In The Dark

CHAPTER 5

|THE GIRLFRIEND|

Emma felt like shit, both because of the copious amounts of alcohol she had ingested and the events that took place with Evan the previous night.

What in the world was she thinking? The answer was she hadn't been thinking. Just mere moments after she had promised herself she wouldn't hurt the Williamses again, she allowed herself to get wrapped up in her toxic emotions and Evan's strong arms. She groaned aloud.

Emma sat up in the bed. Her head danced to the beat of its own music, pounding against her skull painfully, while her stomach churned. Every intake of air made her feel nauseous and her tongue was sandpaper in her mouth. She needed an Advil.

She lazily pushed the blanket off her body, picking up her phone to check the time. It was almost 10:30, meaning the early bird family was most likely awake already. She needed to find Kate, certain she would have Advil and breakfast awaiting her.

Emma stumbled out of bed, brushed her teeth and groggily made her way downstairs. The sight that beheld her almost made her jump for joy, if not for the obnoxious headache and queasiness making itself ever present in her body.

"Oh, thank God," she mumbled, plopping herself on the island chair next to Sophie. She took the water bottle from her passed out friend and the Advil on the counter and downed two, laying her head on the counter top as Kate rounded the corner.

"Look at my poor girls," she cooed, as she waltzed around the kitchen merrily preparing breakfast. She was dressed in active wear, indicating she had just come back from the indoor gym downstairs.

"I'll never understand you, Kate," Emma mumbled, propping her head up on her hand. Kate laughed.

"Years of experience, honey."

David walked in soon after, looking as fresh and ready for the day as ever. He laughed as he looked upon Emma and Sophie's state.

"Rough morning?" he asked, giving his wife a kiss on the cheek.

"Will you two shut up," Sophie groaned from her place at the kitchen island.

"Fifi, honey, I hope you're not drooling on my clean countertops," Kate chastised, poking her daughter in the arm. Emma giggled a little at Sophie's mumblings, the effects of the tablet kicking in finally.

She hadn't seen Evan as yet, which she was grateful for. She wanted a few more hours of not feeling guilty, and she wanted her queasiness to dissipate before she faced any of her problems. She didn't know how he was feeling at the moment as well. Probably regret, shame, all the usual feelings associated with almost having sex with your sister's best friend on your family's couch. And she couldn't blame him.

But a part of her, a deep, hidden, selfish part of her wanted him to feel happy about their recent endeavors. She wanted him to feel the same as her whenever she was near him; that heartwarming, legs shaking, can't breathe, lightheaded feeling. That selfish part of her wanted him to forget everything and declare his love for her.

She could imagine it, too. Him ending things with his girlfriend because he realizes that there's no one out there for him but her. And then, going to his family and telling them that he wanted to be with her, no matter what.

But she knew it was wishful thinking. Evan most definitely did not feel the same way about her and he would never disrupt his perfect family dynamic over one girl, especially her. And Emma wouldn't want him to. The Williamses were her second family. She couldn't imagine telling them everything and them taking it lightly. Especially Sophie.

The whole reason they became such good friends was because she didn't fawn over Evan like everyone else. Emma had, in fact, worshipped Sophie when they first met, and how could she not? She was this confident, beautiful, intelligent girl.