Romeo + Juliet | s.r

Chapter 17

Emily's POV:

"Meet me at the park on Hall Street, please." I begged. An unfamiliar sense of vulnerability was present in my tone. I don't think I've ever felt so alone in my life. Needing someone in desperate times like these, I called Cara. I didn't know who else to call.

"Emily, are you alright?" Her voice was laced with concern. It was the same concern I'd seen that day at the hospital in Cleveland.

"I will be, eventually. I just really need to see you right now." I wiped a tear that had escaped with the back of my hand.

"I'm already driving Em. I'll be there soon." Cara answered. I couldn't stop the grin spreading across my face at the mention of the nickname.

Then the realization hit me like a ton of bricks. "Are you going to keep me waiting a day? How many long, torturous hours do I have to wait while you drive from Cleveland all the way to Quantico?" I deadpan. How stupid could I be.

"Are you at Hall Park? Because, I'm five minutes away." Cara says and I furrow my brows. How was that possible?

Answering my unsaid question, she said, "I was already in Quantico. I wanted to surprise you tomorrow. I tried calling Spencer but he wouldn't pick up."

"Right, about that.... Wait. You said you were going to surprise me?" I asked, surprise evident in my voice. 

She let out an easy laugh, "Yeah, actually. I might've stalked you on insta a bit and found out that your birthday is tomorrow."

She wanted to surprise me for my birthday. Oh god, my heart was about to burst into a million pieces. For a good reason this time.

I cleared my throat, "That is so thoughtful of you, thank you."

Not long after, I arrived at the park, getting out and tucking a loose piece of my hair behind my ear.

Trees swayed with the cold night breeze and I hugged my parka closer to me. Tears still stung at the back of my eyes. Everything these past months had been so overwhelming. It was a constant train filled with misery and pain. Sure, there were good parts. Good parts like Peyton, good parts like Cara, good parts like reuniting with JJ, good parts like laughing with Rossi after I lost my temper during the Dubanowski interrogation.

Mostly though, it was the dark parts that inhabited your brain like a moth drawn to a flame. Dark parts like not picking up her call that night, dark parts like witnessing Spencer go through panic attacks, dark parts like getting shot and not knowing if you were going to make it.

Because, honestly, I didn't think I would.

The scarier part though, was that I had accepted that reality. The one where I was ready to leave behind everyone here just to follow that sliver of hope that she would be there on the other side.

"Hey!" Cara waved. She sat on a bench, her hands also hugging her jacket around her like mine.

Good parts like Cara.

She made it okay. She made those dark parts disappear for a little while. I could drown myself in the sound of her voice, feeling absolutely blissful before my mind caught up with the dark realms of reality. I really liked her. Even if she didn't feel the same, it would be okay as long as I could continue to sit beside her and listen to her talk. At least, that's what it felt like in the hospital back in Cleveland. 

I grinned, every single thought leaving my mind for a second. For a second, all my thoughts revolved around her.

Cara's expression turned into a deep frown, her eyebrows creasing as she walked up to me. Suddenly, her arms came up to pull me into a hug. "Is everything ok? You seemed so down on the phone."