Ruin The Friendship / Brendon Urie

24. Brendon

I'm doing it. I'm going to tell Emma how I feel. Tomorrow is her birthday, May 29th. It's been a couple weeks since spring break and I gave her some space. I still have Josh's number and haven't said anything which is kind of shitty of me. The poor guy probably thinks she doesn't want him back. Not until I find out if there's a chance for us or not. I'm flying into Vegas now, debating on what I'm going to do or say to her tomorrow. I'm staying at my parent's house to catch up with them as well. I know I'm going to go big, get her some roses, make a huge display. Or maybe not, what if she doesn't reciprocate. Fuck this is a bad idea. Spencer said the feelings were mutual but that was 3 weeks ago. I tighten my hands around the arm rest of the seat as we go to land and the woman next to me notices and smiles. She doesn't say anything but I bet she thinks its sweet or adorable that I'm scared of flying. I'm not scared of flying per se, just the dying part during take off and landing. I sigh when the plane slows to an idle speed and the woman pats my hand gently. "It's ok you made it." She teases and I smile warmly at her. "I better, I'm telling my best friend I love her tomorrow." Her eyes melt and she gushes. This woman has to be in her late 30s, she's attractive but looks like business class and has straight brown hair and red nails. "Oh my god, that is the sweetest thing I have heard all year!" She gushes again and I laugh. "Thanks, let's hope it goes well. It's also her birthday." I explain and she slaps her knee. "Shut up, that is the cutest! Oh my god, can I come with you?" She jokes and laughs lightly.

The fasten seat belt sign dings and everyone stands in unison, but me. There's no point to stand hunched over for 15 minutes while everyone gets their shit together. By the time my aisle comes to depart I say bye to my travel buddy and she wishes me luck. I quickly grab my carry on to not piss anyone off and hustle off the plane. I text my mother that I am here and by the time I reach the the street they pull up. I get wrapped in a warm hug and honestly I missed my mom a lot this year. I've been traveling back and forth to New York, LA, and Nashville for this record label, so I haven't been home much. When I do go home I see Emma mainly. She's my only consistent friend besides Spencer on the occasional chance he is off from work when I visit. We keep in touch but it's brief.

I breathe in my mom's scent and I feel like a 10 year old boy again. "Hey ma," she squeezes me tighter. "You made it." She says into my neck and I squeeze her back. "I did." We separate and we pile into the car due to traffic. "Dad working?" I ask and she nods driving off slowly to not hit anyone leaving the airport. "Yeah, he'll be home for dinner. You are staying for dinner right? You're not running off to Emma's right away?" She teases me and I laugh. "No I'm all yours tonight, promise." We sit in the air conditioned car and listen to music on the 20 minute drive home to summerlin. When we pass the tropical smoothies cafe I get nostalgic and I remember working there saving up all my money for LA and serving Emma in the summertime. She would only come in to see me and keep me company when it was dead and now I know I'm making the right decision. This is worth it, I have to tell her.

-

My hands are sweaty and my mouth is watering a little more then usual. My heartbeat is erratic and I have this butterfly in my stomach that won't quit, but I can't get myself to get out of the car. Smooth right? Emma eventually comes out and I watch her make her way down to my car without her shoes on, just socks. I still stare at her even as she knocks on the window. Brendon snap out of it!
"B?" She asks, her voice muffled through the glass. I swallow before lowering my window. Fucking nerd. "Hey Em!" I say happily. "Hi," she replies holding back a laugh. "Do you want to come in?" She ends giggling making of fun of how I'm acting right now. "Oh yeah, I was just listening to the end of song." I cover super quick and she nods. "Oh yeah, I get that." I turn the car off and unbuckle my seatbelt. "What song?" She asks, I'm still seated in the car. "Queen." Wow I'm actually quick today. I exit the car and move around to her. She comes over and hugs my torso and I lightly hug her back. Why am I being so awkward? Oh because now I know I have feelings for her, more then a friend and my head is all mush. "Come on we can order pizza." She says cheerfully. "Oh Emma wait!" I stop her from running off and open the back door. "What's up?" She skips back to where she was. I reach in the back and pull out a brown paper bag. She furrows her eyebrows together in confusion but when she takes them out she softens. "Awh B! You didn't have to!" She gushes and my heart warms up. "Happy Birthday." I say calmly and she hugs me again careful not to squish the red roses I brought her. I hug her back this time and take a slow deep breath remembering this moment. Once we get inside I'm going to drop the bomb on her and either A. Kiss her or B. Runaway from rejection.

"You're so sweet and thoughtful, I'm glad you could make it." She beams up at me and I use all restraint I have to not grab her and kiss her right here on the street in the vegas heat. "Now come inside, it's hot! And two I have a surprise for you." She practically skips up the sidewalk to her apartment and I follow close behind. We get to her door and she smiles largely. "Ok you ready?" She asks bursting with excitement. I nod, "I guess." I smile nervously. She opens the door and we step inside. Nothings unusual, or out of place but someone is on the couch and their back is to us. "Guess who I ran into?" She shouts, "well more like he called and we met up, but look its-"

"Josh." I sigh and I swear if I had a happy balloon not only is it popped, its demolished, destroyed, burned, incinerated. "What's up man? Glad you could pass my number on for me."

Oh fuck.