The wind picked up and a few locks of hair got in my face. Annoyed, I swept them away as I sighed. White ruffles and pink roses were not my thing.

At all.

Looking up, I narrowed my eyes at the Bride's magazine left on the stand. My eyes roamed all over the pictures. I wanted to see if it was worth it. I was kind of tired of looking at wedding dresses. For some annoyingly unknown reason, I couldn't find something that I could actually wear....

To the left of the said magazine, was the obnoxious Hello! I rolled my eyes. I always thought there are more interesting things in life than to read about some celebrities divorce or some British royal gossip. I mean, who reads that? Not me. I loved my life- Gossip-free.

Grabbing the Bride's magazine, I flipped through some pages since I was on the lookout for a wedding dress. Or at least I was supposed to. The wedding date came closer with each passing week and I hadn't found anything I liked.

In my defense, I wasn't the usual LA fashionista. I worked with my father in his construction company. I just graduated from Interior Design from UCLA. Even though we are, well...wealthy, it's not something that I like to brag about. Actually, I hate people that are always showing off their money by buying expensive things. I'm absolutely clueless when it comes to fashion brands, clothes and celebrities. It's just something that I'm not interested in.

One of the few things my mother taught me was to always be kind to everyone, no matter their social circle or their parent's income or where they're from.

I guess the last part is due to the fact that my dad's family is Mexican, and he had to work really hard to get where he is, being a Latino and all of that. My mother is British, so I'm a combination of them. I have tanned skin and dark brown straight hair like my dad and green eyes like my mother's.

"Hey sis!"

I turned to my right and there was Sonya. She was stunning as always. She loved her curvy body and she knew well how to flaunt it. Right now, she was wearing a black leather dress that looked simply like a second skin. It was that tight. She didn't look slutty, well, not much. Her long black hair was straightened and up to her shoulders. Her red Louis-Vuitton's shoes complemented her whole look.

Sonya and I had been best friends since childhood and now she is my step-sister. My father married her mother a year ago. It was a bit awkward at the beginning of their relationship. For me, at least. Anna was one of my mother's closest friends, so it was weird that they started dating a few months after my mother left us.

Not that I blame my dad or anything like that. I mean, I was hurting pretty bad from my mother's departure, I can't imagine how he felt. Anna was the best thing that happened to him. He seems pretty happy with her and just for that, I'm grateful at her and I treat her like a mother.

I mean, she acts more like a mother to me than mine...

That reminds me...

"I haven't sent my mother her invitation" I frowned as I rubbed my forehead.

"Are you fricking serious, Emily?! She's your mother!!" Sonya said as she flipped over the Hello! Magazine.

I glared at her. Sonya knew that my mother was a touchy subject. I hadn't talked to her since last Christmas, when Sam, my fiancé proposed to me. She had left the US almost three years ago and we rarely spoke over the phone.

To be honest, I was truly hurt when she left us without any explanation. All that she said was that she had a bird project or something and that she wasn't coming back. She's a biologist and even though she mostly worked at Berkley, she tried to get all her research projects near us, so she wouldn't have to leave.

Not then. That October afternoon, she came home from work and just packed her things. Before she left, she told me that I could come to the UK to visit whenever I felt like it. She didn't call or sent an e-mail asking me how I was doing for the next eight months after she left. It was really hard for me. We had been pretty close and I was completely distraught at her leaving.

As eight months passed, she called one day after my birthday. Had a lame excuse about the time difference or something like that. The first thing that she asked me was when I was going to visit her.

I haven't.

After everything that she put us through, I have despised everything related to that country ever since. I know, I was being childish, but it felt as if that country stole my mom. ANYTHING UK-related was on my black list.

Feeling my glare, Sonya glanced at me for a second; she shrugged and kept reading her magazine. I rolled my eyes and kept flipping mine.

"He's so handsome! I would totally do him!!" she said with her high pitched voice. I looked at who she was talking about and there was a photo of the prince of Great Britain with his girlfriend. I knew he was the prince because of the lame article's title, 'royal breakup'. Please.

As I said, I rarely paid attention to anything British.

He wasn't that handsome anyway. He seemed...British. I didn't even know his name. Well...that's not true. I did know that he was Scott Alexander the Second; Heir to the royal crown. I used to love reading about him or his handsome brother Mark. My mother would always tease me that we would make a really hot couple. I used to blush whenever she mentioned it.

I shook my head. As if that could happen...

That was three years ago. Now, I had forbid myself to read anything related to the UK. "It seems that he's single again" I said teasingly.

"I know! That Elaine is a total bitch, I'm glad they finally broke up." I glanced around completely embarrassed at the volume of her high pitch voice.

"We should totally visit your mom, Emi!" She even jumped excitedly.

Snorting, I closed my magazine, "not in a million years, Sonya." She rolled her eyes.

"So, are you ready?" I asked excited as I rubbed my hands together. We were going to go meet a designer for my wedding dress. Since I couldn't find anything that I liked on my own, my dad decided to hire this Italian guy, who was supposedly a huge man in the fashion industry, to make me my dream dress. I obviously had no idea who he was, but when Sonya heard his name, she couldn't believe her luck. Those were her exact words.

I was more artsy than anything. I loved photography, drawing and cooking.

Weird combination, right?

My grandmother taught me to love food. I loved cooking the same way that I loved eating it. I was blessed, though. I could always eat like a guy and not gain a pound. It came from my mother's side, I guess. She was petite. I had inherited being skinny but I still had that kind of Latin's girl body. I wasn't anywhere near Sonya, though. I was average, with some small curves.

Looking at me apologetically, Sonya shook her head nervously, "I-I can't go today, Emi...I have this thing to do..." she started to straighten her dress looking everywhere but me, "and I can't cancel it."

"Sonya! We have to meet this," I gestured with my hands, "Italian dude!"

"You knew that this was today. And it's important for me" I said, trying to make her feel guilty.

Sonya glanced at me for a second before she shook her head, "I'm sorry. I can't." She paid for the magazine and she rolled it between her hands. "I have to go now, tell me how it was later, ok? I'll take you out for dinner tonight to apologize."

Scowling, I rolled my eyes. "I can't. Sam's picking me up and we're going to some kind of party, or something."

"HUH," She huffed. What was that? I tilted my head to look at her.

Before I could recognize the emotion in her eyes, she turned away. "Well I have to go, okay? I'll see you later, then." She waved and walked towards the parking lot to get her car from the valet.

UGH. Typical Sonya.

I had been waiting for her for the last half-hour until she finished whatever she had to do at the SPA in front of me. She was my best friend but sometimes, like today, I asked myself how I put up with her. We were so different. She could sleep with any guy no matter what. If she liked something, she was sure to get it. She was also more outgoing than me and made sure to ALWAYS have a good time.

I was more shy and conservative than her. My only boyfriend has been Sam and we've been dating for the last two years.

Sam was a dentist on Beverly Hills- A good one. People would schedule appointments with him a month in advance. He was that good. I guess the fact that he's really handsome helped, and he sure knew how to treat a lady. I didn't mind, though. I knew we were together and if he flirted with someone else it meant nothing, he was simply trying to be funny and attractive, I guess.

We actually met because of Sonya. She set us up on a blind date. I remember distinctively that I kept complaining about the whole thing, but when I laid eyes on Sam's hotness, I shut my mouth and went on with it.

I was a goner the first time I laid my eyes on him. Besides Sam being handsome, he was pretty attractive. His broad shoulders and dark messy brown hair, together with his cocky glances were a complete turn-on.

He was the opposite of me. He was really open and had no problems treating a shy girl like myself like a princess. The last two years have been great. It still surprised me when he proposed to me. He was way out of my league...the fact that he wanted to marry ME still blows my mind.

I was truly thankful for Sonya's blind date. She, on the other hand, had never had a steady boyfriend. She was on and off with some random guy. Like today, I'm sure Sonya was going to see her mystery guy. They've been hooking up for the last two months and she still hadn't introduced me to him, I thought sourly. Not that she ever does, but sometimes we have double dates and they're fun. Even though her date is always a different guy.

Sighing, I reached for my IPhone and dialed my dad. I cancelled the whole thing since I wasn't in the mood anymore. I should tell Anna to come with me, I'm sure she would actually enjoy it, since she was the one who had set the whole thing up. She was a fashion industry icon; she and Sonya were always portrayed on magazines. Like all the time.

I wasn't like that. I was more laid back when it came to clothes. Like right now. Even though I was meeting with an Italian whatever I had on my dark skinny jeans and a ruffled teal top. My only accessories were my gold hoop earrings and my turquoise necklace. My shoes were white flats and white sweater. I had never had worn a leather dress and I never intended to.

Actually, I rarely wore dresses, I guess that's why choosing a wedding dress was turning out to be really hard for me.

Whatever.

I'll just go downtown and surf through the decorating stores. My dad's wedding present was an apartment with an amazing beach view over the hills. We got the keys last week, so I was overly excited to start decorating it. He knew that it was a dream come true for me, so he hadn't got any furniture at all.

I spent the next three hours walking around the shops buying different kind of things. I stopped at Bath & Beyond to buy a new pair of Egyptian cotton sheets, since we went out furniture shopping yesterday and we had already bought a bed and the dining table with the complementing chairs.

I chose the dark chocolate ones. I blushed when I remembered that yesterday; Sam whispered in my ear seductively, "I can't wait to christen our bed." It had taken me a while to be intimate with him; I actually wanted to wait until I was married. But on the night he proposed, things got a little heated up and we ended up sleeping together.

I shook my head smiling as I put the sheets on the cart when I remembered that I had made him a deal, that four months before the wedding we wouldn't do it anymore. I really wanted our wedding night to be special. Call me old fashioned, I don't care.

I was getting myself an amazing set of lingerie for that night. Sonya had helped me choose it from the Victoria's Secrets catalogue. My cheeks grew hotter just thinking about the sexy lace.

I checked my phone's clock to see if I had time to leave all my shopping bags at the apartment. I had two hours before my date with Sam.

I can make it, I thought. It wasn't like me to take more than thirty minutes to change and do my makeup, just for a simple friend's get together. So, I got in my black Audi and drove there.

As I approached the building, I noticed that Sam's car was parked on our parking spot. "That's weird," I thought aloud. I simply shrugged and walked to our door, greeting the doorman, who as he noticed me, had eyes as big as saucers. That's freaky.

Standing in the elevator, I thought about what Sam could be doing at our place. Maybe, he's planning a secret dinner for me and that's why the doorman was a bit shocked to see me this early...yeah...that's probably it.

As the elevator's door opened, I hesitated to keep going. I mean, I don't want to ruin my own surprise. But then the heavy load of my shopping bags made me reconsider about going in. Shrugging, I decided that I should probably just leave the things there without being heard.

I opened the door as cautiously as I could. Thank God the door was new and didn't make any sound at all. I tiptoed around the empty living room and searched for a place to leave my bags without being noticed.

The kitchen should do, I guess. With all the bags in the room, I frowned at how easy this had been. Either I really had ninja skills or Sam was completely distracted. I mean, seriously, where was he?

I tiptoed to our bedroom when I heard some noises...and froze when I realized what kind of noises they were. My heartbeat increased and a wave of shock came over me. I stood on the spot completely still. When I heard HIM moan, my heart broke into a million pieces.

But then I heard him moan, "Sonya."

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Thank You Sunnies! For Reading My New Story “🤗”

Did you sunnies already see the Fatal : Alliance,its the first series of pr ESENT series sunnies.

sorry because i already wrote a 2 series even the first series is not done already..huhu “😓😥”

I’m so sorry SUNNIES!!!

- n e e e s a n n “😻”

My breathing hitched and I started to feel the lack of air in my lungs. I walked to the main door and closed it behind me and slipped to the floor as I tried to even out my breath.

Was it really happening?

Was Sam cheating on me, on our new bed with my best friend? Who happens to be my step-sister?

It can't be...I mean, Sonya IS my best friend; she wouldn't do this to me, right?

I rubbed a hand accross my face frustrated. What if I heard wrong?

What if Sam was actually dreaming, I mean, yes, it is freakish that he would be dreaming of my step-sister/best-friend, but it could be just a dream, right?

I thought about leaving and confronting Sam later, but I had to know.

I had to know for sure if that was really happening. I HAD to see it for myself, because even if I talked to Sam about it and he explained something else that might sound logical, I'll always have my doubts, because it seemed so real...

I can't marry him thinking about this. Hell, I don't want to marry him.

Hesitantly, I pulled myself together. With new found confidence, I opened the door and closed it loudly. I walked to the bedroom making as much noise as I could in an almost empty apartment.

As I reached the bedroom door, I closed my eyes and silently hoped that whatever was happening was not what I thought. Although I knew that was just something I wished.

Suddenly, Sam opened the door. He seemed completely nervous. He was sweaty and had only his boxers on. Before he could utter a word, I shoved him aside glaring at him.

I knew what I was going to see, but it still shocked me. Sonya was wrapped in a white satin sheet covering half of her face, but the way she was glancing at me, I was sure she had a smug smile on her face.

With teary eyes, I turned to glance at Sam.

"I heard right."It wasn't a question; it was more of a statement. Somehow, even though I knew it was completely useless, I still had some kind of hope that this wasn't happening.

"It's just-"

"Save it" I lifted my palm to shut him up. I knew what he was going to say...

Glancing at my hand, I saw the ring that I had been wearing for the last few months excitedly. I was struggling to keep myself from crying. I didn't want to cry in front of them, I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of seeing me hurt, but I still felt one tear slide as I took the ring off

.Sam's brown eyes widened.

What did he expect? Did he honestly think that we could work this out?

It wasn't going to happen. Not in this lifetime.

Stretching my arm I shoved the ring at him. "Leave."

"Emi we can talk-"

"GO AWAY SAM!!" I glanced around the room and grabbed his clothes and shoved them in his chest, "I don't want to see you again," my tone was cold.

I heard some movement behind me and I turned to see Sonya already dressed in her slutty leather dress. She rolled her eyes when she caught me looking at her. "Grow up, Emily, it was just sex.

"My blood started boiling but I didn't want to cause a scene, more than I already had. I just wanted them to leave me the hell alone.

Sam tried to grab my arm but I pulled it out of his reach as fast as I could. I snapped at them, "GO AWAY DAMN IT!"

They both flinched. It worked, though. They left without another word.

When I heard the door close, I fell on my knees. I brought my hands to my face and I finally let the tears fall freely. I sobbed for a few minutes. Wiping my tears with the back of my hands, I looked around and stood up. Harshly, I pulled out the sheets that were still lying on the bed and I crumpled them over the corner.

I couldn't stand being in the same room where they were just having sex. I ran outside the apartment without locking it. Still crying, I tried to wipe the smudged makeup and flattened my clothes.

It was lucky that the building was almost empty, as it was pretty new. I leaned on the wall and breathed deeply for a few times.

Before I took the elevator, I called my father and told him what I just saw. I left out the part that involved Sonya. My dad was finally happy with Anna and I knew that something like this would make them break apart. I simply told him that I caught Sam with a hooker. It wasn't exactly a lie, either.

"That bastard!" he said after I finished talking.

"What do you want to do, Emily?"

"I can't bear to be in this place, Dad. I don't want anything to do with it."

"Get out of there, I'll take care of everything, okay? Are you coming home? Sonya just got here, let me get her for you so she can talk to you-"

"NO! I- I want to be alone, Dad," I couldn't-I wouldn't talk to her. I wanted to be as far as I could from her, "I-I just spoke to Hugh and we're meeting at his house, don't worry, Dad.

"Hugh was one of my closest friends. He was also British and when my mother left, he was there for me. I might have hated everything related to the UK, but I couldn't keep away from Hugh. His sexy accent melted me all the time. Of course, I've never told him that, I actually teased him about it all the time. We used to hang out once a week, since he was a busy architect working at my father's company, too. He never liked Sonya much, I wonder why...

"Ok. Tell him that he can take the day off tomorrow...and Emily?"

"Yes?"

"Your mother called today." Great. Sighing, I wiped a fresh tear that was rolling down my cheek.

"I-I don't want to talk about it, Dad."

He sighed. "Listen, I know how you feel about her sweetie, but maybe going away for a while might be a good thing for you. I can take care of everything here.

"You mean you'll take care of selling and cancelling everything, I thought sourly.

"I don't know..."

"Promise me you'll think about it, ok? I'll talk to you later, then."

"Okay.. Thank you, Dad."

"Anything for you Emily. I love you sweetie.

"I sighed. My dad didn't tell me that often. But I knew he cared for me, we were close and he was just not used to being affectionate.

"Bye,Dad."I kept silent as I left the building and walked to my car. I stopped abruptly when I saw Sam leaning on it looking at the ground with his hands in his pockets. He looked up when he heard me coming closer. He pulled himself from the car and stepped to me.

My hands clenched into fists as he approached me. He noticed it and left some space between us.

"I'm sorry, Emily." His brown eyes were filled with sorrow. His hair was tousled from running a hand through it for numerous times.

"Me too." His head snapped down instantly. I walked around him as I felt some fresh tears welling up in my eyes, when he gently grabbed my wrist. I turned around to him and as he opened his mouth to say something, I felt the tears running down my cheeks.

"You've done enough, Sam. I want to be alone..." My voice cracked in all the wrong places.His grip loosened as he muttered,

"I'm really sorry."

I got in my car and drove off without looking back.

—-0—0—-

So so sorry SUNNIES,this chapter is so short hihi “😿”

"You stink."

I shifted in my bed to glance at my best-friend Hugh pinching his nose with a disgusted expression on his face. His dark blond hair was dripping, so I assumed he had just taken a shower.

It's been two weeks since I broke the engagement. I'd been staying with Hugh and his boyfriend Chris.

Yes.

Hugh is gay. It's a complete shame to all the girls in the world because he is absolutely handsome. You wouldn't know that he's gay because he never acts girly or anything like that, actually, his dark voice and manly movements make him even more attractive. He wasn't too tall but he loved going to the gym and taking care of his body. It really showed, and he could easily be a model for Calvin Klein. His hair was trimmed short and he usually styled it messily. He didn't need to do much to look handsome. Even track pants and a tight t-shirt

made him appear out of a magazine cover.

I lifted my arm. Okay. The guy had a point. I did stink.

"Come on! Get you pretty little arse up and take a shower!" Hugh grabbed my wrist and pulled me to the nearest bathroom.

"Arse?" I rolled my eyes. I always teased him whenever he brought out his British words.

"Bottom, ass, buttocks...whatever you want to call it, my pretty American friend!

"When we were at the bathroom, Hugh stood behind me as I looked at myself in the mirror. "Ugh" I groaned. My hair was greasy and dull, I had a tangled messy bun and my skin looked awful.

"See what I mean?" He shook his head. "You are so much better than this, Emily." There was no concern or worry in his voice; it was as he was simply stating a fact.I sighed.

"I'm sorry Hugh, I know I've been one stinky burden over the last two weeks...

"Hugh's lips curved up on that signature smile that he always wore with me." You had to have some closure depressing time, you've not been a burden to either me or Chris, but the stinking is getting out of control.

"Smiling, I shook my head embarrassed. I loved Hugh's bluntness. He would always express his opinions, no matter who you were or where you were. Sure, that usually brought him trouble, but that made him unique. He was usually very funny, so it was always fun to hang around with him.

He and Chris had been together for the last year. Chris was a photographer. And just like with Hugh, you couldn't tell that he was gay; he had broad shoulders and amazing biceps. He loved to work out, as well. He was shyer and a bit serious, but once you got to really know him, he and Hugh could be one hilarious couple. They were like two little kids, always teasing each other and always making nasty jokes on each other.

"You're going to hate me for saying this, Em. But you know I've never liked him or her.

"My eyes brimmed with tears as I looked at his reflection from behind. He grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

"You'll get over this, Em. I know you will. Better things are meant to come for you." He smiled confidently at me. "But right now, the best thing for you is to get a bloody shower with this," he shoved a pink bottle onto my right hand, "Strawberry bubble bath gel, okay?"

I nodded and started striping out of the smelly t-shirt that I was wearing. Hugh slapped my ass playfully and left the bathroom. We were really close and knowing that he was not interested in girls, gave me confidence to change in front of him without embarrassment. He was the only one, though. I think I was shy even around Sam.

I shook my head as I entered the bathtub. The tears that started to spill rolled silently down my cheeks.

You need to get a grip, Emily!

Every day for the last two weeks I asked myself, why?

Why would Sonya do this to me?

How could Sam do it?Was it the first time that he cheated on me?

I doubt it. I think it was natural for him to do it. And I'm sure Sonya knew it, too. That bitch...

I wasn't going back home, that was for sure. I think that if I saw her again I would so beat the crap out of her. She even had the audacity to freaking smirk at me.

How dare she?

How dare he?

I bathed for about an hour before Hugh barged through the door. "Is everything alright, Em? Chris was freaking out that you are taking too long.

"He handed me the towel and turned around so I could get out of the tub. I rolled my eyes, even though he wouldn't see me. "I'm not THAT stupid, Hugh. I'm not going to kill myself," I muttered annoyed.

"I know. But you know Chris, he's such a worrywart when it comes to you...

"I smiled at that. "Yes, I know.

"Even though Chris and I weren't as close as Hugh, I was like a little sister to them. It was really cute the protective they could turn whenever it came to me.

"Your father sent you some clothes last Tuesday. I placed the suitcase on the bed. Hurry up since we made you pizza and it's almost done, okay?" He left without turning around.

The room I was staying was a simple, but neat room. Actually, the whole house was the modern type. They didn't have much furniture, just the essentials. Everything was white, other than the wooden floor.

My room consisted of a king size bed, a sofa in front and a wood table next to the bed. They had drawn the curtains and the big window was open, I guess to ventilate the room. I felt embarrassed about the fact that I had stayed so much time secluded in that room. There was no TV or anything else. I just slept and cried and slept more.

Hugh was right, though. I couldn't keep doing this to myself. My jeans were loose and I had probably lost a lot of weight, considering that I only ate some fruit and crackers when they made me to.

I grabbed a simple white t-shirt and closed my room's door to go to the kitchen. Chris was sitting by the counter. His muscles showed trough that tight black shirt of his; he had both arms leaning on the counter and his head between his hands. I shook my head as he approached thinking what a shame it was to the female population that these two handsome guys were gay. When he heard me coming, he lifted his head to look at me smiling.

"Hey," he extended his arms to hug me by the shoulders.

"What were you thinking?"

"That you guys are too handsome, and it's a shame, really..."

"Oh well," he said smugly.I slapped his chest playfully.

"You are so modest, Chris."

"What can I say? I am handsome!""Please, spare me!" Hugh's voice came from behind mockingly.

"Shut up. You love me, dude," Chris muttered.I laughed at them. When I did, they both turned to look at me. Relief was showing through their eyes.

"It's good to hear you laugh again, Em." Chris was really concerned, you could tell by the way he was looking at me and the tightened embrace he had me in.

"Yeah...well...sorry guys..." I mumbled embarrassed looking at the floor.

“Hey! It's okay Em, you are our little sister, and we were just worried." Hugh placed a large slice of homemade pizza in front of me. "Now, eat. You really need to make it up for the last two weeks."

I chuckled but grabbed the pizza and gave it a bite. It was awesome, Hugh and Chris, being the healthy freaks they were, brought only organic food and cooked everything from scratch, like this pizza here; they had even made the pizza dough.

We ate in comfortable silence interrupted by Chris slapping Hugh in the back of his head and vice versa. I meant it when I said that they were childish.

After the second serving of organic mango sorbet that was homemade, we sat in the small living room overlooking the sunset over the windows. I probably bounced to the couch since they literally stuffed me with all kinds of food...like if I could gain the pounds I lost over the last weeks on a meal....geez...

"So, when are you calling your mom, Em?" Hugh asked trying to sound completely uninterested and pushy. Note the sarcasm.

I shifted in my seat uncomfortably.

"EM?" he asked still trying to mask how annoyed he actually was.

"I don' know?" I watched the beautiful colors from the sunset.

"Well, how about, tonight?" Hugh asked now really annoyed. Chris coughed trying to mask his snort.

I rolled my eyes without turning to look at any of them. I stayed silent. Hugh knew that my mother's subject always made me touchy...

"Emily" he scolded me, "Your father told me that your mother invited you to go to Britain for a few months, aren't you going to take her up on that?"

I ignored him.

Suddenly, my head hurt from his not so gentle slap on the back of my head, "Ow! That was mean, Hugh!"

"What's mean is YOU ignoring me!" he glared at me.

"What are you planning to do, Emily? Are you going to hide yourself here for the rest of your life? Or are you going to actually TRY to get a life?!"

"Hugh..." Chris shook his head at his boyfriend's angry outburst.

"What am I supposed to do, Hugh? Tell me?" I wasn't angry, I knew him too well to know that he had all the best intentions for me. His words still hurt me, tought.

Hugh ran a hand through his hair. He closed his eyes trying to calm himself.

After a few seconds, he cleared his throat and stated more calmly, "I'm sorry, Em...I know that this is hard for you, but I do think that you should go to England to get a hold of yourself...we both know that you dread going back to your home or the office or anywhere near that bastard's, and that's going to be hard considering that you have the same friends and live close by...

"Ugh...I did know that...I was trying not to face any of that...I was trying to keep blissfully ignorant...

I KNEW that the moment I stepped my foot on the office gossip would erupt, people would look at me with pity or hatred, depending on what story my family had managed to create. I wasn't being self-centered. I was the boss's daughter. My engagement had been portraying on the few social magazines that circulated on LA. Anna had made sure of that. Even though the wedding was meant to happen in three months, we had everything booked already. The caterer, the beach- since I had been adamant on having a beach wedding- the minister, and everything.

I had no idea what my father had told everyone, but I actually didn't want to know about it. Without planning it, my eyes brimmed with tears again. I looked up to find my best-friend watching me angry and concerned.

"Oh, Emily..." Chris came from behind and passed his arm on my waist. "We want what's best for you, and staying here in LA isn't the wisest thing for you to do..."

I sighed, I looked down at my shoes defeated, "I know...I just...what am I going to do in the UK?"

"Shag some Brits?" Hugh asked with a small smile on his lips.

Chris chuckled behind me. His chest vibrated and tickled me. I wiped my eyes with the back of my hands and smiled at Hugh.

"Really?"

"I mean it, Em! Look at you," he ran a hand through his hair, "you have always been too guarded with your heart and it took you nowhere..." my heart sank at this, "I do believe that meeting new people and shagging them could give you some perspective, and don't forget it would be fun..."

"Hugh. That's enough" Chris scolded him.

Hugh's shoulders sagged, "Sorry, that didn't came out right, but what I mean is-

"I stepped towards Hugh, leaving Chris behind. I placed a hand on his chest to stop his rambling, "I know what you mean, Hugh...it hurts, and you're an ass because you can't seem to find the right words, but I do get it... You're right, I think going to mother's would unbelievably be the best option"

I frowned at my words. I cannot believe I just admitted that...

"So...you are calling your mom tonight, aren't you?" His hopeful eyes searched mine for reassurance.

"Yeah..." I said annoyed rolling my eyes.

Chris got up to grab the phone. He brought it to me, "don't think about it, just do it."

"Dude. That sounded like a Nike ad," Hugh teased him. Trust Hugh to tease Chris right now.

He did lighten up the mood. Chris slapped the back of his head and muttered, "SHE did get it, idiot." I couldn't help myself and chuckled at them trying to wrestle each other. They both stopped mid-air and smiled at me when they heard me laugh.

I shook my head as I walked to my room, "you both are such morons..." They resumed wrestling the moment I turned my back to them. I smiled at that.

I closed the door to my room and seated on my bed. Sighing, I dialed scowling to myself. After a few beeps on the line, as I gripped the white bed spread beneath me, I heard myself shyly saying, "Hi...Mom..."