TDA Meets TLH

8: Emma

Everyone filed out of the training room, for lunch, and I was about follow them, when a voice called my name.

"Emma." Julian.

I slowly turned around, not wanting to meet his eyes. I slowly moved my head up, and I looked at him in the eyes. I hadn't noticed the huge dark circles underneath his eyes, from a lack of sleep. His blue-green eyes looked pained, and I felt a violent shudder run through me.

"Yes?" I finally said.

Julian walked towards me, and I automatically took a step back. He looked shocked, and hurt, and I wanted to kick myself for doing it to him. He looks like that because of you, Emma, a voice said in my head. It's all your fault.

"Emma." His voice was layered with pain. "Why are you doing this? Why are you dating Mark?"

"Because I want to, Jules." I could barely look at him.

"No, you don't." Julian took a step forward, so our faces were inches apart. "You're doing this on purpose to push me away. I know you, Emma. I always have."

Damn it, why did he have to know me so well?

"No I'm not." I said as most convincingly as I could. "I like Mark like that."

"No you don't, Emma." Julian said softly.

"Why are you doing this Julian?" I said loudly, suddenly. "You know we can't do this. It's against the law, and you know it. The Clave--bad things will happen."

"I don't care about the damn Clave!" Julian exclaimed, angrily. "I care about you! I love you, Emma, and that's all I care about. I don't care what happens to us, as long as I can be with you."

"Julian." I whispered, sadly. "We can't. We just can't."

"I love you, and you love me. Why isn't that enough?" Julian spoke.

"Because we could be stripped of our marks!" I exclaimed. "Don't you see Julian? We could never work! We would have to hide our feelings our entire lives! What would people start to think, when we get older and never marry anyone?" I took a deep breath. "It could never work, Jules."

"But I can't let you go." He whispered, his hand cupping my cheek. "I love you so much, Em, it scares me. And I tried. Tried so hard to stop loving you, but I can't. I can't. You're it for me, Emma."

"Julian." I whispered, sadly, tears welling in my eyes.

Suddenly, he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. I made a startled sound, but kissed him back. Julian's hands gripped my waist, and my arms locked themselves around his neck. Push him away, Emma, a voice said in my head. It's not right. But I didn't want to listen to that voice. Not when Julian was kissing me like this.

"Emma." He gasped against my mouth.

I only kissed him harder, and he made a sound. Suddenly, I heard the door to the training room open.

"Emma, Julian, the pizza's--oh." A person said.

Julian and I sprang apart, and I looked panickedly towards where the voice came from. Mark was leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed, and his eyebrow raised at me. I sighed in relief.

"Really Emma? Cheating on me already?" Mark looked amused.

I rolled my eyes at him, whereas Julian looked panicked.

"What? Why are you acting so casual about this?" Julian looked bewildered. "You just saw--"

"Emma and you kissing? Yup." Mark said casually. "Tsk tsk brother, in a romance your Parabatai?"

Julian looked absolutely shocked, and I sighed.

"I told him. About us. I had to since..." I trailed.

"Since you two are fake dating." Julian finished. "Called it."

I only sighed, and looked back at Mark.

"I guess we don't need to date anymore." I said Mark, and sighed again.

"I figured." He looked amused, but then he became serious. "You two need to be more careful. You're lucky it was me who saw you, and not anyone else."

Julian and I only looked ashamed.

"Who else knows about you two?" Mark asked.

"Cristina." I said quietly, and Julian's eyes shot to me.

"You told her?" He asked.

"I had to. I needed advice." I admitted.

We were all silent for a moment, and then Julian smirked at his brother.

"Cristina, huh? I saw the way you blushed when she complimented you, earlier." He teased.

Mark blushed and scowled. "Shut up. The pizza's here."

He then stalked off, muttering things in a language I didn't understand. Faerie, I thought it was. Julian and I looked at each other, again.

I sighed. "Julian--"

"Don't. Don't say it." He said. "We can make this work, Em. I know we can."

Julian intertwined his fingers with mine, and I sighed. Every part of me was saying that I shouldn't be doing this, but I wanted to be with Jules so bad. Say no, Emma, say no. You have to.

"Okay." I finally said. "Okay."

The light seemed to return to his face, and my heart melted. He leaned down and kissed me again, and I happily kissed him back. After a few more seconds, we both pulled away, and walked to the kitchen. Everyone was sitting at the table. Matthew and James were sitting beside each other, and Livvy and Dru were looking dreamily at Matthew. Anna and Cordelia were laughing about something. Ty was showing Tavvy something in his book. Cristina was talking Diego, looking annoyed, Mark watching them. Finally, Lucie had cheese from the pizza on her nose, and Jesse was laughing at her.

Julian and I took our seats beside each other, and Mark was shaking his head at us. I glared at him, and he chuckled. I suddenly decided to tease him.

"Mark, doesn't Tina look soooo pretty today?" I grinned at him.

He turned an awful shade of red, and look embarrassed. "Yeah."

I smirked at him, and he shot daggers at me. Everyone else looked confused, still thinking that we were dating, and Cristina only blushed. She knew about how Mark and I had been fake dating. I looked over at Julian.

He winked at me. "Nice one."

I laughed, and Mark glared at us.

"You guys are idiots." He said to us, so only we would hear.

I only laughed again. I hadn't realized how fun it was to tease Mark.