13. Emily
Emily
August 2011
“ F irst day of college. Are you ready?” Kamryn asks from the screen on my computer. She returned to college a week earlier to get back in the swing of things. But I know the true reason is that Mason is down there earlier for football practices before the season starts. So Kam and I have to resort to ooVoo Facetime calls to see each other.
“I’m so ready. But I am surprised you’re not sitting on Mason’s lap at this moment.” I tease my best friend.
“Hardy-har-har,” Kam chides. “He’s at practice. But we are meeting up later for dinner.”
Seeing my best friend in love is all I ever wanted.
“Speaking of boys, hey loser.” I turn around to see her addressing James.
James holds up his arms and bangs his fists together. Flipping Kamryn off Ross Geller style.
I can’t stop the huff of laughter. “On that note, we’re going to head to campus. Kam, I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay. Bye, you two!”
Closing out of Facetime, I turn to James with my brow arched. “You two act like siblings most of the time.”
“It’s so much fun,” James claims. “What’s on your schedule for the day?”
Pulling out my planner, I turn to August and see my first day lined up. “All intro classes. I have three today, with my last class done at noon. My goodness, I love college.”
“And I love you, my little nerd.” James says as he frames my face with his hands and leans in to kiss me.
He tries to pry my lips open but I back away because if I don’t he’ll keep us here all day. “What time are you done?”
“Oh, I only have one class today and that’s done at noon, too. I’m going in early to speak with my advisor,” he says matter-of-factly.
“If you say so.”
“I do. Now get your cute butt in gear and let’s get to campus.” James pats me on the behind and strolls out of my room to the kitchen to most likely chat with Gloria.
I gather the rest of my things and meet them there.
A breakfast burrito to-go and an iced coffee are waiting for me on the kitchen island. “Thank you, Gloria.”
“You’re welcome, honey. Now before you go, I put pre-made dinners in the freezer, just follow the directions for how to reheat them. Also, your breakfast burritos are in a freezer bag, you just need to pop them in the toaster oven for about thirty minutes and you’re good to go.”
Gloria is taking a month-long vacation to visit her grandbabies. I love having her here, but I understand she has her own family to get to.
“Thank you,” I tell her again. I mean it. I wouldn’t have survived these last few years without her.
“Go, go. You’re going to be late.”
Kissing her on the cheek, I pick up my food and iced coffee, then I’m out the door with James in tow.
Me: My last class is done early. I’ll meet you at the car.
James: I think my professor is wrapping up. I’ll be there shortly.
I find a bench and lean back as I reflect on the first day and conclude that it was not what I expected. The professors were chill and interacted with us like peers and not like they were our authority figures. My high school teachers got that fact wrong when they told us our professors weren’t casual.
Since I have all intro classes it made for a lighter day, but I know my workload will pile up and according to my advisor, I’m on the right path.
I do love the idea of teaching. But it will be a lot of work.
Am I bummed that I’m not playing violin professionally? A little. But touring with a company would mean traveling. Away from home, James, and Gloria. I’m not quite ready for that.
“Hey, hot stuff.” James greets me as he gets closer to where I’m relaxing on the bench.
“Dating a college guy is so hot,” I eye him up and down suggestively.
He sits next to me and wraps his arm around me. James leans in and his mouth lands at my ear. “Wanna know what else is hot about dating a college guy?”
“What’s that?”
James licks at my ear and a whimper escapes me. “Sleeping with him.”
Say less. I snatch my bag and pull James with me to the car.
“Was it something I said?” He teases as he opens my door.
I hop up into his truck and when I’m safely in, James shuts the door and jogs around to his side.
“It’s not nice to tease people,” I scold him.
A smirk pulls at James’s mouth as he starts up. I slide over to sit in the middle of the bench seat and pull the seat belt in place. James tucks his hand between my thighs as he drives us out of campus. It hits me that we have incredible memories in this truck. And the day that he sells it will be a day that I cry.
I rest my hand on his thigh and feel it tense. I hide my smile in his arm as I curve my hand inward.
“Emily,” his stern voice sends tingles down my spine.
My pinky brushes over the length of him in his jeans and I see his hands clench around the steering wheel. The familiar street that signifies our neighborhood means we’re safe. Well as safe as can be.
“What’s wrong baby? I’m merely continuing what you started this morning,” I tell him coyly.
James whips into the driveway, throws his truck in park, and fuses his mouth to mine. His tongue seeks entrance right away. I don’t care that it’s the middle of the day or that we’re making out in my driveway. I just care about him.
January 2014
“Happy Birthday, to you!” James croons along with Kamryn and Liam. We’re celebrating my twenty-first birthday early before they have to drive back down to school. And I’m lucky they were here to help celebrate.
Since my parents have been as distant as ever, I’ve made my own family. Gloria woke me up with pancakes in bed and James had flowers delivered every two hours to my house. My room was a variety of colors with sunflowers, roses, orchids, and balloons covering most of the flat surfaces.
I look around at my small but mighty group, my chosen family and then blow out the candles. I don’t wish for anything too big as I have all I need.
James places a kiss on my temple and gets up to grab a knife before coming back to the table. I look at Liam and Kamryn whispering secret things to each other. After Mason, I didn’t know how Kam would recover. Kam had a rocky comeback but now she and Liam are inseparable.
“Hey, Kam? Do you remember when we first met, and I asked about you two? You said, “Not like that”. Well I’d like to say, “I told you so.” I pick up my glass of champagne and take a healthy swallow.
Liam and James can’t help the laughs that escape as Kam playfully shoots daggers at me. I still remember picking up the phone and Kam announcing they were dating. They were very much in the lovey-dovey phase, and still are if I’m being honest, so I stayed on the phone for the three minutes I needed to without getting nauseous.
We laugh and talk throughout the night before heading to the movie room. It rarely gets used as James and I resort to watching movies in my room. But my parents spared no expense when they first renovated this house all those years ago. The home theater is fitted with oversized loveseats and bucket seats, a deep red color adorning the soundproofed walls, and the TV screen taking up the entire wall. James and I will occasionally have date nights that always end with a movie. Of course, I end up asleep after thirty minutes and wake up to him carrying me to bed. So I can’t complain about that possibility happening tonight.
“What’s the movie for tonight, birthday girl?” Liam asks when he plops down on the couch. Kamryn grabs a few throw blankets, tossing me one, before unfolding the one she chose and draping it over herself and Liam.
“Iron Man,” I declare. James grabs the remotes for the movie, sound system, and lighting.
“Good choice baby.”
“Thank you.” I accept the praise and unfold my blanket as well. James helps me to spread it over the both of us while the opening sequence plays on the screen. I tuck into James’s side and the steady beat of his heart is enough to put me in a catatonic state.
The movie drones on. We laugh when needed and are completely silent during the fight scenes. I feel like I barely breathe during the entire movie. It isn’t until the credits start rolling that I take in the proper amount of air.
Kamryn and Liam sit up and turn to face us. “We’re gonna head out.” She informs me.
As sad as I am at my friend’s leaving, I’m more than excited to have alone time with my boyfriend.
“Okay,” I tell my friend and hope I did my best to disguise my excitement.
We shut off the movie during the end credits and walk them both to the door.
“Five more months until you’re graduating. That’s insane!” I tell Kam as we walk out of the theater.
Her arm is looped through mine and our steps fall in sync. “Truth is I’m ready for college to be done. It’s been exhausting, as you know. And I’m more than ready to move back up here.”
“You and Liam seem to be happy together.”
“Is this what it’s like to go from friends to more?”
I think of James and me. And how every day with him has gotten better. “The can’t stop floating feeling? Yeah.”
We all get to the door, hugging and making promises for the summer. James makes sure they get to the car and shuts the door when they do.
“Alone at last!” James exclaims before pouncing on me and tossing me over his shoulder.
He begins the trek upstairs with my body slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. My hands land on his waist to keep myself stable.
“I like this view,” my voice is a little nasally as the air is strained.
He brings a hand up and swats me on the butt causing me to yelp. “Don’t even think about it.”
“Just a little squeeze,” I taunt. I won’t do it for fear of him dropping me. He never would.
“Emily Marie, don’t you dare.”
His footsteps are hurried as he gets us to my room and shuts the door closed with his foot. I go flying as he tosses me on the bed. James follows me and crawls up my body.
“What’s the matter? Didn’t want a little butt squeeze?” I do my best and give him puppy dog eyes.
He wiggles his way into the cradle of my legs. “I’ll give you something to squeeze.”
My eyes widen, but before I can offer up a retort James crashes his mouth to mine. His hand slides to cradle my neck as our tongues intertwine. Kissing him is like realizing I’ll never need anything else, not even money, to help celebrate the good times.
James is my partner in the good and bad times. He sees me at my best and sees me at my worst. And through it all, our endless trust and love for the other, has made being with each other easier than taking the next breath.