Emmalee (11 page)

           
That’s ironic.
  “Yeah, Elton told me. 
Actually, about Elt--”

           
“Oh good!  I’m so glad he told you!  It was so
embarrassing too!  I had got sick so fast that I didn’t
have time to call him.  I couldn’t believe it when he
showed up at my door.  I was so mortified!  Thank goodness
my mom screened him for me.  There was no way I was going to let
him see me like that.”

           
“I don’t blame you.  I wouldn’t want to—”

           
“So what did he look like?”

           
“Uh, Elton?”

           
“Duh!  What was he wearing?  Did he look totally
hot?  Did he ask about me?  Was he worried or grossed out
or something?”

           
“G-grossed out?”

           
“I mean, was he mad that I hadn’t called him first?”

           
“Oh, uh, no.  He didn’t seem mad.”

           
Hannah sighed.  “Oh good!  I was so worried.”

           
Oh my gosh!
  The sick feeling was back. 
This
is going to be so much harder than I thought.
  I debated
with the idea of putting it off a couple more days until Hannah felt
better, but then quickly scratched that.  You never know what
gossip will be said about it. 
It’s better that she
hears it from me first.
 I was positive Chase wouldn’t
say anything, but I couldn’t guarantee that Elton wouldn’t. 
And he had a lot of friends.

           
I took a deep breath and plunged right in.  “Listen,
Hannah, I need to tell you something.”

           
She was silent a moment.  “O-oh, okay.  Is it bad?” 

           
I guess my tone of voice prepared her more than I realized. 
“Actually, yeah.  It is bad.  And you’re not
going to be happy with me when I say it.”

           
She chuckled and then groaned into the phone. “Don’t make
me laugh, it hurts my tummy.”

I nervously smiled.  “I’ll
try not to.  But seriously, you-you’re n-not going to like
me much once I tell you my news.”

           
She grew still and my heart sank further.  “Emma, what is
it?”

           
I took a shaky breath and started, “Well, it’s uh...,
well, it’s about—um…”

           
“Egad!  Will you just tell me already.  You have no
idea how tight my hand is holding onto this phone.”

           
I chuckle-gasped in surprise and then tried again.  “It’s
about El-Elton.”

           
“What about him?”  Her monotone voice caused me to
grip
my
phone tighter.

           
“Well—he, well, he-he—”

           
“He what?”

           
I opened my mouth and then hesitated.  I really, really, didn’t
want to tell her. 
Why did
Elton Bloomfield have to
be such a loser?  Such an idiotic, brainless loser?

           
“Emma?  Is it that bad?  Why won’t you tell
me?”

           
“Y-yes, it’s bad.  And I-I don’t w-want to
tell you, because I don’t want to hurt you.”

           
“Oh my gosh!  He’s in love with someone else, isn’t
he?”

           
I gasped at Hannah’s intuitiveness.  She must’ve
heard.

           
“I’m right, aren’t I?  He has girlfriend,
doesn’t he?”

           
“No!” I nearly yelled into the phone.  “He
doesn’t have a girlfriend.  He can dream, but he’s
not ever getting the girl he wants.”

           
“Emma?”  Her voice cracked into the receiver as
Hannah whispered, “Who is she?”

           
I clamped a shaky hand over my mouth to muffle the dry sobs that were
desperate to come out.  Two large tears worked their way to the
corners of my eyes and I blinked them rapidly to stop them from
falling.

           
“Emma?  Who is it?  Tell me please.”

           
One small heart-wrenching sob escaped and both tears fell as I
answered my friend—guaranteed to make her hate me forever. 
“It-it’s me.” I gasped before lowering the phone
and stifling a few more sobs.  When I had better control over
myself, I brought the phone back up to my mouth and pleaded my case. 
“I-I’m so sorry, Hannah.  I’m so sorry. 
I had no idea.  None.  If I did, I would’ve never,
ever thought to—I would’ve never made him think that—made
you think that—”

           
“Emma, Emma, it’s okay.”

           
“I’m sorry.”

           
“Hey, I know you are.”  Hannah took a deep breath
and I paused taking hope from her calm voice.  “Look, I’m
sorry you had to be the one to tell me.  It’s not fair, is
it?”

           
“You’re sorry, but…”

           
“Emma, stop it.  Neither of us can change the facts. 
So he didn’t like me, big deal.  Okay, so it is a big
deal, but I’m gonna get over it.  You definitely don’t
have to cry about it.  Sheez!  I mean, honestly, you have
to admit it was weird that he started to like me in the first place. 
Hello?  The senior class president falls for well—uh, me. 
It doesn’t add up.”

“Yes it does!”  Now
I was getting mad.  “Elton Bloomfield is a
jerk—seriously.  If he can’t see you for who you
are, then I’m glad we got rid of him when we did.  The
moron.”

           
“But Emma, think about it.  Honestly, of course he would
have fallen for you.  He has probably always been crushing on
you.  You’re Emmalee Bradford for crying out loud. 
It was probably like some junior high fantasy come to life when you
actually started to include him in stuff.  Don’t knock
Elton, just cuz he saw you before he saw me.”

           
“But he was totally flirting with you!”

           
“Yeah, but to him it might’ve not meant anything more
than getting on your good side by being nice to me.”  She
took a unsteady breath while I absorbed what she said.  “Look,
I’m gonna go now, okay?  I’ve got a headache and I’m
starting to feel a little queasy again.”

           
“Okay.”

           
“But, I promise, I’m not mad at you, all right?”

           
I breathed a sigh of relief.  “Really?  Okay.”

           
“Don’t worry about it.  I’ll get over him
eventually.”

           
“You really are an awesome friend.  And we’re gonna
find you the most perfect guy, I promise!”

           
She chuckled.  “Well, not right now, please.  I need
a little bit to get over this one, first.  Then we can begin guy
hunting again.”

           
“Hannah?”

           
“Yeah?”

           
“Thanks for understanding.”

           
“I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

           
“Okay.”  I hung up the phone and then walked over to
my bed and collapsed. 
      Here I
thought all along I was helping Hannah. 
But then after
seeing her amazing kindness and friendship toward me, I realized that
she was really helping me.
 
If every girl had a friend
like Hannah, the world would be a brighter place.

           
“So have you chosen which puppy you want yet?” 

           
I turned at the sound of Chase’s voice behind me.  Georgia
was up off the grass and running to him.  “Chase! 
Chase!” she squealed while a mountain of little fluff balls
happily yapped and chased her. 

           
“Whoa!”  Chase stepped back and picked Georgia up—to
save the puppies from her eager feet—before gingerly walking to
my side.  The miniature Pomeranians leapt and bounded wildly
about his legs.  So much so, there was no way he was going to be
able to sit down on the grass without smashing one of them. 
“Uh, I think I’m gonna need some help.” he sky-blue
eyes twinkled down into mine.

           
I laughed out loud and tried to collect as many of the little guys as
I could.  Except they were all excited to see Chase, and would
quickly spring out of my lap as soon as I leaned over to grab another
one.  “The little rascals love you too much.  It’s
impossible!” I giggled as another ball of fluff escaped and
bounced over to Chase again.

“Yeah, Chase,”
laughedGeorgia near his ear, “them lil’ rapskulls keep
gettin’ away!”

           
I finally gave up.  I stood and brushed my jeans off, while in
search of a chair. 
There’s one.

           
“Hey!” Chase called, as I jogged over to the Anderson’s
porch.  “You can’t leave me like this!”

           
I smiled and collected the lightweight garden chair and brought it
over to him.  “See, I’m nicer than you thought.” 

           
“You’re an angel!” He laughed.

           
I placed the chair away from the excited puppies and Chase cautiously
made his way over to it and slowly lowered his tall frame. 

           
“Just don’t forget, the next time I make you mad, I’m
an angel.”  I grinned as I sat down on the grass near his
chair

           
“Oh, darn.  I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

           
Georgia squirmed off Chase’s lap.  “Wait till you
see the one Emma wants.”

           
We both watched her pursue my favorite puppy, who found the flower
garden much more exciting than Chase’s shoe, like the other
three pups.

           
“So you picked one, did ya?” he asked.

           
I looked up at him.  His eyes were focused on Georgia. 
“Yeah, I chose Clementine.”

           
“Clementine?”  That got his attention.  He
looked down at me and smirked.  “Who in their right mind
chooses a puppy and names it Clementine?”

           
“Your mom.”  I chuckled at his shocked face.

           
“What?  You’re kidding!  When?”

           
“Just this morning.” I giggled.

           
“Are you gonna keep the name?”

           
I shrugged.  “I don’t know, I might.”

           
Chase shook his head and chuckled.  “Women.  You do
know that’s a cow’s name, don’t you?”

           
I threw back my head and laughed.  “Chase Anderson! 
You’re horrible.”

           
He grinned and picked up Little Lion as he tried to scrabble up his
pant leg.  “Come here, you.”  He brought the
puppy right up to his face.  “Come save me from silly
girls.”  The puppy excitedly yipped and wiggled his tail
in agreement.  Chase brought the little guy closer and gently
rubbed his jaw over its head, before he asked, “Have you talked
to Hannah, yet?”

           
I looked away and watched Georgia laugh and run from a couple of
puppies trying to catch her.  “Yeah, I called her this
morning.”

           
“Good.”

           
I glanced up to meet Chase’s gaze briefly before lowering
mine.  I could feel his eyes on the top of my head as I examined
my colorful shoes.

“How is she?” he asked.

           
I shrugged and fiddled with a couple of blades of grass.  “Not
good.  Not bad, but not good.”

           
“Did she cry?”

           
I half-chuckled. “No, but I did.” 

           
“You, Emma?”  I felt his hand softly glide through
my hair.  Tingles raced up and down my spine in response. 
“I can’t imagine you ever crying over anything. 
You’re one tough girl.”

           
“Am I?” 

           
“Yep, that’s what I like about you.”

           
“Except for when I’m near the lake.”  I
laughed quietly.

           
His fingers drifted through my hair a second time and I tried to
cover the shiver.  It didn’t work.  “Hey, are
you cold?”  Chase removed his hand.

           
“No.”
Just over sensitized
.

           
“Are you sure?  We can move back in if you want?”

           
“I’m fine, really.”  I decided to change the
subject.  “Hey, while you were gone, you missed the news
at the party last night.”

           
“What news?  I thought the only thing exciting was Elton’s
news.”

           
“Oh please!”  I rolled my eyes and looked up at
him.  “This news is way better than Elton.”

           
“So what’s up?”

           
“Carson Franklin was saying his little brother Ethan is coming
home from NMSU for Thanksgiving.” 

           
“Really?  And this is exciting—
why
?”

           
“Um, hello?  Ethan Franklin. 
The
Ethan
Franklin.  I’ve only wanted to be introduced to the guy
for the past two years.”

           
Chase looked over at Georgia.  “So uh, you really like
this guy, huh?”

           
I laughed.  “What’s not to like?  He’s
supposedly hot.  He’s nice.  He’s funny. 
Everyone says we’d be perfect together.  And to top it all
off, he’s the reigning four-wheeling champion at the moment.”

           
“Really?  A four-wheeling buff?”  Chase glanced
back down and scanned over my glowing smile.  “So, you’re
planning to hang with him then?”

           
I laughed.  “I don’t know.  We’ll see. 
First, I have to see if he likes me.”

           
“Oh he’ll like you,” Chase’s eyes glittered
into mine a moment.

           
“Really?  You think so?” I glowed.

           
He nodded and shrugged and then looked back towards Georgia, before
muttering, “What’s not to like?”

Chapter 11

“Hey, is it just me, or are we
destined to be married?”

           
The following Monday at school, Elton treated me like I had the
plague.  He refused to look at me when we met in the hall and
purposefully walked to the other side.  Which was fine,
honestly, I definitely didn’t want to be anywhere near
him.
 
Oh!  And his black eye had to have been downright nasty. 
He had special permission from his doctor to wear sunglasses
throughout the day. –Some random excuse about the ultraviolet
lights from the classrooms hurting his eyes. 
Yeah right, he
probably bribed the doctor to say that!  The dork!