Better

Chapter 12

"So, what are you doing after class?" Katherine asked, four days later. Emma had fallen into a slump, Katherine becoming increasingly more worried. Emma would only leave the house for school and work, even calling in one day sick. She wasn't eating much, her face looking more frail. Her skin was paler, the bags under her eyes heavier and darker. And she hadn't spoken to Dylan. No phone call, no visit, no nothing. He hadn't reached out to her, so she decided she wouldn't reach out to him.

"I'm going home" Emma grumbled, grabbing her bag as she walked to the door. Katherine sighed, jogging to catch up with her. Katherine was worried about her friend who seemed to be spiraling into a deeper, and darker pit.

She had stayed over the first night, comforting her friend over a tub of Ben and Jerry's strawberry ice cream and a romantic comedy in which Emma was reduced to more tears. The second day Katherine had to force Emma into the shower, forcing her into an outfit that wasn't sweat pants and a tee shirt. From there she dragged her to class, only to have Emma run home and go back in bed after class.

"Emma, why don't we go out? See a movie or something?" Katherine asked, jogging to keep up with her friend's brisk pace. Emma shook her head no, sniffling in the cold. Katherine sighed, stopping her friend. "Emma, you can't hide out in your apartment forever" Katherine told her, Emma flaring her nostrils.

"I'm not" Emma responded defensively, crossing her arms over her chest. "I just-it still hurts" Emma muttered, scuffing her shoe on the gravel. Katherine sighed, her face softening as she placed a loving hand on her friend's shoulder.

"I know hun. I know it still hurts but staying home and dwelling on it isn't going to help it get better" Katherine explained, Emma nodding with misty eyes. "Maybe-" Katherine paused, shaking her head. "Maybe you should go see him" the words came out in a rushed mess, Katherine fearing Emma's reaction.

Emma's eyes went wide, her face recoiling in confusion. "What? No, that's a terrible idea, Katherine" Emma responded quickly, her eyebrows knitted together in anger. Emma's heart ached, breathless at the thought of seeing him again. She couldn't do that: she just couldn't.

"Emma, I think it would be good for you to get closure on the whole thing. Without it, you'll always have that hole in your chest" Katherine tried to explain, but Emma wasn't buying it.

Emma scoffed, shaking her head. "I already have that hole in my chest" she groaned, storming a few more feet to her car. "And even if I did go, what would I say? Huh?" Emma asked, shaking her head in disbelief as she stopped, turning back to her friend. Katherine exhaled heavily, leaning against her car.

"I think you should ask him what happened. There could be an explanation for this, because honestly Emma, something just doesn't line up" Katherine tried to explain the intuition that something in this story didn't line up.

Emma laughed sourly, shaking her head. "What's there to explain? They were...and his hands-they were-she-" Emma could even talk about it without the wind being taken from her lungs, an aching pain blossoming in her chest.

"I know Em" Katherine's shoulders slumped defeatedly. "But you're Emma Willis and the Emma Willis I know would go in there and give him hell for what he's done. If he really did cheat, then you can't let him win" Katherine explained, Emma shaking her head sadly.

"That's the thing. He didn't cheat on me, Katherine. We weren't dating. We were never dating. He didn't do anything wrong. It's my fault, okay? I misread everything and I fell for him. It was my mistake, not his" Emma told her, opening the door to her car, pausing with a deep sigh. "Just let me deal with this, okay? I'll get over it eventually" Emma spoke softly, closing her eyes for a moment. "I'll see you in class tomorrow" Emma got into her car, slamming the door shut.