The Rosie Effect

That's What She Said

I must have worn myself out pretty thoroughly, because I only awoke to white light streaming through the now open door. There was a brief moment of panic- a perplexed minute passed. My pulse was zero to sixty. Then remembrance tumbled down on me like a pile of bricks. The familiar worry seeped back into mind, and for a split second- I thought that it was Emmett's mother-and we were fucked. Then a squeaky- adolescent voice rang through the air.

"Jesus," The door shut- darkness overtook the room "It's really dark in here." I heard the flick of a switch, and there stood Emmett in all of his fictional glory. Now that the initial apathy had worn off, the ordeal was actually hitting me. Emmett Michaels was real, and in front of my face-and actually kind of nerd hot. "Why are you just staring at me?"

"I might be fangirling a little." He gave me that look again. I was starting to think that it was his default setting.

"Okay, it's weird." I rolled my sleep deprived, red rimmed eyes at him.

"You're so rude," I started, ignoring the starstruck feeling that washed over me "moment totally over." And just like that, he was a normal geek with a squeaky voice and square framed glasses.

"My mom left for work, you can come out now." I have to say, this was not how I had imagined my first time sleeping over a boy's house.

" So, is this just it?" I asked, clumsily folding a giant green quilt. "Am I just casually going to live in your shed until further notice?" He shrugged his shoulders, then rolled up the sleeves of his navy and grey flannel. It was too big for him and hung loosely around his thin frame. "I'll just pull a Harry Potter than-make no noise and pretend I don't exist." He flashed a brilliant smile.

"Exactly!" Obviously someone had no concept of sarcasm- that, or he blatantly chose to ignore it. An agitated sigh escaped my lips. "Alright, I have a plan." I grinned wickedly.

"Now that's something I like to hear, let me have it." He chuckled, then it turned to a full on laugh. "What?" Quietly he stated,

"That's what she said." I needed to take a few deep breaths to keep myself calm. After all, he was still a teenaged boy.

"God, just tell me the plan, Emmett." He smiled back at me, sheepishly.

"I'm going to take you to school with me, and say you're my cousin." Honestly, I expected more. There was no way that would work.

"Emmett, I don't even exist here. There are no records for them to file, no social security, the school isn't just going to let me prance right in." Emmett raised his eyebrows.

"We're in a small town in the middle of nowhere, these people are dumb, no one will ask."

"Emmett, there's no proof whatsoever that exist." Emmett pointed his finger.

"Exactly, but clearly, you do. Hopefully, you'll find a way home by the time they figure out what hit them" I threw my hands up in defeat.

"Fine, plan B- you save up to find someone who can forge some papers." He tilted his head left then right, weighing the options.

"Fine." We had finally reached a compromise. "Well, you have about a half an hour to get ready for school." I blanched.

"A half an hour?" I gave him a disbelieving glare. "Seriously?" He knitted his dark eyebrows together.

"What do girls actually take longer than that to get ready?" I didn't answer, but simply narrowed my eyes at him.

"On a scale of 1-10, how weird would it be if I asked to use your mother's makeup?" And there was that look again, a cross between bewilderment and judgement.