Master Plan {d. dobrik}

30

Emily was never one to rely on someone. She took pride in knowing if someone up and left her life, she'd be okay. It was something she worked hard on maintaining and mastering.

While this was true, Emily Neal had never met anyone like David before. He was her best friend, and in many ways, her source of comfort. So when the reality of her dad being gone began to settle in again, the breakdown began. Emily tried to control it. She tried to cry it out and comfort herself, but nothing was working.

She wanted David.

Giving into the want of his comfort was what led her to driving to his house, tears falling freely down her face.

Sobbing, Emily knocked on the glass door. She kept her head down, not proud of the fact that she'd showed up at his house after two months of not speaking. Emily's head darted up at the sound of the door opening.

His brown eyes met her hazel ones. David looked absolutely taken aback. The girl he was in love with, his best friend, whom he hadn't spoken to in two months was on his doorstep, sobbing.

"I-I'm sorry. I did-didn't know where else to go," Emily stuttered, tears flowing down her face.

David didn't say anything as he pulled her into him. Sobs racked her body as he held her, stroking her hair as she cried. One thing David hated most was seeing Emily cry. He hadn't witnessed it many times over the course of their friendship, but every time it happened, it absolutely killed him.

Leading her over to the cloud couch, he sat her down as her tears started to slow down. Going into his kitchen, he fixed her a bowl of chocolate ice cream. David preferred vanilla ice cream, but he always kept a tub of chocolate just for her. In that moment, he was ecstatic he had because the small smile that formed on her face as he handed it to her was enough to let him know she'd be okay.

As much as David wanted to talk to her about them, he wanted her to explain herself first.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked with a careful voice.

Emily swallowed her bite of ice cream before she looked at him. Her eyes were sad; filled with tears and missing their light. David frowned. "It's just not fair," Emily started, "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss my dad. It's there, and for the most part I can control my grief. But today was different."

"Why? What happened?"

Emily shook her head slightly, putting down her ice cream and turning toward David. "Nothing happened. It's just what I saw," the look on David's face urged her to continue, "Someone I follow on Instagram just got married, and she posted her wedding pictures. The pictures were absolutely gorgeous, but it was the one of her and her dad that made me... that made me realize I'll never get that with my dad.

"He'll never see me get married or meet my kids or even meet my husband. He's just... gone. He's not coming back, and I just don't know how to be okay with that. I don't - I don't-"

David pulled the now sobbing girl into his chest. His shirt was surely getting soaked, but he didn't care. He'd do anything and go through anything for Emily.

"Your dad loved you more than life itself, Em. You may not be able to see him physically when all of that comes around, but he'll be there," David said, "I promise."

Emily nuzzled her head deeper into David's chest. "I miss you," Emily admitted, making David's stomach swarm.

"I miss you, too, Em," he murmured.

"I'm sorry."

"You have no reason to be," he said, pressing a kiss to her head, "I just want you to be happy, Em."

Emily didn't answer as another tear rolled down her face, but for a completely different reason than before. David was hurting; it was obvious to her he was. Her best friend was hurting, and she was the cause of it.

"If you'll have me, I'd like to be your best friend again," Emily muttered.

David breathed deeply, a smile forming on his face. "I'd love that, Emmy."