EMMA’s POV :
----- One Month Later - --- -
I woke up this morning to an alarming text from lan.
lan: Emergency.
Ally’s in the hospital.
Call me ASAP.
I jolted from the bed and quickly called his phone.It rang for a few times before he finally picked up.
"Hey? What’s going on?"I said to the phone.
"It's bad,"he sighed.
"I found her lying unconscious in her apartment last night.I had to bring her to the hospital to get her stomach pumped.She was mixing alcohol and prescription drugs,"
"Oh, no..."I breathed.
"How’s she doing now?"
"She's okay now that they've pumped her insides.But she’s not doing well at all.I'm worried about her,"
"Have you called her parents...or Richard?"
"She explicitly told me not to,"
"So, what can you do?"
"Nothing...I just have to stay with her and make sure she doesn't do anything else stupid,"he scoffed.
"Oh..."
"Yeah..."
Okay, I don’t wanna be a petty bitch, but come on! I know Ally’s going through some hard time, but does she really have to keep doing this to my fiancée? When is this gonna end? It keeps going on and on! Whoa, now.
Slow down there, Emma.
A girl was fighting for her life in the hospital and all I could think about was my relationship.
Those were some very selfish thoughts.
I ended up scolded myself internally for being such an immature brat.
"So, I guess...there’s gonna be a slight change of plans for Christmas?"
I said to him cautiously.
"Yeah, that's also what I wanna talk to you about..."his tone was cautious too.
lan and I had a special rendezvous all planned out for this Christmas.
There was this amazing Van Gogh exhibition at the Met, which was lan’s favorite artist of all time, so I got us tickets for it as his Christmas present.
This year for Christmas, we wanted to give each other the gift of ‘ experiences’ instead of material things.
The Van Gogh exhibition would have been an amazing one full day experience where we could be transported to Paris in the 1880s.
What could be more romantic than that? lan, on the other hand, had booked us the suite room at the Plaza Hotel.
He knew that I grew up watching Home Alone 2 for Christmas, so he wanted to give me the ' Kevin’ package.
We were gonna ride around in a limousine and eat pizza before spending a romantic night together at the hotel suite.
But with just one phone call, all those plans were swirling down the toilet.
"Well, I can always auction off the tickets,"
I sighed as I grabbed the tickets in my hand.
Such a sad reminder of how epic our Christmas would have been.
"Would you mind? I know I’ve done this so many times already..."
"If that’s what you wanna do, it's fine.I understand,"
I tried to sound as casual as possible, hiding away my bitter disappointment.
"But you should still come to New York.We can spend some time together? A night at the Plaza?"
"You think so?"
"Yeah, absolutely.I mean, you still wanna come see me, right?"
"Of course I do,"
"Great.I'll see you this weekend, then?"
"Yeah,"
"I love you, baby girl.Thank you for being so understanding,"
"Sure..."
As soon as I ended the call, I let out the biggest dramatic sigh ever.
on the
Sophie was eating cereal and watching TV, while Tristan
working on the school
"Good morning, Emmie.Cereal?"
Sophie beamed cheerfully.
"Ugh, hmm,"
groaned incoherently and
"Uh-oh.That doesn’t look good,"
Sophie said to Tristan.
looked up from his laptop screen and
with you? Is it that time
a joke, but
to lan on the phone," I said with another
and Tristan exchanged a
to me and asked, "Wait, let me guess,
were supposed to go
Plaza because I said
"Aw, that was sweet,"
Sophie pouted.
happened? He has to
Tristan asked.
he’s got this
"That girl Ally?"
Sophie narrowed her eyebrows.
"Yup,"
hate her! I don’t even
pretended to gag, causing me to laugh
told them
the thorn on my
time, I was convinced that she was out to ruin my relationship
but Tristan brought up an
sick and Ian’s just trying to be a good friend for her? She did help him start the
more logical and mature
I should
petty wasn't gonna
enough is enough.I’m not gonna let this ruin my Christmas," I said, full
game plan?" Sophie
go out there and be the supportive girlfriend that I am,"
then she’s important to
care of her, I'll be right there with
you, Emmie.That's
her eyes sarcastically.She knew I was trying too hard.Okay, confession time: lan and I were eight years
wondered if he
to overcompensate and act mature, even though on the inside I
you guys’
to them, eager to change the subject.The more I thought about
bringing Micah to New Jersey to meet my parents," Sophie said and she did
"That's a big step,"
dad are dying to
about you?" I said
staying here. I got some work
through Christmas? Really?" I
to be
a girlfriend.Your life is so
Sophie commented.
up, my life’s not that bad," He shushed
looked up at me and said, "Plus,
a
eyes at him and he
rather focus on school, actually make
you can do
"Nah, I'm good,"he shrugged.
you know what they say, more honey more problems.I like my life right now.It’s
could agree with
lying if I say I never thought about being
I love
that being single has its
could travel the world without having to worry about a boyfriend at home
could focus on school and his
we're happy for you too, "I said to Tristan, "And hey, if you get bored, you can always take
your precious time with your boyfriend? No, but thanks for the
Tristan would definitely rather stay
the one that insisted to go with lan to the
so if I wanted more time
it was
felt like I was third-wheeling
was so doting
and feed her when she didn't feel
know about, and they would laugh about things as I sat there, scratching
of that, I gave
and I stayed in his apartment,
before New Year's Eve and our suite
to be the most romantic thing ever, ringing in the New Year together in such
witnessed the past three days, the romance bone
be shaving my legs or picking out a sexy outfit for tomorrow, but
and eating Cheetos and a tub of ice cream
heard that
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