Love is like... Playing a game of spin the bottle. Your sitting in a circle, with a bunch of people you either knew your whole life, or hardly know at all. It's a really simple game. You can spend it any way you wish, but the only catch is, you can only spend it once. And regardless of the nervous, shaky, unstable, feeling you have deep in the pit of your stomach, and the awaiting reckless danger.
You spin the bottle, hoping and praying that it would land on that one person that you want it too, for whatever the reason, so that you can feel something with that one person, if only just for a second, that's all you want, and really, if you think about it... it's not a lot. But it doesn't. It lands on the unexpected person, and there is nothing you can do about it. But go along with it, because those are the rules.
My name is Emmalee Richardson. My dad is John Richardson, he's the CEO of a major corporate business.
In English that just means we have a lot of money. My mom is Dianna Richardson, she does... Well I'm not really sure what she does, but whatever it is it doesn't keep her very busy.
I was born and raised in a small town near West Virginia. You know the kind of town where, everybody knows everybody, and nobody kidnaps you.
My friend list is really close to none. Well except my bestfriend, Noah. Our relationship sorta reminds me of that song by Taylor Swift, 'You belong with me' except the crazy girl isn't his girlfriend... Yet.
And the fact that she will be someday makes me wanna shoot myself. Or maybe runaway. I wonder what would happen if I run away.
Will they miss me? Will they even care? Will I end up like one of those creepy, milk carton girls sitting on your breakfast table, smiling at you happily, when in reality she's probably being tortured, and way closer to death with every spoon full of cereal.
I sighed and rested my chin on the counter. Usually I'd be happy at this time
Which is dinner time
but today I'm anything but!
Noah promised me that we were gonna have our usual movie/spaghetti night, and then he bailed at the last minute. Big deal he has a couple of new friends! But he can't just forget about me.
We've been doing spaghetti movie night since we were ten. We even made a name for it... Smoovie night. I frowned at that thought sighing even harder then before, making my mom smile at me in amusement. I sat up straight on our bar stool and glared at her.
"What could possibly be so funny?" I asked.
"Sweet heart. You do know that it's not the end of the world, right?" I rolled my eyes.
"I never said that it was. I just WISH Noah wouldn't cancel on me so much." I reverted back to my old position. My mom gave a sad smile and sighed.
"Honey, Noah's sixteen now. I mean, that stuff was fun when you two were little but..."
"But what? It doesn't matter that we're sixteen. Or that were in high school. Were best friends! That was our thing. The one thing that we shared together, is now being invaded by king of the jerks." I sighed and my mom looked at me with that stupid pity look.
"Oh... I'm sure he won't do it again." She smiled at me reassuringly and I stood up. "Do you wanna help me make the meatballs?" I gave her a sad smile and then shook my head.
"No thanks mom. I'm not really in the mood. I think I'm just gonna go do my homework." She nodded and I headed to my room. I closed the door behind me and sat down on my bed.
This is like the third time this week he's cancelled a day that we planned together. He said something about a last minute outing with his new friends. And then threw in a sorry right before he hung up.
I don't even care about smoovie night. I just want my friend back. When we were younger, we were inseparable. Now I have to practically get on all fours just to make him sit with me at lunch.
I pulled out my history homework and Noah's. He's not all that bright so I occasionally do his homework for him. Which is really soggy of me I know. But he pays me. Don't give me that look!
I finished our homework a little later then I thought and by the time I was finish. It was already time for dinner. I headed down stairs where my mom was already seated and eating.
I sat down next to her and looked around. "Where's dad?" I asked nervously.
"He's working late tonight. So it's just you and me." She emphasized the words 'you and me' and I felt sick. Whenever me and my mom were alone, we always had these awkward conversations.... Like now.
~*~
I was walking down the hallway slightly late for my class when Mr. Popularity bumped into me. He smiled and I glared. I was not even just a tiny bit happy with him.
"Where were you last night? I had to eat dinner with my mom and she just kept going on and on about how she came across this rude cashier and how they argued, and she even told me what they said WORD for WORD." He shook his head and gave me the sympathetic look.
"I'm sorry babe. It's just that Ian invited me to go bowling with the guys and-" I cut him off and threw my hands up.
"Hey! You owe me no explanation." I said, trying to be a good sport. "Besides... You deserve a little male bonding." He gave me a small, sad smile.
"Look that doesn't mean that I don't wanna hang out with you, okay?" I nodded and kept walking. I couldn't stand him looking at me like that. With beautiful deep blue eyes. It took everything inside of me not to smile and just throw myself at him.
"You're not mad at me are you? Because I really hate it when you're mad at me." I shook my head and stopped.
"Noah, I'm not mad at you." Maybe a little hurt, disappointed, and broken, I thought to myself, but not mad. "So you have nothing to worry about. Look, I got to get to class, okay?" He nodded and kissed me on the forehead.
I smiled and he left me there. Awestruck. That is until someone pushed me out of the way. I was knocked into the locker and then turned to see who it was. No one really stood out so I just shrugged it off.
After English let out I went in the girls bathroom and ran into Ashlyn. She's supposedly what they call Queen Bee of our school. But in my own personal opinion. She's sort of just a monster who's trying to steal the love of my life away.
I smiled and walked past her hoping that she wouldn't say anything, but with my luck... Of course she did.
"Emma! It's so nice to see you!" She plastered a super star smile on her face showing all of her pearly white straight teeth. I stopped walking and turned to face her.
"Hi, Ash." I muttered indifferently. Feeling a little stagnant as to why she was even talking to me.
"Okay, so listen. I'm having a party Friday night and you should come." I looked at her completely baffled. We weren't friends and God knows she hated my guts.
"I should?" I questioned, dumbfounded.
"Yeah!" She said brightly, in her cheerleader voice. "On one condition. You bring that hottie of yours with you." She smiled and then left the bathroom.
Oh no. She really is trying to steal the love of my life. I can't go to that party. I just couldn't bare seeing Noah walking around with that... Thing.
I stood there demoralized, for no telling how long, until the door opened back again. But this time it wasn't Ashlyn, it was Noah. He walked in and grabbed my arm.
"Wh-you cannot be here, Noah!" He gave me a look and started pulling me.
"I have been looking all over for you. Come on. I wanna go home." I rolled my eyes and let him pull me all through the hallway and to the parking lot. He sat me in the car and even buckled up my seat belt for me! Sheesh, if it's that serious!
"Hey are you staying over my house tonight? Because if you are I swear I will make up for smoothie night." I smiled and shook my head at him.
"It's smoovie night." He looked at me confused and I rolled my eyes. "It's fine, Noah. You don't have to do that."
"Yeah, but I want to." His voice was so sweet and caring and he looked at me with those eyes that I'd come to love.
"Okay then." I agreed, trying to sound less eager. "Just lay off the zombies." He laughed, tilting his head back.
"Alright. Zombie Land here we come." He started the car and I know he was only kidding but I had a horrified look on my face. Noah loved zombies. I on the other hand I, didn't.
