Breathless: Emily's Story

Chapter 18

September 28- 8:30 am- Emily

"Emily," Clarita knocks on Alix's door from the other side. I open my eyes, the door across from where I lay. "time for your appointment." I start to sit up when I realize there's an arm around me. I smile, thinking it was Asher, then remember I had broken up with him last night. I look behind me to see Alix spooning into me.

Her body that close isn't what freaked me out, how good it felt, did. She opens her eyes slowly and sees me in her arms. we both jump away from the bed, landing on opposite sides.

"What-"

"Nothing happened" I clarify, then start to get dressed. "I'll be right there!" I yell to Clarita.

"Ok, I'll be waiting in the car." She calls back through the door.

"Ok" I say, nervously. We wait to hear her walk away before continuing our conversation. "That happens sometimes, in the middle of sleep you anchor yourself to others." I say to Alix.

"Then why are you so freaked out?" She gestures to me.

"I'm just still on edge from last night-"

"Emily?" Asher calls out, knocking softly on the door.

"Yeah?" he opens the door slowly, then faster seeing that I'm dressed.

"I was wondering-" He sees Alix standing on the other side of the bed. she smiles, then busies herself cleaning up her room.

"Wondering what?" I try to recover what he was saying before he thinks too much on what was going on here. He looks back at me.

"Wondering if you'd go to homecoming with me?" I sigh, not wanting to turn him down in front of his sister. I pull him aside and whisper.

"I broke up with you, Asher, that means no more parties or dances, or games." he looks away, nodding.

"I know, but I was wondering if we could go as friends, like you said" I look away, noticing Alix watching, she starts cleaning again but slowly, probably so she could still hear.

"I'll tell you what, if no one asks me then ok" I say and he clenches his jaw.

"But you're cheer captain."

"Yes, but I'll be super busy this week with therapy and cheer tryouts so I don't even know if I'll have time for anyone to ask me" He squints down at me for a moment before saying, "Ok" and leaving the room. I sigh and bend down putting on my shoes.

"You broke up with Asher?" Alix asks me and I stand, putting on my vans. I clench my jaw.

"Yes"

"Why?" she asks, and if I didn't know better, I'd say she sounded happy.

"Lots of reasons" I say before leaving the room and jogging down the steps and out the door.

9:28 am

"Well, we're a couple minutes early but that gives us time to sign you in." I walk up to the front desk, a nice looking woman sitting behind it points to the clipboard.

"Thank you" I say, writing my name on the sheet. Other than 'April' I had the neatest handwriting. I sit down beside Clarita. "You don't have to stay-"

"Please, I have to catch up on the gossip" She gestures to the tv which is playing The View. I smile.

"Thank you"

"No problem" She smiles back. "You're practically family" I smile brighter.

"That reminds me," I say, thinking back to the Ice Cream parlor. "are you still having the baby?"