"No," she said simply, looking up into Jason's crystal blue eyes, making him frown. His outstretched hand fell back awkwardly at his side. She turned away from him, wishing for him to just disappear. She honestly hoped she wouldn't run into him tonight, but the devil had other plans, apparently.
"Emma, don't be rude to your guests. One dance wouldn't hurt you, dear," her father stated, sipping on his wine while looking at his friends. She ground her teeth, glaring up at him.
"But, Father..." He cut her off quickly.
"Go, Emma." She huffed, turning back towards Jason. A sly smile made its way back onto his lips before he held out his hand towards her. Slowly, she took it, and he led her into the middle of the living room where other people were dancing. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, her hands slightly shaking while his went low on her waist. He pulled her body close to his chest.
"Happy birthday, Emma. Aren't you excited to be eighteen along with the new year to come?" he whispered with a smile, making her glare slightly up at him. She couldn't tell if he was trying to be funny or not, but it felt a lot like it.
"You can drop the nice guy act with me. I'm none of your business," she said back in a hushed voice, looking around them. Everyone else seemed oblivious to their little argument.
"I would say it is my business, seeing as you showed up at my house with that thug you've been hanging around with, accusing me of crimes I didn't commit..." he said in an overly loud voice that trailed off at the end. Her eyes widened, looking from side to side before snapping up to his.
"Keep your voice down." His hand tightened on the back of her dress as they swayed side to side. She tried to pull away, but he kept her firmly in place.
"You're the one that wanted to be out of my life, so don't involve me again in your messy business. I'm only here because my mother is friends with yours. When you're done with your trip on the so-called wild side, please don't come looking for me." He pressed his lips tightly before removing his hands from her. He took a step back from her, straightening his suit jacket.
"I'm not the one that sent that letter, but I believe in karma. Just the way you hurt me and broke my heart... I hope you get everything you deserve," he said lowly, making a chill run down her body. "Good luck and goodbye." He straightened his tie and turned, walking away into the crowd of people.
A single tear rolled down her cheek. It suddenly felt like the walls were closing in around her. Her breathing suddenly felt heavy. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, looking down at her heels. Her hair fell around her face, blocking out her eyes. Through the black hair, she saw Niki's concerned face.
"Emma, are you alright? You don't look good." Niki pushed Emma's hair out of her watery eyes. "I just got here and I already found you crying. Are you okay? Come on, let's get some air."
Emma swallowed, nodding her head as Niki took her hand, leading her out of the living room to the backyard. There were a few people walking around. She saw Whitney and Claire sitting by the pool. Niki pulled her over towards them. Whitney's smile fell upon seeing Emma's teary eyes.
"What happened?"
Emma sat on one of the chairs while Niki sat beside Claire, who looked at Emma concerned. "I don't know. I just found her like this in the middle of the dance floor when I got here. She hasn't said a word, and when I found her, it looked like she was seconds from having a panic attack for real," Niki said while Emma fidgeted with the necklace. Her mind was racing. Jason had made it clear that he wasn't the one that sent the letter, but who else would have? She wasn't even sure she could trust Jason's word; he could have easily done it. He was crazy.
Claire stood up, kneeling beside Emma. "Emma, what happened? Please say something; you're freaking me out," she said, sounding panicked, making Whitney hit her arm slightly.
"I think I have a stalker," Emma whispered, unable to believe her own words.
Whitney rubbed her back, trying to console her in some way. "What's going on? Did I miss something?" Emma turned her head, seeing Kandy walking towards them. She was dressed in her more buttoned-up look, with her glasses and hair in a slicked-back bun, wearing a knee-length dark blue dress. Emma guessed she dressed this way to fool her parents, but honestly, Emma didn't care about any of that at the moment because it felt like her world was falling apart.
Claire quickly took the time to catch Kandy up on everything that had happened tonight while she sat on the other chair.
"Maybe you need some time to regroup. Maybe go for a short walk for a few minutes and get some air. We'll cover for you if your parents start asking about you," Whitney said while Niki nodded, patting Emma's back.
Emma smiled slightly, looking between them. "And stay out as long as you need. Just take your phone just in case. Don't worry, we'll have everything under control here," Claire said while Emma stood up, straightening her dress. She smiled while gesturing at Kandy.
"But won't it ruin your night? Where's Chris, by the way?"
She shook her head while shrugging. "Of course not. And he's probably elbow-deep in the narcos right now; he won't even mind. Go clear your head, girl. Everything is fine," she said, reassuring her.
Emma felt lucky to have such understanding friends. "Thanks, guys. I'll have my phone on me the whole time, and I'll call if I need anything." She sent them a wave before walking out the back gate. Her heels clicked as she began to walk down the sidewalk, the sound echoing as she hoped this walk would help to clear her head.
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...
