Sometimes he loves me

CHAPTER 5

EMMA

Monday morning I walk into my room and position myself on the bed on my stomach next to Vincent. He's awake and busy on his laptop, already working. The narrow bed is just big enough for the two of us, but I like it that way. Ever since we started sleeping in one bed together, I prefer to lay against him as close as possible.
"Good morning." I rest my head against his shoulder and smile.
I anxiously managed to shower and make breakfast, luckily both of those spaces were almost empty. Even though the shower area has separate cubicles, it still felt like anyone could walk in on me and yank the shower curtain open. It was a quick shower, but I'll wake up extra early tomorrow and hope the only private bathroom here on campus is free.
"What do you want?" Vincent asks in a stern tone. I swallow the lump in my throat. I'm used to his rudeness by now. I know he's not a morning person. He never means it personally, but it still hurts.
"I just wanted to lay down with you before I go to school, I'm really nervous for today," I say softly as I look up at him for a moment. The nerves for my first day of school are fluttering around like fucking moths in my stomach. I tried my best not to stand out with my outfit, wearing my white knee-length dress with my black boots underneath. I put some light curls in my hair and used a claw clip to pull it up. 
"Come on Em, not now. I'm working. Don't forget I stayed an extra night for you. I should have been in the office in New York right now," he says while he keeps his eyes trained on his laptop and dismisses the second part of my sentence.
I don't know how to respond to that and try not to let his words hurt me. I had a feeling he wanted to stay here as much as I wanted him to. He said he didn't mind working from here for a day, but I know if I press him about it we'll get into an argument and he'll ignore me for the rest of the week. That's the last thing I want.
I swallow my emotions and get up to grab the breakfast I prepared for him earlier.
"I made you an omelette with toast and coffee." I extend the tray into his reach and he pushes himself up on his hands to sit back against the headboard. He puts his laptop on the floor next to him and takes the tray from me without looking up. His blond locks hang wildly as his silver necklace sparkles in the ray of sunlight that scatters in through the window.
"Okay, well, I'll leave you to it." I give him a kiss on his cheek, from which he slightly turns away. He doesn't like it when I'm clingy in the morning, but I ignore it.
When I get in my car and start driving, I try to distract myself by listening to music, but nothing seems to put my mind at ease. My stomach hurts from the nerves and it makes me sad. I should be able to enjoy these things, like a first day of school and meeting new people, but all I feel is anxiety. And the stupid part is that while I'm freaking out, I know I have no reason to feel this way at all.
I get ripped from my thoughts when I hear my car simmer and see the fuel gauge suddenly turn red. I quickly steer my car to the side of the road when I realise it's completely empty and the car is stopping.
"How is this possible? I filled it up this weekend..." I whine to myself. I really don't want to be late on my first day of school.
I get out of my car and walk to the front to carefully open the bonnet, although it's probably not that hot from the short drive. I see a shitload of things that need to be replaced, but those can't be the problem right now.
I look at the sky in frustration for not being able to fix this right away. I love cars. That is the reason I'm studying Mechanical Engineering, but I don't have a lot of experience with cars except for my own.
I know my car is old, but it's the Oldtimer I got from my grandfather before he died. I've been busy replacing what I could afford, which isn't a lot and I don't want to ask Vincent for the money. He already pays for the flights to New York whenever I want to visit him. Those tickets are expensive and he knows I can't afford them. Especially not now that I quit my side job due to lack of time. I have been saving all the money I earned to afford to rent a room on campus.
I walk around the car and see drops of fuel on the ground exactly from where I came to where I'm parked. My fuel tank is probably leaking, which explains why my car says it is empty even though I filled it up this weekend.
Great.
I walk over to the driver's side and sit down, looking for my phone in my bag. When I see that I have only thirty minutes left to get to school, I call Vincent in a panic.
"Hello?" I hear on the other end of the line and I sigh with relief.
"Hey. I'm so sorry to bother you, but my fuel tank has a leak and I'm standing on the side of the road and I don't know what to do," I rattle.
"Well I don't know either, you're the engineer aren't you."
"Well I can't just magically make a new fuel tank appear, can I?" I state the obvious. How does he always manage to make me feel less than I am?
"I don't have time to pick you up babe, just take the bus."
I sigh. "I hate the bus, it makes me so anxious."
"You're a big girl, you'll manage. I'll see you later babe."
"Yeah okay, I love you."
"Love you," he says and then hangs up.
Feeling defeated, I lean my head on the steering wheel, but accidentally lean on the horn which goes off loudly making me jump up. Ashamed, I look around to make sure no one has seen my little break down. Fortunately the street is empty.
I guess I'm forced to take the bus. I sigh and get out of the car, slamming the door shut. I walk up to the front of the car and have one last glance into it. I want to close the bonnet, but a voice on my right interrupts my movements.
"Do you need help, Darling?"