The Rude Awakening of Love

10 - Moments Alone

ONE WEEK LATER -
SATURDAY NIGHT

Emerson's POV

As the evening sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the apartment, I found myself once again scrolling though my phone. Trying to distract myself from the thoughts swirling in my head.

I had been a peaceful day, spent mostly in solitude, until Dakota's unmistakable laughter echoed through the walls. With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I realized that Dakota had company. Again.

I had lost count at the number of times I had come home to him entertaining someone this week. His revolving door of hookups has become predictable at this point.

But tonight felt different somehow. As I listened to the sound of Dakota's laughter mingling with that of his guest, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled over me.

I had never been a fan of Dakota's casual approach to relationships, but I had learned to tolerate it, only for the sake of maintaining peace in our shared space. However, there was something about tonight's guest that set me on edge.

Lily.

The name alone was enough to send a shiver down my spine, a reminder of the tension that had simmered between them since the day they first met.

Lily had been Dakota's latest conquest, as I had seen her over a few times since we moved in. I thought he was done with her after the night at Bentley's, yet here she is.

From the moment that Lily and I had been introduced, there had been an unspoken animosity between them, fueled by jealously, insecurity, and perhaps something deeper.

I sat in my room, listening to the muffled sounds of conversation drifting through the walls, I couldn't help but wonder what Dakota saw in Lily.

Was it simply her looks, her charm, her willingness to play along with his games? Or was there something more, something that I couldn't quite comprehend?

With a heavy sigh I pushed myself off the bed and made my day to the kitchen, my footsteps echoing the empty hallway.

I knew that avoiding Dakota and Lily wasn't an option.

As I entered the kitchen, I found Dakota and Lily seated on the couch. Lily cuddled up close to him.

Dakota looked up as I entered, his usual smirk firmly in place, while Lily's gaze flickered briefly in my direction before returning back to Dakota.

"Hey, Emerson-Rose," Dakota greeter me casually, as if nothing was amiss. "You know Lily." I forced a smile, my discomfort evident as I nodded in Lily's direction.

"Hi, Lily," I said, my voice tinged with a hint of unease. Lily offered a tight-lipped smile in return, her eyes cold and calculating as they met my gaze.

The tension in the room was palpable as I took a seat at the table with my food, my mind racing with questions and uncertainties.

What was Lily doing here?

And more importantly, why did she seem to have such a strong dislike for me?