Amidst love and heartbreak

EMILY and her new emotions

Emily’s POV

“I am telling you, Emily this party is going to be lit,” Aron said in his most enthusiastic tone. Emily, on the other hand, was not enthusiastic at all. She didn’t have time for parties and things like that. She was a double major student for crying out loud. She just couldn’t throw everything out of the window for some shallow parties. Aron could. He had a sports scholarship. All he had to do was present and do the bare minimum, but play well on the next match. But he was not the type and she knew it, so Emily tried to appeal to his common sense.

“Look, Aron. This backpack on my back is full of books that are not going to study themselves. I have this paper which is due this Monday. That means just two days. I can’t go with you to a party when I don’t even know where to start with it,” 

“What is it about?” he asked.

“The importance of games/toys as a way to interact with children,” I replied confused. “What? Are you going to do that for me? Because I wouldn’t mind at all,” I said jokingly.

“I still think that you should have some fun. I don’t think that working all the time will do you any good,” he said in a concerned tone. “Where are you going now, anyway?”

“I have to babysit. I will go get Kyle and then go to Miss Maggie’s house. Her niece should be with her at this time. I thought if the kids play together, I might have some time to start this paper,” 

“I’ll go with you,” he said. “Maybe if you have someone knock some sense on you, then you might do a better job,” he said teasingly.

“I don’t know what sense can come from someone who bumped his head multiple times in a soccer field, but whatever,”

We both went to pick up Kyle. He is a sweetheart and never gave me any problems. I helped with his school projects from time to time, but he mostly did everything on his own. Lately, I have seen that he likes to play with Emma, a classmate that happens to be Miss Maggie’s niece. I think he might be having his first crush, or is just my impression. 

Aron’s talks have been getting to me lately. He’s been lecturing me to enjoy my life a little bit more and I am starting to think that there is nothing wrong with it. Maybe not partying and so on. That is really not my style at all. But I would sometimes like to have a special someone I could go out with. Just between me and you, I have had a crush on Aron for some years now. Sometimes, I think that there is something going on from his side as well, but he never shows it or says anything. We tease each other all the time but we both know that this is not the usual friends or brother-sister kind of teasing.

“Kyle, do you have everything you need?” I ask before we leave his house. Since we all live near I don’t need to take my car. It’s only a ten minutes walk anyway. He is a very energetic kid so I don’t think he will get tired so soon. “We are going to pick up Emma as well,” I told him and his face lit up. 

“Yeah, I have everything, Emily, but can we hurry up. Emma might be bored,” he said and pulled me from my wrist. Aron was laughing behind us.

“The little man surely knows what he wants and is not shy to go for it,” he joked.

Exactly 8 minutes later we were in front of Maggie’s house and he was ringing her doorbell. Maggie opened the door with her usual smile plastered on her face. She is such a nice person to talk to. I always enjoy a nice cup of tea with her when I come to pick Emma up.

“Is Emma here?” Kyle asked. 

“Hello, to you, too young man,” Maggie said with the same smile but with a little bit of mischief in it now.

Kyle seemed confused. He clearly didn’t understand what the older lady did. Probably too soon for irony.

“Kyle, greet Miss Maggie first. Then you can ask about Emma,” I explained and his face turned from confusion to one of embarrassment. He was blushing, something I have never seen in him.

“Hello, Miss Maggie. How are you today? Is Emma here?” Facepalm. If I could explain myself in emojis right now, that was the right one to use. I heard Aron chuckle from behind us in the pathway. They were two of the same kind.

“I am fine, thank you. Emma should be in the back garden. She had this little project she wanted to finish,” Miss Maggie said but I don’t think Kyle heard the end of her sentence as he had run to the side of the house that led into the back garden where Emma should be.

“Miss Maggie, is it a problem if Aron joins me today? He will be helping me with some studying and I really didn’t have another time that I could do this,” I asked a bit shyly. The smile on her face told me that she was imagining things, things that were not really true about us. I didn’t know how to make her stop, though.

“Of course, not my darling. Aron is such a nice boy. Emma loves him and I am sure that he will be of great help with your assignment,” she finished but the mischievous glint in her eyes just told me that she didn’t believe we were actually going to study.

“I better leave now, my darlings. I have to run to the market before my favourite farmers close for the day. 

In less than twenty minutes Emma was done with her project, or what looked like a project and Kyle was telling her that it was such an amazing choice for their show and tell. I, on the other hand, hadn’t even started. I had no idea what I would write about. 

“I am telling you, Emily. You should stop thinking about it for now. You have been pushing yourself too much lately. It was about time your brain started going on a strike,” he said jokingly but I was frowning at his statement. I was so close to graduation and I really couldn’t let myself collapse just a few assignments and tests away. Seeing that I was not responding to his statement, Aron came near me.

“Emily, I really care about you. And because of that, I am telling you that you need to let loose for a short while. It will probably come to you on its own,” he said and my silly brain decided to listen to him this time. One more time as per usual lately.

“Your assignment was about playing something…” he started but wasn’t sure.

“ Yeah, it’s about the importance of play/toys as a way to interact with kids,” I explained to him in a very professional way. The perfect student hat was one more time on my head.

“Well, let’s play,” he said and pulled me towards the hose that Miss Maggie used to water her plants.

“What are you planning?” I asked.

“Not much. I think it’s a very hot day, isn’t it?” he asked with a naughty smile on his face. I didn’t understand why he was suddenly looking at me like that, until…

“Emily, run,” Kyle yelled, but it was too late. Cold sprinkles of water came out of nowhere and I turned to see that Aron had opened the water. That son of a good mother. I really respect his mum.

I ran as far away as I could from him or the water but it was impossible. In only ten minutes I saw soaking wet and the kids as well. What surprised me was that I was enjoying myself and the kids were having the time of their life. I should do this more often with them. I love seeing them happy and playing with them. That’s why I chose a degree in education. I want to work with children when I finally graduate and find a job.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I had forgotten about it. I hope it didn’t get wet. A new phone is not what I can afford right now and I don’t want to ask my parents for one. They already pay enough on my tuition. 

I check my phone and there is a text from an unknown number.

“Hey, gorgeous. Is your afternoon boring enough without me by your side?” huh? I am confused. Whoever it is, knows me but why don’t I have the number? I decided to reply.

“Excuse me, but I don’t have your number registered. Who is texting?” clear and polite enough I guess. Immediately another text comes through. 

“Are you up for a date, love?” Is this person for real. I have no idea who he is (I am assuming it’s a he), and he wants me to go on a date. I am a bit frustrated already but I don’t want it to touch me more than it should. It’s not worth it.

“I don’t think I made myself clear. Who are you? Do I know you?”

“Yes and no. You know who I am but you don’t know me how I want you to know me,” This is getting ridiculous now. 

“What makes you think that I am interested in?” I type really quick. Aron and the kids are still playing with water and from time to time they splash me as well. I need to get this done and I will show them who is better at this game. Another text comes through.

“Ok. Let’s start over, gorgeous. Hey, this is Ethan. Would you do me the favour of accompanying me on a date, princess?” Oh, goodness. This guy has some nerve. First, he comes after me in class, then at the coffee shop. Now he wants to go on a date with me. I know he might be after something I would not be so happy, but why do I feel this way. I never liked the attention but as much as this person always angers me, I like how he comes after and insists on going out.

Maggie’s POV

I come back home from the market. My trolley is full of fresh vegetables and fruit. With a bit of difficulty, I put them inside my kitchen. I have these ideas for my book floating in my mind and I don’t want to lose it. I walk upstairs and get my notebook where I scribble all my thoughts. Some loud sounds come from the back of my house. I hear kids, and not only kids, laughing and shouting to one another. I look out of the window and see Emily and Aron splashing Emma and Kyle with the hose of my backyard. All of them seem so happy that it fills my heart with joy.

I decided to start writing immediately. Another idea for a scene comes into my mind and I don’t want to lose it. This book is going to turn out great. I can feel it.

Melanie was near the river bank and was watching Arnold swim in it. She had decided that it was unladylike to swim with someone that she barely knew. A man to add to that. She was watching him until he disappeared under the cold water. She got a bit worried but didn’t want to show it. They were barely on speaking terms. You could not even call them friends at the moment. But she still was worried.

He appeared a bit further away and saw her face looking attentively into the water. When he caught onto that, Arnold decided to tease her a bit more. He went near her, still in the water and sprinkled her with it. 

Melanie didn’t expect that and she jumped in surprise. But because she had gotten so near the bank she fell into the water fully clothed. She could swim normally, but now, taken by surprise, she couldn’t find the right position to catch her breath. In a second she found herself folded in a pair of strong arms that gave her a sense of security. She let herself get embraced forgetting about the fact that she had met Arnold only a couple of days ago and that they were not even on a friendly basis at the moment. 

“I got you. I am sorry for scaring you. It was all my fault,” Arnold whispered. Melanie looked into his eyes and for the first time, she saw the sincerity in it and a bit of regret.