Emma's POV
Demi's house was quiet, the only thing you could listen to was the movie the three of us were watching.
Alright alright, only Stella was actually watching the movie.
I glared at Demi "Tell her." I mouthed
Stella came back from New York a few days ago and we all know it's about time someone tells her about Demi and Alex hooking up, or being together or doing whatever the hell it is their doing. They will need to hide from the rest of the world if it all works out, but hiding from family and close friends is stupid. They've been sneaking around for over a month now and it will be a lot easier if everyone knows.
Demi sighed and glanced at Stella who was way into the movie we were watching. She turned to me and mouthed back "I can't."
I shook my head and paused the movie "Stella" She looked at me "Demi needs to tell you something."
"Huh?" Stella asked taking her eyes away from the TV.
"I do." Demi said looking at her anDemi looked at me and then at Stella.
"Spit it out already." I exclaimed.
Why is she making a big deal out of this.
"Shut up, will you?" Demi glared at me and I raised my hands in surrender stance, still rolling my eyes. She looked back at Stella "I'm seeing your brother."
Stella seemed taken aback "You and James? Didn't see that one coming."
You won't see what's coming, coming hon.
"Actually" Demi started "I'm not talking about James."
"Pardon me?" Stella asked with a raised eyebrow
Demi looked at me, then Stella and then at the floor "There's something going on that you need to know about."
"What's wrong?" Stella asked confused.
Oh man.
"I'm talking about Alex." Demi finally confessed
Stella sat up from the couch "Alex? As in your professor?" She turned to me and pointed my way "You knew about this?"
"I did, I'm s-"
"Great" Stella scoffed "How long have you been seing eachother?"
"For the past month." Demi admitted "Stella I wanted to-"
Stella raised her hand to stop her from talking. "You wanted to tell me, huh? God, I thought you were my friend. The both of you. I'm used to girls getting close to me so they can get close to my brothers but I didn't think that you'd do that."
"I didn't get close to you for that. It just happened." Demi said defending herself.
"I don't know if I can believe you."
"You know what?" I butted in trying to ease the tention for a few seconds "I'm just gonna go. I'm grabbing coffee with Charlotte anyway and you two need to talk." I grabbed my purse and walked to the door.
It's none of my bussiness anyway.
They both nodded but remained silent and I walked out.
God, I hope they work it out.
~~
"So, there's something I've been meaning to tell you." Charlotte said stirring her coffee nervously with the straw.
I took a sip from mine and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "What's up?"
Charlotte scrached the back of her head. Her green eyes showed worry. "I uhm, kind of have a crush on someone."
"Yeah? Who is it?"
"Well you know him." She started "He's a friend of yours."
A friend of mine?
There aren't actually many people that I call friends, especially guys.
There's Stefan, James and then there's Nate.
Nate is actually the one who I really consider a friend with the whole meaning of the word. Wait, she doesn't mean Nate, does she?
Charlotte liking Nate? How is that possible?
Wait, why does this bug me? Nate is my friend why do I feel like throwing up even at the thought of her liking him and them being together?
Woah woah woah... I- I can't possibly like Nate, can I? I mean of course he's very handsome and he's sweet and he's always there for me but... Oh my god I like Nate and I think more than just a friend.
When did that happen?
"Hello Emma." Charlotte said waving a hand in front of my face "I'm talking to you."
"Sorry... zoned out. What did you say?" I asked cautiously.
"I thought that maybe you could test the waters, just see what he thinks about me, since you two are closer than I am with him."
So, she's definatelly talking about Nate now.
Why do I kind of have the urge to yell at her right now? I can't be jealous, I don't have the right to be jealous.
This doesn't make any sense. He's been with other girls since I met him but why does it bother me now?
I'm going paranoid, she hasn't even told me who she's talking about yet and I have a whole freaking scenario up inside my head.
"Who is he Charlotte?" I asked in a tone that came out angrier than I intended for it to be.
She seemed taken aback by my tone for a couple of seconds but answered calmly "It's James."
I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding in "Oh good." I said before thinking about it.
"Huh?" She asked raising an eyebrow
"No no, don't mind me." I said quickly with a chuckle "Go for it. I don't need to ask him."
"You think he's interested?" She asked with a small smile.
"It's obvious he likes you Charlotte. You know what? His birthday is in a few weeks I think, uh let me check it a sec." I said grabbing my phone. I went through my calendar "Yup. Friday two weeks from now. We can throw him a party and you can see how it goes... Well if you can wait that long." I chuckled
"Seriously?" She asked gettng excited, her eyes lightening up.
I chuckled "Positive."
"Great. Thank you so much Em."
"I didn't do anything. Plus like I said it's obvious he likes you."
Her excited smile turned into a smirk "Speaking of obvious." She raised and eyebrow "You thought I was talking about Nate, didn't you?"
I'm that transparent? I mean I realized how I feel minutes ago and it's already obvious. Great.
I took a sip from my coffee "I don't know what you're talking about. Even if you liked Nate I don't know why you think I'd have a problem with that."
"Is that so?" She asked, the playfull smile never leaving her lips "Well... " She shrugged her shoulders "Even if I did like Nate, I'd get rejected."
"Why?"
"It's obvious he has his eyes set on someone."
"Huh?" I asked
"Nothing. Nothing." She said checking her phone "I gotta go. I'm working today."
"Fine. I'll call Nate so we can plan your boyfriend's party." I said getting up and grabbing my phone and bag
"He's not my boyfriend." She said chuckling when we exited the cafe.
"Yet." I smirked
"Whatever." She said pulling me in for a hug "But, yes do that."
"Alright Alright." I said pulling away "I'll call you when I know."
"Okay. Thanks again. Bye." She said before walking away.
Nathan's POV
"Houston we have a problem." Emma said in a playfull tone the second I picked up.
"Hello to you too." I said supressing a laugh that came just by the sound of her voice. I leaned on the table-pool stick, letting James play.
"We need to talk." She said in a more serious tone now causing me to turn serious too.
"What's wrong?" I asked now growing worried.
James looked at me raising an eyebrow and I shrugged my shoulders at him
"Can you come by my dorm?"
"I'll be there in a few minutes." I promised
"Alright, see you then." She said before hanging up
Okay. That was weird. Something's going on but what could she want to talk to me about?
"What's wrong?" James asked
"I don't know. She said we need to talk."
"Weird."
"Yeah so I'm gonna go." I said letting the stick down.
"Of course. Whipped bastard." He said smirking
"Shut up dude." I glared at him
"Fine. Fine." He said raising his hands.
"I'll see you tomorrow. Bye." I said before walking out.
"Okay, I'm here. Talk." I said the second the door to Emma's dorm opened revealing her.
She seemed fine. Physically at least. But she was smiling too so that's a good thing, right?
She chuckled "I got you worried, didn't I?"
"You did." I admitted
"Oops sorry." She said in a cute fake innocent tone.
I sat on her bed. Emma walked over to her mini fridge and bend down to grab something.
Yeah Em, bend over while wearing short shorts. There's only so much a guy can take.
"Water?" She asked without looking at me.
Yeah some water would help a little.
I gulped "Sure." I looked down to my pants to make sure nothing was... visible
She got back up and tossed me the water bottle before walking over to her bed, getting on it as well, next to me.
I gulped down half of the water in the bottle.
"Woah you were thirsty." She said
"Yeah. So what did you want to talk to me about?"
"Oh yeah, that." she said. She then kicked her her slippers off and sat in an indian-like position. "It's about James." She stated getting nervous
James? What does Emma have to do with James?
"What about James?" I asked getting curious and slightly mad.
"Well... I was uhm wondering"
Please don't say what I think you're about to say.
"Do you know if he likes Charlotte?"
Oh thank God.
I let out a breath "Jesus Christ" I muttered under my breath "He likes her." I said in a normal tone.
"Thank God. She likes him too. So I thought that maybe since it's his birthday in a couple of weeks we could throw him a party so they have a chance to get closer. You know... without it being too obvious."
"Look who's getting all match-maker like." I said smiling "But it's a good idea, yes. I'll tell him about the party"
"But don't tell him about Charlotte." Emma said quickly
"I'm not stupid Em. I won't." I assured her.
"Good." She said before taking a sip from her coffee "I'll go see my parents after the party. We can have it on Friday and I'm thinking about leaving on Saturday."
"Oh how come?"
"I've missed them and Lexi has a ballet performance around that time and I don't want to miss it."
"Well you should go see them I agree. You'll fly there?"
"Yeah I'll fly to Montgomery and then my dad will probably pick me up and we'll drive to Mobile."
"Alright." I said and then a though hit me "Now that I remembered, I need to get you back for scaring me."
"What are y-" she started but got cut off by me tickling her. She started laughing right away.
It's ridiculous how much I love it when she laughs and I'm the one responsible.
"Hey stop." She said in between laughs falling on her back.
"Nope. You got me scared and you have to pay the price." I said getting on top of her still ticking her.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She said giggling
I stopped tickling her but left one my hands on her side while the resting on the other one so I wouldn't crush her with my weight.
She eventually stopped laughing but her breath was heavy.
"That's what happens when you scare me." I said taking a strand of hair out of her face and leaning down a bit closer to her.
She lifted her eyes and looked up at me. God, her beautiful green eyes get me every fucking time. It's so fucking hard to resist tempation when it's right in your face. Literally speaking.
I leaned in a bit closer debating on what I should do or shouldn't do. Maybe now is my chance.
I have her here and I can finally I can show her how I feel. But then again maybe it's too soon.
"Don't be such a baby." She whispered, her breath still heavy. and because of our closeness I could feel it on my lips. It was as if she was reading my thoughts, telling me to stop being a coward and make a move but I knew better. She was talking about me getting her back by tickling her.
I just stared at her slowly inching closer, I was by now breathing heavily as well. My eyes never leaving hers, I was searching for some kind of sign in them to either stop or continue but I couldn't read them.
Not this time.
My lips were brushing against hers when the worst thing that could happen, did happen.
There was a knock on her door followed by a voice calling Emma's name.
"Emma. Open up." Demi's voice said from the other side of the door and I can say in all honesty that I have never been more disappointed in my whole life.
"Uh." Emma said blushing slightly.
Wow, I've never seen her blush before. I caused that?
I rolled off of her and laid on my back mentally slapping myself for not taking advantage of the chance I had.
Damn it. I was so close.
Emma got up from the bed fixing her clothes and headed to the door.
I sat up leaning with my back against the wall.
Emma opened the door and Demi walked in right away "What took you so long?" Her eyes fell on me and tilting her head to the side. "Oh. I though I saw your bike down but I wasn't sure. Sorry Nathan I need my bestfriend." She said with a small frown.
I got up from Emma's bed "It's okay. I was just leaving." I turned to Emma "I'll see what I can do about the party and call you."
"Okay." She nodded and with that I was out of her dorm.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I was so close.
So fucking close.
*****
Sooo, they almost kissed.
Ah almost, such a terrible word.
Emma finally realised she has feelings for Nate.
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Chapter 16 Preview:I leaned against the sink in Stella's kitchen while she was getting a new bottle of tequila for me. "Grab me a couple of shot glasses too. Nate said I can't beat him."
She chuckled and handed me the bottle of tequila, she struggled a bit to walk straight when she walked over opening a small cabinet. She grabbed the glasses and walked ovet to me handing them over.
"Thanks Stel."
"Be carefull with that."
"He was the one who challenged me. I'll prove him wrong." I said before walking out of the kitchen.
I managed to spot Nate sitting in the couch with a bunch of other guys with a red cup in his hand. I stood in front of him. "I'm here. Wanna see who can take more?"
"Em." He started with a sigh and I was almost convinced he'd tell me my idea sucked but then smirked "We both know I do."