Emma: Freshman Year

Chapter 15: Trouble

"Emma!" Lizzie scolded. "I thought you told us that weren't going to see Landon anymore!"

It was the end of the school day. As Emma slammed her locker shut, a pit formed in her stomach as she spotted Lizzie coming down the hall towards her, an angry look in her hazel eyes.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Emma stammered nervously. "I haven't seen him since that one time..."

"You know damn well what I'm talking about, Emma!" Lizzie cried, clenching her hands into fists. "I saw you kissing Landon in his office earlier today! Don't you dare lie to me!"

With her hands trembling and her head spinning, Emma began to cry. She had no idea that anyone saw that kiss. "I'm sorry, Lizzie!" Emma sobbed. "I just couldn't help it! Landon and I have a special connection!"

"'Special connection' my ass!" Lizzie shouted. "You do know that he's at least ten years older than you, right?"

"It doesn't matter if he's ten years older than me!" Emma cried as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I love him!"

"Well if you don't cut things off with him, I'm gonna tell the principal," Lizzie retorted, sticking her nose in the air.

"No, Lizzie! Please don't!" Emma begged as she felt a knot form in her stomach. "He'll get in trouble because of me!"

"I'm doing it for your own good, Sweetie," Lizzie insisted. "For the last three weeks, you've been falling asleep constantly in class, and now I know why. You told me you were grounded for not doing your chores, but now I know it's because you slept with Landon. You haven't spent any time at all with me since you met him. This is getting out of hand."

By the time Lizzie finished her rant, Emma was sobbing uncontrollably. She knew Lizzie was right, but the thought of breaking up with Landon tore her heart in two.

"You need to stop seeing him," Lizzie repeated. "If you don't, I will tell the principal."

"Okay! Okay!" Emma stammered in between sobs. "I-I w-won't see him an-nymore!" However, deep down inside, Emma knew her statement was a lie. She loved Landon with all her heart and there was no way that she could stop seeing him. She just had to be more careful so that Lizzie wouldn't find out again.

"You'd better not be lying to me like you did last time, Sweetie!" Lizzie scolded, seeming to read Emma's mind. 

"I'm not lying!" Emma insisted, wiping the tears from her eyes. 

"Only time will tell," Lizzie said as she walked away, giving Emma one last suspicious look. 

Emma watched her friend head down the hallway, her eyes still wet with tears. She felt defeated and overwhelmed. Either way, she would lose a friend, and she had to choose between Lizzie or Landon. Leaning against the lockers, she covered her face and started crying all over again, just at the thought of it.

After arriving home that evening after volleyball practice, Emma collapsed on the couch, throwing her backpack on the floor beside her. She was both physically and mentally exhausted. 

"Emma, come and eat," her mom called as she emerged from the front door, carrying a pizza box under her arm. She was dressed in black dress pants and a flowy, red top, and was wearing her name badge from work. Hanging her purse on the coat rack, she slipped off her shoes and placed the pizza box on the kitchen table. 

"I'm not hungry," Emma mumbled, turning on the TV and flipping through the channels. She had no desire to eat; in addition to being a picky eater, the stress from the day had consumed what little appetite she had left.