When she's not hanging with her best friend, Chelsea, Zoe spends all her time with her pack of zombies, each absorbing their music in isolation. Avoiding the masses is the only pastime she can find the energy for after Dylan destroyed her heart.
Tha...
I don't know when "New Guy" switched to "Emerson" in my head, but it has happened and I'm not sure how I feel about it.
I'm also not sure how I feel about the fact that we have been texting each other non-stop over the last two weekends. And during the weekdays we see a lot of each other. Chelsea, Emerson, and I have gotten into a habit of meeting up before school and then later in the day we eat lunch together. And after school we head to practice most days as a threesome. But once practice is over the three musketeers go their separate ways and then my texting with Emerson becomes more frequent. And sometimes lasts into the wee hours of the night. And it may be the reason I've been going to school most days with dark circles under my eyes.
When Emerson and I text it's mostly about music, and life, but sometimes it's about silly things that don't really matter. It is disconcerting to realize that in such a short time he has suddenly taken up such a big space in my life. When I'm not around him, I find myself wondering what he's doing and thinking. And when he texts me sometimes, I can't help but smile over something he says. And the smiling has gotten frequent enough that Dragon Lady has even started to comment on it. That may have been my first hint that I was in trouble. Shit.
Chelsea knows we are texting. But except for showing her initial, over the top and completely crazed happiness that Emerson and I stopped being mortal enemies, she has surprisingly kept her trap shut and not asked questions. No harassing about what we are talking about. No pestering about how often he texts me. No questions at all. Which is not like Chelsea at all.
And I'm not sure how I feel about that.
My phone beeps. I grab it off the table.
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It's Saturday night and somehow I've talked Dragon Lady into letting me go into the city with Emerson.
Dragon lady eyes swing to my phone and she asks, "Is that him?"
I dread the sudden interest in her eyes, but if I want to go I know the last thing I need to do is start a fight. I force a smile on my face. "He says he will swing by at 8 to pick me up."
DL turns to my dad and says, "I honestly never thought I would see the day. I thought I would be dead and buried before she actually started dating again."
"I'm not dating!" I shout.
My dad's eyes narrow in my direction. "Watch your tone young lady."
Why does she have to always bring out the worst in me? "Sorry," I say while attempting to actually look sorry. "We're just friends." I add desperately trying not to glare at her as I say the words.
DL doesn't try to hide her smirk at my answer.
"Where are you going again?" My dad asks as he spoons himself another generous helping of Orange chicken.
