Don't Try the Noodles

Chapter 05

Chapter 05

Bailey

"Bailey!" Emma's voice blares through the phone speaker the moment I pick it up.

I might have yelped if it isn't for the fact that I'm working right now. Randomly screaming is a definite way to receive quite a few anxiety-inducing stares from strangers, and I do not know how to deal with that. I put some distance between my ear and the phone just in case Emma hasn't finished her overly enthusiastic greeting yet. Our busy year of writing college applications and barely keeping in touch has almost made me forget about just how over the top Emma Scott's typical energy level is in the morning. It was hard keeping up with her even back in middle school, despite possessing way more stamina for other people than I do now.

I stay silent for a little too long, and she says, "Hello? Bae, are you there?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm here."

I notice my mom sending me glares to get back to work. Without an extra French hand around at the restaurant, I can't afford to slack off more than ever. Even so, I mouth my best friend's name, and she puts up a hand indicating I have five minutes to talk.

"So, what's up?" I ask.

"I'm beyond excited right now!"

I am glad I kept my distance from the speaker. "Oh, great. But when are you not?"

"Okay, you have a point there, but bear with me because I have some awesome news."

"You're coming over again this summer?"

"Ugh, do I even have to answer that?"

I can picture Emma's eyes rolling as she said that. In hindsight, that was a stupid question. Emma came to visit me every summer since I moved away from our hometown of Freefield.

She definitely has a smile on her face as she adds, "There's something else."

"Okay, elaborate."

"Well, it looks like I won't need to use your guest room this summer." She pauses, building up my own excitement now. "My parents got me my own place in Freer City! I'm coming to stay this time, Bae!"

I manage the quietest squeal I can get away with and whisper, "That's great, Em!"

"Yup! We'll get to see each other all summer! Plus, I'm going to a show next month in the city, and you're coming along with me. I won't take no for an answer."

"A show? What show?"

"It's for this amazing band called Midnight on Saturn. You have to check them out. You remember Caleb, right?"

"C-Caleb?" I don't know if I sounded convincingly confused enough. Even though Emma is my best friend, I could never bring myself to tell her about my embarrassing crush. She would not have let me hear the end of it if I had.

"Oh, you know. Caleb Edmonds. You guys used to be in the same homeroom during middle school."

"Um...Were we...?"

"Well, never mind then if you don't remember him—"

"No!" I shut my eyes from how loudly I just shouted. I can sense a few burning stares on me. In a much quieter voice, I say, "I mean, I think I might remember him. Why do you ask?"

"It's because he's in the band."

"He is?" And there went the rest of my pretty awful act of trying to play it cool. Gosh, I'm so obvious that it's painful sometimes.

Luckily, Emma is still as bad at reading other people as she's always been. "Yeah, he plays guitar and sings."

Before an awe-stricken wow slips out of me, my mom's strict voice comes to the rescue for once. "Bailey! Tables don't clean themselves!"

"Sorry, Mrs. Cho!" Emma calls out even though my mom can't hear her. "Look, Bae, we'll talk more about everything when I'm in the city next week."

"Yeah. Sounds good."

I hang up and get straight to wiping a recently vacated table under the intimidating eyes of mother dearest. But her predatory glares don't bother me as much as they usually do. Right now, my mind is too far off to care. It's stuck envisioning Caleb holding a guitar on stage, his always friendly smile behind a microphone.

I can't stop blushing. This is bad...

It's like I'm in middle school all over again.