The Unsaveable Emmy Rollins

Chapter Nine: Emmy

I walked in the door of Christina Tully's house. Her house. It seemed very welcoming to me, and I couldn't quite place it.

"Welcome to our home," Christina said with a cheezy sweep of her arm.

"Oh knock it off Chris, you're being cheezy." Jade said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, it's fine. I thought it was funny." I smiled sheepishly.

"See, Emmy knows what humor is," Christina rolled her eyes.

"I don't really-"

"Oh so you think I don't have a sense of humor?" retorted Jade

"Guys I-"

"You wouldn't know humor if it knocked you in the face!" Christina fumed, slamming her bag down on the ground and stomping towards the stairs.

"I-" I just stopped. What the hell could I  say? "I'll just follow her, I guess." I said, picking up Christina's bag from the floor.

"You know you don't have to," Jade said, putting her keys in the bowl on the kitchen counter.

"Don't I?"

"You could stay down here with me..."

"Wouldn't Christina think that I was betraying her?" I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Let her think that." Jade shrugged, opening the fridge.

"See, that would ruin everything we've built and-"

"You've known her for a few days, since Monday, right? It's Friday Emmy." My face went red. Sure, I've known her since Monday, but I feel like it's been forever. After all, I have liked  her forever. And forever is a long- oh my god I'm rambling in my thoughts.

"Yeah but-"

"Come on, stay a while. You want a sprite?"

"I mean a sprite would be nice, but I've got to give Christina her backpack and we have homework and I don't really want to waste time because, well, biology is a bitch, you know? And I mean-"

"You're rambling."

"See I do that when I'm nervous..." I went wide eyed. "I mean-"

"Emmy, do I make you nervous?" Jade smirked at me, raising an eyebrow.

"Um," I paused. "I'd give it a solid maybe. Okay yeah, a little bit."

"And why is that?"

"Well... uh," BECAUSE YOU'RE REALLY PRETTY AND YOU'RE OLDER THAN ME AND YOU'RE MY HEIGHT AND IF YOU WERE GAY I WOULD TOTALLY KISS YOU- woah. "I don't know." I scratched the back of my neck.

"You don't know? You looked like you were panicking."

"I was... I was not panicking I was just thinking. Hard. Like really hard thinking, like hurts your brain and everything hurt kind of thinking. I guess my "panic" face is the same as my "thinking so hard my brain might actually go kablooey" face."

"Uh huh. Okay. Well, you should go up to Christina. Here, take these" she handed me two cans of sprite and went to the cupboard. "Cheez-its or Triscuits?"

"Uh, whichever. I mean, I like both so I guess whichever Christina likes better." She handed me the Cheez-its.

"Have fun, kiddies." Jade said, sighing.

- - -

"Are you sure I should sleep over?"

"Oh sure, sure. why not?" Christina said, walking to her dresser. "I mean, it's already ten."

"True, but I don't have clothes for tomorrow, or even pajamas. I'm wearing jeans."

"It sounds like you don't want  to stay over, Emmy."

"Oh believe me I do, I really do want to stay over."

"Well then perfect, you can borrow some of my stuff. Shorts or long pants for pajamas?"

"I'll take shorts."

"You good in that shirt? Or do you want to grab a different one?" she said, tossing a pair of shorts at me.

"Maybe a different one, this is a high neck." And yours smell like you. "Makes sleeping a little uncomfortable."

"Okay, well, take your pick." she started to change. IN FRONT OF ME. It took me a second and I quickly looked to the shirts in the dresser, grabbing one of the first ones there. I looked back but she wasn't done changing so I swiveled back around and closed the drawer. She doesn't know you're gay. She doesn't know you're gay. She DOESN'T KNOW THAT YOU ARE GAY, EMMY. STAY CALM.

"Emmy are you alright?" I turned around. Fully clothed Christina, phew.

"Oh, yeah, I'm good." Shit. Now I have to change. I've never even been to a sleepover. Tom is- was my only friend and when my parents are home, they say no guys over, and the other 80% of the time my brother screeches too much to have anyone over.

"Are you gonna change?" she looked at me quizzically

"Right, uh yeah." WHY AM I SO AWKWARD?!

- - -

I couldn't sleep. Christina Tully was in the same bed as me. She was so close, I could feel her even breathing, which is good because it was one in the morning. But I couldn't sleep. So, I got up for a glass of water. I crept downstairs, and Christina made a noise. I paused, hoping I didn't wake her up. She mumbled something, shifted, and said it again, but a little louder.

"Zach." she said, in a barely audible whisper. My heart sank. I continued my trek downstairs. I got to the kitchen, and then I realized that I had no idea where the cups were.

"Cups, cups, cups..." I paused. "Light switch, light switch, light switch..."

"Cups are in the second cupboard to the left of the sink." said a voice.

"Whom?!" I said, jumping practically two feet into the air.

"It's Jade, and the cups are in the second cupboard from the sink on the left side. Please don't turn on the lights, it'll hurt my eyes."

"Oh, uh okay." I fumbled around until I found the sink, and then counted the cupboards.

"So why are you awake?"

"Can't sleep, what about you."

"Well of course you're awake because you can't sleep. I meant what's causing it. For me, I just finished my project about twenty minutes ago."

"Oh. I'm not sure. Maybe I was just thirsty..."

"Alright, well..." Jade paused, and shifted on the couch, before starting to speak again. "hey so are you coming to the party tomorrow?"

"What?"

"Christina didn't tell you?"

"No..."

"Oh. Well there's a party at the swimming hole tomorrow and I thought it would be fun if we all went."

"The swimming hole? It's almost October!"

"Yeah, but it should be fun anyways."

"Uh, well then sure, I'll go I guess."

"Perfect." said Jade. If I could see her I would guess she was smiling based off her tone.

"Well uh, I'll see you tomorrow - or rather later today, uh. I need to sleep."

"Diddo."

"Goodnight Jade," I said, and headed to the stairs.

"Goodnight Emmy."

- - -

I got back upstairs, drank my water, and got back into bed, thinking about the encounter I just had. That's when Christina rolled over, draped her arm over me, and deemed me the little spoon.

Holy.

Shit.