The Friend That Stayed

Chapter 6

Emelia flipped her hair over her shoulder and checked her phone for what seemed like the twentieth time in five minutes. She was waiting for Matt to come pick her and Alessia up. Why am I so nervous? It's not like Matt and I haven't gone out before. And it's not like this is a date or anything. We're just friends. Right?Although, Mom said he loves me. She didn't mean love, like love...or did she? What's going on? Emelia clicked on her phone screen once again and glanced for a new message or missed call--as if that could have happened in fifteen seconds. She picked up Alessia and put her on her hip and grabbed her purse/diaper bag--it has now become one. She hopped down the stairs a smile on her face. 

Once reaching the living room, she plopped onto the couch and sat Alessia on her lap, bouncing her knee frantically. 

"Whoa, there sis. Where's the fire?" Emmett raised his eyebrows at his sister's nerves.

"Hmm? What? Nowhere. Why?" Emelia brought her attention to her brother.

"Your knee is going about a million miles an hour. Aren't you going out with Matt? Why are you so nervous?"

"Yes. I don't know why. It's just Matt. I don't know."

"You loooooooove him."

"Shut up."

"You know it's true."

"It's not. I don't love him. He doesn't love me. We're just friends." Her phone went off and she jumped up immediately and broke out into a grin. 

"Matt's here." She hopped off the couch and dashed to the back door, yelling, 

"Bye Ma! Bye Emmett, See ya later!"

"And you don't love him, ehh?" Emmett leaned against the doorframe, grinning.

"Shut up." She closed the door behind her and walked to her car to grab Alessia's carseat. She got the seat and carried it to Matt's car, sliding her daughter into the seat quickly. She slipped into the front seat and smiled at Matt.

"Hey," Matt smiled back at her.

"Hey."

"How was Ale today?"

"Pretty good, we just ran little errands around town. Getting stuff ready for her birthday party."

"Ahh, fun times. Looking forward to it?" Matt looked over at her.

"I am. But it's stressful trying to coordinate everything."

"I believe it." Emelia glanced at Matt, watching him until he glanced her way again.

"So, where are we eating?"

"I thought we'd hit that Italian place on the edge of town." Emelia nodded and looked out her window. 

"Matt!" Both Matt and Emelia turned their attention to the little girl in the backseat. 

"Guess what!" Alessia exclaimed.

"What?"

"Mama is throwing me a party! For my birthday! I am being two years old!"

"No way! You're getting to be such a big girl!" Alessia nodded proudly as Matt smiled back at her. Emelia watched the exchange, off in her own thoughts about what Emmett said earlier. Do I love him? I can't. It's not possible. We're just friends. Just like he doesn't love me. He just cares for Ale. Yeah, that's it. She was brought back to reality when Matt tapped her shoulder.

"Yes?"

"We're here." Emelia looked out the window and saw that they had stopped moving. 

"Oh, we are." She unbuckled and got her daughter out of the backseat. They all walked into the restaurant and Matt told the hostess "three." They followed her to a booth in a corner of the restaurant and slid Alessia and Emelia on one side and Matt on the other. The hostess handed them two menus and smiled at both of them, walking away to give them a moment. They both glanced over the menus for a few minutes before the waitress appeared. 

"What can I get for you tonight?" She smiled.

"I'd like the fettucine alfredo and house salad with a water to drink and she will have the children's chicken fingers meal," Emelia stated and looked at Matt.

"Umm, yeah, I'll have the lasagna and salad with a coke to drink please." Matt and Emelia handed her the menus.

"Coming right up." The waitress walked away and Matt looked over at Emelia. Emelia looked up at Matt, biting her lip.

"What's wrong, Lia?" Emelia shook her head.

"Come on, I know something's up. You're biting your lip."

"It's nothing. I was just thinking."

"About...?"

"I...nothing."

"Come on, Em. Please?"

"I was just thinking...about my feelings."

"About what?"

"Well...about you."

"About me?" Matt was a bit taken aback. Emelia buried her head in her hands and nodded.

"I see." Emelia focused on her daughter, trying to not be so embarrassed.

"What exactly about me?"

"Well. See. How I feel about you? Like, Emmett started questioning me so I was thinking about it."

"What are your feelings?"

"I don't think that's something I want to share here in a restaurant." Matt nodded. 

"Wanna take this home and talk or will you promise to talk after dinner?"

"Well. If you want, we can take it back to your place." Matt nodded and signaled the waitress. 

"We're actually going to take our food to go, so if you could put it in containers right away that would be great." The waitress nodded and brought Matt the bill. Matt paid and within a few minutes they had their food and were heading back to Matt's apartment.