Emery Rose
I was about to plant a juicy smooch on Brad Pitt's dreamy lips when the piercing sound of the school bell shattered the moment, jolting me back to reality and signaling the start of the lunch break.
As the math teacher's voice faded into the background, I got up from my seat with a heavy sigh, wiping away any stray traces of saliva from my lips. Thankfully this time I wasn't drooling.
I wasted no time in gathering my belongings, eager to escape and head straight for the cafeteria.
Despite being a straight-A student, math was the one subject that continually eluded me, much to my frustration. The constant boredom and monotony made it difficult to focus, and despite my best efforts, I found myself struggling to keep up.
I made my way out of the classroom, joining the throngs of students flooding the hallways. Lost in thought, I barely noticed the familiar voice calling my name until it pierced through the fog of my mind. Glancing up, I spotted my boyfriend waiting for me outside the classroom, his athletic frame cutting an impressive figure in his blue football jersey and black jeans.
He looked every bit the popular jock that he was, his tousled blonde hair adding to his rugged charm. He watched me with furrowed eyebrows and a slight frown.
I remained silent, my jaw set in a stubborn line as I refused to give in. With my math book and notebook clutched tightly in my arms, I continued on my path towards my locker, pretending as though he didn't exist.
"Emery, come on" I could practically hear the eye-roll in his tone as if he couldn't believe I was still ignoring him.
His footsteps echoing mine as he matched my pace like a persistent puppy trying to win back its owner's affection. But I refused to yield, the sting of his betrayal still fresh in my mind.
As we reached my locker, I seized the opportunity to make a statement, swinging the door open with exaggerated force, as if to say, "I mean business."
"Stop ignoring me; I already said I'm sorry"
Justin's voice reached my ears, but I remained steadfast in my resolve, refusing to acknowledge him. My hands continued to organize my locker, arranging my books with precision as if my life depended on it.
Today marked the third day of my silent treatment, and with each passing moment, I felt a strange sense of satisfaction in my ability to hold my ground.
Despite Justin's persistent attempts to reach out to me, my phone had become a constant stream of calls and texts from him. The only time I texted him was this morning, letting hom know that Leslie, my best friend, was going to give me a ride to school, effectively shutting down any hope of reconciliation.
"Emery, please," Justin pleaded, his hands gently turning me to face him, his touch sending a shiver down my spine
Justin's puppy-dog eyes, a signature move he had mastered over the months, softened the edges of my anger. His blonde hair fell slightly into his face, adding a touch of vulnerability to his usually confident demeanor.
Yet, I held my ground, determined not to let the familiarity of his gestures weaken my resolve, not after the way he had disregarded our plans without a second thought.
"Come on, babe. Let's not do this" Justin pouted, his hands reaching up to cup my face, stroking my cheeks with a tenderness that threatened to melt my resolve.
"I will take you out, okay? This Saturday. I already made reservations and planned everything. You just have to show up" Justin said, his voice tinged with desperation.
But his offer only served as a painful reminder of last Friday's disappointment, when he had failed to show up for our plans without so much as a warning.
"You didn't show up last Friday" I reminded him, my voice laced with bitterness.
Justin's shoulders slumped slightly, and I could see his trying to find the right words.. Despite his tall stature and the air of authority that came with being the captain of the football team, he seemed smaller somehow, like a deflated balloon.
"I know, I know. I'm really, really sorry. I messed up. I got caught up after practice, then Dylan invited us to his house, and then the guys wanted to go out..." Justin's voice trailed off
I glared at him, my anger simmering just beneath the surface. He cleared his throat, his expression contrite.
"I know that's no excuse. I'm sorry," he finally admitted, his voice tinged with regret "Please forgive me, baby. Please say we're okay"
I hesitated, but a flicker of doubt crept into my mind. It had been 3 days of silent treatment, during which Justin had bombarded me with calls and texts, each one a testament to his regret and longing for reconciliation... despite my anger, a part of me yearned to put this behind us and move forward.
Gosh. Was I being too harsh? Was I letting my pride get in the way of a chance for true reconciliation?
After what felt like an eternity of silent contemplation, I finally spoke "We're okay" I murmured, surprising even myself with the words. I couldn't help but berate myself internally for once again letting him off the hook so easily.
Damnit, Emery. How many times are you going to forgive him for the same mistakes?
But as I looked into Justin's green eyes, filled with gratitude and relief, I knew that despite my doubts, my love for him would always outweigh my anger.
A small smile tugged at the corners of Justin's lips as he leaned in to kiss me softly. His kiss was gentle and affectionate, like a silent apology and a promise wrapped into one tender gesture. In that instant, all the hurt and frustration I'd felt in the past few days dissolved, replaced by a comforting sense of warmth and belonging.
Not really.
In the back of my mind, a nagging voice questioned the wisdom of my decision, reminding me of the patterns we seemed doomed to repeat.
When we finally parted, a soft smile lingered on Justin's lips. And I punched his shoulder.
"Ouch," he protested, though I could tell he was barely feeling it.
"You deserved that"
Justin rolled his eyes, a grin spreading across his face "Yeah, yeah, I know," he admitted as he rubbed his shoulder in mock agony.
I chuckled and he was about to lean in for another kiss when suddenly, Dylan, Justin's ever-present sidekick, decided to make a grand entrance by slamming my locker shut with a deafening bang.
I let out a startled yell, clutching my chest in mock horror as I shot Dylan a glare
Justin glares at him, and pushed Dylan away. "I told you to stop scaring her"
Dylan flashed us grin, his mischief evident in the twinkle of his brown eyes "Sorry, Em, couldn't resist," he said, wrapping me in a tight hug, his arms squeezing me in a bear hug that left me struggling for breath.
"I hate you" I managed to gasp out.
"You know you love me" he teased, pressing a playful kiss to the top of my head.
"Not really" I replied, though there was a hint of truth in my response.
Dylan could be a bit arrogant at times, and his flirtatious personality often bordered on obnoxious. His constant teasing and flirtatious remarks sometimes tested my patience, and there were moments when I found myself wanting to kick him where the sun doesn't shine.
But beneath his cocky exterior, there was a genuine humor and warmth to Dylan that occasionally shone through. And I couldn't deny that he's funny.
Sometimes.
"Where's Leslie?" He asks when he lets go of me and I quickly fixed my ponytail.
"She's probably at the cafeteria" I replied casually when Dylan inquired about Leslie's whereabouts.
He ignored me.
Dylan spun around, scanning the hallway as if Leslie would pop up from behind a corner at any moment.
"Dylan, buddy, she's not hiding in the lockers" Justin quipped, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.
Dylan's interest in Leslie wasn't exactly a secret; he had a crush on her, just like he seemed to have a crush on every girl he sees.
"Maybe she's at the cafeteria" I couldn't help but roll my eyes at Dylan's obliviousness, his words echoing my own just moments ago.
"Thats what I just said" I said, shaking my head as Dylan bounded off without waiting for us, leaving Justin and me behind.
Justin and I exchanged a knowing glance, silently acknowledging the underlying tension surrounding Dylan's crush on Leslie.
Then Justin reached out to gently take my hand in his, his touch warm and reassuring. "I'm really sorry about last Friday" he said softly, stepping closer "I promise I'll make it up to you this time."
I glanced up at him, my heart softening at the earnestness in his eyes. Despite his flaws and the mistakes he had made, there was a genuine sincerity to Justin that I couldn't help but be drawn to.
With a small smile, I nodded in acceptance of his apology, silently acknowledging his efforts to make amends for his mistakes. Despite the uncertainty that lingered in the back of my mind, there was a part of me that wanted to believe in the possibility of forgiveness, to give our relationship another chance.
As Justin and I walked hand in hand towards the cafeteria, I couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched. It was like every step we took was under a microscope, with classmates waiting for us to slip up so they could have something to gossip about. It was unnerving, to say the least.
And if we managed to avoid any slip-ups, they'd just make something up to keep the gossip mill running.
The constant scrutiny from our peers made every move and word feel like walking on eggshells. It was as if we were constantly performing under the watchful eyes of an invisible audience, afraid of making even the slightest misstep that could be twisted and used against us. The pressure to meet their impossible standards was suffocating, and it often left me feeling a bit anxious.
Justin seemed unfazed. But beneath his laid-back exterior, I knew that Justin cared about what others thought of him, especially when it came to our relationship.
Then my heart skipped a beat when I spotted Grayson emerging from the principal's office.
Why was he walking out of the principal's office? His serious expression intrigued me, leaving me curious about what happened privately.
His demeanor took me back to our last encounter—the awkward car ride home in the rain. That ride was a stark reminder of the growing divide between us. It was obvious that Grayson felt some resentment towards me, and I knew that trying to fix our friendship was pointless.
I had come to terms with the fact that some things just couldn't be fixed.
Justin remained oblivious to the history between Grayson and me, and I preferred to keep it that way.
For many reasons.
I see Grayson's gaze flickered down to our intertwined hands. His glare bore into our hands for a second before he looks up at me.
As our eyes met, I felt a surge of nostalgia mingled with resignation. Normally, I would have yearned for even a small acknowledgment from Grayson, a sign that perhaps there was still hope for reconciliation. But this time, I found myself looking away.
"You're okay?" Justin's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I realized he was looking at me with concern.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm just hungry," I replied, offering a weak smile.
It wasn't a complete lie—I hadn't eaten breakfast this morning, and the growling of my stomach served as a reminder.
My mind couldn't shake off the urge to steal a glance back at Grayson. It felt as though his gaze was still fixated on me, even though I knew it was irrational to assume so. Yet, the curiosity gnawed at me, tempting me to turn around and check if he was watching.
But before I could entertain the thought further, another figure emerged from the principal's office, sending a jolt of anxiety through me.
It was Mr. William, our school principal.
In that moment, any lingering thoughts of Grayson were pushed aside.
He wanted to speak with me—about my abysmal performance in math class. The sinking feeling in my stomach only confirmed my suspicions. Last time he had warned me about the consequences of failing math, especially if I wanted to remain on the cheerleading team. I had promised to study harder, but truth be told, I hadn't made much effort to improve my grades.
Desperate to avoid the impending conversation, I instinctively sought refuge behind Justin, hoping to blend into the background and evade Mr. William's attention.
"What are you doing?" Justin's voice broke through my panicked thoughts, confusion evident in his tone.
"Shh, just keep walking," I whispered urgently, silently pleading for his cooperation.
But before I could execute my brilliant escape plan Mr. William approached us, his stern gaze fixed on me.
"Emery Rose, may I have a word with you?" His voice was firm.
I don't move.
Maybe he's talking to another person.
"Emery Rose" he repeated, this time with a stern edge that left no room for doubt.
Okay, no. he's talking to me.
I stepped out from behind Justin, offering the principal a nervous smile. "Oh hi, Mr. William, fancy meeting you here," I blurted out, my attempt at casual banter falling flat.
Mr. William simply nodded and motioned for me to follow him. And I complied reluctantly, shooting Justin a pleading look as I resigned myself to whatever fate awaited me in the principal's office.
My God, I just wanna eat.