Heyy! Wazzup? Just wanted to let you know: After you read this (and vote) check out April 775's What Will It Take To Find What I'm Missing?\

Ya'll love it.

Ok Read and Vote!!!!!!

And BTW: The POV's go a little crazy here. Carly and Damien get the moment to shine in this chapter. IDK if I'll do it again...I'm not sure.

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Chapter 18-Emma's POV:

Eternal Flame by The Bangles

"What the hell Zach?" Josh asked, a little irritated.

Zach? Oh yeah, duh. I almost forgot about him. That's pretty bad right? Forgetting about your only friend?

"You're going down Poppins," Zach growled from the other line. I frowned, but held my hand out for the phone. Josh shook his head.

"Josh, gimme the phone," I demanded. He shook his head again.

I grinned evilly, then walked two fingers up his arm, "Please?" I whispered.

He dropped the phone in my hand, and before I talked to Zach, I mouthed, 'I win.' He rolled his eyes.

"Zach?" I asked, turning angry again. How dare he THREATEN my boyfriend! Wait? I backpedaled, my BOYFRIEND? Did I just say that?

"Emma?"

I threw the questions out of my head, so I wasn't indecisive when I talked to Zach. "Lay a finger on Josh and I'll kick your ass all the way into next week."

I heard Josh snicker and I slapped him on the arm.

"But, I thought we were friends?" Zach asked.

I gritted my teeth, "Friends don't threaten other friend's boyfriends."

"How would you know? It's not like you've ever had a friend." Ouch, that hurt. Then I realize what I said. I just called Josh my boyfriend. Oh shit.

I looked over at Josh, to see if I could tell whether he agreed with what I just said. Wow, we're having 'the boyfriend' talk while I'm chewing out my guy friend. Can you say awkward?

But Josh was angry, maybe the angriest I've ever seen him. He stole the phone from my palm and put it up to his ear. "Say that about Emma again, and it won't just be her you have to worry about," he muttered in a kind of deadly calm that gave me shivers up my spine.

Josh looked at me and mouthed, 'do you want to talk to him?' Somehow, through my slight numbness, I managed to mouth back, 'hell no, hang up on his sorry ass.' I'm not sure if Josh got everything, but he hung up.

"Sorry," Josh said, smiling meekly at me.

I rolled my eyes, "I took care of myself before, I can now."

"Yeah," he said softly, "But you don't have to." Then he walked over and gave me a hug.

I sighed, then hugged him back. After awhile though, the sickly sweetness of it all settled in my gut and gave me an uncomfortable feeling. I think Josh got it to, because we broke apart at the same time.

I ran a hand through my hair, "So...safety."

"I think you know enough safety to last you a lifetime," he grinned.

"No crap."

Silence.

"I want you to be my girlfriend," he blurted.

I considered that for a second, just to freak him out.

I grinned, "Good because otherwise me saying you were my boyfriend would've been very awkward."

"Whatever. You're secretly jumping inside that you got so lucky."
I rolled my eyes, "Right, and you're secretly Orlando Bloom."

"I am handsome enough," he posed for a second.

I punched his arm, thinking 'I have the best boyfriend in the world.'

"Yes. You do." Josh grinned.

And then, sometimes, I have Josh.

"Sooooo not cool man."


Carly's POV:

I inspected my nails as Zach ranted on and on about Emma, "God, they've known each other for-what? Like five days? God!"

I rolled my eyes, "You know how right they are for each other."

Zach got up in face, "I, ME, could've been right for her!"

"You wish," I snapped, then pushed him out of the way, "Look, you either get rid of Josh, or you move on. But this," I gestured towards him, "Doesn't do shit."

Zach huffed, "How am I going to 'get rid' of Josh, when Emma protects him like a bear?"

"You're such an idiot. She only protects him because she loves him," he cringed at 'love', "if you changed that...well, you win." I laughed.

I don't know why I was telling Zach all this, I mean, I felt bitter to Emma, sure. Who wouldn't? Every time Mom came over she talked constantly about Emma, then when she ran away, Mom didn't even visit anymore. How could Emma be so selfish? She hurt Mom, her town, and, indirectly, me. And she did it on purpose.

Emma's hilarious, and she's got my kind of attitude, but she's a selfish bitch. My motto is: Innocent until proven guilty, so I'm going to TRY to see Emma's side of the story.