Emma's Pov

It's been a week now and it's been the most stressful and draining. Mateo and I haven't spoken a word to each other and at first, it made me feel empty inside since I didn't have a reason to talk. My parents never listened to me and Nathan only listens when I'm close to emotionally detaching myself.

Unfortunately, my quietness only brought arguments soon making me realize I will never have peace unless I'm away from it. Away from them. Away from her.

But it comes every green moon. When I'm reminded of him. When I am, I get a fuzzy feeling that I've never had before but I curse myself because it makes me feel...happy. Also I've noticed that the thought of him brings shivers that makes my body warmer. It seems cliche and ridiculous considering how long we've known each other but I can't shake the feeling of it.

Heaving a sigh and remembering how easier things were back then, I try to push it to the dimest part of my mind. Also hiding it from her so she wouldn't mess with it.

I can't help but wonder if the sitaution was flipped what would have happened. If someone else was living my life, would they make it or would they overly self medicate or "accidentally" get lost in the utensil drawer?

Would they make it out alive?

My stomach grumbles reeling me out of my thoughts and I push it back continuing to walk forward, ignoring it. The narrowed halls makes me feel closeted but I grip my books tightly and suddenly I'm reminded of how my life has been on pause.

Almost making it seem like I forgot how to do the simplest things.

Nervously gnawing on my bottom lip, I mentally turn my attention to the field trip that'll be coming up soon. The entire school will be going and we're staying in cabins for a few days. The idea first started with our old principal who believed the students needed a mental break from school, and the staff instantly agreed. So the trip has grown into a looking forward event for all, but I haven't talked to Nathan about it.

Because I'm scared he'll act over possessively, not letting me out of his eyesight.

And I want freedom during this trip.

Abruptly, my thoughts are cut short when I turn the corner and my feet instantly plant themselves to the black, white, and grey colored tile floor beneath me. As my eyes widen in disbelief, my heart begins to beat rapidly at the sight of him, well the both of them, and I gulp harshly trying to calm my nerves.

There in front of me, I see Elizabeth and Mateo talking with each other, and they both look kind of interested in whatever the conversation is.

Elizabeth is the last person I'd consider he'd willingly talk to, since she's... well Elizabeth, and part of me wants to barge in, just so I could have interaction with him again. It's been a while since we've been around each other, but the fact also convinces me to sit here, and wait for their next move.

Pushing my hesitation aside, I hide behind one of the large white pillars as they continue talking and strain my ears to catch their next words.

"So, have you found someone who you're going to he sharing a cabin with on the field trip?" Elizabeth asks hesitantly leaning on her toes

Mateo's smile falters slightly but he covers it up and rubs the back of his neck awkwardly.

Everything in me is screaming and pleading at me not to do it and that I'll only get shot down, but she pushes me forward and before I can stop, I hear myself shouting.

"Yes!"

They both turn to look at me and his expression was conflicted, while hers, not so subtle. While looking at me, he gives me an appealed nod and looking at him confused, a smile creeps across his lips, and he turns back to Elizabeth.

"Yeah actually, I asked Emma a while ago," He confirms and I can't help the blood that rushes to my cheeks

Elizabeth's gaze turns to evil in a matter of second and when she turns towards me, I gulp twiddling my thumbs. As she smirks, Mateo looks between us, and when he sees my nervousness, his eyebrows quirks up.

"Hmm, that's fine then. I guess you don't mind me going with Nathan? Your boyfriend?" She asks innocently throwing daggers at me causing my eyes to widen

My eyes soon move on their own to find Mateo, but he remains emotionless.

Why isn't he reacting...?

I look up to see Elizabeth's gaze is like mines, but once she smirks, the realization of how dangerous this can be finally comes to me.

"Well then it's settled. You and Mateo will go together and Nathan and I will go together," She starts with a bubbly tone and begins to walks towards me, but as she passes me, she stops and come close to my ear

"How it belongs," She finishes narrowing her eyes at me

The phrase has a double meaning, and I can't help but get confused on whether I want to pull her hair out, or mines.

Hectic thoughts begin to cloud my mind, but when I faintly hear Mateo's name, I hesitantly look over my shoulder to find him walking in the other direction. Feeling my heart kickstart, I start sprinting after him not wanting this pause to occur again.

I missed his smile, voice, and appearance in the week we ignored each other, and being around him for the slightest amount of time brought back the vulnerability in me.

"Mateo, wait!" I call after him and he finally turns around with his nose flared

Stopping in my tracks, I take in the fact I made him angry, and I want to apologize, but I can't find a reason why.

Because I'm dating Nathan?

He starts to walks dangerously close to me and lifts my chin and my breath hitches. This is the closest we've ever been and his body heat causes my cheeks to grow warmer.

"Stop overthinking it. I'm not mad at you Bunny," He tells me softly and I gulp hearing his voice is deeper than usual

Wait... What?

The sound of the bell casts both of us out of our gazes and we both look up momentarily realizing we have to go to separate classes.

He looks back down at me and his eyes are much softer now.

"W- Why didn't you react when she brought up Nathan?" The question slowly falls from my lips before I can stop it and his eyes start to lose their spark

"Because I already knew... " He replies in the same tone as mines and the memory hits me

When he walked by me the other day and saw me by him, he must have put the pieces together.

"But--, "

"There is no but Emma, I'm not mad or anything that you decided to go with me instead of your lover boy. But it's about time you knew before he tells you," He cuts me off sounding irritated at the end

My eyebrows knit in confusion and he blows out a breath in response.

"You know his last name? " He asks suddenly in the same tone as before

"Yeah... It's Williams, why? " I anwer confusingly and once the name leaves my lips, his expression turns blank, but his eyes never leaves mines

"He's my stepbrother Bunny," He finishes sighing and my eyes widen even more and he turns around walking away from me, shaking his head

I stand there trying to wrap my head around everything and start to feel more ashamed by the second, and after a few minutes, I turn around walking from the direction he went in knowing this moment just changed everything.

All over again.