"He what?!" Kandy yelled, looking over at Emma, making her smile shyly. They sat side by side, getting their toenails done, gossiping about what had been going on in each other's lives.
"Right here on the lips," Emma said, lightly touching her lips. She was telling Kandy about Blake kissing her. Honestly, it was great having someone to talk to about this stuff, because she was still freaking out over it. Kandy let out a dramatic "Wow! And he didn't say anything to me about it!" She leaned back, shaking her head, sounding hurt.
"Honestly, it was better than my first kiss, and then after he did it, he said it was because I had sauce on my lips." They both shared a laugh.
Kandy rolled her eyes with a grin. "I bet there wasn't even sauce on your lips," she said while waving her hand dismissively. Emma smiled, playing with the end of her ponytail. "How was it, honestly?" Kandy asked.
Emma bit her lip while touching them, still feeling his lips on hers. "I don't want to sound dramatic or anything, but..." she blushed, looking down. "It was magical."
Kandy had a goofy smile on her face as she yelled, "Aww! That's so cute! You like him! You really, really like him!" She pushed Emma's shoulder while Kandy danced in her chair. While Kandy danced in her chair, she asked, "Have you two even made it official?"
Emma shook her head. She wasn't even sure Blake was the dating type. "No. It would never work; my parents hate him." She let out a snort. Her parents would never approve of them together. She looked at Kandy. "They even made me go on a date with this weirdo, Jason Prim. Guy's totally obsessed with me," she said while shaking her head. She tried to forget the horrible date, but it was impossible.
Kandy tilted her head, picking at her lip. "Jason Prim... as in the Toaster Strudel Prince?" The women doing their nails laughed softly, hearing the name, while Emma nodded. Kandy thought over the name for a moment before snapping her fingers, looking at her. "I know that kid! I used to go to private school with him before graduating. I was a few grades higher than him at the time."
Emma's eyes widened, completely surprised by this information. It was crazy to hear that Jason knew Kandy when she was just Clementine.
"I mean, I wasn't his friend or anything. He always kept to himself, but there was a rumor going around after a girl named... oh my god, what was her name?" Kandy pressed her eyes tight, trying to remember. "I think her name was Tammy Little. She was kidnapped and murdered, body left in the woods. Everyone thought it was him, but there was no proof other than him being weird around her before she went missing."
Emma's heart dropped in her chest. How could someone be so evil as to kill anyone? Kandy shook her head, her face covered with anger. "Because of his family's money, they were able to cover up the whole thing, like Tammy's death meant nothing. After that, his family moved... I guess he moved here."
Emma had no words. This was crazy. She might have been hanging around a murderer this whole time without even knowing it. Like Kandy said, there was no real proof, though. Who's to say what really happened?
"Just be careful around him, alright?" Emma nodded, but in the pit of Emma's stomach, she knew he killed that poor girl. This story was quickly making her feel unsettled, so she chose to change the subject to something lighter. "I overheard you say your parents were like mine. If that's the case, how did you end up with Chris?" Sure, Chris was a great guy, but most controlling parents like theirs wouldn't enjoy their little girls with guys covered in tattoos.
Kandy smiled, wrinkling up her nose slightly. "I packed my bags and ran away with him right after high school. Haven't looked back since, and I have to say... I'm pretty damn happy. Sometimes you gotta jump in the pool if you wanna learn to swim."
Emma nodded, and the women finally finished painting her toenails. Emma chose a pink color while Kandy picked green. Kandy looked down at her phone, checking the time. "Well, this took a bit of time. You thinking we should be heading back now?" Emma nodded, and they made their way back to the car. Kandy took a moment while inside to put her hair back in place along with her glasses before she started the car.
"Ready for step two?" Emma nodded, grinning as they headed down the road.
They slowly pulled up outside Emma's house. Kandy turned in her seat, facing Emma. "So, I'm gonna kiss your parents' ass a little bit to get you on this camping trip... please try not to cringe or throw up."
Emma laughed softly while opening her door. "No promises." They made their way up towards her house. Kandy gave a soft knock while sending Emma a wink.
****
Her father was the one to open the door. "Welcome back, dear. Your mother told me about your girls' day. How did it go?" he asked while gesturing them both inside. As they walked through the threshold, Emma took note of her mother sitting on the living room couch, crocheting, looking up at them as she heard the door.
"It was enjoyable, Father. It was nice to see Kand—I mean Clementine again. It's been a while." She bit her lip, hoping her parents didn't hear her slip up with Kandy's name. To her relief, her father didn't seem to notice while he took his seat beside her mother.
"That's wonderful to hear. You should come around more often, Clementine, dear," her mother smiled while nodding.
Kandy and Emma sat on the opposite couch.
Kandy set her hands on her lap, smiling. "While Emma and I were out, I told her about this great summer program we do at the news station. For about two weeks, I, along with a few coworkers, take high schoolers on a trip to Cloverton to visit one of the oldest news stations in America. It's a jam-packed two weeks of learning and upliftment." Kandy lied through her teeth very easily, with a smile on her lips.
Though she was a good liar, her mother's smile soon fell. "Oh, I don't know about that... Gerald, what do you think?" she looked over at her husband, still not impressed with the thought of her daughter going so far away.
Her father seemed to be thinking it over while Kandy continued to speak. "It's also a great opportunity for her to learn to be on her own without the two of you. I know you love her, but she is graduating soon." She set her hand on Emma's shoulder for a moment.
The room fell silent for a few minutes, and for a moment, Emma was sure they wouldn't fall for Blake's plan.
"Alright, she can go, but we would like you, Clementine, to keep us updated on her. She isn't to be trusted with a phone at the moment. A while back, her father took it away permanently, just in case that young delinquent boy has her number," her mother said in distaste while shaking her head along with her father. It made Emma want to scream. What was it about them that made them so stuck up, to think Blake was any less than them? She pressed her lips tightly, wanting more than anything to say something.
"I would love to keep you updated. Thank you very much, ma'am. You can drop her off at the news station next Friday at one." Kandy stood, shaking both their hands. "Bye, Emma! See you next Friday! I hope you're ready for a great two weeks~" She made her way to the door happily, making Emma want to smile. She couldn't believe her parents actually agreed to letting her go on this trip. After Blake kissed her yesterday, it would definitely be interesting seeing him again.
She had so many questions, like was he really looking for a relationship? Or was he just messing with her!? But of course, she would play it cool. While her parents continued to talk about the trip, she leaned against her palm, thinking this was either about to be the best two weeks ever or the most stressful.
YOU ARE READING
It Started With Hello
Romance***** Emma Pear knew she wasn't the most popular girl in high school. Her nose was usually buried in a textbook, and her grades were as spotless as her reputation for always following the rules. "Nerd" was a label she'd long since embraced. Her pare...
