The Crystal 3, Jones M [fox in socks read aloud TXT] 📗

at each other in confusion before following Emery.

***********************************************************************************************

"...and so that sums up what Eva had been planning and what I had been doing," Emery was in the main study room of the castle with her former family and friends. She had just finished telling everyone what had happened in the five months that had passed.

She had told them all about Eva, her magic mirror, and her involvement with Bianca. To say that everyone, especially Zane and Harry, were pissed would be an understatement. They could believe the thing with Bianca and Eva, but what had them infuriated was the way she had snuck a potion to make them too angry to think. It had slightly calmed their hearts to know that they weren't in control of what they were doing. However, they still felt bad for all the things they had done to Emery. 

Emery had also told the guys about Penelope and how she had helped her escape the hospital. She had also told them about where she had been hiding: on another planet.

"Wait, wait, wait. So what you are trying to tell us is that a ghost contacted you and helped you escape from the hospital?" Liam asked with a raised eyebrow. Emery copied his expression.

"Is that all you have to ask? I just told you all the crap that Eva had been doing behind our backs, and that is all you have to ask?"

"I just find it hard to accept the fact that ghosts are real."

"So... we didn't abuse you out of our own..." Zane trailed off, finding it hard to look at Emery.

"No, you and Harry didn't. Apparently, Bianca had met Eva, and they were doing this grand plan of making my life hell." Emery rolled her eyes. "The dream Erick had about me being evil, the hate I received from your fans... it was all Bianca and Eva. Penelope told me that Eva gave Bianca a potion that would make your anger skyrocket through the roof and take control of your minds. That was what caused you to beat the hell out of me."

"And she planned to use it against us," Harry spoke. What Emery said was not very hard to believe, especially after discovering the crap that Bianca had been doing.

"And to think she almost had you commit suicide..." Zane trailed off with a look that contained a mixture of sorrow and anger.

"We are very sorry, Emery," Harry said.

"It's not your fault."

"But we--"

"Again, the potion clouded every emotion you could have felt; it only allowed anger. Guys, it's okay."

Emery had sighed before saying, "Thank you, Zane, for stopping me from killing myself."

Zane was dumbstruck by her words. He couldn't speak, and so he just nodded his head before looking away. He found it hard to look at her.

"That bitch, Eva, is clever," Selena commented with a huff. "But then, there is something I don't understand. The man who you told us was after you--"

"He wasn't real," Emery cut her off. "He was actually part of the plan I had formed with Penelope. We wanted Eva imprisoned, and so we planned to fake my own death. Soon enough, Eva was charging towards Crystalia with her army of erboons."

Everyone's eyes widened in awe.

"Because she had exhausted herself from using her powers to break the magical barrier around Crystalia, it was easy to lock her without a lot of fussing from her."

"And no one knew about this plan?" Erick asked, still shocked.

"No one did," Emery answered.

There was a short moment of silence before Selena questioned: "Why didn't you even consider telling us your marvelous plan?" 

Emery blinked at her and at the rest in the room.

"You all don't know how to act."

Gasps filled the room and Emery rolled her eyes.

"I wanted all of you to act the part. I wanted you all to believe that I was really dead. If you knew what I was planning, Eva would have never bought whatever acts you would portray."

Everyone remained quiet, silently agreeing with Emery.

"How was the planet?" Ethan asked. Emery proceeded to fill him and the rest in on how the planet she had discovered resembled earth. It was bigger than the earth, and it was lightyears away. It would have taken about eighty years to reach it by spaceships, and so Emery had used magic to get there.

"Well, I don't know how to feel," Justin said, and every eye turned to him. "I'm angry that you left and had us all worried about you. I'm also angry about how you tricked us into believing you were dead!"

"Justin--" Emery went to speak.

"But then, I'm also glad. Emery, I somehow understand why you did it. I'm still mad at you, but in spite of all that, I'm glad you are okay."

Emery decided to give Justin a small smile.

"Okay! After a long day, I believe we should get ready for lunch--"

"I'm not staying," Emery cut Erick off. Everyone looked at her in confusion.

"What? Why?" Logan questioned. Emery looked away before facing him.

"You know why. You all know why."

"But, Emery--"

"I'm sorry, Erick, but things can't go back to the way they were."

"Emery, you can't possibly mean that. Things can be okay again."

"Tell me how!" Emery spat out in fury. "Tell me. After everything I have gone through, after all the shit I endured from you guys, how can things just go back to normal?"

No one knew what to say. They thought they could slowly make up for all the things they had done, but it seemed impossible.

"This is why it's just better if I left."

"Emery--" Ethan started as gasps sounded across the room.

"I should just disappear. I can't be around you guys anymore. What you all did to me still hurts, and I wonder if I could ever move past this."

"Please, Emery," Zane pleaded, wanting Emery to stay.

"I know what you want to tell me, but I don't think I could ever forgive you for this."

Emery soon teleported out of the room, and everyone experienced a sense of loss.

 

Chapter 08

 

10 years later

Emery's P.O.V

"Hey!" Rachel greeted me as she entered the house. I turned to face her with a smile.

"Hey," I replied, turning my attention back to the dishes I was about to wash. 

"Zack's coming over later," Rachel informed me as she moved past my form, going towards the wooden cupboards on my side. She opened one, taking out a bag of chips before heading out of the kitchen.

Ten years ago, after Eva had been captured, I had decided to leave Crystalia. I was still hurt by those who had betrayed me, and I planned to stay away from them. I had not seen them ever since.

Okay, I had not personally seen them. Everyone was still buzzing about how I had Bianca arrested during an Ordinary Brothers' tour. I thought people would also talk about how Harry and Zane had abused me, but I later came to find out that everyone's minds had been wiped off of the incident.

At first, I was pissed, but I later came to somewhat understand why it was done. It saved me the trouble of talking to anyone about it. I would have also hated myself for ruining the guys' music career.

Anyway, it took a couple of months for people to stop pestering me about Bianca, and I was glad I could finally live my life as a normal person once again.

The guys were still making headlines on celebrity news channels. Upcoming tours, upcoming music, new boy/girlfriends, etc. They didn't try to come after me. I believed they would try to seek me out, but they didn't. In fact, the only people I had been making contact with were Elizabeth and Ashley.

I had been conversing with them in the past years in the human world. We usually met at restaurants. Elizabeth at times told me how her sons, Selena and the boys were doing. Not wanting to talk about them, I would change the subject onto other things. I hated talking about them, and it was a reminder of my horrible past. This went on for a year until the Queen decided to completely drop any topic regarding them.

"What are you making for lunch?" Rachel asked as she entered the kitchen again, still feeding herself with the bag of chips. I playfully rolled my eyes at her.

Years ago, I had attended a college to pursue a degree in Computer Science. Around that time, I had sought out Rachel. She was undoubtedly pissed off that Selena and I had gone on tour with the Ordinary Brothers without even sending her a ticket to join us. She was more pissed that we had forgotten her, seeing that she thought we were friends when we were working at Starbucks. She, however, felt sorry for me because of what had happened with Bianca, and later, we became friends again.

She was the only family I had, apart from Ashley and Elizabeth, that had attended my graduation ceremony four years later. I was happy then, especially since I had secured a job at a popular firm.

"Emery," Rachel called out, bringing me back to my current surroundings.

"What?" I asked.

"What are you making for lunch?" she asked, and then I recalled she had asked that.

"Oh! Sorry, spaced out again. Lasagna," I replied. Rachel shook her head at me with a smile, and then she went to leave the kitchen.

After I had graduated, Rachel and I decided to get a house and live together. We got one in New York that was spacious but a bit expensive. It was in a large apartment complex with eight floors. Fortunately for Rachel and I, we were able to cater for the rent and other house bills. 

The doorbell sounded through the house. I left the kitchen to head towards the entrance.

I opened the door, surprised to see another friend of mine.

"Ashley!" I yelled out her name with a smile before engulfing her in a hug. She hugged me back.

Ashley had found out about Eva and the evil potion she coerced me to take. She had forgiven me for almost killing her, and we were back to being friends again.

"Is it Zack?" Rachel yelled as she ran towards us. She had a smile that swiftly turned into a frown when she noticed it was Ashley.

"Oh. It's you," she said with a fake disappointed look. Ashley playfully rolled her eyes before walking past me and engulfing Rachel in a hug.

I went back to the kitchen to continue dealing with the dishes. Meanwhile, Ashley went to the dining room with Rachel, and they talked while I let my thoughts wander again.

A couple of minutes later, I was done. I turned, coming to a stop when I spotted Ashley coming towards me.

"Hey, can we talk?" she requested with a serious expression, and I had a feeling that what she planned to tell me was not good. 

"Sure," I replied anyway. Before Ashley could talk, she looked around the kitchen. I raised an eyebrow in confusion. Ashley motioned for me to be quiet before walking towards the kitchen door. She slowly closed it, making sure no sound was heard as the door lock clicked in place.

"Emery, I know this may be hard for you to understand."

"What?" I asked, even more confused. What the hell was she talking about?

"You had just gotten your friend back and you're living