If Not For Her

Chapter 8. Cookies and a listening ear

Emmalyn pulled out a cigarette and watched her go. She didn't understand Annabeth, not a bit, and she wanted to. Annabeth was always there, with her books and paintings. She seemed happy in her world with her friends. Emmalyn craved that peace. She wondered if the boys crushed on her, they surely did. Annabeth was always pretty but this year, she changed.

This year she was beautiful. Emmalyn was determined to crack the puzzle of Annabeth Reed. She looked down at her cigarette and put it out with a faint smile. "Hello, stranger," said someone from behind her. She spun around. "Fuck off," she said. Dexter stayed she started walking away. "Wait" he held her hand, "Dexter, I am warning you to leave me alone," she said.

"Emmalyn, we need to talk about what happened, I di-" before he could complete his sentence a punch landed right on his jaw. He staggered backward, holding his jaw. "You want to talk Dexter, you bloody hooked up with my sister on my birthday and dumped me in front of everyone, now you two are together. There is nothing left to say. You two deserve each other" Emmalyn walked away without any word. Her eyes burned with tears. She hated him, but she loved him too. He was her first boyfriend, her first love, her first kiss, she always thought they would be together forever, and maybe forever to him meant only a few years.

She sat on the bleachers, her stomach rumbled, and she missed lunch. Someone sat beside her. She turned to see Nicolas sitting next to her. She looked ahead at the empty ground. "sandwich?" he offered. She looked at him, he was holding a sandwich in his hand, "I didn't see you at lunch and thought maybe you would want something to eat" "Thank you," she said taking it. He took a bite at his, she was grateful for someone. All her friends ditched her and Sof well, she was great but not the most reliable.

"You ok?" he asked, tenderly. She felt her throat closing up, she tossed her hair to her side, she wasn't going to cry because of that boy. She bit her lip and answered "yes". He nodded, " this is better than the school's café," Emmalyn said, "Glad," Nicolas answered. "You made it? you cook?" she asked. "Yes, but deserts are my specialty," he said. "so, do you want to open a restaurant or something?" she asked.

"A café actually," he said. "have you decided what to call your café maybe it will be easier to find when you open it, "she asked. Nicolas laughed. "Well, daisy I think," he said. "After your girlfriend?" she asked. "No, not after my girlfriend" a smile spread across his lips. Emmalyn cocked her head. "well, there is, was a girl my best friend's sister Bethy, she used to give me daisies every day and well, I started baking because of her actually" he said. "Well, I hope you find your Bethy, does she go here?" she asked.

"Yes, actually" he answered, the smile never leaving his face. "Where did you go earlier?" she asked, he seemed familiar, then she realized, "I remember you, you are that boy, who gave us cookies." she smiled. "You gave me one after a fight, God you grew," she said. A warm memory resurfaced, she had a fight with Evelyn and then he came and offered her a warm cookie and she told him what happened and that was the last day she saw him, until now.

" well, it seems we meet when you need some food and a listening ear" "you could go talk to Bethy, why are sitting here?" she asked. "Well, you seemed miserable, so I thought maybe I should stay a bit," he said. " I am happy you are here" "my pleasure," he said. "Why are you miserable?" he asked. "Don't you think you are asking a personal question?" she asked. "Hey, I overshared and it is only fit that you overshare too," he said. "Fine," she said, smiling. "I recently had a breakup, I got dumped actually" he nodded, and she looked at him. "Let it out, you would feel lighter," he said.

She breathed out, "we were together for nearly five years and then he hooked up with my sister on my birthday, I caught them and the worst part is it had been going on for nearly a year and all of my friends knew, and none of them told me," she said. "What a douche," Nicolas said. "Yep," she said, her fingers twisting around the necklace he gave her. Nicolas looked at her hands, "you should put ice on that," he said. She nodded and took out her necklace. she fisted it and threw it on the field.

"Not my best decision," she said, looking at the necklace lying at a distance less than a foot from them, "Nope," he said. "It was great talking to you, Nicolas" she got up. He smiled at her, she saw his dimples. She could fall for someone like him.