10 things I hate about you - Hotchniss

human

Emily woke up with an enormous headache. She couldn't even see clearly, her head was pounding and it felt like it was close to exploding. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes again and let the memories of the previous night run through her head.

It had been such a good night, she had nearly managed to ruin everything for Agent Hotchner - until Jason had not returned her feelings and, even worse, had told her he liked her best friend Olivia. The brunette remembered how she had broken down crying and how Aaron had comforted her. Aaron, her worst enemy, had actually held her and driven her home to get some rest.

She opened her eyes again and blinked two, three times. Finally seeing clearly, she looked down at her body. She was still wearing her dress, yet someone had pulled a sweater over it. Emily didn't know whose sweater it was, it was simply grey and way too big for her. Internally, she was begging that it was not Agent Hotchner's.

Slowly getting up, she cursed to herself. God, why had she been so weak in front of him? It was her main goal to get him fired and nevertheless, he had been the only one who truly helped her last night, which made no sense at all. You don't help your enemies.

After taking a quick shower and brushing her teeth, Emily changed into joggers and a simple tank top. She made her way downstairs into the huge kitchen in order to get some coffee. Usually, nobody of the Prentiss family spent a lot of time down there since their meals were usually served; yet Emily was the only one who always went down there by herself.

"Good morning, Mrs. Prentiss", one of the cooks greeted her.

"It's only Emily, Greta", the girl smiled and made her way to the coffeepot.

"Your parents already had breakfast, do you want me to prepare you some?"

"No, thank you", she replied. "I'm not really hungry. Coffee is enough for now."

"You should eat more, honey", the chubby woman said. "You're getting skinnier every time I see you. I can count your bones from here!"

Emily let out a slight chuckle: "Thanks for your concern, but I'm fine, really."

She filled a cup with coffee and walked up to her room again. As she closed the door to her room behind her, tears started to fill her eyes. Emily was not good at dealing with heartbreaks, and this was by far the worst she had ever suffered from by then.

"Keep it together", she whispered to herself and took a sip of coffee. "Just keep it together." Placing the cup on her bedside table, she walked over to her window. As soon as she had opened it, the cold air started to fill her lungs.

Turning around, she discovered the photos that she had framed on her desk. One of them showed Jason and her at lunch in school. God, she wouldn't be able to face him after summer break. To her own luck, this would be in approximately four weeks. Four weeks to get over him.

Her hands were shaking as she took the photo in her hand. How long had she gone through the 'best-friend-fassade', always believing that he only did the same because he liked her, too? Just last night, he had said that he had known that she had had an eye on him for quite a while. Then why did he let her hopes get up that high?

Pure anger shot through Emily's veins and the next thing she knew was how she smashed the frame against the wall at the other side of her room. The glass broke into many pieces, but she didn't mind to pick them up. She just stood there, not able to move at all.

A knock on the door brought her back to reality. She didn't reply, but the door opened anyways.

Her eyes met Aaron's and both of them stood still for a brief second.

"I didn't say that you could come in", she then said. She didn't hiss or snap like she usually did, no - her voice sounded dry and empty. Just like she felt.

"You never call anyone in", he shrugged.

"What do you want?", she then asked, her voice still the same. "Celebrating your victory now?"

"Why do you keep thinking that I want to celebrate any victory?", he asked back.

"Because I was weak yesterday and even accepted your help or whatever that was. I didn't get you fired, even though I hate you and getting rid of you was my main goal. Congratulations Agent Hotchner, you survived.", she mumbled.

"No, I just came here to check how you were doing and to get back my sweater", he sighed and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "And I heard how you smashed something against the wall."

She grabbed the grey sweater from her shelf and threw it in his direction: "I'm perfectly fine."

"You don't look fine."

"You don't look fine either, do I go ahead and ask you how you are doing then? Obviously not.", she snapped.

"I know that being rejected and having a heartbreak is not easy, trust -"

"Stop! Just stop, okay?!", Emily interrupted him. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Acting all nice and friendly."

"Just because you still hate me doesn't mean that I hate you, too.", he sighed

"Are you even hearing yourself?", she exclaimed. "You told me how childish and annoying I am, how much I am getting on your nerves and how much you hate me! You were the one that was hoping that we would never talk again after last night! You were the one that stopped me from going to a really good party two days ago! So just because I was rejected last night, you all of the sudden changed your mind?! Does being rejected make me a different person? No, it doesn't! So stop pitying me or acting like you don't hate me, because I know you fucking do!"

"Okay", he snapped. "Okay! I apologize for trying to comfort you. As far as I experienced it myself, being rejected is the worst that can happen to a person in our age. No, it does not make you a different person. You are still as broken and god-awful as you always were, and yes, I still can't stand you. I'm sorry for even  thinking that you can be human, too."

And with these words, he turned around and left her room.

"Fuck you", Emily hissed.

He stopped in the doorframe and turned to face her again. "Oh, don't worry, I don't have to fuck myself. After all, I'm not the one who was rejected last night."

And before he could realize what happened, she was standing in front of him and her fist smashed into his face.