Crush Vision

Chapter 14

     I suck in a breath and check the rear-view mirror as the car idles in Emmy's driveway. The text on my phone goes unanswered. My reflection stares back at me, waiting.

    This is really happening. My hands clench on the steering wheel. I can't believe I actually asked her.

     The front door stays closed, and I sit in silence for a few more minutes. What if she changed her mind? I glance at my phone again. No, Emmy wouldn't do that. But the empty porch looms out my window.

     Maybe something happened? I toss scenarios back and forth in my mind. Should I call her? I tap my foot in anticipation, biting my lip.

     The door swings open just as I reach for my phone. Emmy rushes out, her skirt and shoes bunched in one hand and her phone in the other. She runs across the yard barefoot and hops in the car. "Phew!"

    I stare, taken aback. "Uh, hey..."

     "Sorry," she breathes as she buckles herself in. "Had to find my shoes. And my phone. And my—"

     "Did I make you rush?" Argh, no; was I being too eager?

     Emmy shakes her head and grins. "Nah, you're fine." She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and turns to me. "Ready to go?"

     I nod and ease the car out of her driveway. Emmy claps her hands. "Sweat slip-n'-slide, here we come!"

     "Do me a favor and never say that again." I shudder.

    She laughs. "Yeah, it's pretty gross."

    "Besides," I try to maintain some optimism. "The dance isn't that bad."

     I can feel her shoot me a look as the car moves along the road. "Are you kidding me? We lasted maybe forty minutes in the gym last year—an hour, tops. And that was with water." She smiles to herself. "It was still fun, though."

     I flip my turn signal. "Except when Troy fell."
    She gasps. "Did he seriously?! When?"

     "Actually, I don't remember if he fell; he just slipped while he was break-dancing." I think back to last year. "It's probably a good thing we all decided to go outside..."

     Emmy leans over in her seat. "Dear Lord, please let the dance have air conditioning this year, or at least a mop."

     I laugh as she continues, and she pokes me as the car comes to a stop. "I'm serious!"

    "I know." I climb out of the car and walk around to her side. Emmy starts to push open the door. "Oh, um, I was gonna get that."

     "Right!" She scoots back, sticking her phone in the glove compartment as I grab the edge and pull it the rest of the way. She stands and brushes off her skirt.

    I clear my throat. "You look nice." My face flushes the instant the words leave my mouth.

     "Thanks!" Emmy grins and walks ahead of me. "You drive nice. Come on, let's go inside!"

     I follow her, pausing when she stops to fish a rock out of her shoe. "There's my Cinderella moment for today."

     I snort as she hops on one foot. "Need any help?"

     "As fun as it is to only wear one shoe, I think I—" she cuts herself off and grabs my arm. "Ooh, I think I see Hannah!"

     I have no idea how she spotted our friends so quickly, but the girls soon wave at us from the front of the school.