfriend. But it would seem guilt is latched onto his shoulder this morning. "I felt a telltale itch on my lip this morning. It's better to be safe than sorry."

Emily looked like she wanted either to laugh or ask if he was kidding. She chose option through, which was to shrug it off. "OK."

The couple climbed into the Douglas's car. He pressed the ignition then fiddled with the stereo until he found a song he likes. A love song. He's heard this song a hundred times, but today, seated beside the girl of his dreams it sounds so much sweeter. Rocky sang the lyrics in his head.

'I knew I loved you before I met you. I think I dreamed you into life.' Were the trees always made of soft pink clouds?

Emily let out a sigh. "I'd be so embarrassed to hear corny stuff like that. I'm glad you've never said it."

Suddenly Rocky's cotton candy trees were looking very green. "Yeah. But, it's a good album." He weakly defended.

Emily couldn't know from memory whether it was or wasn't. As they neared the high school, she felt a guilt knot forming in the pit of her stomach. She ended things with Darren over the phone. Talking on the phone and talking face to face are two completely different scenarios. She and Darren agreed to be friends. They had no reason to be otherwise.

'I should tell him.' The car pulled into a space. The engine quieted.

"I'll carry your bag."

Emily nodded. "Rocky, I should tell you that Darren and I are still friends." She looked away from him, unable to face the look of disapproval she imaged was there.

"Umm, I don't have a say over whom your friends with." Although he wished he was the type. At least in this situation. He still dislikes Darren, and he doesn't trust him.

Emily let out a breath of relief. "That played out so much better than I thought it would." She declared. "Thank you,"

"You don't need to thank me for that." He grabbed her backpack from the backseat. "It's our first day back as a couple. I understand if you wanna take it easy on the PR."

Emily shook her head. "It's fine." She pushed open the door. "I'm just glad I know the truth now."

'And it is the truth. We were meant to be. It's just been delayed because of the accident.' He can still feel pain in his chest knowing that he was the cause of it.

"Today's going to be perfect." Emily decided out loud. She took his hand into hers. "I was actually feeling really down. I had a nightmare about the accident. I could still feel the impact while I was awake..."

Rocky tightened his grip. "I'm sorry."

"Forget about it." She shook her head as if to swat it away with her ponytail. "Good thoughts."

"Right."

"Hi, Emily." Darren greeted her on his way by.

Rocky glared, thankfully it went unseen by Emily, but his intensity only strengthened when he noticed that the person he was directing it at failed to notice. He was too busy looking at Emily with flirtatious eyes. "We better get going, don't wanna miss the bell."

He pressed on towards the building, leaving Darren behind to wait for his friends. It's not enough the jerk had to date his crush - even once - but he's even got his own car. He'll have one eventually. He's just not there yet financially. Just the thought of him locking Emily in a tiny space while tries to put the moves on her... He could..

"Ow, ease up a bit." She shook out her hand.

"I'm sorry. I was just.. It doesn't matter."

He walked on, hand embrace broken. He was actually happy about that because he didn't trust himself to not vice grip Emily a second time. Plus, it's all so new. The last thing he wants is everyone leering at them. Judging him. He knows, now, that he didn't lie about them a couple, but to everyone else who knew about Darren and Emily, this looks pretty suspicious.

Rocky followed Emily to her locker and handed over her backpack. "I'm gonna head to class. See you at lunch."

"Yeah." She leaned over in order to kiss him, but again, he backed away. "Right. Your cold sore."

"Yeah." He gave a dry laugh. "Sorry. But, once I'm sure it's nothing, I owe you two."

"I'll be waiting."

He felt a smile tug at his lips. He'll be waiting, too. Rocky had to resist the urge to skip down the hall like an idiot. But his heart is light. He should be allowed to skip.

"Hey, Rock-a-doodle," Ben smacked him on the back of the head.

"Hey," he let his dry tone insist that Ben do neither of those two things to him again. The nickname and the swat to the head.

"Guess who got a raise?"

"Your sister?"

"...Actually, yeah, but that was last week - and who cares. I mean me. My pea-brain boss is finally appreciating me."

"That's great!"

"And do you know what I'm gonna do with it?"

"No."

"Invest."

Rocky laughed sincerely.

"Go on, snicker away. But I'm gonna get some stock on a new product and watch it blow up." He tossed his hands up for the explosion. "Wanna be my butler?"

"Wanna see how much of you can get jammed into your sneakers?"

"Ugh, I do not."

"Well, there's your answer."

"Hey," he stopped their steady march towards language class. "Were my eyes being elderly poor, or were you holding hands with Emily?"

Rocky felt his ears turning red. "It's real. We were holding hands."

Ben gasped. "Is it time for the talk?"

"Oh, it's time." Rocky joked back.

"Treat her with respect."

"The absolute best."

"Don't be jealous."

"Not a hair raised."

"That's my boy," he wrapped his arms around his friend and kissed the side of his head.

"Gross. Get off." He gave Ben a push.

Ben chuckled. "Okay, okay. But, seriously, this is big news." He starts to walk again. "You've been after her since what? Six! Geez, get a wider scope, my guy."

"I can't. When you find someone you really click with, you stick with them."

Ben wondered if that's what goes through the mind of stalkers?

...

Emily turned a bit to stuff a piece of melon into her boyfriend's mouth.

Alyssa and Sadie looked petrified. What was this sudden development?

"Uhh, not to be that friend but, what happened to Darren?" Lyssa asked out loud. "Did he fuck up already?"

Emily blushed. "No... It's just that the truth finally came out about who I'm really seeing." She smiled lovingly at Rocky. "I'm just glad it happened before it went on any longer."

"Yes," Alyssa put on a false grin. "Isn't it lucky that the truth came out." She wasn't saying that she wanted Emily with Darren. But, she also doesn't want her friend with a liar.

"Yeah. In fact, the night of the accident Emily and I were gonna go see a movie."

Emily blinked and filed that knowledge away.

Alyssa nodded. "Really?"

"Yes, really." Replied a steadily heating Rocky. But, he calmed his irritation with Alyssa. She's only looking out for her friend.

Sadie gave him an empathetic look. She knows it's true. She was there when Emily said "Yes" then stated her nervous excitement when Rocky was well out of earshot and they were back in Emily's bedroom.

"Why didn't you say anything until now?" Lyssa grilled like a lawyer.

"Because.."

Darren cut him off. "Because he's full of shit."

Along with that statement came a tray full of food right on top of Rocky's head.