Plain Girl Finds Love? (AU) by Summer Cheng

Chapter 21 Emma's First Crush

           Many years later!   Emma is now a teenager. She is sixteen years old !  Some might call her boy crazy.  The only thing is though, she is only crazy about one boy!  The other girls at school tease her since they think she is too immature for him.  The boys all think Emma is such a sweet, and lovely girl.  Why anyone who catches her attention is one blessed person!  

         Emma is not sure how to go about with her confession. She just knows she has her heart set on him!  She really likes him!  She knows that and has known ever since she first meet this boy, the one who goes by Nathan Joey  Kurtzberg.  Emma's crush is the son of Nathaniel and Juleka Kurtzberg.  She gets lost in his dreamy deep brown eyes, his gorgeous grin and his generous spirit.  She often wonders what he thinks about her!  

         The school bell rings to signal the close to the day.  Emma collects her books and heads on out.  Her arch rival, Karisha  Lori  Rossi, daughter of  Lila and Sam Rossi, glares at her.  Karisha is not to keen on the idea of Emma and Nathan together.   She makes the fact known by the rude smirks she cast her way, and the fact that anytime Emma tries  to speak to Nathan, Karisha shoves her down.  She treats her  just horrid!  It is like a movie meets a sour book character and that sums up her life in a nut shell.  Then, as if the Karisha thing is not enough to cause her problems, she feels her tongue tie itself in knots when she sees Nathan, so that the rare time she does speak to him her sentences come out as stutters.  She could not feel more humiliation in front of the boy of her affections if she tried.  It seems poor, Emma try as she might can not seem to get past this awkward phrase of her life.  

        Emma sees Nathan. She walks up to him.  She notices he gives her the same smile as usual. She almost feels like she is a piece of chocolate candy that may melt at any time.

     "H-hi, N-Nathan!"  Emma hears herself say.

     "Hi, Emma!"  Nathan says.  He touches her shoulder.

      "Ugh, go away Agreste girl!  Can' t  you see Nathy here is mine?"   Karisha says.  She shoves her and as usual Emma falls down.

      "Karisha, leave her alone!"  Nathan says with an annoyance.

     "Why  should I ?  She just gets in our way!"  Karisha says as she bats her eye lashes at him.

      " She is my friend! "  Nathan says.

      "You can't be serious?  You are actually friends with this loser?"  Karisha says.

     "I am serious, and don't call her that ever again!"  Nathan says.  He looks rather angry now.

     "Fine, I leave her alone. Anything for you Nathy!"  Karisha says and walks away.

       "Here, let me help you!"  Nathan says.  He offers Emma a hand and helps her too her feet.

      "Th-Thanks, N-Nathan!"  Emma says.

     "No problem, anything for a friend!"  Nathan says.

     "Y-yeah a f-friend!" Emma looks away so he can't see her tears. She thinks, is this all he will ever see me as a friend?  

    "Emma, look, I am sorry,but I can't lie to you.  You are really great girl!" Nathan says.

     "I am?"  Emma says as the tears fall even more. This time she glaces into his eyes.

      "Such a pretty girl shouldn't cry!  Not over me or anyone else,"  Nathan says. He leans in and touches her face with his hands.  He whispers, "Emma, I like you, but my father would never approve of us!"  He closes his eyes and gently kisses her.

    Emma closes her eyes as well. She returns the kiss and thinks, Oh, Nathan!  I love you!

     Nathan breaks the kiss and she sees the tears in his eyes.  Emma wishes she could stop them. She hates to see him cry.  

     The next day, Emma feels like her heart might break as her crush and love  of  her life enters the classsroom with Karisha by his side.  She tries too look away, but finds she can't.  She thinks, wait!  Did our kiss mean nothing to him?   Was it all just a mean and cruel joke?   She looks closer and sees him glance her way!  She blushes.  

    After school,  Nathan talks to Emma. 

 "Look, I never meant to hurt you!  What I said before is still true, you are the girl I like!  I even told my father so, but he insist I  have to date Karisha.  He says it is for my self image or something!    I am so sorry, Emma!"  Nathan says.   

    "I am sorry too!   I am sorry, I ever fell in love with you!  I thought you were different, but it turns out you are just like everyone else!"  Emma says with tears in her eyes and slaps him hard on the cheek.

    "Emma, Emma wait!  Please, Emma!"  Nathan says.  He feels like his heart breaks to see her like this.

    Karisha just laughs. She thinks the whole thing is funny. She is just glad her "Nathy"  dates her now.  She is happy to have won the battle against her rival, Emma.

    Emma runs.  She does not stop until she is home. She goes straight to her room and refuses to join the family for dinner.  She can't eat.  How can she when she suffers from a broke heart?

     Poor Emma was crushed by her crush!  She feels as if her heart will never be the same again!

     

  Meanwhile, with Nathan...

   Nathan feels horrible. His heart has been broken.  He loves Emma, but his father dislikes her.  He does not understand why his father did this to him.  Thanks to his dad, he just lost the only decent girl he has ever met, and the only one who cares about!  He does not like Karisha and hates the fact his father makes him date her.  

    To make matters worse, Emma took it all out on him! Nathan wishes there was something he could do to make things right with her!  He feels sad now.  He longs for a day when he can what he wants.  He wants to be with Emma!  He sighs as he walks home.  His stupid girlfriend, Karisha follows him.  As soon, as he sees his father,  he says,  "Well, father, I hope you are happy now!  Emma will probably never speak to me again!  I do not love Karisha.  I never have and never will!  Emma is the one I love and now she hates me.  This is all no thanks to you."   

    Nathan runs to his room,slams the door and locks it.  He is glad Karisha did not follow him to his room.  He figures there is only one thing to do.  He has to run away!  Maybe, then he can make things right with Emma before its to late!

Chapter 21 Published January 2,2019 and Edits made January 9, 2019 

     to be continued in Chapter 22  The Move to United States?