Turning Tables ---Going Under Construction---

Decorations

I walked around the Party Depot that Emmitt had dragged me too, claiming the need for a 'woman's touch' in decorating. Really he just seemed to have no idea how to throw a party. If the first time we met had not in fact been at a party I would assume he had never been to one. 

"What about a beach theme?" He asked me holding up a gaudy seashell banner. 

My mouth hung open in sheer disbelief. 

"Is that good silence?"

I shook my head slowly. "Emmitt, we don't need a theme. It's a birthday party, the theme should be Xander!" Besides, after a few drinks, we probably weren't even going to be where the decorations were. We would all be on the dance floor or a different club. "Tell you what. I know a place that sells custom banners. We get one with Xanders' face, and a cake with it too. We plaster that everywhere, get him a crown, and its a killer party for all."

In all reality, I could have told him all this over the phone and not had to leave my house today. 

Emmitt agreed to my idea and I took him over to the place to print the banner. We gave the girl behind the counter a sweet but whimsical picture of the birthday boy and she told us to be back in an hour. 

"So, what did you want to do for an hour?" He asked. My whole plan had been to leave and let him do the rest, but I felt weird about it now. 

"Coffee?" 

He smiled. "There's a great place down the street." He led me down an alley into an underground coffee shop I had heard of before but never tried. "There brews are really authentic."

As we walked in I could smell the thick scent of freshly ground beans and hear the sound of the baristas steaming milk. Like you would imagine the place was covered in hipsters and college students, but they often found the best places, even if them being there made it pretentious. 

The was were covered in deep red colored brick and couches lined the walls. 

We got our coffees and sat near the back at an actual table, where it was quiet. "So how did you meet Xander?" We actually met in college. He was my first roommate in the dorms."

It sounded a lot like me and Greg, besides the roommate part. "Oh, so you were close?"

"Oh God no," He laughed. "I hated him back then. He would always have people over, come back in at midnight and make a bunch of noise, leave a mess everywhere..."

I laughed too, remembering Xanders bedroom in high school. I think I never got to see the actual carpet. "Then why do you live with him again?" 

Emmitt shrugged. "He's not a kid anymore. People change."

"No, they don't," I said without thinking. 

"Maybe not in big ways," Emmitt agreed. "But not everyone stays the irresponsible mess they were. That is the definition of growing up, to slowly but surely do better in your day to day life. Are you the same person you were when you were in high school or college? I'm not."

I guess a slob can become clean and a spender can grow into a saver and a wild child can become a shut-in, but the important things that make you up don't change. A thief will always be a thief, a lier will always be a lier, and a cheat will always be a cheat. 

After my long moment of silence, Emmitt got my attention back. "Are you okay Jade?"

"Yeah. Sorry, I was trying to think of an answer." 

"Whatever the answer, I think you're a pretty great person as is." He patted my hand from across the table. I looked him in the eye for what might have been the first time. They were honey brown and soft. He looked at me with true concern and caring. 

Most guys out there, at least the ones I've dated, have hard, darting eyes. They're always looking for the next best thing, the next new adventure. Emmitt was fine where he was. 

"So how have you changed?" 

He slowly took his hand away from mine. "When I was in college I was a... let's say, 420 friendly musician."

"You were a guitar toating pothead!" It was just about the funniest thing I had heard all day. The dress to impress, put together Emmitt used to be a pothead. 

He kicked me lightly under the table. "I played many instruments, the guitar being one, yes."

"So what happened?" I asked as I caught my breath. 

"Nothing happened. I didn't have a deep, life-changing experience. It just stopped being fun for me one day. I decided to be an adult instead." He finished the rest of his coffee and looked at me. "What were you like?"

"Has Xander not told you?" That was actually pretty surprising. He could never keep his mouth shut about most things. 

"I haven't asked him." 

I had never really told anyone about my past life. The girl who snuck out and smoke cigarette. The girl who took weekend road trips without telling anyone and loved a boy who showed her the world. 

Emmitt had told me his story though, a story he probably didn't tell many people either. "I was a... let's say, cut-loose, 90's grunge wild child."

He laughed just as hard at my story as I did his. The person that sat in front of him today looked nothing like the leather-clad girl who snuck into bars and smoked in bathroom stalls. 

"I think we would have gotten along back then," he said. 

"Nah," I replied. "You were a waste-case. I was bad-ass." I tried to keep a straight face but we both broke down and every college kid (who thought they were just as cool as we did at there age) stared at us. 

I looked down at my phone. "I think we should get going back to the shop. The posters should be done by now."

"Yeah," Emmit agreed as e got up and threw his cup in the trash. "I can get the cake online too, so I'll do it tonight."

"Okay." We stood face to face by the door, and I didn't know what to do or day. I didn't really know what was happening. 

"I can go get the poster on my own. Why don't you go home? I'll see you at the party." He didn't even wait for me to reply, just turned and walked off. It was odd. I thought we had had a good time... maybe he was just placating the best friends girlfriend.