One More Time (Bremmy 1)

Chapterish 40

6:00 PM

The walk is pretty quick. Before I know it, and before my toes are 100% numb, we are walking onto the back yard of Travis's parents' house. Which, I found out at lunch when I was paying attention, is actually now Travis's house. His parents did the most Jersey thing ever and retired to Florida.

I am elated to see that there's no blaze in the usual pit across from the deck steps. Trix walks right on to the deck and through the screen door onto the porch. What's his is hers, right?

It's cozy inside. Lantern lights hang on a wire above the old sofa and loveseat. Flashing back to my sleepover with Brooks.

"Hey babe." Travis steps onto the porch, holding a mug in one hand and a stereo under his arm in the other. Yes, stereo.

"Hey," Trix says, planting a kiss on Travis's lips. "Need any help?"

"Nah. Guys are in the kitchen. They'll be right out." Travis sets his mug down.

Guys. The excitement is stupid. I'm stupid.

I have a Question, why are women TRASH? Like good trash though, fancy garbage. Garbagio.

The sliding glass door opens again and Nate and Alex step onto the sun porch. Joe comes out behind them.

Stop looking, Em.

"Hey ladies," Alex says. "Welcome back, Emmy."

I hug Alex and Nate. I know it's been like three months, but it feels like I just saw them. Like I'm used to seeing them all the time again.

"Where's Sara?" Meg asks Joe as we sit down.

"Working late tonight. She's closing," Joe says. Sara is a bartender in town.

"Sucks," Trix says.

"Emmy when did you get back?" Alex asks, stretching back on the couch. Guitar in tow. Always.

"Just this morning," I say.

"Brooks picked her up," Trix blurts out, smirking at me.

"Did he? I wondered why I didn't see him earlier," Travis says. "And where is he now?"

"You tell me."

It's all I can say. It's killing me that he's not here to be honest. Killing me that two hours ago he was bothering me about picking me up from the café. And now I haven't heard from him since. And he's not here. But that's Brooks.

Nowhere to be found.

Doorbell.

Heart stops.

"Babe, can you grab the pizza?" Travis says from the bookshelf where he's plugging in the stereo.

"Course," Trix says and hops from the couch. "Emmy, come help me?"

I jump up and follow her. She opens the door and takes the pizza and dumps it in my hands. The guy puts a 2-liter soda in each of her hands.

"Already paid for," he says before leaving.

"Thanks," I mumble, grabbing the pizza from Trix and tipping the bro.

Trix shuts the door and gives me a look.

"What?" I shrug. "What?"

"Brooks," she says under her breath. Her eyes dart through the kitchen and onto the porch. "Where is he?"

"I don't know. I'm not his keeper."

"Is it hard? Lying so much?" Trix laughs.

"Stop," I laugh.