┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓

┗━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┛

"I think I'm going to call it a night now, go to my room," I said to Remy.

Most people had already gone back to their rooms, only a few people were still here. Now, with fewer people to talk to, I had no other choice but to sit here and see Adam. I didn't want to do it anymore, I didn't want to be around him, I didn't want to hear his voice or see his smile or catch his dimples. I just wanted to be away from him.

"Already?" she asked. "Don't tell me you'll go to sleep, you always stay up late."

"No, I probably won't sleep. I just want to go back to my room."

She watched me for a minute before realization flickered across her eyes and she nodded softly. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." As I stood up, I heard another chair screech across the floor and when I looked up, I saw Adam standing up, straightening out his shirt. I doubt he stood up and decided to leave just because I was but I couldn't help but think maybe that was it. I glanced at Remy who was already looking between us but then tucked my chair in and turned to the others. "Goodnight, everybody."

"Goodnight, Em," everyone replied.

As I walked away from the table, I heard Adam say goodnight to everyone before his footsteps appeared behind me. I closed my eyes for a minute and sighed softly before nearing the elevators and stopping there once I pressed the button. I folded my arms across my chest while he came and stood beside me, his hands tucked into his pockets.

We both stood in silence and I swore to myself that I wasn't going to be the one to break it this time. I'm always the one who talks first, it makes me feel like I'm the one dying to rekindle our friendship and bring it back to life.

"I didn't know you were living in New York," he said, breaking the silence.

Without looking at him, I replied, "I didn't know you were either. I figured you'd still be in Boston."

"I moved right after college. The team that picked me was based in New York."

"Good for you, Adam," I mumbled. I didn't know what else to possibly say.

"You wrote a book," he stated.

"I sure did."

"Congratulations. You always wanted to."

"Thanks."

"What's it about?"

"Remind me why you're suddenly talking to me."

He exhaled softly. "We're standing here alone, Emilia. We're on this trip, how long are we going to avoid each other?"

"As long as we can. That's what I thought. That was the plan."

"Well, I'm sure you know by now, I'm not very good at sticking to the plan, am I?"

My jaw clenched but I willed myself not to look at him. Every time I looked at him, I wanted to cry. I didn't respond and stepped into the elevator as it opened with a soft ding.

He stepped in with me and pressed the button to the fifth floor. "Do you really think we can last on this trip without finally talking about—"

I cut him off, "Yeah, I do. We haven't talked in five years. It shouldn't be that hard."

"I haven't seen you for five years. I didn't think it would be this hard to stay away from you."

"You've been doing just fine since we ended high school. Deal with it." I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. "We just have to tolerate each other. It's only a matter of seven days. Let's just be mature about this."

"Maturity would be talking things out, Emilia," he scoffed.

"And what good would that do, Adam? You can't rewind it, what's done is done." I felt his gaze on me.

"You don't even want to try to fix things?"

"Some things are unfixable." The elevator stopped and opened with another ding. "I know we have to tolerate each other and I'm trying, okay?" I huffed, stepping out and walking ahead of him, heading to my room as fast as possible.

"You're not," he argued, grabbing my arm and jerking me back, spinning me around. I stumbled a bit, losing my footing but caught myself as I crashed into him, a hand flying to his chest so I could steady myself. "You're running from me," he said calmly, staring down at me.

I held his gaze, feeling my heart pound. "You've given me every reason to. I don't want to see you, I don't know how I can make that any clearer."

"Well, you have to," he replied. "Because you're here and so am I. I messed up, okay? But so did you. Are you really going to be so stubborn and act like this while we're here?"

"I am," I nodded, throwing his hand off of me. "That's exactly what I'm going to do."

"Why are you acting like this?"

"Am I supposed to pretend like nothing happened?"

We stood in silence in the middle of the empty hallway for a long minute. Maybe several minutes. "Emmy—"

"Don't call me that."

"Why not?" he sighed.

"I don't want you to call me that."

"Well, I can call you whatever I want. And you have to deal with it."

I glared at him, grinding my teeth together.

He paused and then took a small step forward. "Emilia, look, I don't want to ruin this trip for anybody, especially Aspen and Remy," he hesitated to continue. "But I need to talk to you."

"Why? Do you want to apologize?"

"Do you really think I should?"

"Of course, I think you should."

"Do you think it was all my fault?"

I wanted so desperately to yell at him and blame everything on him. But I just couldn't do it. Because if I did, it would be a lie. It wasn't just his fault and I know that he thinks that I completely blame him for our fallout, but I don't. And once I tell him that, once he knows it, he'll find his way back in and I can't let that happen. Adam was the most important person to me for a long time. But when someone who means that much to you betrays you, it's too damn hard to let them back in.

"Because if you do, then say it to my face. Instead of pretending and acting like it doesn't bother you as much as it does, just let it out," he continued.

"What's that going to do? Hmm? It'll cause a big fight and I'm not going to do that here. No way. I'm here for my sister's wedding. And nothing is more important than that right now. Not even the friendship we had... not even you."

He blinked, his eyes falling to the ground. "Do you really mean that?" he asked.

"Of course, I mean it. She's my sister, Adam."

"I'm your best friend, Emmy."

"You were. Now you're not. Now, you're probably the last person I want to see."

"Who's your best friend then? Tell me. Who do you go to when something goes wrong? Who's the first person you want to see and tell everything to? Who replaced me?" He took another step forward, lifting his gaze to meet mine.

I wish someone did. But nobody could and now with him gone too, it just feels like a huge void in my life that nobody can fill.

"It's not about who replaced you, that's not important. What's important and what you should remember is that I don't want you back in my life. I have no space for you in it, not anymore. I have my family, I have a best friend, one that doesn't leave me behind and doesn't lie to me."

No, I don't.

"I'm happy where I am."

He held my gaze after scanning my face, probably plucking out each emotion individually. Nobody can read me like Adam can. His eyes came back up to mine. "Are you really?" When I couldn't answer him, he shook his head softly. "You're not. You want to be. You want it so bad. But you're not happy."

"You think I can't be happy without you?" I scoffed.

"I'm not saying that. If anything, I want you to be happy, no matter how that is. But you're not happy and it shows, Emilia."

"I'm glad you can see it then. Because seeing you hurts, Adam."

He faltered when those words came out of my mouth.

"That's what makes me unhappy. Seeing you after what you did."

He stared at me.

"Is there anything else you want? Or can I go now? Are you done yet?" I lifted a brow at him.

"No," he replied quickly. "No, I'm not done with you yet." He stared at me for a few more beats and then took a breath. "I'm not letting you go this time."

I blinked, my brows furrowing in confusion. "What?"

"I know you hate me. I hate you too."

"Then leave me alone," I said slowly, getting more and more frustrated, angrier with each passing minute.

"No. This is the first time in five years and maybe the last time I'm seeing you at all. You're very good at hiding and avoiding people, I know that. But so am I. We've been playing this game for five years. You can keep hating me, I'll keep hating you. But don't complain when I say something that hurts your feelings. I do hate you, Emilia. I hate you for doing what you did just how you hate me for what I did. I can't hide it anymore. I can't tolerate you anymore, I don't care who's getting married and where we are."

I watched him for a moment. "You're going to risk ruining your brother's wedding just to make me miserable? To make me realize how much you hate me?"

"Yeah," he nodded slowly. "I am. Since you're doing it, so will I." He brushed past me, his arm brushing against my shoulder as he stormed off to his room.

I stood there for a long minute, staring at the

floor. Adam's made me miserable for years without even knowing it, without even trying to. If he's about to start trying now, I should start preparing to have my heart broken. All over again, all because of him. Because of Adam.

.

.

.

.

.