Open This When...

Chapter eight

The next morning, my mom comes in my room around nine.
"Emma? Your friends are here." I sit up and swing my legs over the bed.
"Okay, I'll be down in a minute, I just have to get dressed."
"Alright, I'll let them know." I pull on jeans and my new sweater and shoes, then I go downstairs.
"Good morning guys."
"Morning Emma. Do you have plans today?"
"Nope."
"Awesome. Well, you do know, I got us tickets for some Indie band. They're playing tonight, downtown. I figured we could go, and we can walk around for a while before the concert."
"Yeah, that sounds great! Mom, can I go?"
"Sure, just try and be home by midnight."
"I will."
"Let's go shopping first, I need some new clothes anyway, and I need to find something cute to wear to the concert." Kayla says.
"Ooh, yeah, and I just got paid too." Sarah says.
"Here Emma, let me get you some money." My mom says.
"Oh, no that's fine, we just went shopping, I don't really need anything else."
"Take twenty, at least, maybe you can find some cute shirts."
"Okay." She hands it to me and I put it in my wallet. I hug her. "I love you, mom."
"I love you too, Emma, have fun tonight and please be careful."
"I will."
***********************
"Well, we're like twenty minutes early, but at least we can get a good spot." Sarah says. "What about here?"
"Perfect." Kayla says. "Not too far away but not so close that we can't see anything."
"Yeah, it's great." I say, helping Sarah and Kayla lay the blanket down and get the cooler out.
"Hey, you know what we should do tomorrow?" Kayla asks. "We should go to the drive-in."
"Oh yeah! We can bring our food and drinks, Emma, what do you think?"
"That sounds really good. It's been a long time since I've been to the drive-in."
"Awesome, I'll pick you up at seven okay?"
"Sounds good to me." I say.
*************
After the concert is over, Kayla drops me off at home.
"The concert was great. I can't wait until tomorrow!"
"I know." Sarah says. "Me either." I go inside.
"Mom? Dad? I'm home!"
"Did you have fun? How was the concert?"
"I did, and It was great, mom, I think you would have liked it."
"Where was it?" Dad asks.
"The pavilion, downtown."
"Oh yeah, they have all kinds of local bands there."
"I loved it, I definitely want to go to another one someday."
"We'll have to go to one as a family one day."
"For sure, that would be nice." I yawn. "I'm gonna get some sleep." I hug them and go upstairs. I change into my pajamas, lie down, and burst into tears. I don't know why, I had an amazing time tonight, but for some reason, I'm sad. And then I realize why; When I told Kayla I hadn't been to the drive-in for a while, I meant it, I haven't been since the accident, and Eli always went with us, I can't go without him, it would feel wrong.
I wipe at my eyes and get up, going to my desk and grabbing my letters. I take out "open this when you're sad" and go back to bed. I turn on my lamp and start reading.
Emma, I'm sorry that you're sad, if you need someone to talk to, I'm always here, you can call me or text me, It doesn't matter what time it is, I just want you to be happy, I love you and your happiness is so, so important to me. I wish I could be there physically to comfort you, to make things better for you, but since I can't, I hope this letter is enough.
I'm crying harder now then I was before and I can't seem to stop.
"Emma? Honey are you crying?" Dad asks. "Jen, I think she's crying." He sounds so concerned that it makes me cry harder.
"Emma? Open the door baby, it's okay." I shakily get up and open my door. "Oh Emma.. What is it honey?" My mom asks, hugging me.
"I.. I can't go to the drive-in tomorrow!"
"The drive-in? Who were you going with?" I realize I never mentioned tomorrow's plans to them.
"Kayla and Sarah, but I can't! Because Eli won't be there and I can't go without him."
"You don't have to go, Emma, they'll understand. Just text Sarah or Kayla, it's okay."
"I'm gonna feel bad canceling." I say.
"It's okay Emma, they will understand, I promise."
"How about some tea? And I made cookies earlier." Mom says. I nod.
"Okay." I whisper, feeling like I'm a little kid again. I grab my phone and send a quick text to Sarah saying I'm not feeling well and can't make it, then I go downstairs. After I calm down a little, I go back upstairs and lie down, falling asleep almost immediately.

************************************
So this was a long update! I feel like i've not done an update this long in a while. Anyway, on the weekends(Friday, Sunday) I will be doing two updates each day, they'll be between 200-400 words!