Apples and Tim Tams

Chapter 11

A/N There is a short POV from Travis at the end of this Chapter. Big thanks go out to @Jodie0832

for going through and giving me some editing help. I'll have all my mistakes fixed up very soon.

Enjoy this next chapter, thanks for reading!

Stunned silence followed Evans announcement. I slowly turned my head to stare at her in confusion.

"How do you even know Derek?" I asked her.

"We talk all the time when I come over to see you and then one day we swapped numbers and we've been texting and talking since then." Ev blushed as she told us more about her conversations with Derek. "He's such a nice guy and seems really genuine. You'd know that, Em, considering how much he helped you yesterday."

"Oh I know how nice he is it's just that 1. I'm blown away that I didn't even know you and Jed had broken up, and what the fuck, he's dating Amber? And 2 you know my neighbour better than I do."

"Oh don't get me started on Amber. I'm more worried about what he's told her about you and your mum. I think that might be why she knows where you live now. I'm so sorry if it is. He got so mad when we broke up. It made me realise how young he really is and how shallow our relationship was." Evan shakes her head as if to clear away the thoughts of Jed. "When I met Derek I was worried, because he is a bit older than me, but he's so lovely and thoughtful. We haven't gone out on a date or anything yet, although he has asked. A lot."

"You should go!" West yells, scaring us all. West very rarely yells so we tend to listen when she does, it usually means she's about to bring down the wrath of pissed of West on the world. "You should go." She says again but much quieter. "Jed is an idiot and you need someone older who can keep up with you and your weird sense of humour, your drive to succeed, your ability to be the person we always need when we're down. I could go on, but you need someone to put you first."

Abby leans over and hugs Evan. "West is right, Ev. You deserve to be happy with someone who cares about you."

"What they said." I say while wrapping my arms around my best friend. "Ask him to come out to Travis' birthday. That way it will be a group thing and you can have some back up around. Plus, if Jed the douche is there, it will be even sweeter!"

"Okay, I'll do that. But now let's get back to 'Operation Travis and Emma need to do it'. I have some ideas."

And so the rest of my afternoon and evening is filled with the love and laughter of being with my friends and knowing that even if things with Travis go to shit, I've got my girls. And Derek apparently.

Later on, I thought about what Evan had said about how young Jed was and it made me realise that this was what Travis had meant when he left so abruptly that night. He was worried that he wasn't mature enough to be with me now that I was living a completely different life to the school life he was still living. I knew after seeing him again that my feelings for him were the same as they had been for the last few years and I wanted the chance to be with him and spend time with him again. I was putting a lot of hope into this birthday celebration and, yes, part of me was scared I was going to get hurt but when I thought of how far I had come from when my mother had kicked me out, I knew, that even if I did get hurt, it was going to be worth it.

Travis POV

I had been thinking of Emma nonstop since I had been to see her and it was driving me crazy. I really wanted to be with her but my mind kept up a steady stream of reasons why I wasn't the right one for her. I was walking to our lunch spot at the back of the school when I heard my name being called out. I turned around and saw Emma walking towards me. Emma. Here in the school grounds. What?

"Emma?" I blurted out. "What? Why?"

"When? Where?" Emma laughed at me. "I think that covers all the W words, right?" She gestured at me with her hands.

I looked down and saw she was holding out a shiny green apple to me.

"So I thought considering I had some free time before work today I would come and see if you had any Tim Tams in your lunch and we could swap?" Her smile was hesitant and she had stopped looking at me.

"Luckily for you, I do have Tim Tams today and I would love to swap them for the apple. Come on, let's go out to my car so we won't be bothered by anyone." I started to reach for her hand but stopped, not knowing if she would take it. But she did. I was a little surprised that holding hands with someone could affect me so much but much to my embarrassment it did. Time to put my school bag around in front of me. Jesus.

"So, the girls told me you have a birthday celebration happening at the Winston coming up. Do you mind if I gate crash?"

"Please do." I paused before continuing. "Em, I'm so sorry about how I acted the other night at your place. I was just so nervous about seeing you and I said some really stupid things. I'm not with Amber, I don't want to be with Amber and I didn't go there when I left. I went straight home and kind of yelled at myself for being so dumb." I was hoping for a sign that she was going to forgive me but she didn't even look at me. "You make me nervous and that makes me act like a dick."

At that she laughed and looked up at me. "I get it Travis, I really do. You make me nervous too and I understand how you feel, but, I'm still me. I may not be at school anymore but my life was already a mess before I left and I don't miss school much at all. Just the lunch times."

"Can I come see you later? After you finish work?"

"Absolutely. But hey, let's just sit here for now and eat our lunch. I have to go in a few minutes anyway."

With that we sat in my car and talked, ate and held hands. But I couldn't help feeling that this was the calm before the storm. Amber had moved on to Jed but I didn't trust her and her hatred of Emma was extreme. I had put off talking to Ev, Abby and West about it all but I knew I had to do it soon because if Amber knew that Emma was back in my life then the shit would hit the fan. I won't risk Emma getting hurt again.