The Secret Life of Emily Blu

Chapter Twenty-Three

"What do I do?" I hiss to Jonas.

He shrugs. "It's too late now. She already caught us. This isn't how I imagined you meeting my mother, but there's nothing we can do about it now." He shoots me a small smile. "It'll be fine, Emily."

I watch Ms. Levy climb out of her car, a frown on her face. She's a very small woman, especially when compared to how tall Jonas is. Ms. Levy can't be taller than five foot and she's thin as a rail. With her back perfectly straight and a frown on her lips, I don't think she can look any more austere.

I glance around the front stoop. There's nowhere for me to go.

When his mom reaches us Jonas takes her bags from her. "Mom, this is Emily."

"Hi," I choke out.

Ms. Levy gives me a once over before turning to Jonas. "What's the rules about girls in the house when I'm not home?"

"Not to do it?"

"Exactly. So what's up?"

Jonas shrugs, smiling. "To start with, I didn't think we'd be caught. But Emily lives nearby and there's a book I want her to read so I thought we'd just stop by and grab it really quick. We weren't doing anything we weren't supposed to."

Ms. Levy eyes the both of us. "And where is this book?"

I take my backpack off my back and reach inside, grabbing Flowers in the Wind. "He said it's his and his sisters favorite."

Ms. Levy stares at it for a moment and I can tell she didn't expect us to be able to pull out a book.

"That's a good one," she finally says. She glances between us and sighs. "I guess we can excuse it this time. You know I'm a sucker for a good book. Do you want to come inside for a second, Emily? I've been dying to meet you."

I nod and step aside to let her pass inside. We follow behind her and Jonas stage whispers, "She's just scarred because she came home once, and my sister and her boyfriend were having sex in the living room."

"It's something I'll never unsee," she says with a shudder. "They'd been together three years at that point so I shouldn't have been surprised, but some things you just don't want to face. Your child having sex being one of them."

Jonas sets her stuff down on the table and Ms. Levy turns to me. "I've heard a lot about you from the other teachers." Before I can ask her what that means she adds, "I hear you're a very talented musician. Is that what you want to do after school?"

"No," I say. "It's more of a hobby for me."

She nods, obviously pleased by this information. "Well, maybe you can convinces Jonas here that he needs to go to college."

"Mom," Jonas sighs. "Don't bring Emily into this."

Ms. Levy sniffs. "All I'm saying is you have the grades to go wherever you want. You shouldn't waste an opportunity like that."

"Mom."

"Fine, fine, I'm just saying." She turns back to me and scrunches her nose. "You're very pretty, Emily. You remind me of that girl on Way Back, the blonde one. That's the one you always had the crush on, right Jonas?"

I feel myself freeze.

"Sarah Livingston?" Jonas asks.

Ms. Levy nods. "That's the one. Doesn't Emily look like her?"

In the three years that I've been in witness protection no one has ever compared me to my old self, even thought I was on one of the most popular sitcoms of all time. I feel like I'm caught up in a dream.

"I guess," Jonas says with a shrug. "I think Emily is prettier, though."

"Have you ever gotten that comparison before?" Ms. Levy asks me.

"No," I say through numb lips. "I can't say I have."

"Jonas used to be obsessed with her. He even had her poster on his wall for a while."

"Mom," Jonas hisses, his face beet red. "Can you try to not embarrass me? Please?"

Ms. Levy laughs. "Whatever happened to Sarah Livingston? It seems like she vanished off the face of the planet."

"I think she had some kind of break down and left Hollywood," Jonas says. "They wrote her off the show really abruptly."

My heart is nearly pounding out of my chest, and I feel the world closing in around me. "May I use the restroom?"

"Down the hall on your right."

I nod in thanks to Ms. Levy and hurry down the hall, desperate to close the door before I lose control completely.

I grip the edges of the counter, close my eyes, and count down from ten until I get to one. I repeat the process a second and a third time before finally open my eyes and stare at my reflection in the mirror, trying to see what Ms. Levy obviously saw.

My hair is different now. It's dark and shoulder length and I have bangs. The long blonde hair is gone. I trace my nose in the mirror. It's the same nose, but with the bangs it seems to sit differently on my face. My big eyes are still doll-like, but my makeup really makes me look like a different person.

I've never had anyone compare me to Sarah Livingston before and it seems like an odd coincidence that Ms. Levy had. Does she really know who I am? I'm not sure what Agent James told the school, and I'm not sure who is privy to whatever information that was provided. Was she told?

Before I can convince myself that she knows, I shake my head. Agent James would never put me in any danger and his directions to the school would be followed word for word.

Just to make myself feel better I pull out my phone and text him.

Me: I have a question

He responds instantly.

Agent James: What's up? Are you okay?

Me: Yes. I was just wondering who at the school knows I'm under witness protection?

Agent James: Administration.

Me: So not teachers?

Agent James: No teachers

Me: Thanks

I put my phone back into my bag and leave the bathroom to find Ms. Levy and Jonas in a heated whisper discussion that stops the moment they see me.

"I need to get home," I say into the awkward silence.

"We should get going, Mom," Jonas says, leaning down and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Be safe you two. Emily, you need to come over for dinner one night. You can bring your mom."

"Of course," I say with a forced smile.

I follow Jonas out. When we're putting on our helmets Jonas sighs. "I'm sorry about my mom. She can be a little prickly."

"I don't think she liked me very much."

Jonas shrugged. "She'll get over it."

I climb up behind him, wondering if she will, or if our relationship just got a hell of a lot more complicated.