Page 7 of You Found Me
When they got up, Emmaline tried to leave money for her food, but neither one of us would let her. She finally huffed and said she would find a way to slip one of us the money. Theo laughed and when she looked at me, I shrugged, causing her to throw her hands up and walk off. I couldn’t stop the chuckle that left me because she’s pretty cute when she's frustrated.
Theo suggests going to Blossom Brews, the coffee shop and bar on Main Street as we’re walking out of Edie’s Eats. Theo orders a gin and tonic while I ask for an old fashioned.
“Sooo,” Theo says once we’re seated. “Wanna tell me how you know Emmaline? And before you try lying, saying that you don’t, I saw your face when you looked at her. And where did Buttercup come from?”
I know this is why he wanted to grab a drink before going our separate ways. If I tell him about that night, he’s more likely to tell me who he and the girls were talking about and why he looked hurt.
Taking a big swig of my drink to calm my nerves. “You remember the Halloween frat party our junior year?”
He lets out a deep laugh. “That was the year we went as Marvel characters, right?” At my nod he continues, “I still remember how chafed I was at the end of the night. Those suits were a nightmare, but man did we look good.”
“Unfortunately for me, I also remember how chafed you were.” I fake a shiver. “But yeah, that was the night I met Emmaline—except, she never gave me her name. Only said to call her Buttercup.”
“Why Buttercup?” Theo asks with furrowed brows.
“Apparently your sister and another one of their friends were dressed as The Powerpuff Girls. When I tried telling her my name, she said it’d be more fun to go by our costume names.”
For weeks after that night I regretted not trying to get her name before she left. The only thing she would take from me was my number, and then she wouldn’t give me hers. She never called or texted.
It was like seeing a ghost today.
“Why didn’t you mention meeting her back then? I would’ve been able to help you figure out who she was,” he tells me.
“When she didn’t get in touch with me after that night, I assumed she wasn’t as into me as I was into her.”
“Wait, I’m almost positive Em started dating Chance right after that party. I remember Mia talking about how he‘finally got off his ass and let her out of the friendzone.’That would explain why she never got in touch with you.” Theo gives a sympathetic look.
Shrugging, I think aloud, “That’s probably exactly what happened. I saw you had a picture with her in it a little while after that and when I asked about her, you said she was off the market. I figured it wasn’t gonna happen and moved on. Now, it’s your turn to be in the hot seat,” I say and watch as he rolls his eyes. “Who is the girl you were so worried about at dinner?”
“Johanna, we’re gonna need a couple more rounds over here,” he calls out.
She nods. “Coming right up.”
“So?”
“Her name’s Colette. She’s one of their best friends . . . and also my ex-girlfriend,” Theo mumbles into his glass.
“How long ago did you date? Never heard you talk about a chick with that name.”
“We dated back in high school. My dad overheard a few of my buddies saying some typical teenage boy shit, and insisted I break it off with her. He said she was too young for those things, and I wasn’t allowed to corrupt such a sweet girl.” Theo sighs before continuing, “We had been together almost a year. She wasn’t as upset once I explained the reason, and we stayed friends. She was in a car wreck shortly after the breakup with her sister and mom.
“Their mom ended up in a coma and was eventually taken off life support before Christmas. We spent the night together in their old tree house and after that, she became so icy towards me, sometimes downright hostile. I tried talking to her about it, but she shut me down.”
“And when you asked her later on, after she had time to grieve her mom, she never told you the reason?”
He drops his head back. “I, uh, never actually asked. She barely stays in the room with me unless we’re in a big group. I just try to stay out of her way—if possible.”
“Dude . . . you’re an idiot.” Theo tries to interrupt but I hold my hand up. “You know that time you were lurking around the corner of the dorms sophomore year, waiting for me to walk by after a study session. All so you could try scaring me, and instead of it being me, it was two girls—who started to lay into your head with their giant bags and kick your shins?”
A puzzled expression overtakes his face, and he asks, “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Nothing, just knowing you’ve always been a dumbass makes me feel better about laughing so hard I cried that night,” I tell him with a smirk.
“You’re an ass, Spence,” he replies with a shake of his head, failing to hide a grin. “I just didn’t see the need to bring all that shit back up after so long.”
“You obviously still care about her.”
“I do, but mostly because I’ve known her for so long. It’s complicated.”
