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Chapter 2


"It won't be long
Till the summer's gone
Get your party on
So sing along
Hold on tight
It's a crazy night
Get your party on
And were screaming
Out loud..."



"EMMA! You better get your ass down here or you're going to miss the party! It's been... fifteen minutes already!" Maggie yelled up the stairs to Emma.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" She yelled out, opening the bathroom door. "Just let me put my shoes on and I'll be right there!"

Geez! Can't a girl get dressed without people bothering?! She thought to herself as she looked at herself in the mirror one last time.

She had beautiful, silky, long blonde hair, blue eyes that a man could drown in and rich, full pink lips that were begging to be kissed and an hourglass figure that belonged in old hollywood movies. She was amazingly beautiful. Inside and out. She could have any man she wanted but, she only wanted one. Taking one last glance in the mirror, she ran her fingers through her long blonde hair and made sure that her dress was wrinkle free and fit right at her curves. She quickly glanced at her watch and knew it was time go.

Here goes nothing. She thought to herself.

* * *

"Okay. I'm ready! Let's go!" She said, bolting down the stairs. "Oh hey Patrick."

"Hi, Emma. Wow, you look... amazing." He stared at her, mouth open, stunned.

She blushed. "Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself."

Patrick was someone I had met after Nick and I broke up. He was tall, dark and certaintly handsome but, nothing was there. I guess you could say he wasn't the tall, blonde and blue eyed guy that I was looking for. There just wasn't anything serious. We went out a few times and enjoyed ourselves. I enjoyed his company and it was nice to have him around after our break-up. We were just friends.

That's it.

Friends.

* * *

Right there in big, bold letters was the name of my past memory.

Katsuya.

It was the place that Nick and I had first date. The place that he had always taken me to throughout our time together. We have shared many memories there; including some... really hot sex in the bathrooms. I blushed just thinking about those memories. Now, here I am, still sitting in the car and wondering what the hell I am even doing here. Oh right, Maggie's party. I looked out the window and noticed how everyone was dressed. Elegant. I looked down at my dress. So not elegant. I sighed.

"Okay, Mag, please tell me again WHY I even thought of wearing this see through dress?!" I exclaimed.

"It's fine. Nothing's wrong with it. You look great!"

"I feel... weird. Everyone's dressed nice. I feel like I am OVER dressed for the occassion."

"First, it's my party and you're allowed to dress however you see fit. All eyes are going to be on you tonight and again, you look amazing." She leaned over her friend and whispered, "Even Patrick thinks so."

"Oh god, don't even mention it. He's been hitting on me all night and I don't want all eyes on me. It's YOUR party not mine."

"So." She shrugged

"So?"

"Yeah. So." Maggie said, applying some lipstick. "He likes you. You like him. What's wrong with that picture?"

"Nothing is wrong with that. I just... don't see him like that. He's just a friend. We're friends. Nothing more. He's a nice guy and I appreciate him being my so called date tonight."

"You look fine! Stop worrying about it. You're going to be the most beautiful girl there. Now let's get out of this hot as hell car and eat. I'm starving." She exclaimed, opening the door.

Paparazzi. Everywhere.

I honestly would not want a job like that. They are the scums of the scums. It's like they eat, sleep and breathe just stalking celebrities. All the stupid stories they make up or take a zillion pictures. It's ridiculous. You're probably wondering why I hate them, right? They affected mine and Nick's relationship alot over the years. They always made him out to be a really bad person. It's like they would never leave him alone. After the whole debacle with a certain Ms. Hilton, the media and paparazzi had a field day with that. Once they got a wind that Nick and I were together, they constantly hounded us. Everywhere we went, one of those creepers was always following us. I remember a few instances where we had to stay cooped up in our hotel rooms because, they were either fans all over the hallways or down at the lobbies or paparazzi sitting outside. It was a crazy life but, it was our life. Together. Sometimes I really do miss it because when all the chaos was happening, we still had eachother and he always found a way to make me forget it all.

* * *

"So, Patrick... what is it that you do? Like career wise?" Maggie asked.

"I'm actually studying in the medical field." Patrick smiled and then looked at Emma.

"Oh, wow. Impressive. What kind of doctor?"

"Children's doctor. Pediatric."

"Oh, that's awesome. So you like working with kids and all of that?" Maggie asked, looking at Emma.

"Yeah, yeah. I love working with them. Children are just absolutely amazing. It's a really amazing feeling when you make them feel so much better and you see them smile at you. They're just so innocent and sometimes it really hurts to see them have to go through all the illness and medical stuff that some of them go through." He beamed, proudly.

"Oh, wow! I do have to agree with you on that one. I may not have kids myself but, I do have a neice and a nephew and they are my whole entire world. Do you have any kids, Patrick?"

Here we go. I knew that question was coming. For some strange reason when Maggie had asked Patrick that infamous question, she looked straight at me and I knew why. I instantly felt uncomfortable. I want to scream. I wanted to run out of there. Everything was going smoothly. We were all enjoying our night; just talking and laughing and getting to know one another. Maggie didn't really know much about Patrick. I only told her the basics. I mean, what's there to know, right? Him and I are just friends. I guess she thinks that I need someone new in my life so that I can get over Nick but, really... how DO you get over someone who had been apart of your life for years? We may have only dated for 3 but, I pretty knew Nick for more then that. I tried. I really did try but, I just can't.

"One day..." He said turning to Emma and smiling sweetly at her. "One day, I'll have the perfect wife and have the perfect children with her."

Uncomfortable was the right word for this situation. I really needed an escape.

"Um. Excuse me. I'm going to... um..." points towards the restrooms, "to the uh... restroom. Be right back."

"Oh, I'm going to go with you. Excuse me." Maggie excused herself and made her way towards the restroom.

* * *

"What the hell is your problem?!" Emma yelled, slamming the door and locking it.

"Em. Calm down. I was just asking--"

"I KNOW what you were asking him." She yelled, interrupting her friend. "Jesus! Maggie, you know how I feel about stuff like that!

"I know. I'm sorry. I was just trying to get to know him. As your best friend, I just want to see if--"

"IF what? If he is right for me? If he was "up to your standards"? He shouldn't be. He doesn't NEED to be. Him and I are just friends. That's it. I don't even know how many times I have to repeat myself. I shouldn't even have to be giving you or anyone an explaination."

"No, that's not it at all. You got it all wrong Emma."

"NO. YOU and everyone else got it wrong. I don't NEED anyone in my life. No one. I'm perfectly happy and content with how everying is at the moment."

"Yeah, at the moment and, if you were really happy and content with your life right now, why were you thinking about Nick last night?

"What?" She finally turned to look at her friend. "THIS..." pointing between herself and Maggie, "has nothing to do with Nick, if that's what you think."

"THEN why are you acting this way? Why are you acting SO defensive as if someone killed your freaking puppy?!"

"Because... because... you asked him that stupid question! You know how I feel about THAT."

"Why? Shouldn't you be over with it by now?" Maggie shrugged turning to the mirror to fix her hair.

"REALLY?! Really? IN-FUCKING-SENSTIVE is what you are. My best friend? Yeah, okay. You should know why it bothers me so much!" She said grabbing her stuff and heading towards the door.

She finally turned to her friend saying, "And, just so you know, when you lose something like I have, you never get over it. Never. So to answer your question... No, I'm NOT over and I don't think I ever will be." And with that, she was gone leaving Maggie speechless, looking at herself in the mirror.

"HEY! Emma, hold on!" Patrick yelled out to her. "Where are you going so fast?"

"I'm...going home. I'm sorry. It has nothing to do with you. I just want to go home." She stepped away from him and started walking.

"Okay, okay. I'll drive you back."

"No." She turned back to him. "No. I'm fine, really. I'll call a cab. Just stay with Maggie. Enjoy your night. I really...need to be alone tonight. I'm sorry Patrick."

Patrick just stood there, in the middle of the restuarant, dumbfounded. "Women."

* * *

I can't believe her. I really can't believe her. How insenstive can she really be to ask me shouldn't I be over it. I'm not and I will never be and Maggie knows that. She was there through everything. Through that part of my life when I couldn't even face Nick to tell him what was happening. The only reason why I wouldn't tell him is because I was scared. I was scared that he would just leave, scared that he wouldn't be there for me. Just completely scared and I didn't want him to feel that way either. He was at the height of his career and he was having fun with it. I didn't want to rain on his parade, so to speak. I didn't want to ruin anything for him.

She wiped away the tears that were flowing from her eyes. She was standing outside of Katsuya, waiting for her cab when she saw a whole bunch of guys walking towards the entrance of the club.

"Okay, so check it. Remember that one chick I told you about last night?" The first guy asked.

"Yeah. The smoking hot brunette one?" The blonde one answered.

"Yeah, her. Man, she is a WILD one. Totally crazy. She came over my house last night and she just like... took her cloth-- Hey man, isn't that your ex girlfriend?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"That one." The guy pointed at the girl. "The blonde one right there. Damn, she's looking FINE."

After looking at the girl his friend pointed out, he turned to him. "Dude. Um, that IS her. That's Emma."

"THAT girl right there?! That's Emma?! Bro, why the hell didn't you keep on tapping that--"

"Okay, look, just..." He turned to look at the girl once more. "Just wait for me inside. I'll be there in like 10 minutes."

As his friends were going into the club, he waited for about 5 minutes before approaching her.

He knew it was her.

It had to be her.

"Uh... shit. Uh, Emma?"

"Emma?"

I had felt someone approaching me but, I didn't dare turn around. It was probably one of these stupid drunks who have nothing better to do but, then again...how would this person even know my name? And as I listened closely to the stranger saying my name again, I realized I knew that voice. I turned around and as I took notice of the person in front of me, I felt the wind get knocked out of me.

We stood there, staring at eachother for nearly 10 minutes before I found my voice again.

"Nick?"