From Here On Out

26

"Emmy, I am so in love with you"

She swallowed a loud sob and took a seat in the desk chair. Her head fell to her hands and her elbows planted themselves on her lower thighs. The failing attempt to cover the tears, to cover the confusion, to cover the rush of emotions encompassing her being.

She looked up, eye contact catching Daveed. He stood there, staring back at her, waiting for her response. She felt so much at once, her brain a war zone of which ones to hold on too.

"I- I love you too," her lips moved ahead of the chaos of her mind. She loved him. She loved him. And that was something she hadn't even realized until he chanted it relentlessly in her bedroom.

Loving Daveed only added one more level of disorientation. The love she had for him was always that of a best friend, one she had not allowed to gain any depth. But now, now that she was here, in this situation, facing him, she thought that she could maybe turn the corner on the romantic version of love.

"So..." his voice seeped into her chamber of thought. She watched as he broke his stance and moved towards her, kneeling and taking both of her hands in his. "Stay here, move in with me," he suggested boldly.

"Wha- What?" her eyes blinked rapidly, visibly chocked at this absurdist ideal, "In your dorm?" her eyebrows twisting as she searched for clarification.

"No, No, off campus," he gave her hands a squeeze, his eyes showing the sparkle as he rabbit holed into this concept, "We- We could get an apartment together. Me, you, and the baby. Our own place."

"In what world can we afford in apartment in New York City?" Emmy was still perplexed, not seeing the wave he was riding above.

Daveed grinned, already prepared with a full plan. It was funny, he thought of this jokingly a few days ago, but hearing that she was leaving, and the self surprise of confessing his love made it all feel so final, so right. "My dad actually put away kind of a ton of money for me. It's in a trust fund. We can use it. And... I'll get a job. Maybe you can too, but I think it can work," his words rambled on.

"I can't let you use your entire savings," Emmy shook her head promptly.

His hand moved up to her cheek to end the swivel of her head. He shook his own head as well, "I won't. And besides, if there's ever a thing worth spending it on, it's my child and their mother. Emmy, I love you, and I'm going to support you in every way I can. This city, New York's your home now. You belong here, you hear me. I can't let you leave."

Emmy put her head down, her forehead leaning into his. She closed her eyes to think for just a moment. "My dad... they'll never buy this. I am just barely on the side of yes."

"And that's not a no," Daveed smiled widely, his other hand moving up to where both his hands were cupping her cheeks in excitement. This plan had come on a whim, yet now he couldn't think of not living with her. It just felt like the natural thing to do, and he so quickly fell into wanting it desperately. "Call them, I'll be right by your side."

"Daveed-" she began before he cut her off.

"What do you have to lose?" he questioned. He stood up, taking his hand in hers. Together they walked towards Emmy's bed, Daveed hopping up first and then assisting her to follow.

Emmy held her phone in her hand. Flat on her palm, she positioned it outwards from her like it was a weapon. Daveed covered her hand with his, a silent support while his other arm wrapped around her.

She pressed the buttons. Ring. Ring. Ring. "They're not gonna pick up," she mumbled with discouragement.

"Give it time," Daveed replied, moving his extended arm up and down her arm.