Chapter 9

"Hey! It's you, Daniel." Chloe said.

"Hi Chloe, uhm..."

Her mom was staring at us, making me a lot uncomfortable.

"Mom, a little privacy, please?"

"Oh, right." Her mom said, leaving the room. Chloe sat next to me and urged me to go on.

"Uh, okay. Chloe, I came here to apologize for- "

"I forgive you." She interrupted with a sweet smile.

"What? Seriously?" I asked in disbelief.

"Of course. How can I ever say no to you, handsome."

Okay, so was she flirting with me now? And did she just call me handsome?

"Uh, alright. Thanks a lot."

"Yeah, its nothing." She smiled sweetly again.

Okay, so silence now. What do I say? What do I do? Man, I hate awkward silence. "Uh, I'm really missing Judy nowadays, you know." I said.

"Aw." She cooed, placing her hand on top of mine, sending my heart fluttering. "Don't worry Daniel. You'll get over it soon. I promise." She said, in the most comforting voice I'd ever heard.

"Thanks. It- it really means a lot."

I couldn't resist the urge to hold her hands in mine, and that was exactly what I did, squeezing it ever so lightly.

If she was surprised, she did a very good job hiding it. I decided to do something. Try something.

I trailed my hand to the side of her face, and surprisingly, she edged closer, and closer, and closer, until she jerked away at the very last moment.

Before I could wonder why, her mom appeared, holding a tray full of scones, cupcakes and cookies, all of different flavors.

It was already late so I couldn't eat them. I told her mom that I was leaving for home.

"Nonsense. You can go home later. I baked these specially for you." Her mom said.

"No, really. I promised my mom that I would be back home before dinner, so I have to go now." I said.

"Then you're taking them with you." Chloe said, with a pretty smile.

Oh, that smile.

I couldn't decline. "Alright." I finally gave in.

After they were packed and given to me, I said my goodbyes and walked out of the house, thinking about how I'd almost kissed Chloe. That made me remember Emily, and then I wondered what to tell her when she showed up tomorrow.

That I had found someone else and I had to leave her because Adam killed Judy all because of her? No way. I couldn't let Emily know about Judy.

When I see her, words will come, I assured myself.

I got home just before dinner, and after having dinner, I went to bed immediately.

But I had eaten too much, so I decided to stay up a little, solving crossword puzzles. After three rounds of the puzzle, I got on my bed and dozed off.

Saturday came at last, and when I woke up early, unable to continue my sweet sleep, I was surprised because I knew how late I'd slept the night before.

Emily popped up in my head again. I seriously did not know what to tell her but I knew she had to know that whatever was between us had to come to an end. I felt very anxious, bit I had to face Emily and tell her the truth. I had to man up.

I went inside mg bathroom, brushed my teeth and took a warm bath. Realizing how cold it was when I stepped out, I decided not to wear the tank top I had intended to wear and put on a long sleeved shirt with jeans.

I exited my room and got to the living room, meeting my mom and dad hurriedly walking around. My dad was putting on his shoes and trying to knot his tie at the same time, and my mom was putting on her earrings, dressed officially, like she had a business meeting to attend.

"Good morning mom and dad." I greeted.

"Hey Daniel, we need to go out quickly, we won't be long." Mom said.

They'd better be long if they were gonna go out at all. "Uh, where exactly are you guys going?" I asked.

"Okay, guess what." Dad said, wearing a not-too-often-seen smile.

"What?"

"Your mom just got a job!"

"Wow! That's great! And she's starting today?"

"Yeah, I am. The interview was done online and I was chosen amongst hundreds of people." Mom said. I could see that she was really exited too.

"Wow. Congrats, mom. But dad, where are you going?"

"I was called at the office and informed that we are gonna be having an emergency meeting at the office today, so I'm rushing down as fast as I can. I'll just drop your mom off at Evelyn Avenue."

"Oh alright."

"You can have anything you want for breakfast, just stay away from the chilli in the glass jar on the top shelf. Okay?"

"Yeah, yeah mom. You two should get going already. You'll be late if you keep telling me what to do and what not to do."

"Honey, I'm ready, are you?" My dad asked my mom.

"Yeah. Goodbye Daniel, take care of yourself." Mom said, kissing me on the forehead.

"Bye!" I said as they hurried out the door.

Well I was going to order pizza for breakfast.

What? Mom said anything but her chilli.

I ordered a medium sized pizza and sat down, switching on the TV.

After a while, I heard the doorbell ring. The pizza came quick, I thought, remembering his long I'd waited the last time I ordered one.

I got up and opened the door for whom I thought was the pizza delivery guy.

But it wasn't.

It was Emily, looking as splendid as always. There somehow seemed to be something different about her, but I just couldn't place a finger.

And why did she always like to show up at unpredictable times?

"Well you are not pizza..." I whisper to myself.

"But I am just as tasty." She chuckled, flashing her usual bright smile.

Oh, this was going to be hard.

"Come in. Uh, I was expecting you but, but not this early." I said, opening the door all the way.

"I know. But I just had to come now so Adam doesn't find out."

Yeah, it was always about him. Adam. Adam this, Adam that. Sick.

I shut the door and sat, likewise her.

"Emily, I'm sure you know you're here for a really important reason."

"I don't, actually."

"Well, you soon will." As soon as I figure out how to tell you.

"By the way, why aren't your parents at home again? Did they go for another baby shower?"

I did not find that funny at all.

"They didn't. Actually- "

"And where did Judy run off to this time?"

"Enough! Don't you ever talk about my sister that way ever again!" I yelled, breathing hard out of fury.

It was a good thing my parents weren't home.