"So how did you do on your assignment?" Dr. Harrison asked me.

"Terribly," I informed her, with a sigh.

"Let me see what you got."

I showed her my notepad, my thoughts as I tried to define myself with Anorexia.

"This is a good start," she praised, handing the notepad back to me. "Would you like some advice?"

"Yes," I agreed.

"Get two notepads," she instructed. "Construct one with your memories of yourself that you associate with the Anorexia and one without."

That never occurred to me.

I nodded in agreement, writing that down on my notepad.

"But this is a good start," she reiterated, with a smile. "I'm happy to see that you gave it a go."

"Well it's not like I had much of a choice."

"You always have a choice Emily. Everything you do in life is a choice. Every day you make choices, both good and bad."

Okay, I get it.

"So Anorexia was a bad choice then," I said, in a sarcastic tone.

"Anorexia does not define who you are," Dr. Harrison said, in a kind voice. "You do."

~*~

"What are you doing right now?" Parker asked me, bursting into my room.

"I am reading," I informed him, without looking away from my Kindle.

"Well stop it, because you, me, and Lee are going out."

"That rhymed," I muttered.

He took my Kindle, and I looked up at him in surprise.

"We're going out," he repeated. "So let's get a move on."

"I don't want to go out."

"Well we are anyways."

"You can't just sit in here all day," Parker informed me.

"Why not?"

"Because you did that yesterday."

I glared up at him and he smirked down at me.

"Where are we going?" I relented, just a bit.

I hadn't agreed to go, just asked where.

Down the hall I heard Lee start to sing the theme song for Dora the Explorer.

Parker rolled his eyes, laughing a bit. "We're going to the art museum."

"Yeah, no."

"Yeah, yes. We're leaving in fifteen, if you don't come out to the kitchen, I'll gladly carry you." And with that he left my room.

I let out a groan, flopping back on my bed.

But I did take Parker's threat seriously, so after a few moments of pouting, I trudged over to my closet.

I wasn't sure what the appropriate attire was for an art museum, so I decided on a pair of white shorts and a button up black blouse. I pulled a yellow jacket over the top and paired it with a pair of gold gladiator sandals.

"Ten minutes!" I heard Parker call.

I rolled my eyes, plugging in my straightener while looping a black and gold belt around my waist. I put on a little base and some eye makeup, before running the straightener through my hair.

"Let's go!" I heard Parker call.

I quickly grabbed a gold, chunky necklace off my dresser before joining Parker and Lee.

"She lives!" Lee announced, with a smile.

"Shut up," I ordered, unable to keep the smile off of my own face.

Parker pulled his arm around me, kissing the top of my head. "You're going to have fun today."

"I'll bet."

He interwove his fingers through mine, holding the apartment door for Lee before the two of us exited.

"Stairs," Parker ordered to Lee.

"No way," Lee said, shaking his head. "You guys are together now; you can get over your elevator-phobia."

I couldn't help but laugh, pulling Parker towards the elevator.

"If we get stuck in the elevator, you better not make out with me," Lee said to Parker.

I buried my face into Parker's shoulder, howling with laughter.

"It'll be dark, so no promises," Parker answered.

"So why are we going to the art museum?" I asked Parker, once we were safely out of the elevator and headed to his car.

"For a day full of adventure."

I rolled my eyes. "Seriously."

"I'm serious!"

I just let it drop, knowing I wasn't going to get an actual answer out of him.

The drive to the museum consisted of Lee and Parker debating over the best Mexican restaurant that served tacos.

I honestly don't understand boys.

"Why don't you just say Taco Bell and be done with it?" I asked, as Parker swung into a parking spot at the museum.

"Taco Bell has the best deals on tacos," Lee agreed. "But nowhere near the best actual tacos."

I climbed out of the car, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

I can only listen to taco facts for so long.

Parker bought the tickets inside, and then Lee immediately shot off.

"He loves the art museum," Parker informed me.

"So is that why we came here?"

"Not exactly."

He wrapped his hand around mine, pulling me through the art museum, until we reached a section labeled My Generation: Young Chinese Artists.

"This is the first US exhibition to focus on the post-Moa generation of Chinese artists," Parker explained to me.

I never had Parker pegged as an art admirer.

"This shows how China's mega-development impacted its youth and culture and inspired new art trends," he continued.

"Okay," I agreed, having no idea what he just said.

We walked through the exhibit, Parker examining each painting while I scanned them.

"This exhibition reflects the values of the generation of China who grew up during the One Child Policy," Parker explained to me, as we traveled through the exhibit together. "It demonstrates how young Chinese artists are breaking out and defying the previously set rules by older Chinese artists."

How did he get all of that from a few paintings? I don't understand art.

"What did you think?" he asked, once we finished.

"I don't know," I said, with a shrug. "It's just art."

"To you, this is just art," he said, opening his arms out wide. "But to me, and thousands of others, this is a masterpiece."

I nodded in agreement, unsure of where he was trying to go with this.

"To you, you're just a piece of art," he said, his eyes boring into mine. "But to me, Emily Winston, to me and everyone around you, you're a masterpiece."

~*~

"So I was thinking that we could just order in Chinese for dinner," Emmett said, flopping down on the couch. "I'm not really in a cooking mood."

"I need to talk to you," I said, taking a seat next to him.

"Those words suck."

I couldn't help but laugh.

"What's up?" he asked, turning to face me.

"Am I too late?" Parker asked, sprinting into the living room and crashing into the couch.

I raised my eyebrows at him surprise.

I clearly remember him telling me he wanted nothing to do with Emmett's reaction to the news.

"Too late for what?" Emmett asked.

"So no then," Parker said, taking a seat on the coffee table.

"Now I'm feeling a bit of an intervention vibe," Emmett said, looking between the two of us. "Is this about the excess hours at the Autobody shop? Because that's only so that Mike can take off some extra hours before Christmas-"

"Breathe," I ordered, with a laugh. "This has nothing to do with your extra hours."

"Though we are going to talk about that," Parker interjected, giving Emmett an unreadable look.

"So what's this about then?" Emmett asked.

"I kissed your sister," Parker informed Emmett.

"I know that," Emmett said, raising his eyebrows at Parker. "I saw it on the boat."

"No, I kissed him then," I informed Emmett.

"Wait, then?" Emmett asked. "So you guys kissed again?"

"In the elevator," Parker informed him. "When the power went out."

"Are you fucking with me right now?"

"And then a couple of days ago, when I asked her to be my girlfriend."

Silence filled the apartment, and I felt my heart beating in my chest.

"A couple of days ago?" Emmett asked, after a few moments of silence. "This happened a couple of days ago and you're just now coming around to telling me?"

"You haven't been home," I defended.

That and I haven't had the courage to do it.

And then Emmett punched Parker in the jaw.

"Emmett!" I screeched, my eyes wide.

"I saw that coming," Parker said, rubbing his jaw.

"You fucking asshole," Emmett growled.

"Maybe you want to leave?" Parker suggested to me.

"Emmett, what the hell is wrong with you?" I asked, staring at him with wide eyes.

I expected him to be angry, but I didn't actually expect him to physically hit Parker.

"First you kiss my sister and don't tell me," Emmett growled. "And then you decide to ask her to be your girlfriend without even having the decency to at least mention it to me first?"

"Well we haven't officially been labeled as boyfriend/girlfriend yet," Parker defended.

Emmett didn't seem to like that answer too much.

"Dude, you really fucking punched me," Parker muttered, wincing as he rubbed his jaw.

"You really fucking kissed my sister. Twice."

I probably shouldn't mention the amount of kissing we've done in the past couple of days.

"Do you need some ice?" I asked Parker, concernedly.

Parker gave me a slight shake of his head, offering me a slight smile.

"No," Emmett ordered. "No cutesy relationship stuff."

"Come on," I said, raising my eyebrows at Emmett. "I've had boyfriends before."

"Not Parker."

"I'm not that bad," Parker defended.

"Shut the hell up," Emmett ordered.

Parker motioned zipping his lips shut with a smirk.

"He's a man-whore," Emmett whined to me. "Why the hell would you choose him out of all the other guys on the face of this planet?"

"Hurtful," Parker muttered.

"Shut up," Emmett warned.

Parker zipped his lips shut again.

"Because he's sweet," I defended. "And I should get to have a say on who I date in this world Mr. Overprotective."

Emmett rolled his eyes.

"Lighten up, would you? You're acting like a real head case."

He sighed, looking over at Parker and then back at me.

"It has to be Parker?" he confirmed.

"It has to be Parker," I agreed.

He let out a frustrated groan, shooting Parker a look.

"Just keep the couple stuff to a minimum?" he asked, with a sigh. "And if you two ever kiss in front of me, I will murder him."

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

So what did you guys think about Emily's session with Dr. Harrison? What about Parker & Emily's (and Lee) trip to the museum? Did you expect Parker to bust out with that? And then Emmett's reaction to the news?

The picture up there at the beginning of the chapter was submitted by Mandi-17. What do you think?

So my brother had surgery this weekend, that's why the update is later than expected. It's been a little crazy around here.

Teaser: Christmas preparations

Update: Monday-Wednesday