I was the first one ready. This definitely was not an everyday occurrence.

I stepped out into the kitchen, helping myself to a yogurt and taking a seat at the counter.

The apartment was eerily silent, meaning that both the boys must still be on their morning uns.

They were cutting it close today.

I finished off my yogurt and went back to my bedroom to touch up my hair and grab my phone.

As I stepped back out into the hallway, sending a text to Michelle, I practically crashed into someone.

"Sorry," Parker muttered.

"I'll just go around," I muttered, going to step around him.

We both ended up stepping in the same direction.

I stepped in the opposite direction at the same time Parker did.

I closed my eyes. This wasn't happening right now.

"You step to your right, I'll step to my right," I instructed.

"Won't we both be going the same way again then?" Parker asked, confusedly.

He wasn't seriously that stupid.

"Just step to your right," I instructed.

He did so, and I stepped to my right.

"Oh," he muttered.

I stepped around him, continuing out to the kitchen.

Emmett was shirtless, taking a hit from his inhaler.

"Cutting it close today," I commented.

He nodded in agreement. "Took the longer route."

"Well hurry it up so you don't make me late for school."

He chuckled, taking a second hit from his inhaler before turning to face me.

"That's a serious look," I commented, raising my eyebrows at him.

"How many more hints do I have to drop before you're going to tell me that you and Parker kissed in the elevator?"

I lost the ability to speak, my jaw falling slack.

How the hell could he possibly know that?

"I mean, the three of us live in one apartment together," he continued. "You didn't think I'd notice how you've been completely avoiding each other for almost two weeks?"

I actually didn't think he'd notice, no.

"So when you're ready to tell me, I'll be waiting," he concluded, before heading back towards his bedroom.

We're so screwed.

"Parker!" I called out in the hallway, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the janitor's closet.

"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded, yanking his arm away from me.

"Emmett knows."

"What do you mean Emmett knows?"

"He told me this morning that he knows about our kiss."

Parker's eyes widened. "He actually told you that?"

I nodded.

"Shit."

"What are we going to do?"

"Well we're going to tell him, obviously," Parker stated, staring at me like I was an idiot.

"He'll kill us."

"Me," Parker corrected. "He'll kill me. And he's your twin; I'm surprised that you're not the one saying this."

Parker was right. I shouldn't be trying to hide things from Emmett. We just needed to own our mistake to him, make sure he knows it was a mistake, and then all move on.

"I'll talk to him after practice," Parker muttered, straightening up. "That way he won't be as riled up when he gets back to the apartment."

"Shouldn't we tell him together?"

"This isn't a big deal," he said, with an eye roll. "It was just a kiss. I can tell him."

"Okay," I agreed, and then we both stepped out of the janitor's closet together.

And almost smack into Daniel, whose back was turned to the closet.

Daniel turned to face his, his eyes flickering from the closet to us, a range of emotions crossing his face, including shock and anger.

"And then there's him," Parker said. "That's on you." He patted me on the back before leaving.

"What was that?" Daniel asked.

"We were just talking."

"In a closet?"

"Guess you could say Parker finally came out of the closet." I couldn't help but laugh at my own joke. "Sorry, I couldn't resist."

Daniel didn't even crack a smile.

"I don't think you have any right to have trust issues with me," I pointed out. "And we're not even dating."

"So I guess you can just whore around with whoever then?"

"Whoa," I ordered, holding up a finger. "I am not a whore."

"Says the girl who slept with me and then apparently had something with Parker."

"That does not make me a whore," I corrected. "A whore is classified as a prostitute, and last time I checked I haven't reached that point in my life."

He rolled his eyes.

"And for a second point, I've slept with one guy my entire life. You. So if anyone's the whore here it would be you," I informed him, shoving my index finger into his chest. "You're the one who does the sleeping around here, not me."

"That's not fair."

"Excuse me?" I demanded. "It's okay for you to sleep with whoever the hell you want, but when I have sex with a single person, I'm classified as a whore?"

"And then immediately move onto the next guy," Daniel added.

"The double standards you and the rest of society have are absolutely ridiculous," I informed him. "I think it's best if you leave."

"We're at school," he pointed out.

He always had to be a smartass, I swear to God.

"I'm done here Daniel. Goodbye."

"Come on Emily, I didn't mean it like that."

"You can't call me a whore and then say you didn't mean it like that."

"I was just-"

"Leave it," I ordered. "We're done." And then I turned on my heel and walked away.

~*~

"Let's go to a party," I said to Emmett, as he walked into the apartment door.

"A party?" he asked, shutting the door behind him.

I nodded in agreement. "I think it's safe to say we've all had a shitty week. So let's go to a party."

"I'm not really in a party mood."

"Well get in one," I ordered. "Because we're going."

He laughed, opening the refrigerator and helping himself to a bottle of water. "And where is this party?"

"Ingraham," I informed him. "And it's supposed to be a rager."

"Don't ever say that again."

"I won't if you go with me."

"Okay," he agreed, with a laugh. "Let me shower off and change."

I nodded agreement, practically sprinting back to my bedroom.

I hadn't been a party since I first got back to the States, and it was pretty low key.

I was ready to let loose.

I ran my straightener through my hair and dabbed on some makeup before stepping into my closet.

I stepped out of my sweats and t-shirt, instead deciding on a lacy black mini-dress. The sleeves were three-quarter sleeve, and it fit me just perfectly.

I paired the dress with my gold sandals before heading back out to the living room.

Parker was watching TV and eating popcorn, a bandage where his stitches were.

"Trainer cut my stitches for me after practice-" Parker started, but he stopped when he saw it was me.

I think he thought I was Emmett.

"Going out?" Parker asked.

"No, I thought I'd lounge around in my black dress."

He rolled his eyes, tossing some popcorn up into the air and catching it in his mouth.

Emmett came out into the kitchen, dressed in a pair of jeans and a flannel button-up.

"Are you coming?" Emmett asked Parker.

"Nope."

"Go get dressed, we're leaving in five," Emmett ordered.

"Pretty sure I said no."

"Pretty sure I said let's go."

Pretty sure their relationship is weird.

"Not really in a party mood," Parker muttered.

"Join the club. Now let's go."

And Parker listened to him. He hopped up off the couch, leaving his popcorn behind.

"Five minutes!" Emmett called.

"Heard you the first time," Parker called back.

I took a seat on the couch, eating some popcorn while we waited on Parker.

I hope this doesn't become a thing, because last time we were headed to a party we ended up waiting on Parker as well.

Parker emerged a few minutes later in a Polo shirt and a pair of jeans.

"Ready?" Emmett asked, picking up his keys.

I nodded in agreement, skipping out to the elevator.

I stopped short once I reached it, Emmett and Parker right behind me.

"Why don't we take the stairs?" Parker suggested.

"Good idea," I agreed, going down in front of them.

Riding in the elevator with Parker and Emmett would be too weird.

But six flights of stairs weren't ideal either.

I raced Parker out to Emmett's Coupe, Parker obviously beating me.

I'm not a soccer player. And I don't run multiple miles every morning.

"Backseat," Parker said, opening the door for me with a smile.

"How sweet of you," I muttered, before climbing in.

Emmett and Parker talked about Parker's stitches removal the entire way to the party, Parker giving Emmett every detail.

I didn't want to know this.

The party was already in full swing by the time we pulled up. People immediately greeted Parker and Emmett, and I managed to slip by and head inside.

All I wanted was a beer to start the night off right.

I found the alcohol, and helped myself to a Mike's Hard Lemonade before heading over to the dance floor.

"Hey Emily," Hannah shouted, with a smile.

I joined her and a few other friends. We danced for what seemed like hours, the alcohol constantly coming.

"I have to go to the-to the bathroom," I informed Hannah, with a laugh.

"That way," she informed me, pointing towards the stairs.

"Thanks Han, you're the best," I gushed, before stumbling over towards the stairs.

"Let me help you," a very handsome boy offered.

"Okay," I agreed, with a giggle.

"Bathroom?" he asked.

I nodded in agreement.

He helped me up the stairs and pointed me in the direction of the bathroom.

He was still waiting for me in the hall after I'd relieved myself.

"You're so nice," I informed him, with a smile.

"Thanks."

"Do you-do you go to our school?" I asked him.

"No, I go to Lakeside Private."

"I went there once," I informed him. "In like the third grade."

"Maybe I know you. What's your name?"

"Hannah Winston." I paused for a moment and then giggled. "Wait, that's my friend's name."

He laughed as well.

"My name is Emily."

"Your name sounds familiar."

"Your face is pretty."

He laughed, flashing me his pearly white teeth. "Thanks Emily."

"I'm going to go back to the party," I informed him. "But thanks."

"Are you sure?" he asked, stepping in front of me.

"Yeah."

"There's some really cool stuff upstairs. Would you like to check it out with me?"

Even with my mind spinning, I knew that that didn't sound right.

"No."

"Come on," he said, tugging my arm in the opposite direction of the stairs.

"No thanks."

He let out a sigh. "You're not making this easy."

Okay, now I was scared.

"Emmett!" I called out, as this boy wrapped his arms around my waist.

There was no way Emmett could hear me over the music.

"Hannah!" I called out.

"Let go of me," I ordered to this boy.

"You're so wasted that you're not even going to remember this in the morning," he said to me.

He was right on the wasted part.

He dragged me over to one of the bedrooms while I kicked and screamed.

And then, as he opened the bedroom door, the bathroom door down the hallway opened, and a familiar figure walked out.

I tried to call out to him, but the boy shoved me into the room before I could.

And then this boy shut the bedroom door.

"Let me go!" I ordered.

He went to lock the bedroom door, but before he could it swung open to reveal my hero.

I let out a sigh of relief.

"Leave dude," the boy ordered. "Occupied."

And then my hero smashed his face.

The boy let out a groan, falling his knees while clutching his face.

My hero swept me off my feet, bridal style.

"You're my hero," I informed him, wrapping my arms around my neck.

"Is that so?" he asked, carrying me out of the bedroom.

"Yeah," I agreed, with a nod. "You're like a Superman or something."

"I'd like to think so too," he agreed, with a laugh.

I felt tired all of a sudden, my adrenaline rush calming back down.

"Your brother is going to have a meltdown," he said.

"You have a pretty face," I muttered.

"That's good to know."

"But you can't tell Parker."

"I can't tell Parker what?"

"That you have a pretty face."

He stared at me, stopping at the top of the stairs. "Why not?"

I let out a sigh, burying my face into his chest. I was so tired.

"Emily, you've got to lay off the alcohol," he muttered, as we went down the stairs.

"Where's Emmett?"

"I don't know, but I have his keys."

"Okay," I agreed, with a sigh.

"Are you alright?" he asked, as we made it out to Emmett's car. "That guy didn't do anything to you, did he?"

"No," I said, looking up into his eyes. "You saved me."

"Yeah, you've mentioned that."

He placed me in the passenger seat of the car before going around to the driver's seat.

"I don't want him to kiss me," I said.

"Well I wouldn't think so."

"Parker, I mean."

There were a couple of moments of silence. "Okay."

"That's what he told me to say."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah," I agreed, with a sigh.

"Emily, who am I?"

"My hero."

"Okay," he agreed, with a laugh.

My brain was scrambled from everything that just happened. It all seemed like a blur.

"Can you take me home?"

"That's where we're headed."

He carried me up to the apartment once we got back, placing me down in my bed.

"Wait," I ordered, when he went to leave.

"What?" he asked, his hand hovering over the light switch.

"Will you stay with me?"

He was silent for a couple of moments.

"Who am I?" he repeated.

"My hero," I repeated, with a half-smile.

"Okay," he agreed. "I'll stay."

**************************************************************************************************************

So what did you guys think about Parker & Emily's awkward hallway dance? What about Emmett informing Emily he knew about the kiss, were you surprised? And then Daniel's comments towards Emily? What about Emily ending things with him, agree or disagree? And then the party, did you expect that to happen? Who do you think Emily's hero is?

The picture off to the right is a quote by John Greene that I thought applied to this chapter & everything that's happened recently. Check it out! -->

Just to clear something up, Emily is pregnant. Not sure why that rumor got started in the first place. She just caught Parker's stomach bug after they got hot & heavy in the elevator.

So my Verizon FiOS is officially back up. I have TV, Wifi, and phone, the whole package. It was funny, because our TV & wifi went out on Saturday, and my dad was the one who had a meltdown because he didn't know what to do without it. And then the wifi came back up Saturday night, but they came by this morning to fix the TV.

Teaser: Emily has to face the aftermath of the party. And school is winding down before Christmas break, and the boys have their biggest soccer game of the season, against their biggest rivals.

Update: Thursday