Chapter 24
Emily’s POV
I still don’t understand what happened with Keith a few days ago. His kiss was filled with such passion and desire that it left me shaken, the memory of it lingering in the corners of my mind, despite my best efforts to forget.
It was unlike anything I had ever experienced with him before, and it terrified me. Could it be that he’s trying to sabotage his
relationship with Lily? The thought seemed absurd, but nothing about the past few days made any sense.
I dismissed the idea, deciding that the best thing for me was to stay far away from Keith. But even as I made that decision, I couldn’t completely erase the feeling that something had shifted between us, something I wasn’t ready to face. To distract myself, I threw myself into my routine and got to work.
The school day passed in a blur, my mind occupied with thoughts I couldn’t shake off. By the time the final bell rang, I was more than ready to leave. Nina and I had planned to meet at our usual café before heading home, so I made my way there, hoping that some good conversation would help clear
would help clear my head.
When I arrived, Nina was already seated at our favorite table, a warm smile on her face as she saw me approaching. The familiar
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scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, offering a small comfort in the midst of my confusion.
“Hey,” she greeted me with a grin. “How was your day?”
I shrugged, trying to appear casual. “Same as always.”
Nina leaned in, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “So, how did the date with Frank go? I’ve been dying to hear all about it!”
A smile tugged at my lips as I thought back to the evening. “It went well,” I said, nodding. “Frank was really sweet. He even brought me flowers.”
“Flowers? Wow, he’s really trying to impress you,” Nina teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief. She leaned in closer, a playful smirk on her face. “But tell me, did he make a move? You know… did you two kiss?”
I felt my cheeks heat up as I shook my head. “No, we didn’t. Part of me hoped he would, just to see what it would be like to be kissed by someone who genuinely wanted me. But another part of me was glad he didn’t, because… I don’t know if I’m ready for that.”
Nina’s expression softened with surprise. “Wait, have you never kissed Keith? Like, really kissed him?”
I hesitated, my mind flashing back to the countless times I had seen Keith passionately kissing Lily. “Not like that,” I admitted
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quietly. “I’ve seen him kiss Lily like that, but with me… it was
always different. Our marriage was more of a partnership than a romance.”
Nina reached across the table and took my hand, her grip warm and reassuring. “Emily, that’s not fair. You deserve to be with. someone who can’t wait to kiss you, who makes you feel wanted.”
Her words struck a chord in me, echoing the thoughts I had tried to bury. She was right. I did deserve that. But the truth was, Keith had. kissed me like that a few nights ago, with a passion that made me feel more alive than I had in years. But I couldn’t bring myself to tell Nina that. I wasn’t ready to face the reality of what that kiss might mean.
Instead, I focused on the end of the date. “After dinner, we ran into Keith and Lily,” I said, trying to keep my tone neutral.
Nina’s eyes narrowed with curiosity. “How did that go?”
I forced a smile. “It was awkward, to say the least. But I couldn’t help thinking… Keith should see the beautiful me now and regret losing me.”
Nina’s grin returned, and she nodded in agreement. “Absolutely. He’s a fool if he doesn’t. And you’re better off without him anyway.”
Her words were comforting, but the memory of Keith’s kiss still
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lingered in the back of my mind, a reminder that things weren’t as simple as I wanted them to be.
As we continued talking, I noticed that Nina seemed a bit distracted. She kept glancing down at her coffee, her usual energy dimmed by something on her mind. Concerned, I decided to press her. “Nina, what’s going on? You seem off.”
She hesitated, biting her lip as if unsure whether to say anything. Finally, she sighed and met my gaze. “It’s Tyler. He really wants to see you, Emily. He misses you, and I think… I think it’s time you talked to him.”
The mention of my brother brought a sharp sting to my chest, and I felt my temper flare. “I can’t, Nina. Tyler has always cared more about Lily than he ever did about me. He never once defended me, never stood up for me. The pain he caused… it’s something I’ll never get over. So please, don’t bring him up again.” My voice was harsher than I intended, but I didn’t care. The wounds were still raw, and I couldn’t pretend otherwise.
Nina’s eyes filled with tears, and for a moment, guilt twisted in my gut. But I quickly squashed it down. I couldn’t let myself soften, not when I had been so clear about my boundaries.
If Nina couldn’t respect that, then maybe we weren’t as close as I thought. I crossed my arms, my posture stiffening as I distanced myself emotionally.
“I understand, Emily,” Nina said, her voice wavering. “I just… I hate seeing this rift between you two. But if that’s how you feel, I won’t push you.”
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I didn’t respond. Instead, I stared at the table, willing myself to stay strong. The silence between us was thick and uncomfortable, but I refused to be the one to break it.
When it was time to leave, I stood up abruptly, barely meeting Nina’s eyes. The tears that shimmered there only hardened my resolve.
Without a word, I turned and walked away, ignoring the pang of regret that tried to surface. I couldn’t afford to let anyone in, not even Nina. This was my pain to carry, and I wasn’t going to sacrifice my own healing for the sake of preserving a friendship that suddenly felt fragile and conditional.
As I stepped outside, I hailed a cab, the city lights blurring past the window as I leaned back against the seat, lost in thought. When I arrived home, I paid the driver and stepped out, a sudden chill in the air making me shiver as I approached my front door. Fumbling with my keys, I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching me.
I glanced around, but the street was quiet, the only sounds the distant hum of traffic and the rustle of leaves in the breeze. Shaking off the uneasy feeling, I unlocked the door and stepped inside, closing it firmly behind me. But the sense of being watched lingered, leaving me unsettled.
