Chapter 6

"Ok, so tell me.” Jeremy demanded knowing the news wasn't good.

"Nikolas, can I please tell him.” Emily pleaded and Nikolas nodded, "Thank you.” 
Emily turned back to Jeremy, "I know it may sound weird and rushed but Nikolas 
and I are… sort of… well, Nikolas, maybe you should tell him."

"Together. Emily and I decided that we'd like to take our friendship to… the 
next level.” Nikolas explained taking Emily's hand in his.

Jeremy slightly laughed, "Ok, so, that wasn't exactly what I was expecting."

Emily sighed, “I know it's weird, Jeremy, but Nikolas and I really do care about 
each other."

"That's a lie!” Jeremy shouted.

"What do you mean that's a lie?!” Nikolas asked angrily.

"I mean it's a lie! Emily was all alone on that roof top! Where the hell were 
you?! Nowhere! If you cared?! You would have known Emily was miserable and 
suicidal!” Jeremy yelled.

Emily stepped between them before they could get in each other's face or worse, 
“Jeremy, stop talking about me like I'm not even here, ok? Nikolas and I didn't 
plan this and neither one of us intended to hurt you."

"Oh, it's fairly obvious that this wasn't planned because if it was everything 
that has been going on between us wouldn't have been the way it's been, Emily. 
Do you remember the night I got back? You told me you felt the same way I did. 
Are you telling me that's a lie. Did you lie to me that night? Because when I 
looked into your eyes it didn't seem that way."

Emily seemed touched and moved by his words and Nikolas saw it in her eyes, 
“She's with me, Jeremy, don't you dare make her feel bad for that!” 

"Feel bad?! She wouldn't be the only feeling bad, Nikolas! You saw something you 
lost and then you wanted it back that's why you're with Emily now and don't you 
dare deny it!” Jeremy snapped back.

"I can deny it all I want! Because it's not true!” Nikolas said angrily.

Emily crossed her arms listening to their constant bickering and shook her head. 
She stopped them with a loud scream of frustration, “You know what?! Right now I 
don't want either of you! So, can you two please take this argument somewhere 
else because you are giving me a serious headache.” She stomped off the terrace 
and up to her room the honeymoon between Nikolas and Emily had ended before it 
even began. 

Nikolas closed the terrace doors and turned back to Jeremy, “Look, I appreciate 
everything you've done for Emily. I don't know what I would have done if you 
hadn't been there that night to save her. And you are very lucky because Emily's 
going to give you her friendship for the rest of her life and she's the most 
loyal person you can know but that's it. Emily's with me not you and I'm sorry 
if that bothers you but it's true. Emily and I are going to last.” He explained 
with confidence.

Jeremy grinned at how Nikolas thought he was actually right, “I feel so sorry 
for you, Nikolas, because you know what's going to happen? You're going to try 
and get involved with Emily while the bond that she and I share gets stronger 
and in the end you are going be very disappointed. She's not going to want you. 
She's going to want me. Not to mention if you try to stop or deny the 
inevitable. You're right about that loyalty thing, Nikolas. She's going to 
remain loyal to me until the very end. You try and stop that and you won't even 
remain Emily's friend. My advice to you,” Jeremy chuckled slightly taking one 
last look at him, “Stay out of my way.” Nikolas tried not to explode while he 
watched Jeremy leave with pride. Nikolas was beginning to wonder if maybe Jeremy 
was right… about everything.

Emily sat down on the couch after Nikolas and Jeremy had disappeared. She laid 
flat on her back taking the phone in her hand and dialing his number quickly, 
“Hello?” Nikolas answered quickly and Emily smiled, “It's me."

"Emily? God, it's so good to hear your voice.” Nikolas confessed relieved she 
had called. Emily closed her eyes feeling overwhelmed. She had always wanted him 
to say that to her. 

Nikolas inhaled deeply, “So, are you still mad at me?” 

Emily opened her eyes quickly, “No, I'm not mad. Believe or not I actually miss 
you."

Nikolas laughed, “I miss you, too."

"That's weird isn't it.” Emily said suddenly, “I mean you actually miss me and 
not Katherine or Robin."

Nikolas smiled, “Just you."

"About today though…"

"I know I was out of line. It's just… now that we're together to have someone 
try to ruin it before we've even got a chance to experience it for awhile angers 
me. Plus that I don't know much about him besides he wants you and he didn't 
tell anyone he found you before you tried to kill yourself.” Nikolas rambled 
while Emily listened in agreement.

"But there are some things you don't know about Jeremy. He's a great guy who 
saved my life, Nikolas. You have got to remember that."

"I'm trying. So, far that's the only thing that is keeping me from ringing his 
neck.” Nikolas responded.

"I want to see you.” Emily said hopefully.

Nikolas looked at his watch, “I'll tell you what. Come over. You can have dinner 
with me. My uncle's gone and I'll be all alone if you don't come."

Emily giggled slightly, “Aw, poor baby. I guess I'll just have to come over 
tonight. See ya then?” 

"Yea, see ya then.” Nikolas replied before they hung up their phones and went to 
get ready for their first official date.

Emily put on a beige dress that reached her knees and tried to prepare herself 
for seeing Nikolas in a romantic way. Her heart was beating ten times what it 
should and she wasn't sure how to act tonight. She shouldn't act too normal, 
right? It was going to be completely different tonight. She sat on her bed 
placing her hands on her head with a big smile realizing she was really with 
Nikolas. This was all real and he really wanted her. To think she had actually 
thought about leaving the world when it seemed so perfect right now. She put on 
her small pearl necklace and walked downstairs. She looked at her hair one last 
time in the mirror. She left it straight but put it up nicely. She put on her 
long black overcoat and buttoned up before heading out. She decided to walk to 
the docks and waited there for the launch to come for her. She knew she was 
early and it didn't bother her in the least. She paced the docks with her shoes 
clicking on the wood.

"Emily? What are you doing here?” A voice asked.

Emily whirled around to see Jeremy approaching, “Me? What are you doing here?” 

"I was just passing through on my way home. You?” 

"I'm just… passing through.” Emily told him trying to spare his feelings.

"Oh, well, can I walk you home?” Jeremy asked.

"I'm not going home.” Emily quickly answered with a nervous smile as she saw the 
launch approach.

"Oh.” Jeremy said and came up with something, “Why don't you come see the new 
place mom and I got? You'll love it. Its nothing like you're place of course but 
it's nice. Come on.” Jeremy took her hand in his and Emily tried to protest but 
Jeremy didn't give her the chance.

Emily got home late and looked at the clock letting her shoulders slump. It was 
way too late to call Nikolas now. She set her purse down on her table and walked 
over to her closet to hang up her black overcoat in disappointment. Another 
perfect night with Nikolas ruined. But how could she turn her back on the guy 
who had saved her life? It was a question Emily could never bring herself to 
answer. She wouldn't be in this possible long-term relationship with Nikolas if 
it wasn't for him and she would never ignore that. She owed Jeremy more than she 
or Nikolas liked to admit. 

Also her feelings for Jeremy were a little more than friendly. He was a great 
guy and he was her hero. Nikolas was perfect but Jeremy was definitely 
competition and Emily found it hard to deny that. She wanted Jeremy to somehow 
remain "just friends" with her knowing it was in no way possible. They were 
either together or not there was no silver lining no matter how much Emily 
wanted there to be. She walked over to her dressed with the mirror and taking 
the hair accessories out of her hair as she looked into the mirror with a sad 
expression. After taking the things out of her hair she slipped out of her 
dressed and got into a pair of peach silky pajamas and walking back to the 
dresser to grab her brush. She brushed her hair idly pacing the floor with no 
aim whatsoever. She wanted to explain everything to Nikolas so badly but it 
would have to wait until tomorrow.

Nikolas took another glance at his wristwatch and sighed, “Where are you, 
Emily?” He whispered to himself with anguish.

"Oh, she's at home now.” A voice replied and Nikolas spun around to see Jeremy 
standing there. Jeremy waved with a coy grin, “I heard about your date with 
Emily and thought I'd sort of… distract Emily. She's a real sweetheart, you 
know? Instead of telling me she was going on a date with you and hurting my 
feelings she pretended like she was just strolling along the docks looking the 
way she did.” He explained and approached Nikolas, “I just fall more and more 
for her every minute."

Nikolas swallowed his pride remembering Emily's loyalty tended to lie with this 
man as he shrugged, “So, you distracted her from our date. There will always be 
another date and Emily will always say yes. Eventually, Emily and I will go out 
and it will be perfect. You'll be home alone wondering what the heck happened to 
you're pathetic life while Emily and I continue on with ours… together."

Jeremy laughed with a shake of his head, “Do you actually believe I would let 
that happen? Emily is not an idiot and unlike you… she's not blind either. She 
doesn't need me almost dying to realize how she feels about me. After 
continuously breaking your dates with her and spending every possible free 
moment with her she's bound to fall for me… then we'll see who's pathetic.” 
Jeremy stated before walking out. He began to walk away but Nikolas' chuckle
stopped him. He turned back to Nikolas, “What's so funny?” 

Nikolas shook his head a small smile creeping out, “Nothing, it just amuses me 
that you actually think by somehow distracting Emily, she'll fall for you.” 
Nikolas laughter stopped and his smile faded, “She's in love with me."

"Are you in love with her?” Jeremy quickly questioned and Nikolas remained 
silent, “Oooo ,Nikolas, it's not good to be confused… or torn. You see I have 
that working in my favor. I do love Emily and I'm not afraid to tell her or show 
her. So, while you're processing your feelings for her, I'll be proving them to 
her in anyway I can.” Nikolas' serious face caused Jeremy to grin once again, 
“Good night, Prince Nikky. See ya around!” He excitedly concluded before walking
out calmly. 

Nikolas tried not to run after Jeremy and beat him senseless for assuming that 
he knew Emily better than he did. Nikolas crossed his arms and vowed to himself, 
“I'm not going to lose her."