~Emma's POV~
My converses hit the pavement roughly, in time with the others. The little bits of rock on the road gleamed in the bright daylight. I could hear Ashton ruffling the plastic which contained the flowers.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" CeCe asked.
"I'm positive," I replied, not sounding convincing.
"Emma," Ashton ran up next to me. "We don't have to be there when you do this. This is between you and them, not us."
"I just need you all here for afterwards," I gritted my teeth, continuing my trek up the hill.
They all stopped where the hill met flat ground. Ashton handed me the two bouquets which I gingerly held. I thanked them for allowing me to come, especially Ashton. It was his birthday we were supposed to be celebrating. Ashton quickly wrapped me in a tight embrace, his tall figure towering over me. I let go and smiled, giving his hand a tight squeeze. Michael gave me a kiss on the cheek and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.
The humid air around Pittsburgh caused me to repeatedly readjust my cut off shirt, which was Michael's Sex Pistols tee. The back of my legs and shoulders burned as the hot sun hit them. I stopped in from of two graves directly under a large Oak tree.
"Hey guys," I whispered, sitting down on the green grass.
I held the pink and yellow bouquet tightly in my hand, staring at the grave. I set the flowers against the headstone and traced my fingers over the engraving.
"It's been awhile. Hasn't it, Leah?"
The only answer I received was the soft summer breeze.
"I met a boy, ya know. He's kind and sweet. You would really like him. You'd like his friends, too. Especially Ashton. He really likes CeCe," I spoke bluntly. "I miss you all the time. I see you in the flowers outside of Grandma's house, in the crowds I perform to, and in Ashton's little sister. But most importantly, in myself. Sometimes when I look in the mirror, I wonder what you would like right now. I love you, but I have to let you go."
My emotions were getting the better of me as I laid the blue flowers on the other grave, "Michael, I think you'd be proud of me right now. I met someone who understands me. He doesn't pressure me into anything. I'm living this dream- for both of us, but I can't keep living like this."
By now I was sobbing, "For the longest time I blamed myself for this, but this isn't my fault. These people I call my friends helped me realize this. I did not kill you. You were already dead to me. We barely talked before. What would make us interact now?
You see, I can't keep living in regret. I can't keep wishing that I'll wake up and this was just a dream. I can't be living everyday in constant emotional distress.
Memories of you have haunted me ever since that fateful night, and I can't help but want to forget you. I need to keep living, it's what you both would have wanted.
Listen to me when I say this! You will not break me! I am going to break free! Because I am not afraid to walk this world alone if I have to. I will do whatever it takes to keep on living. I have friends now. I have fans. I have a life.
You can't hold me down. You will not silence my heartbeat. You aren't going to keep me here. You are not going to keep me from moving on. I am going to break free from you and these horrid memories!" I had resorted to screaming.
It suddenly felt like a weight was lifted off my chest. I gripped the grass in between my fingers and shakily stood up. My head whipped back to the road where I saw Ashton approaching me.
"They sent me to make sure you were okay," he cautiously spoke.
I sniffled and nodded my head. As I stood in the graveyard, staring at my brother and sister, Ashton quickly wrapped his arms around me. I wrapped mine back around him. He reminded me of my brother.
"Just like Michael," I whispered, looking into his eyes.
"Which one?" Ashton smiled like a dork.
I chuckled, "My brother."
Ashton hugged me again, and I felt a sense of relief when he did. As though he was my brother, not the the boy six feet under in front of me. Ashton's arms around me made me feel protected in a way that you feel with your siblings.
"Thank you," I whispered, breaking away from his grasp.
He smiled, "Anytime."
As we walked across the graveyard, I would occasionally look back at the two graves under the Oak tree. Ashton put an arm around my shoulder, keeping me walking. Every time I looked back, he would pull me closer. Once we had reached the others at the top of the hill, Michael immediately engulfed me in a hug.
"I'm okay," I whispered.
"No you're not."
I started to sob once more and he held onto me tightly. We stood there for a couple of minutes until I broke away. Michael wiped my eyes with the pads of his thumbs.
"So Ashton," I smiled. "I say we go back to the hotel and celebrate. You up for it?"
~
Michael was running his fingers across my torso, from one hip to the other. I tried to ignore his touch, but that only caused it to occupy my mind more. We laid on the bed, my back to his chest.
"Babe," I would whine.
"Just watch the movie," he chuckled, nodding towards the television.
After the show, everyone went back to the hotel to chill out. The Avengers was on the hotel television screen inside CeCe and I's hotel room. CeCe decided that her and Michael would switch rooms secretly, so we could each have a night together.
"Michael," I whimpered, dragging out his name.
He chuckled in my ear, sending his breath onto my neck, "What babe?"
"You know what you're doing! Now cut it out!" I demanded.
He threw one of his legs over my waist and straddled my hips, "And if I don't?"
My breath hitched for a moment, and my cheeks flushed, "Then I'll...."
"You aren't very threatening, Emma," he leaned into my ear. "You're really hot when you think you are, though."
"Michael, if this is just you being a tease, I want you off of me," I demanded.
"Oh, but I'm not just being a tease," Michael smirked.
I leaned close into his ear and whispered, "Prove it."
Michael presses his hips into my own and I gasped. His tight jeans could not hide anything, and no- he wasn't being a tease. I quickly sat up and traded places with him. I pulled his shirt over his head and ran my index finger over his collarbone, which caused him to let out a small groan.
I smirked at him, "You're gonna get it, Clifford."
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Stories In The Morning, But Legends Tonight| m.g.c
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