Page 146 of Engulfing Emma

Evie: She’s amazing. So much better than I imagined. She’s not stuck up, like a lot of my friends’ big sisters. We text all the time and call once a week. She even called me her BFF yesterday.

Me: I’m so happy for you.

Evie: She’s teaching me German. Oh, and she’s coming to visit next month with her mom and stepdad. We’re going to have two whole days together. I wish you could be here for it.

Me: I wish I could, too.

Evie: Just so you know, I don’t think my mom likes this guy at all.

Me: How can you tell? You’re in your bedroom.

Evie: And I’m staying here until he leaves. I don’t want to meet him. I know she doesn’t like him because I can hear her fake laughing. Like how you do when something’s not funny, but you laugh anyway.

I move away from the window and sit on a barstool as we text for several more minutes, her telling me about how cool sixth grade is, and me telling her about some of the strange calls I’ve gone on in the past week.

It’s odd, yet at the same time not, being friends with her.

Evie: I think he’s getting ready to leave.

I race to the window, watching Richie Rich step onto her front porch. He leans in and tries to kiss her. She backs away at first, and I could swear she glances in my direction, but then she lets him kiss her.

It’s not a long kiss. Not a deep one either. It’s more like a peck on the lips. Anger crawls up my spine as someone else kisses the woman I love.

Evie texts me again, but it’s evident she didn’t see what just happened.

Evie: He’s gone now. I told you there was nothing to worry about.

Me: Yup. Nothing to worry about. I’ll talk to you later, squirt.

Evie: Goodnight, Brett.

Richie Rich bops happily down the street, and I decide I’m tired of being the guy who’s sitting at home, feeling sorry for myself. I pick my phone up and text Bass.

Me: The girl you told me about? Ivy’s sister? Go ahead and set it up.

Chapter Thirty-eight

Emma

I finish cleaning up my centers and sit at my desk to prepare tomorrow’s lesson plan. I look around my classroom, happy to be in a place I love. But I can’t help feeling like something is missing. Maybe I’ll never feel the same here after what happened last May.

As if I’ve been dropped back in that very nightmare, I hear a bloodcurdling scream and then people running in the hall. Kenny Lutwig’s face clouds my vision. Is he back? Did he get released from jail and wants revenge on me for calling 911 from the storage closet?

I drop what I’m doing and hide under my desk.Damn it. My phone is in my purse in a drawer on the other side of the room.

Oh, God, my name is outside the door. And my door is unlocked. But I can’t get myself to move. I’m frozen.

Someone opens my door and I tense as bile rises in my throat. “Emma?” a woman calls out.

I peek around my desk and see Lisa standing there. Then I hear faint sirens in the background.

“What’s happening?” I ask, still shielding myself behind my heavy metal cover.

“Come quickly. It’s Jordan. He’s hurt.”

“Is he shot?” I ask in confusion, wondering why she’s standing in my doorway and not taking cover. “Where’s the gunman?”

“Gunman? No, he fell down the stairs. He’s bleeding badly. Becca was screaming for me to get you. She said you could help.”

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