"Where'd she go?" Liam came back around.

"She left," I shrugged, seating Elijah on the edge of the pool.

"Did you say something?" he questioned.

"No, Liam, I did not say something to her," I rolled my eyes.

"She hates you," he sighed.

"Why?" Elijah kicked around the water while pouting.

"She loves me," I told Elijah while making sure his arm floats were on properly.

"She did," Liam mumbled before getting out.

"Bye Liam," Elijah waved.

"Just you and me, Eli," I sighed.

"I lub you," he grinned.

I laughed while picking him up. He likes to float, so that's what he does, I just keep my hand under him. "You wanna go to my room, Elijah? We can meet your dad later?" I asked.

He nodded and I pulled him up before getting out with him. "Come on," I picked him up and made him stand on a lounging chair while I dry myself off before drying him off. "Turn around for me." I dried his back and neck before tossing the towel and seating him down, slipping his sandals on before he stood up. I grabbed his hand and took him to the elevator, taking him up to my room.

"Where is your room?" he asked, stumbling over his words a little.

"That one," I pointed.

He let go of my hand and ran straight to it, knocking on the door aimlessly. I laughed while walking over only to realize that wasn't my room.

Shit.

She opened the door in her bikini so I took it she hadn't hit the shower yet. "Yeah?" she sighed in exasperation. She so wanted to kill me.

"Wrong room, sorry," I mumbled while my eyes took her in.

She noticed and closed the door a little, hiding behind it. "Okay," she said. She began closing the door but Elijah ran inside.

"I wike your room, Nicky!" he screamed while running to the bed, struggling to climb on.

She sighed and picked him up, helping him get on it. "This isn't Nick's room," she sat on the edge of the bed. "It's mine," she looked at him.

"I wike it!" he continued jumping on the bed. He still gets his l's and w's mixed up as well.

"Elijah, come on, let's go," I called him over.

"No," he laughed while jumping, trying to touch the ceiling.

"Elijah," I huffed.

"Nope," he laughed.

"Eli, let's go," I said warningly, knowing well that I could never yell at this kid.

"No," he giggled.

I went and stood in front of the bed. "Come on, you can jump on my bed, let's go," I held my arms out but this kid just doesn't listen. "I'll catch you," I arched an eyebrow at him.

"No," he shook his head and kept jumping, running from one side of the bed to the other.

"Come on," I mumbled under my breath. "Elijah okay enough, come on," I moved to my left while he jumped in a new spot. I was standing directly in front of her while she was watching Elijah with a smile.

"Elijah," I leaned forward to get a hold of him but he moved and I tripped over her flip flops and fell. On her.

She huffed while I propped myself up on my elbows. Elijah was laughing like a maniac while he hopped off the bed and ran around the room, eating the chocolate that the room offered on the coffee table.

Neither of us had said a word.

We were just staring at each other and she was a little breathless.

Elijah was too busy eating chocolates and we were too busy processing our proximity and staring at each other.

We haven't been this close since we were together.

"Are you planning to get off?" she whispered.

No, I'm not. Does she mind?

I chose not to answer that and just keep my mouth shut. "You don't think this is a little inappropriate?" she cleared her throat.

"Why? Do you have a boyfriend?" I arched an eyebrow at her.

"No, but you have a girlfriend," she mumbled, "Rachel isn't here but that doesn't mean she's not your girlfriend anymore," she looked into my eyes and it clicked. I pushed myself off her and stood up straight while she sat up.

"Have you been keeping tabs on me?" I thought out loud.

"It's hard to avoid when she doesn't shut up in Home Ec. especially since we have Home Ec. every day except for one day in the week, can you get out?" she huffed. "Please?" her voice softened.

I so wanted to tell her the truth.

"Yeah," I nodded before going over to Elijah. "You are in trouble, sir," I tickled him before picking him up.

"Bye, Emma," he laughed with the chocolate in his hands.

"Bye," she smiled at him before closing the door as we left. I shook my head while unlocking my door and going in.

"Come here," I took the chocolate and set it down, taking him into the bathroom and seating him on the sink, rinsing his hands. "Don't do that again, okay?" I asked while drying his little hands off with the towel.

"Sowwy," he shrugged, rocking his legs back and forth.

"Let's take you to your dad, you can shower and then I'll meet you, okay?" I asked while setting him on the ground. He nodded and I threw on a shirt before taking him to Finn's room. Allison opened the door. His wife. "Here you go, you can shower him," I placed his hand in his mom's.

"Nick," she let out a tired sigh.

"Look, I can watch him all day but I don't know how to shower a kid," I gave her a pointed look.

"Come here, you," she picked him and he waved me bye before she closed the door.

I went back to my room and grabbed a fresh set of clothes and went to shower. We have dinner and then we're all meeting at the bar tonight which means she'll be there and Liam will be there and I'll have to watch them flirt.

Again.

Ew.

-----

I pulled my shoes on when there was a knock on my door. "One second!" I called out while grabbing my key card and my phone before getting the door. It was William. "Hey," I nodded while closing my door.

"Hey, we've got dinner, let's go," he threw an arm around my shoulder and let us to the elevator. We turned the corner to it and there she was, waiting for Zoey. "Hey, Emma," Will nodded.

"Hey," she said to him but made no move to acknowledge me.

"Waiting for Zo?" he questioned.

"Yup," she nodded while leaning against the wall. She looked stunning as always, wearing her white sundress that I was lucky enough to see her in a few times when we were together. One time stood out. She wore that on our first date. What we did is a story for another time.

"We'll see you downstairs," Will nodded as the elevator opened and I went with him.

With her looking like that, this might be a long night.

It's been easier to not think about her because she's been avoiding me for the past month and even in the classes we share, she acts like I don't even exist.

Which I admit, hurts a little, but it only makes forgetting her a little easier. We all met at our table and sat down in our seats. I had William on one side, nobody else on the other.

Within ten minutes, everyone was here and seated. Emma walked in with Zoey and there were two seats left just for them. One beside me, and one opposite to that one. Emma sighed in defeat before sitting beside me, saying hello to Liam who I just realized was sitting on her other side.

Halfway through dinner, Will's dad, my uncle addressed me. "Nick, when is that friend of yours flying in? We'll need to get him a room. What's his name?" he asked.

"Landon, he's flying in tonight," I replied.

And then Zoey choked.

I knew about her little crush, the whole school did. Everyone did, except for Landon himself. Idiot.

Emma chuckled beside me before excusing herself and pulling Zoey out to the bathrooms, laughing hysterically on her way out. I had to bite down on my lip to keep myself from smiling.

God, I missed her laugh.

I snapped out of it when conversation resumed and everyone was talking amongst themselves.

"Nick," William cleared his throat while turning to me. "Weren't you two a thing?" he asked.

"Yeah," Madeline answered from in front of me, "And he still does," she said nonchalantly while sipping her wine. "Don't you?" she arched an eyebrow at me.

"No," I huffed, "I don't anymore. But yeah, we went out," I mumbled.

"Sure you do," Madeline laughed.

"What makes you say that?" William asked, stealing the words from my mouth.

Why the hell does she think I still like her? I don't.

She cleared her throat, "The fact that you've been staring at her all night."

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