Chapter Twenty-Six

                                    

                                          
I got to class early the next day, so that I could get on with some art. It had been great to spend some time with the twins and their family, though. The whole thing hadn't actually been so bad but some people did seem slightly suspicious of the fact that Elijah suddenly had a girlfriend. All in all, though, I believed that we had them fooled. Fortunately, Elijah's hamster hadn't tried to escape his cage again, after the initial incident. 
                          
As I worked, my thoughts drifted and I found myself watching out of the window for a moment, as a red fox trotted past. 
                          
I exhaled and looked back towards my work. Why had I allowed Emmy to confuse me so much? I knew that I liked her but I also knew there was very little I could do about it. The only thing I knew I could try to do was move on. I still had to complete this deal and I planned to do it soon. I hoped that I wasn't being too optimistic in wanting to ask Courtney out on a date, though. The two of us had only become friends but I was sure that if I could bribe her with some brownies, then it would end up all working out for the best. Maybe. 
                          
The only reason why I had settled on asking Courtney out in the first place was because for some reason I felt drawn to her. I supposed that part of that was because she had always slightly intimidated me. She hadn't been the nicest of people when I had first met her but that hadn't met me any less intrigued about her. 
                          
Of all the people at my high school, she also happened to be the one that stood out the most, with her silver hair and leather jacket and that characteristic smile of hers that I knew nobody else had. Everything sort of made you want to find out more. At least, in my case it made me want to find out more. 
                          
"What are you thinking about?" Emmy asked me, as she came to sit down beside me. 
                          
"Oh you know, just stuff," I said. 
                          
I knew that it was a vague response. I wasn't exactly about to tell her all about these thoughts that I had about Courtney. It would be weird. Besides, I knew that Emmy would probably take it upon herself to believe what she wanted and it wasn't as though I actually liked Courtney. Not like that. At least, I didn't think that I did. 
                          
"Penny for your thoughts?" Emmy asked me. 
                          
"I'm going to ask a girl out soon," I said decisively. 
                          
"Okay," Emmy said peacefully, "That sounds like it will be fun." 
                          
"Thank you. I hope I don't get rejected," I said. 
                          
Emmy smirked. 
                          
"You won't get rejected, Phoebe. You're awesome," she told me. 
                          
As Emmy sat beside me, I gave her a warm smile. I soon realised that she was fiddling with her pen in the way that she often did when she was anxious, though. 
                          
"Are you okay?" I asked her. 
                          
"I suppose that I'm a little unsettled. I don't know. I have a date with Lois soon," she muttered. 
                          
I felt my eyes widen slightly at that. 
                          
"Why? Are you nervous?" I asked her. 
                          
Emmy released a soft laugh. 
                          
"It's normal to get nervous when you like someone, isn't it?" she asked me. 
                          
I supposed that would explain why I used to get so nervous around Emmy. I didn't feel like that anymore, though. I felt peaceful around her, actually. 
                          
Miss Mack soon entered the class and her blue eyes looked between the two of us. 
                          
"Good morning, girls," she said, with a wamrth to her voice. 
                          
"Hey Miss Mack," we replied in unison. 
                          
The other students soon joined us and we got on with our lesson until the bells rang out again. 
                          
Once we were outside the class, I turned my attention back to Emmy. 
                          
"It's going to be great," I told her warmly, "If you need any help preparing for the date then I am here for you. You know I'm always here to care about you, Emmy."
                          
"I know you are. That's what makes you so great," she told me, as she smiled back at me with warmth too. 
                          
It was moments like this where I felt that tug sensation on my heart again. 
                          
Ryder soon walked towards us though so I could break my awkward eye contact with Emmy and look towards him. 
                          
"Hey Ry," I greeted him. 
                          
"Hey you two! How's it going?" he asked. 
                          
 "We're all good," Emmy replied. 
                          
I had never understood why I had to feel the way that I did, but the knowledge that Emmy had a date made me want to do everything that I could to protect her from getting hurt. I knew that I should have trusted Lois. I supposed that my feelings for Emmy were causing me to have my reservations. 
                          
Emmy met my gaze then, with a hint of curiosity in her eyes. She didn't ask me any questions, though, as her brother soon joined the two of us. 
                          
"Hello! Does my older sister, by one minute, have a date?" he asked us. 
                          
"She may do," Emmy replied. 
                          
"It's going to go well. I know it," he said with sincerity. 
                          
"Yeah!" Ryder chimed in with optimism evident in his voice. 
                          
I knew that they were trying to help out Emmy but I couldn't help but feel jealous of the whole situation again. 
                          
I looked down towards my pink-polished nails momentarily, before meeting Emmy's gaze. 
                          
"Listen, it's going to be fine. I just know it," I told her with a friendly smile. 
                          
"Thank you, Phoebs," Emmy replied. 
                          
Emmy made her way towards the cafeteria then, while Elijah hung back so he could talk to me. 
                          
"Are you alright, Phoebe?" he asked me. 
                          
"Me? Yeah, I'm fine," I said, as the two of us began to walk towards the cafeteria, too.