The Reasons Why I Need You

21. Point Proven

        "Emma, Jared's at the door," Skylar shouts.
        "Ugh tell him to go away!"
        "Okay," she yells. A couple seconds later she adds," He says he's not leaving until you hear him out."
        "Tell him-"
        "No, this is ridiculous! Tell him yourself, I'm not the messenger here!"
A couple seconds later I hear thuds up the stairs and see Skylar in my door way. "Jared's waiting."
         "Ugh," I groan as I stand up. She smirks at me as I walk past her. I jog quickly down the stairs. What's Jared's pathetic speech going to be about? Oh my gosh is that Victor? With a guitar? Oh please, someone help me!!!
         "Hi," he says as I stand in the door way only about a foot away from him.
         "What do you want?"
         "Your forgiveness." Oh. My. God. Someone gag me.
         "Jared, you can't expect me to just take you back after you pull a stunt like this! This shows how unreliable you are, and I don't know how you can expect me to take you back again if you just get mad when I am wanting to know about something."
         "Emma, it wasn't the fact that you wanted to know that I was bothered; it was the fact you believed him over me because I'm your boyfriend, not him. But me being unreliable, I understand that because I am. And I really hope you can deal with it because I really really like you. I don't want to lose you again."
           "What makes you think I'll take you back?"
           "You did the first time," he says giving me a cheeky childish grin. One of these days I'm going to have to stop giving in to his cuteness.
           "But Jared, what I'm scared about is that we fight quite a bit. What isn't going to say this is how our relationship is going to be? Love, fight, break-up, love, fight, break-up. I don't want to be in a relationship like that."
           "We can find a balance, a compromise," he says smiling. "I'm willing to try anything for you. Anything."
            His words cause me to smile. He's right, we need to compromise which will be difficult but it is possible.
            "Take me back sweetheart?"
            I pretend to think about it. "Hm, no. I'm kidding, yes." I quickly kiss him after the yes. And he wraps his arms around me. I almost forgot about Victor's presence, but I get sadly reminded when he starts playing the guitar horribly.
             I back away from Jared and stare at Victor in confusion. "How does Evelyn put up with this?"
             "She says that I'm talented."
             "Well she's lying," I say laughing.
             "Let's Marvin Gaye and get it on," Victor starts to sing. His voice is even worse than how he plays.
             "Who's the dying cow," I hear Skylar shout.
             "Dude stop," Jared butts in. Yay! Jared to the rescue! "You sound awful, shut up."
             "And you're ruining the song," I add.
            "Fine fine," Victor says looking defeated. "I tried to make the moment extra special."
             "Well I think all of us will remember it," I say truthfully. "Sadly."

***
             "So how many weeks before you graduate? I just want to know so I can start measuring your room so I can make it my closet," Skylar says obviously joking since her cheeky smile gave it away.
         "Ha-ha very funny sis. I graduate in two weeks."
         "Too soon, blah."
         "I know, but Jared and I are going to the beach for the whole summer! Eeeeeeeee," I squeal with excitement.
        Skylar gives me a look of "really" before adding the rolling of the eyes.
        "What?"
        "You're already whipped and you've only been with the guy for a month."
       "I am so not whipped, just excited I can go to the beach with my totally awesome boyfriend and friends who are coming too."
      "Psh, whatever. I know your whipped, and I'm sure he is too."

***

              "Hey sweetheart," Jared says to me on Monday at lunch.
              "Hey," I say before Jared quickly pecks my lips.
              "Hey," I hear a voice I didn't want to hear again. Stephen's.
              "I don't think it's smart for you to be here. I don't want to talk to you," I say looking straight forward.
              "Look, I just wanted to apologize for-"
             "No, you've done enough. Just leave," Jared says.
   "No, I want to explain myself."
   "I think your story explained it all," I snap right as I stand up. "If you're not going to leave, then I will. I'm done with this conversation."

***

"Woo," Evelyn cheers. "Girl power! Girl Power!"
"People are looking," I whisper looking around a Starbucks filled with people looking at us with curiosity.
"So? You told Stephen off! Girl Power! Girl Power!"
"Oh god Evelyn," I manage to say through all the chuckles. "Shhhhh. People must think we're crazy."
Evelyn stands up and looks around the room. "I have an announcement to make."
"Evelyn, what are you doing?"
"My dearest friend Emma, has finally found her voice. She stood up to a popular guy at school. She told him off and that is commendable-"
"Okay, I'm leaving," I say pushing my chair back. I start to head for the door subtly but not subtle enough because Evelyn notices me.
"Where are you going?"
"Home. Come on Martin Luther King, let's go home."
"Ugh! Fine, you're no fun." I don't think I'm going back to that Starbucks anytime soon. Or ever. Because I'll be spending my entire summer in Rio Del Mar and then I'll be off to Pepperdine University. So maybe Evelyn giving that speech was a good thing? I don't know, but at least I know that that Starbucks will remember me. Whether I like it or not.