Dear Emma

Leaving

After what seemed like an hour, Audrey, Nate and Emma still couldn’t decide what to do. Emma always hated every idea the other two had, and whenever she suggested something, Nate and Audrey were horrified, always saying it was too dangerous, or stupid.

“You know what? Maybe we should just go to sleep,” Audrey suggested.

Emma shook her head. “Are you kidding? It’s only ten.”

There was silence for a moment, and suddenly Emma froze. She looked really pale, almost sickly, and Audrey was confused. Where was the crazy, wild Emma who was there a second ago?

“Um, excuse me.” Emma stood up, and walked out of Audrey’s room, turning down the hallway then running into the bathroom.

Nate looked at Audrey worriedly. “Is she sick?”

“I don’t know,” Audrey replied. “I should probably go and check.”

Nate nodded silently, and after a moment, Audrey got up and went to knock on the bathroom door. Just as she did, Emma burst out, the colour restored to her cheeks, and a huge, typical-of-Emma smile on her face.

“Are you okay, Emma?”

Emma’s smile became even bigger. “Duh. I just remembered I’m not allowed to be sleeping over tonight.”

Audrey became more perplexed than before. Since when had not having her parents’ permission stopped Emma from doing something? What was wrong with Emma tonight?

“Well, what are you going to do?”

“I’m just going to walk home.”

“It’s the middle of the night.”

“So? My house is only a street away from yours.”

Trust Emma to feel okay walking around outside, alone, at eleven o’clock in the night.

Audrey wrapped her arms around Emma. “Are you sure?”

Emma nodded. “Catch ya later.”

Audrey rolled her eyes.