Coffee & Cigarettes

Part 4

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"They always say times changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."

-Andy Warhol

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I didn't know what to think or how to feel.

Actually, I knew how I felt. I was angry. I wanted to punch something; someone.

Is this why Emma had been avoiding me? Is he why?

Is this why everyone had been acting weird? They didn't know how to tell me?

My stomach dropped.

I was about to walk over to them when Devon grabbed my arm stopping me.

"Don't make a scene, man. Let me explain." He muttered. I shoved him away.

He wasn't my friend. A real friend would have told me long before now; long before I had to see this shit for myself.

I ignored him as I walked across the hall towards Rebecca, Emma, and the mystery guy.

The guy smiling at me as he noticed me. Rebecca's back turned away.

"Hey, dude." The guy said greeting me. Rebecca turned, her smile dropping as she saw me before coming back forced. Emma's brows pulling together as she didn't know it was me yet.

"Emma," I stated coolly ignoring the guy and Rebecca.

"Daniel." She stated just as cooly back. Even though she couldn't see me she purposefully didn't turn towards me as she said my name.

There was an awkward silence as I stared at her. As I waited for her to say something; to explain.

A part of me wanted to scream and yell, a part of me wanted to cry, and the other part of me felt like I should have known.

It was stupid of me to expect her to wait for me.

"Is that all you really have to say to me?" I asked after another moment passed by.

She promised me. She told me she loved me. Had she really been lying the whole time?

I didn't understand.

Emma frowned. "This is Elliot." She said finally introducing the guy. His arm no longer around her.

Elliot.

I turned to the guy.

He was as tall as I am and had dark brown hair. His face both boyish and punchable.

"Nice to meet you. I've heard so m-" he started to say but I cut him off.

I didn't give a shit about what he had to say.

"How long has this been going on?" I asked. "Dani-" Rebecca tried to interrupt but I turned to her and glared.

She looked away from me.

"How long?" I asked again.

Emma bit her lip. "Does it matter?"

I didn't know how to answer.

Who was this person in front of me? She looked and sounded like Emma. But she wasn't my Emma.

What changed? What happened while I was gone? Why was she acting this way?

The warning bell rang signally the start of the school day.

"Walk me to class?" Emma asked turning to the guy as she ignored me. "Sure," he said as he took her hand.

Just as they were about to leave Emma finally turned to me. Her empty blue eyes blindly on me.

"Bye, Daniel." She muttered before walking away with Elliot.

At that moment I could feel my heart break. My eyes starting to water.

For the first time, it felt like whatever Emma and I had was really over.

"Daniel, I'm so sorry. I told her not to do things this way. But she won't listen to me. Just let me explain." Rebecca said quickly as she turned to me.

The second warning bell rang as the hall began to empty.

There was nothing Rebecca could say to make any of this better.

The worst part wasn't Emma leaving me for someone else, I always knew this would happen. The worst part was realizing Emma wasn't the person I thought she was.

No, the worst part was knowing I still wanted her anyway; knowing that if she walked back into this hall and told me she changed her mind and still loved me than I would take her back.

"Just go, Rebecca," I said calmly calling her by her name.

"dan-"

"Just fucking go." I snapped as I finally turned to her. She frowned before nodding and walking away.

The final bell rang.

I could feel my hands shaking.

I needed to get away from here. I needed to hit someone. I needed to smoke.

"Fuck," I muttered to myself as I closed my eyes and leaned against the lockers.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.

I can't do this.

I could hear the clicking of footsteps as someone walked towards me.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

I was supposed to come back and everything was supposed to be better.

But nothing was right anymore.

"I can't take this. How much fucking more has changed?" I asked myself out loud.

"Everything." A voice said from beside me. I opened my eyes to see Ashley.

"What?" I asked my voice cracking as I looked at her.

She smiled at me softly. "Everything has changed."

{Published: December 9th, 2018}

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A/N: So the drama begins. Don't hate me. Everything will be explained soon enough.