35: Cheddar

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Chapter 35: Cheddar

I pressed the pillow against my face in an attempt to muffle my cries. I was sobbing hard, my emotions all over the place. I ruined everything and it was all because of a mistake I made three years ago. And now, Leo hates me for this.

I screamed throwing the roses away from me. That's when Leo came rushing downstairs to see what happened. "Princess are you o-", he saw the bloody bouquet of roses on the ground. "Emma, are you hurt?" He asked sounding worried, coming towards me, to take a look at my hand. I was frozen to my place, too dazed to say anything.

He took me to the bathroom to clean my hands. "Where does it hurt? Let me place a band aid over it", he said inspecting my hand.

"I didn't- I didn't get hurt. Those roses- were...they were already covered in blo-blood", I stuttered.

"Who would sent that to you? What kind of a sick prank it is?" I rushed out of the bathroom avoiding his questions. I took a seat on the couch. Leo followed me behind, he picked up the bouquet and read the note attached to it. "Rose? Isn't that your middle name?"

I nodded. Tears started streaming down my face. "He is after me.... He is back. Jules.... Jules..", I was sobbing loudly.

"Jules? Did Jules do this?"

"No... You wouldn't understand", I wiped my tears. "Just let it be..."

"No Emma! I can't let Jules do this to you anymore!"

"It isn't her. She didn't do this!" I cried out.

"Then who? Tell me".

"I- I can't".

"No Emma! I can't see you like this. Jules bullies you all the time at school and you don't say anything. Now this? This is getting way out of hand", he said sounding frustrated.

"You wouldn't understand. I can't- I can't tell y-".

"Why can't you tell me? It's like this thing is killing you from inside. But you still don't talk to anyone about it. If we are going to do this we have to talk to each other".

"I am sorry Leo. This is something I haven't shared with anyone- I can't do this".

"Okay fine, then don't", he said. He dashed upstairs closing his bedroom door loudly.

Now I was alone in my room while Leo was probably hating the fact that he fell for such a messed up girl. I cried harder. I was paranoid now. I felt like he would come to get me, and I can't imagine the ways he would hurt me.

The bed dipped beside me, I felt an arm wrap around me, pulling me closer. My breath hitch in my throat. "Calm down princess. It's me", he said kissing my hair. "I am sorry for being a jerk. I shouldn't have behaved with you like that", he whispered.

"But it isn't-", I interrupted.

"No it is. I am sorry for being like that. The thing is I have seen how Jules treats you. I just can't take this anymore. Whatever it is, I will protect you from it. I promise", he said. "Now go to sleep princess", he kissed my hair.
.............

Josh's POV:

I looked at the picture in front of me and two things came to my mind. A) I shouldn't have painted her. B) It was probably one of my best works. Turns out I 'unintentionally' drew my best friend's girl. The girl he is probably in love with. It took me three days to finish that. I worked on it day and night. Now that I realized, I really needed to go to the bathroom. Not to mention I skipped dinner last night and today's breakfast just to paint this, my stomach was grumbling.

I let out an audible sigh. I couldn't help myself but admire the painting in front of me. I wasn't a big fan of my work but for the first time I was actually proud of what I have drawn. It was a closeup picture of Emma that I had taken on the beach. Somehow I couldn't erase that image off my mind. It's not like I didn't try to get her out of my head. But she never seemed to leave my mind. I chided myself for being such an asshole. Do not break the bro code. Do not break the bro code.

"Dude where are you?" I heard the ominous voice of Leo calling me out from my room and I started panicking. He will definitely get the wrong idea if he sees this. I scrambled out of my art room, locked it behind me. I don't let anyone access my art room accept for mom when she wants to clean it. The only person whom I have let in is Emma. Well I couldn't help myself as she was being insistent. No one was interested in my art as much as she was.

"Hey what's up?" I asked waving at him. He was already on my bed looking at my collection of old comic books.

He looked at me and smiled. "Nothing much.... Except I think I am in love dude".

I smiled. It was a genuine one, but inside it hurt a little bit. On the other hand I was happy for my friend too. I don't know how that can happen. You are one messed up human, Josh.

"With me? I always knew", I joked smirking at him.

"It's... It's Emma. She is amazing", my best friend was definitely love-struck. I was happy to see that he finally realized. But...

Nope. Not going there. "When are you going to tell her?" I asked excitedly.

"I kind of did", he said blushing. Did Leonardo Arsen just blush?

"Oh my god. Tell me everything".

"Remember that day on the beach, we disappeared off to somewhere? Yeah I told her then. I had to do it on top of a fucking hill just so that I don't find any excuse to avoid telling her, just like I always do".

"I am proud of you Leo. You have my blessing. Now go and have children, my friend. You gotta name your first child after me, regardless of its gender".

He laughed, "Absolutely not. I am not naming my kids after a condom".

"FOR THE LAST TIME, THAT WAS A PUERTO RICAN BRANDED CONDOM. IT IS PRONOUNCED 'OSH' AS THE J WAS SILENT", I lied. One day Derek found a bunch of condoms while cleaning the tables at Carlo's. Turns out one of the customers left them behind. They were called Josh condoms and I swear I never heard the end of it from Derek and Leo. I still get teased for it. Lying is the only way to convince them but of course they weren't buying it.

"Sure. Whatever you say", Leo mused.

After Leo left, I took a picture of Emma's painting and uploaded the picture on the art selling website. I can't believe I was doing this. After much contemplation I finally clicked on the sell button, which was like a mini stab in my chest. I had to take certain measures to get over this girl and that meant getting rid of this painting.

..............................

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