The Bet || l.h.

- 31 -

3 days locked in my room, only Lindsay and Natalie allowed in.

5 boxes of tissues now empty and lying on the floor.

103 missed calls and 74 texts from Luke.

But I don't answer any of them.

"Emmy, there's someone here to see you," Natalie says softly as she peers into my room. She and Lindsay have been taking turns being the one to watch me, much to my mom's relief.

I look up at her. "I don't want to see him," I rasp.

"It's not Luke," she says.

She glances behind her and Michael steps forward, hesitating in the doorway.

I scowl and roll over on my bed so my back is to him. "I don't want to talk to you," I mumble into my pillow.

"I know," he murmurs. "You have every right to hate me and Calum and Ashton. You have every right to hate Luke. I came here to apologize... and to tell you that not all of it was a lie."

"Why should I trust you?" I scoff.

Michael's voice sounds hurt. "You don't have to. But if you listen to anything I say, listen to this. Yes, there was a bet to get Luke to hook up with you. But we never said that he had to love you. And, god, Emmy, he loves you so much."

Michael walks closer, his green eyes sincere. "Please, I'm begging you give him another chance. At least to explain. I've never seen him as happy as he was with you. After... After his sister died, I thought he would always be broken. But when he was with you, he was whole."

I press my lips together, whirling to face him. "Why is it so hard for you to see? He never cared about me. He doesn't care about anyone or anything other than himself."

Michael shakes his head. "I refuse to believe that. There's a good person in there, one I hadn't seen until he met you. Just... think about it."

He backs up, turning to Natalie who's holding the door.

She steps aside to let him through, keeping her eyes fixed on me.

"Nat..." he starts, his voice pleading.

"I have nothing to say to you, Michael," she mutters, never glancing away from me.

He nods sadly, casting one last lingering look at her over his shoulder before he leaves.

"Natalie, you don't have to hate him just because of what happened with me and Luke," I say softly. "If you wanna be with Michael, I don't want to stand between you."

Natalie sits on the edge of my bed, taking my hands in hers. Her serious gaze captures mine, trying to make me understand. "I can't forget what he did, despite whatever feelings I may have for him. I can't forget the person he was just a month ago, even if he says he's changed. Em, you're not standing in the way of anything."

I squeeze her hands. "I'm sorry," I croak, a tear slipping down my cheek.

She reaches out to brush it away, shaking her head. "You have nothing to apologize for. I guess it took finding out about the bet to realize that I was living in a fantasy where Michael was exactly the person I wanted him to be."

I flinch at the mention of the bet. My life changed the moment I bumped into Calum Hood at that party, the night my existence changed the game they'd been playing for who knows how long.

What was I thinking? Luke Hemmings would never give me a second glance, not when he had dozens of girls throwing themselves at him. I was so stupid for ever believing that he loved me. It had just been one big game to him.