Chapter 116 - Hypocrite

Steve and Lisa saw Emily entering Patrick's car and after a minute they left.

Steve tightly clenched his fist after witnessing the scene, Patrick's words were replaying in his mind, 

"You can try but she would never even bother to look at a coward like you let alone going out with someone like you" 

"Steve" Lisa softly called his name, she knew what he must have been going through.

"What do I lack Lisa?" He seriously asked her looking into her eyes, his eyes looked pained and sad.

"You lack nothing." She honestly shared her opinion.

"Then why does your sister not even spare a glance at me? Even earlier in the evening she just ignored me as if she doesn't care about my existence. Why am I treated like this?"

"Steve you need to accept the fact that no matter what no one is going to replace Patrick from my sister's heart and some or the other day those two are going to end up together."

"But it has been so many years."

"Well for many years she gave you a cold shoulder and ignored you, yet don't you still love her?"

Steve was speechless, Lisa made a very good point and he was not sure how to respond.

"Exactly, if you can't move on then you have no right to expect someone else to." Her words hit him right on point but he was not willing to accept the truth.

"Maybe he is just giving her lift as it is late night and it is not safe for her to take a cab, I might just be overthinking." It was more like he was assuring himself than explaining to Lisa.

He was trying to ignore the truth that was right in front of him and he went back inside to continue his work and distract himself from his thoughts of Emily.

Lisa didn't follow him inside and stayed in the gallery, she wanted to stay here for some more time.

She replayed her conversation with Steve and scoffed, 'What a hypocrite I am' she thought, she was telling Steve not to expect someone else to move on if he himself can't, it applied to her too, she couldn't move on from her feelings for Steve but she hopes he would get over Emily some day and would fall for her.

She remembered Patrick's words, he indirectly asked her to move on, Emily too doesn't like Steve and she too told her in the past to get over him. 

Emily was not a person to be rude to someone only because they like her or they like Patrick but the reason she avoids Steve and doesn't like him is because she has a bad opinion of him and also the fact that Steve never realized Lisa's feeling for him was another reason why she never liked him.

Lisa wondered if it was really the time to move on, but she really loved Steve for a very long time. 

She knows it wouldn't be easy for her to move on.

She just stood there for some time to organize her thoughts and then she went inside to continue her work.

…

In Patrick's Car

When he and Emily were very close while he was helping her with the seat belt, Patrick's heart too started beating like crazy and therefore he pulled the seat belt in one swift move as he felt he would lose control over himself if he continued being so close to her.

"Where do you live?" He had to distract himself so he spoke.

"Go straight for now and take a left at the next signal, then I'll guide you"

Patrick followed her direction and they reached her home in the next ten minutes.

"Wow it is so near to your workplace" Patrick commented.

"Yeah that's why I bought a home here"

Patrick nodded his head approving of her decision, "Good night" he wished her indicating it is time to say goodbye.

"Good night" Emily too replied and got out of the car but just then they were startled.

"Hey you two" Matthew who was walking on the road approached them.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Emily was annoyed as Matt saw her and Patrick together and now he will torture her with questions and suggestions.

"I ate too much food today so I decided to go for a walk to maintain my hot body but who thought I would come across you two" he smiled sheepishly.

"Bye Matt" Patrick wanted to leave as soon as possible, Matt is someone who can see through him and would later bombard him with questions.

Both Emily and Patrick were scared of this guy, Matt is the only person who can drive these two cold people crazy and speechless.

"How come you two are together?" Matt was not ready to let go of them so quickly.

"The dead body I was asked to perform an autopsy upon was a case being handled by Patrick." 

"Oh" Matt understood what might have happened.

"Bye" Patrick was about to turn the engine on. 

"Wait, did you two have your dinner?" Matt asked them and he already knew the answer.

"Yes" Pat lied as he wanted to leave soon.

"Liar, I know you two very well. Come to my home, I'll cook food for you two."

They didn't agree but Matt was not willing to let go of them until and unless they agreed to him, so giving up in front of their stubborn friend Emily and Patrick went to Matt's house.

"Dude take these clothes and freshen up" Matt threw his clothes at Patrick who was in his police uniform.

Matt understood it was for the case they met each other and knowing the professionalism of these two he was sure they didn't have any dinner and therefore invited them.

"Emily you too can go to your home and freshen up, by the time you two are done the food will be cooked" he instructed both of them and they followed his orders.

After half an hour Patrick came out wearing Matt's clothes, a t-shirt and track pants.

"Oh goodness my Pat is so handsome, although he looks great in the uniform, my Pat looks more approachable in these clothes." Matt teased him, he knows it irritates Patrick when he talks like this.

"What is wrong with you?"

"What is wrong with me?"

"Matt, why do you insist I stay back for dinner, you very well know I want to avoid Emily."

"Yeah that's why you dropped her home right?" Matt sarcastically asked him, still busy cooking.

"It is so late at night, I can't let her go alone just because of my personal issues" Patrick tried to explain.

"Then why was your tongue down her throat during our reunion?"

"Matt, language" Patrick glared at him.

Matt laughed at Patrick, "Seriously? What explanation do you have for that?"

"It is none of your business"

"Okay" Matthew didn't delve more into this topic as he knew Patrick won't be comfortable sharing his feelings.

"Patrick can you go and check on Emily, her flat is just above mine"

"She will be here soon, I don't have to go and check" Patrick opposed as he knew what Matt's intentions were.

"I think she won't come back as you are here, she would try to ignore you and dude because of that she won't eat dinner and skip her meals. You very well know she doesn't know how to cook and at this time all the restaurants are closed, so she can't order. If you will convince her she would come"

Matt had a point and Steve too told him earlier she was very tired and now because of this autopsy she must have been even more exhausted and there was indeed a good chance she would not come down so as to avoid Patrick, so he finally decided to go and check on her.

"Her home password is your birthday, if she doesn't open the door just enter in" Matthew advised him.

Patrick's heart skipped a beat knowing that she still uses his birthday as her password just like he still uses her birthday as his home password, it seemed time kept on passing but they two didn't move on and are still stuck where they were.

Without reacting to Matt's words Patrick went to Emily's apartment.

'These two definitely won't be back for an hour' Matt giggled at his perverted thoughts. 

He prepared the dinner and shifted them to microwave bowls as he knew he had to heat them later, he praised himself for being a genius and for predicting everything in advance.

'You guys are so lucky to have me as your best friend' Matt narcissistically praised himself.

Patrick went to the floor above and knocked on Emily's main door but she didn't open it, he knocked again but it was the same, assuming she was trying to ignore him, Pat entered the password to her home and went inside.