Gee's driven past about 6 times, head out of the pickup, calling my name. He can't see me - luckily, I'm hidden down an alleyway next to a coffeeshop of some sort - and this is the 7th time.
"Sunshine! Did I say something? Sunny, please, I'm desperate. I know you're here. Please!" His voice sounds on the verge of tears now.
"Great." I hear him mumble, but quite loudly. "I've fucked everything up again. Congratulations Gerard, that's just typical of you."
I overhear a familiar choking sound that I make before I cry, and then one more shout. "If you see Mikey, tell him to get a ride with someone else. I'm going home. I can't even bare to look at myself...I'm so sorry if I hurt you, Sunny. So, so sorry. Whatever I said, did...I hate myself for doing it."
I suddenly feel so guilty. He didn't do anything, it's not his fault he loves someone else. Oh God, what've I done?
I run out of the alley and scream his name, but his pickup's gone. I'm too late.
Oh no! Here I was sulking while Gee was feeling like shit all because of my stupid crying fit! I can't just make him feel bad just because he doesn't love me! Oh God, oh God, I'm so selfish.
I'm now in front of the shop, and I can't stop myself from collapsing in more tears right under the sign. My eyes are too bleary to read what shop it is...like that'd be relevant, anyway.
Gerard didn't fuck anything up. I did.
All poor Gee does is watch on while I cry my eyes out. Like the other day, when I remembered all my bullying. I'm not the only one that gets shit from bullies! Maybe Gerard does, and all I do is think about myself, and -
"Oh my gosh...are you okay?" I look up to see a girl with long golden hair and beautiful eyes bent down, her arm now on my shoulder.
Hold on...she looks an awful lot like the description Mikey gave me of the girl he likes! This must be Ember...Ember what was it? Oh yeah, Ember Wilding!
"I'm...I'm fine thanks." I lie, and she can obviously sense that.
"Now I might not be the smartest person in the world, but I can tell a happy girl from a sad girl." She says softly, and wipes the tears from my eyes. "I was just out here for a cigarette. Dirty habit, I hate doing it. I oughta kick it soon, but I just find it too hard...anyway. I'm actually kinda glad I came out to smoke, for once, because I found you didn't I? See, now I can help you, can't I?"
She's got such a calming tone, I'm feeling slightly better already.
"There now, you've stopped crying a little haven't you now? What's your name, then?"
I murmur. "Sunshine Roberts."
"Sunshine! What an epic name! Well my name is..."
"...Ember Wilding? Nice name, too."
Shoot. Maybe I shouldn't have said that.
She looks at me, puzzled for a moment. "Thanks...but how did you know that?"
"Lucky guess?"
Close call, Sunny, close call.
"Oh. Right." Then she takes my hand and hauls me up. "Anyway, Sunshine Roberts, come inside with me! Do you want me to call someone? I came alone today, my friends stood me up...but I can ask someone who works there whether I can use their phone? I don't usually carry mine around."
Before I can answer, she's pulled me into the shop - and that's when it dawns on me. I'm in Starbucks! But hold on, if I'm in Starbucks, then...
"Oh my God, Sunshine?" Mikey looks up from whatever he's writing down in that funny old notebook I see him carrying at school.
