Words 2214
EMERY.
"Why the fuck haven't you been returning my calls?" Chris seethes through the phone, he sighs when I don't answer, "are you coming to the party tonight?"
"No, I'm not." I simply reply, and can hear the frustration in his sigh.
"Oh, really? And why are you not?" He sarcastically meets my tone, and I can picture him squinting his eyes with his cheeks flushed with rage. My heart beats quickly.
"Because I said I'm not! I'm busy!" I explain, my voice raising slightly.
"I haven't fucking seen you since Tuesday!" I'm sure there's plenty of girls you can fuck, Chris! I want to say, but Cole is right next to me. Chris continues, "I texted you ten fucking times last night to meet at the park but you didn't fucking show up! I'm getting really tired of you Emery..."
Shit... "Chris—"
he cuts me off, "no, you need to be reminded. Sometimes you forget how badly I can fucking hurt you, Emery!"
"Chris stop! Listen, tomorrow morning, okay?"
"Tonight in my trailer." He persists instantly, his tone calmer.
I sigh, closing my eyes to collect myself, "okay, fine. When I come home, I will meet you." I say, voicing my option. God, I wish Cole could talk me out of this right now, but I don't want to tell him. At least not like this in a fucking car, late to a birthday party. The line goes dead, and I take a deep breath, placing the phone on the dashboard.
"Who was that?" Cole asks innocently, as if he didn't just hear me shout his name.
"No one important." I answer simply, putting the car in drive and driving off the curb onto the road.
Fuck, this is going to be a long day.
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"I know this is awkward." Cole explains, twisting himself around once he's beside the steps to the porch. "Thanks for coming anyways." He gives me a sweet smile.
"It's fine." I mumble, feeling quite nervous. Not only is it because of being social, and how fucking terrible I am at speaking to people, but it's also about Chris. I just fucking hate having to deal with things like this.
Enough thinking about me... who is Lilly? Cole's uncle Trevor mentioned someone named Lilly. I already asked Cole who she was, and he didn't seem to want to talk about it. I know it's fucking selfish of me, but thinking about his problems helps me forget about mine. "Who's Lilly?" I ask kicking the mulch on the concrete porch.
I hear him sigh, and he shifts his weight onto one of his feet. "She's not someone I'm willing to talk about, Emery." He says sternly, and I bite the inside of my lip, staring at my vans.
I wonder what Cole would do if I told him about Chris. Would that help me? Would he even care? Probably fucking not. I tuck a piece of my hair behind my ear, only to have it fall into my face. I sigh, looking back up and pushing it out of my vision. I should've never let Addy touch one fucking piece of my hair.
I glance at Cole, who has an almost invisible smile on his face, so small that I'm not even sure if it's actually there or if I'm imagining it. He stares at me for a few moments, and I swear I can see his eyes become darker for a split second before he rolls his eyes and kicks at the porch. I smile, trying to suppress a small laugh.
He sits down on the steps, and I suddenly get an idea. Fuck, I can't even think without feeling so fucking nervous, but maybe I should tell him about Chris tonight... which means, instead of going to Chris's shitty excuse of a trailer.
But what does that mean for Chris? Would he be mad? Yes. Fuck! There's no getting out of going to Chris's trailer is there? I try to keep the pressure that is rising in my chest from traveling to my throat. If the pressure makes it to my throat I'll sob all over the place, I know it.
I take a deep breath, walking over and sitting beside him. I run a hand through my short hair, the tips gliding through my fingers far too soon than I'm used to. I press my pink lips together, my teeth biting them shut. "Your hair looks nice like that." I hear from beside me, and I suddenly feel my chest flutter with happiness, and I smile softly.
Fuck it, Chris and wait another day. I'll text him and tell him tomorrow morning. I can do that, and I know fucking well that his lazy-ass isn't doing anything tomorrow morning. I'll even fucking bribe him to let me go free tonight. I can't do it tonight, I don't have the strength. I want to be with Cole. I want to tell Cole about Chris. "Can I ask you a question?" I whisper, and he lifts his eyebrows. "Can I stay at your house tonight?"
"You're really bad off with your parents, huh?" He assumes, playing with the hem of his jeans.
"It's not just that. I just don't want to go home." I say, my mind racing with confessions. I want to stay with you because Chris is a fucking asshole. Is on the top of my list. I'll tell him tonight, no need to tell him now. Not here at his family's birthday party.
◉‿◉
"Happy birthday to Jay! Happy birthday to you!!" Everyone fucking screams, and I must add, off key. Fuck, they are loud! Everyone cheers as Jay, I assume to be Cole's cousin, blows out his candles making one of his worthless wishes.
They distribute cake and I sit in my own corner, eating my small slice. I would get a fucking ship size slice if I was with my own family, but I don't want people thinking I'm a pig.
Cole sits beside me once he's done conversing with his family and eats his medium size slice. "I didn't tell my mom you're staying because she'll freak out and assume we're going to fuck or something." Cole whispers to me and I'm honestly not surprised. Of course they would think we're going to fuck. That's what teens do. What's the problem with that? Honestly, it would be a great distraction from my problems I'm having. But I don't need a distraction, I need to tell him about Chris tonight. Fucking won't magically tell him my secret.
I hum, a teasing smile taking my lips. "Isn't that what we're going to do?" I nod my head, licking frosting off my lips. His face pales, and his mouth opens.
"I- I mean-"
"I was kidding, Cole." I slap his arm, stopping him from redirecting his words. I already know... "if you want to," would be his words, and I don't think I can hear those words from him. Again, I need a friend not a horny teenager.
His cheeks flush and I let out a small giggle. He rolls his eyes and stuffs his face with the rest of his cake. "I'm going to say bye to everyone and then do you want to go?" He asks, trying to change the awkward subject. I must've made him uncomfortable. Oops...
I smirk at him. "Okay." I chuckle as he walks towards his uncle Trevor and aunt Amy. I lean back in my chair as I watch him put on his social smile. I've known him for about five days and I feel like I've known him for weeks. I say weeks because there are still multiple topics we haven't discussed yet. God, I'm going to tell him one of my secrets after only knowing him for five days. Should I really trust him that much?
"Hey, Emery. How are you doing?" Cole's mom comes to sit in Cole's seat beside me.
"I'm doing fine..." I trail off.
After a small pause of looking around the room,"I'm glad that you and Cole are friends." She says, looking at Cole as he squats down to talk to little eight year old Jay. I don't answer her, not really knowing what to say. "He's happier now, you know."
"Yeah?" I mumble, furrowing my eyes at her. Was he not happy before?
"He lost someone pretty close to him, which is one of the reasons we moved here. That, and being close to Barry's brother, Trevor." She explains, gesturing to Trevor. Lilly? Or is this a different friend? Fuck, he probably doesn't want me knowing this shit.
"Where did you used to live?" I ask, changing the subject.
"New Hampshire. We lived in a suburban area outside of Manchester." She explains, smiling slightly. "We almost didn't even move here because we thought New York was all city, but apparently we were wrong. I love this little town."
"Yeah, it's kind of perfect to be close to a city without feeling like you're apart of it." I mess with my plastic fork.
"Oh, do you know what your parents favorite dinner meal is? I'm thinking of inviting them to dinner sometime and I want to know their favorite dish." She asks and I shrug.
"Probably pot roast. Mom makes that a lot." I mumble and she nods.
"Okay, perfect! Thank you, Emery. You're a really nice girl, and I can't wait to get to know you more." She smiles and I try to suppress my scoff. Nice? Where did that word come from?
"Emery." Cole simply states to get my attention and I look up at him. "We're going to leave early mom and get some milkshakes."
"Cole, you just had cake!" His mother disciplines and I huff out a small laugh.
"Mom, it wasn't enough!" He meets her tone and shakes his head. "I'm a growing man, mom. Let me grow."
His mother looks at him pointedly but doesn't say anything else. I'm sure it's because I'm here, which I'm fucking glad because a milkshake sounds fucking delightful right now.
◉‿◉
"So..." Cole mumbles, taking a sip of his thick Oreo milkshake. I glance over at him, lifting my eyebrows, waiting for him to speak. "Uh... what's your favorite color?"
I look up at the ceiling in thought, "um... probably... gray." I say slowly. I'm not really sure what my favorite color is. It's just a fucking color! Why the fuck do
I need a favorite? I only said gray— or I guess grey, because I've never once heard anyone say that their favorite color is gray.
He hums, "mine is dark green." I nod, stirring my drink with my straw.
"I wish we could have some alcohol." I say, biting the inside of my lip.
"Why?" He questions innocently and I roll my eyes. He really is fucking weird.
"Because it helps you forget things; it helps you to become more comfortable with who you are." I explain, deciding now is a great time to start opening up.
"Does it?" He huffs, "in my experience it just makes me feel sick."
"You drank too much." I shrug, "I don't know. I don't ever get sick until afterwards."
"Exactly."
"So, you've drank before?" I inquire and he shrugs.
"Sort of. I've drank some." He focuses on his drink as he speaks and I nod, shrugging my shoulders.
"Only some?"
He takes a deep breath before answering, "yeah, Emery. Why is that shocking?"
"No, it's not that." I huff out an amused chuckle, "I applaud your self control" I pause a moment, "so you went to parties?"
"I didn't go to parties, but I did drink with friends."
"So you partied?"
"No. There's a difference between partying and having a few drinks with your friends." He points out and I roll my eyes. There is no difference! You are still with your friends getting drunk off your ass.
"Alright." I say instead and I look out the car window. We're currently parked in the parking lot of Harlem Shake while we finish our milkshakes. It's dark outside, the only light being the few street lights and occasional car. My window is down slightly, because it feels nice out. I love the sound of cars passing by, it's so soothing. It's like a waterfall. I sigh as my mind travels back to Lilly. Who is Lilly? "Did you have a girlfriend?"
He sighs, leaning back in his seat. "Yeah, I did."
"What happened?" I ask and he shakes his head.
"You have to tell me what happened with your parents first." He says instantly and I scoff. He doesn't need to know about all of that. Maybe this is a good time to mention Chris?
"Okay, I'll tell you half of something, but then you need to tell me half of the story with your girlfriend, alright?" I negotiate and he chuckles a little shaking his head in some sort of disbelief before nodding.
"Alright... go ahead."
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𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛'𝚜 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎
Do you think she should tell him?
Who is Lilly? What happened with her?
I started reading The Shining by Stephen King so I haven't written in a few days. I need to get back on track!!
Chapter twenty seven: Dec. 11, 2020