Opposites Attract

“I told you it would end up like this.”

“I didn’t want to believe you.”

“You should’ve. She almost died. I told you to do something; to make her happy again.”

“Sorry.”

“You should be. Aren’t you supposed to be the romantic one?”

“I said sorry.”

“Don’t tell me, tell her.”

“She’s unconscious.”

“Thank you , Captain Obvious.”

I heard Dani and Kevin arguing before I saw them. It took a while for the dark to fade and for everything to come into focus and when it did it became abundantly clear to me that I was in a hospital. I closed my eyes and tried to remember how I had ended up here but I was coming up empty. I noticed the thick white gauze wrapped around my wrists and suddenly it came to me. The car, the rain, the keys, and … Kevin? Had he really been there?

“Emma?” Dani said softly, noticing I was awake.

“Mmm,” I mumbled, still slightly out of it.

“How’re you feeling?” she asked.

“Like a truck ran me over,” I groaned and managed to smirk a little.

Dani laughed. “Glad to see your latest near death experience hasn’t messed with your sense of humor.”

“Nope,” I replied, but Dani’s demeanor had quickly become more serious.

“You scared me,” she said, barely above a whisper.

“Sorry,” I said.

“Sorry?” Dani repeated, “Em, you tried to kill yourself. If you were that upset you should have told some one. You should have told me, I would have listened. “

“I just wanted it to stop hurting,” I mumbled, looking away from her.

“I know that Emma but you scared the hell out of me. And Kevin too,” Dani told me.

“He was there,” I said, remembering the dark curls I’d glimpsed just before loosing consciousness.

Dani nodded, “He found you.”

“Why was he there?” I asked.

“He was going to surprise you. I told him where you’d be,” Dani said.

She left then, and I was alone with my thoughts. Kevin had wanted to surprise me, but why? I thought I had made it crystal clear I wanted nothing to do with him. Maybe I hadn’t. And really, did I want nothing to do with him? It hadn’t been too long ago that I wanted nothing more than to be forever in his arms. What had changed? He had. He’d decided I wasn’t good enough for him. I wasn’t squeaky clean Disney like he was.

“Em?” that familiar voice called softly as he pushed open the door.

I looked up. “Hey.”

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Kevin said quietly as he sat in the chair by my bed.

“Thanks for your concern,” I said emotionlessly.

“I’m serious Emma, I don’t think I’ve ever been that scared before,” and his eyes seemed to corroborate his story, “I thought you were gone.”

“Well, I’m not,” I bit out, hoping he would leave.

“Why are you doing this?” Kevin asked suddenly.

“Doing what?” I asked.

“Acting like you don’t care,” he said exasperatedly.

“About you?” I laughed bitterly, “I don’t.”

“I might believe you if I didn’t know better,” Kevin grinned.

I didn’t say anything and neither did he. I turned my head so I wouldn’t have to look at him, but he took my hand loosely in his own. It was impossible to ignore him. Kevin’s hand was warm against mine, and secretly, I didn’t want him to let go. I hated the way he knew.

“Why are you always right?” I whispered.

“Guess I’m just good like that,” he said, smiling a little.

“It’s not that I don’t care,” I told him, “I probably care too much. It hurt to hear you say that you didn’t want to make an effort to work things out just because someone said something. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not big on what other people think or say.”

“That’s what I like about you. You’re not afraid to just be yourself. I could learn a thing or two. I’m always trying to placate people, and sometimes I forget to be true to myself along the way,” he confessed.

“Pushover,” I said quietly, trying not to smile.

“That’s not what I said,” Kevin said, and his bright grin was by no means hidden. “And I never wanted to break up with you, Em. I wanted to make it work, I just didn’t know how.”

“Could have fooled me,” I mumbled.

“Emma, I did!” he exclaimed, taking care not to be too loud, “But I couldn’t put my brothers at risk; you know how much family means to me. It doesn’t even matter anymore.”

“It doesn’t matter?” I asked, anger clear in my voice.

“It doesn’t matter because Hollywood Records wouldn’t be stupid enough to drop us. We bring in huge profit for them. They might not like it, but I’m yours Emma. Always,” and a rosy blush crept across his freckled cheeks.

“Oh, you’ve swept me off my feet,” I put my hand over my heart in feigned passion, “I think I’ll just fall into your arms and we’ll live happily ever after. Picture perfect.”

“Well, I don’t know about picture perfect,” Kevin said, “but maybe something close.”