THOSE GOOD TEEN YEARS 3 CRUSHES NO MORE

Chapter Twelve: Secret Spot

Everything was perfect.

How could it not be? After the initial shock of Peter sneaking in at night, Emma somewhat got used to it. The fact that she was worth breaking curfew and rules for...that was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her.

They didn't do much at night, just talking and laughing (softly). When Em dozed off, she would wake up to Peter gone, though he left a note, a cute little note with silly things written, but always ending with : you look cute when you sleep. It made her blush every single time.

Things at school were kind of weird, as in the way everyone talked about them. Nobody ever thought Peter Norman would go for a girl like Em, who was sweet and quiet and shy, basically a nerd while Peter was not. He was social, handsome and cheerful, and the rebel jock. When Emma walked towards her locker each morning, she could catch cold stares at her, which Peter was oblivious to. She could literally sense the air shimmering with jealousy, and it scared her, the looks some of the girls gave, like she was vermin. The worst look was by Kelly, who had lost out on two boys she had her eyes on. At least, that's what everyone said, that Kelly had an eye on Luke as well as Peter. Many people told her to be careful and stuff, that Kelly might ruin everything, but Sienna told her not to care. So she wasn't caring.

She hadn't told anyone yet, about the whole sneaking in stuff. Well, OK, Lance had caught them one night, and he was holding it over her. Emma was desperate for some leverage. God, little brothers were the worst.

So while walking towards the lockers with Peter in tow as she told him about Lance threatening her, her day got worse: freaking Kelly Riker stood in her way.

"Well, well, if it isn't the cute little PATHETIC nerd." She said, false sympathy dripping from her voice. Emma didn't respond because..she didn't KNOW how to. And she wasn't the kind to bust out like that. She liked to be diplomatic. Especially in front of Peter. Only it turned out that Peter didn't care about diplomacy.

"Wow, Kelly, you DO know how to hit a nerve. You're so amazing at this." He said, smirking, clearly being sarcastic. Emma laughed, and Kelly narrowed her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but Peter had grabbed Emma's hand and had already pushed past her. Poor Kelly.

"Don't let her get to you, Em," he whispered. Emma's laugh had now vanished. How she wished she could have taken Kelly's stupid blond hair and put it through a paper shredder. But no, she had to be weak, she had to be shy. Maybe she was of no use. Maybe she was a pathetic-

"Hello, Earth to Emma. You listening?"

"What?"

"O god, don't tell me you're thinking about Riker."

"How could I not? I'm starting to wonder, why DID you start dating me?"

"Because I love you?"

"Well, apart from that! I mean, I'm shy, silent, anti social, I don't chat with anyone except my close group of friends, and lastly, I'm not-"

"Do not say you're not pretty. Don't even think about it."

"It's true, Pete! I'm not-" Peter shut her up by leaning over and kissing her, stopping her from saying anything. That wasn't fair. This was a serious conversation and he was making her feel like jelly.

"Every time you utter that sentence, I'm going to senselessly kiss you till you forget it." He threatened.

"Fine! It's not fair, though."

"Nothing's fair in THIS love story, Em. Deal with it."

"I am! Every day! Do you know how many girls would brutally murder me to be in my place?"