Fracture

Alex walked me to my car, opening the driver's door and looking at me skeptically as we stood there.

"What?" I asked nervously.

He sighed and looked at the sky, "Why'd you keep it from him so long?"

"I was waiting for you to ask..." I bit my lip.

Alex looked back into my eyes intently, "He would have dropped everything for you. For the both of you."

"I didn't think so back then." I fiddled with my keys, "And he hurt me pretty badly back in August."

"I don't think he really meant that. He was just trying to get back at you."

"It was pretty childish of him..."

"He deserved to know, Emily."

"I know, Alex!" I snapped.

He sighed again and moved his hand off the car door and into his front pocket, "I'm not trying to be an asshole right now, but he's been my best friend since high school, and I feel pretty protective of him."

"I wanted to protect myself, and I didn't want to interfere with his career." I was irritated now.

"Just promise me he'll know soon." Alex continued looking at me, his stare becoming more intense.

"I will, Alex." I nodded sincerely.

"That's all I want to hear." He shrugged and pulled the door open a little more, "Keep in touch, Em."

"I will." I stepped forward and hugged him, then slid into my car.

He shut the door softly and I watched him walk to a shiny BMW. I let him drive away before staring forward and feeling tears sting my eyes. I'd always been under the impression that it was better that Jack had never known, but Alex's words had made me rethink every day after I'd left Warped Tour. Maybe I had made a mistake. Maybe I couldn't make everything right.

***

"How was school, Jules?" I asked as she dropped her backpack in the kitchen and sat on a stool at the island.

"So. Freaking. Boring." Juliet sighed, picking up an apple from the bowl on the counter.

"You're close to being done." I smiled, flipping through a Cosmo.

"Two years isn't close to being done, Mom." She bit into the apple.

"Well, it'll go by way too fast and you'll wish you could have it back." I laughed, tossing the magazine aside and looking at her.

She hopped off the stool, "Someday, lady. Someday."

She walked toward her room and a couple minutes later, after I'd started vacuuming the living room, my phone started to vibrate. I recognized the number quickly.

"Hi, Alex." I answered after I'd turned off the vacuum.

"Emily, you have to talk to Jack." He rambled.

I bit my lip, "What happened? You didn't tell him, did you?"

"No, but this is eating away at me. Every time I see him around the office my stomach drops and I just feel so guilty."

I let out the breath I'd been holding, "I was going to call him tomorrow."

Alex was silent for a moment, before quietly asking, "Is there any way you could come by tonight?"

"Juliet just got home. I don't think I can do anything right this moment..."

"Well you need to do it soon, Em. If you don't tell him by tomorrow, I'll have to."

"You can't, Alex." I tugged at my hair.

He sighed audibly, "Please do it soon, Emily."

"I will, Alex."

We hung up and I sat down on the couch, suddenly exhausted. This wasn't going to go away, and I needed to act before Jack found out from Alex. He'd be even more heartbroken.

Juliet snapped me from my trance, "Hey, Mom. I'm going to dinner with Leila in Baltimore."

She had her coat slung over her arm and her purse on her shoulder.

"Do you need a ride?" I asked, standing up.

"No, Leila's already outside." She shrugged.

"It's kind of early for dinner, isn't it?" I glanced at the clock mounted on the wall.

"We're going to go to a couple shops down there, too." She became antsy.

I paused, "Alright, be home before 9. It's a school night."

She'd never given me any reason to think she was going to do anything bad, so I chose to trust her.

***

Juliet's POV

I hopped into Leila's car and shut the door behind me, "Daddy let you borrow the Audi?"

She laughed, turning up the radio and shrugging, "He loves me."

"No doubt about that." I smiled and nodded along to the music.

"Do you know exactly where we're going?" Leila glanced quickly at me before returning her eyes to the road.

"Hold on a sec." I leaned down and pulled a piece of paper from my purse, "I have the address right here."

"Put it into the GPS, girly." She nodded toward the mounted device and slowed to a stop as a light turned red.

I finished typing the address and returned the GPS to the dash. Leila expertly navigated her way down the freeway toward Baltimore, letting me take over the iPod. We sang along to a few songs before an automated voice began guiding us to our destination.

"I've never been down here before." Leila commented as she looked around at the unfamiliar streets.

"Me either." I shrugged, butterflies forming in my stomach.

"It'll be fine, babe." She reached out to grab my hand and squeezed it while she drove.

"I know." I forced a small smile.

"We're close." She told me softly a few minutes later.

The GPS announced we'd arrived at our destination as Leila pulled into a parking spot and put the Audi into park.

"You want me to wait here, or go up with you?" She asked as she turned to me.

"There's probably a waiting room." I smiled, "And I'd like you to be close by."

She nodded with a smile and unbuckled. I followed suit and we both got out of the car. I checked the time, hoping they were still open. Luckily it was only a little after 4.

"After you." Leila smiled as she held the door open for me.

I took a deep breath and stepped inside. There was a hip vibe and underground music playing from speakers. The decor was modern and the waiting room held a single patron.

"Can I help you?" A voice from beside me asked sweetly.

I turned and laid eyes on a young, blonde receptionist. She was smiling and had a headset atop her perfectly styled locks. I approached the desk with a small smile and Leila walked to an open chair. She opened a gossip magazine and glanced at me. She mouthed "go" and nodded to the receptionist, then looked back into the magazine.

I bit my lip and stepped forward, "Um, I don't have an appointment or anything."

"Oh, then I don't know if I can help you." She looked at me sympathetically, "We may have an opening for tomorrow, though."

She turned to her computer screen and started rambling off openings, but I cut her off, "It can't wait until tomorrow."

"Like I said, there's no openings." She turned to me and shrugged, "But if you tell me your reason for inquiry I may be able to direct you to someone."

"It's hard to explain and it's kind of personal." I looked at Leila for support, but she was intently looking at celebrity gossip.

"Mr. Riley?" A dark haired man entered the waiting room and looked at the young man sitting quietly in a chair with a guitar perched next to him.

The man's back was to me, but I kept staring at him as the receptionist continued speaking. I willed him to turn around as he shook the now standing musician's hand, and said a few words to him. Finally, he turned toward me.

My whole world halted as he began walking toward the door he'd come out of, he glanced toward the desk I was standing at, "Gina, is my 5 o'clock going to be in?"

"As far as I know." She nodded.

"Great, thanks." He smiled and his gaze turned to me.

I tried to make my face appear less shocked, but his expression completely changed as his eyes met mine. His stare burned into mine, taking in every aspect of my face.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Barakat?" The receptionist broke our stunned silence.

"I'll need you to cancel that 5 o'clock, Gina." He finally told the receptionist, opening the door and disappearing inside.