Ski Lodge

21// Picnic

"So... wait," I look over at Emmett who has just brushed his teeth and returned to his bed for the night.

"Yes?"

I hesitate, working up the courage to ask, "did your mom have cancer when you were asked to ask me to the dance?"

Emmett's adam's apple bobs. "Yes."

"I'm sorry! I didn't know! No wonder you were so worked up in between being stood up and your mom!"

"It still didn't give me the right to say that," Emmett's dark eyes fogged over.

He sat glumly in his little hospital bed. I thought back to our kiss in the snow. The warmth of his lips which should have been cold. The way he wrapped his jacket around me, letting the snow in.

"I'll be right back," I said and got up out of my hospital bed.

I walked out of the little room and down the hall where I promptly ran into a frazzled Gloria.

"What are you doing out of your room? You need something?" She asked as she tucked curly, damp pieces of hair behind her ears.

"Don't worry about me! Just getting a snack!"

"Oh, well go down two floors to get to the mess hall. It's better than the vending machine crap." With that she ran off down the hall.

I took the elevator down two floors and popped out into the mess hall. I walked over to the drinks station and grabbed two Styrofoam cups and filled them with hot water. I took two hot cocoa pouches from the kit on the side with the tea pouches. I set the water and pouches on a tray and walked over to the line hoping it would have... ah! Yes! Broccoli. I scoop broccoli into two tiny bowls and grab two chocolate ice creams and two spoons at the end of the line. I carry my tray carefully back up the stark halls of the hospital and the metal elevator that doesn't show a single fingerprint.

I use my elbow to knock on the door and when I hear Emmett say, "come in!" I open the door with my knee, nearly dropping the tray in the process.

"Whoa what's that?" Emmett says. He's standing halfway across the room as if he was getting up to open the door but I beat him to it.

"A snack," I smile.

He walks right in front of the tray and looks down, laughing at what he sees. "Hot chocolate, broccoli, and chocolate ice cream. What no tea?"

"After last time I thought it might be a safety hazard," I tease.

"Here," Emmett takes the tray and puts it on his bed. He then jumps up to sit by the pillows and beckons me to sit on the foot of the bed.

"It's like a picnic," I say as I slowly sit. I'm on the same bed as Emmett. Three feet away with a plate of food in between us, but still.

"Trisha, this is hilarious," Emmett laughs as he pours the hot cocoa into his cup of hot water, "it's like our trip highlights."

"Hopefully we will have a few more before we leave," I smile back at him.

He looks up at me smiling but then it fades. "You got a text while you were gone. I read it thinking it was my phone."

Emmett points to the two black iPhones sitting side by side on the little table in between our beds.

I grab my phone and look at the insanely long message. "You read the whole message thinking it was yours?" I smile up at him. He doesn't respond, so I start to read.

"Hey Trisha, I'm not the jerk you make me out to be. I know I dumped you at prom, but I was just a kid then, you know. You can't still be holding that against me now. It was just too long ago. I mean two whole years. And I miss you, Trish. You can't just throw what we had away because you're mad at me! I was a jerk but so were you. You have ignored me for the past two years, and I'm sick of it! You need to forgive me! I... I love you! And you love me too, I know it! You were going to tell me on prom night and I freaked! Please call this number... it's my mom's phone but I'll be sitting by it for the next few hours."

Another text came in while I was reading.

"I know you've seen this. C'mon just pick up the phone. Give me the chance to change your mind about me."

I took a screenshot of the messages and sent them to my dad with the words "restraining order?" And then to my friends as 'proof.' And then I blocked the number.

I looked back at Emmett who was staring at me.

"Pesky ex," I sighed feeling kind of embarrassed that he'd read all of that.

"Was that the same guy as before? Tim?" Emmett asked.

"Yeah, he was my date for um homecoming but he had orchestra so he couldn't go which is why my mom called your mom in the first place."

"Ah."

I suddenly felt a surge of confidence and I needed to ask, "Emmett, was our kiss real?"

"Are you dating Tim?" He asked at the same time.

I laugh, "Does that message sound like I'm dating Tim? Gosh, no. He's the last person on Earth I'd ever date again. He won't leave me alone!"

Emmett was grinning at me.

"So shall we?" I pointed to the food.

"Yes," Emmett said as he lifted the tray off of the bed and onto the table.

I looked at him confused until he turned back around and moved closer to me.

Realization hit me faster than his hand landed on my arm and smiled up at him as he loomed above me. Tucking one leg under me to give me a little height, I raised my head to him and our lips met in a crash.