Strings (1 of 2)

Chapter 6 - Polaroid

After leaving breakfast with Jade, I decided to call Dean and ask him to come over. Surprisingly - but in other ways not surprisingly - he answered on the first ring and agreed to come at 2. It's 11 now so I have a few hours to kill. And a few hours to think of what to say to him.

I tidy my room as I blare the band Bastille to drown out the sound of my heart beat quickening every second that it gets closer to 2. 

"Emily!" I can hear my mother screaming my name from downstairs and I groan and walk downstairs reluctantly.

Yes - I still live with my parents. I know... at 24 in California it isn't the usual, but I only have four months left here. Thank god.

After Matt died, I took a year off of school and then switched schools and moved into dorms for my third and fourth years of undergrad at Berkeley, but after I graduated I moved back home while I tried to decide what I wanted to do with my life. It took a few months but I was finally on a path I enjoyed and really wanted to pursue. 

New York City has always been a dream - the dream - and being able to do my masters and live there doing what I love is what keeps me going. Writing gives me an escape from my sad reality. Making up stories and characters completely different from my life is why I love creative writing so much. 

I guess I got the writing bug from my mom, but her novels are more biographical. Hence the book about Matt. That's too real for me. Too depressing.

"Yeah, mom?" I say as I reach the bottom of the stairs. I look around the living room for her and spot her laying on the white L-shaped couch staring intensely at her laptop. She pears up at me over her glasses after a minute of me waiting for her to notice me.

"Where did you go last night?" she asks frowning, raising her eyebrows at me.

Shit... I forgot to say goodbye. I never thought anyone would notice I left, not that I really ever thought of that at all while I was at the bar with the handsome stranger. 

I try to think of an explanation quickly. One that will wipe the disappointed look off her face. I can only deal with so much today and I only have an hour now until Dean gets here.

"Once I had talked to a bunch of people about the book and about Matt I thought it would be okay to head out and get a drink with Jade. I looked for you to say bye but couldn't see you. Maybe you were in the washroom?" I meet her eyes as I lie so she doesn't get suspicious. 

This is believable enough. Even though no aspect is true. I talked to maybe three people at the party about the book before I gave up and walked around alone until I talked to Dean. And she doesn't need to know who I was actually drinking with last night. Or that I never looked for her.

She ponders my explanation for a moment and I try not to squirm. I've never been great at lying. But this time it is needed. Finally she nods and looks back at her laptop.

"Come see the reviews for the book - over a million copies sold since the release yesterday! I think this might be my best-selling book yet." 

I internally roll my eyes and press my teeth together to not scowl.

"That's great mom, really. I'll look later on today, okay? I have to go get ready right now. On a time crunch." I say quickly back to her and turn to head back upstairs, hoping she doesn't ask why. 

"Why? Who is coming over?" I freeze and sigh. That hope was short-lived.

"Dean." I reply and run back up the stairs before she can ask anymore questions. I am sure she will have dozens by tonight.