Chapter 3

Emily tried to dress attractively but not too obvious. Ever since last night 
when she bumped into the new guy she had only thought of him. His sweet smile, 
attractive looks, and beautiful accent swept her off her feet and he seemed to 
be equally smitten with her. Or so she hoped. She wore a tight white shirt and 
rose pink sweater over that with black jeans. She put her hair in two small 
braids on either side of her head hoping to be cute but not to pushy. The whole 
thing was driving her nuts. Who was that guy? Emily smiled to herself 
remembering his name, “Emilio Lopez.” She even liked the ring of them as a 
couple, Emilio and Emily. She laughed at herself placing her face in her hands, 
“I'm pathetic.” She whispered to herself before gaining back her composure and 
picking up her bag for school.

Emilio stopped to look in the mirror one last time. His thoughts focused on 
winning the heart of Emily Quartermaine. He had never been so stuck on one girl 
for too long. But right from the first moment he saw her he could tell she was 
different. He got into the back of one of his father's BMW's to go to school. As 
they got closer and closer to the high school he could feel his heart pounding. 
His emotions were stuck in a tight ball in the pit of his stomach. He felt a 
little better seeing he wasn't going to stick out too much wearing his jeans and 
black shirt. He wasn't used to the casual dress but anything to just fit in. He 
could see people staring at him and hear little whispers as he walked by. He 
entered the school not heading straight to the principal's office like he was 
told but looking for Emily. He had to get just a glimpse of her. He wondered the 
halls until he spotted her. She was laughing with some girl who was pretty but 
she was no Emily. Even if he did like her she was taken by the boy who's lap she 
was sitting in. Not that a girl being attached to someone had ever stopped him. 
He took a deep breath observing Emily's outfit and hearing her laughter ring 
through out the air as he entered the small empty classroom they were in. 
Emily's laughing stopped when she saw Emilio standing in the doorway. They both 
smiled at each other shyly. Emily got out of the desk next to Lucky and Liz and 
walked over to Emilio shoving her hands nervously in her back jeans pockets, 
“Emilio, hi."

Emilio gave a slight nod with a wide grin, “So, you do remember my name."

Emily let out a nervous giggled, “Yea, how can I forget the guy who rammed me at 
Kelly's."

Lucky and Liz watched them curiously, “Who's he?” Lucky whispered to Liz.

Liz shrugged, “Just some guy Emily met last night. I'll tell you about it 
later."

"So, is this you're first class too?” Emily asked hopefully.

"Um… I'm not sure. I don't even know where the principal's office is.” Emilio 
answered a little embarrassed knowing he was lying.

"Oh, that's ok. If you'd like… I could show you around and take to the 
principal's office.” Emily offered with a sweet smile.

"Really? That would be great.” Emilio responded.

Emily turned around to Liz and Lucky giving them a happy look as she grabbed her 
backpack and waved goodbye, leading Emilio to the principal's office. Liz and 
Lucky could tell they had just seen the beginning of something they just weren't 
sure what.

After showing Emilio around the school Emily continued with her own classes 
meeting with him a few times. Emilio tried to be around her as much as he could 
all day. After school they were both awkwardly looking for each other. Emily 
was, as usual, the last person in the high school hallways. She finished 
figuring out which books she needed and which she didn't. Putting her last books 
in the locker she shut her locker. As she put one of her books away a picture of 
Lucky, Liz, Nikolas, and herself fell out of her locker and glided onto the 
floor. She bent down to pick it up and stared it until her teardrops began to 
blur her vision and fall onto the picture. She cleared her throat wiping away 
her tears from her face and the photo. She slipped the picture back into the 
blinds of her locker and swung the backpack over her shoulder inhaling deeply 
trying to regain composure. She walked down the hall quickly stopping quickly 
when a figure began to approach. She felt her heart sink thinking it was 
Nikolas. She buried her face in her hands and trying not to freak out as he 
footsteps got closer and closer. She didn't want to hear his voice or his 
apologizes. She shook her head still holding her hands to her face, “No.” She 
whispered herself hoping that if she just wished hard enough he was disappear 
like pinching herself and waking up from a nightmare. 

That's when she felt a hand rest supportively on her shoulder, “Emily?” She 
looked up to see Emilio standing there with a smile, “Are you ok?"

Emily let out a sigh of relief before hugging him quickly and thankfully, “I'm 
so glad it's you.” 

Emilio couldn't believe how happy he felt when he heard her say that. He briefly 
opened his eyes to look over her shoulder to see a guy behind Emily. He looked 
very upset. He couldn't quite get the man's emotion down by looking into his 
eyes… was it anger? Sadness? Betrayal? He shrugged it off when the guy left then 
taking her hand in his, “I'm glad you like seeing me."

Emily rolled her eyes, “Emilio, don't take it too much to heart. I thought it 
was someone I hated and instead it was you so I was just… grateful it wasn't 
that other person.” She teased taking her hand away playfully, “Want to walk me 
home?"

"Nah, but I'll give you a ride.” Emilio laughed following her fastly. He rested 
his hand on the arch of her back as they exited the high school halls.

Stefan knocked on Laura's door impatiently. She opened it up with an angry 
expression surprised to see him standing to see him there, “Stefan."

"I need you're help.” Stefan insisted while Laura closed the door and followed 
him to the center of her living room, “It's Nikolas. He seems to have… made Ms. 
Quartermaine very upset and he wants to make it up to her. But from what I've 
learned she will not even speak to him.” He simply explained waiting for her 
response.

Laura laughed slightly at his use of words before clearing her throat, “Ok, let 
me get this straight. Emily isn't talking to Nikolas because he did something 
that made her sad?"

"Yes.” Stefan nodded, “What should I do?"

Laura frowned with another laugh, “You? Don't you mean Nikolas? I mean it is his 
problem."

"I want to help him. Maybe if I do it will make up for some of the mistakes I've 
made in the past.” Stefan stated with the best of intentions.

"Listen to me, Stefan, you will not use Emily as some sort of pawn for you're 
mistakes towards Nikolas.” Laura snapped before there was another knock at the 
door.

"Mother, it's me, Nikolas.” They heard Nikolas voice call out. 

Laura's eyes widened as she pushed Stefan into the kitchen. She signaled for him 
to be quiet as she rushed to the door, “Nikolas!” She exclaimed, “What are you 
doing?” She stepped aside while Nikolas rushed in. He sat down on her couch with 
her breath in and out deeply. Laura watches him with worry. 

Nikolas finally looked up at her and sighed, “Mom, you've got to help me.” He 
pleaded while she stared at him in shock.

Emilio walked Emily onto her terrace outside the living room. Emily placed her 
backpack in a chair by the terrace table. She let her thumbs grip the rim of her 
jeans as she nervously shrugged, “Thanks for the lift. I really appreciate it."

Emilio nodded and smiled shyly, “It was my pleasure." Emily tried not to melt 
whenever he spoke. That wonderful Spanish accent drove her wild. She laughed 
with another nervous look. Emilio was flattered every time he saw her blush. The 
thing that seemed to make him the most intrigued was there was something about 
her that took him completely off guard. He couldn't pinpoint but after all the 
girls he had met none of them were like her. 

Emily ran a hand through her hair and waved, “I guess I should probably go in 
now. I'll see you tomorrow.” She was a little disappointed she had given Emilio 
a wide opportunity to say something else and he didn't. She was sure that right 
at that moment he was at all smitten with her. 

Emilio stopped her quickly, “Wait!"

She smiled to herself gleefully and turned back to him with a questioning look, 
“What?"

"Emily, would you like to go out sometime.” Emilio suddenly asked happy to get 
it out in the open. He just wanted to get to know everything about her.

Emily bit her lip restraining herself from screaming her answer and then 
replied, “I'd love to.” Emily waited for him to add but he started to walk away. 
She slightly giggled before stopping him, “Emilio! Wait! You have to tell me 
when!” Emily exclaimed.

"Oh, “Emilio completely forgot that he had to plan things from now on, 
“Tonight?"

Emily let his arm go that she had used to stop him, “Ok. I'll see you then."

"Ok, see you at…"

"Seven.” Emily finished for him before entering the mansion and leaving Emilio 
to worry and think about what might happen tonight.


Meanwhile…

"Nikolas, what's got you so worried?” Laura asked trying to get him to calm 
down.

"Emily.” That seemed to be Nikolas' favorite and most used answer these days.

"What about her? Is she sick?” Laura questioned with immense worry.

"No.” Nikolas answered.

"Oh.” Laura simply added.

Nikolas shook his head, “I slept with Katherine, Emily walked in on us, and now 
she won't talk to me.” He blurted out so quickly just wanted it to be confirmed 
before Laura asked more questions.

Laura's eyes widened in shock, “You did what?!"

"She caught us.” Nikolas repeated.

Laura sighed angrily and placed her face in her hands, “Please tell me you two 
were… finished."

Nikolas nodded, “You could say that."

"Poor Emily. She must have been devastated.” Laura sympathized, picturing 
Emily's heartbroken look.

"Does everyone know how she feels about me but me?!” Nikolas whined standing up.

"Well, it's pretty obvious. Men are just blind.” Laura added standing next to 
him,  “So, she won't talk to you, right?"

"Right.” Nikolas restated, “Now, what do I do?"

Laura laughed and smiled, “You leave her alone.” She told him not believing he 
didn't know.

Nikolas frowned not liking Laura's answer, “What do you mean leave her alone?"

Laura giggled slightly and sat him back down, “I mean don't talk to her, don't 
look at her, don't think about her, and stay away from her. She needs time you 
can't expect her to just accept what's happened you have got to let her let IT 
sink in."

Nikolas looked down in frustration, “But…"

"No, Nikolas, if you really care about Emily you'll leave her alone.” Laura said 
to Nikolas with no hesitation. 

Nikolas sat in a moment of silence and Laura thought to herself about what she 
was going to say to Stefan. He gave himself a stern nod and stood, “Ok… I'll 
leave her alone. For now. But not forever, right?"

"No, just for a while.” Laura smiled and patted his shoulder.

Nikolas let out a long sigh, “Thanks, mom. I'll just deal with what I have to 
and stay away from Emily. Until she's ready to talk.” He hugged her sadly one 
last time before walking out with a strong smile. 

Laura waited for Nikolas to be completely out of eyesight before entering the 
kitchen and signaling for Stefan to come out. Stefan stood in silence while 
Laura began to pace the floors. She inhaled deeply as she looked up at him, “Ok, 
we've got to help him."

Stefan frowned, “What? But you informed Nikolas to stay away. You spoke as 
though he was to leave it alone."

"I was lying. He can leave her alone but we're not. We have got to find someway 
to get them to at least talk.” Laura explained placing her hands on her hips. If 
Nikolas was this miserable she felt as thought she definitely had to help.