Master Plan {d. dobrik}

28

Emily Neal placed her bowl of chocolate ice cream on her coffee table, switching it out for her phone. Natalie Mariduena was calling. The two friends hadn't seen each other since the day they both hung out with Corinna, so Emily was happy to hear from her.

"Long time no see, huh?" Emily answered jokingly.

Natalie chuckled but rolled her eyes. "Sorry," she began, "David's had me busy as all hell since you've been gone."

Emily frowned. Natalie's job had gotten harder due to Emily taking a leave of absence, or a break from David, in other words. "I'm sorry, that's my fault," Emily started, "I can definitely take some of the load-"

"Em, no," Natalie cut her off, "Really, it's okay. I got it, it's just stressful. You know how David can be."

Emily nodded, letting out a short breath. "How is he?"

Natalie furrowed her eyebrows, looking up momentarily. "Think of how he normally is," Emily nodded, "Now multiply that by ten."

Emily groaned, rubbing her face. "I'm sorry, Nat-"

"Nat, I need you to - Who are you talking to?" a new voice sounded through Emily's speaker.

She knew his voice instantly; it wasn't hard to recognize. Her heart dropped at the thought of David being on the other side of Natalie's phone. She wanted to talk to him - badly. But Emily Neal was never good at formulating a good apology. She also didn't even know what she should be apologizing for.

For rejecting him? For not feeling the same way? For leading him on?

Emily was totally at a loss.

"Emily," Natalie answered the curly haired boy.

The line was silent for a few seconds before David said, "Oh, uh, okay. I'll talk to you about it later." The sound of a door shutting let Emily know the boy had left the room.

"Ugh!" she groaned.

"Why don't you just talk to him?" Natalie asked.

Emily ran her hand through her hair. "I have no idea what to say to him, Nat. I helped him gain the courage to tell, who I thought was, another girl how he felt about her, and the girl ended up being me. Then I rejected him," she ranted, "I can't exactly show up at his house and see if he wants to hangout."

"Yeah, maybe not, but you obviously miss him, Em," Natalie said, making a sad look wash over Emily's face, "And he misses you just as much, if not more."

"I don't know what to say to him," Emily muttered.

"Something tells me, when the time comes, you'll just know."