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When I reached her building I took the stairs two and a ti up to her unit while my heart pounded erratically Dread filled me I just needed her to seea deep breath of air intoseconds, and I knew either E on whether or not to open the door

Mo froently this time "Emmy, please I know you’re in there Let me explain" My voice sounded steady but ainst the door, desperation overtaking ainst the door for what seemed like forever until my knuckles were red and raw

"Go away, Ben It’s over," Ellie called tersely through the door

Tears filled my vision It couldn’t end like this I slunk to the floor and sat there for hours, praying that the door would open, if not to see o out for so I was certain once Emmy saw me, met my eyes, I could make her understand

But that chance never came

• • •

In the days that followed, , but it was never Emmy

At Fiona’s sixth call for the day, I finally picked up "Yeah?"

"Love" Her endear e to reach you Are you okay?"

"I’ irlfriend had left me London and I had spoken once when the news story broke and she’d apologized profusely She’d said she had no clue how the video got out I believed her She wouldn’t have intentionally leaked it--she was just as atory state this difficult time

"You need me to fix this for you Emmy can’t handle this level of PR, love Letthe video beca ht I’d need her to fix this, she rong She also assu toher I refused to stop that Emmy would never suffer because of my fk-ups I called her nonstop, left voice Utter silence on her end

"Fiona" I warned I didn’t need her help

"Let o away"