69 Nursing a Brokenhearted Friend

Emily watched intently from the passenger seat after Alexa dragged Justin away to talk. That woman just had to show up and spoil the mood after she finally got him to agree to do something fun with her!

She had been thinking about it for weeks, wondering how to bring it up because in all the time they had been hanging out they hadn't actually done much. When she got her first order the timing seemed perfect. Without Justin she wouldn't even have a cookie business so it made sense to include him in her little victory.

The conversation didn't seem to be going well. Alexa started by chewing him out and he retaliated.

She got angrier and yelled at him before smacking him across the face and stomping away in a huff. Poor Justin was too stunned to move but Emily instantly jumped out of the car and ran to him.

"Are you okay?!"

Justin turned to look at her and she saw that half his face was already swollen. His eyes burned with emotions but she couldn't tell which ones. Was he angry? Hurt? Heartbroken?

She recalled he had mentioned more than once that if he told Alexa he liked her that she would hit him. Had he confessed and been shot down so violently right in front of her? What on earth happened?

Not knowing what he was feeling, she gingerly took his arm and led him back to the car. "Come on, I'll drive. Let's get some ice on your face."

He was silent the entire drive back. Emily felt horrible. She couldn't comfort him if she didn't know what was going on but the look on his face terrified her too much to ask.

His highly expressive face was…blank. It was as if his emotions had overloaded to the point of leaving nothing behind.

When they arrived she once again led him by the arm up to her apartment. Amy was on the couch reading a magazine but when she saw the state Justin was in she retreated to her room after a short hello. Emily dug out an unopened bag of peas and carrots from the freezer and gently pressed it against his face.

"Does that feel better?"

He looked up at her like his soul had left him and spoke for the first time since leaving the school. "A little. Thanks."

They sat there wordlessly for quite a while as Emily scooted her chair closer to him to better apply the makeshift ice pack. Justin finally opened his mouth. "Emily, I…"

She shook her head. "You don't owe me any explanations. It's your business."

Seeing him get hit was heart wrenching but his reaction afterward made her believe that he had truly given up on Alexa. She wasn't going to make him rehash it. She was just glad it was over.

From the beginning, Emily thought Justin deserved better. Hopefully, this made him realize it too. Maybe even that 'better' was right in front of him.

Emily couldn't deny her feelings anymore. She had been so horribly jealous of Alexa. Jealous that she had the affection of the best guy Emily knew.

Her heart ached for him when he was overtaxed, sad, or injured. She wanted to make sure he was healthy and happy. Honestly, she should have realized it sooner.

How different would things have been if she hadn't met Brandon and Justin hadn't met Alexa? If they had become closer when they were freshmen? She liked Justin without a doubt. And right now his heart was broken over another girl. An undeserving girl. What was she supposed to do?

Justin sighed heavily and closed his eyes, leaning deeper into the ice pack. "It's not what you think it is. Alexa is just—"

"Shh," she said softly. "It's okay. It's going to be okay."

She reached out and grasped his hand, trying to convey that he wasn't alone. She was here. And she wasn't going anywhere.

"It's not going to be okay because I'm an idiot," he mumbled, squeezing her hand harder. "This whole thing was a terrible idea."

This whole thing? That was a funny way of wording it.

"If you don't mind my asking, how did you meet her?" If she understood the gist of their relationship she might be able to cheer him up more effectively.

"She was a client. We met in a coffee shop where she convinced me to take on her project even though it wasn't my usual kind of thing. She's very persuasive," he said bitterly.

Emily's heart sunk. If he was that bitter over meeting the girl…he must have loved her more than she thought. She wanted to heal his broken heart but she didn't even know where to begin.

Besides, didn't rebound relationships usually fall apart? How could she get Justin to fall for her when he was just falling out of love?

She chastised herself for even thinking that way. Right now she needed to focus on making him feel better because he was hurting. She could worry about the rest later.

"You deserve better than her," Emily said firmly. "You're great, Justin, you really are. You deserve a girl who loves you as wholeheartedly as you love her. I believe you'll find that someday."

The smile he gave her was unbearably sad. It almost couldn't be classified as a smile.

"Thanks, Emily. I…hope so too."

She put the ice pack down. Justin radiated despair and she couldn't stand it. Standing behind his chair, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and bent down to rest her chin on top of his head. He shuddered briefly before reaching his hands up to clasp her arms.

"I'm sorry," he said miserably.

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

He mumbled something Emily couldn't catch in response but she let it slide. All she needed to do right now was be there for him.

She couldn't help but wonder why he was sorry though. Because she had to witness the death throes of his non-relationship? Because she was taking care of him? He was the victim here! What did he have to be sorry about?