𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔 || 𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐰𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐬

chapter 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐒𝐈𝐗 - friend of a friend

Emmalyn's face flushed, immediately becoming aware of how awkward the situation was. She looked over to Taylor who expression was unreadable. It was a mixture of hurt, confusion and irritation. Emmalyn could sense that he was holding something back, his eyes showed defeat.

She looked up again, trying to shoot a friendly slash 'go away' look to her ex-boyfriend but he didn't get the hint. Although last time to get rid of him she had to practically scream. Emmalyn was praying it wouldn't have to happen again, that he'd matured and understood regular human feelings.

"So, who's this guy? 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝?" Jake filled the awkward silence again, Taylor found him much too comfortable for his liking. It's not like either of them had invited him to sit down and chat, he was just making his own conversation at this point.

Rage filled Taylor's vision when Jake gestured to him with another confused look, almost laughing to Emmalyn as though Taylor wasn't there and she didn't know who he was either. It hurt.

"Jake, this is Taylor. He's my-," She hesitated, making Taylor's heart ache even more. Was she seriously still hung up over him?

He sat back, arms crossed as though to surrender, "I'm gonna head to the bathroom, see you in a sec."

As Taylor left the table, Jake waited for the man to be totally out of eyeline before sliding down in opposite Emmalyn. "So, what are you doing with a guy like him? I mean he looks like-."

"He's much nicer to me than you ever were," Emmalyn finally snapped, angry at the fact that he felt that he was allowed to waltz back in and pick on the man who actually loved her.

"Calm down, Emmy," He slipped his hand over the table and on top of Emmalyn's which lay palm down, "Look... I've been meaning to call you for ages."

"You haven't once called since 1994, why are you trying now?" Emmalyn's tone continued to be sharp, but she was too nervous to pull her hand away.

"Woah," His eyes narrowed, retracting his hand which relieved Emmalyn internally, although he seemed mad, "When did you start talking to me like that?"

"Since you disrespected my dead brother," Emmalyn shot up from her seat, a disgusted look on her face as she glared at Jake. Her pulse increased slightly when she realised how unfazed he was.

"You're still holding that against me?" Jake teased, but it infuriated Emmalyn that he was trying to regain the familiarity that he very clearly lost on April 4th 1994, if he even had it then, "I didn't mean it, like that."

Emmalyn's eyes narrowed at him, collecting her purse as she watched the man sprawled out in the seat that Taylor had been in just five minutes ago. Speak of Taylor, he returned to see Emmalyn up and ready to go.

"Taylor, I'd like to leave," Emmalyn uttered, her tone quiet but firm, "Now please."

Taylor may have been angry or irritated or even upset, but he dropped it all when he saw the look in Emmalyn's eyes. She looked distressed and tired, the look she only possessed when truly rattled, therefore he nodded showing little to no emotion as he took Emmalyn's hand into his own. It wasn't an act of romance, he just wanted to keep her safe.

"Dude, don't be like that we were just catching up," Jake stood up, getting up in Taylor's space already, "She doesn't want a junkie like you, man."

Taylor's blood stopped boiling for a second and he felt entirely betrayed. He shot Emmalyn a pained glare but her mouth was open to speak, "Don't you dare speak to him like that."

"Does he need you to stick up for his ass? Look, baby. Just hang back and let him go home back to his needles, we can have a proper date later."