We went to the beach.
But before that, I woke up and no, nothing had changed. Everyone was all still on board with keeping Emma away from the group. She was still conflicted between how she thought she felt about Chase and Danny. She didn't know how long it'd last, if it was to end at all. She just didn't know.
But we went to the beach.
I rummaged through my closet and picked out my white floral dress. I threw it over my head, neglected to do more than brush my hair and off we went.
Abby, Chase, Hannah, Cameron and I ventured to the beach, one of our main hangouts during the summertime.
Cameron told me two things.
The first thing he told me was about the day before, the day we went to the swimming pool. That morning, he was scheduled to interview for our summer gun reform project. I wasn't on schedule, but Emma was.
Cameron was digging through his bag for his black American flag t-shirt when Emma entered the tour bus and made her way towards her own bed.
Cameron glanced over and saw her sitting on her bed, her fingers typing a mile a minute on her phone.
He retrieved his shirt, pulled off his pajama one and pulled the one he'd been looking for over his head.
Just as he was about to walk out to find Kaylyn to start his interview, he ran head on into Emma.
And she planned that.
"Oh, sorry" Cameron said, still trying to process everything and keep composed in front of especially Emma all at once.
"It's fine" she smiled. A fake smile.
Just as he was about to step out, Emma spoke up.
"I know about Jackie" she said.
Cameron stopped in his tracks.
"You what?" he asked, preparing his best acting face.
"I know about Jackie."
"What about Jackie?" his voice shook.
Instead of answering him, Emma pushed past him and exited the bus. Cameron sighed deeply and followed, only to find her happily engaging with their fellow friends and classmates.
She knew.
Somehow, she knew. And she also knew that he knew. But how? I wouldn't have told her. No way. But if he didn't, who did? Chase?
At the beach, Cameron and I stood off to the side, the waves brushing up against our legs.
"That doesn't even make sense" I said.
"I know it doesn't!"
I looked at him, straight, and raised my eyebrows.
"What?"
"Did you tell her?"
"No!" Cameron screeched. "I wouldn't do that! Why would you think that?"
"Because we're the only two who know."
"No we're not" Cameron said, shifting his gaze towards Chase, who was happily kicking sand into the water.
"Oh come on, like he'd talk to Emma! And why on earth would he tell her that?" I scoffed with disbelief.
"I don't know, to get her off his back."
I sighed. As much as Chase would've loved to shove someone else in Emma's face, he would not have even looked in her direction. She hadn't been around him since the night it all happened.
