A sharp beam of light shone down on Emma's face and she screwed up her eyes, at the sudden shock of it. Blinking, she looked up slowly to find her mother tying her curtains back at her generous window. She wriggled in her bed, whining at her mom, until she flipped over and buried her head under her pillow.
"Get up Em! Summer's over, and you promised you would be up twenty minutes ago."
Emma moaned and sunk her head deeper into her pile of pillows.
"Fine." Rachel said loftily, "But you have thirty seconds until Daniel beats you to the bathroom. Fair warning."
Emma sat straight up and ran for the bathroom door. The corridor was long and was lined with beautiful abstract art and pretty wallpaper, much to Daniel's dismay. Once safely first in the bathroom, Emma rubbed her big brown eyes and turned the shower on.
Within the hour Emma was dressed in an orange-red skater dress with a large brown belt, matching heels and was quickly shoving books into a large handbag.
"Emma, I've got you're pancakes ready," Ross said walking into the entrance hall, where Emma was stood, starting to lead her into the kitchen.
Emma looked up, "Oh, no I'm hitting Starbucks with Sophie and Cassie, and then we're going to meet the group before school, so I'll see you later."
Ross watched her long golden-brown hair swish out behind her as she turned and headed straight for the door without looking back. He sighed and ran a hand through his greying black hair. He'd discussed Emma with Rachel on several occasions and she'd assured him that she was just being a normal teenage girl like she had been, but the short skirts and high heels never seize to bother him.
Emma walked down the street and slid into the car that slowed to a stop in front of her.
Marcus leant over the seat and closed his hands around her neck, drawing her towards him. He kissed her carelessly, his tongue shooting into her mouth instantly. Her lips were forced into parting and she let him lift his hands to her chest. After a couple of minutes he let her go as quickly as he had grabbed her and the impact made her hit her head on the car door.
He started the car and drove, ignoring her.
He wore ripped black jeans and his school football sweater. He was the captain this year and Emma recognised the smug look in his sharp green eyes, even under the mess of his dark brown hair. She supposed it was partly because he was the captain of the football team, but also because he was a 'friend with benefits' to the captain of the cheerleading squad and reigning number one on the schools anonymous tumblr 'sexiest girl' account, just in front of her best friend.
When he reached Starbuck he came to a hault, "Okay, I'll see you later."
Emma frowned, "Aren't you coming in? Everyone's gonna be there."
"No. I can't be seen with you too much, because you'll act like a girl and pretend like I'm your boyfriend, which would suck, 'cause I'm not and I never will be."
Emma felt the sting of his cold tone and tried to keep her breathing even. Before she said goodbye, she stopped herself and stepped out the car slowly in silence. She waited for him to say something or kiss her softly like he used to, but the second she was stood on the sidewalk he slammed down on the accelerator and the car disappeared into the distance.
Emma took a couple of seconds to collect herself, but when she looked up she found she wasn't as alone as she had first thought. Cassie gave her a sympathetic smile before crossing the street and grabbing her in a tight hug.
Cassie walked with Emma into Starbucks and let her ignore the situation and pretend to be happy. She slid into a booth in the far corner of the coffee shop, while Emma went to buy coffee and muffins.
When Sophie, Riley and Danny came in she waved wildly, until she caught Riley's attention. She swallowed carefully when Riley flashed her a beautiful smile and shook the sudden rain outvof her choppy blonde hair. Cassie ignored the butterflies dancing in her stomach, and got up to hug her three friends.
"Hey gorgeous," Riley greeted Cassie. She could feel Cassie's cheeks flush as their faces brushed in the hug. She smiled to herself and revelled in Cassie's embarrassment. Riley had liked Cassie for over a year, and was happy with being friends and not over stepping her boundaries as the friendship meant more than anything else. But she couldn't deny these moments of hope that it wasn't as crazy as it seemed.
Emma relaxed when she saw her friends and was greeted with a warm hug from Danny. Danny was Sophie's cousin and, like Sophie, had thick soft brown curly hair. It was cut in a very neat style, that wasn't dissimilar to an Abercrombie and Fitch model. He had a slight tan from the summer which made his sharp green eyes stand out all the more.
