Shadows In Durango

*****Sofia's POV*****

Reaching my room, finding Emma who at first looks hopeful with my arrival, I watch as her face falls slightly as she takes in my appearance by the door:

"What the hell happened to you? Look at your hair and your lipstick!" Emma eyes me oddly in horror, as I immediately rush towards the mirror to identify exactly what she meant by that. Oh... Wow!

"Shit!" I curse, knowing that Vincent hadn't bothered to warn me about my appearance which only embarrassed me further.

That asshole!

Why wouldn't he say something before I walk in here and find my friend? Looking like a desperate whore!

"So? Are you going to tell me what the hell happened? Was it a bad date? Did things go south? Don't tell me that he lost his temper again... I can't figure out what's left you looking so busted!" Emma rabbles, as I all but shake my head knowing I would have to own up to what just happened one way or another.

"Things didn't go south... but I most certainly did to put things lightly..." I attempt to say, earning none other than just a blank stare from her.

Well that didn't work...

"So you're speaking to me in riddles now? Seriously? Just say what the hell happened!" Emma demands more, still not latching on to what I was trying to fess up to.

"I... you know? I put my mouth on his..." I trail off, feeling flustered as she instantly gasps and slaps a hand over her mouth.

That reaction certainly doesn't help to make me feel any better about it!

"No you did not! Did you? You sucked his dick? Vincent Walkers dick was in your actual mouth?!" Emma retorts loudly in disbelief as I hush her, scared that somebody could be loitering around right outside the door to hear.

"Will you keep it down?!" I insist, as her features grow into a wild smile before she doubles over and laughs.

"I send you out on a nice date, looking like a princess might I add, with Vincent Walker and he has you sucking his dick by the end of the night?! I can't believe it! I didn't take you as the kind of girl to be so brave on a first date, well done!" Emma buckles in laughter, suddenly clapping her hands as I cover my beetroot face with my hands.

"Emma please! I'm seriously not that type of girl, but well, tonight I was! I don't know what came over me... I've never done anything other than kiss before, I don't even know if I did it right!" I whisper to her, as she reaches up under her glasses to wipe away a tear.

I can't believe she is finding my situation this damn funny!

"You crack me up! I seriously didn't expect that!" Emma giggles, sighing playfully before jumping up to sit on my bed.

At least she was in here waiting for me to get back for a debrief, instead of me being trapped in here surrounded by my own thoughts.

I probably would have worried and reenacted the whole thing over and over again in my mind to only torture and embarrass myself.

"So tell me all of the details!" Emma motions with her hand for me to start as I roll my eyes playfully at her.

With a quick explanation, starting with how I had opened up about my father and running away, and about how Vincent had offered to help protect me, before leading into how one thing lead to another with his hand between my legs and me sucking him off...

"That is the wildest date I have ever heard of!" Emma concludes with the shake of her head before continuing;

"But I'm glad you opened up to him and he did with you too, he doesn't seem all bad after all." Emma confirms her approval of Vincent and his attempt to take me out on a great date.

"Let's not forget about the ridiculous bill he paid at the end of the night though! I wasn't happy about it at all - nearly five hundred dollars with an extra hundred added on just for a tip!" I recite my shock, as Emma's jaw drops at my words - agreeing with me and making me feel normal for my reaction.

"Damn, is that how the rich kids date then? I'll be asking Reid to go there!" Emma laughs, as I smile at how light hearted she always made me feel.

She always helped to keep me grounded which I was eternally grateful for - how she made me feel like a normal teenager. I wouldn't have survived school or living here in town without her to help... and I meant that.

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"Thinking about it, I really hope that Vincent doesn't tell anyone about what I just did... I'm slightly embarrassed now that it's over with... I don't want to be known as that type of girl on a first date, I don't know what came over me!" I start to pace back and forth across the room as Emma watches me in thought.

"Why don't you just send him a text? Start by saying thanks for the nice date and just throw it in at the end... it sounds like he really cares so I wouldn't worry about it!" Emma smiles, as I agree and move to fetch my phone from the bag. After everything Vincent and I had discussed tonight, and with how much effort he put in to the night as a whole, I really don't think he was lying about how he felt - at least I hope he wasn't.

Clicking to open up the phone, I find a text from Daryl from an hour ago which reads-

'Hey sweetheart, just curious but did Vincent take you out somewhere tonight? On a real date...'

"Damn it! I'm such a bad person!" I exclaim, wide eyed as I look up to see Emma eyeing me oddly.

"What's wrong now?" She ushers me to continue as I drag a hand down my smeared makeup clad face in frustration.

"Vincent must've told Daryl that he was taking me out, he sent me a text to confirm it for himself... why would he do that?!" I grumble, as Emma also groans to share my frustration.

Silence envelops us, as I hover my thumbs above the keypad, debating in my mind over what I should respond back.

"I reckon that Vincent only likes you that much that he's trying to stop Daryl from swooping in... by making it seem like he doesn't have a shot with you anymore?" Emma sits back up after coming up with her theory as I nod slowly, thinking it

over.

Maybe she's on to something... but then that would suggest that they would be fighting over me? Ew... how vein of me to even think!

"Am I being a bitch? I've kissed them both, gone on dates with them both, now I've done some sexual stuff with Vincent and let's not also forget that I would have probably slept with Daryl when I was drunk too if he would've allowed it! I'm a total slut!" I suddenly cry out, mortified by how it all sounded after saying it out loud.

What had gotten into me?! I hadn't even noticed that it was this bad until now!

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Emma, however, laughs at my state, finding the humour in my despair.

"Emma quit it, it's not funny... this town is turning me into a desperate whore! Why?! I've never acted this way!" I continue to freak, only sending more humour in her direction as she clutches her stomach this time when she laughs.

"Will you just calm it down! You're seriously killing me here with this reaction, it's not that big of a deal! So what? You're experimenting and having fun, none of them are your boyfriend, at least not yet anyway!" Emma comes back as the voice of reason as I clutch my racing heart and take slow breaths to calm down.

This was getting way out of hand, I have to get a grip of myself here!

"Text Daryl back and just be casual about it, and then you can text Vincent to ask him not to say a word about what happened - problem solved!" Emma smiles as though it were an obvious solution this whole time as I nod and stare back down at my phone seeing I had accidentally clicked and sent a variety of random letters, symbols and numbers to Daryl without meaning to during my rambling panic.

"Oh my, now I've sent him a lot of gibberish! What is wrong with me tonight? I suck one dick and I'm all over the place! Emma help me!" I whine, as she springs to her feet and comes to take the phone from my hands.

Standing over her shoulder like a child not knowing how to operate a phone, I watch her hammer down on the keys to text Daryl the following:

'Hey Daryl, how was your day? So sorry, I just opened your text and got distracted talking with Emma - I accidentally must have hit some random keys that sent to you, lol! Yeah Vincent offered to take me out to make up for how he acted yesterday - it was really nice. Speak tomorrow if you're here? Sweet dreams! x'Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

My eyes scan over the text, feeling relieved after seeing how Emma had handled my scrambled brain. It doesn't even sound that bad...

What would I honestly do without this girl?!

Next, clicking over to Vincent's chat, she drafts the next message:

'Hey, thank you so much for the date tonight, I had the best time and seriously enjoyed the food (but not the price Imao!) I really appreciate that you heard me out about my past and I would appreciate if our conversation stays between us... and with that, if you could also keep what happened in the car between us too? I'm a little embarrassed about it, although it was great....x'

"Emma! You can't end it with 'although it was great', that makes me look like a thirsty bitch!" I gasp out as my eyes get to the end of what she had wrote.

"Well aren't you?!" She jokes, as I playfully push her arm before watching her hit send.

Well there's no going back now, is there?!