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He kisses me until I let my lips sink away, my head crashing to the side from exhaustion. With his weight still supported on his elbows, he lays his damp head across my chest. I don’t know how long we lay there like that with our bare chests pressed flat together, heaving up and down as our breathing slowly regulates.
“Emmett,” I finally whisper after a while. “You’ll have to go soon. My mom will come up here to check on us before too long.”
He groans, lifting up to look down at me with a gentle smile. It’s something I haven’t seen in him before, and I can’t help but pull him down for another soft kiss. There’s something innocent and pure about him. Words I have never thought to use to describe him before.
I felt every bit as connected to him during this encounter as I had during the first, only this time he didn’t turn cold afterwards. He is staying here with me, reluctant to move even though he knows that he has to soon. He looks at peace. Happy. And I want to feel the same way, but I’m not ready to let everything go. Holding onto that anger and mistrust feels like the only way to protect myself.
I look deep into his eyes as I stroke strands of hair from his face. I want to stay like this forever, and I have to admit how tempted I am to believe him now. He promised that the way he was before was all a product of his father and the rest of the Elites’ demands. And now, for a brief moment, with all of that out of the way, he does seem to be different.
I don’t want to let this side of him go, but we reluctantly peel ourselves apart and put our clothes back on. I straighten up the bed in case my mom comes knocking, as Emmett stands next to the window in still silence.
“Everything okay?” I ask him as I smooth out the sheets.
“Just worried about my sister is all,” he mumbles grimly, bringing reality crashing back into the room.
I can’t let go of my suspicions, not fully. But I can keep those in a dark, quiet corner of myself for now, and to Emmett’s face, I can behave as if I am nothing but loving and trusting. As long as he continues to be kind, I can maintain that much.
I think about how things would have been if my mother hadn’t left my father, if he hadn’t been cast out from the Elites. I wonder if I would have been raised in the same way as the others. If I would be just like Vivian, or even Lily. While at times I wish I understood more so I could understand Emmett better, maybe even love him better, growing up the way he did is a level beyond what I want. I would rather stay here in our small rented home with my innocent, white spackled ceilings, where my parents are laughing downstairs, and the smell of home-cooked food wafts through the air.
I walk up behind him and wrap my arms tightly around his chest. “We’ll figure it out, Emmett,” I assure him gently, kissing his shoulder. “Wherever she is…we’ll find her.”
He wraps his hands over mine and squeezes tightly, clinging to my words. I don’t want to let him go, but the dreaded knock finally comes at the door.
“Ophelia?” my mom calls out nervously. “Are you okay in there? Open up.”
I race over to the door, not wanting to worry her with any delay. “Yes, Mom. We’re fine!” I say as brightly as possible as I fling the door open.
She peers inside, looking back at Emmett and the room suspiciously. “Well,” she hesitates, still seemingly convinced that something isn’t right. “Dinner is ready. It’s time for Emmett to go home.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Lopez,” Emmett offers graciously. “Thanks for allowing me into your home. You certainly didn’t have to…considering everything.”
“I know I didn’t have to,” she snaps back. “But it’s time to go now.”
I can’t help but flash him a smile over my shoulder at my mom’s persistent hatred. Something about it is satisfying. He deserves it after all, and at this point I’d rather it come from her than me.
“Give us just a minute to say goodbye,” I ask her, inching the door shut. “We’ll be right down, and Emmett will go home.”
She barely budges as I push the door closed. I’m laughing by the time he pulls me back into his arms.
“What’s so funny?” he asks.
“She hates you,” I reply.
“I think we were getting somewhere,” he insists confidently. “It’ll take some time, but I’ll win her over.”
“In all the years I’ve had people over to the house, she never, not once, ever refrained from inviting them to stay for dinner,” I snicker against his shoulder. “You are number one on her shit list.”
“Well, I was number one on yours, too, just a few hours ago,” he suggests coyly. “Now look at us.”
My smile fades, but I try to hide it from him. His statement scares me—as if this is all just a game of winning people over when you need to, not caring how you treat them when things change. “Don’t be so certain,” I try to say as jokingly as possible.
He’s not worried and still has the same kind, innocent smile plastered on his face. One that I could very quickly get used to, but I’m worried that the moment I do…it will vanish.
Emmett gives me a long, slow kiss goodbye before we go downstairs. I have to stop myself from kissing him again just as he’s about to walk out the door. I’m not ready for my mom to know for certain that something is going on between us again.
I watch him walk away down the sidewalk, in disbelief that all of this has happened. Emmett Jameson is back in my life. For better or for worse. I swallow a hard lump in my throat and force myself to go sit down with my mom and stepdad for dinner, trying to act as normal as possible.
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