Timeless

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

            “We need to go to the dollar store, honey. We’ll be right back. Again, we’re so sorry we’re leaving now, but it was wonderful meeting you, Hunter.” Emily’s mother said apologetically.

            “It’s fine. It was nice meeting you too. Why do you need to go to the dollar store?”

            “For party hats!” Emily said in her high-pitched voice and a smile on her face. Her mother smiled sadly, coming over and giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Yes, we’ll get you party hats. Be good, we won’t be long.” She said softly. Emily smiled.

            She waved to us and closed the front door behind her. At first, I was petrified when I rang Emily’s doorbell, worried about her parents and just seeing Emily herself. Hanging out alone with her. But her family was just as normal as any other family, and that made me feel considerably better.

            Emily turned to me. “Well...should we start?”

            I hesitated. “Start what?”

            “I don’t know...start...laughing...maybe.” She leaned back, sinking  into the cushions and curling her feet under her. “Why’d you come here, Hunter? Hunterrrr....” She purred like it was a lullaby. “Hunter...Is something wrong, Hunter? You seem like you’re mad...or sad...or scared...oh well. Maybe the laughing scares you sometimes, like you think if you stop you’ll just become sadder...” Emily’s voice was soft, tender, and I was tempted to think about what she would be like as a mother for no reason.

            “Okay my beautiful daughter...hmm, daughter...you’re my daughter. I have an idea! We’ll teach you to play an instrument, would you like that? Music. Music, music, music...pretty, pretty daughter...”

            “Well, I’m just having some problems with London. And...and my sister kind of.” I couldn’t believe what I was saying. I’d never told anyone about Starburst. But with Emily, as selfish as it sounds, she’s too gone to repeat anything, and...I don’t know. With Emily, loony or not, she was just someone you could talk to without fear of being judged.

            “What kinda problems? Can they solved, like math? I never did get math...too many rules.”

            I laughed. “Yeah, damn those numbers and integers.” Emily smiled unconsciously, a halo of raven’s feathers around her face, and I reached to run my fingers through her hair, her head ending up in my lap, just...lazing.  “But...yeah, every problem can be solved.”

            “Not those annoying equations that have no solution. Is that it? Do you have a no solution-type of problem?”

            I shrugged, liking the comparison even though it did nothing to help me with said problem. “Maybe. London’s mad at me...but not really mad at me.”

            “Yeah, she’s like that. Would you like some food?”

            I shook my head. “No, thank you. And then Starburst...she’s, um, she’s hurting....she’s different—”

            “Is she not all there too? I’d really like to meet her...another outcast.” Looking down at Emily, I saw a glimpse of normal. A normal teenage girl, longing for acceptance, the light from the window capturing her innocence and desire, and for a moment, I’m overcome by desire myself. She’s bright, brighter than a lighters’ flame, and in her features I see an all-there girl.