Reaching Emma

38.

It was almost Valentines day and Chloe had been dropping not so subtle hints that she wanted me to make dinner reservations and buy her flowers. I was so busy with my schoolwork and basketball that I probably would have forgotten if she hadn't been constantly talking about it.

Our relationship was alright. We hung out quite a bit, but I always felt like something was missing. I couldn't help but compare my relationship with Chloe to my friendship with Emma. After the craziness of the New Years Eve party and the events following it, my relationship with Emma was a little rocky, but we had been talking more recently and I was happy about that. If we weren't involved romantically, I was glad to still have my friend.

I was talking with Emma at her locker before school and it felt reminiscent of a few months ago when we met here everyday before school. She was telling me about her Spanish group project and how none of her partners were helping her finish it.

"I can help, if you want" I offered, but she just looked at me and laughed.

"You don't even take Spanish!" She exclaimed and I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling embarrassed at my suggestion.

"Yeah... But, I can do coloring or Google translating or something" I replied, only half joking.

"Well thank you, but I should be fine." She said. This was one of the first normal conversations we've had in a while, since I started dating Chloe I think. Anna bounced up to us, her peppy morning attitude still a little too early for me.

"You guys should come over tonight after the basketball game! We're all going to have a movie night, we haven't done one in a while." Anna suggested. I nodded, and Emma hesitantly agreed.

"I have a friend coming to town, but I might come by after I see him," Emma said.

"You can bring your friend. Oh and you should invite Steven and Noah too!" Anna suggested. Emma said that Steven couldn't make it tonight, which was fine by me, but that Noah might stop by. I felt arms snake around my waist and heard Chloe ask into my ear, "Hey baby! How do I look?"

I turned towards Chloe and noticed that she was wearing my basketball jersey. It didn't look that big on her because she had knotted the bottom, exposing her bare stomach.

"You look great" I replied and she squealed in delight, throwing her arms around my neck and kissing me. We broke apart and turned back to our friends, only this time Emma was missing. I was surprised that Emma didn't wait for me, especially since we had first class together. Anna invited Chloe to the movie night tonight too, but she couldn't make it because she had a family dinner after the basketball game. They were going out for her little brother's birthday.

I caught up with Emma in history, "Hey, why'd you run off?" I asked curiously as I sat down next to her.

"Oh, uh, I just wanted to get to class early." She replied briefly. I nodded, not wanting to push it anymore and waited for our teacher to start class.

We won our basketball game and the entire team was ecstatic. Chloe ran up to me after the game, I pulled her into my arms and gave her a hug while she congratulated me. I changed and drove Chloe home before heading to Anna's house, as promised. I arrived about the same time that David and Anna did, waving to them as I got out of my car.

"Is Emma coming?" I asked, walking towards David's car, where he was getting his basketball bag out of the trunk.

"Yep! Oh, there she is now" Anna said while hopping out of David's car and pointing to the street.

I didn't recognize the car parked outside, but saw Emma sitting in the passenger seat. Then, I remembered she said that she had a friend in town. I saw a guy get out of the car and walk around to open Emma's door for her. He was tall and thin, wearing a thin flannel and jeans. He helped her out of the passenger side and they stood outside the car talking for a while. He looked over at us, before giving Emma one last hug and making his way to the other side of the car, waving a final goodbye as Emma walked towards us.