Emma
I open my eyes and see Cassie's room surrounding me. Even though we have slept till 11 in the morning, I'm still a little bit tired because of our staying up till 3 am.
I look over to Cassie's bed and see she's already awake. She's using her phone, holding it above her face with her arms stretched out and suddenly it slips from her hands and falls on her face. I burst out laughing, hard. I hate when that happens, but I gotta admit it's pretty damn funny to watch it happen to someone else. Specially if that someone is your sleepy best friend. She starts laughing along and slaps my arm in mock annoyance.
I pick up my own phone and text mom that I'm awake and that I'll be home in a minute. The term "a minute" is clearly used loosely, knowing Cassie and myself it could be up to an hour. But it's Sunday morning so she must be reading the newspaper in our garden, sitting under the sun.
I push myself off the mattress I had next to Cassie's bed with an effort and head to the bathroom to clean myself up and get dressed.
-Ems! - Cassie calls out from her bedroom. I can barely hear her and she wouldn't hear my answear either so I just wait until I'm done and out of the bathroom to reply. She would've come in freely jumping up and down if it was something that needed my utmost attention. Ah, the benefits of knowing your best friend like the back of your hand.
- What's up?- I ask her reentering the room.
- Wanna order pizza again?.- she says with a naughty smile covering her features.
- Is that even a legitimate question? You don't ever say no to pizza - I respond matter-of-factly.
- Yay! - she says and we head to the kitchen to look for the delivery number.
Said pizza arrives at 12:30 and within a second, we've eaten it all, still in our PJs. I guess we were hungry because of skipping breakfast.
We discuss a wide range of topics, from school rumors, boys, music, and our plans for the future. We spend a considerable amount of time on this last subject. Our hopes are to move in together once we start college, seeing as I will apply for Parsons and Cassie has her mind set on applying for the NYU. Once we are both accepted, we are planning on living together and fulfilling our college dreams.
We both have already been there and we absolutely loved the city of New York. When we were younger we used to say it was our place in the world. So what's better than starting new, living a New York life with your best friend?
- This application is stressing me out.- Cassie mumbles leaning her forehead heavily on her hand.
- Cass, you'll do great, stop worrying. Plus we still have a lot of time.- I pronounce in what I hope is a soothing voice.
-Yeah but I don't know if I'm doing well enough in my classes right now and I'm afraid it might blow my whole effort up. And what if you get in and I don't? - she gets the words out in a rush, clearly frustrated.
- Listen to me. You. Will. Do. Great.- I let out, stressing every word.-Trust me.- I attempt to calm her down. Because I truly believe there is no way she won't make it. She's Cassie, she can do anything.- Don't stress yourself beforehand. As I told you, you still have plenty of time.
Then I change the subject because I don't want her getting more stressed out than she already is by herself. We start talking about a new interesting guy she's been exchanging texts with. She gets
excited about this topic and any trace of the previous frustration she had before is gone. I know Cassie and I know she is very self demanding and hard on herself. That's also the reason she can achieve almost anything. I'll be more worried about my own application. Or I should.
When we finish I wash the dishes to help her out, while she is still babbling on about this new admirer. Then she stops and glances at her phone.
-They guys are getting together today, just to chill in Matt's house. We're invited, as well as some of the girls are coming.- she explains, still looking at her phone.
- Oh, yeah of course. I'll go.- I announce finishing the dishes and drying my hands. -And I better get going now. I need to shower and do some stuff before I get there. You want me to come and get you before heading to Matt's house?
- Yes, please, if you don't mind.
-Of course not, be ready at 4.- I say with a wave, leaving her house. In the end, "a minute" meant an hour and a half. Oh well.
As I get home, I park my car in my spot and go inside. Mom and Dad are watching television together as expected. They tend to just chill out
Sundays before taking on the stress of the new week. I kiss them hello and head directly to my room, driven by the sudden need to take a shower since I didn't get the chance at Cassie's. I connect my iPhone to the Speakers and a song starts blaring. My music is always too loud but everyone at home is already used to it, so they just let me be.
I grant myself the luxury of taking a long, warm, relaxing bath and then lay in bed with the towel around my body, while listening to my music. At some point of the day I have to do this. Just lay in bed doing nothing, listening to music, freeing my mind. It takes a weight off somehow and renews my energy. It's a ritual I need do in order to continue with my day.
As if determined to contradict me, my mind starts taking me places I plead not to go. Places I thought I'd overcome with time, places that torment me. But I've gotten good at avoiding them with practice. I outright refuse to be taken there, fighting with everything I have.
At some point I must have fallen asleep because I woke up ten minutes later, when my phone vibrated in my hand. Sleepovers usually do this to me. But thank God I didn't completely pass out because otherwise I would have ditched Cassie and my friends. It's a text from Matt, reading "See you at my house, right?" a smile creeps up my face. I find it cute for some reason.
"Sure, I wouldn't miss the opportunity to piss you off in a million years."
I am aware that Matt has intentions with me other than being just friends. He asked me twice before, although he was drunk one of the times. He knows I'm not "dating" anyone so we pretty much just joke about it. I know he's not completely serious about it. Cassie insists that he is but come on, he's popular so it's kind of a given that he should date almost everyone inside the popularity circle. Once again, high school is indeed that shallow.
After getting out of bed, I head to my wardrobe to pick some clothes. Since I haven't combed my hair the exact minute I got out of the shower when it was still dripping wet, I know when it dries I will look like the Lion king. A movie I'm actually very fond of, but not desiring to imitate with my looks at any point. So in order to avoid that I take my time with the hairdryer.
I mentally review my plans for the day. First, to hang out with my school friends at Matt's, then I'll come back home to freshen up to go to Jax's Bar later. I've missed going yesterday but spending the day with Cassie was great in its own way. I don't regret the decision. What's more, I'm glad I stayed with her. And about dinner? I guess I'll dine at home with my parents. Besides, it will help me avoid the whole "you spend way too much time out" talk I get often. So that's it, spending a bit of time with everyone I care about. I actually think this would be a nice Sunday.
Miraculously, I manage to be ready just on time to get to Cassie's. I head to the kitchen looking for my car keys and yell to Mom and Dad that I'll be out but will come home for dinner with them. Thank God my parents are easy going. I guess over time we've all learnt to focus on the important things.
I arrive to Cassie's home in ten minutes to find her waiting for me in her soft pink-painted porch. She gets in and we are ready to go. The ride to Matt's is over in the blink of an eye.
Matt's house is huge, with enormous glass walls facing the front and a small front garden that would make Versailles jealous. I guess that's one of the reasons he is so popular at school, because of her wealthy and powerful family. You would assume someone with that much money and that much social recognition would be a prick but Matt is actually pretty humble and nice. He would never take advantage of his family's influences or money to get anything. On the contrary, he is always repeating there is nothing more pleasant than achievement something with your own constant effort.
We park on one of the several spaces up front and Matt's already opening the door to greet us and let us in. Stepping into his living room, the same one that had me amazed when I first saw it, I realize now how accustomed I've gotten to it.
My eyes wander around the room. Several boys and girls are spread out on the couch, guys and girls from school and Matt's acquaintances. I consider almost all of them friends and I'm pretty sure that swings both ways. I wouldn't tell them my deepest secrets, but we can get together and have a blast anyway. Though our relationship pales in comparison to the one I have with Matt, Cassie and the guys at Jax's, it doesn't mean we can't have a good time.
They all greet us, we sit where we can and the conversation picks up where it had left off, some student that got kicked out. Apparently Tyler, a boy who I barely knew, got kicked out of school because of some vandalism act he did to our History teacher's car. Truth is, Miss Elena was a bitch but I wouldn't take my chances and get kicked out. Tyler was never the brightest one of the lot.
- So guys what did you do on the weekend?- Matt inquired more to me than to Cassie.
- Well, I saw you on Alex's party, on saturday I had some family reunion and then I hung out with Emma.- Cassie answered first, she loved when people took an interest on her life.
- How about you, beautiful?.- he asked again with a boyish grin, this time aimed specifically at me. Matt was always so flirtatious.
- I spent time at Jax's bar with my friends there and well, with Cass, obvi.- I said.
- So you ditched us for your badass adult friends.- Matt jokingly accused.
I opened my mouth to answer Matt with a comment as humorous as his but a feminine voice cut me off. Madison, a girl who I suspected didn't liked me, specially before this, interrupted me.
- Yeah, she is always ditching us, ever since she became depressed- she leered with a cocky smirk on her face.
Yeah, she disliked me alright. What a bitch! From someone I cared about and who actually knew shit about my life, i would have been hurt. But she didn't know me and just said that to diss me, so I just found the comment pathetic.
Everyone stayed in silence for a few seconds, not knowing what to say. Even I stayed in silence and I ALWAYS had something to say.
As if on cue, a distant memory hit me. Something that once Cassie told me. Apparently she was head over heels in love with Matt and profusely disliked the attention he gave me. That's when an inadequate laugh escapes my throat, poor girl. Sweetheart, if you want Matts attention, jealousy and spiteful comments are not the way. Everyone turns to me, looking at me as if was crazy for laughing. I'm sorry, I just find this girl hilarious.
- Madison, you don't even know what happened. You just can't say those things - Matt seethes, gritting his teeth. I don't think I've ever seen him really angry, but this is the closest.
- Matt it's ok, I am a little bit of an emo, I already have some tattoos, I just need to go hard on the eyeliner.- I joked, trying to relieve some of the tension the atmosphere got charged with. I didn't like Madison one bit but I could see in the way she squared her jaw and her eyes hardened that she was having a hard time, especially with the tone Matt used towards her, and the look my best friend shot her. You owe me Madison.
Everyone laughed a little and that allowed us let go of the comment. Madison was kind of silent the rest of the afternoon, and for good measure. It made me feel sorry for her but no one forced her to throw such snide remarks, besides she was insulting me. Now, in any other occasion I would have probably kicked her ass but I was feeling generous.
The air was still a little tense so I actually use Mr. Bieber on purpose.
-So Matt, guess who I saw the other day.- I comment coolly.
-Is it someone from school? -He tried guessing.
-You know what? Whatever you won't guess it anyway.- I say impatiently, even a bit rude. I wanted to eradicate the tension that still lingered on the air as soon as possible.- Your one and only, teen idol, Justin Bieber.
-What?! Are you shitting me?.- he asks laughing and kind of in a shock, somewhat like Cassie's reaction.
-Nope- I laugh. Unfortunately but predictably, that ended up working because even though I wad stuck with a bunch of questions from everyone, at least they forgot the little out of line comment from Madison.
My day went on in the same relaxed note, and by eight I was already back home for dinner.