Breathless: Emily's Story

Chapter 3

September 13- Emily

Monday morning, and the day was moving like molasses, like always.

"Ugh!" I exclaim, staring at my journal. Alix hadn't shown up today, so I didn't have nerves to worry about, but that meant a boring slow class, and day.

Coming in, halfway through the period, Alix comes in dropping a couple papers. She smiles, bending over quickly to pick them up. And I couldn't help but check out the outfit she'd chosen today. Tight, ripped light blue jeans, red v-neck, and she'd let her hair hang down in waves, but she was still wearing the black rosary she had on the other day.

"Please, have a seat." She tells the girl. And quickly, I look down.

"Subtle" I grumble at myself.

"Hey" Greets, Alix, kicking her sweet lavender scent towards me as she sits down. "What'd I miss?" She whispers, smiling.

"I think that kid was just about to eat his booger" I nod toward the kid closer to the front. "He's surely been picking a good one for quite a while."

"I bet it tastes like candy" She snickers and I can't help but smile.

"Gross" I shake my head drawing some odd designs around my last name.

"What's that?" She asks.

"Hmm?" I ask and she nods at the drawing.

"Is that a boyfriend's last name?" She asks and I shake my head. "Crush?" She pries more, and I smile, shaking my head again.

"It's mine" She looks at it again.

"Cavanaugh?" She says and I couldn't help the shiver that rose in my spine. "That's very pretty" She says.

"Thanks" I blush, looking at the board. She was being nice. Just because she's a lesbian, doesn't mean she automatically likes you. Get over yourself.

And even though I over thought everything with Alix. I wanted her to keep talking.

"Why were you late?"

"Oh, are you the warden?" She smiles, but I could sense a small hint of irritation. "My brother had to go to the doctor and forced me to go with him, and then of course took forever to get back." She explains and I scrunch my eyebrows.

"You have a brother?" I ask and she nods.

"A twin" She smiles. "And we're so new we had to sit together Friday" She laughs, looking away, then back to me.

"We can't all be as love-able as my sister though."

"You have a sister too?" I ask, surprised she apparently had so many family members.

"Yeah, she's two years younger" She nods. "What about you? Any siblings?" She asks and only because I lied to everyone, I shake my head.

"No, I'm an only child"

"You're missing out" She responds and I couldn't tell if that was genuine or sarcastic. And as much as it would be easier to only have to worry about me, I'd never wish I didn't have Bruno.

I drum my fingers on the steering wheel, waiting for the light to change. Avalon sitting quietly in the passenger seat. I wanted to talk to her about Alix, but I doubted she knew let alone cared about it. Mustering up enough courage, I decide to ask Avalon something vaguely.

"Have you ever been drawn to someone?" I ask, and she looks to me, seeming to think for a moment.

"How do you mean?"

"You get excited for them to be there" I shrug. "Or you get nervous, or... you make up excuses to talk to them"

"I don't think that's drawn. I think that's a crush." Avalon says, making my heart pick up. "I've had quite a few of those." I don't want to have a crush on a girl. I have too much on my plate as it is, let alone adding liking girls to that. Or having to tell my dad and all my friends. Shaking my head, I decide to just drop it where Avalon left and not touch that.