Emma: Seventh Grade

Chapter 16: Hope

"Emma! Why haven't you been answering my texts or calls?! I've been trying to get ahold of you all weekend!" Lizzie cried hysterically.

"I'm sorry, Lizzie," Emma apologized, taking a seat beside her friend on the bus, tossing her backpack by her feet. "My mom grounded me, so I'm without a phone for a whole month." It was Monday, and Emma was going back to school for the first time after her incident at Hannah's birthday party. She had no phone with her either, so she always felt like she was missing something. She was so used to carrying it with her that she felt naked without it. Needless to say, it was going to be a long day at school today.

"Seriously?" Lizzie was taken aback. "What were you grounded for?"

Emma hesitated. Would Lizzie understand if she told her everything that happened at Hannah's party? Thinking quickly, she decided to give Lizzie the benefit of the doubt and began telling the story, explaining how left out she felt at her former best friend's birthday party, especially with all of Hannah's new friends there. She explained how she had made Hannah a homemade card with thoughts straight from her heart, and how it got thrown away with the wrapping paper. But Emma, who was blinded with anger and jealousy at the time, falsely accused Hannah of throwing it away, and destroyed her bedroom as payback. By the time Hannah told her she didn't do it, it was too late, and Emma was kicked out of the party by Hannah, who never wanted to see her again. Emma had apologized profusely, but Hannah wouldn't forgive her, and it hurt Emma that Hannah had ended their friendship. She told Lizzie how her mom found out what she did, and as punishment, Emma was banned from her cell phone, TV, and friends for a whole month. And she had to pay back Hannah's family with money for the damage she caused.

At the end of Emma's story, Lizzie had a puzzled expression on her face. Maggie and Ashlyn, who were also listening in, looked both shocked and appalled. Ashlyn whispered something I'm Maggie's ear, and Maggie nodded in agreement.

"Well it sounds like that girl was a bitch anyway," Lizzie concluded. "That why you have me!" She gave Emma a quick hug to comfort her.

Emma was annoyed by Lizzie's reaction. She hoped she would be more understanding about this whole thing. Emma had just lost her lifelong best friend, and she was still going through the grieving process. But Lizzie considered Emma as her best friend and she expected Emma to feel the same about her. Of course, Emma should have known that Lizzie would be quick to throw Hannah to the wayside. Lizzie wanted to be Emma's best friend, and Hannah was only an obstacle. So obviously, Lizzie was happy that Emma and Hannah were no longer friends. She might not admit it to Emma's face, but Emma knew she was secretly happy about it. She started to tear up at Lizzie's lack of understanding.

"It's okay, Emma," Maggie comforted her, noticing the tears in her eyes. "You just gotta give her some time to cool off. Wait until you pay them back, and ask for her forgiveness then. Okay?" She leaned forward to make eye contact with Emma, since Lizzie was sitting between them.

"Okay," Emma sniffed, wiping the tears from her eyes. She really hoped Hannah would change her mind, but she didn't expect her to. The damage was too great; the friendship was beyond repair and Emma knew it was all her fault. She didn't deserve to have Hannah as a friend anymore, and as much as it hurt, she knew she would have to accept it eventually.

"Sooo....can I see your math homework?" Lizzie interrupted with an expectant look on her face. She had her open math notebook in her lap and a pencil in her hand. "I want to compare answers with you."

"Sure," Emma replied flatly, digging around in her backpack. She pulled out her math notebook and handed it over to Lizzie, who proceeded to copy her answers, as always.

As soon as Emma stepped off the bus, she hurried inside the school to find Josh before class started. She wanted to ask if he tried to text her, and explain that she was without a phone for a month. She didn't want him to think that she was ignoring him or anything. As Emma's eyes scanned the crowded hall, she spotted Josh alone at his locker, putting books into his backpack. Now was the perfect time. Her heart raced as she approached him; she was about to talk to her school crush!

Josh stood up and slung his backpack over his shoulders. Turning around, he seemed surprised to see Emma standing there. "Oh, hey Emma," he greeted her.

"Hey Josh," Emma returned the greeting. She nervously twisted a lock of blonde hair around her finger. "How's it going?" She felt her cheeks turn hot as she stood before him.

"Good," Josh replied. "How about you?"

"Oh, its going all right," Emma responded casually. "I just wanted to make sure you didn't try to text me over the weekend about our project or anything, cuz I'm without a phone right now."

"Oh? What happened to it?" Josh wanted to know. "I was going to text you, but the weekend got busy with football and stuff."

"I lost it at my friend's birthday party, and we're still trying to find it," Emma lied. It was too early to tell Josh everything that happened. He was just a crush, and Emma didn't want to scare him away with all the drama that was going on in her life.

"That sucks," replied Josh with sympathy in his voice. "I hope you find it."

"Me too," Emma agreed. She was trying to act calm on the outside, but on the inside, her heart was pounding with excitement and she had butterflies in her stomach. She continued to play with her hair as she spoke.

"So what would be a good day for you to meet up?" Josh asked. "We'd better get started on that project sooner rather than later."

"Well," Emma replied, her voice high with excitement. "I'm free Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have volleyball practice until five on all the other days."

"How about tomorrow after school? We'll meet up at Sahogue Park. There's lots of trees there we can use."

"Yes, that's perfect!" Emma exclaimed. She felt her stomach flip with excitement.

"Sweet," Josh replied. "I'll see you then!"

"Okay!" Emma skipped away happily as the first bell rang. She was finally going to hang out with Josh! She was nervous and excited at the same time. Hopefully he liked her too, and things would work out between them. Kendra and her friends would dare not mess with her if they heard she had a boyfriend.

As Emma approached her locker, she found Lizzie waiting for her. "Who were you talking to over there?" Lizzie asked nosily, with a knowing look in her hazel eyes.

"Oh, nobody," Emma answered casually, putting books into her backpack.

"Emma, I know you were talking to a boy," Lizzie chided. "I can see the look on your face. You totally have a crush on him."

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't," Emma smirked, slinging her backpack over her shoulders as she and Lizzie started walking towards Mr. Matson's room.

"Who is it?" Lizzie wanted to know.

"I can't say," Emma replied secretively. She felt as happy as a little kid when she thought about Josh.

"Tell me!" Lizzie begged. "Please!" She and Emma entered the classroom and took their usual seats.

"Okay, but you have to promise not to tell anyone!" Emma commanded.

"I promise. Now tell me!"

Emma leaned over and whispered in Lizzie's ear. "It's Josh Shoe."

"Who?"

"Josh Shoe," Emma repeated quietly.

"Oooh, that guy!" Lizzie smirked. "He's on the football team, isn't he?"

"Yeah I think so," Emma confirmed.

"Oh my gosh! I can't believe it!" Lizzie squealed. "This is so exciting!"

"Remember, don't tell anyone!" Emma warned.

"I won't, you can trust me," Lizzie promised.

Emma hoped that Lizzie wouldn't tell anyone. If Kendra or her friends found out, Emma knew they would do anything to ruin it for her. They would tell Josh some dirty secret about her, or somehow embarrass her so badly that Josh would never want to be seen around her again. That's what had happened with her last crush, and she didn't want it to happen to this one. She liked Josh, he seemed really sweet and kind to her. She really wanted him to stick around. She wanted someone she could count on, someone who wouldn't think of her as a burden, someone who would actually enjoy being with her. Having a boyfriend wouldn't make all her problems go away, but at least it would give her something to live for.