Stealing Emma

Chapter 23 - Dating

"We should go out on a date."

They had been doing school work together in the living room when Max suddenly blurted it out.

"Pardon?" Emma asked.

"A date. You and me. I think that's what we need," he explained.

Emma stared at him, intrigued. The last week had been pretty solemn after Roy had gotten expelled. She couldn't help but feel guilty about it, as much as she realized he had deserved it in the end. She just had this gloomy feeling about the whole thing and worried about how he would end up. Would he be able transfer the credits somewhere else and graduate from another school? Would he seek counseling? She still hadn't made an appointment with the school counselor herself. She still felt like she needed time to process her own feelings before being able to talk to anyone else. She couldn't imagine Roy of all people going to therapy at all.

Then there was Max. She had also noticed a change in him. He seemed...distant. Perhaps distant wasn't the right word, but during the last week he hadn't looked at her the same way he had before. He usually had this glint in his eye that told her he wanted her, but now it just seemed to be gone. His seeming lack of interest in her only made her want him more, but she didn't know how to approach the subject. Did he no longer see her the same because of what happened? Or maybe he finally had time to rethink this whole thing and belatedly realized the colossal mess he had gotten himself into.

"A date...as roommates you mean?"

"No. Like a date, date. As in two people who like each other and go out and spend time together as awkwardly as possible."

"We've done that before," she pointed out. "Like when we went to the market that one time, or when we went to the movies in New York."

"That was different. This time it would be a date that could potentially mean more dates and eventually lead somewhere else."

"You would want that with me?" she asked, scrunching her forehead.

"Of course, sweetheart. It's all I've ever wanted. You know that," he said very seriously. "Look, I know things are really complicated and I feel like now we're stuck in this place where we don't know how to act with each other or move forward. I think if we just tried to start over it might be easier this time around."

"That makes sense," she said suddenly feeling better than she had all week.

"So are you in?"

"Yes," she tried not to nod too enthusiastically. "What do you want to do on our first date?"

"I don't know. We could go get ice cream," he suggested.

"Okay, so something casual to start."

"Yeah, isn't it how the kids do it these days? Do something easy like a cup of coffee or something?"

"Ice cream sounds better. It'll be cuter...I think. Sprinkles and all."

"Done," Max said getting up.

"Oh, you mean right now?"

"Yeah, when else?"

"Okay, let me just get my purse," she said going to her room excitedly.

When she got back into the living room, Max was strangely no longer there. She checked his room and the bathroom but they were both empty.

"Max?"

She suddenly heard a knock on the door and she curiously went to open it. Did he try to leave and forgot his keys?

"Hey, Emma," he said, pretending as if he hadn't just seen her, and leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek. "You look really beautiful today."