Love in the Spotlight

Chapter 14: Broken Things Stay Broken

I froze.

I couldn't speak. I couldn't do anything. The room fell quiet and they both looked at me. Regretting ever saying anything. My mind became cluttered with thoughts instantly. I felt a twist of pain hit my chest. Like a knife being drove deep into my heart. If hearts could break, those words had shattered mine.

"Emma?" Liz stood and came toward me. I kept my eyes focused to the floor. Four days? Why didn't he call me? Where is he? Horrid images of him being hurt or stranded flashed before my eyes. "I'm so sorry. I thought you knew he was back" she said sweetly. I looked up to glare at her.

"How could I have known?" I snapped at her. "We haven't talked in so long" I walked away from her and rushed into the kitchen. There wasn't enough room to escape and I found myself feeling closed in. "Where is he?" against my hopes of concealing the pain, my words came out as a whimper. I closed my eyes to focus on my breathing.

"I was suppose to pick him up from the airport" she said. Answering a question that was never asked. "When I arrived he wasn't there, so I called him" her voice faded. I looked back over my shoulder, my eyes pleading for her to continue. "I don't know where he is" she added apologetically.

My world was spinning. Nothing made sense and I felt lost in a fog so thick, I couldn't breathe. Did I do something wrong?

I felt the small twinge of hope pull from me. The hope that perhaps this crazy storm we've lost ourselves in would soon become clear, but instead I fell deeper into the mist. I walked away from them. Heading off to my room, I couldn't deal with any of this right now.

Some time had passed and I heard the closing of a door, followed by the soft knock on my door.

"Come in" I said even though I wanted to be alone. I laid on my back, my eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. Cary appeared in the doorway of my room.

"I'm sorry baby girl"

"Did you know?" I asked him. Not looking at him.

"She called me. Yeah" I sighed. Throwing my hands up in defeat. I sat up, tucking my knees and clutching onto my pillow, a tear rolled down he side of my cheek.

"Emma I-"

"Do you think he's with her?" I asked. I felt sick at the thought of his four days being spent with her. Kristen had him for three years and I now had to face the fact that perhaps she had him again.

"Emma he wouldn't.."

"I want to be alone" I rolled over and cradled my pillow to my chest. Everything hurt and I felt drained of all energy. I heard him stand there for a bit longer before closing my door and leaving.

***

I woke in the middle of the night to the ringing of my phone. It was stuffed under my pillow and the ring tone managed to work its way into my dreams.

"Hello?" I sounded raspy and immediately cleared my throat.

"Emma. It's Rob" I clicked on the lamp beside my bed and sat up.

"Rob? Where are you? Are you okay? Why haven't you called? What happened?" I fired multiple questions at him. Knowing he couldn't answer them all at once, it had managed to cut down on the pressure that built up inside.

He paused before speaking .

"Yes, I'm fine" was all he told me. Where was he? Why did he wait four days to call?

"Please tell me what's going on" I pleaded. I felt so distant from him now compared to the time before he left.

"I need to see you" he said. He spoke like such a thing was forbidden. I was confused.