Emery [bxb]

30

"Where's Emery," our chem teacher asks. "It's not like him to skip class. Brandon?"

"Uh, he's sick," I reply.

I realize sullenly that not even chemistry is fun without Em.

He stays home two more days before he's able to come back to school.

Em and I have our own, fairly narrow friend group. A lanky nerd with bad teeth, glasses and hunched back named Matthias, a diva with 4C hair dyed the brightest shade of red I have ever seen named Bella, a fat guy with greasy hair but the sweetest temperament of anyone I've ever met - Danny - and Aly.

Did I choose these friends? No. I wanted to eat lunch with the football team. But Em wanted to eat lunch with normal people. So we compromised: we eat lunch with normal people.

We're sitting in a library study alcove together, teasing Matthias about the girl shooting him heart-eyes in history, when Cassidy slinks up to me.

"Hey, baby," she croons seductively.

"Don't call me baby," I mutter.

Emery stares at me after she leaves.

"Aren't you in love with her?"

I laugh.

"Oh, Emery..."

Aly isn't taking any non-required science courses because it's not really her thing. But she keeps trying to butt into my conversation with Emery about organic chem and getting frustrated when she doesn't understand what we're saying. Emery, in turn, gets frustrated explaining it to her. Not like I needed to study anyway.