Flabbergasted, a word that Emmett could, comprehensively relate to, for the first time in the eighteen years of his existence. What he had done, was in itself, a blunder, an unfathomable mistake that he thought he'd never commit, at least not in his wildest of imaginations but it was apparently, the truth from the shocked expression of the stranger. Something had conclusively possessed him to undertake such a life-altering task, he was certain of that by now. Consent, he was taught to rather ask for consent in every little thing he'd do or had been told to do, but today, he had understandably proved his folks in their bitter judgements against him and the person he had become.
His eyes were transfixed, they were unmoving, relentlessly staring at the ground, in utter disdain and discomfort because of his previous actions. His mind was mesmerisingly muddled by the muffled silence preceded by the awkward apprehension that was dangerously looming, encircling them like some predator, preying to satisfy his thirst for some chaos that Emmett and the stranger had the misfortune to fall victim to, because of the former's transgressions transcendent in the lieu of his imperceptible actions.
Nevertheless, Emmett's misdemeanour and his said infraction had particularly taken a toll on his mental health, especially on his anxiety that was deliberately persuading him to elope from the scene that he had just caused and Emmett, was intent on following the command of his malfunctioning instincts since it was apparently the only option he was left with. Without sparing him another glance, he turned on his feet and hastily, sped away from his heart's bane, the stranger in the plain.
He was essentially a coward, he was quite aware of the fact. Countless of many times, he had the misfortune of stumbling and meddling into things that were not related to him, to even begin with. Yet, his inquisitive impersonation that resembled of a dwarf had him always tangled up in quite a mayhem, a predicament that he couldn't escape and he couldn't help but let out a frustrated groan at his affliction.
The memories of what he had precipitated, were freshly ingrained, replaying on some transcribed tape-recorder, that had catalysed some distressing moments over and over again. It was rather hard for Emmett to get him off his mind, for the tangerine like aftertaste that his rose roseate like rainberry lips had provided him with, were inbred inherently in his psyche's phenomena, aggravating him purposely, like he was secretly on Cupid's hit list, sort of.
"What in the bloody hell is wrong with me?" He exclaimed upon reaching his secluded shelter, shivering slightly in his soakingly wet clothes. Something about this felt remotely familiar, he admitted as he flung himself on the rusted bench with a sigh.
"What in the bloody hell is wrong with you, Em! Why would you do that?" Gwen reprimanded with a glare.
"I don't know, it was instinctive, I cannot recall it particularly, since I was a bit-" Emmett started but was immediately interrupted by a furious Gwen.
"Drunk, because you were drunk, Emmett. Do you have any idea as to what you have done, and how Denver is going to react, huh?" She asked sarcastically.
"I didn't and you did tell me to confess it to him that I..I love him." He took a deep breath before sighing softly.
"Yes, I did tell you to do that, but not like this, especially not in the way that you have done it, Em." Gwen gave him a disappointed glance.
"I know. I don't exactly understand how I had confiscated his phone number though, to send the recording, it just doesn't make any sense to me." Emmett sighed heavily.
"Maybe you did exchange numbers with him in your intoxicated state, you just cannot seem to remember this whilst being sober?" Gwen suggested.
"But how...unless, I initiated a conversation with him and embarrassingly asked for his number, in which case, I could've admitted to him that I.. oh my God! What the hell have I done?" Emmett rambled off.
"Calm down, Em. Come on, have some water, you look like a ghost." Gwen reasoned as she offered him her water bottle.
"No, no, no, no, no...I cannot Gwen, I cannot show my face to him ever again. For God's sake, I have humiliated myself in front of him by sending a recording of the poem that I had written for the competition, what was I even thinking?" Emmett couldn't help but question himself in disbelief.
"Em, what if you sort it all out? Like, this is your chance to tell him that you love him. Believe me, this is a golden opportunity, you should take advantage of it, lad." She tried to console him.
"Have you gone completely bonkers, Gwen? This is unfathomable, please just..don't force me to do this. I don't have the guts to face him, please. I cannot see him." Emmett was on the verge of having a panic attack.
"Okay, Em. I won't, I promise just take a deep breath, yeah? You don't have to confront Denver like it is Sunday, you don't have to face him anytime soon, just relax and calm down." Gwen consoled.
"Y-ou are sure? You wouldn't bug me about it?" Emmett quivered.
"Yes, you adorable baby, I won't. Now, can we just watch a film? I am rather exhausted and would like to indulge in something interesting, and this talk is anything but that." She exclaimed.
"Whatever...I am going to bring some brownies since I feel deprived of chocolate and before you ask me to share, let me give you my death glare because you shall not interfere in this delicious relationship." Emmett warned her.
"Nah...I wouldn't dare to." She gave him a smile that said otherwise.
"I'll be watching you, young lady." Emmett playfully narrowed his eyes at her, before leaving.
"Em? Is everything all right?" Gwen called out, worriedly.
"Yes, it is. I was just missing you." Was all Emmett could say.
"Aw, lad. You actually care, it is truly heart-touching. I swear on confectionary that you know how to properly woo a lady." She joked, making Emmett chuckle at her words.
"Don't flatter yourself, and I can do no such thing, you annoying lass." He rolled his eyes, still smiling to himself.
"Aye, speaking in Scottish now are we?" Gwen asked, quite amused at his behaviour.
"Not exactly, but I will get there one day. How's it going for you?" Emmett inquired.
"Honestly, I have never had such an adventure. Surely, I am here to visit campuses of my favourite universities but this is all quite fun, don't you think it too, Em?" She mused.
"I can understand and you deserve to embark on such interesting journeys, Gwen. If only we could go to the same uni, together." Emmett wondered before shaking his head at the impossibility of such a thing.
"Of course you can, Em. There's still time, isn't there? You don't have to follow their advice, in fact, you should make an application through UCAS and be done with it. This is your life, and only you should be the one responsible for the decisions concerning yourself, I know it sounds quite harsh but you need to hear this, yeah?" She rationalised softly.
"But they are my parents and they do not want me to leave this city or this country for that matter, and I sincerely want to apply but I have never done anything of this sort before, Gwen." Emmett admitted.
"And that is why, my friend, you need to start acting now. For Christ's sake, Em, you left your house, you finally stood up to them for your rights and it was quite a decision but you handled it responsibly, didn't you? Sometimes, parents fail to comprehend their child's ambitions, but they are only human, and we have high expectations that necessarily becomes a cause for them to retaliate in their own ways and sometimes, it can cause negligence, but Em, we cannot punish them for that, however much we want to. We should forgive them just like they did, when we were too naive and young and henceforth, I'd like you to consider this opportunity, you cannot survive on your own Emmett, you need them more than they need you, you are dependent on them whether you'd like to accept it or not." Gwen exhaled by the end of her speech.
"Gwen, I appreciate your concern but I just...I am not yet prepared to face them. Plus, you don't have to worry about me, I have become quite independent without them, then again, I need to survive without them, since that is what it seems to be." Emmett theorised, refusing to go back to them.
"I know that it seems to be rather hard on you but you will get through this, Em. Are you still in that abandoned park though? And do you have enough funds to eat something because if not, I can lend you-" She started but was quickly interrupted.
"Gwen, relax! I..I am doing well, really! And, I am not in that park...well, I was living there, until yesterday, but I then I met with this bloke who had offered me to live with him and his mates at this shared accommodation, that too, at a cheap price and since I had saved some funds, I could manage it, so you don't have to worry about a thing, I am well." Emmett hated himself for lying to her about his situation but he couldn't trouble her any more, he refused to do that.
"That is quite relieving to hear, Em. God, I am so happy to hear that. I was worried sick about you, you have no idea." She sighed, relieved to hear his answer.
"I actually do, but hey, at least I am not stuck with your annoying self." Emmett pointed out.
"Oh please, don't talk about yourself like you're some bloody saint, Emmett Anderson." Gwen exaggerated dramatically.
"Well, I am. You cannot see it well enough." Emmett shrugged.
"Whatever, you dork. I need to go now, I'll talk to you tomorrow hopefully. And pretty please, do me a favour and check your messages, I have texted you a thousand times." She ordered him whilst giggling to herself.
"Okay, drama queen, I'll keep that in my mind. Bye!" Emmett shook his head at her antics.
"Bye!" Gwen called out in a sing-song voice before hanging up.
With a tired chuckle, Emmett looked at his phone and sighed- it was going to be a long night, for sure since he couldn't really get him off of his mind. It was quite strange for Emmett to be so easily bewitched by someone, much less a total stranger. But he knew himself too well apparently because something about him was rather familiar and that was, in itself, bizarre yet oddly comforting. He surely would hate him now, more than ever but Emmett had his reasons to premeditate that forbidden act of intimacy for truly, he thought that he'd never see him and that notion, was severely traumatic for the boy to conceive. At least he had something of him now, to rather hold onto than some pesky memories, was what he kept telling himself repeatedly as he drifted off to some wonderland with Tinkerbells and Unicorns.
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