Through The Dark

28 - Olivia

28 - Olivia

Emmalyn and I had agreed last night on meeting up after school so we could go together to the library. I had to meet up with Scott Sutton and she wanted to study in a quiet place, or to stay out of her house for as long as possible. I did not dare to discuss which of the two with her.

All I knew was that we were both quite sleep-deprived. We had barely slept last night. I could not express how happy I was about that. I had spent so many sleepless nights for the wrong and saddest of reasons. And now, I had someone to stay up with and do silly stuff, laugh until we cried and with whom to share my agonies. I could not be at a better place. I could not even remember when the last time that I had cried from laughter was. It was definitely before my dad left.

I saw her on a corner waiting for everyone to walk by and smiled as I approached her. I barely even noticed other people anymore and I was starting to think that they were barely noticing me, too. That was good; it meant everything was fading away. I was no longer subject of interest as the school's pariah. Who knows, someday I might even be able to go back to who I was. I still had to decide on whether I wanted to go back to that or if I wanted to do something else. But I loved that, to have a choice.

'Emma!' I called out. She looked up and smiled broadly, making me smile even broader. I realized now that I never felt this way with any of the other friends I had -maybe because they were never really my friends. It was ironic, since I spent so many hours with them. So much time spent with them –I could say now it was wasted time- and I never really connected with them the way I did with Emmalyn in such a short period of time. It was so crazy. I guess the best things truly came unexpected.

Never in my wildest dreams did I fathom the thought of Emmalyn and me becoming friends. And I suspected we had bonded in a way I never had bonded or ever would with anyone else. It was magical, for I knew not everyone had someone they could call a best friend, and I had been blessed with that.

'Hey, what's up, Olivia?'

'I just want this day to be over. I need sleep.'

Laughing, she responded, 'Yeah, me too.' We started to walk together down the hallway. 'I never thought I would like that show that much,' she pointed out.

'I told you it was amazing.'

'It was. It is long, like ten seasons, but I think I'll watch it all.'

'Nine seasons,' I corrected. 'And you should. The ending is not as good, though.'

'Really?'

'Yeah, I don't like who Ted ended up marrying.'

She shrugged. 'Well, I'll just have to see for myself and either join you or be against you.'

'Yeah, I guess so.'

'Where do you have to meet this Scott guy?'

'At the parking lot of the library.'

'Alright, let's go there then.'

'And you're gonna study on you own?'

'Yeah, I like it better that way -less room to get distracted. And I like the library, anyway.'

'Wanna hear something funny?' She nodded and I carried on. 'I've never been to the library before.'

Emmalyn looked at me with wide open eyes. 'Never?' she echoed.

'No. I just never had the time or motivation or reason to.'

'And you don't like to read?' she inquired.