I'm laughing so hard my stomach hurts, and I nearly miss the sound of the doorbell ringing. I leave Beau and Luke to continue their bickering while I practically skip to the front door, throwing it open in excitement.
Nathan's grin matches my own. "I'm so excited."
"M-me t-too." He pecks my forehead as he steps inside, settling his bag down next to my own on the floor.
Our little bubble of time is broken at the sound of the shrill shriek coming from the kitchen.
"What is wrong with you!?"
"The wrath I tell you! Feel the wrath!" Luke and Beau race out the kitchen and around the living room, each wielding a wooden spoon in their hand.
"Um, can the wrath wait until after I leave?" They both turn at the sound of my voice, looking apologetically between Nathan and I as they drop their weapons on the coffee table in a truce and make their way towards me.
I start putting on my shoes while they all say hello, shaking Nathan's hand.
"You know how to get there?" AJ raises an eyebrow at him, trying to look intimidating.
"Ye-ye-yes sir."
"You're a good driver?"
"Y-yes sir."
"You won't let anything bad happen to Emma?"
"No sir. Ne-never."
AJ grins, losing any semblance of the tough guy role he was trying to portray, and instead looks like a teddy bear as he hands me my windbreaker and frets over my hair getting caught on the zipper.
"Text us as soon as you arrive please,"
"I will, don't worry." AJ's hug is so tight I can hardly breathe my way through it; but I hug him back just as fiercely, appreciating his protectiveness, even if it is unneeded.
"Be safe Baby-Bear, and have fun. I want to hear all about your trip once you're back." Luke ruffles my hair playfully as he hugs me, but all kidding aside, I can tell he means what he says.
"Have fun Em, you deserve it." Beau hugs me tight, and teasingly pinches my sides, making me squirm. He laughs at me my reaction as he pulls away, leaning back to rest his arm on the wall. He narrows his eyes at me as he passes over the keys to his car, but I can see he's fighting a smile.
"We'll see you soon!" I wave enthusiastically as I follow Nathan out the door, struggling with my bag until he swoops in to grab it.
"Hey I had that," I lie, watching him pack both our bags into the trunk of Beau's car.
"S-s-sure y-yo-you did E-Emma." He fights a smile as he closes the trunk and walks around the passenger side to open my door before getting in his.
"Ready for this?" I excitedly drum my fingers on the dashboard as I wait for Nathan to buckle up and start the car, instantly being met with a rumbling growl as the engine starts.
"I'm s-so ex-ex-excited fo-for th-th-this." He slowly eases the car out of the drive way, ever the careful driver as we pull onto the road and start driving, leaving the safety of my house in the rear-view mirror. I watch it until I can't see it anymore, and turn to focus on the road ahead of me.
"Me too, I've been counting down the days."
His right hand leaves the steering wheel to find my own, and holds it carefully in the space between our seats. I nearly sigh in content at the contact, loving the feel of his fingers between mine.
YOU ARE READING
Love, Emma
Teen Fiction"E-Emma? It's okay y-you know. I-I'm used to i-i-it." "You shouldn't have to be, some people disgust me, the nerve of them." "I can't blame t-t-th-them, I m-mean l-l-l-look at m-me." He sounds so defeated, even though I can tell he's trying to hide...
Chapter Fifty-One:
Start from the beginning
