Twelve Months

May

May

Last week got my suspicions on Nick. Max stopped me in the hallway.

Flashback

I'm at my locker, packing my stuff for home, when Max comes up to me. He leans on the locker next to mine with a cocky smile.

“Hey Emily,” he says with a slur. I close my locker, and walk in the opposite direction. “Emily, what if I said I had to tell you something important?” I turn and look at him.

“Your definition or mine?” I ask. I begin to walk away again.

“So you don't think your boyfriend kissing your cousin isn't important?” I stop dead in my tracks.

“What are you talking about?” I ask. I turn, studying his face. It shows the same foolishness and cocky attitude as always, but has a serious underside, that I've never seen before, under it.

“From what I heard, at the mall last month, your cousin and your boyfriend were making out big time,” he explains. I feel a lump in my throat. “A lot of people know and rumors are going around about them. I thought someone as lovely as you deserves someone better.” My thoughts are all winded, so I don't immediately notice Max getting closer to me until he's right in front of me.

“Emily!” My eyes snap up, realizing Max's lips are just centimeters from mine. I push him away and look behind him. Nick storms up to us, completely raging. “What the hell is going on?” Max just looks at me.

“Think about what I said.” Then he runs off. Nick comes up to me and grips my forearms.

“Emily, what happened? What did Max do to you?” he asks, shaking me slightly. I slowly look into his eyes. I completely fall into his arms, in a hug. He doesn't question anything, just holds me close to him.

Max's words still linger in my mind, and I just hope he's lying. But the look in his eyes say otherwise.

End of Flashback

Today I invited Sherri and Nick to the coffee shop after school today. Sherri's been going to our school ever since she moved here. No way were her parents going to let her skip four months worth of school.

They were both hesitate at first, but I managed to get both to agree. The coffee shop, Grande Mocha, is near the school. It's very popular, especially after school and on weekends. Everyone goes; students, faculty members, and citizens alike. I see Sherri sit at a table in the front. I greet her, taking a seat across from her. Shortly after, Nick comes. The air around them seems casual for once.

After asking what everyone wanted, I jump in line. It's a quick wait to get to the front. One of my friends, Maddy, works as the cashier.

“Hey Emily,” she says. “What can I get ya?” I give her the orders. We walk over to the check-out station, where she makes the coffee. She looks up and then makes a face.

“Do you see who Nick's with?” she asks. I look over at our table. I see him and Sherri laughing. What's she talking about?

“What are you talking about?” I ask, voicing my thoughts. “You know Sherri's my cousin. And I invited them here, so the three of us could hang out.”

“I'd be careful if I were you,” she warns. Maddy notices the confused look on my face and glances around. “My shift ends in half an hour. Can you wait that long?” I hesitate before nodding. She gets done the orders and I pay her the money. I take the tray of drinks and walk, shaking, back to the table. What Maddy said really got my freaked out.