Chapter 11- Hey Stranger:

As Emma walked back to her dorm that night, leaving J.T. with a peck of her strawberry lip gloss on his lips at the door of his dorm, he promised to check up on her in the morning. She quickly mumbled an okay as she trudged off rapidly. Curfew was at 11. Toby and Kendra had been there that night, and he could tell by the heavy odor of sex that lingered. Emma flinched as she placed a cold finger on her bruise just below her temple on her left cheek. She could feel beads of dried blood hanging from her lip, but she didn't care. The only thing that was on her mind was Manny, just like it had been since the fight. She thought about J.T.'s minty kiss at the Dot, and how it was as meaningless as a coat on a summer's day. He smelled of Axe Effect, which she loved. It was a manly yet sweet scent that every boyfriend's t-shirt carries. As she was just about to withdraw her key from the pocket of her beige blazer-

"Emma."

She quickly whirled around to see a familiar and comforting face.

Chris.

"Hey," she said, smiling, and forgetting about Manny, J.T., and her horrendous face. She walked over to him, his dark face smiling at her. She could tell he had been in the sun: he was as black as coffee beans.

"How have you been?" she asked cheerfully, hugging her cold body as her breath hung in the air. Winter was coming up shortly. He shrugged.

"Alright, nothing special. Manny's cousin and I broke up…" he trailed off, hands in pockets.

"Mm," she muttered. Why did he have to bring them up? She looked into his deep eyes.

"How are you and J.T.?" he asked. As he said J.T., he looked completely slurred, knowing that this was his ex's boyfriend, whom he still certainly cared about.

"Fine," Emma sighed, rocking from side to side in the chilly night. "We…couldn't be better." Is he getting jealous? She wondered.

"That's great," he lied, wishing he were J.T.

"How's class been?" She could tell he was trying to make small talk.

"Fine."

She couldn't find anything other to say.

"Do- do you miss me?" Emma blurted quietly, regretting every word as they drained from her lips. She couldn't have picked the worst time to ask. Chris just smirked, leaning against the balcony of a first story dorm.

"Why do you ask?" he asked challengingly. Emma reciprocated, grinning.

"I don't know it's just…." She stared at the ground a bit.

"Maybe I still love you too."

Chris seemed surprised by this. He leaned up against her, smelling her rosy perfume as he held her soft chin close. He was about to kiss her lips when a gasp came from behind him, and someone yelled:

"EMMA!"