Midnight Message

Chapter 16 - Code Red

Gemma's heart pounds as she rereads the last message she sent to Trent. This is the fifth time she has read it in as many minutes. And it still isn't going away. Oh no. What have I done?

Gemma's hand shakes as she exits out of her conversation with Ego Boy. Clearly her impulsive message wasn't going away, no matter how hard she tried to erase it with her eyes.

Feeling slightly dizzy, Gemma puts her hands on her forehead and pushes away a few strands of brown hair that have fallen across her face. Out of the corner of her eye she sees her half eaten snacks resting beside her on the couch. She pushes them away too. Suddenly, she doesn't feel hungry.

What was I thinking?! I can't believe I let Ego Boy get the better of me. What am I going to do now? Good one Gemma. The award for the dumbest impulse decision goes to you.

Gemma leans her head back against the couch cushion behind her and groans. She has just agreed to meet Trent Caldwell, a bad boy who is well aware of his effect on females, at a bar. Gemma knows the Mt View Hotel. It is on Bridge Road in Richmond. She has walked past it many times during her frequent window shopping trips, but has never been inside. Come to think of it. Gemma thinks desperately to herself. I've never even been in a bar before. What have I gotten myself into?

Gemma reaches for her phone and scrolls through her contact list. She can't do this on her own. She needs back up. She needs help. She needs....Emily. Gemma finds her best friend's name on her contact list and taps it. She types a two word message and hits send.

Code Red.

Gemma takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. After what seems like an eternity, she feels her phone buzz in her hand.

Fear not, sweet child. I shall be with you momentarily. Where is the location of your disaster?

Despite herself, Gemma smiles.  Overdramatic Emily never fails to make her laugh, even in the most stressful of situations. Gemma texts her 'location'.

I'm at home.

While she waits for her friend to arrive, she carries the half eaten dip and crackers back into the kitchen. She also places the untouched block of chocolate back on the shelf. I didn't even eat the chocolate. I guess there's a first time for everything!

After what seems like forever, Gemma sees Emily's bouncing, blond curls through the lounge room window. Gemma walks to the front door and opens it, ushering her best friend into the house.

'Ok' says Emily. She reaches her arms above her head before bending down and touching her toes. She follows up with a number of other stretches before finally saying. 'Bring on the Code Red situation.'

The two friends had come up with 'Code Red' while they were in high school. It basically meant 'Desperate boy troubles. Help required immediately.'

With her pretty blond curls and adventurous nature, Emily had used it many times during the girls' high school years, usually when she was receiving unwanted attention from a boy at a party. She had also used it the day before her first date with her now long-term boyfriend, Jake. Gemma had spent the whole day helping her pick an outfit to wear and reassuring her that Jake would still like her, no matter what she wore.

Before today, Gemma had only ever used 'Code Red' once. On her 18th birthday...

Gemma rolls her eyes. She leads Emily to the kitchen table, where both girls sit down. Gemma brings Emily up to date about her conversations with Trent. She finishes by explaining how his cocky attitude provoked her into agreeing to meet him at the Mt View Hotel. 'So basically' Gemma concludes 'I'm an idiot.'

Emily creases her brow in thought. She taps her finger absentmindedly on the kitchen table as she speaks. 'So let me get this straight. You've been exchanging messages with a smoking hot footy player. You went to the previously mentioned player's game, at which time you left a note in his bag. This obviously stirred him up and made him realise he wants to meet this sexy, mysterious girl. So Mr. Sexypants himself invites you to meet him tomorrow night. And you said yes.'

'That's pretty much it' Gemma answers dejectedly. She stares at the bowl of fruit her mum had placed in the middle of the kitchen table.

'I think you have three options' Emily says calmly.

Gemma raises her eyebrows.

Emily continues. 'Option 1' she says, holding up her index finger 'You chicken out. You don't go and meet lover boy. Nothing changes'

'Don't call him Lover Boy' Gemma groans.

'Whatever' Emily says, unfazed. 'Option 2: You go to the hotel and then chicken out. You spend the whole night hiding from Lover Boy'

Gemma rolls her eyes at her friend's nick name for Trent. So far both options have involved Gemma 'chickening out'. Gemma doesn't like the idea of backing down. If someone challenges her or doubts her, she usually works extremely hard to prove them wrong. It's that attitude that got me into this mess in the first place. Gemma thinks. I let Trent's taunting get the better of me.

'Option 3' Emily says with an air of triumph. Obviously Option 3 is her personal favourite. 'You go to the hotel. You march straight up to Lover Boy. He falls deeply in love with you and the two of you spend the rest of the night making passionate love in a dimly lit corner of the Mt View Hotel.'

Gemma groans. She picks up an apple from the fruit bowl and throws it at Emily. The thought of Trent being right about his ability to seduce her repulses Gemma. No. She would NEVER give Trent that kind of satisfaction. His ego's big enough as it is.  

Emily, unfazed by having fruit thrown at her face, continues. 'Come on Gemma, live a little! Unleash your inner wild side by hooking up with Mr. Sexy AFL hottie!'

Gemma sticks the index finger on her right hand into her mouth and pretends to gag. 'I'm sorry. Hearing Trent Caldwell referred to as a 'hottie' seems to have triggered my gag reflex'

It's Emily's turn to roll her eyes.

After a moment of silence, Gemma speaks quietly. 'I think I actually do want to go'

Emily's eyes light up.

'Not' Gemma says firmly before Emily has a chance to speak 'to hook up with the egotistical jerk. But to prove him wrong.'

Gemma imagines meeting up with Trent at the Mt View Hotel. She pictures him sauntering over to her confidently. Self-assurance and cockiness lingering about him like a bad smell. Then she pictures his face when she stands, unaffected and unimpressed in front of him. The satisfaction of proving Ego Boy wrong and not giving in to his 'charm'. That's why I want to go.

'Well' says Emily 'Whatever your motives, I believe the right decision has been reached.' She slides the kitchen chair backwards and stands up.

'Wait!' says Gemma. 'I...can't face him alone'

'I thought you couldn't care less about this guy' Emily says. She raises her right fist towards the roof and announces triumphantly 'Gemma The Great takes down the mighty sex god. Females for generations to come will tell stories about you.'

Gemma smiles weakly.

'Buuuuut' Emily says. 'Behind every strong woman is a glamourous wing-woman.'

'Thanks Em' Gemma says. She walks around the table and hugs her best friend. As they hug, Gemma wonders whether Emily can feel her heart beating abnormally quickly. Why am I nervous? Trent's an arrogant jerk. His good looks don't impress me. There's no danger of me being in any way attracted to him. He is just Ego Boy. Over-confident, disgusting, nauseatingly cocky Ego Boy.

Trent Caldwell. Gemma thinks determinedly. Your ego is going down.