[edited]
Sunday was really fun. Ethan had called Addi and invited her over, and I invited the Samuels'. When only Elliot and Evan showed up, I was a little disappointed. They had told me that Emerson was out with Max Harper. Since when were they even friends?
I was currently getting ready for the Halloween party. I had begun getting my suit on and applying my makeup. I covered my face in white, with black around the eyes and red around my mouth for the smile.
I ran downstairs, where Ethan was waiting.
"Hey, bro. Evan text you?"
"Yeah. They just left the house."
Right after that, we heard a honk, and saw the Samuels' car outside. I climb into the backseat next to Emerson. I couldn't really tell what she was, but she still looked beautiful.
We made it to Tommy Anderson's house in about ten minutes, and went inside. It smelled of old alcohol and the music was pumping so loudly. Red Solo cups littered the floor, and shouting surrounded us.
Elliot, Evan, and Ethan ran off in a random direction. They would soon be drunk. Emerson had walked off somewhere before I could talk to her. I saw her red hat in the distance, and tried to maneuver through people to get to her.
I found her sitting on a couch, laughing with some boy. I looked closer, and saw it was Max Harper. I guess they really were friends.
I walked away, hurt. I knew she and I weren't dating or anything, but I still felt upset seeing her with another guy.
I went through the kitchen and into the backyard, which was even worse than inside. I walked to where people were dancing, and started dancing with a girl dressed as Catwoman. She was very pretty, not gonna deny it, but I just couldn't stop thinking about Emerson.
We danced for a while, until she went off with some of her friends. Ethan came up to me, and we began talking.
"What have you done, dude?" Ethan asks, taking a drink from his cup.
I shrug, "Nothing, really. You?"
"Dude, there was this freshman who was playing an epic game of truth or dare, and his dare was that he had to run naked down the street with a pumpkin on his head-" Ethan is laughing so much he can't finish the story.
"Ethan! Grayson!" I hear someone yell. I look and see Emerson running towards us, a worried expression on her face. She's panting hard, and I immediately begin to panic.
"What's up Emerson?" Ethan asks.
"Elliot and Evan are in a fight," She explains, "Please....help me.....before something happens," she pleads.
Ethan and I run after her into the house, and into a room where a crowd is gathered. We push our way to the middle, where four people were in a heated fight. Two of them were Elliot and Evan obviously, and the other two were basketball team stars Isaac Reynolds and Sam Goldberg. Each pair was strong, and honestly, the scale could tip either way.
But we wanted to stop this fight before that happened. Ethan ran to Elliot's side, and I did the same with Evan. I saw Emerson right behind me. I was trying to push Evan away from Sam, who he was determined on pummeling in the face.
Emerson attempted to help me. She forced herself between the two. Big mistake on her part. Since both parties were drunk and confused, Sam's fist landed on her jawline, and she fell to the floor.
Sam stood still, and so did Evan. Collective gasps came from the crowd. Sam looked confused. I saw nothing but red. I was furious. Before I knew what was happening, I had tackled him to the ground. I was so mad! He had hurt Emerson. I didn't care how drunk he or how he didn't mean to. He had no excuse.
I kept hitting him. Blood from his nose was all over my knuckles, but I couldn't care less. Suddenly, I felt myself being thrown to the ground. Ethan was standing above me, "Grayson! What the hell is wrong with you?" he yelled at me.
I stared blankly at him, and climbed up from my knees on the floor. People were staring at us.
"Let's go, guys," Emerson says. She had her arm around Evan, who had taken the hardest beating, and Ethan was supporting Elliot who was in the middle of a drunken rant.
I followed them out the car, and we gently set Elliot and Evan down in the backseat. I sat next to them, laughing at some of the things they were saying.
Since Ethan and I had had a few drinks, Emerson drove. She pulled up to our driveway.
"Thank you guys so much," she says, "I'm so sorry."
"What're you talking about, Emmy? It was no problem," Ethan says, and I nod.
She jumps out of the car as we're also getting out. She gives us each a hug around the waist. "Thank you so much," she says again. Her voice is shaky, and I can see she's close to tears.
"Emmy? What's wrong?"
She wipes her eyes, "Sorry, it's just this reminded me of one time when those two idiots did the same thing. They almost got arrested, and our parents were out of the country and I had to bail them out," she explains, "It was really scary, and I was just afraid something like that would happen again."
I don't know what to say. Ethan gives her another hug, "It'll be okay, Emerson. If you need anything, call us, okay?"
She nods, "You guys are lifesavers," she smiles and waves as she climbs back into the car and drives away.
Ethan and I go upstairs and shower, and then meet up in his room.
"Grayson, what happened? You went into psycho mode," Ethan questions.
"I don't know, Eth. I just saw Sam hit Emerson and I just got so mad. I don't even know what came over me, I just had this total and utter rage," I mumble.
"But you know he did it by accident, right?"
"I know, Eth. I didn't mean to," I protest.
"I know, Gray, just be careful next time, alright?"
I nod, and he leaves the room. Thought I wouldn't admit this to Ethan, I knew exactly why I had exploded on Sam. He had hit Emerson. I would've done the same to anyone else, even Ethan. I thought of her as 'my girl' sometimes, you know. That was what I wanted, at least.
* * * *
The next morning, I woke up with a slight headache. Halloween had to be on a Sunday, didn't it? I reluctantly got up out of bed and got dressed.
At school, I was falling asleep in most of my classes. When it was finally lunchtime, I sat down at my regular table, but wasn't listening to any of the conversation.
What was wrong with me? I must be going crazy. I shook my head and trudged to my next class as the bell rang again.
During football practice, the same thing was happening. Coach called me up to play.
"DOLAN! GET IN POSITION!"
I got up from the bench and went to my place. As we began, I ran to where I was supposed to go, but I stopped suddenly something caught my eye.
I felt myself being thrown across the field, my back hitting the back of my helmet with force. Coach stood above me, "Dolan? What's up with you today? You're distracted. Go sit outside!" he orders, and I obey.
I sit back on the bench and look around the field, trying to find what caught my eye. Then I realize.
It was Emerson.
Emerson was the thing that had been distracting me this whole day. Ever since she came here, everything had been different. I couldn't stop thinking about her. This crush had gotten to be a little too much. I needed to know if she felt the same way, but I wasn't sure if I could take the rejection.
What was I gonna do?
~ ~ ~ ~
SONG OF THE CHAPTER: Ocho Cinco
ARTIST: DJ Snake and Yellow Claw
ALBUM: Encore