Chronically, Me

Thirteen

Drew

When Drew had found Emerson sitting across the room, she hadn't known how to react. She had told him something that even her friends didn't have any idea about. There was some guilt that instead of her friends, she had relied on a person she barely knew. Even if it was for a few minutes.

But somehow, after that day, she felt like she could come up for air again. She could see the end of the dark tunnel she had been aimlessly tossed into.

But now as she was alone in a room with him, she found that there was an ease with him that was comforting. Emerson pushed the door behind him, leaving it slightly ajar that made Drew release a relieved breath.

They sat on the bed with some respectable distance between them. For a while, they didn't talk as Drew looked around the room.

Her eyes fell on the collection of books displayed proudly and neatly on the bookshelf. "This friend of yours seems like an avid reader."

Emerson chuckled. "He is. If we're not practicing, you can find him reading a book."

"Do you read?"

He shrugged. "I do read occasionally but I am more into comics."

Drew nodded at that. "So what shall we do now?"

"Anything that doesn't involve going down there."

"You don't like parties?" she asked curiously.

"I like them. They sometimes help me to de-stress. But today, I just don't feel like it. Do you like them?"

Drew thought about it. They used to be a time when she would dance at a party till the last minute. She would lose herself to the music, letting her body move with the beats. Letting herself lose.

But that seemed like a long time ago. "I like a decent one."

The music downstairs kept changing while the commotion grew outside the door. Drew wouldn't be surprised if the neighbors called the cops on them.

"Would you like to watch a movie then?" she suggested.

"Do you have the Ferdinand movie?"

"Yeah."

"Let's watch that."

Drew laughed and it sounded strange to her ears. It didn't sound heavy.

As she pulled out the laptop from her bag, Emerson asked. "Did you talk to your friends about it?"

Drew froze as he watched her tentatively. She knew that she didn't have to answer him. She could sense that he knew that as well.

But there was an understanding in his eyes that warmed her. That didn't make her feel lonely.

So she answered. "No, I didn't."

Without pushing her further, he just nodded and smiled at her.

They scooted closer to each other as Drew placed the laptop between them. As the movie started, Drew grabbed two granola bars from her bag and handed one to him.

Emerson laughed. "Do you have a store of them inside your bag?"

"That's my secret stash. You should feel special."

"I will try." he teased.

They both fell silent as they munched on their granola bars and turned their attention to the screen in front of them.

It was in the middle of the movie that Drew noticed that Emerson was sitting so close to her that their shoulders were pressed together.

She was about to avert her eyes away but Emerson met her stare and they held eyes.

She didn't have any idea who leaned forward but suddenly, his face was just inches away from hers.

Up close, she could see every freckle on his cheeks and the exact shade of brown of his eyes.

Drew waited for something to shift in the air. Something to make her close the distance.

But nothing shifted. It was that same comfort and ease that came with being around Emerson. Nothing more than that.

So she pulled away from him. She was about to open her mouth to explain when he shook his head.

He smiled at her tenderly. "It's okay."

"Thank you."

"Let's finish the movie, yeah?"

She detected no bitterness behind his words and she realized that he felt the same way about her as she did about him.

They had somehow helped each other through a small phase of her life and that was where they started and ended.

And that was enough.