Everyone was cheering for her, and rightfully so. Elle had just won a case, sure, but she'd done so much more. She'd shown the world what Emmett had seen in her all along. She'd stuck it to Professor Callahan. She'd saved Brooke's life.

He watched her walk out of the court room, instinctively stepping out of the way as reporters chased her. He was smiling ear-to-ear, beaming with pride. He wanted to congratulate her, to pick her up and spin around, screaming that he told her so, that she was brilliant! He quickly ran down the steps and onto the steps of the courthouse, hoping to catch her before she left. His heart raced nervously, but he wasn't sure why. He wasn't planning on trying anything, but his adrenaline was pumping through his body. Maybe now WAS the right time to make his move.

He turned to her, his mind wracking for something clever to say. Before he could prepare a thought, she ran to him, her arms wide open. Emmett caught her midair, spinning her around in excited circles. He placed her back on her feet and held her close to his chest. She leaned into him expectantly, waiting for him to close the gap.

His heart raced, panicked. He opened his mouth to speak, to tell her again how amazing she was, but someone had beaten him to it. He saw Warner in his periphery. He quickly released her and leaned away.

He tried to calm himself down. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe he was just congratulating her, too. He should! She was so amazing, and Warner treated her like shit. Maybe it was just a long over due apology and some closure— nothing more. He wasn't optimistic of that, though.

"Uh, I think someone needs to talk to you" he muttered. Elle spun around, hitting Emmett with the overwhelming scent of her strawberry shampoo.

She looked at him questioningly, and Emmett smiled, "That's okay. I'm—I'm going to see you later."

He turned the corner with surprising confidence. He knew Elle cared for him, that was abundantly clear. She'd told him as much herself, and he was pretty confident that she just tried to kiss him. The real question was if she cared for Warner more. He wasn't expecting her to have completely forgotten Warner. That wouldn't be fair. Warner was the whole reason he met Elle in the first place, and for that he was thankful. She knew how he felt. The ball was in her court, and there was actually a chance that she'd choose him.

This dream was shattered as soon as he heard Warner speak. He knew how long she'd been waiting for this, and he was a fool for thinking that had changed. In a way, he was happy for her. This had been what she'd always wanted. She'd worked hard for this moment.

Although part of him was happy for her, he knew there was no way he could stand to hear the rest. He knew he couldn't handle her excited squeal, the happy tears that would definitely fall. He didn't want to hear their reunited kiss, or her gasps when she saw what was surely a huge diamond ring. Trying to remain as casual as possible, he strode away.

He opened the courthouse door, ready to go back to his apartment and sulk. He wondered how she would tell him. Would she tell him? Maybe now that she had Warner, she would completely forget about their relationship, friendship or otherwise.

"Emmett!"

His heart sank. He turned to her and feigned a smile, "Hey."

"The girls, Vivienne, and I were just going to go across the street and get a drink to celebrate! Come!" She smiled.

"Oh, celebrate?" Emmett tried. He appreciated her attempt at sparing his feelings. She didn't run up and throw her he left hand in his face. Still, he'd rather her spit out. That way he could congratulate her and leave.

"Uhhh, yeah! I don't know if you missed it, Em, but I just won a big murder case!" She teased. She reached for his hand, tugging him out the door. He glanced down at her ringless hand and let out a breath. Maybe it would be a little crazy for Warner to already have a ring. Elle would certainly have recognized Vivienne's.

"No Warner?" He was reaching.

"No, but my parents are coming! And Margot and Serena. They all want to meet you!"

He realized fairly quickly that saying no was fruitless. He savored the feeling of her tiny little hand in his. She was trying to let him down easy.

The moment they entered the bar Elle's friends pounced. Margot and Serena screeched, the rest of the girls jumping up and down and cheering. Elle squealed back, running into the small mob that had formed. Emmett released her hand and sauntered to the bar.

"Hair care guy!" Paulette cried, Rufus in her arms.

"Hey, Paulette" Emmett smiled, petting Rufus's head, "who's this?"

"Kyle B. O'Byle. Nice to meet ya" Kyle said.

"Emmett."

"Soooooo…. How did it go?" Paulette winked.

"Oh, uh, great! She was amazing, she won!"

"Not that, doll" Paulette laughed. She rolled her eyes and tugged Kyle away.

Confused, Emmett ordered a drink for himself and Elle. He pushed his way through her posse to hand her a drink.

"Vodka martini?" She smiled.

"Of course." He smiled back, heart aching. She was truly flawless. It was almost painful to look at.

She thanked him and dragged him by the arm, introducing him to to all her friends and family. He actually quite enjoyed this taste of who Elle was before Harvard. It reminded him of all the things he loved about her: her go-gettingness, her bubbliness, her loyalty, and her passion. There was a crowd of people who genuinely loved Elle. She was so genuine and kind, and he wasn't the only one who knew it. He also loved meeting her parents. They were so exponentially proud of her. It was heartwarming. He genuinely enjoyed hearing their stories of her and taking time to unwind. He was glad she dragged him there.

After about an hour, the fun wore off and Emmett remembered the painful truth. He was now jobless, and the love of his life had slipped through his fingers. Part of him wished he would've come on harder or made his move earlier, but he knew that wouldn't have mattered. She'd just leave him when Warner changed his mind. Tragically, this was unavoidable.

He waited a moment to find a time to cut in to Elle's conversation before grabbing her arm.

"Hey, I'm going to head out. Congratulations again. You were so amazing." He said through is fake smile.

"Oh, you're leaving?" Elle asked. He could've been wrong, but she seemed a little disappointed.

"We're going to the Bay Area to get dinner, and I'm sure we could add another to the reservation. Why don't you join us, son?" Mr. Woods said.

"Oh, I couldn't intrude. I do appreciate it."

As Emmett stepped away, Elle reached for his arm, "Wait! Can you come over later?"

Emmett bit his lip, "Oh, uh, I don't want to take way your time with your friends. You should celebrate with them."

"I am silly, but I want to talk to you! Can you stop by, maybe 8ish?"

"Yeah, okay. That works." Emmett gulped.

"Great, it's a date then." Elle smiled.