"You're just gonna sit in silence while I do this?" I asked in confusion.

"We don't have anything to talk about," she shrugged nonchalantly.

I sighed while running my fingers through her hair. Her phone rang in front of her and she answered it. "Hello?" she asked. "After breakfast?" she asked. I figured Zoey was telling her about the plans for tomorrow. We're going to Miami Seaquarium. "Yeah, that's fine," she nodded even though Zoey couldn't see her.

I smirked to myself, "Babe, hurry!" I said loud enough for Zoey to hear.

She froze and turned to me, glaring. If looks could kill, I'd be six feet under. "No, I'm not with anybody!" she groaned into the phone.

"Emma!" I called out, laughing slightly.

"No, no, no, that's not what it is!" she shrieked, "Zoey, I'm gonna call you back," she hung up with an exasperated sigh and turned to me.

"I'll shut up," I laughed. She rolled her eyes while I sat up on my knees, running my hands through her hair one final time before leaning forward and grabbing the hair tie off her wrist. "Tie it in a bun, wait thirty minutes," I handed it to her. She stood up with a sigh and threw her hair up. "You don't have to thank me, but you're welcome," I sighed while rinsing my hands in the bathroom.

"Thank you," she mumbled.

"Keep it, you're gonna need it. I'm sure this isn't the last time we're going to the beach," I sighed while grabbing the towel that I took with me to the beach.

"Are you leaving?" she asked, softly.

"Do you want me to stay? We could save water, shower together?" I smirked while walking up to her, standing barely an inch away.

She clicked her tongue in frustration and pushed me back, "Just go," she huffed while rolling her eyes at me.

"Emma," I chuckled, leaning against the wall while throwing my towel over my shoulder. "I'm serious, we could save some water and shower together," I smirked.

"Seriously Nick, just get out," she huffed and opened the door.

"Give me a second," I closed it and leaned against it, looking at her.

"You want a second just to stare at me?" she asked in confusion.

"Yes, I haven't seen you in a month," I gave her a pointed look.

"That was your decision. You could be seeing me every day of every week, but you chose not to," she shrugged.

"I'm not the one that broke up with you," I sighed.

"No, you just pushed me until I had to do it," she shrugged, "You cheated. Don't tell me you expected me to stay after that," she scoffed.

"I didn't," I shook my head, "That was the whole point," I mumbled under my breath.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing, I'll leave you alone," I nodded before pushing myself off the wall and heading out, going straight to my room. As soon as I closed my door, there was a knock. I opened it and she was standing right there.

"Y-you um- you left your phone," she held it out for me to take. I didn't say anything, I just took it from her and tossed it onto the bed. "Okay then," she whispered to herself, "Goodnight." Her eyes met mine and I felt a shock surge through my body.

"Goodnight," I said before closing the door. "Shit," I mumbled to myself while I went to shower.

I promised myself not to feel anything for her again. I have to stay away from her. It took a lot to push her away the first time, I can't do it again. I'll just have to stay away from her. How hard can it be?

-----

I woke up to the phone ringing the next morning. "I'm up, I'm up," I spoke into the phone, picking it up lazily.

"Seaquarium after breakfast which is in ten minutes, see you there," William said before hanging up.

How he agreed to be everyone's human alarm clock? I have no idea.

I groaned, grabbed my clothes, and hit the shower after brushing my teeth. Day one of staying away from Emma. Let's see how it goes.

Horrible.

We're at breakfast and so far it is going horrible. She's sitting next to me. How is it that there's never another seat beside the one next to me? It's not like she's acknowledging me, she never does, but I'm acknowledging her, in fact, Madeline has already pointed out that I'm yet again staring at her.

"Nick, you seriously need to get a grip on yourself," Landon sighed beside me, "Does this mean that this last month you were only able to stay away because she didn't let you get close? Is that really how weak your willpower is?" he arched an eyebrow at me.

"Shut up and eat your eggs," I rolled my eyes at him.

That's so not how weak my willpower is.

It's just weaker when it comes to her.

"Mommy, I want a quackson," Elijah said.

That's a croissant.

"I can get it, I'm getting up to get some hash browns anyway, anyone wants anything?" Emma asked while standing up. Nobody asked for anything so she took her plate and left, coming back with two hash browns and one croissant. "I brought you the chocolate one," she grinned at Elijah.

He did a little excited shuffle before eating, making a little mess around his mouth while Emma focused on talking to Liam.

"Oh boy," Landon sighed, "You miss her."

"No, I don't," I lied.

"Clearly, you've been pretending this past month. You can get her back if you want, you just gotta think fast," he glanced at Emma.

I looked at her and she was laughing which as always, is a sight for sore eyes. Liam was holding her hand that she was resting on the table while they talked.

"I don't want her back, Landon. What about you? Are you gonna do anything about your little crush on Zoey?" I arched an eyebrow at him, ignoring the anger that was pulsing through me as a dull ache.

"I will, in due time, brother," he set his fork down on his empty plate and turned to me. "Time that you don't have with her," he glanced at Emma before looking back at me, and grabbing his empty glass, standing up to get a refill, joining Zoey at the apple juice stand.

No.

I will not let his or anybody else's words convince me otherwise. I don't like her anymore and I don't want her back. End of discussion.

After a while, we all began heading out in groups, deciding to meet at the aquarium. While we were out waiting for our car, Liam decided to go and ask one of the drivers for a key. He and Emma began walking to the car but Landon, thank you, Landon, decided to intervene.

"Can I just come with you guys, then?" he asked Emma.

"Yeah, me too," Zoey took Landon's hint.

Liam looked at Emma, hoping she'd say no but she looked at me. "Maybe we all can just share a ride? Whoever wants to drive can drive," she shrugged while looking between Liam and me.

"You can drive," I shrugged at him, sitting in the back.

Emma was about to sit shotgun but Landon called it. I rolled my eyes at him and she let out a sigh, sitting at the back with me and Zoey. She was sitting in the middle again. "Did you ask him to do that?" she whispered to me, turning to face me.

"And why exactly would I do that?" I questioned, looking at her.

"I don't know, you tell me," she arched an eyebrow at me, leaning in daringly.

"Do I have to?" I leaned in as well and Liam cleared his throat, breaking us apart. Well, maybe sharing a ride won't be so bad after all. He glared at me through the rearview mirror and just to piss him off, even more, I put my arm around her, resting it on the seats.

She huffed and pulled it off, "Keep your hands to yourself, please," she mumbled.

I rolled my eyes while Liam smiled. Within ten minutes, we reached the aquarium and filed out of the car.

"Are we watching the show?" Zoey asked.

"What else are we gonna do here?" Liam shrugged while I went up and met William who was getting us tickets.

I'm not too fond of animal shows because you never know how they're really treated, and it's obviously not great for those animals to be swimming in a circle for their entire lives but some of the grandparents wanted to watch this so here we are.

"Are we really watching this? I thought you didn't like this kinda stuff," Emma mumbled while standing beside me.

"I don't but some of the grandparents wanted to watch. You don't like it either," I shrugged.

"Yeah, I don't," she huffed. Someone pushed past us and she fell onto me, grabbing me to keep herself up. "Jesus, sorry. I'll just wait there," she sighed and joined Zoey, Liam, and Landon.

"Hey, where's everyone else?" William asked while handing me tickets.

"Over there," I mumbled absentmindedly while staring at her.

"You're so in love with her. Quit staring! We gotta go, bring them over!" William snapped me out of it before heading for the show.

I handed them their tickets and led them to our seats.

Great, I can't wait to sit between Emma and Liam.

"Switch?" Liam asked.

I resisted a glare and just shrugged, "I'll pass."

Asshole.

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