Picture Me & You- The Perfect Two

64. Rome In Danger

(A/N: Trigger warning. Abuse, blood and animal cruelty. 

I'm sorry and I promise, after this chapter, this book will go in a better, brighter path. Pick and Rome are end game and this chapter would lead to that. Also to help clear a lot of bad blood among a lot of characters so bear with it. This story is nearing its end)

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"Are you okay?"

Pick sucked in a breath and looked at his best friend beside him. "Huh? Huh, y-yeah, I'm okay. Totally okay. Are you okay?"

"W-what? Y-yeah, sure. Sure, okay... yeah..." Porsche nodded, chuckling nervously. Then he shot Pick a sideways glance. "Why are your legs shaking?"

And Pick snapped his head towards Porsche. "What? My wha- pfft, as if! W-why would my l-legs shake? N-not like I'm meeting Satan! Huh! Hey, why are your legs shaking?" he asked back and now was Porsche's turn to grumble.

"Whose legs are shaking? Not mine! Nah!" he shook his head fast, along with his shaking legs. "I mean... who could be that scared to face their ex that their legs shake? Not me!" 

Pick chuckled just as nervously. "Okay, no, we're both shaking, your ex is scarier then Satan!"

"Satan is scary? Satan takes classes from my ex!" Porsche made a face, ready to cry. Just then the cafe's bell rang, indicating the door opening and the two idiots straightened up, gulping and ready to see a glaring Emma entering but then they both frowned seeing a young boy holding the door for a laughing Emma. They blinked and shared alarmed looks while the cafe filled with the loud boy's voice.

"Who the hell is he?" Porsche mussed, glaring daggers at the boy.

"Forget that! How the hell is he making her laugh?" well, of course, Pick's concerns were quite different. And he got smacked hard for that.

"Pick! You prick! That's what you care about?"

"Like you get to care about who she hangs out with! You got dumped twice by her for being crappy!" of course, Pick fought back. Then he gulped and waved at Emma once she noticed him.

Emma sighed and held onto her bag strap, getting herself ready. "Hah... this is for Rome. You can do this, Em..."

Pond stopped looking around to eye her, frowning. "You said you had to meet someone you didn't want to... for your friend? Ah, I didn't know you were such a good friend, my blind swan" and he was back to grinning like an idiot. 

"You wanna taste a slap from the swan?" she retorted and he threw his hands up in surrender. 

"But really, who is it that you feel so anxious to talk to? You even asked me along! And you hate me, I know" he said, turning serious and she turned to meet his eyes.

"I don't hate you" was what she said and Pond was left to gape. 

"You don't?" he asked, astonished and she looked away from him. 

"A-ah, t-that guy, that Korean looking guy, is Rome's love trouble that I actually hate" she quickly changed the topic, eyes darting to Pick before landing on Porsche. But to her pleasant surprise, she only felt a bit of distraught, not that terrible, sinking, crushing feeling in her heart that she always felt before. Maybe it was true that time healed wounds. Or maybe, it was all the therapy paying off. 

"And that's his best friend, my coward, ex boyfriend" and it didn't even hurt saying that.

Pond blinked, staring at her face before turning to where she was headed, watching the tall, dark, handsome guy who straightened up in anticipation seeing her nearing their table.