Untouchable

Emma pulled her front door open to find an out-of-breath Selena standing in the doorway. She grabbed her hand and led her inside, shutting the door behind her. “What did he do to you?”

Selena tried to pretend like she hadn’t heard the question, but it was too obvious. “I went to Steven’s apartment to break it off and…he did this.” She held out her wrists.

Emma held Selena’s wrists gently in her hands. “I…” She couldn’t find the right words, but the fear in her best friend’s eyes told her what to do. She wrapped her arms around Selena’s waist and held her against her chest. “Did you tell that cold, heartless asshole it was over?”

“Yes, but I’m still scared. He went looking for me when I was at Starbucks.” Selena rested her head on Emma’s shoulder and allowed the tears to fall.

“What were you doing at Starbucks?”

Selena sniffled quietly. “I needed to do something to get my mind off of things so I went to get some coffee, and then I ran into Kellan—”

“Oh, I was just talking to him about that. You should really stop walking off on him like that. It’s really starting to make him think there’s something wrong with him.” Taylor interrupted, as he walked in through the front door with a slight frown on his face.

Selena cringed from anger and guilt. She picked her head up and Emma let go of her. “There’s this little thing called a doorbell. I‘m not sure if you‘ve ever learned how to use one.” She paused. “And stay out of my business.”

Taylor smirked widely. “Is that what the little button on the door frame is? Technically it‘s Kellan‘s business, too, and he‘s my best friend; he tells me everything.”

“What are you even doing here?”

“I’m taking Emma to a party tonight, “ he grinned, confidently.

She turned to Emma. “You hate parties.”

Emma shrugged and glanced at Taylor. “I think it’s time for something new.”

“It’s too soon, Em.”

Emma whispered to herself more than anyone else. “I deserve to be happy. I deserve this.” Selena hugged her lightly. “Please don’t make me feel guilty for being happy.”

Taylor furrowed his eyebrows. “What’s going on?”

Emma looked at him over her shoulder. “Taylor, can you give us a minute?” He nodded slowly and the girls moved closer to the staircase. “Sel, listen, I know you’re scared. I’m scared, too. But when I leave, I need you to make sure all the doors are locked and I want you to go take a shower and get some rest. No one will be home for another two weeks, so you won’t have to worry about anyone walking in. Just get some of my clothes, make yourself comfortable, and I’ll be home as soon as I can.” She embraced Selena again. “Can you do that for me?”

Selena nodded into her shoulder. “Yes.”

“I’ll be back soon, Sel,” Emma assured, kissing her on the cheek. She turned back to Taylor. “Are you ready?”

“I’m ready whenever you are.”

Selena caught them at the door. “Wait, Taylor…I’m sorry about being rude to you. I know you’re just trying to keep Kellan from getting hurt.”

Taylor sent her a shiny smile. “It’s okay. We all have bad days.”

Once they were out on the road, Taylor held Emma‘s hand in his. “What was she talking about back there?”

“Selena’s just trying to keep me safe.”

“From what?”

Emma wiped a small tear from her eye that had gone unnoticed by Taylor. “Can we please not do this? I…can’t talk about it.”

Taylor squeezed Emma’s hand. “Are you excited to go to the party?”

“I’m mostly excited to be with you.”

Taylor thought for a moment and sighed. “I’m sorry about my behavior earlier. I get too immature at times.”

“We can all be that way,” Emma said, a hint of laughter in her voice.

Taylor cocked his head to the side, but kept his eyes fixated on the road in front of him. “Do you always see the good in everyone? Sometimes it feels like I could do anything in the world and you would still think I could do no wrong.”

Emma grinned. “I like to think that no one has a dark side to them…but I was wrong.”

He frowned deeply and for a moment, it seemed as if he knew exactly what she was referring to. “I don’t know who made you think that people can’t be good, but they’re obviously not worth it. Even if this doesn’t work out between us, I’ll still be here for you. That’s a promise.”

“Thank you, Taylor,” she said, slowly. “I‘m very lucky to have you in my life.” She leaned across the seat to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. He blushed slightly under his caramel skin tone.

“Have you told Selena yet?”

Emma tightened her grip on Taylor’s hand. “No. I don’t want her to know we’re together. She’s going through enough already, and if she finds out, it’ll make her feel even more hopeless.”

Taylor got lost in his train of thought and flicked the blinker on. “I can tell that Kellan’s interested in her.” Emma raised her eyebrows. “And it takes a lot for him to be interested in someone.”

“Happy birthday, Dakota,” Emma and Taylor yelled over the loud music. Taylor still hadn’t lost his grip on Emma’s hand.

Dakota smiled through the crowd. “Thanks, you guys! Glad you could make it!” More guests arrived, and she quickly turned her attention away from the couple.

The familiar sound of Boys Like Girls filled the room and (against Emma’s protests) Taylor led Emma to the dance floor. He pulled her closer and placed his arms around her waist.

“Do you enjoy torturing me,” Emma asked, a whine present in her tone.

“Maybe…,” he teased, resting his cheek on her crown. He sung the lyrics softly in her ear. “Maybe it’s true that I can’t live without you. Maybe two is better than one. But there’s so much time to figure out the rest of my life and you’ve already got me coming undone.” At the height of the song Taylor spun Emma in a perfect circle, and when he pulled her back in, their faces were directly in front of each other. He paused slightly, allowing the tension to grow. Slowly, he tilted his head and leaned forward.

Emma smiled to herself; the butterflies in her stomach were growing into giant bunnies, hopping around inside. The tip of their noses braised against each other, and she saw someone out of the corner of her nearly shut eyelids. She flinched backward. “We have to go, Taylor.”

Taylor almost fell forward. “Why?” Emma tried to pull on his hand, but he was too strong for her. “What are you talking about?”

“Please,” her voice trembled, fear shaking her small frame.

“I’m not leaving until you tell me what it is, Emma.”

Cody stood beside Taylor. “What do you think you’re doing,” he shouted over the blasting lyrics. “And you call me the unfaithful one!”

Taylor looked back and forth between Cody and Emma. Emma seemed as if she might burst into tears. Finally, he asked, “Emma, what does he mean?”

Emma felt the tears rise and spill down her pale cheeks. “I’m not with you anymore! You can’t tell me what to do!” Her voice trembled too much to sound like a threat. “You can‘t do this to me!”

Cody’s face burned with anger. “It sure is funny we were together this morning!”

“Emma?” Taylor’s expression reflected the pain he felt inside.

“Taylor, please don’t listen to him! He’s lying—you have to believe me!” Emma reached out for him, but he turned away. Emma folded her arms across her chest.

Taylor started backing away. “I can’t believe the nerve you two have.” Emma moved to touch his cheek, and he pushed it away. “Don’t touch me! You stay the hell away from me!” He shouted so loud that half of the surrounding people turned to watch. “Was I just some kind of side project for you to laugh at?”

“Taylor, no! Please!”

“This…whatever you want to call it is over. I can’t believe you would do this to me after all of those things you said…” His voice broke off, leaving a small, empty silence behind as he pushed himself through the crowds of people.

Emma watched as he slammed himself through the double doors, a terrible stabbing pain repeated itself over and over inside her throbbing chest. “Why, Cody? Why do you keep doing this to me?” She could taste the fresh bile in her throat.

Cody smirked, the end of his mouth twisted up into a sinister expression. “Because you’ll never be happy with anyone but me,” he whispered into her ear.

Emma gasped for air, feeling her throat constricting. She ran the same trail that Taylor had only seconds before. She got outside at the same time that Taylor sped off in the opposite direction.

Her chest was throbbing entirely too much for her to think straight. She pulled her phone from her purse and dialed the number of the only person she could count on. “He left me.”