FOUR

14 yrs. Old

I was excited. Danny just got his car- it was his sixteenth birthday present because he had just gotten his license two days ago. He said that he wanted to take me out for ice cream for his first ride in the car. I had to say, I was flattered- normally, I knew he would choose me in a heartbeat but lately, he had been hanging out with his other friends a lot more than me. I usually just shrugged it off and told myself I was imagining it but sometimes, it felt like he was forgetting me.

I wondered what could have changed so drastically in the last two years. The change had been slow so I was still just noticing it but he definitely wasn't spending as much time with me. It was different than it used to be. When I asked him to come over, go somewhere, or have a sleepover, he actually thought about it first. Sometimes he even refused which confused me because he never would have done that before.

Even so, when we were around each other, we were as close as ever. I had vaguely thought on occasion that if someone didn't know us, they would think we were going out. We held hands, hugged, and I sat on his lap- but it was in a friends/brother-sister way. I didn't think of it in a romantic way, though, and neither did he.

I put on some mascara and lip-gloss. I wasn't really into the whole make-up thing so I usually just put on some light make-up.

When I heard my doorbell ring, I ran to the door and threw it open.

"Danny!" I exclaimed and jumped into his arms.

"Hey Em," he chuckled, hugging me back. "You ready?" he asked while grinning.

"Well… I don't know if I can trust you…" I said while successfully keeping a smile off my face.

He gently smacked my arm. "You know I'm a good driver! You have been in the car with me when I had just my permit."

Yeah, when your parents were in there, too.

He didn't wait for me to answer but instead grabbed my hand and pulled me to his car. The car was clearly new buy it wasn't super expensive, either. His parents weren't stupid enough to do that. Still… it was his own car!

"Nice," I breathed while running my free hand along the shiny hood.

He nodded knowingly and opened my door, helping me get in.

Well aren't you adorable? Who knew that sixteen year olds could act like such gentlemen? Ah, your mother has taught you well.

Once we were both settled, he turned to me and grinned. I couldn't help but smile in response. I had no idea how he did it but, he just made me so happy!

By the time we got to the popular ice cream parlor and he slid into a parking space smoothly, I couldn't deny it any longer.

"Okay," I sighed, turning to him. "You are a great driver."

He grinned. He had been expecting me to say that. "I know," he said cockily and stepped out of the car. Even acting so smug, I still loved him.

When we got inside, he turned to me and said, "What-"

"The usual," I said, smiling and cutting him off.

He nodded to me and told me to find a place to sit.

I grabbed a couple of spoons from nearby and looked around for a place to sit. It wasn't really that crowded. There was a couple towards the back and two different tables of boys that looked to be about Danny's age. I passed one of the tables with the boys and headed towards our favorite counter at the back of the parlor. It had really high stools that always made me feel rather powerful sitting in them.

Danny came over with our ice creams a few minutes later. He had a vaguely troubled look on his face but it disappeared so quickly that I wasn't sure if I had imagined it or not. He set my chocolate ice cream with creamy caramel sauce and brownies in front of me and proceeded to dig into his usual giant sundae.

I laughed. "Yummy?"

He nodded and chuckled. I smiled at him and dug into mine.

Fifteen minutes later, with our both of our stomachs satisfied, we jumped off our stools. Daniel glanced around the parlor and odd look came to his face. I was about to ask him about it when he put his arm around my waist and guided me out of the parlor.

Outside of my house, we sat in his car. "Well thanks," I said, a smile still on my face. I wondered why that always happened when I was around him. Nobody else could make me smile so easily- just by being in the room. "I had fun. We haven't played in a while… do you want to hang out?" I wasn't sure of the answer- what with him not wanted to be with me as much.

"Uh, I actually have plans already. Sorry Emmy," he said.

I guess I had already known the answer. "Okay," I said, trying not to sigh. "See you."

He nodded at me as I climbed out of his car.

"Bye," I whispered to him again as he drove away.

Danny's POV

I had just gotten my sixteenth birthday present, which was a car. Man, I was so excited! It wasn't super nice, but who cares? It was mine! I loved being sixteen. Plus, now my parents were finally going to allow me to take girls on dates. Anyway, I had planned on taking Emmy out to ice cream at the popular ice cream parlor that we had gone to many a time. Except now, I was driving!

I hadn't been hanging out with Emmaline as much so that was why I was taking her out. I mean, I had different friends now and she did too. Sometimes my mom would give me a look saying I needed to be with Emmy more but I knew that she had friends so it wasn't like she was lonely or anything. Nothing was different with us except that I wasn't with her 24/7. I still loved being around her though.

As I walked up to her door, a smile was already creeping onto my face. I swear, even being near that girl made me smile. I rang the doorbell. I normally would have walked in but she was coming out so there wasn't really a point.

Emmaline flung open the door, yelled "Danny!" and jumped into my waiting arms. Her dark, now long, hair flew around both of our faces.

"Hey Em," I said, hugging her and chuckling. "You ready?" I asked while keeping an idiotic grin on my face.

The smile vanished from her face but I could still see amusement in her eyes. "Well… I don't know if I can trust you…" she said. I have to say, she was a very good actor. That was very useful when she spontaneously decided to talk to strangers, making up a whole story about her life.

I gently smacked her arm. "You know I'm a good driver! You have been in the car with me when I had just my permit." I was a good driver.

Emmy bit the inside of her cheek, fighting a smile. I knew she was stopping herself from saying something. Instead of finding out what it was, I grabbed her hand and headed to my new car.

"Nice," she breathed while running her free hand along the shiny hood.

I nodded and opened her door, helping her get in. Her blue eyes sparkled. She really was a pretty girl. I walked around to the driver's side and got in, grinning at her. A smile grew on her face as I started the car.

When we got to the ice cream parlor, she took a deep breath and turned to me. I already knew what she was going to say. "Okay," she sighed dramatically. "You are a great driver."

"I know," I said and got out of the car.

When we got inside I said, "What-"

She cut me off saying, "The usual." Of course. She never got anything other than chocolate ice cream with caramel on it and brownies on the side. I couldn't really blame her though; I got a sundae every time.

I nodded towards her and told her to find a place to sit.

I got the ice cream and turned towards the tables, searching for her. She was at the back sitting on a high chair, playing with our plastic spoons, oblivious to everything around her. That wasn't what bothered me though; there was a table full of boys that were from my grade all staring at her. I didn't like it. I could tell it was the look that said that they thought she was cute but I thought the whole thing was kind of weird, she was only fourteen! I took a better look at her profile. She was a very pretty girl. It was a natural pretty, too. I knew she didn't put on like any make up at all. I predicted that she would be very beautiful when she got older. I walked towards the tables, restraining myself from snapping at the guys. It was just too weird- I still thought of her as a little girl and here she was at fourteen, already turning heads.

I got to her and climbed up on the chair next to her. I handed her the ice cream and dug into mine.

"Yummy?" she asked, grinning.

I nodded and kept on eating. I really couldn't think about anything else except that guys were looking at her. Like looking looking at her. I didn't know why I felt so protective about it though.

When we were done, we both got down from our chairs and I looked at the boys. All of them were still surreptitiously glancing at her. I wanted to yell at them to stop it but instead, settled for sliding my arm around her waist protectively. As we walked out, I glared at them without letting Emmy see. They turned back to their food –almost- looking apologetic, now that they thought I was her boyfriend or something. Yeah right! She was just like a little sister to me.

We got in the car but I didn't say a word to her. I was thinking about why I had acted so protective. It wasn't like the boys actually did anything. I decided that it was just because I felt a need to protect her because she didn't have her own big brother anymore.

When we got to her house, she asked me if we wanted to hang out. I wasn't really paying attention so I said that I already had plans. I think I did. I thought she looked sad for a bit and I was about to change my mind when she slammed the car door closed. So much for that.

As I drove home, I couldn't help but wonder how in just an hour, I had gotten so confused about everything- mostly confused about Emmy, though. What had just happened?

Hey I know more people are reading this than those that are reviewing! Will you please tell me if you like it or if you have favorite parts? Thanks for reading! ~mpookiew