Last To Know

9

I was really starting to panic now.

"What?" She stumbled into my room, her hair half done.

"I can't find Sonic."

"What do you mean you can't find Sonic?" She practically screeched. "Isn't he in his cage?"

"I took him out and put him on my bed while I got ready. I felt bad for him cooped up in that cage and I didn't think he'd wander." I clutched at my chest, gasping for air. "Maddox is going to kill me."

"Don't panic," my mom warned, "he couldn't have gone far."

She moved the pillows around, just like I had, but Sonic definitely wasn't there.

"Oh God," I muttered. "This is bad. So bad."

"Calm down, Emma," she grumbled. "Wait...what's that?" She pointed to the pillow I slept on which contained a mysterious lump.

"Sonic!" I cried. I lifted the pillowcase and reached inside to grab him. "You scared me!" And then I proceeded to kiss the hedgehog, just like Maddox had wanted me to. I guessed he always got his way in the end. I put Sonic back in his cage and made sure everything was secure. "You're not going anywhere now."

"I'm going to finish getting ready," my mom said as she backed out of the room. "Try not to lose the hedgehog again."

"Don't tell Maddox!" I called after her.

Her only response was to laugh at me, and even I had to admit that it was pretty funny.

***

"Emma!" Sadie shrieked, running towards me. I only had a moment to brace myself when her thin arms wound around my shoulders as she crashed into me. "I'm so glad you're here. I can't handle all these old people," she muttered, looking around at her various family members that were gathered in the backyard. "Grandpa keeps asking for potato salad, and every time we give it to him he bangs his fists against the table and says, 'I did not ask for this! Bring me potato salad!' And then he doesn't believe us that it is, indeed, potato salad."

"Wow."

"Yeah, I know."

I looked around. "I thought you invited some people from school."

She shrugged. "I did, but it seems like everyone is having a more fun summer vacation than we are." She threw an arm around my shoulders, guiding me to one of the tables covered in food. My mom had brought a cake and tea...iced tea this time, and not her traditional hot tea. "Whatever happened to that guy you went on a date with?"

I'd always shared everything with Sadie, but suddenly I just...didn't want to. Maddox seemed like a fairytale to me and I was afraid if I started telling her about him it would break the spell.

I was kind of shocked that she was just now asking me about him, since I'd promised—and failed—to call her the night of our first date.

"Uh, we've just hung out a few times," I shrugged casually. "No big deal."

She gave me a doubtful look. "Sure. Let me know when the wedding is."

I laughed. "You're crazy."

"And you've never even batted your eyes at a guy before. This is a big deal."

I picked up one of the paper plates and started piling food on it. "Hardly."

Sadie settled into line behind me. "We should see a movie tomorrow," she suggested.

I frowned. "I don't think I can."

She snorted. "What could you possibly be doing? Reading? Come on, Emma. Wait..." She paused. "Are you going to be with him? Mystery boy?"