Emily bounced over to our table, he yanked his hand back quickly and I squirmed awkwardly in my seat trying to hide my hurt as he attentively cared for Emily, making polite with the other parents and getting her ready to leave.

"Can we go to the park?" Emily asked as she skipped beside me.

"No." Noah shot her down and Emily's face screwed up with disappointment.

"Mia wants to go the park, don't you Mia?" She fluttered her eyelashes at me and offered me a sweet smile, one I couldn't resist.

"I could go the park." I shrugged. Noah peered his eyes at me angrily. I felt their warming effect heating me up inside.

"See Noah. If you don't want to come to the park then you go away and Mia can take me." She grabbed hold of my hand and started running, trying to get away from her brother.

"Emily!" Noah shouted with authority. "Mia is not the one in charge here, I am." His voice was fiercely calm, it was scary and I felt like I was the child in trouble. "...And I certainly wouldn't let her take you anywhere alone." he whispered under his breath. I gave him a side glance and I'm not entirely sure he knew that I heard him.

Emily ignored him, skipping playfully down the foot paths of the park. I trailed behind her and Noah reluctantly dragged his feet beside me. There was a whole aura of annoyance around him, directed towards me.

"Joel!" Emily shouted and started running further into the distance.

"Shit." Noah cursed. "That's just fucking great isn't it." He gave me a cold stare and I just smiled apologetically.

Emily bounced into Joel's arms and he spun her around in a circle as she laughed hysterically.

"You got so big!" He claimed enthusiastically. He placed her down and looked at the sight of Noah and I together. His eyes trailed down my body and then he pulled me in for a hug.

"Same clothes as last night, mom wanted you home huh?" He gave me a shady smirk and I just smiled shyly back.

Noah stood awkwardly, the atmosphere between the two guys was Arctic. They didn't look at one another, they didn't acknowledge one another. Emily played with Joels dog, laughing as he tickled her cheek with his tongue.

"Why don't you come see us anymore Joel? I miss you." She was clearly unaware at the tension between her brother and his ex best friend.

Joel dropped to his knees, patting his dog on the head and taking hold of her hand. "I miss you too Em, but remember what I told you the last time I seen you?" She nodded her head.

"You told me you couldn't come and see me anymore because Noah didn't agree with the choices you made." I looked at Noah with wide eyes and he just remained tensed. "You wanted the blue hat but Noah wanted you to have the pink hat. But that's silly Joel because now you're not even wearing a hat." She slapped her forehead and started laughing.

"What hat do you think I should wear Emily?" He poked her belly making her laugh harder. She threw her arms around his neck.

"I think you should wear whatever hat makes you happy Joel." She giggled.

"I agree." He muttered sadly.

"Me too." I chirped in, making all eyes fall on me. I turned to Noah, willing him to agree too and put this stupid feud behind them. But his lips remained completely still. I widened my eyes at him and discreetly tilted my head towards Joel. Noah opened his mouth to speak and then closed it and frowned.

"I still think pink is better, come on Em." He lifted her up, physically pulling her away from Joel and carried her towards the play equipment.

"Oh my god, I can't believe he just spoke to me." Joel worded slowly.

"Uh, did you hear what he just said?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, but Mia... he spoke to me. That's huge." Joel smiled to himself and I thought he was crazy. He should be kicking Noah's ass! I said my goodbyes to Joel and his dog then made my way over to the play park, watching Noah push Emily on the swing. Once Emily befriended a group of girls Noah joined me on the bench.

"Thought you would have stayed with Joel." He muttered quietly with a childish tone.

"You said you regretted saying that to him, that was your chance to straighten things out." I crossed my hands over my chest stubbornly.

"Nothing has changed Mia. I still need to protect Emily so I can't even think about making amends for my mistakes. Not until I have full legal guardianship of her. I can't get involved in friendships... relationships... I need to concentrate on earning money, studying hard so I can provide for her. I can't be a kid anymore... not when I have a kid."

"Are we... friends?" He peered into me for the longest time. I could see the bare branches reflecting back in his eyes, somehow making them appear even more earthy. So many tones and shades lay hidden in his irises like a kaleidoscope of nature, so beautiful and rare.

He shook his head slowly, looking regretful. "We're just two people thrown together through the bond of knowing one another's secrets." He whispered, averting his gaze back to Emily.

I blinked in the sight of his side profile slowly. Absorbing his words like poison to the heart.

"What was you like before the accident?" He turned his face towards me rapidly and his lips curved into the slightest smile.

"Normal." He said after a few moments of hesitation.

"I'm ready to go now." Emily interrupted us, tugging on our arms to pull us up.

"Uh, I think I'm gonna go home." I squirmed awkwardly on my own two feet and Noah looked saddened by my decision. But we weren't friends and the more I followed him down this path the worse the heartbreak was going to be.

"No Mia please come hang out with us back at the hotel! Please!"she begged.

"She doesn't want to Em, leave her be." Noah said softly.

"Please Mia, please. Just for a bit" she pleaded.

"Emily!" Noah said sternly.

"Just for a bit." I giggled.

We got back to the hotel, I could sense Noah was being awkward around me now, not really speaking to me unless Emily initiated conversation between us. She sat on his lap reading one of her school books to him excruciatingly slowly, sounding out each individual word. I could tell by the look on his face that he was bored and fed up but he kept listening, encouraging her. I laughed quietly to myself without Emily noticing.

He bathed her and brushed all of the tangles out of her hair, drying it for her as she sat between his legs.

"What you want to watch?" He asked as he flicked through the channels.

"The greatest showman." She answered really quickly.

"Again?" Both Noah and I replied in unison. She giggled and nodded her head.

Noah picked up the room service menu and counted out his money. He shot me a worried glance and then ordered a few things from the menu. When the food arrived there was only enough for Emily and me. I offered to share but he kept telling me he wasn't hungry and I felt terrible because had I not have been here then there would've been enough for him too.

We got halfway through the greatest showman before Emily fell asleep. Really carefully Noah lifted her into his arms and took her to the other room. I waited for him to comeback before I stood to leave.

"I better go." I told him, hovering by the door. He ran his fingers through his hair and offered me a small nod. So I walked towards the door.

"You know, you don't have to leave just because she's asleep. You can stay." He uttered nervously.

I sighed sadly and traced my thumb over his soft lips. "You don't want anything from me Noah. You don't want a friendship. You don't want a relationship. You only want my silence. You already have that. I can't stay here because the longer I'm around you the more I'm going to get hurt."

"I understand." He whispered, closing his eyes with regret. I stood higher on my tip toes and planted a small kiss on his lips.

"Goodbye Noah."