Last To Know

7

"Rise and shine! We're going to the mall!"

I peeked my eyes open and hastily slapped a hand over them, wincing at the sunlight streaming through my now open windows.

"Sadie," I groaned. "I was sleeping."

"And now you're awake." I felt her hand slap against my feet. "Get out of bed, get dressed, and drink some of this lovely tea your mother made. I actually like this one, it doesn't taste like mud like the last one she gave me."

"I don't want to go anywhere," I pleaded. "Let me sleep."

"No can do. It's summer and we're going to have fuuuuun," she sing-songed.

"I was having fun...sleeping."

"Emma Rayne Burke, I will drag you from this bed if I have to. I need best friend time."

"Fine," I groaned.

"I'm glad you could see things my way," she clapped her hands together.

A moment later I heard my bedroom door close.

I forced my tired body from my bed and pulled on a pair of shorts, a white tank top, and the black hat Maddox loved so much—simply because there was no time to tame the beast. The beast being my hair, of course.

I found my mom and Sadie in the kitchen.

"Here you go, Emmie." My mom handed me a plate with an egg sandwich. "I'm glad you girls are spending some time together." With that she headed into her studio and I knew I'd be lucky if I saw her the rest of the day.

I sat down at the table beside Sadie and took a bite of my sandwich.

"Do we really have to go to the mall?" I whined. Our mall was the bane of my existence. It was a crappy mall—but even if it had been a nice mall I still would've hated it—with stores that charged too much and burnt food smelling up the place.

"Yes, we really do," she laughed, finishing her sandwich. "I need a dress for my parent's barbeque this weekend. You better come." She eyed me, daring me to say no.

"Of course," I agreed. "I'm there every year."

Sadie's family held a barbeque the week after school ended every year to celebrate the start of summer. It had been a tradition in my life as long as I'd been friends with Sadie—which was my whole life.

"I know," she frowned. "But you've been weird since the fair."

I knew this was the perfect opportunity to tell her more about Maddox, but I couldn't seem to open my mouth and get it to work. I thought a part of me was afraid that if I didn't keep Maddox a secret, he'd suddenly disappear—or become a figment of my imagination.

"Yeah, I know," I sighed.

"You were really mad at me, weren't you?" She frowned.

I shrugged. "You've done it before. I should be used to it."

"God," she smacked her hand against the top of the table, "I'm such a shitty friend. You should really fire me and find a replacement."

I cracked a smile at that. "You know there's no one else quite like you."

She laughed, the tension bleeding out of her body. "You've got that right. I'm one of a kind."

I finished my sandwich and washed our plates. "Okay," I sighed heavily. "I'm ready to be tortured."

She rolled her eyes and grabbed her purse. "You are so fucking dramatic, Emma. You should really consider joining the drama club." She started towards the front door, leaving me in the kitchen.