EUPHORIA │ t.h

thirty seven

the first date was amazing. there was nothing like it, and it created such a strong connection between the two that left both unbelievably happy. kiara smiled from ear to ear as soon as emily walked through the door with the same grin plastered on her face, with tom shortly behind her, his face similar to their's. harrison groaned, breaking the happy silence.

"how was the date, losers?" kiara questioned. emily's face reddened, causing her hands to fly over her cheeks. a giggle was heard from the small girl. tom stepped around her, removing her hands and lacing their fingers together as he led her over to the living area.

"why are you bitches still in my apartment?" emily questioned as tom took her jacket and sat her down on a chair.

"we wanted to make sure everything went well," harrison informs. "happy to see it did."

tom joined the three after hanging up their coats, sitting on the arm of the chair emily was sat in. emily wrapped her arm around his hips, tom resting his hand on her upper back and rubbing small circles on her clothed flesh, sending goosebumps down emily's arms and legs.

"did you guys kiss?" kiara quizzes. emily removed her arm from around tom and hid her face once more, leaning over her knees to give her more security. "i'll take that as a yes."

"did we ruin your guys' plans for the night?" harrison teases, wiggling his eyebrows at tom. tom shook his head with a tingling stomach. he didn't want to be the guy that hooked up with the girl on the first date, but they were legit making out on the other side of emily's door before they stepped inside the apartment, and he wasn't complaining a single bit.

"can we, like, watch a movie or something?" emily asks, sitting up from her previously folded position, flipping her hair backward. a light blush still clung to her freckled cheeks.

"what movie do you have in mind?" kiara questions, winking at emily.

"an actual movie, you damn horny kids," she retorts with a laugh, moving onto her floor in front of the cabinets under the tv. she shuffled through the movies, biting her lip as she chose options. "the last song, a walk to remember," a giggle escaping her lips as she read the next title aloud, "magic mike."

"a walk to remember is just fine," harrison interjected, tom nodding in agreement.

"you know the movie?" emily asked his way.

"no," harrison confessed, "but i know what the last song is - not the best movie - and i'm not watching shirtless stripper dudes."

"the last song is such a good movie!" emily argued, pulling a hurt expression. "i'm so offended."

"it's okay," kiara shrugs. emily's jaw drops, her shocked act not falling for a second.

"we can watch that after to all the boys i've loved before," tom announced to emily. emily snapped her head to him, smiling.

"you're such a people pleaser," harrison scoffs. "put the damn movie in, knight." emily rolls her eyes and puts a walk to remember in her dvd player. she stands, turning to head back to her chair. but her eyes catch sight of tom, who stole her seat. she glanced kiara and harrison's way, seeing them cuddled into each other on her couch. with a hidden smirk, she walks over to tom, stopping in front of him.

not saying a word, she swiftly lands herself on his lap, laying her legs over the armrest where tom's arm currently was laid. tom gulped, looking down at her. her head rested on his chest, her fingers clicking buttons on the few remotes she had beside them on the side table. he continued to gaze at her face, trying to analyze what her intention was.

"quit staring at her like that," harrison shouts, scaring both tom and emily. emily glanced up at tom, biting her lip to hide a grin from showing. "it's like watching peter parker stare at the spider-man suit." tom shot a glare harrison's way, making a silent promise to kill him for the sudden exposure.

soon the movie was playing, and tom found himself playing with emily's hair while she tried to suppress cries. he could tell she'd already seen the movie thousands of times because there was nothing to cry over yet - the on-screen lovers were literally making a pact to not fall in love with each other. there seemed to be no chemistry between the two. yet the further tom observed the pair, the more he realized how very much alike himself and emily were to landon and jamie, relationship-wise.

❀ ❀ ❀ ❀

it was the end of the movie, credits were rolling just as tears were from emily and kiara's eyes. kiara's were light, and she began to laugh at how stupid she felt for crying over a fiction couple. meanwhile, emily was silently sobbing. tom cradled her, gently rubbing his thumb along her arm as he let her cry into his chest.

"it's just so sad," emily finally spoke moments later, drying her eyes. "and it isn't fair."

"i know, darling," tom responded, hoping to bring a smile to her lips. he had succeeded, a smile of his own to match.

"that movie was actually good," harrison loudly spoke, chuckling as emily rolled her eyes yet again. "i'd watch it again."

"okay, it's getting late," kiara suddenly spoke, lifting herself from the couch, tugging harrison with her to the door.

"you don't have to leave so soon!" emily called out, remaining in her comfortable position.

"oh, that's okay! i'm really tired," kiara replies, tugging her shoes on.

before emily knew it, the other couple had left, leaving her alone with tom again. she smiled, forcing herself to stand. "you must be exhausted." tom's lips puckered to the side, his mind boggling responses around.

"yeah, i guess i am," he finally responded. emily informed him she was going to change and ready herself for bed in her en suite, telling tom he could dress down in the guest bathroom.

emily was ready quite fast, as was tom. both didn't know if the other was dressed in their nightwear, neither prepared to make the next move.

after giving herself a big pep talk in the mirror on her vanity, emily finally broke the tension. she walked to the guest bathroom and knocked on the door, tom suddenly appearing in a t-shirt and boxers. a smile broke out across his face as he saw emily analyze his outfit, her cheeks heating up. he could only imagine her reaction to him removing his shirt as he climbed into bed.

"as promised," emily spoke, grinning up at the boy, "you can sleep with me in my bed." tom grinned, lifting her off her feet and running into her bedroom. she laughed the whole way, only squirming because the way he held her was so uncomfortable and awkward. he finally tossed her onto the bed, ripped off his shirt, and laid under the covers beside emily.

as she rested her head on his bare chest, he knew how right his imagination was. she was blushing to the max over their touching skin.

emily focused on the beat of his heart, trying to make herself inhale and exhale to the same rhythm as him, and eventually fell into a deep sleep.

meanwhile, tom was left wide awake with only his thoughts to keep him company. the passionate kiss they shared just before rejoining kiara and harrison replaying in his head over and over again. he was falling so madly in love with her so fast, beginning to fear the possibility of hitting the ground with nothing but a splat and a shattered heart.