Spectra

Chapter 24

Lucas

"Emily?" I knocked softly on her door. It would be the third day of non-stop studying. "Emily? Can I come in?" I kept the calm tone. It was hard after watching all the metahuman chaos that the city was going through with their hero not present.

I didn't get a response but I cracked the door open and stepped inside anyway. There she was, asleep, with her head resting on an open notebook. I sat down on the side of her bed. Carefully I shook her awake. Her eyes squinted as they adjusted to the light. She looked up at me and sat up. She rubbed her head as she sat up. Her eyes widened and she hung her head in her hands.

"No, nononono. I must've fallen asleep. I wasn't even close to done. Ugh!" She exclaimed in frustration. "When will I be able to do what I forgot study? I have school all week and today's already half over." She ran her hand through her hair, breathing heavy. I had never seen her this stressed before. I rubbed her arm softly.

"You'll be fine." She pulled her arm away. I really expected that to work. I started getting annoyed, it felt like she was being way too dramatic. "Calm down, it'll be-"

"Just go." She said through gritted teeth.

"What?"

"Get out. Now."

Oh no. I messed up. I don't know how or why but she was mad. And scary. I stood up and left her room rather quickly. I shut the door and thought through the conversation to see how I offended her. However, I found nothing. I was fine. I plopped down on the couch.

"Girl troubles?" A girl who I guessed was Emily's sister was sitting in the chair by the window on her phone.

"Uh- yeah I guess you could say that. I'm Lucas." I answered rubbing my head.

"Yeah I figured, I've only been here for like two weeks and all Emily talks about is you." She complained rolling her eyes. "Anyway, what happened in there?"

"I don't know, she's super stressed. And I told her it would be fine." I said shrugging. Her eyes left her phone to look up at me. Her eyebrows were raised. "What?"

"You never tell someone stressed that it'll be fine. That'll just get them mad. Also never say calm down. Calm down is the worst possible thing you could ever say to a mad person." Uh oh. I held my face in my hands. "You told her to calm down didn't you?" She grinned. I nodded. She cackled as I sat there in shame.

"I'm an idiot."

"Yeah, you really are! Have fun trying to get out of this one." This really wasn't helping.

"So now what?" I asked.

"Go get her dinner from her favorite place. Or something like that. Go out of your way to make her feel better. Get her favorite movie. Make her feel special, that you care." I stared blankly at her. This was great advice.

"Thank you so much! I owe you."

She laughed. As I stood up I looked at her.

"What?" She continued laughing before answering.

"You love her." She teased smugly. I scratched the back of my neck.