Bubble Wrap

chapter sixteen

"YOU SEEM NERVOUS, Em," Zane says as he walks in sync next to me, his arm wrapped around Maggie's shoulder as we walk further down the block to Luke's bar. I'm still shocked that I let Maggie rope me into this, but I'm kidding myself if I think she's the reason I'm going.

I'm going because ever since he invited me to come, my stomach has been flip flopping at the thought of getting to see him again. I have come to accept that I am in complete ruins because of him. He's taken over all my thoughts. I am completely consumed by him.

"Emery, nervous?" Maggie asks with a teasing tone as she peers over at me. "Never."

I roll my eyes, waving her off. "Shut up."

"It's okay to be nervous," Zane tells me, nudging my side. "He'll think it's sweet."

"I'm sure." I sigh as I run my fingers through my straightened hair, twirling the flat end around the tip of my finger. The closer we get to the bar, the heavier my chest feels as the crisp winter air hits my skin. "God, why am I so nervous?"

Maggie gives me a knowing look as she grins at me. "Because you like him."

"I never felt like this when I was around Charlie."

"Charlie wasn't real," Zane says. "He was a first boyfriend. Not a lasting one."

I narrow my eyes in his direction, fighting off a laugh trying to bubble up to the surface. In all the time I've lived across the hall from Luke, never have I see the same woman twice. A lasting relationship seems impossible for him. He continuously chooses to be unattached, and I don't blame him. It's easier to protect yourself that way.

"He's right, you know," Maggie says as she untangles from Zane and digs through her purse for her wallet when we reach the entrance of the bar. I swallow the lump in my throat as I slide my hand into my back pocket, fishing my driver's license out as we get in line.

"There's more people here than I expected," Zane says, leaning out of the line to take in the amount of people waiting to get in. "Have you ever seen him play before?" he asks, his question directed towards me, but before I can answer it, someone dressed in plaid and denim approaches me from the sidewalk, uttering the nickname only one person has ever used for me.

"4A?"

I narrow my eyes as I turn my attention toward him. "Excuse me?"

"Sorry," he says as he holds his hands up. "You are Emery though, right?"

I look to Zane who shrugs his shoulders in response, before giving him an answer. "Yes, I'm Emery..." I tell him, though part of me is worried I shouldn't.

"Great," he says. "Luke sent me out to look for you. He told me to look for the stand-offish blonde with pretty blue eyes."

I roll my eyes. "Of course, he did."

"You three can come with me," he says. "Your name is on the list."

"I don't know," I say, crossing my arms over my chest. "I think, I changed my mind about coming to this."

"She's kidding," Maggie says as she grabs my arm, pulling me out of line. Plaid shirt doesn't think much of it, instead showing us to the front of the line where we're let in without a word, bypassing the whole line. As I walk into the open bar, I realize Luke's a bigger deal than I realized. His face front and center on all the posters stuck to the wall at the entrance. The band name—Rocksalt—spray painted across the wall behind it.

"Enjoy the show," plaid shirt says before heading towards the stage, likely to finish setting up. My stomach turning as I take in the amount of people, all here to see Luke and his band. I try to keep the surprise off my face as Maggie tightens her grasp on my arm.