love me at my worst

CHAPTER SIX

The bus windows rattled as Emily pressed the faded crayon drawing against her knee, the paper trembling in her grip. Outside, streetlights blurred into golden streaks as the bus lumbered through empty intersections.

Because I never forgot.

Her chest ached.

Her chest ached.

first grade. Back when she could still fit into the plastic classroom chairs without them creaking. Back before birthday parties had weight limits and whispered comments.

The bus hit a pothole, jolting her forward. The drawing slipped from her fingers, fluttering to the sticky floor. She lunged for it

A boot came down on the corner.

"Whoa, sorry "

Kyle Mercer Adams team mate grinned down at her, his vape pen dangling between his fingers. His gaze dropped to the paper under his shoe.

"No way." He bent to pick it up. "Smith kept this?"

Emily's stomach dropped. "Give it back."

Kyle held it up to the flickering bus light, snorting. "Dude was obsessed with you in elementary school. Followed you around like a puppy." He smirked. "Guess some things never change."

Her face burned. "It's not like that."

"Sure." Kyle tucked the drawing into his jacket pocket. "Tell you what I'll give it to him at practice tomorrow. See how red his face gets." The bus screeched to her stop.

Emily stood, blocking the aisle. "Give. It. Back."

Kyle blinked. Behind them, an old woman coughed impatiently.

For one heartbeat, she thought he'd refuse. Then he rolled his eyes and tossed the crumpled paper at her. "Whatever. Not like he'd ever admit it anyway."

She caught it just before the doors hissed open.

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2:17 AM

Emily's desk lamp cast long shadows across the drawing as she smoothed it flat under her biology textbook. The crayon had faded, but the memory hadn't Adam's seventh birthday party. The last one she'd been invited to before the girls started calling her "party pooper" behind her back.

Her phone buzzed.

Unknown Number: You still have it?

Her fingers hovered over the screen. Adam must've gotten her number from the class directory.

Emily: Kyle almost took it.

Adam:Kyle was on your bus?

Emily: Doesn't matter.

Three dots appeared. Disappeared.

Then

Adam: It matters to me.

The words glowed on the screen, too bright in the dark room. Emily traced the edge of the drawing where Adam's shoe had creased it earlier.

Emily: Why did you really give this to me?

A pause. A lifetime.

Adam:So you'd know I see you.

when Emily saw the message she didn't know what to do but to just ignore the message so she shut of her phone and went to sleep.