20 TPN STORIES IN 20 DAYS CHALLENGE

Day 7 - Love is a one-sided Road

It was a day that started off well for Emma, she had a lot of things planned for her family... she liked to call them like that because they are really nice to her. It's been a while since she woke up in that lost mountain and with time her memories were slowly coming back, it was something she didn't especially like because there were a lot of horrible things, at first she thought they were just nightmares but as soon as she talked to someone like Norman or Ray about it, they confirmed that it was real events that occurred before the promise They seemed cheerful to know that the memory was coming back to her, but she didn't always feel good about it, but Gilda had reassured her that no matter how difficult and horrific their journey was, thanks to her resilience and willpower, her whole family had been able to get through it and everyone was grateful to her.

Today she had planned to go to the park in the morning with Phil, Mark, Rossi, Chris, Dominic and Tom. They were a great bunch of boys, Anna who came with them said how incredible they all were and how they had all grown. Chris, Dominic and Tom were able to provide for everyone on their own, Chris's keen sense of direction combined with Dominic's bowing skills and Tom's extraordinary hearing made them a trio of formidable hunters. Mark and Rossi were not to be outdone either, the two friends had become great cooks capable of preparing fabulous meals and numbers didn't matter. Phil had become as smart as Norman, and had even beaten him in chess twice already. Emma was impressed to see that each child had developed a specific talent, something she was told was necessary to survive in such a large group.

It was a day that had started well for Emma, and continued well into the afternoon, Emma had gone on a shopping spree with Gillian, Violet and Gilda, she had offered Anna to come but she obviously had "something more important", which made Gilda laugh, they all knew what it was (and I think the readers did too). They had found a lot of new clothes, Gillian had taken the more offbeat and whimsical ones, Gilda had chosen a style that brought out the elegance and coquetry that emanated from her, Violet had taken clothes that didn't change from what she usually wore, and Emma had taken lots of different things.

It was a day that had started well for Emma, which had continued well into the afternoon and was looking good for her evening, she had invited Norman to the restaurant, she had the idea to confess her feelings to him, he had always been charming with her... Ray was too, but more in a fraternal way, Norman had a different vibe: his words were always very sweet and affectionate, he was attentive and adorable with Emma and she frankly thought that he felt the same way about her.

They had met at the restaurant, they had laughed all through the meal, they both enjoyed the moment and made the most of it over a good meal, they talked a lot about their life before, Norman spoke about it with passion and reserve because he said that many of the things he had done were wrong... Emma had looked at him with a smile and a look of compassion and empathy and told him that he shouldn't worry and that he shouldn't torture his mind too much because he had extenuating circumstances, to which his blond friend replied a simple thank you with a kind and soft smile. That's it! That was what Emma particularly liked about him, his simplicity that perfectly combined with his kindness, a quality she loved to see from him. After that, the two friends went to the park at night to admire the stars... That's when Emma stood in front of Norman.

Em: Look Norman, this date... it has a purpose... it's more than just a date with friends. Since I've been here, you've always been the nicest to me, you've never stopped helping me with my memory, and whenever I needed it you were there for me, and everyone confirms that this has been the case for many years... I don't really know the nature of our relationship in "our old life" anymore but in this one I find you really charming and to be frank... I have a lot of feelings for you... Feelings in love, I ask you today and now... Do you want to join me to live an unforgettable adventure together?

The silence had covered the whole place with a heavy and agonizing silence, Norman's expression had not changed an inch but he started to lower his head, with a sad smile and he even had a few tears in the corners of his eyes...

Nor: Emma... For more than a decade now we have grown up together, we have been through a lot, and today we are living the life we have always aspired to... I have always told Ray that I really love you, and that your smile was the most precious thing I wanted to protect... Nevertheless today, I realize it, I'm going to make you lose this very precious smile... I've always had feelings for you too... But I'm afraid they're not the same as yours... I've always considered you as a little sister, a best friend like life doesn't make anymore... A confidant and a shoulder to lean on when I had to get down on one knee... And that's not going to change, I hope you understand me... I don't want you to have bad memories about this evening Emma, nothing is going to change between us but please don't be angry at me, I don't hate you, I love you but... It's the maximum I want between us. I'm sorry Emma, I'm terribly sorry.

And after giving her a hug to comfort her the best he possibly could, he left visibly saddened by what just happened, he was lost and he was now evolving in the fear that his friend would be angry at him.

Emma was standing there, staring at the moon with empty eyes, feeling tiny and insignificant. She was sad, inconsolable, yet she wanted to cry and scream with all her strength, all her soul... No sound, no tears came out of her. She went home, didn't even pay attention to what the old man who was her adoptive father was saying to her, she lay down on her bed without taking the time to take off neither her coat or her shoes. She was staring at her ceiling, without saying anything, lost in the flow of emotions that were rushing through her head?

It was a day that started well for Emma, continued well into the afternoon and evening, but ended badly.

It was a bad day for Emma and the next one will be bad too.

It was a bad day for Emma.

It was a bad day.