Three

“Just message her, Em,” Mila whined. She has been trying to convince Emma to text Ariana for the past half an hour, but Emma was too scared and shy to do it.

“What if she doesn’t want to talk to me again?” Emma murmured, looking down. Her social anxiety kicked in.

“She wouldn’t have given you her number if she didn’t want you to message her!”

“I don’t know...Mil, look you’re more than enough for me and I don’t want any more friends,” Emma said quietly. Mila sighed heavily and snatched the phone from her best friend’s hands.

“What are you doing!?” Emma squealed and tried to get her phone back from Mila.

“If you’re not going to do it then I’ll do it!”

“No no no no! Please don’t!” Emma begged her.

“No, Em, I will do it, end of discussion,” Mila said and messaged Ariana quickly.

“She is probably going to ignore the text,” Emma muttered as she rested her head against the bed’s headboard.

“What have you got to lose?” Mila asked her.

“She is probably going to refer to me as the stupid girl who thought she wanted to really befriend and she is going to make fun of me with her friends.”

“Oh my god, Emma, you have such a wild imagination!” Mila exclaimed in disbelief. “Look! She actually replied.”

“What did she say?” Emma asked her quickly.

Mila gave the phone to her nervous friend to read the message herself and see that there was nothing in the message from what she had imagined in her head.

‘Hey Emma! I was waiting for your text! There was this party I wanted to tell you about’

“The girl actually wants to invite you to a party.” Mila looked at Emma who shrugged.

“You could never guarantee that this was going to happen,” Emma pointed out.

‘What party?’

‘A party at a frat house next Friday’

“You should go!” Mila encouraged her. It was a chance for Emma to meet new people.

“But you’re coming with me, okay?” Emma looked at Mila.

“Em, I have a shift till 8:30 on Friday but if I’m not tired I will come with you, you go and have fun. You’ll be fine without me,” Mila assured her.

“Fine...” Emma said quietly, feeling a bit anxious about the whole thing.

‘I will be there! Just text me the address’

‘45 Blackwood st.’

Mila did not want to go to the party as she knew that Emma wouldn’t leave her side if she did and she wanted Emma to have fun as much as possible without her, she wanted Emma to meet new people. But at the same time, she did not want to leave her alone, because she knew that Emma might end up sitting alone. She did not know what to do.

“Did you write anything new?” Emma asked Mila.

“Yeah, but it’s not that good,” Mila mumbled quietly.

“You always say this about your writings. You always write good things. Show me,” Emma told her, taking the notebook from her best friend.

“I really don’t get it! Why are you doing this?” He was not angry, well...maybe he was, but his confusion exceeded his anger.

“I told you! I never lied to you! I’m not girlfriend material...I couldn’t even get a tattoo for fear of commitment and you want me to easily date you?” She argued. She did not like how she was but her heart was scarred. She could never forget her past.

“You know what really annoys me? I don’t see you with somebody else, I don’t see you showing emotions to somebody else! You just push me away because you’re scared! I did everything to get you to open up and warm up to me but guess what? You always end up saying something hurtful and push me away then come back and apologize and I’d forgive you because I’m in love with you!” He was yelling at her, he loved her so much, but he was exhausted; emotionally exhausted.

“I’m...I’m sorry, I never meant to lead you on...look, let’s just, you know...end it. We shouldn’t even be friends.” Her heart shattered as she uttered those words, but she couldn't get over her fear.

“You’re right! Absolutely right! You were nothing but a waste of my time!” he snapped out of anger and walked away, accidentally hitting her shoulder as he stormed off.

She ran to her dorm and crashed on her bed. She was grateful for the absence of her roommate, so she could cry her feelings away, she hated showing emotions to anyone; she always saw it as a point of weakness.

“If this is your definition of ‘not good’ then I don’t know what’s your definition of ‘good’ because this is amazing!” Emma grinned widely.

“I don’t know... something is missing.” Mila shrugged.

“What could possibly be missing?”

“That’s the thing! I don’t know what is missing.” Mila sighed.

“I just love how you imagine scenes in your mind then write them down. I don’t even know why you don’t share them,” Emma said.

“I’m not ready yet to share them with anyone, so feel lucky that I share them with you.” Mila joked, earning a hit with a pillow from Emma.

“You know you can’t keep something away from me,” Emma teased, sticking her tongue out at her best friend.

“So who is going to cook dinner?” Mila smirked, making Emma groan.

“Is it really my turn?” Emma whined.

“Yes, don’t burn the place down, please.” Mila giggled. Emma glared at her before going to the kitchen. Mila stayed in her room for a while to do some college work then went to help Emma, feeling bad for leaving her alone.

“Yes, mum, I’m doing good...what skipping are you talking about? It’s just my first day...all right, I will talk to you later, bye,” Emma said through the phone and let out a loud groan after she hung up. “Unbelievable!” She exclaimed.

“Easy there...what happened?” Mila asked her, taking the stirring spoon from her and started to stir the sauce.

“Mum is talking about skipping and it’s just my first day! Can you believe that?” Emma sighed, closing her eyes to calm herself down.

“I’m sorry... just forget whatever she told you.” Mila comforted her friend, knowing how Mrs. Adams could be. She did not like how Emma’s parents treated Emma as if she was a small child. It’s like they were trying to erase her personality and mould her the way they wanted.

“Forget about the phone call... how does the sauce taste?” Emma asked, changing the subject.