Chapter Three

"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..."

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