There's still tomorrow

She likes you

Emma's heart raced as she and Dzhokhar made their way through the rows of cages at the shelter. She couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the pit of her stomach. She was, without any doubt, nervous. Dzhokhar was walking in front of her, his pace was calm and slow, but to Emma it seemed like he was walking with a swagger, an old habit he took with him from his teenage years. In high school, Emma could recognize him immediately because of that walk.

They suddenly found themselves walking next to each other, Emma stealing glances at him, trying to study his expression. She expected to see a mask of indifference, a facade hiding the darkness that lived within him. But to her surprise, his face held no hint of evil. Instead, he looked genuinely curious, his eyes alight with a spark of interest as he stepped closer to a particular cage.

As the dogs kept barking to catch their attention, Emma's breath suddenly caught in her throat as she realized they were alone. Mike, in fact, was nowhere to be seen, leaving them isolated in the quiet stillness of the shelter. A wave of fear washed over Emma as she remembered the horror of his actions, the pain and suffering he had caused.

With a sense of trepidation, Emma stopped right next to him and to the cage he was being curious about, her heart pounding in her chest. He stayed silent for a moment, his eyes fixated on Shelby, one of the shelter's most diffident dogs. Shelby was timid and had a difficult past, she didn't usually trust people and Emma was the only one who could deal with her. Emma stood back, watching in surprise and a strange mix of emotions as Dzhokhar stared at Shelby. His expression was tender, his lips curved into a gentle smile. Emma looked down at Shelby when she realized she wasn't barking at him. Instead, she looked up at Dzhokhar with wide, trusting eyes, its tail wagging eagerly at his approach.

Dzhokhar reached out to gently stroke her head, and Shelby let him do it. Dzhokhar's smile was childlike, his hand sweetly caressing the dog.  As she observed them, Emma's heart softened slightly. How could someone who had committed such a heinous act, someone she had seen as a symbol of terror and evil, display such genuine affection and warmth towards an other creature?

"She likes you," Emma remarked, a hint of surprise in her voice.

Dzhokhar glanced up, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his features. "Is that... weird?" he asked.

Emma hesitated, her gaze trying not to meet Dzhokhar's. "Very," she replied honestly, her voice soft but steady. "She knows you mean no harm... to her."

Emma wanted to clarify that Shelby's trust didn't extend to her own trust. And Shelby was obviously a poor judge of character.

Dzhokhar's expression softened, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I've always liked dogs," he admitted quietly, his eyes returning to Shelby.

Emma wanted to ask him why he didn't like people, instead, but the tenderness in his gestures towards the dog had caught her off guard. Him liking dogs didn't mean anything. After all, Vladimir Putin liked dogs too but he was a piece of shit anyway.

Suddenly, Dzhokhar's gaze bore into Emma's.

"Are you sure you didn't go to Rindge and Latin?" Dzhokhar asked, his voice calm but tinged with a hint of uncertainty.

Dzhokhar's question caught Emma off guard, his gaze piercing through her defenses. She was left momentarily stunned, her mind racing to find a response.

"I'm sure," Emma then replied curtly, her voice lsharp. "And I really don't care about chit chatting."

The words spilled out harshly, driven by a surge of pent-up frustration and fear. She couldn't ignore the unsettling feeling of having Dzhokhar right next to her, free.

"You're here to work," Emma continued, her tone biting. "To pay back society for what you've done."

Dzhokhar's brow furrowed. "Sorry," he replied softly, his voice tinged with sincerity.

Emma's jaw clenched with frustration. Now he didn't want to upset her? Really?

 Emma knew that ignoring him wouldn't make him disappear – he was a part of her reality now, whether she liked it or not. 

"Tomorrow at 8 o'clock. Don't be late", Emma said, turning away. Emma was struggling to contain her emotions. She knew that ignoring him wouldn't make him disappear – he was a part of her reality now, whether she liked it or not, but she refused to let him see her vulnerability, to acknowledge the scars and trauma he had left behind.

Not again.

***

Emma walked up the path to her house, her footsteps heavy with the weight of a long and rough day. What happened was crazy and a part of her still believed she was dreaming. She couldn't shake the thought of Dzhokhar out of her mind, his face imprinted in her mind. 

As she reached the front door, her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sight of a familiar figure standing outside. Jacob, her ex-boyfriend, was waiting for her, his hands nervously playing with the fabric of his shirt. 

"Of all days," Emma muttered under her breath. After what had happened, she just wanted peace. She had no will to deal with Jacob's shit.

She quickened her pace, hoping to slip past him unnoticed, but that didn't work.

"Emma, wait," Jacob called out, his voice tinged with desperation. "You haven't been answering my calls or messages. Can we please talk?"

Emma's jaw tightened as she glanced at Jacob, her expression unreadable. 

"What do you want, Jacob?" Emma asked curtly, her tone guarded.

Jacob's smile faltered slightly at her chilly reception. "I know I messed up, but I miss you. Can we hang out this weekend, just like old times?"

Emma's patience was wearing thin. "I don't have time for this right now," she snapped, her frustration bubbling to the surface.

Jacob's expression fell, hurt flickering in his eyes. "Emma, please," he pleaded, his voice tinged with desperation. "Can we just have a conversation? I miss you."

Before Emma could respond, her sister Jane swung open the door, her eyes narrowing as she caught sight of Jacob. "Em, dinner's ready just now," she called out, her tone firm.

Relieved for the interruption, Emma hesitated only briefly before obeying her sister's summons. As she passed by Jacob, she caught a glimpse of Jane glaring at him. Smiling, Jane raised her hand and flashed Jacob the middle finger before slamming the door shut behind them.

Emma sighed. She knew she couldn't avoid the conversation forever, but for now, she was grateful she didn't have to deal with him. Life was really testing her.

Inside the house, Jane confronted. "Why won't he leave you alone?" she asked, her voice low.

Emma shook her head. "I don't know, Jane. I just need some space right now," she replied quietly.

Jane nodded understandingly, her expression softening. "I'll leave you alone, then. You know where to find me."

 Emma settled into her living room, her mind a whole mess. The encounter with Jacob had only added to the weight of the day, leaving her feeling emotionally drained. Also, the memory of Dzhokhar still lingered like a persistent ache. Emma wrestled with the idea of telling Jane. Part of her wanted to share the burden, but another part hesitated, afraid she might've told their mother. She didn't want to leave the shelter, so her mother didn't need to know. She was old enough to care for herself.

Lost in her own thoughts, Emma pulled out her phone and clicked on Cara's whatsapp chat. She stared at the screen for a while before finally typing the message:

"How about some breakfast tomorrow?"