Try-State Area

Dinner and a Movie

After Emily finished the majority of her work, she went into the living room where Maggie was watching a movie.

"What are you watching?" She sat beside her mother on the couch and picked up a Chinese takeout container and chopsticks.

"Mystic Pizza. It's got some big actors, like Julia Roberts and Matt Damon, in like their first roles. Why don't you watch with me?" Maggie asked.

I still have so much work to do...

Her mother added, "One of the characters wants to go to Yale too."

A movie could be a good way to turn off my brain for a couple of hours...

Emily settled onto the couch more comfortably. "Sure. Why not?"

She shoved a dumpling into her mouth and they watched the movie silently while feasting.

When it ended Maggie turned to Emily. "What did you think?"

Emily scrunched up her nose. "It was kind of awful that the smartest girl got played and was left alone at the end. What kind of message does that send? You can't be book smart and street smart? Or you can't be ambitious and find love?" she asked rhetorically.

"I never really thought about that," answered Maggie.

"I'm sure Mom." Emily rolled her eyes. "Well thanks for the takeout at least."

Back in her room, Emily found she wasn't tired yet thanks to the long nap she took earlier. She sat at her desk and picked up her chemistry book. She flipped through the pages before she dropped it back with a thud. She swiveled back and forth restlessly in her chair.

After ten minutes she conceded defeat and packed her books away in her bag. Finally she picked up her phone to remove the "Do Not Disturb" option.

A message immediately chimed. Kelly had answered her earlier text while she was watching the movie. 

Better now that today is almost over and I'm one day closer to Friday.

She lay down on her bed and typed back.

For somebody who still has to work on the weekend, you seem remarkably eager for it to arrive.

He answered quickly.

Do I? Maybe you're just too suspicious for your own good.

Emily clicked on Kelly's name before she thought about it.

Don't panic... Don't hang up... It's ringing...

He picked it up on the second ring.

"I'm probably too much of a lot of things for my own good," she said.

"I can handle it." He punctuated his words with a snort into to the phone.

"You think you can." She slid down and propped her crossed ankles on the footboard.

He assured her, "You don't scare me Emily Randazzo."

"I don't know how that's possible. I scare everyone in my family. I scare myself sometimes," she admitted, before biting her cheek at her own revelation.

For some reason that I can't figure out, Kelly elicits secrets from me...

"Intensity doesn't scare me," he said simply. Then he asked, "Guess where I am?"

Emily smiled and lowered her voice to a husky whisper. "In my bed?"

Kelly chuckled. "I am. I'm laying here in my boxers right now."

"Why?" She folded the edge of her pillowcase and rubbed her fingers against it.

"First, my Mom has her annoying boyfriend over tonight and I didn't want to see his face," he said.

"Is there a second reason?" Emily draped her arm across her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Yes. I hoped I could smell you again. But your Dad washed the sheets already."

Emily wasn't moving but her stomach felt like she was on a rollercoaster while she processed Kelly's words.

His confession makes me feel like less of a freak... But I'm honestly thankful that Dad washed the sheets because on Monday when I left, they smelled just as much like Evan's shaving cream as they did my shampoo... Oh God... Evan... I have all of these feelings for him... and isn't that why I called Kelly just now? To explain to him that whatever this is has to stop because of Evan... I told Jenny I would do it and I meant it... But now... after that admission from Kelly... I can't seem to bring myself to do it...

Afraid her mother might hear, she whispered again. "Check the closet. I think I forgot my navy cardigan in there."

She heard the closet door slide open and then the hangers rattled. "You did," Kelly breathed out with his voice slightly muffled.

Emily pictured him holding the sweater up to his face as she heard him take a deep breath.

"What is that perfume you wear?" he asked.

"It's called Angel," she answered before adding, "I usually switch to mango oil in the summer though."

"Don't. This one is great."

Emily blushed. "Thanks I guess. But I didn't make it, I just wear it."

Kelly laughed. "Just take the compliment Emily. You smell amazing okay? Not just the perfume. You do."

Emily tapped her forehead with her palm gently a few times. "Fine... okay... sure... thank you," she mumbled. Then she sighed and added, "I should go to bed. It's late."

"It's not that late. Lay down and then you're in bed... with me."

"It is for me. I'm already laying down, but I should actually go to sleep. Have fun with my sweater."

Kelly laughed. "Good night Emily."