Emmalee (18 page)

Chapter 17

"Hey, baby.  What's your
sign?"

           
The movie was great!  It actually went pretty well.  Much
better than I thought it would go considering the train wreck
possibilities it had.  Especially once I realized the Franklin
brothers had included not only Elton and his new girlfriend, but the
Hart sisters as well. 

Cassidy, fine.  I can
understand why as Chloe’s sister she would need to be included,
but to invite Claire—the youngest one—too? 
Sheez,
is there no escaping the girl?

           
By the time I had got off the phone with Ethan the night before,
Chase had arranged to invite and pick up Hannah too.  Which was
really cool until I remembered as I held the car door open for her to
get out, that I’d forgotten to mention Ethan had invited Elton
and his new girlfriend also. 

All at once, watching Claire as she
bounded over to us from two rows down, didn’t seam that
daunting after all.  I quickly tried to shield Hannah from
seeing Elton’s sleek sports car guide into place a few feet
from us, but I was too late.

           
“You’ve got to be kidding me.  He’s here too? 
This is so embarrassing!” She groaned behind me.

           
I swiftly turned around and placed my hands on Hannah’s
shoulders.  “Don’t worry about it.  Stand up
tall, slap the biggest smile you can find on your face and
congratulate them.”

           
“What?  No way!  There is no way I’m going near
that guy!”  Hannah freaked, and began to climb back in the
car.

           
 
“Hannah wait.”

           
“Look, you go on without me.  I don’t feel so good
anyway, I think I’ll take a nap.”

           
“What?  In Chase’s car?” 
I didn’t
think she’d take it this hard
. 
Maybe I should
just take her home and forget about Ethan and the movie.  After
all, friends come first.
  “Hannah--”

           
In a flash Chase was next to me.  “Hannah?” he
asked, using a voice I had never heard before. “Do you mind
sitting with me in the theater?”

           
She looked past me and dropped her jaw.  “Shut it! 
Are you trippin me?”

           
Chase flashed a killer smile.  “No.  I’d like
to buy your tickets also, if you don’t mind?”

           
Hannah dazedly smiled up at him, before she blinked and nodded her
head.  “Uh, sure.”

           
“Great!”  His grin lit up his tanned features
nicely—
if I do say so myself.
  He held his hand
out for her and I was pleased to see the huge smile break out on
Hannah’s face.

           
All at once, I found myself giddy with joy. 
Chase Anderson
is the nicest guy ever!  What a sweetheart!

           
“Thanks!” I whispered and smiled up at him as he passed
me, still holding Hannah’s hand.

           
His answering grunt left much to be desired, but I giggled anyway. 
By the time I had followed them a few steps Claire had made it up to
us, Elton and his girlfriend waited by their car. 

           
“Hey guys!  Can you believe we’re going to a movie! 
I love movies!  Especially scary ones—I hope this movie is
scary!  Does anyone know what movie we’re going to see? 
It’s been so long since I’ve seen one I don’t even
know what’s out.  So what’s out?  What are we
gonna watch?  Ooh!  I hope it’s something really
scary—well, not too scary.  I can’t watch rated R
movies.  You guys know that right?  I mean, you know that
me and Cassidy and Chloe don’t watch any really bad-bad
movies.  I just like the sorta scary ones—Oh!  Cass! 
Look who’s here!  Chase came with Hannah and Emmalee! 
Aren’t you excited?  She—“

“So is the movie out here now,
or what?”  Elton called to us from his car.  
           

           
Chase muttered something under his breath.  Pulling Hannah with
him, he walked up to Elton and then right on past towards the theater
without saying a word.  By the time Claire and I made it to
Elton and his girlfriend, Cassidy, Chloe and Taylor had joined us. 
Which I was totally grateful for, because it helped take the
awkwardness out of meeting Ashley Templeton alone. 

           
“I don’t think I’ve seen you aroundFarmington, have
I?” I asked trying to be friendly, but wanting to be anywhere
than where I was.

           
Ashley flipped her stylishly fringed hair to one shoulder and looked
me up and down.  She must’ve liked what she saw, because
she smugly answered, “Oh, you would know if you’ve seen
me.  Everyone knows me at Pedra Vista.  Let’s just
say, I’m something like the crowned queen over
there.”
           
“Oh.” 
Full of ourselves, aren’t we?
 
“So do you like Pedra Vista?”  About ten years
before the city split the main high school into two.  Pedra
Vista was definitely our rival school. 
Elton Bloomfield
would
pick a girl from there.  No one from our school
would be able to stand the jerk! 

           
She ignored my question.
 
“You’re
Emmalee Bradford, aren’t you?” Ashley asked with a coy
look toward Elton.

           
Great, I wonder if he’s said something to her. 
Probably not.  He’s too much of a coward.
 
“Yep.  I’m Emma.”

           
She smiled showing all of her teeth.  It was probably her
attempt at my Bradford smile.  “I’ve heard a lot
about you.”

           
“You have?” 
Maybe Elton did say something.
 
I briefly glanced up at him, but he was talking to Taylor and Chloe
and not paying attention.

           
“Yep.”  Surprisingly she linked her arm through mine
and began to walk with me across the parking lot up to the movie
theater.  “I think you and I are really going to get
along.”

           
Yeah right!
  “You do, huh?”

           
“Yep!”  We climbed up on the curb.  “You
and I have so much in common we were destined to be friends.”

           
Destined to be friends?  O-kay.  Somebody is seriously
delusional.
  “So, how did you hear about me?” I
asked just for curiosity sake.

           
“Oh!  Everyone knows about you!  I mean, your Emmalee
Bradford.  So tell me--just between you and me—was that
Chase Anderson?  And is he taken or single?”

           
“Chase?!”  I stopped walking.

           
“Shhh!” She giggled and pulled me up toward the door. 
“Don’t say it so loud, Elton’ll hear you.”

Wait a minute.
  “You
like Chase?” I asked quieter this time.

           
“Well, duh!  I mean, the obvious choice is Taylor, of
course.”  She turned behind her as we walked through the
door—I assumed to drool over Taylor.  “But, hello,
it’s evident he’s taken.  Which wouldn’t have
been for long if I had any say in the matter—believe me. 
IfTaylor thinks he’s found the girl of his dreams, he hasn’t
met me yet.”

           
Is she for real? 
Baffled, I froze.

She allowed the door to swing close
and it almost hit me as I made my way in.

           
“Well, that was until I just now caught a glimpse of Chase. 
That was Chase wasn’t it?  The guy who came storming past
Elton and I?  Clearly you can see the family resemblance. 
He didn’t look too happy to be with that girl—what’s
her name?”

           
I was having a hard time following her.  “You mean, Hannah
Smith?”

           
She nodded and drew me closer to whisper. “Figures.  I
should’ve known her name would’ve been Hannah.” 
She sighed.  “No one really can compete with the name
Ashley.  There’s just a certain ring to it, don’t
you think?”

           
I think I have a headache.

           
“At least that’s what all my friends have told me.” 
Ashley smiled and flipped her hair again.  “Ashley
Templeton.  Yep, remember that name.  It’s going
places.”  She then released my arm as she caught sight of
Chase to saunter over and grace him with her presence. 

           
Yeah, your name’s goin’ places all right.  Right
back to the trailer park you came from.  The hussy.  Who
does she think she is trying to weasel her way into the Anderson
home? 

           
“Emma!  You’re here!” 

           
I turned to see Ethan happily jog up to me with a couple of tickets
in his hand.  “I just got the tickets.  When did you
get here?”

           
“A few minutes ago.  Were you able to get the tickets we
were hoping for?”

           
“Yep!  It was released today.  I’ve got the
rest of the group tix on reserve.  But they better get in quick,
or they won’t hold ‘em much longer.”  He
scanned the foyer and then out the windows.  “Oh, here
they are!  Great!  They’re just walking in.” 
He waved and then said, “Just a sec.  I’ll be right
back.” 

           
I looked back over to see Chase gently disengaging himself from
Elton’s leech, Ashley.  He still had a firm grip on
Hannah’s hand, which I found promising.  I chuckled
wickedly to myself. 
Maybe she’ll get the hint and go
away?

           
“So what’s she like?” 

           
Chloe’s voice near my elbow nearly startled me, but I recovered
quickly, “Who?  Ashley?”

           
“Yeah, Elton’s new girl.  Is she nice?”

           
Nice?  Hmm?  She’s as nice as a viper, I’m
sure.
  “Uh, she’s okay.”

           
Chloe smothered a giggle and raised her brow.  “That bad,
eh?  Chase told Taylor how he had to keep you from decking the
guy.”

Chase talks too much.
 
“He did, huh?”

           
“Yep.  Kind of surprising he bounced back so quickly,
don’t you think?”

           
I snorted.  “Bounced back from what?  There was
nothing for the guy to bounce back from, believe me.”

           
“You think so?”  I watched a grin form softly on her
face as she looked over to where Elton and the other guys were in
line.  “Rumor has it; he’d been in love with you for
something like two years.”

           
No way!
  “Are you kidding me?” 
How
I could I have been so blind?

           
Chloe shrugged and took a step toward the concession stand. 
“That’s just what I’ve heard.  Do you wanna
come with me to get some popcorn?”

           
“Sure.  But won’t Taylor be mad?  I mean, won’t
he insist on buying it?”

           
She laughed.  “Probably.  But when have I ever
worried about what would make Taylor mad?”  She glanced
over as I joined her and brushed her curly red hair off of her
shoulder.  “He knows me too well now to be surprised at
anything I do.  Besides, if I don’t get the treats, how am
I going to get the ones I want?”

           
“You have a point.  Guys never get it do they?”

           
“Nope.  I mean, honestly, how hard is it to decipher when
a girl wants Red Vines or Whoppers?  And yet, he still can’t
figure it out.”

           
I shook my head as we approached the counter.  “Yeah, but
do you ever know what you want before coming up to the counter?”

           
“No!  But don’t you ever tellTaylor that.”

           
I laughed. 
Man, I like Chloe.  She’s so perfect
for Taylor.
   I wished I had taken the time to get to
know her more in high school, I think we would’ve had a
blast.  

           
“Chloe!”  The shrill scream from Madison rang out
through the whole lobby.  Everyone turned to watch the tall girl
run up to us and squeeze Chloe. 

I looked over to where Carson and
Ethan were talking.  There was something about seeing the two
brothers side by side from a distance, that really showed how much
more rugged-outdoorsy they were compared to the other male specimens
in line.  Their aura was just naturally cool.  Easily so. 
In fact, standing next to Elton, they put that poor guy to shame. 

           
I bet he wishes he had half their confidence.  Who am I
kidding?  He probably wishes his big toe had half their
confidence!

           
“Who is that girl circling around my guy?” Maddy
nearly growled.

           
I had to stop myself from laughing out loud.  “Let me
introduce you to Ashley Templeton.  Apparently she believes she
is every man’s dream of the ultimate woman.  And even
though she’s taken, by Elton Bloomfield over there, she’s
still on the prowl.”

           
“I’ll say!” laughed Chloe.  “That my
friends, is a girl who obviously has a thing for outdoorsy animal
magnetism.  Can she seriously get any closer to poorCarson?”

           
“Well, she better get her prowling butt back to her own
boyfriend, or she’s gonna see some animal magnetism.  And
I don’t think her pretty nose is going to like it.”

Aww… Poor Ashley doesn’t
quite fit in!
  I would’ve felt sorry for her, if I
didn’t think it was so darn funny.  

Chapter 18

“I have an ‘owie’
on my lip.

Will you kiss it and make it
better?”

           
About halfway through the movie, Ethan’s hands collided with
mine in the popcorn bag we shared.  It was something simple, but
should’ve totally made my heart race.  I waited for a
small pitter patter or something, but alas, nothing happened.  I
was beginning to wonder if I was just meant to find love for everyone
else and be completely immune to it myself. 
Maybe I’ll
never marry?
 I’d be like some old lady who sews
knitting ball things and never actually leaves her house. 
Eww. 
Okay, that was a scary thought.
  It was scary enough for me
to take matters into my own hands.  Literally.  I waited a
few more minutes before resting my hand in the bag.  It didn’t
take long Ethan’s hand bounded into mine again.  Except
this time, I latched my fingers through his and pretended like they
were caught.