I don't know how many of you were reading my story "Melting Her Frozen Heart" but wattpad removed it for community guideline violations. I'm very heart broken and I don't think there is any way for me to get it back. That story was very well written and it held a special place in my heart because I related so much to all of those characters. I'm submitting as many support tickets as possible but wattpad claims that they cannot restore deleted stories even if they are the ones to delete them. If I can get my story back then I will let you guys know asap. Until then, enjoy this chapter!

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Emily POV:

The day after the championship win, Evan invited me over his house and I gladly accepted. I needed to get out of the house and get my mind off of things. 

It's currently two in the afternoon and my conversation with Tatum from last night is still haunting my mind.

"Go huskies." She had said and the words keep echoing in my mind.

"That's far away."

Yeah far away from you.

My initial plan for after high school was to attend a good school as far away from here as possible. Even though I definitely could've gone much further, six hours is still very far from here. So far that it's illogical for me to even come home on weekends unless I want to pay for a flight. 

That means that even if I can convince Tatum to break out pact and stay together even though my senior year is over, it will be nearly impossible to convince her to do long distance. We just got back together and things are finally good between us again. I've loved her since sophomore year of high school and I've waited two years for us to finally be together again. I'm not ready to lose her yet.

"What you thinking about?" Evan asked as he floated towards the edge of the pool on his banana shaped pool float. His ginormous pit viper sunglasses were covering half his face and sure to leave him with a horrendous tan line. I've told him that several times but he doesn't seem to care.

"Thinking about how I've fucked everything up." I stated as I leaned back in my lawn chair on the pool deck. I flipped my hat down to cover my sunglasses and block out the blaring sun.

"You haven't fucked anything up." He said with a sigh, knowing exactly what I was talking about. 

"Yes I have. You should've seen the look on her face Evan. She looked so heartbroken and betrayed." I said sadly. 

"You guys are going to work things out." He replied.

"No I don't think we are. I'm going six hours away and she's staying right here. And besides how the hell are we supposed to make long distance work when we could've  even work things out that summer?" I asked.

"Well you guys couldn't work things out because she never told you what happened or why she was breaking up with you." Evan pointed out.

"Shit." I whispered.

"What?"

"She was going to tell me what happened. At the game when she got hurt and came off she was trying to tell me about that summer but I stopped her." I admitted. When Evan heard what I said he flew into an upright position, nearly flying off of his stupid banana floatie. 

"Excuse me what? She was finally ready to tell you what happened two years ago and YOU STOPPED HER FROM SAYING IT?!" Evan shrieked.

"She was borderline having a panic attack! So sorry I was more concerned about her well being than having her try and tell me what happened while she was stuttering like a skipping record!" I yelled back at him.

"Ugh you're so annoying." Evan said before rolling off of his float and sinking beneath the water. When he emerged he shook his head to get the water out of his hair, sending it flying at me. I covered my face with my hand in an attempt to stay dry.

"And you're an asshole." I replied.

"Well if I was you then at least I'd be an asshole with answers." He said as he crossed his arms. I just sighed.

"Of course I want answers." I said in a defeated tone. "But in that moment I just couldn't force her to tell me. Tatum's gotten hurt in games before but she's never panicked like she did at that game."

"Well I'd say getting hit in the throat with a lacrosse stick is a pretty scary experience." Evan replied.

"Yeah I know it is. I remember her saying one time that here biggest fears in lacrosse were getting hit in the head or throat with a stick." 

"Mine is tearing my acl." Evan admitted. "So if that had happened to me in a game then I would probably freak out worse than Tatum did. I'd probably be screaming bloody murder."

"That's because you're a big baby." I teased.

"Oh fuck you." Evan said with a laugh as he splashed some water at me. "Why don't we take a break from the heavy conversations and relax? We've got four days left until graduation and then we have a whole lifetime to worry about things so right now lets just live in the moment and chill." He said as he leaned back in the pool and started floating on his back in the water.

"That sounds like a great idea." I said with a laugh.

"So get in the pool then weirdo." He replied with a smile.

"Okay I will." I replied as I took off my hat. I took a few quick steps towards the edge of the pool before cannon balling in right next to where Evan was floating. When I emerged from the water I saw him spitting water out of his mouth before shaking his head to get the water out of his hair. He looked like a wet dog and I couldn't help but laugh at him.

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Tatum POV:

Deep breaths Tatum.

Everything is going to be okay.

I tried my best to convince myself to calm down but I couldn't help it. My hands were shaking uncontrollably and my heart was racing a million miles a minute. I felt my mom take one of my hands in hers and give it a reassuring squeeze and I tried my best to focus on the feeling.

We were currently sitting in the hospital waiting room, waiting to see the same doctor that I saw almost three years ago. The doctor that told me that I would never fully recover. The doctor who told me that I would have a stuttering problem for the rest of my life. 

"Tatum Reese?" A soft voice said. I turned towards the other side of the room where a physicians assistant stood in the open doorway, a clipboard in her hand. I cleared my throat before standing up from the uncomfortable waiting room chair. My mom stood up too, refusing to let go of my hand.

"Y-yeah that's m-me." I stammered. The woman gave me a soft smile before gesturing for me to follow her.

"Right this way." She replied. 

As we walked down that hallway I felt as if I was in a horror movie, being marched down to my execution or something. The fluorescent lights in the hallway burned into my eyes and memory. It was all to familiar and I could feel myself beginning to panic again.

"Just take deep breaths for me and relax." Emily's voice echoed in my head. I did my best to focus on the calming sound of her voice and slow my breathing. By the time we got to the examining room, I was slightly calmer than I was before.

"Just have a seat and the doctor will be right in to see you." The woman said with a soft smile before closing the door and walking away. I did what she said and took a seat on the bed covered with the crinkly paper. 

"Everything is going to be okay Tatum." My mom whispered.

"I know." I said with a deep breath. "It d-didn't f-feel as bad as it d-did last t-time." I stuttered.

"See? So you have nothing to worry about. Your throat is just a little extra sore right now. Your voice will go back to normal before you know it." My mom reassured me. 

"I hope s-so." I replied. I tried my best to stop the thoughts entering my mind but it was no use.

Your voice will never go back to normal. 

You already have a stuttering problem. There is no getting better and there is no going back to the way it was before.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a knock on the door.

"Come in." My mom said. 

The door then creaked open slowly and a man walked in. Doctor Oliver. He looked a little older than the last time that I had seen him. His beard was slightly grayer and his face had a few more wrinkles than it had before. 

"Hello Tatum. It's nice to see you again, despite the circumstances." He said with a sad smile. 

"T-thanks. Nice to s-see you too." I replied. 

"I see that your accident has caused more frequent stuttering once again." He pointed out. I just nodded in response because I was sick of hearing how my voice skipped. "Okay well we will take an MRI and run a few other tests to asses the damage to your vocal chords." 

"Sounds good. Thank you doctor." My mom replied.

"Of course. Now Tatum I'll have you come with me so we can do those tests." He stated.

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*Two days before graduation*

Emily POV:

Hannah and I walked down the street where all the small town market shops were set up. She licked her ice cream that threatened to drip down her hand. I however took my sweet time eating my snow cone because there was no threat of it melting all over me. 

"Hey we should stop by that handmade jewelry shop later. My sister bough a lot of cute stuff from there." Hannah said before taking a large bite of her ice cream. I laughed as I saw her wince from the brain freeze.

"Careful there bud. Brain freeze isn't fun." I said with a laugh.

"Yeah no fucking shit." Hannah replied. 

"We definitely should go to that shop though." I added. Hannah was about to speak again when her phone started buzzing in her pocket. She sighed as she wiped her sticky ice cream hands on her shorts before holding her cone out towards me.

"Here hold this please?" She asked.

"Hell no. I purposefully didn't get an ice cream cone because I didn't want it to melt and make my hands all sticky." I replied.

"Em please. If this is what I think it is then I need to pick up the phone. This call is very important." Hannah pleaded.

"Okay fine." I said with a sigh before taking her extremely sticky cone, holding it with just my thumb and pointer finger in an attempt to minimize how much melted ice cream got on my hand.

"Don't drop it." Hannah grumbled as she pulled her phone out of her pocket. Her eyes went wide when she saw the name on the screen and she instantly accepted the call before holding the phone up to her ear.

"Did you have a job interview or something?"  I asked confused.

"No now be quiet." Hannah spat. "Hey Tate. Tell me you have good news?" Hannah asked hopefully.

Why is Tatum calling Hannah with good news? Like I know they are friends but I'm her girlfriend. Wouldn't she call me if she had good news?

"WE'RE ALL G-GOOD! I'M OKAY!!!" I heard Tatum's happy voice shriek into the phone.

"Geez girl you are going to blow my ear drum." Hannah said with a laugh.

"SORRY I'M JUST SO H-HAPPY! THERE IS N-NO FURTHER D-DAMAGE TO MY VOCAL CHORDS! I S-SHOULD BE BACK TO NORMAL IN LIKE A W-WEEK!" Tatum shrieked. Hannah was beaming from ear to ear at this news.

I had already put two and two together and figured out that this was about Tatum getting hit in the throat during the championship game but what does she mean further damage? Has she damaged her vocal chords before? Is that why she stutters when she's nervous? Is that what happened that summer?

Too many questions for me to find answers.

"I'm so happy for you Tate. I'm with Emily right now though so I will have to call you back later but I am so happy for you." Hannah said. I could hear Tatum's muffled voice say a few more words that I couldn't make out before Hannah said goodbye and hung up the phone. She then turned to look at me and took back her ice cream cone, taking a large bite as if nothing had just happened.

"What was that about?" I asked. Hannah just shrugged.

"Oh nothing serious. Tatum just passed that spanish quiz she was worried about." Hannah said before taking another bite of her ice cream.

"Tatum doesn't take spanish." I deadpanned.

"Oh then maybe it was her english quiz or something. I don't remember." Hannah said with a nervous laugh and a shrug before taking another lick of the ice cream.

"You're lying to me." I stated.

"No I'm not." 

"Bullshit. I could hear Tatum through the phone screaming something about how she's okay." I replied, trying to keep the anger out of my tone. Hannah just sighed and looked at the ground as we walked.

"Yeah I lied. She was calling me to tell me that she's officially okay after the hit to the throat she took in the game." Hannah replied.

"Yeah I figured but why is she calling you and not me? And why did she say that there was 'no further damage'? Has this happened before? Is that what happened that summer?" I asked. Hannah's eyes went wide and I got my answer. "It is isn't it?"

"Emily I..."

"Why didn't she tell me?"

"I don't know Em." Hannah admitted.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked angrily.

"She begged me not too!" Hannah cried.

"So you just let her break up with me and not give me a valid explanation?!" I yelled, throwing my arms up in the air. The second that we passed a trash can I tossed the rest of my snow cone in it, no longer having any appetite for it.

"Em I couldn't. I promised her I wouldn't." Hannah said sadly. 

"How bad was it?" I asked quietly.

"She was stuttering almost every word and they didn't know if it would ever get better." Hannah said sadly. 

"How long until it did get better?" I asked.

"A year and a half." Hannah said quietly. "That's why she broke up with you. She was having a hard time and she didn't want to drag you into it."

"She should've. I'm her girlfriend. She should've let me help her through it." 

"Yes she should of but she didn't. And we can't change the past now." Hannah said. I sighed before reaching into my pocket and pulling out my car keys.

"What are you doing?" Hannah asked.

"Going home. I need to think." I stated as I started walking away.

"Think about what?!" Hannah yelled after me.

"I need to think about what the fuck I'm going to say to Tatum." I said angrily before getting into my car and slamming the door shut.