The rain thrashed itself against the thin fabric of the black umbrella that shielded her from the falling drops.

she was on her way to fill her stomach with food after another long day. She was tired, but hope was what got her through these sleepless night. Her goal was not met once again, but she wasn't going to give up.

Her dark figure would have stood oddly if it weren't for the gloomy aura this town had. Adding that it was a late September night, it wasn't a very friendly place to live in.

Kids were playing on the old stained paper like street. She could hear the echoes, feet tapping on the road The children running and laughing.

"You do know that we could've eaten at home instead going out in this kind of weather, right?" She glared as Matt, her best friend, who cried out in protest throwing his arms in the air exposing them to the waterfalls above as the umbrella he held in his hand tilted away from them.

"It's my day to cook and you know all to well that I can't do it to save my life. So, why don't you stop complaining like a child and shut up because you are the one who refused to cook." She seethed at Matt snatching the umbrella from his hand and covered their bodies with it.

Not three steps later, Matt went on laughing at how they looked. Emma's short arms were stretched up trying to cover Matt's tall from that was slightly bowed. Not a pretty sight, more of a funny one. Emma was a good 5'4 ft tall, while Matt was 6'2 ft, Just imagining how they probably looked, Emma joined in laughing at themselves.

With Matt's arm placed around her shoulders, Emma took a quick glnce at him. His eyes were a perfect spring sky, clear and his smile warmer than the gentle sun.

Their laughter died down when they approached the entrance of their favourite restaurant.

Emma smiled at Matt in return as he messed up her slightly wet hair. "Alright then, let's go in, shall we?" Matt said eyeing the restaurant as he humorously bowed saying "After you, m'lady." Emma giggled in response as they entered the restaurant. Nervously, She clutched the little bag in her coat pocket as she felt Its effects kicking in already. Out of nervousness, Emma sighed and glanced at Matt to see if he sensed anything. She wasn't one to giggle and she feared him catching up on her actions. Matt was a smart one. He knew her since she was eight and could read her like an open book all the more adding to her nervousness as regret started to creep into her heart. If he knew what was in her pocket, he would be disappointed, devastated even. She stared at him a for a few more seconds, if he noticed something weird, he surly didn't give it away.

Averting her gaze from him, Emma smiled widely as she saw Andrea and Phil talking to one another behind the counter taking thoughts of Matt finding out off her mind. At least for now.

Andrea and Phil were an old married couple running this restaurant together for over than 30 years now. After losing their only son William to Cancer leaving his daughter behind, after the mother; Grace, died giving birth to her. That's why the restaurant is called Will & Grace. tribute to them. The closest thing Emma have for a family; beside Matt.

"Hey Ems, go wait for me while I go talk to Phil about what we discussed and grab some food on my way, yeah?" Matt whispered ushering Emma to the table at the left back corner where they usually sit. She nodded with a smile while she made her way to their booth.

Emma sat down and stared at the wall beside her. Her secret was written on this wall. The wall was filled with writings with different languages, handwritings, big and small. Andrea likes to call it Memories Wall.

Andrea and Phil made this wall so the costumers would write their promises, dreams, memories on this wall. On each able, there are two markers placed in a black, pottery cups that the late Grace made. So, basically the tables are all filled with writings of costumers who occupied them since this restaurant first opened.

Most restaurants are all about the looks, neatness and service, but will&grace offers warm atmosphere and actually care about the costumers comfort. Emma spent half of her life in this restaurant. She used to come here with her family before everything went down hell.

"Drowning in your thoughts again a
I see." Matt interrupted Emma's reminiscence of the past, flickering her forehead with his pointy, slim finger.

"Yeah, and it seemed like I wouldn't have survived until you came and saved me" she said, rubbing the area where he flicked her, massaging her temple in the process as she felt a headache growing.

"I'm tired of saving you, this is the last time you know." Matt played along narrowing his eyes and pointing his finger at Emma causing her to giggle once more.

Matt eyed Emma suspiciously, before dismissing whatever he was thinking with a slight head shake. Emma knew he was close to finding out and she wnated to take his mind of what he was thinking. "But I can't save myself. If you won't save me, then who will?"

Matt did not respond. The look on his face told Emma that his mind was off somewhere else and she had a feeling, she knew where it was. Matt has always been there for her. He always protected her in the Orphanage. Her worst memories- their worst memories took place there.

"So you're admitting that you can't live without me?" He seemed to dismiss his thoughts as he picked his fork and dug in his pasta, smiling at Emma as he ate.

I can't. Emma thought as a reply to Matt's question. Neither can Matt live without me. Although they are not related, but they share a bond much stronger, got thicker and stronger with everything they have gone through and it wasn't easy. He was the first to break Emma out of her shell. Some feelings blossomed in her heart when she gave up on the will to live. All because of a little, blue eyed innocent nine years old boy, who refused to leave her alone even when she pushed him away, each time he tried to get closer to her.

"You wish." Emma scoffed keeping her thoughts to herself. "Now pass me my food." She stated once she noticed that the tray filled with food rested in Matt's side of the table. She could make out a salad and lots of green on her tray and sighed. She haven't been the healthiest lately, at least not since I got out of rehab, and Matt took every chance he got to put her in a healthy diet.

"Your Food?" He repeated in a questioning manner rising an eyebrow as a smirk played across his lips. "So now you are into spinach and broccoli?" he would pass as The evil step mother in any movie with the look he had on his face.

"Oh Come On Matty! I'm starving." Emma wined as he winced at the nickname.

"Once you give me what's in your pocket I'll give you the food. And by food then I mean the Mac and cheese I have in my tray." Matt deadpanned averting his gaze to where Emma's right hand rested, stuffed in her coat pocket. She snatched her hand out of the pocket almost instantly feeling like a kid who was caught stealing. And this is pretty much how their days were like.

When Emma stayed silent, Matt let out a sigh running his hand through his caramel brown locks, in frustration. He got up from his seat and turned Emma's chair so she was facing him as he knelt in front of her. "Ems, you can't keep on doing this. I thought we were over it? Don't you remember this?" He asked pointing to specific spot on their table where Emma wrote her second promise. The hurt in his eyes couldn't go unnoticed.

"I could have it but I don't want it. These were your words and you wrote them down here as a reminder that no matter how tempted you are, you don't want to be near this thing again. That you don't need it! Isn't this what you wrote? Are you telling me to give up all two years of hard work, for this?" Emma's eyes stung, but nothing was shed. Even if she wanted to, she refused to cry.

"Because of this thing you had become withdrawn. Your personality sunk in dark thoughts. You lost so much weight and your hourglass figure became more stick-like, skeletal. You're not the same girl with her sunshine anymore. It was all stolen by that thing and locked tight in a cage of fear." Matt's words were thick with emotion, mostly hatred towards the substance Emma gets high on. Matt looked at Emma's glassy eyes and muttered a string of curses under his breath as he let his anger out infornt of her, even if it wasn't directed to her, he regretted showing his anger around her. He took in a breath to calm himself as he engulfed a shaking Emma in his embrace, patting her head in a soothing manner as he whispered apologies and sweet nothings in her ear.

Emma knows what she have become, but it's not easy. The treatment she went through was a joke. It was all about drugs and nothing about the problem that drove her to take them in the first place. Only Matt knew what lead her to it and even though they have been through, almost, the same things he stayed strong and wasn't swayed by them, unlike her. She was weak and still is, judging by the situation at hand.

For Emma, when her soul was arid, when darkness consumed it and there was no love to ward it off, drugs seemed too hard to resist.

Hesitantly, Emma pulled away from Matt and took out the small plastic bag from her pocket handing it to him. Her head hung low. She was too ashamed to look at him. She was weak and pathetic. Easily swayed and couldn't fight back, not like him.

Both his hands held her pale bony cheeks and lifted it so their eyes could meet. Blue to blue, Emma easily got lost his eyes. How they were opposite from hers. His was bright and shone with hope each days, drowning his demons in the depths of his orbs, while Emma's were dull. Her demons lurking in the gloomy clouds of her eyes. She thought he would give her a look of disappointment, but instead she was met with a set of sparkling ocean blue eyes and a dazzling smile. She could tell that he was proud. "That's a good girl!" Matt cheered ruffling her hair and messing it up, Again. Emma let out a throaty laugh and slapped his hand away patting down her hair trying to fix it.

"I hate you." Emma mumbled under her breath as she struggled to tame down her the frizzy strands of her hair. Giving up, she glared at Matt, but couldn't hide the smile that took over her lips.

"You know you love me." Matt teased in a knowing tone gaining himself a slap to the houlder. He laughed and pulled away from Emma, completely and got back up to his abandoned seat on the table.

He smiled as he threw the small bag of white powder in the trash can like a basketball. And it fell right into the centre of the trash bin. He winked at Emma flashing a million dollars smile while she just rolled her eyes mutterin a, "show off."

"I know. Now, let's eat" Matt passed Emma the try of food as she eagrly waited to dig into her plate of mac and cheese. But instead she was met with a green filled tray. And a cheeky grin on Matt's lips that devoured her promised favourite dish.
"That's what I like to call a punishment."

Emma groaned as Matt went back to his food humming happily. She grabbed her fork and stabbed the green monsters looking at them with disgust. She had a feeling she wouldn't be able to keep her stomach contents down there after this punishment.