F.R.I.E.N.D.S (a fanfic)

The One Where She's His

Chapter 8

I have been drumming my fingers on the table in front of me for around five minutes; even my leg is starting to shake. Judging by my clammy hands and the relentless biting of my lip, nervous would be an understatement of what I'm feeling right now. What do I say to him? What would you say to a man you ran off from one week before your wedding? Oh right, I don't think anybody else has been in this situation. Pulling me out of my train of thoughts was someone pulling the chair across from me. I look up to a very familiar sight: one that tugs at my heart and all the feelings of guilt that were building up slowly in the very pit of my stomach over the past five months just exploded in a mixture of emotions and it took me a lot of self-control to not just burst out with tears and apologies.

"Emma.." he lets out a strained breath as he takes a seat, taking my entire appearance in.

"Hey Jeff," I say stupidly with a small smile. Once he's seated his arms lunge forward as he cups both of my hands in his own.

"I'm so glad you called, baby. I know you needed your space and I'm glad you're done with that phase and you're ready to come back, "he says this with so much confidence that it hurts me to continue breaking his heart. He thought this was just a phase that I would come out from. He thinks I called him to get back together. I quickly remove my hands from his clutch, not wanting to lead him on further. His face instantly falls and he looks confounded but he keeps his hands there, insanely close to me across the small table.

"Jeff..I'm so sorry..this isn't just a phase. I'm happy here and I don't think I could ever come back." 

He keeps running his hand through his blond hair until it's ruffled, messy and so unlike him, muttering quick paced 'no's under his breath. And me? I wished that at this moment, the ground would just crack open and swallow me whole. How do people even break up with other people? I mean I've done it loads of times in high school but school breakups end up in curses and anger not in this kind of hurt and heart-break.

"Jeff.. it's not you. You're honestly the best man a woman could ask for but for my entire life, people have been making decisions for me. You know you were my father's decision and I just want to for once, explore my options and get to choose my own path, you know?" I winced internally at the look he gave me next. He was hurting and it was just now that I'm realizing that the man has strong feelings for me. For the past two years, I had just assumed that he felt the same: that there wasn't anything there between us except the familiarity. I was wrong and I feel even guiltier right now, if that was even possible.

"I love you, Emma. I'm in love with you. Please. Give me another chance and I'll let you explore anything you want to, I'll even land you all the jobs that you want to try out. Anything." He pleads, and his green eyes become somewhat glassy.

I shake my head with a sigh, "See that's the problem. That's all you guys want to do: get me things that I can perfectly earn on my own. I want to earn those jobs Jeff, that money, everything. I don't want things handed over to me anymore. And I don't want people to think I can't do things on my own."

He looks taken aback by my response and rejection makes his face harden. He leans back in his chair, staring at me intently. He remains like this for some seconds with me nervously trying to avoid his stare until he speaks again.

 "No."

My eyebrows shoot up in confusion. Did I hear him right?

"No?" I ask also leaning away from him.

He nods.

Well then.

"You're mine Emma. Always have always will be. I won't let another man touch you." He maintains his eye contact not even flinching and frankly I don't know whether to be scared or angry at his possessiveness. Where did this even come from? I keep blinking, trying to get my brain to function long enough to form a reply.

"I'm not anyone's property, Jeff. Not yours nor my father's. I'm my own person and I will do as I please," I try to hide the irritation in my voice.

"No, Emma, you don't understand. I love you." I wrack my brain on that last sentence of his but I come up blank and so I wait for him to continue telling me what I apparently don't understand. But he only gets up, confusing me further. My eyes follow him warily and I bite back the sudden fear that I get from his current stance. What is he doing?

"What are you doing?"

"I'm giving you some space for a while." He says this like it's the most normal thing in the world as he calmly pushes the chair back in its place. The calmness makes me uneasy and I don't understand what's happening.

He looks to me then and nods politely with a smile, "You're mine," He repeats before leaving.

I am left there stunned. No, scratch that. I am stupefied. I am unaware of the meaning behind his words and frankly, I'm quite frightened by them. His eerie coolness only added more to my disquiet. I mean before this meeting, I had not thought for a second that Jeff carried any sort of feelings for me. Yes, we were fond of each other, but it never went beyond that; at least for me. And hearing him say those words was just plain unnerving. I'm jerked back into reality when the waitress calls out to me again.

***

I sit on the couch in the living room at my and Joey's apartment, still thinking over the horror movie of a conversation that I had with Jeff. I had come back home, although dazed but Joey wasn't around and so I took it as an opportunity to fear for my life. I don't know why I was so affected by the conversation; he could just be waiting for me to come back to him, maybe thinking I'd fail in life and come back running to him. Maybe that's why he sounded so determined. I'd love to think that was all true, but unfortunately I knew Jeff too well and I know there was more behind his words than meets the eye. Just thinking about those two words he uttered at the end made the hairs at the back of my neck stand in alarm. I curled myself up on the couch, staring ahead at nothing in particular. 

I was awoken from my thoughts when I heard the door open with a creak and then shut loudly. I look up and I see him. When our eyes meet, his face softens and he lets out a long exhale of relief. Memories from what had happened this morning pour in slowly into my head and I feel like hitting myself for letting my emotions get the best of me.

"Thank God. I've been looking all over for you."

And that was all it took to make me feel all warm and cozy inside, practically melting.

_________________

A/N: I know the title sort of sounded exciting, if you know what I mean. Did you think it was Jeff or Joey?

Also, guess what happened this morning. So I was watching the episode of FRIENDS with the birthing video and I was drinking my hot chocolate and then I SPIT IT OUT ALL OVER MY LAPTOP.

Guess it's my fault, you can't really drink anything while watching friends..

And how about we try to get to 20 comments and 40 votes this time before the next update? Don't be a silent reader and tell me what you think!

Love you guys