The car pulled out into the highway, and Brandan smelled the freshness of the country air rolling the glass of the window down. He had to attend a meeting with some business delegates outside the city but as the wind swept at his hair, the thought of the upcoming meeting became the last thing in his mind. He padded his thumbs on the steering wheel, lips stretching into half a smile--a grim line of sadness.

His eyes were set on the road but his mind, it was occupied with memories of the past.

Whenever he drove down this road it never failed to remind him relentlessly of her. Of Emma.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**( Flashback )**

"Emma, do you remember about the charity hospital project in Dorchester? Your father's dream project that he couldn't complete before..." Robert trailed off.

Emma sighed, nodding. How could she forget? She could still remember her father speaking highly about it, he was going to name the hospital after his late wife whom he stayed loyal to till his last breath. Her father never dated again, even after her mother died all those years ago. Their parents shared such a kind of love. It provided her the encouragement, the push to dare and want what her parents had.

"Yes, I remember. But what about that?" She asked, confused.

Across the large desk of his study, Robert leaned forward in his swivel chair, resting his elbows on the cool glass over the wood.. He rubbed his thumb on his jaw as he spoke, "You ad Evan, you're the only heirs of you father. All his property, business and even liabilities now belong to you both."

Emma pursed her lips, curious to know where this conversation was going. Robert paused for a second and Emma waited patiently.

"There's some unfinished paperwork regarding the land where the hospital is being constructed. The developer, engineer and the former owner of the land had requested a meeting considering some other complications as well. Your presence is needed there, Emma." Robert said, raising up from his chair and walking round the table to stand beside her.

"But," Emma hesitated. "Evan can handle it as well, right? As far I know, he's been taking care of such issues," she added after a pause, "under your guidance, of course."

"He surely can," Robert nodded. "But he's caught up in something else, Emma. Besides, I think you should slowly learn and step into the business as well. It's as much yours as it is Evan's." Robert explained.

Emma couldn't help but feel more gratitude towards Robert, after their father's demise he was not only taking care of them as much as he could but also was trying to make them responsible. She could only imagine how her party-animal, lazy-ass brother was getting invisible whooping on his behind for having to start working in the office besides studying. However, it was Evan's final year in college, it was only logical that he needed to learn taking the responsibility of the family business.

Emma sighed, she was eager to get over with her own college life as soon as possible, because she and her God knew - how that place had become her peril. She couldn't wait to get out of there. Everyday she would break little by little as those hideous excuses of human beings would throw insults and pranks upon her. Furthermore, it had become quite agonizing lately that Brandan had joined them too, instead of only smirking at her misery from the sidelines he was now an avid and active participant.

Why was she like this? Why couldn't she stand against them? Why she always let them walk all over her? Why? It was not that she never tried to fight back, she did, but words always died down at the back of her throat. She hated herself for just standing there, dumb and in state of brain freeze, every time letting everyone walk over her. But she could feel now-a-days, a coil tightening viciously as days passed by, waiting to spring into a release. Would that set her free?

Emma sighed. "Alright, then, I'll be there on time," she said, snapping out of her thoughts.

She was about to turn around and leave, but what Robert said next made her whirl around, eyes widening in surprise.

"And Emma,... Brandan will accompany you."

Robert's eyes were hawk like, scrutinizing Emma's expression. "I won't let you travel that far alone."

A flicker of joy bloomed through her face at the mention of Brandan but the next second it changed into uncertainty, then sadness.

Robert could sense the turmoil, a lot of things apparently, were going wrong between the two of them but he couldn't point a finger at exactly what. His suspicions were now confirmed through Emma's expressions he just got to witness. There was love, but there was trouble as well, the risk was high but now he had his hope boosted.

He felt now more sure of his plan, his plan to get the two of the solar opposites together. So that, his black sheep of a son could get to the right path of life and he could take care of Emma like his own daughter.

Brandan knocked on the slightly ajar door of his study, his eyes briefly scanning over to Emma and then returning to look at his father standing beside her.

"You called me, dad?" Brandan walked in, he stood leaning against a wall that was a good distance away from Emma. His action and the purpose behind it didn't go unnoticed by others in the room.

Robert then described to Brandan about the whole situation to which he just kept nodding in confusion, wondering what was it all to do with him.

"I want you to drive Emma to Dorchester, stay with her during the whole procedure, help her with the issues if needed and bring her back home safely." Robert announced, his voice firm.

Brandan's face scrunched up into a perfect scowl of annoyance, clearly showing his disagreement to the idea. A whole day, with Emma! Irritation was the understatement of what he was feeling. He could clearly envision himself getting bored out of his bones. He would rather go out with his new girl of the week and have a nice make out session or if he was lucky enough he could crash into a nice screwing. And then get rid of her at the next week, that was the rule, to halt any woman's attempt to escalate into something permanent, to a girlfriend. He was antsy of that term. Because that would mean emotional attachments and a hell lot of annoying expectations and all, which he clearly wasn't looking forward to. Not yet, not so soon.

"I would love to help her through it all, dad but I have somewhere important to go. But I guess one of our drivers can easily solve that problem, right? What are they getting paid for?" Brandan stated in a duh tone and almost turned to leave, when Roberts cold tone made him stuck to the ground.

"One of our driver is on vacation and the other is with Martha. So, son, do what you are told." Robert's words rang as clear as bright daylight.

Brandan shook his head in annoyance. "But dad, I've some really important thing to..."

"I don't care what significant task you have at hand, son, I am already too shamefully aware of them all. Now..." Robert gave Brandan a threatening look, trailing off, unsaid words of reprimand hung in the heavy air.

Brandan in return glared at Emma who stood in silence the whole time.

She looked away from his fuming eyes and fiddled with the edge of her shirt while swinging her head back up to look at Robert. "If Brandan doesn't want to go, then..."

Robert sighed and picked up a file from his desk, a sign of dismissing the people in front of him. "Both of you are to leave in an hour."

Giving Emma one last glare, Brandan left for his room grunting under his breath.

Emma felt her stomach drop. Knowing very well that the marriage alliance was hanging like a dripping bag of poison above their head. The venomous drops were turning everything blue, sucking the life out of all possible whatevers. She remembered, that sensing this, she had attempted to protest Robert's medieval era inspired marriage scheme. But just like today, her attempt was not strong enough.

Maybe because she still had hope that everything would turn out for the good, and Brandan would one day feel something for her. She was a hopeless dreamer. And she was hanging onto dreams, that would possibly be always just that - dreams. And nothing more.

The coil tightened further inside her chest. It was a gamble she had signed into.

---------------------------------------------

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It was too much silence in the car as they drove through the outskirts of the city as they were returning after the successful completion of their works, this Dorchester was like a island, separated from the whole damn city. But this place had an emotional value to Emma, always reminding her of her mother who was from this place, hence her dad wanting so much the prosperity of the village during his lifetime and now it was up to his children to fulfill his dreams.

Thinking of her father Emma's eyes became moist. Tears threatened to announce their arrival, they demanded to roll out of her eyes but she pushed them back stubbornly. She wouldn't cry, not when a scowling, irritated looking Brandan was next to her on the driver's seat, tapping on the steering wheel with his thumb as he drove.

Sometimes, Emma felt herself amazed at her own stubbornness to not cry, to not give up, to not go straight to Evan and ask him - what was wrong with him or her that he hated his own little sister so much, stubbornness not to stand against those jerk bullies back in college, stubbornness not to stop loving Brandan no matter how much he added up the reasons to hate him instead.

Emma pushed the button of the radio and music blared waving off the piercing silence a bit. Brandan gave her a weird look as Emma slumped back into her seat but he didn't say anything or turn off the radio. Maybe because he was glad as well that the maddening silence had been chased off.

After a good half an hour, the car suddenly jerked a few times, made some weird noises, protested against the turns of the steering wheel, slowed down and stopped dead at the side of the road. Emma furrowed her eyebrows in confusion when Brandan punched the steering wheel and cursed dangerously.

"What happened?" Emma asked, concerned.

Not replying her, Brandan opened the car door and hopped out. Going around he opened the bonnet to reveal a mass of white and then black smoke. Brandan couldn't move his face away in time and was coughing lightly as he backed off a couple steps then.

Emma followed him and stood in a state of shock. "Has the car broken down?" she watched him glaring at the car.

He turned his glare towards Emma now. "Thank God, you noticed. I thought you were blind behind the glasses," he mocked, before pausing for a deep breath.

"It's all because of you," he snapped then, all his irritation and anger from earlier blasting out, added to that was now the tension of a broken car in the middle of no where.

Hurt, Emma asked quietly. "How is the car breaking down my fault?"

And here, Emma was beginning to think that at least this one day would be free of Brandan showing his unconditional irritation towards her.

"You are a bad omen Emma, can't you see that," he raked a hand through his hair, looking like it pained him to say what he actually said. "and that's how you ruin everything."

Emma looked away blinking rapidly, stubborn not to shed a tear. So that's what he thought of her. Was she really a bad omen? A misfortune for everyone?

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Their phones were dead long ago. And it was past midnight, a mechanic couldn't be found nor they could call anyone for help. Very few car passed the highway and not a single of them stopped when they jumped like maniacs for a lift. People stopped being trustful of strangers a long time ago.

Thankfully, they found a shed nearby, not far from where the back stabber car decided to sit immobile for the night and beyond.

Exhausted and defeated by fortune - they took shelter in the shed. It was nearly a broken down piece of crap, somehow still standing on four termite chewed wooden pillars. It was pure luck that there was some dried woods and piles of straw spread out at one corner, those would have to do for the night.

"Light, heat and bed..." Emma beamed the moment her eyes fell on the equipments. "We just need to use stones to light a fire and make sure that there's no snake in the straws."

She thought she heard Brandan saying - "Smart-ass." But she couldn't be sure because he covered whatever he said with a snort and had stomped off. Emma sighed.

There was silence after that, even if any of them spoke, they spoke to themselves. Or maybe, it was their twisted way of talking to each other. Because they were very much aware of how tragic it became every time they had a conversation.

Brandan was obviously not very happy with the arrangement, he was continuously always muttering incoherent things, cursing every single thing under the sky and missing badly the luxury he was so used to badly. It was a nightmare for him.

Emma was quiet as she gathered straws and made a bed of them, while Brandan looked like he was trying to squeeze the life out of his pile of straw, sneezing every now and then and then cursing out aloud. With a slow smile, she spread her scarf upon her straw-bed and laid down.

The fire burning in between the straw beds were keeping them warm, sleep consumed Emma pretty soon. It was really nerve wrecking for her to sleep so near him, just some blazing woods separating them. The attraction was so strong Emma wondered if Brandan could feel it too, then his piercing words came rushing back to her mind. Acute sadness filled her, she finally gave into the clutch of sleep but with a frown marring her forehead.

Brandan was wide awake, the itchy straws kept poking his neck. when he tilted his head a sharp straw poked in his ear. What if there were worms or ugly bugs inside these horse food he was sleeping upon. Or worse, a snake? A poisonous spider? Sure they've scanned for them well but animals were pro at hiding, their predatory skills undoubtedly sharper than humans. What if...

He shook his head to dispose of all the disturbing thoughts, because this way he was never going to get any sleep. Huffing he rolled over, his eyes fell on the blazing fire and across it upon Emma's sleeping face.

Shadows danced around as the flame between the two bounced in excitement. The color of her face something between yellow and orange because of the fire, the heat made her cheeks appear flushed with a light shade of red. He had an urge to trace his finger tips lightly upon them. But of course he didn't, in stead he clutched his hands so tight that his knuckles became white. Her forehead had lines beneath those few bangs that fell upon her eyes in sleep. He wondered if he had kept those worry lines there? He sighed, of course it was him - the reason, who else. But he was doing what he had to, otherwise his father would win.

Emma's eyelids fluttered a little, a moment later her lips stretched this slight bit into a distinct smile. If he hadn't been watching her for so long, he would have surely missed the change. It made her want to smile as well, along with her, while she was so blissfully oblivious. He was a creep, wasn't he?

At that moment, as if some miracle had happened, he felt something turn inside his heart. It was momentary but he couldn't exactly pinpoint the details. He felt like he was really looking at her, for the first time ever.

All the discomfort of the straw bed forgotten, he didn't even realize when his eyes drooped to sleep and the night slowly passed away, her sight the last and only thing in his mind.

**( End of flashback )**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brandan's smile saddened further, that was the first time he had looked at her properly. That was the first time he ever encountered any intense emoiton towards her. But he had to be a freaking fool to name it as just exhaustion in the morning. He recalled that he felt annoyed at himself for thinking like that about her.

And now he repented it badly, only if he had had the guts and maturity to dig into his own feelings and his own damn heart then maybe Emma would still be with him.

Interrupting his chaotic thoughts, a car which had probably broken down by the empty road caught Brandan's attention. Just when he was about to pass by, he noticed that it was Evan, Emma's brother who was once his best friend, now a person he avoided carefully and got avoided by in return. Halting his car and backing up Brandan stopped beside Evan's dusty white chevrolet, rolling down the windshield Brandan called out.

"Evan..."

Evan who was scowling at the car engine before him, now turned to look at the intruder and then gritted his teeth at the very sight of whom it was. Brandan Rozario. The person he loathed now was the one whom once he considered to be his best buddy, his so called childhood friend.

"Brandan." Evan grumbled out the name.

It seemed like Brandan's appearance was worse than Evan's broken down car. Brandan sighed feeling more debased being at the receiving end of Evan's never ending hatred. It had been like this since that unfortunate day. Since...

Brandan shook his head, pushing dreadful memories at the back of his head.

"Need a lift?" Brandan tried to sound as casual as possible.

Evan looked away annoyed and fished out his phone from the front pocket of his jeans. He started dialing someone's number while in between he spat the words at Brandan, "Even my dead body would want to commit suicide if it considers to take a lift from none other than you."

Evan then got busy with talking to whom Brandan could imagine was maybe a mechanic. He completely ignored Brandan who still waited for a good long ten minutes after Evan was done with the short phone call.

Evan paced back and forth in front of his car for a while, then he suddenly stopped and glared at Brandan. "What the hell are you waiting for? Do both of us a favor and fuck off."

Now it got into Brandan's nerves as well. He barked back, "I was just trying to help but since you are too eager to feed your ego then..."

"Help!! Ego!!" Smiling sarcastically, anger glistening in his eyes, Evan mocked. He yelled after a pause, "Says the person who is responsible of my little sister's..."

"ENOUGH!" A tremble of sheer horror went up Brandan's spine. "Don't you dare say that." Brandan yelled in fury.

Evan had his hands clutched into tight fists by his sides, the same amount of fury burning in his eyes.

"You're a hypocrite." Brandan pointed a finger at Evan, his eyes blazing and jaw clenched. "I'm not denying my own faults here, but let's not forget about your share in what that happened."

Evan opened his mouth to retort but nothing came out, his own heart sank in disdain and guilt. Truth hurts, that's one true saying.