STRAWBERRIES × CIGERETTES

Chapter 4 | Emily

There I was standing in front of my house. All those memories came flooding in.

That tree on the right, me and mom would always sit there and draw.

Those plants beside the main entrance, me and dad would always do gardening every Sunday.

That bird house, Me and Noah. We'd always play there and he would chase the birds around while I filled their food and water bowls and watch them eat and feed their babies after yelling at him.

I chuckled, as I thought of him. I looked towards the garage and Grey was already there. Soon the truck came from behind honking.

The truck driver helped me out down all the boxes. Wait ! Where the hell out my labels !?

"Uhmm excuse me..?" I said.

"Yeah?" The driver asked

"I had pasted labels on all the boxes, where are they?"

" Oh must have flown away, no idea " saying this he sat in his truck and drove off.

What the actual fuck just happened.

There were like freaking 12 boxes out here all mixed up now!

I groaned. I took the tape off from the first box which luckily still had its label 'stationary'.

I opened the box and shuffled around until I found my scissors.

I cut two more boxes and stacked them on top of the stationary box as they were some decorations for my room. I bought them from Amazon. They were beautiful.

My phone rang again and I picked it up.

"Hey baby ! Reached home ?" Amelia said from the other side.

"Yeah Just did" I said as I put the call on speaker and put it on top of the three stacked up boxes.

"Did you get all our boxes ?"

"Ya, That idiot truck driver just left. He lost all my labels and now I'm stuck outside organising these large boxes!" I groaned.

"Oh dear" she laughed.

"Hey don't laugh!" I yelled.

"Fine Fine" still laughing.

"Amelia!" I yelled again.

"Alright.!" She said finally stopping.

"Ughhh I miss you already!" I groaned as I untapped the fourth box.

"Me too baby, Are you alright?" She asked making me furrow my brows.

"What do you mean?" I asked, busy with the boxes.

"You know, you'll be staying along there and your mom passed awa- Are you sure you'll be alright? " she asked making me pause.

" I'll be fine Amelia, I promise! " I giggled.

" Emily! I miss you ! " Nina whined from the background making me laugh.

" God Nina ! Chill" I said laughing to myself.

" You know I cant! You got accepted to NYU already and I'm still stuck here waiting and refreshing my mails. " she yelled.

" I got a scholarship Nina"

" stop bragging! " she cut me off making me laugh again.

" Did your Grey reach your house? No dents ? " she asked.

" Nah Grey is all good. "

" Damn, who names their car after their colour. "

" Listen, I'm not good at naming cars alright ! You literally named you bike 'bikey' so mine's way better " I scoffed.

" Whatever . " I know she probably rolled her eyes right there.

Me and Nina had saved money together so we both bought a car - Grey - and a moterbike - bikey- She taught me how to ride it and now I'm already an expert.

Nina was kinda a badass chick, she was confident and beautiful as hell. She was kind and mature and immature.

I am really lucky to have her.

When Nina had finally moved in with me and Amelia, she would stay all quiet and afraid. She would flinch if me or Amelia tried to touch her which made me mad. What if she had an abusive family and ran away from home.

Nina doesn't remember much from her childhood and I'm glad she doesn't. Who would want such memories.

After a few months, she had finally gotten more comfortable with us and started speaking. Me and Nina would usually spend our time walking to a cliff.

Did I meantion that we lived in a hilly area so there was a beautiful mountain just a 15 minutes walk and right that the top of the mountain there was a huge tree. It grew apples.

So whenever me and Nina would go there. We'd sit down under the tree after plucking some fresh apples and just look at the busy California from the top munching those juicy red apples.

"I'm gonna keep refreshing my mails, what's the deadline again ?" Nina asked, getting me out of my thoughts.

"Umm tomorrow maybe I don't know." I shrugged, opening my sixth box and making a stack.

"Huh that's too early!" She groaned.

"We are literally joining after the summer break. We are already lucky we got the permission otherwise we would have to wait another year." I said rolling my eyes.

"That's true, well I'll go refresh and gulp down my third coffee" she said and gave the phone to Amelia.

"Alright baby, stay safe okay?" She asked making me smile.

"Alright Amelia ! Anything else.?" I asked.

"No.. oh ya remember to buy your groceries right after you organise those boxes of yours. No ordering food from outside !" She warned.

"Okay okay I get it !" I replied.

"Hmm and call me everyday alright. Keep your pills with you all the time and call me if something happens"

"Got it captain!" I said.

"Emily" she warned. Uh oh.

She always used my name when she's extra serious or angry and right now, she's probably both. Dang.

" Okay I will, now can I hang up? "

" ya okay love you! " she said.

" love you" i replied.

" Love you! " Nina yelled from behind making me laugh.

" Okay bye " I said finally disconnecting the call. I put my phone in my pocket and turned around to pick the eighth box when I saw someone .

There was a boy standing at my fence gate. He had messy black hair. A sharp jaw that could probably cut something. His eyes were hazel and he had a smirk on his face.

I furrowed my brows as I just stared at him.

He was tall, like maybe 6'3 and here I was only 5'8. I mentally rolled my eyes as I noted him. His arms were folded across his chest and he was wearing a hoodie whose sleeves were pushed back till his elbow.

I could see the veins there and yes I had read plenty of romantic books. And those veins were really addictive. We both just stared at each other.

My eyes suddenly widened. Those eyes, Is that really him ?

Oh fuck. I don't know what it was but I could feel knots in my stomach.

Did I get my periods?

No that not it... It was a weird tingling feeling but I ignored it.

"OH MY GOD!" I screamed.