The Secrets That Tore Us Apart

11

The week went by slowly. Emma saw Jack and Jack saw Emma. But like he wrote in his text, he did not try to talk to her. He was often stood by Eric or Nathan and Emma was mostly with Hannah, or she was alone. 

In the class that Emma and Jack shared, Jack was now often sat by Eric and Emma by Nathan. When the teacher presented a group assignment to the class, Emma asked a guy named Lucas if she could join his group. She could.

At lunch, Emma and Hannah ate alone most days, but on Wednesday Nathan, Eric and Jack sat down at their table. Jack only talked to Eric and Emma only talked to Hannah and Nathan. 

On Thursday, Emma had been to the bathroom and when she got out she almost ran into Jack. He had grabbed her upper arm, as a reflex and she had mumbled a "sorry", and hadn't looked him in the eyes any longer than she needed to. After school on Thursday, Emma went to a juice bar with Hannah and Nathan. Hannah asked Emma if she had made up her mind yet and Emma hadn't. While Emma and Hannah walked through some stores Jack called Nathan and Nathan had disappeared for a while. Emma found a light pink blouse that held no memories of her and Jack and she decided to buy it. 

On Friday morning Emma felt sick. One part of her wanted to see Jack to hear his explanation, another part wanted to see him to tell him where he could stick his explanation and a third part wanted to not go at all and to just forget everything. 

She got dressed as usual and without registering, she chose the new blouse. She wore her hair in a low bun and put on a silver necklace that she had gotten from her family. 

When Emma entered the kitchen her mum told her that she looked beautiful, before her mum, in a rush as usual, tried to gather all of her papers and her youngest child Eddie to drop him off at school. Emma had breakfast with her dad who asked her if she had any plans for the weekend. Emma didn't. Her dad suggested that she could bring Hannah to the new restaurant that had opened in town and do a girl's night. Emma thanked him and told him that she would think about it. 

Then Emma went to the bus stop. On the bus she accidentally played her "Love"-playlist and the song from the cold-water-experience played. Emma looked out the window, refusing to cry.

She entered through the heavy doors and went straight to the stairs to climb them. She was early as usual when she took the bus and the school building was rather empty. 

On the floor of her locker, in the corner on the bench, someone was sitting though. 

Jack wore black jeans and a black t-shirt. Emma had always been weak for the all-black look on him. It had always made his brown hair look darker and his brown eyes look deeper. He also looked more tan and glowing. Jack didn't seem to notice Emma though. He was sat with his headset in his ears and he seemed to be scrolling on his phone. His foot was tapping along to the music. Emma couldn't help but smile when Jack narrowed his eyes at something on his screen. And, of course, was that the moment when Jack decided to look up. Just to see Emma watching him and  smiling at him. He shot her a smile back, but didn't say anything. 

Emma got her stuff for her first class just as Hannah texted that she had entered the building. Emma turned around and shot one last glance at Jack, and he was watching her. He smiled when she turned back and walked down the stairs. 

At lunch, Emma and Hannah were sat alone. 

"I've decided I'm not going to go" Emma said. 

"What?!" Hannah exclaimed. "Why?"

"Because Jack and I have so many good memories. I don't want to risk him ruining them with whatever he might have to say"

Hannah looked a little bit panicked and also like she wanted to say something. But all she said was. "It's your decision"

When the school day ended Emma saw Jack flying through the hallway towards the door. He was going to wait for Emma at their spot. 

Emma went to the bus stop. If she took one bus she could go to the forest and to her and Jack's spot, but if she took the other one, she would go home. She was still torn between which bus she was going to take and she decided then and there to let fate decide. Whichever bus came first, she would take. 

One of the buses came and she stepped on. 

She was going home.

She felt relived, yet worried and anxious. 

The person on the other side of the isle turned towards Emma and with a friendly smile she said.

"Hi Emma, I thought that was you"

"Hi Olivia" Emma replied.