Lovely Bones {Sequel to Skinny Love}

This Moment

Emma's POV

I knew they were all trying to bring the focus off of me, but I couldn't help but notice the side way glances. A movie is playing. I don't know what it is, and I don't think anyone else was paying attention either.

"Em, could you come with me to my room?" Riley says from across the room. I nod, reluctant to leave Justin, but do anyways for Riley. He motions for me to go ahead of him, and I do. Before I know it, the door closes behind me and Toby stands before me. I spin around and pound on the door.

"Riley! Riley, open the door you asshole!" My hands were shaking. I could feel Toby's stare on my back. I shout again.

"Em, I can't. You need to talk to him." I can't believe what I was hearing. Riley actually wanted me to talk to Toby. After everything that happened, he was backing Toby up.

"Em, please." Toby says from behind me. I don't turn around. I was too afraid to.

"Why should I listen to you? After everything, why should I listen to anything you have to say?"

"You don't have to look at me. You don't have to say anything. Just please, please listen." He sounded so desperate. A tear escaped my eye. I didn't even know why I was crying, I just was. I was overwhelmed, maybe that was it. I have never been good with a lot of emotion, and over the past few weeks there had been a lot of emotion, all at once. 

"Okay." I whisper. "Okay, I'll listen."

I slowly turn around, but keep my eyes to the ground. I hear him take a sharp intake of breath.

"Well, how do I start?" Toby takes a short pause before beginning. "The other day, after you. . . ran away, Jo left her phone at my house. It rang and I picked it up. It was her father, very much alive." I resist looking up.

"Long story short, Jo and I broke up. Not seeing you everyday and not knowing where you were, killed me. I bet you can figure out my biggest fear." I could.

"I was so scared. More scared than I've ever been. I realized how big of an asshole I am. You will never understand how badly I wanna take everything back--how badly I hate myself for causing you pain. I don't deserve you, and it's probably selfish of me to tell you all of this. But I need to tell you one thing.I am in love with you. I'm in love with everything about you, and I'm not talking about the middle school crap love. No, I'm talking real love. Your insecurities, the way you look at yourself in the mirror, the things you do to yourself don't phase me.

"I know you hate any talk of this. I know you probably won't believe me, and I understand. I understand if you hate me, if you never wanna talk to me again. I just needed to say that. I can't hold it in."

My breath is caught in my throat at the moment. I don't know how long I stood there--don't know how long I let him stand there thinking I hated him. Of course I didn't. He just didn't know that. But he did once I looked up.

Tears formed in the corner of my eyes. I was happy and sad at the same time, and sometimes couldn't tell one kind of tear from the other.

I run over to him, wrapping my arms tight around his neck, not planning to let go anytime soon. He arms automatically find their former place around my waist. Toby buries his face into my shoulder, his tears wetting my shirt.

"Don't let me go." I say into his shirt.

"Never. Never again."

*~*~*

I don't know how much time has passed. It has felt like an eternity though I know it's only been about an hour. We lie on Toby's bed, his arm secured around my waist and my head resting on his chest. Occasionally I would look up and he would kiss me softly. I think we were both afraid this moment was going to slip away far too quickly. 

He would whisper sweet nothings into my hair, and I would respond. No amount of words could describe this moment. No amount of words could describe the love I had for Toby McDonough.

"I love you." He whispers in my hair. I smile, knowing I would never get tired of hearing him say those words to me.

"I love you." I respond. I sit up so I can get a better view of his face. He smiles softly up at me, making me smile back. He licks his lips. Even that small action makes my heart flutter.

I kiss him for a few moments, savoring every second.

"So," Toby says once I pull back, "your birthday is coming up."

"Mhmm. Finally 16." It felt like the year was always longer that it is. I'm a lot younger than most of my friends so when I finally turn 16, they'll turn 17 two months later.

"I'm throwing you a party."

"Toby, you don't have to do that." I was used to not celebrating my birthday with a party. My mother was usually doing something with my sister, and since it is in the summer, my friends are usually on vacation. Though it didn't bother me much. I usually rented a bunch of movies, and had Carly and Avery over.

"I am, and there is nothing you can do to stop me." He sticks his tongue out at me. I roll my eyes, but laugh. This moment. This moment was perfect.

****

You guys don't understand how difficult it was for me to write this chapter. Everything I have written has built up to this moment (Haha accidental chapter reference there). I have literally been planning this chapter in my head for months. There has been many ways I've thought how to go about it. Truth or dare and kidnapping are two that have crossed my mind haha. Anyways, not quite sure if I like this chapter.

I have decided one thing. Since I ended up getting to this scene in less chapters then I was expecting, I am not going to be writing a third book. Instead, I will put the scenes that were supposed to be in the third book in this book. So basically the story will be the exact same, it will just be in two books instead of three.

Thank you so much for cooperating with me with the delayed updates. I'm so terribly sorry about that!

I love all of you so much <3