Between the Lines

Doubtful. But I’m not in the mood to dissent, so I nod and walk to my room in a sort of daze, shower and get ready to go out. Tomorrow I’m going back to Austin. And maybe I’ll try a little of this honesty business on Reid when I get there.

Or not.

***

As I wait for the boarding announcement, I try to get some reading done for English, but give up after attempting to reread the same page of A Room of One’s Own for the third time. I can’t concentrate on the words in front of me. Bookmarking the page, I stuff the book in my bag and pull my iPod from a side pocket, pondering the changes that one conversation with my father could set in motion, in both my immediate future and long-term.

As far as I can tell, he hasn’t told Chloe a thing. The only time he alluded to my college plans at all was over coffee this morning, when Chloe was still asleep.

“I’m going to sign you up for the SAT,” he said, his voice low. “In Austin, next month.”

“Oh. Okay.” I stood at the counter, gripping the mug. The abstract idea of college was turning more concrete by the minute. Something in my expression must have let him know that the reality of what I was about to do to my life was flooding in.

“This is what you want, right?” He stared directly into my eyes, concerned. “Are you sure, Emma?”

“Yes, it’s perfect.” I sat down at the table with my coffee.

He nodded once, satisfied, smoothing out the pages of the Wall Street Journal. As he scanned the front page, he said, “I suppose you’ll need to decide where you’re going to apply.”

I swallowed. “Yeah, I have a lot to think about.”

“You have time. Once filming wraps up, we’ll get those applications in, and there will probably be auditions of some sort, assuming you want to start next fall.” My stomach dropped at the realization of what I’d done. I was going to be in class. With other people. In some cases, lots of other people. I can handle being on stage in front of an audience and filming in front of a production crew, but the thought of interacting with a classroom full of people in an academic setting scares the crap out of me. It’s almost humorous.

I scroll through my library of music, barely focusing on the titles and unable to settle on anything. When my phone vibrates, I pull the earbuds out, giving up on both reading and music in a three-minute span of time.

Graham: Hey, heading back? Wanna run tomorrow morning?

Me: Sure. At the airport now.

Graham: Me too.

Me: I talked to my dad about college.

Graham: What did he say??

Me: He‘s signing me up to take the sat in austin in a month. Ugh.

Graham: Don’t worry. You’ll do fine.

Me: Thanks ?

Graham: NP. I’m about to board. See you in austin.

Chapter 32

REID

Monday evening, everyone hangs out in my hotel room, sprawled across the bed, sofa and floor space. We order room service while we watch (and mercilessly ridicule) an atrocious eighties movie. Tadd brought his guitar back with him from LA, and he and Graham trade subdued sets while we all discuss our weekends away. There are moments Emma is paying closer attention to them than to the conversations around us. I vaguely remember George telling me a few years back that I should learn to play an instrument. Another of his suggestions that I didn’t follow.

Emma and I are sitting on the bed, and I’m having a hard time being aware of anything beyond her. I recognize the scent she wears now—sweet and subtle. If I could make everyone in the room disappear right with the snap of my fingers, I wouldn’t hesitate. She sits cross-legged and barefoot, her shoulder brushing mine, her toenails painted a purple so dark it’s almost black. When I look up from her toes, she’s smiling at me, and the girls from Saturday night are a hollow memory, nothing worthwhile to retain.

Quinton’s ex is making an all-out play to get him back. We were on the same flight back from LA so I know the scoop and already gave him advice he won’t heed. I listen distractedly as he shares his predicament with everyone else.

“I wasn’t home thirty minutes before my ex shows up at the door. My little sister lets her in, almost like someone told her when I’d be home.” He arches an eyebrow.

Jenna laughs. “Almost, huh?”

Tadd’s fingers freeze on the strings. “Dude, my ex had sisters. If she decides to butt into your love life, you are so screwed.”

“Yeah, what a coincidence, right? So I shut myself in my room, took a nap and then a shower, thinking I’d come out and she’d be gone. But when I opened my bedroom door, the whole damned house smelled like chocolate chip cookies.” He shakes his head. “Kimber knows I can’t resist those things. They’re like little dollops of heaven.”

Brooke holds both hands up. “Did you just say little dollops of heaven? I’m taking away your man card if you ever say that again.”

“Oh, Quinton. What did you do?” MiShaun asks.

“You guys don’t understand! This girl, we’ve known each other since we were five. She knows every weakness I’ve got!”

“You got back together with her?” Brooke asks. Quinton runs a hand over his face and nods, and the room erupts with opinions.

Graham continues to finger chords softly, and then he’s glancing at Emma with half a smile, rolling his eyes. I feel her shoulders vibrate faintly with her silent laughter. Oh, hell no.

I turn my head and she looks at me. I want to kiss her, but that’s too conspicuous on the jealousy scale—she wasn’t thrilled the last time I did that. Instead, I lean my forehead to hers and speak just above a whisper, ignoring Graham’s existence, asking her silently to do the same. “I missed you. A lot.”