Emma's Story

by Mitchel Grace

  “You’re right. This isn’t the type of thing you should talk to your girlfriend about. As far as I’m concerned, she can just get over it. She tried to steal my boyfriend, so I don’t have much pity for her.”

  “Emma, you know it’s not that simple. I get why you would hate her, but I’ve never had feelings for her. There’s no reason for you to worry about anything like that, so just think about this from her viewpoint. She loved me from the time we were fourteen, and I just chose someone over her. Lily has to feel like our high school years were one big waste. How would you feel if you liked a guy for over four years, and he shot you down for a girl five thousand miles away?”

  “I would feel pretty bad. I don’t know what to say here. It’s not like I want you making nice with someone who’s in love with you, but I do trust you.”

  “Concentrate on the trust part, and tell me how you would want a guy to make it right with you. I want her as my friend, and I don’t want to make her feel disrespected or like I’m saying she isn’t worthy of someone like me because that’s far from the truth. Lily is a great girl. I just found the perfect girl for me a long time ago.”

  “Then say that. Tell her everything you just told me. I wouldn’t say the girl you’re with is perfect, but tell her how much you value your friendship with her and that you would be lucky to be with her. Then explain why you can’t be. Girls can be pretty insulted when you turn them down, especially when strong feelings are involved. She’ll get it if you tell her that you think you’re supposed to end up with me, though. After all that, make it clear that she’s very special. You might even act like you think she’s too good for someone like you, and tell her she’ll find someone a lot better.”

  “Better than me? You must be joking?” Jasper teased.

  “Keep being so conceited, and I might just have to give you to her,” Emma joked.

  “You would give me away that easily. Wow.”

  “I wouldn’t give you away for a million dollars. Well, actually, that’s not true, but I stand firm at ten thousand,” Emma said and laughed.

  “Well, I wouldn’t trade you for ten million, so you can’t get rid of me for any price. I’ll always come back.”

  “Good. I need to try to get some sleep. I love you, though. Merry Christmas.”

  “I love you, too, and thanks for being understanding about my problem with Lily. I really got lucky that you decided to love me.”

  “That’s what I keep telling you,” Emma said, and they got off the phone.

  The following morning, Jasper and Paul woke up and opened gifts with their family. Afterward, they had their traditional breakfast. It was just starting to occur to Jasper that this might be their last Christmas breakfast with just the four of them. Next year, he might not even be there, and if he were, Emma would be sitting at the table with them. This was a moment to treasure, and Jasper did just that. He spent the day with the people he loved, and when it started to get dark, he left to do something that was long overdue. He had to make things right with Lily. Jasper drove over to her house and knocked on the door. Her father answered and immediately invited him inside. It was obvious that Lily hadn’t told her parents what was going on between them. Then again, he understood why. No one wants to talk about their heart being broken. Jasper walked back to Lily’s room. When she saw him, she immediately sighed.

  “What are you doing here? I thought you made your choice,” Lily said.

  “I did, but I need to explain my choice. I’m just going to talk for a minute, and I hope you’ll really listen to what I have to say. I’m in love with Emma. I’ve been in love with her since I was a kid. She was my first kiss, and I even lost my virginity to her. My entire romantic life was all about her. Having said that, you were the only person who made this town bearable for me. I never fit in with anybody but you. You were my best friend. I hope you still are. Just so we’re clear about something else, too, I’m not choosing someone over you. Emma was already in the picture when you told me you had feelings for me. If you had told me how you felt four years ago, she probably wouldn’t be, and we would be together.”

  “Are you actually blaming this on me?”

  “No, not at all. What I’m trying to say is I would be lucky to be with you. You’re the best friend I could ask for, you’re insanely beautiful, and you’re the best person around here. You’re the total package. I might even argue you’re a little too good for me. Here’s the thing, though. I fell in love with a girl named Emma, and she makes me happy. I know in my heart that I’m supposed to marry her one day. I also know some more things. You’re going to find someone you love so much more than me who isn’t attached and can give you everything you deserve. When you do, guess who you’re going to call first to talk about it with? Me. We didn’t talk much while I was gone, and that was a mistake. You’re the best friend I could have, and I’m going to keep texting, calling, and visiting you when I’m home until you see that we’re supposed to be friends. These feelings you have for me, and the ones I could easily have for you aren’t what’s meant to be. I’m meant to be with Emma and be the best friend to you I can be. You’re going to find the person you’re meant to love, too, and I can’t wait for that day. What do you say? Will you still be my friend? I never wanted to hurt you. You’re the reason I can look at any part of high school and smile. As a matter of fact, you and Paul own almost all of my good memories from then. Please, don’t throw away our relationship because I can’t give you more than I have to give.”

  “You really love her enough to marry her?”

  “I do. I gave her a promise ring for Christmas. I know. It’s kind of lame, but I meant it. I don’t know if there’s really such a thing as meant to be, but if there is, she’s the one I’m supposed to be with.”

  “I’m happy for you then. All I ever wanted for you was happiness. I just always thought I would be the one making you happy in the end,” Lily said and looked down.

  “Hey, you have made me happy, and if anything ever changes between Emma and me, you’ll be the first person I come to, not that you would let me crawl back to you after this.”

  “No, I wouldn’t. After you chose another girl over me, I think it pretty much killed any chance of a romance between us.”

  “To be clear, I didn’t choose anyone over you. I was with somebody I loved when you told me how you felt, and you know me. If nothing else, I’m loyal. I don’t cheat or think about other relationships while I’m with somebody.”

  “I know. That’s the best thing about you.”

  “Friends?”

  “Yeah, but we’re going to need to lay down some ground rules. If things aren’t going to be awkward, then we need to pretend that none of this ever happened. Deal?”

  “I’m way ahead of you. We always go out on Christmas night and have some fun, so what do you say? Will you be my friend who gets me away from my family for one more Christmas?”

  “Of course. I would love to get out of here.”

  Just like that, things were back to normal. Sure, Lily’s feelings didn’t go away, but she saw that Jasper’s mind wasn’t changing, and she didn’t want to lose him as a friend. Jasper and Lily would always be exactly that. The romantic love she had for him would fade, but with every major life achievement, Jasper would make sure to call an old friend who made his teenage years bearable. They were truly friends for life.

  Chapter 16

  New Year’s Eve

  Jasper’s flight landed in Hawaii early in the morning on New Year’s Eve. It was good to be home. That was something he didn’t know he would be thinking when he first came to Hawaii. This was home now, and the girl walking toward him at the gate was his reason to always come back to it.

  “I missed you,” Emma said and hugged him.

  “I missed you, too. It’s so good to be home.”

  “I’m glad you feel that way. I was afraid you were going to get attached to your other home and not want to come back. Anyway, I’ve got a lot planned for you
r first day back in . . .”

  “Hold on. I wasn’t able to sleep at all on the plane, and this time zone thing has me completely thrown off. All I want to do is go home and go to sleep. Is that okay?”

  “It is New Year’s Eve, and I was hoping to do a little more than sleep on it.”

  “I know. If I rest now, I’ll be able to get up later so we can have fun tonight. I would love to stay up with you all day, but realistically, I don’t think that’s going to happen. It’s either sleep now or pass out before the ball drops.”

  “Then let’s get you in bed. Honestly, I didn’t sleep very well last night either. I could take a short nap with you.”

  “That sounds great. I missed having you beside me while I slept. How about you? Were you lonely?” Jasper asked with one eyebrow raised.

  “Well, there was more room in the bed. I didn’t have to wake up to hear you making a bunch of noise every morning either.”

  “So you were a complete wreck without me then?” Jasper said sarcastically.

  “Nope. I managed, but I will admit that I kind of missed you rolling over in the middle of the night and wrapping your arms around me. You waking me up in the mornings isn’t the worst thing in the world either. I’ll admit it. I missed everything about you, even the things that drive me crazy. So what did you miss about me?”

  “Oh, you know. Pretty much everything.”

  “You’re going to have to be more specific than that.”

  “I missed the way you feel and smell in the mornings. There’s something about . . .”

  “So just the physical parts of me then?”

  “Of course not, but I have to admit that there’s nothing better than feeling you next to me. I really missed this, too. Not having you around to talk to all day was a little weird. I don’t know how we stayed apart so long. I figured out this week that you’ve pretty much become the other half of me. I felt empty without you.”

  “Great answer. I pretty much just missed the physical parts of you, though,” Emma teased.

  Jasper just smiled and looked down.

  “Oh, so you’re all right with that, huh?” Emma asked.

  “Perfectly. There’s this one thing I’ve been wanting to do with you since I left, and I think it’ll satisfy those physical cravings.”

  “Let me get this straight. You’re too tired to go out, but you’re not too tired to do something physical. Is something wrong with this picture?”

  “Hey, you’re the one who said you missed . . .”

  “Jasper, I’m just messing with you. It’s good to know that I’ll always be able to get to you so easily, though. You can get some rest for a few hours, and when you wake up, we’ll have plenty of time to get reacquainted in every way we want,” Emma said as they pulled up to the house.

  They went inside, and Jasper unpacked. Once he was done, he walked into Emma’s room to find her already lying down. She looked so beautiful to him in that moment. It made him question how he had ever thought it might be a good idea to stay in New Jersey.

  “Are you going to lie down or just keep staring?” Emma asked with a grin.

  “Yeah, sorry,” Jasper said as he lay down beside Emma and turned toward her.

  He wiped her hair away from her eyes and kissed her. When he pulled back, Jasper simply stared into her eyes. That moment was perfect for him. He had been able to reconnect with his family and make things right with a friend back home, and now he was with the girl he had loved since before he even knew he liked girls.

  “What’s going on with you? Not that I’m complaining, but you’re really into us this morning. Did something happen in New Jersey?” Emma asked.

  “Kind of, but you might not like it if I told you.”

  “It’s about that girl, isn’t it? I knew there was more to the story. What did you . . .”

  “Emma, I didn’t do anything wrong, but I did have doubts about my future with you for a brief moment. I thought about what my life would be like if I stayed in New Jersey. It was wonderful. I could be happy there with my friends and family, and I knew it. For a second, I thought about taking that life. I came to my senses pretty quickly, though, and I’m so glad I did. I could be happy there, but this is where I belong. I just can’t believe I ever thought about giving up on you and this place. Now that I’m back, it’s so obvious that I made the right choice. You’ll always be the right choice.”

  “I can’t say I’m happy you had doubts, but honestly, I figured you would. I probably would if I were in your situation. I’m glad that no matter what doubts you had, you’re the exact boy I thought you would be.”

  “I’m not sure I know what you mean. Who do you think I am?”

  “You’re imperfect like every other guy. You’re going to have doubts about us, and I’m even going to catch you looking at another girl every now and then.”

  “Wait a second. I’ve never looked at another girl.”

  “Jasper, I’ve caught you. I just didn’t say anything because I think we’re the same kind of person. We’ll have doubts, and our minds will wander every so often, but at the end of the day, I know we’ll always choose each other. Any thoughts of home or a pretty face will be like a passing daydream because the only home you really want is with me. I feel the same way, too, so I don’t sweat the small stuff. You’re the first guy I’ve ever met that I don’t worry about the small things with because I don’t think I have to. Don’t ever betray that trust. Okay?”

  “Never. Now, let’s get some sleep, so we can wake up and enjoy our first New Year’s as an official couple,” Jasper said and kissed her.

  As they drifted off, Jasper had no idea what this New Year’s had in store for him. He was about to experience the best one of his life with the only person he had ever dreamed of kissing when the ball dropped.

  * * * * *

  Jasper awoke a few hours later to feel Emma trying to gently roll away from him. He wrapped his arms around her tighter, however, and pulled her close.

  “And where do you think you’re going?” Jasper teased.

  “Well, unlike someone I know, I don’t want to sleep New Year’s Eve completely away.”

  “What time is it?”

  “A little past four.”

  “Oh, I thought we were in trouble. It’s nowhere near night.”

  “Maybe not, but there’s a theme park a few miles from here that’s pretty impressive on New Year’s Eve. They’ve got all types of rides, and at midnight, they shoot off tons of fireworks. I thought we could go and make a day out of it. Then tonight we can watch the fireworks.”

  “I agree that we should definitely go today, but there’s one part of your plan I have to respectfully reject.”

  “And what part is that?”

  “Where we watch the fireworks there. Half the fun is in shooting them ourselves.”

  “Ugh. You sound like my dad and brother. I don’t know what it is about family celebrations and fireworks, but somehow Evan always ends up shooting me with one by accident. I’m beginning to think it’s on purpose, too. I even have a small scar on my back from last year when one burned me.”

  “You didn’t have me to protect you back then. Besides, I didn’t say anything about shooting fireworks with your family. I thought we should start a tradition of our own. You know, maybe we can get a bunch of fireworks and a bottle of wine. Then we can go down to the beach and shoot some until we get tired of it. After that, we can do the only thing that I’ve been wanting since I left.”

  “I’m not having sex with you on a public beach,” Emma joked.

  “No, not that. I’ve missed time just talking with you on the beach. What do you think? Do fireworks, wine, and great conversation sound like a good way to kick off the New Year?”

  “It sounds perfect. Where are we going to get the wine, though? I know a guy who can get us beer or liquor, but I don’t exactly have anyone who works at a wine store.”

  “You let me worry about that. Right now, the only thing you need
to do is get ready for our day at this amusement park you were telling me about.”

  They got ready and drove over to a wine store. Emma didn’t know it, but Jasper had befriended a guy at college who just happened to work there. He figured it would be good to know him if he ever wanted to plan out a romantic date with her. After he had gotten the wine, they drove over to a firework shop and got everything they would need for that night. Finally, they went to the park. After riding a few rollercoasters, they did the thing that Emma had been looking forward to all along. They got on the Ferris wheel. When it stopped, they could see the whole city. It was beautiful to Emma, but Jasper wasn’t concentrated on the bright lights of the city. He was looking at the beautiful sight right next to him. Without even thinking, he kissed her. Emma was caught off guard at first, but it was a welcome surprise.

  “Thank you for this,” Emma said after she pulled back.

  “For what? I just wanted to kiss you.”

  “You make everything special. I don’t think anything is as much fun as it is when you’re around. Today has almost been too perfect. We’ve got wine, fireworks, and the perfect theme park. What else do we need?”

  “Food. I haven’t eaten in almost an entire day. We definitely need food.”

  “Leave it to you to ruin the moment,” Emma said and playfully pushed him.

  “Hey, I know you’ve got to be hungry by now, too.”

  “I could eat. After we do that, though, we have to get on the twister. Then we can . . .” Emma said and continued to name off rides with plenty of twist and turns. Jasper hadn’t said anything, but rides that make your stomach turn constantly weren’t really his thing.