Not Today, But Someday(29)

“I just want to make sure you make it in alright,” I tell her with confidence, hoping she won’t try to change my mind. She doesn’t say it’s okay, but she doesn’t stop me either.

Emi takes out her keys and opens up the blue door to her unit. Three people stand up from the living room furniture, looking at us.

“What were you thinking?!” her mom says as she rushes to her side and hugs her tightly.

“I’m sorry I hit you, Emi,” the other woman, who must be her sister, says. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too,” I think I hear Emi mumble.

“You,” her brother says as he looks me over. “You were at the pizza place, right?”

I smile and offer him my hand. “Nate Wilson. I have a class with Emi.” Chris looks at me sideways, but finally shakes my hand.

“Chris Hennigan,” he says.

“Mom, Jen,” Emi says after clearing her throat and tucking her finger under her lenses to wipe her eyes. “Nate’s in my art class at school. He found me wandering last night and his mom let me sleep in a guest room,” she says. It’s a tiny lie, but I’d prefer it that way.

Neither of the women approaches me. Instead, they both stare at me, looking suspicious.

“Nice to meet you both,” I say.

“She’s never allowed to do this again,” her mom says.

“I’m sure my Mom will say the same thing about me,” I assure her. “I’m just glad she had somewhere to stay.” I start to walk backwards toward the door, feeling a bit unwelcome.

“I’ll walk you out,” Emi says. Her mom doesn’t let go of her hand. “I’ll be right out front, Mom. Just a second.” She finally releases her. Emi opens the door for me and guides me out.

“I’m okay,” she tells me.

“I know.”

We look at one another, and just as I start to take a step toward the car, she stands on her tiptoes and puts her arms around my neck, putting her head against my chest. Stunned, it takes me a couple of seconds to hug her back, but when I do, it’s tight, and I hope it feels as comforting to her as hers does to me.

“See you tomorrow in art,” she says, the sound muffled in my jacket’s sleeve. I can’t wait until art. I can’t wait to see her again, and I smile as I hold her, until she finally pulls away.

“Wait, Emi?” I stop her, my voice quiet. “Can I...” I don’t finish my question, but instead lift my hands to her sunglasses, removing them from her face slowly. I step to the side, removing my shadow from her face. She continues to look up at me, and she swallows hard. I study her eyes, trying to understand every facet in the few seconds that I have. I’d been waiting for this moment all night.

“I don’t want to,” she whispers. “I think you’re great, but this isn’t what I want.”

I lift my eyebrows at her, wondering what she thought I was going to do. When I catch on, I just start shaking my head and smiling. “I am not that confident,” I admit to her, putting my thumbs on her eyebrows and trying to open her eyes a little wider.

“Oh, god, I feel so stupid–” she says.

“Don’t,” I stop her from continuing. “I wouldn’t be a healthy teenage guy if I said I didn’t want to, but that’s not what I’m doing.”

“Okay... because I don’t want to,” she repeats.

“I understand. I’m not going to. I just wanted one glimpse of these eyes in the sunlight. They’re, like, the color of the sea in Indonesia. It was the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen,” I tell her.

“Oh,” she says, biting back a smile. “Well, then, thank you.”

I nod, satisfied, not at all feeling awkward. “You think I’m great?” I ask her.

“A little,” she says, scrunching her nose. I put her sunglasses back on her ears.

“Well, I like you, Emi.”

Her smile is sweet, and happy. It’s the first time I’ve really seen her happy. She starts toward the door, turning back once she gets to the steps.

“Like ya, Nate!” she calls out to me casually.

I wave to her, in somewhat of a daze. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this happy.





CHAPTER 11 - EMI





“Are you okay?” my mom asks as soon as I shut the door.

“I’m fine, Mom.”

“Why’d you do that, Em? That was stupid! We were looking all over for you!”

“I just needed to get away,” I explain, still standing in the foyer. Everyone else is standing, staring, and I don’t feel like I have anywhere to go. “I’m feeling that way right now, actually.”

Jen is the first to sit down. She pats the couch cushion next to her, offering me a seat. Reluctantly, I go to her, dropping my purse on the floor and sinking into the sofa. Chris takes the recliner seat and Mom grabs a chair from the kitchen table, setting it across from me.

“This place is so small,” I say. “It’s claustrophobic. I used to be able to go to the game room, or the other living room, or outside, but now, I can’t go anywhere. I go in the bathroom, someone wants me out. I stay in the living room, some guy I don’t care to talk to invades my privacy. I go to my bedroom, my sister barges in, uninvited. I hate it here.”