Jefferson Lake (MBBF Spin-Off)

Chap. 15

"So look," Emmett said, as he munched on what looked to be a grilled cheese sandwich.

"Your camera is totally out of focus," I informed him, squinting to try and see him over this stupid video chat.

"Fuck," he muttered, moving his laptop screen.

"Better," I commented, before I went back to working on my outline for American History.

"I'm going to be in Jacksonville for testing next week," Emmett informed me.

I went to comment on his old man lungs, but before I even had the chance Emmett broke down into a fit of coughs, ones that racked his entire body.

"You okay?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowing in worry.

He held up a finger as he disappeared out of the shot.

I could still hear him coughing, before I heard the hit of his inhaler.

And then silence.

"Are you okay?" I repeated.

"I'm just currently trying not to die," he called back, in a tight voice. "Don't mind me."

I rolled my eyes. Always so melodramatic.

He reappeared into the shot as he took a second hit from his inhaler, slumping back into his seat with a sigh.

I could count on one hand the number of times I'd been there to witness one of Emmett's asthma attacks.

Though I didn't really count this one because I wasn't there for it, I was just watching him have a cough attack over video chat.

"As I was saying," Emmett continued, with a sigh. "I'll be in Jacksonville for testing next week."

"For your old man lungs," I filled in.

"Yes, for my chain smoker lungs," he agreed. "And I thought that we could hang out on Friday."

I raised my eyebrows, a smile crossing my face.

"I have testing pretty much all day Thursday, and then I'll stay over in Jacksonville, and I can come scoop you Thursday night, and then Friday you'll have to sit through the boring results with me in the morning, but then we can go do something awesome."

"Okay," I agreed, with a nod.

"So you'll run it by Parker then?"

"Absolutely not."

Emmett let out a sigh. "Well fuck."

"That's all you bud." I took a sip of my Gatorade. "Just remind him that he's supposed to be less overprotective."

"You're going to have to remind me to take the Audi," he said, writing himself a note in his phone. "Otherwise it's going to be a long trip."

"It's going to be a non-existent trip," I corrected. "I rode in your car once for about a total of ten minutes while I was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. Not gonna happen again."

Emmett chuckled. "I'll bring the Audi, I promise."

"Good."

"And on that note I'm going to go. I think I took one too many hits from my inhaler today, and I'm starting to get a headache."

He was such an old man.

"Be careful dumbass."

He saluted, flashing me a smile. "I'll see you next Friday."

I closed out our video chat, letting out a long sigh.

I headed downstairs for some lunch, meeting McKenna outside the girl's dorm.