Surprise

Chapter 26: Let's go to the mall!

The walk from Emma's house to the mall was about ten minutes, and the whole time she made it quite obvious that she still wasn't comfortable with the idea of werewolves and vampires being real.  She walked two feet away from us at all times, making me wonder why she'd so easily accepted our invitation to join us.

Of course, with the way Lin had glared at her, I figured she didn't have much of a choice.  Go out with non-humans or stay at home with someone who seems to want to tear your head off and do a Mexican hat dance on top of it.

Stella was talking to her the whole walk about random things, but mostly her present birthday.  "I'm just really excited!  Every year Jack and Tyler and I all go out and do something for my birthday, because Tyler's birthday was yesterday and we didn't do anything.  We just combine every year."

She was talking a mile a second and reminded me vaguely of a squirrel on caffeine eating sugar.  Emma seemed a little distracted, but smiled politely and nodded.

I sighed.  "So, Emma, how've you been?  Have things been better since last week?"  She looked at me and nodded.

"Yeah, except for Lin.  She's mad at me because of that tea."

Stella looked at her confused.  "You told her about that?"

"No.  I mean she's mad because she's confused and she knows I know something she doesn't and won't speak to me because of it."

"Oh."  I nodded, understanding what she was saying.

"Once, my best friend wouldn't talk to me for months because this guy liked her, but made me swear not to tell her, if that is in any way similar to your situation."  It wasn't for ten more seconds when I realized that for the first time since arriving here I'd spoken to anyone about anyone from Maine, and I'd hardly even thought of Hannah in the weeks since I'd left, and I hadn't thought of any memories.

I laughed.  It was weak, and not sincere, but I forced myself to laugh.  It was either laugh or cry, and it would look weird if I randomly started crying.  So I laughed.

I missed her so much.  If I had stayed, she would have been there for me.  She would have been the one to bring me ice cream once she heard, and help me get through everything, and she would have come to the funeral with me.

But I wouldn't think about that now.  "So anyway," I said, racking my brain for an idea of a distraction, "Was that your Aunt who answered the door?  Jack said you were in town visiting."

She nodded.  "Yeah, I'm only here another week and a half now.  That was my Aunt Karen.  She's been looking for a chance to get out all day, but she didn't want to leave me home alone.  She trusts Lin more than me, so she's probably heading to the grocery store now."

Stella smiled at her.  "Why wouldn't she trust you?"  The question was innocent, but I could tell she was prodding for information.  A background check of sorts for Jack.

Emma shrugged.  "Eh, last time I might have started a small fire.  It was miniscule really, just on the stove.  Who knew that paper is so flammable?"

I blinked unbelievingly at her and she laughed.  "No, it wasn't paper, or even a fire," she assured me.  "I'm just kidding.  No, I just broke a window in my room.  They always say don't play in the house, but I don't have anywhere else to practice.  I'm on the softball team back home and coach always says to practice every spare minute you get."

Stella laughed.  "I tried T-ball once.  It didn't exactly work out," she joked, causing a genuine laugh to protrude from our human companion.

"I used to play volleyball, but that was back home, before I came here," I said, not really caring what I was saying.