I woke up to hearing my mom's loud classical music. She's gone into these phases where she gets obsessed with this one workout, and if it doesn't show any results, its gone. Right now she's into yoga, which has been helping her a lot. I sat up in my white bed and saw the sun rising up above the Empire State Building. It must've been early, around 7 a.m. I rested my barefeet on the warm hardwood (thanks to the hotel, the floors were heated! Amazing right?). I walked out of my bedroom and into the kitchen and living room, where I saw my mom doing the 'Crescent'. I chuckled when I heard some of the yoga instructors on T.V. I went straight into the refridgerator and grabbed some orange juice. I poured it in my glass and saw my phone on the side of the counter vibrate. I looked at my mom who couldn't see me, and I picked up the cell phone. I walked into my room and closed the door.
"Hello?" I asked into the phone, sitting down on the bed.
"Babe? Is that you?" Jon's confused voice replied, and of course the vision of me and Brent flashed into my head. I gulped.
"Sure is," My voice said quietly, and I bit the bottom of my lip.
"Hey, I just wanted to call you, I miss you a lot,"
"We saw eachother yesterday!"
"Yeah, I know..Its just I won't see you for a long time after that." Jonathan said, and I heard some dishes clanging in the backround. Probably making some breakfast.
"I know. I have a break in a couple weeks, towards the middle of April. Maybe I can visit you then?"
"Playoff month? You ready for that intensity?"
"Are you questioning my ability to deal with your butt during that time? I have a brother in the NHL too, I am not new to this," I said angrily, clenching my jaw.
"Woah, woah okay. Didn't know that it was a sensitive subject."
"Its not! You underestimate me! You think I can't deal with all the emotional stress," I was almost raising my voice.
"Babe, calm down. I'm just kidding, okay?" He cooed, and I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, okay. I'm sorry, I don't know what's going on." I said quietly. I didn't know what was going on with my feelings and I.
"Need someone to vent to?"
"I-you won't under-No, I'm okay," I stuttered, realizing he was my boyfriend. I almost told him I kissed his best friend/ teammate.
"You sure?" Jon asked uncertain.
"Yup. Listen, I need to go, um, Study," I lied. "I'll talk to you later."
"Whatever you want. Love you." He said gently. I felt some tears rising up and I wiped my eyes.
"Love you too," I choked out, and hung up the phone. I was so screwed. Everything was.
* * *
(Zac's P.O.V.)
I sat down at the table set for two. I didn't invite Brent to eat dinner with me for just anything. I needed to set his twenty something year old mind right. In the air was the scent of garlic and bread, from the table beside me. I drummed my fingertips on the table. I saw Brent's silhouette in the corner of my eye, then he sat down in front of me.
"Alright cheapskate Zac," He said with a smile. "Why are you inviting me to dinner?"
I chuckled after taking a sip of water and crossed my arms. "Oh, come on, You know why."
Brents face went through a field of emotions; the last one was a dark, and grave look on his face.
I smirked and leaned back in my chair. "At least you should tell someone you love them, you know, when they aren't taken. Thats what one usually does, but you're an outside-of-the-box type of guy. So I wasn't surprised."
"I swore you were passed out cold. How many beers, like sixth?"
"Stop changing the subject," I said, and before I could say anything else a waitress with blonde hair came by. We ordered our food, Brent and I both getting pasta to carbo-load the night before a game.
"She looks cute," I commented, and he rolled his eyes.
"Not my type, no thank you." Brent said, taking a gulp of water. I was suddenly reminded what we were talking about.
"Why'd you kiss my sister?" I said, angrily. The thought of him possibly ruining her and Jon's relationship made me sick. Emma finally found someone who was just like her and she trusted. Of course someone had to rain on her parade. Brent's sigh interrupted my thoughts.
"I love her, and I know I shouldn't have done it. I didn't know what I was thinking...She just looked extra beautiful in that dress," Brent confessed. Sounded more like a corny Nicholas Sparks' character if you ask me. (Thanks to Emma I had approximatley seen that movie seven and a half times).
I shook my head and ran my hands through my short hair. "I know, I know. But you have boundaries and you should've thought about the-"
"You don't get it! You've never loved someone that you couldn't have, did you? No you didn't. Girls are there left and right for you, Zac. You just don't understand." By then Brent had caught attention of some people but they quickly turned away. He buried his face in his hands. "I dont know what to do."
"I know what you do. You go tell Emma you're sorry."
"That would be a great idea except she doesn't answer any of my texts," He said, and took the last sip of his water. "And I'd be too tempted to hug her and just..Don't get me started."
"Well, you have to wait then. She's pretty freaked out too, you know." Brent squinted his eyes at me and I smiled.
"How do you know that?"
"I'm her brother, you idiot. She tells me stuff and I tell her stuff," Thankfully the waitress brought our steaming food to our table and my mouth watered. The spaghetti looked amazing.
Brent didn't say anything until we finished eating. His face was emotionless; Maybe he wad thinking deeply about something. I quickly finished the filling meal. I shrugged to myself as the waitress took away our food and gave us the bill.
"Just give her some time, no worries." I said, placing my credit card within the leather envelope. I handed it to the waitress. Brent nodded at me.
"You think she's still going to talk to me? Women are so hard to read sometimes."
"Maybe? Who knows. Just don't screw it up again, a'ight?"
"Yes, sir."
* * *
I sat down at my kitchen barstools and tapped my pencil againdt my notebook. I had started this homework at 4:45 and now it was 5:30. I had only written down a single answer.
"You need some help?" My mom asked, laying a hand on my shoulder and looking at all the work I had produced. (Yeah right, what work?). I shook my head and mumbled a No Thanks.
"Alright, suit yourself." She said, walking over to the coffee pot and taking a white mug out of the cabinet. I bit the bottlm of my lip and stared at the blank, lined paper in front of me.
"Are you feeling okay? You've barely spoke over ten words within the last twenty-four hours, honey."
"I'm fine, Mom."
"You're not pregnant right? I mean I have no problems with kids but you're in your first year of Medical school-"
"No! I am not pregnant. I just- nevermind. Don't worry about me,' I said, starting to write down random things in my notebook to avoid eye contact. And I needed it to look like I did some progess within the five minutes.
"Want to go shopping?"
"I have homework, Mom."
She huffed and crossed her arms. "You got one good sentence down. Come on, I know there's something wrong and you won't tell me, so lets go shopping."
"That's one awfully long sentence. And you said you were an English teacher." I replied, smirking to myself.
"Be ready in five." Mom said, running off to her room. I rolled my eyes and slipped of the wooden chair. I do need a couple of new things. I walked to my room and stood in front of my full length mirror. My 'I Heart NY' white sweatshirt brightly glared back at me. I decided to just wear that with my black leggings and Doc Marten boots. A pain in my lower abdomen caused me to groan, and of course they were the beloved cramps a women gets each month. I sighed and slipped on a beanie, because my hair was not looking right. Plus it made me feel a lot warmer. I slung my Cambridge satchel on my shoulder and walked into the living room. My mom was no where to be seen. Of course that always happened; She told me to hurry to get dress and yet I was there waiting for her. I turned on the T.V. and flipped through the channels until something caught my eye. A Rangers game! I smiled because I hadn't seen them play in a long time, and they were my favorite team. I saw them in their blue home jerseys and realized they were playing at the Garden, which wasn't too far away.
"I wish." I said aloud. I really did wish I could've been there. A hockey game was what I needed to relax and calm my nerves. Too bad you can't go, A voice said sympathetically in my mind.
"Okay! I am ready!" My mom shimmied out of her bedroom in a sequin sweater and I rolled my eyes.
"I've been ready for ten minutes." I said, checking the invisible watch on my wrist. She linked arms with me and laughed.
"Oh Emma, don't be such a sourpuss! Be happy! We are going shopping!"
"Your treat?"
"Why not!" My mom said cheerfully, dragging me out of the room. We quickly exited the hotel, and started walking near the American Eagle on 1551 Broadway. The chilly night air zipped through my sweatshirt and I frowned. My mom led the way into American Eagle and she immediately ran to a blue striped sweater.
"You'd look great in this! Can I get this for you?" She asked, and I shrugged the nodded. Her eyes left mine and she smiled. My eyebrows furrowed and she walked past me, towards the dresses.
"Oh jeez," I mumbled, slowly following behind her. She picked out a gray chiffon dress and held it next to me.
"This would look so cute!" Mom told me and I smiled. "I'm getting this for you! Jon would love this on you!" She said smiling. A pain hit me in my chest and I fake smiled, trying not to let my Mom see any kind of negative emotion.