The Bright Side of Darkness

Thirty-Five

I would be lying if I said I haven't been avoiding Emori for the past two weeks. But now I need to find her. There are so many things I need to tell her, one being that my vision is completely back.

Her car wasn't in her parking spot when I got here this morning, and I was late since I'm cleared to drive and took the long route to school. Emori is never late. But it isn't my place for me to wonder where she is. I'm just curious.

Actually, fuck that. I'm worried. She hasn't been talking to Travis, but Jackson and Lottie told me she's fine. Despite that, I want to leave school to go check on her. But it's not my place anymore.

So, instead of leaving, I stay at school and go to all my classes as normal. Emori must have shown up at some point because when I enter the cafeteria for lunch, I spot her making her normal salad.

I take my seat beside Travis and stab a fork into my own salad. The plastic gets stuck in the bottom of the styrofoam bowl, and I grumble as I pull it out.

Travis clears his throat. "Rough day?"

I still can't get used to seeing his face again. His hair seems curlier than the last time I saw him, and while it's only been roughly five months since then, it feels like his face has changed so much. The soft, baby-like features from before turned into almost all angles.

I shake my head when I realize I'm staring at him. "I'm fine. Just... I don't know."

"You miss her." It isn't a question. His eyes shift in Emori's direction, and he sighs. "I told you, you should just try to talk to her. Be her friend."

"I know. I just don't know how." I take a bite of my salad, eyes trained on the back of Emori's head. She laughs at something, and I catch a glimpse of her smile as she turns her head to nudge Lottie beside her. Another cheerleader, Delilah's, eyes meet mine, and she says something else. Emori turns around, and for a split second, time stops. Then she drops her head and turns back around.

"Intense," Travis comments.

I scoff. "Shut up."

Jackson looks up from his burger to add, "I could go talk to her if you want." He takes another bite, and when he swallows, he sets the burger down to stare at me expectantly.

I chew on my lip, staring across the cafeteria at Emori. If I let Jackson convince her to talk to me, she might not do it. It's something I have to do myself.

"No, I'm good. But thanks, anyway, man. I've gotta lay low for a little while longer. Give her some time, you know?" I take a bite of my salad and chew slowly, turning my gaze away from Emori's table.

"Well, there's gonna be a party after the game tonight if you wanna hang out there and get your mind off her," Travis offers.

A party. Of course, he thinks that will solve everything. But he isn't wrong. If I can just focus on the party and not everything else, maybe I can escape reality for a few hours. It's certainly better than the alternative.