Breathless: Emily's Story

Chapter 19

September 29- Emily

It felt like 5 minutes later that I was waking up. I groan and wipe my crusty eyes, turning to look at the clock, 4:30.

"Ugh, seriously?" I throw back the covers and leave my room. Walking down the steps, I see Jamie sleeping on the couch. I raise my eyebrows and smile a little, apparently, she was still in trouble.

I continue walking into the kitchen to find Alix eating her Chinese. She turns around and stops chewing, and smiles, her cheeks bulged with food.

"Hi" She says, mouth full of food. I burst out laughing.

"Hey" I smile. Walking around the counter, gently grabbing her fork from her hand. She doesn't let go so my hand lays on hers. "Can I try?"

"Oh- Sure!" She says, a little less muffled from food. She lets go and I bend over her plate trying the chicken. I nod, waiting to be done with the bite.

"That's good" I smile, once I've swallowed the bite. She leans close to me and grabs my hand, and I swallow, my heart skipping beats. She slowly looks up my body and stays on my lips, slowly leaning closer. I clench my jaw and stay still. She smiles, awkwardly.

"Can I have my fork back?"

"Yeah, of course" I let go and she backs away, eating her food. I begin breathing again. What was wrong with me? "Uh, I'm gonna go back to bed" I say and quickly leave the kitchen without the water I had gone down for.

Once I'm in my room I see my phone lit up, telling me to get up for school. I sigh, this was going to be a long day. I grab a towel from the hall closet and go into the bathroom.

Getting out of the shower I dry my hair the best I can, then wrap the towel around my body. Opening the door I bump into someone, almost falling. She wraps her arms around me.

"Sorry" I look up at Alix and she swallows. I hear someone clear their throat and see Avalon. I cough and pull out of Alix's arms, walking quickly into my room, closing the door just as quickly. "Why do these things keep happening to me?" I sigh and walk to my closet, getting dressed for the day.

*   *   *   *   *

Sitting at my lunch table later that day, thinking of Alix. The constant taste of Chinese food in my mouth reminded me of how Alix's lips would feel again, this time I probably would've kissed back.

My thoughts and the taste in my mouth distracting me, I didn't even notice Emory sit down until he began talking.

"You texted me to sit with you at lunch." I was confused for a moment before remembering I had the night before.

"Yeah, I-" I begin but am distracted as Alix and Avalon sit down. Asher sits down moments after farther than I liked. And the fact that it bothered me how far away he sat bothered me even more. I look back at Emory and see he's smiling at Avalon.

"Hi, Avalon" She smiles back, shyly.

"Hey"

Avalon and Emory talk the rest of lunch about nonsense things while Alix, Asher, and I sit and eat quietly.

As the bell rings I stand from the table to see everyone had returned, including the knobby kneed girl I'm sad to say I'd forgotten her name.

"Day two" I say, walking around the table to the middle of the court.

"Dodge ball, bitches" Savannah says as Parker walks through the gym doors with the cart of dodgeballs. I smile.

"Thank you" I say to him.