Temporary✔️

| Seventeen

EMERY RETURNS to school the next Monday, walking in confidently, now deciding that she won't let this keep her down. She's never been a quitter.

It looks to have blown over already, nobody gives her extra attention or stares and she's back to being an average peer. The pictures are down and Lana's expelled. Emery feels like a new woman.

Her and May arrive at their lockers together, getting ready to head to first period. Emery realizes that she's been so caught up, that she hasn't really chatted with May about her life.

"You never told me about your date." Emery bumps May's shoulder, teasing her.

"Oh it's not a big deal." May says, biting the inside of her cheek, which Emery knows is a nervous tell.

"Yes it is! Come on May-"

The bell rings, cutting off Emery mid- sentence. May smiles and thinks saved by the bell, while Emery huffs, angry that she never got her answer. She's determined to know what or who May's hiding.

She'll find out the hard way.

When lunch time rolls around, Emery is putting the contents of her bag into her locker. Somebody sneaks up behind her, placing their hands on her shoulders. She jumps, t thing around to be faced with Kade.

"Oh hi." She smiles. He grins back.

"How dare you not tell me you were back. I was missing you." He whines. The words ring in Emery's head, and the wet, hot feeling crawls up her neck.

"Thank you..?" She chuckles awkwardly, still blushing intensely. He shakes his head.

She's not very accustomed to flirting, if you can't tell.

"You're blushing so hard, Emery." He lifts a brow. She wants to be surprised by his bluntness, but Harven has her adapted to it already.

"No, it's like- um really hot in here. They should do something about that actually." She nods, trying to convince him. It didn't work as much as she likes to think it did.

"Mkay." She smiles at her, and she only feels how close his face is to hers. She hesitates to talk, not wanting to become a stuttering mess, because that's very likely right now.

Too much too much too much

"Well, I gotta get to lunch, so." She chuckles awkwardly again, wondering why it's coming out so unnaturally around him.

"Of course," He backs away, and smiles to her as she leaves, "I'll text you later, yeah?" He asks.

"Uh- Yes! Yeah, that's fine." She backs away.
When she turns the corner, she breaks into a run, though she doesn't even know why.

I think I have a crush.

When she reaches the lunchroom, she sees a sight that she really can't believe.

May and Tate Moore are like... being affectionate?!

Tate Moore, you know, the guy who is Harven's best friend and only communicates with his fists? Knocked-over-the-spoons guy?

She wonders if her eyes are still bulging or if they've returned to normal size by the time she reaches their table.

"Um- hello, May. Anything new going on?" Emery gives her a confused look.

May looks like she's been caught. She smiles warily.

"Emery! This is the guys that um- took me to the dance." She looks at him.

Emery holds back a gasp, instead forcing a move smile and nodding. The words that come out of her mouth are robotic.

"How nice. Shall we eat?" She takes seat, cringing because she never says "shall we eat?" Her best friend is dating Harven's best friend.

This is so, so wrong.

Just then, to make matters even better, Harven begins walking towards their table. He takes a seat beside Emery, opposite May and Tate.

"Oh Emery, you've found out. Finally." Harven sighs, eating a French fry.

Emery gives him a betrayed look, open mouth. "Yes, I did. You already knew?" She cocks her head.

"Oh yeah. Did I not tell you?" He looks up at her.

She rolls her eyes. "No, it must've slipped your mind." She turns to her lunch. Harven's laugh can be heard form behind her, where he's leaning back in his chair.

"Well, this seems to be a great predicament. We should totally have a double date sometime!" May offers.

"Oh no-"

"That sounds like a great idea May." Emery gives Harven a stern look, but smiles at her friend. She knows she should support her.

But it's so difficult right now.

She glances at Tate who has stayed quiet, but he stares up at May as she speaks. Emery can't help but think that's a little cute.

"Saturday?" May asks, wanting to set a date for their date.

"Sounds fantastic." Emery smiles. She wonders if May remembers that they're not actually dating. She's pretty sure that Tate doesn't know.

If this is a ploy to get them to like each other, Tate and her, it is not going to work, she thinks. She didn't think much of him before, but he's proved to be just as rude as Harven.

Well, Harven's more just annoying than rude, but still.

The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch. They get up, and Tate kisses May on the cheek. Emery tries to look away from the sad scene.

She can't believe May gave into one of them. Emery sticks to her vow wholeheartedly.

Emery returns to her locker, and another person comes up beside her, this time it's May.

"Hello, Maybeth." Emery gives a curt nod in her direction.

"Oh don't do that! I meant to tell you, but all the stuff happened... and yeah it didn't seem as important." She groans.

"May, it's Tate! Why him? literally anybody but him!" Emery throws her head back in exasperation.

"When he warms up to you, he's sweet. That's why I need you to talk to him on our date. An excellent plan, isn't it?" May quips.

Emery slowly moves her gaze to her friend.

"Yes, just excellent."

"We'll have fun. Promise!" May shouts as she heads down the hall. Emery goes ahead and starts to mentally prepare herself because she knows she can't get out of it now.

She's going to willingly spend time with BOTH Harven and Tate.

Splendid.