New Love

Chapter 49: Emily

"I love him." I cried. "I love him and I lied to him and told him I didn't."

"Babe, I know." Erin replied with a gentler voice. "How about you get up and get dressed and go out with Mia and Ashley tonight. Try to take your mind off him."

"We can go dancing." Mia sat down on the other side of me. "What do you say?"

"I don't know."

"Yes. She would love to go dancing with you girls." Erin answered. "Come on, Em. I love you and I wish I was there to help you through this. But you have two amazing friends there who are willing to hold you up. Let them."

I had never missed my best friend more than in this moment. I wanted her to be here with me, but she was right. I had to look around and accept what I did have.

"You can find a hot guy on the dance floor to take your mind off things."

I shook my head. "I don't want another guy. I'm swearing off men." I didn't miss the look Ashley and Mia exchanged. They didn't believe me.

"I don't blame you for that one," Erin said. "Find a hot girl to grind on instead."

I snorted out a laugh. "Okay. Fine. I'll at least shower." I had started to realize just how much I did smell. I'm surprised Ashely and Mia were sitting so close to me.

"That's my girl." Erin said. "I love you, Em. Mia, I'm turning her over to you."

"We've got it from here." Mia said.

I stood and started to go to the bathroom.

"Throw that shirt back out here." Ashley called. "It's going in the wash."

I gasped. "No. It smells like him."

"It smells like vomit and Cheetos." Mia said. I sighed. I stepped into the bathroom and stripped, tossing my clothes back out the door. I turned on the water and waited for it to warm up. When I stepped in, I closed my eyes and let the warm water rush over me. Of course, him being in this shower with me, washing my hair, popped into my head. I let the tears flow, promising myself that this would be the last time I cried. At least for the night.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, all fresh and clean with a towel wrapped around my hair and my body, I saw that Mia and Ashley had been busy. My bed was stripped, the empty bottles and bags were gone and Ashley was folding clothes from a basket that I had ignored.

"You don't have to do that." I told her.

"Here." She tossed a black lacy thong at me. I narrowed my eyes at her, but slid it on under the towel.

"This should work." Mia emerged from my closet holding a purple bodycon dress in her hands.

"I'm not wearing that." I shook my head. "I honestly don't even know why I bought that."

"Please?" Mia pouted.

"No." I was standing my ground on this one. I was willing to go out with them because I needed food and something to occupy my mind. But I wasn't willing to dress slutty and go hang out at a club to get hit on by guys. I opened a drawer and pulled out my favorite pair of ripped blue jeans and tossed them on the bathroom counter.

"You have to wear something besides jeans and a t-shirt." Mia pouted. "We're dressing up too." I saw the look Ashley shot her and knew it was the first time she had heard about this.

"Hold on." She disappeared into my closet and again. I sighed and gave Ashley a look. She shrugged. This time Mia emerged with two outfits. She handed one hanger to me and another to Ashley.