Time After Time

Chapter 3

At lunch that day Manny, Ellie, Hazel, and Terri are at a table

"So wheres Emma at?" Hazel asked "She would rather take detention then miss lunch"

"Emma and Ashley were late for class so they are both stuck De-fragmenting Simpson's computers" Manny said "they both looked pretty upset when they came into the class though....I wonder whats up" Manny said, just then Terri broke her off, "Oh I'm sure it's nothing. You know Ashley, always getting herself into stupid stuff" she said as if it were nothing. But Manny just wasn't sure....

Later that night before Youth Group

Knocks at the door Emma answers it.

"Oh, hey Manny, let me get my shoes and we can go" Emma said, almost as if she were in a daze.

"Emma, I'm not trying to sound nosy, but is something wrong? You weren't really yourself today." Manny asked concerned.

"Oh, no it's just..soccer practice had me worrying, you know me." Emma said trying to pull off her lie. Manny didn't believe it but didn't think she should bug her too much about it right now.

"And by the way Craig is coming to Youth Group with us...is that OK?" Manny asked when they got into the car that her older sister was driving.

"Ya, that's great! I'm sure he will love it. It will give him a chance to get to know everyone." Emma said. On the way to the church they picked up Hazel, who was already a member of the church, and Craig. When they got there they all sat in the 'greeting' area of the church that they usually sit in and wait for Youth to start, everyone else was laughing and joking, but Emma was pretending to be concentrated on her math homework....that was already done.

At Paige's house that same night, Ellie, Jimmy, Paige, Sean, and Jackson were getting ready to watch a movie

"Hey Ellie I'm gonna go get some popcorn, come with me, you know i don't know how to cook." Jimmy said before the movie started. They got up and walked out of the room leaving Jackson, Paige and Sean.

"So, lover boy when are you going to ask Ellie to be your girl?" Paige asked looking at Sean.

"Well, lets just say that Jimmy doesn't need help making popcorn" Sean said feeling very smug with himself.

"Jimmy is asking her out for you right now?" Paige asked excited, smiling at Jackson.

"Yep, I just hope she says yes...it would be kind of embarrassing if she turned me down" He said with a confused/worried look coming over his face.

"Don't you worry, me and Ellie had a nice long chat today at school and she is so into you" Paige said taking Jackson's hand in hers. She looked into his eyes

"I'm so happy I have you." she said to him. Jackson smiled.

"And I'm happy I got you baby girl." he said.

"OK OK OK OK lets keep this PG-13 boys and girls, jeez" said Sean interrupting their moment and scooting a little bit further away from them.

Back in the kitchen with Ellie and Jimmy

"OK, now me and you both know that you can't cook, but I mean, I thought you could at least figure out popcorn Jimmy...Ashley hasn't messed you up THAT much has she?" she said jokingly. Jimmy looked at her and laughed.

"That's not the reason I brought you with me.Someone has a question for you but is too chicken to ask." Jimmy said getting serious.

"Is it about...."?" Ellie asked, she knew it HAD to be about Sean, the rumors must have been true that he liked her. And she couldn't wait to say yes!

At Youth Group

"Emma, Youth Group is starting, you can put your homework away....you have it done I see" Hazel said.

"What? Oh ya, OK I will be there in a minute" Emma said. It was too much for her. Her best friend can't be a dad, stuff like that happened on TV and in books...not in her life. She went into the Youth Room where they were about to begin. It was about 8:30 so it was dark outside and the Youth Room is dim with people sitting on all different kinds of couches. Emma loves the feeling of walking into that room, just being able to feel the presence of God around her is the most soothing feeling in the world to her, but for some reason the only thing it makes her do now is worry.She takes her seat and the lesson begins. Dea, the Youth Leader, had the perfect lesson laid out for that night, but by the end of it Emma is in tears...wich isn't a very normal sight.

Back at Paige's, in the Kitchen, Jimmy and Ellie

"Well, lets get to the point here, Sean wants to know if you will go out with him" Jimmy said quickly...hoping for a good reply. And then he sees Ellie smiling from ear to ear.

"Of course I will go out with Sean" she said, grabbing the popcorn.

"Now I'm going to watch the movie with my new boyfriend , if you don't mind" She said joking around with Jimmy. When they get back into the room Jimmy turned off the lights and starts the movie and Ellie takes a seat by Sean. As they were watching the movie Ellie slides her hand into Sean's and in the corner of her eye....she can see him smile...

At Youth Group

"Emma, are you OK?" Manny asked in concerned voice....seeing Emma cry was getting even her choked up...

Flashback to Lunch De-fragmenting Mr. Simpson's computers, Emma and Ashley

"I doubt it your pregnant" Emma said...trying to comfort Ashley, which wasn't working.

"But, well...I told Jimmy that I could be... and he said...he said that if I was then he was going to move back to New York and go live with his dad and not claim it" Ashley said starting to cry again.

"Wait a second. Jimmy SAID that!? One of my best friends, the guy that I look up to and respect the most, the Jimmy that everyone loves said that?" she asked in total disbelief.

"Ya...he's going to leave if I am pregnant, I don't think I could live without him Emma." Ash said, now a mess.

"Don't worry, Jimmy isn't going anywhere. Not if I have anything to do with it" Emma said staying strong for Ashley...but inside...she had fallen apart.

End of Flashback

"No. I'm not OK. Nothing is." Emma said....walking out of the Youth Room.