It took me a while to remember that the reason Emerson never really mentioned that side of his life before, or seemed to act as if he was the cocky popular jock around us, happened to be because that version was detached. He didn’t feel connected to any of those memories since I, the exception to his dissociation, wasn’t around. All the guys he talked about on the team, all those great throws and inside jokes he shared with them… they belonged to a version of Emerson who had existed only for that fleeting moment before getting lost in the mind palace of facts, forever separated from the feelings he’d experienced at the time.
It was enough to guilt me into thinking I should probably go watch a few of his practices, or at least a game or two. I didn’t know how close I had to be for whatever it was about me to work – but I could feel the chord between us back when I sat in the bleachers and he was out on the field, so I figured it might be worth a shot.
At the end of rehearsal, me, Emerson and Gi were sitting by the piano. Jenny was by the band with Martha, who was furiously texting the people who had been missing – you could tell from the exaggerated huffs she gave out every once in a while, and our We Will Rock You group chat kept pinging every three seconds.
As first rehearsals went, it was right on track. Besides Lisa, no one had even given a hint to look as if they were about to say something snide about Gi throughout the entire rehearsal. Lisa had attempted to open her mouth, but the death stare me and Emerson had given her had shut her right up.
Even in the scene where Scaramouche admitted to having had sex with Meatloaf, everyone was pretty blasé about it. Lisa might have tried harder to make a comment if Emma was around, but the rest of the cast were into the rock n roll of the musical. It would have made her look more like a fool to bring her homophobic remarks whilst we were literally rehearsing a play based on Queen’s music.
‘Emerson, if I wanted to come watch you play baseball, when do you guys have practice?’
I swear, it was like I’d just announced that I was pregnant with his reptilian alien babies and they were ready to hatch. I realised that the question probably did appear out of nowhere to them, even though I’d been thinking about it since lunch. And it was sort of way out of character for me to volunteer to show any interest in Emerson or spending more time with him than I had to.
Both Jenny and Martha, who were literally all the way across the stage, stopped what they were doing and tried not to make it obvious that they’d begun to listen in to our conversation. Jenny gave Martha a look that clearly said “I told you so” – I ignored that.
Gi puzzled me and Emerson over. She’d not mentioned our make-out session since she’d lectured me about messing with Emerson’s feelings.
Emerson took off his cap and ruffled his hair underneath it before putting it back on. ‘Urgh, well, we have conditioning practice Monday and Wednesday, that begins at six am before school. A league game almost every Tuesday,’ Emerson said. ‘Thursday and Friday practice from three thirty ‘til half six, and Saturday we have practice all morning. Our games usually run from right after school until maybe half seven, eight.’
I tried to factor that into what time I’d spent with Emerson. Mostly it was only lunch we saw each other out of class, but there’d been a few after school hangouts. I’d never realised being involved in a high school varsity sport was that intense.
‘Robbie says you’ve missed, like, four practices for Liv since you started and your coach is pissed,’ Jenny said – she’d snuck up to us, clearly not bothering about covertly listening in anymore.
Emerson shrugged it off. ‘I can handle, Coach.’
‘And, you’ll be missing more games with Gi Will Rock You once we start rehearsing three nights a week,’ Jenny added.
‘You’re missing practice to rehearse for the play?’
Martha’s voice projected from where she was standing away from us. ‘Why do you think Emerson’s the only jock in the school play? We might not have cliques exactly, but there’s only so much time you can devote to your interests.
‘Sport and theatre are the two most demanding things up there. There are tons of guys who used to be into acting before they had to choose between that and sport – and since they can get scholarships to college with sports and its more masculine…’ She trailed off since the result was obvious.
I’d made Emerson commit to one of the most time consuming/demanding things in high school on a whim even when he was already committed to the baseball team. Shit. How had I not seen that before?
A text pinged on her phone and Martha gave it a look that could wither freshly sprung flowers. She huffed through the stage curtains to backstage where she could get some quiet to make a phone call.
I had to try and make myself feel better that Emerson was a vampire who was decades old; high school stuff like missing practice wasn’t that big a deal in the grand scheme of things for him. But it was still a shitty wakeup call for me to realise how I pretty much expected Emerson to be available at the drop of a hat for me – like when I’d asked him to help me find my Porsche. That had to be one of the times Jenny mentioned that he’d missed practice for me.
‘Here.’ I passed him my phone.
‘What am I supposed to do with this, love?’
‘Write down your baseball schedule in my calendar so I know when all your games are. I’ll watch from the bleachers and you can take me home afterwards and save Gi from having to drive me.’
Emerson’s face mirrored the shock on everyone else’s.
‘What?’ I asked. ‘You said it was getting a bit difficult for you picking me up and dropping me off all the time since you have the twins to collect sometimes,’ I told Gi.
‘It’s more the fact you’re volunteering to go to his games,’ Gi said.
‘Well, I’m not shocked at all,’ Jenny said.
Gi gave her a look as if to say, “yeah, we all know Little Miss Cupid.”
Emerson handed me my phone back. ‘Done. But you don’t have to come,’ Emerson said.
‘If I don’t, I don’t get a ride home,’ I said, like I was forcing him into doing me a favour.
At least this way, not only was I helping Emerson have some memories of baseball practice, but I would also know his schedule and not selfishly take up the time he’d already dedicated to other schoolwork. (Not that I foresaw anymore afterschool hang outs between the two of us. The Porsche was a onetime deal). And also, I was helping Gi out, too. See. I could be a good friend when I tried.
Gi and Jenny started talking to Emerson quietly, no doubt asking what was going on with us, when I spotted Lisa approaching. I had to wonder whether she really was that dumb to try and start on Gi whilst we were all here. Everything to do with rehearsals had gone smooth so far. I didn’t want this to be the beginning of a shit storm. But Lisa’s attention wasn’t on Gi. It was on Emerson.
She stopped in front of us. Emerson inclined his head slightly, the only sign that he’d noticed her.
‘Emma wanted to know if you’re coming to her party this Saturday,’ Lisa asked Emerson.
She fidgeted with the tassels on her scarf and wouldn’t look directly at Emerson. Her eyes kept darting to the exit. She couldn’t make it any more obvious that she didn’t want to be here asking that question. I bet the remains of my baby that Emma had told her she had to ask him again since he’d said no the first time.
Emerson pulled off his cap and threw it nonchalantly in the air a couple times. Lisa’s leg jiggled as she waited for an answer.
‘Yeah…’ Emerson said, dragging out the word. Lisa was clearly on tenterhooks. He put his cap back on his head. ‘Nah, I really don’t see that happening.’ He didn’t even bother with the pleasantries of “maybe next time”.
I couldn’t for the life of me see why Emma was still bothering, considering Emerson had very obviously threatened her in the past, and made it very clear he didn’t want anything to do with her.
It was likely that the invite was being kept open because
it would be expected of her, as the head cheerleader, to invite all the top school superstars to her Halloween party. The Sons were NR High School’s star football and baseball players. If she had both, she was cemented once more in her role as queen bee. Of course, it was equally likely that she kept trying because she wanted to take one more thing away from Gi – with the bonus of pissing me off since Emerson was clearly my friend, too.
Lisa nodded, then fled out the theatre.
‘It’s actually the best Halloween party around,’ Gi admitted once Lisa had gone. ‘I mean, if you were just saying no on my account. A lot of your teammates will be there.’
‘And Liv’s account,’ Jenny said. ‘Remember she totally stole her clothes and car. Emerson’s not going to go to the party of a skank who did that to his-’
Emerson interrupted her before she said something like “girlfriend”. My interest in going to his games probably wasn’t going to cool down her obsession with trying to get us to admit that we were dating secretly.
‘I think since she’s a bad person in general makes it pretty obvious why I’m not accepting her invite.’
Jenny’s phone buzzed, a text message from Robbie who was waiting outside.
‘Oh, hell! I’ve gotta go. Robbie’s waiting outside and it’s Bolognese night. His mum makes the best garlic bread and I won’t get any if we’re late again. I’ll see you guys tomorrow, yeah? Yeah. Bye!’ In a whirlwind of blonde and Victoria’s Secret perfume, Jenny was gone.
I checked my phone for the games and practices Emerson had inputted in there. He had a game tomorrow. I could make that. I just had to make sure I downloaded some lengthy books to my Kindle just in case I was bored out of my mind.
A few minutes later, Martha marched back up to us, throwing back the stage curtains for dramatic effect. ‘If they don’t come after that then they don’t deserve their roles quite frankly.’ She noticed that Jenny had gone. ‘Where’s Jenny?’
‘Bolognese night,’ Gi answered.
Martha scowled. ‘My mom’s borrowing my car today. Robbie was supposed to drive me home before they… urgh.’ Martha left her sentence hanging, stomping her feet at her displeasure.
‘I can drive you,’ Gi said. ‘You won’t mind taking Liv home, right, Emerson?’
Since I’d told Emerson he’d be driving me home on his game nights, neither of us bothered to protest Gi’s suggestion. Besides the annoyance of my crush on him, it didn’t bug me so much to spend time next to him in the car again. Though the bond and his glamour still affected me, I was almost used to it by now. I could adjust around how it made me feel, even if the reaction itself still hadn’t lessened.
‘I feel like there must be a screw loose or two in Emma’s mind to think that you would actually party with her,’ I said as we walked across the parking lot.
Emerson chuckled. ‘I know. Why on earth would I spend my birthday with that nightmare?’
‘Halloween’s your birthday?’
Emerson paused, probably realising he’d spoken without thinking much of the consequences. ‘Please don’t laugh or make a joke about how that’s perfect for a vampire,’ Emerson groaned.
‘I won’t,’ I smiled, wickedly. An idea immediately popped into my head. One that was way better than going to one of Emerson’s baseball games (though I was still going to do that).
‘What are you thinking? Liv, I don’t like that smile. That’s not a good smile.’
‘All my smiles are good smiles,’ I said. ‘I’m a very attractive young woman.’
‘I’m not arguing about how attractive you are,’ Emerson said. ‘Stop trying to change the subject.’
‘Okay.’
‘I mean it, Liv. Whatever you’re up to, just forget about it.’
‘Open the car door, Emerson.’
‘Liv-’
I rolled my eyes and hopped inside the car. He could beg all he wanted. I wasn’t going to tell him my plan until it was too late.
12
Emerson (along with the rest of the AA Team) had seriously believed I’d been joking when I said I’d watch his games – right up until last period the next day when I didn’t follow Gi to the lot, and instead headed towards the baseball field.
I left my bag in my locker, but took my Kindle with me in case I got bored… when I got bored was more like it. God, baseball sucked.
I was wrapped up as warm as I could be, thankful that there was a small shelter over the stands, just in case the clouds broke, and it started to rain. It wasn’t as cold as it had been lately, so my hands were steady as I held my Kindle, reading whilst the seats filled in around me before the game began.
The crowd was surprisingly large. Nowhere near the size of the football crowds, and not as much noise, either, but it was still a decent turn-out. I sat on the lowest level of the stand, by the left side of the baseball field, the same seat I’d once sat out gym class on. The seats around me were fairly empty since I was on the “away” side. I assumed everyone would fill in any other available seat before they chose to sit next to me. I’d specifically chosen this side to avoid any talk from kids I went to school with, and knew it was less likely this side of the bleachers would be packed.
The high school away team were currently in the dugout in front of me, talking to their coach and stretching. Emerson, Robbie and the rest of our team were in the dugout on the right side of the field. I could feel Emerson out there, though I couldn’t see him. I hoped that meant that his dissociation was currently put on hold and he’d be able to experience, remember and feel connected to this game with his friends.
‘It’s totally her, I swear,’ a voice said, hovering at the base of the stairs – the juncture of the right angle that was the corner of the baseball pitch where the stands met.
‘Jesus, Suze, don’t point. You know what she did to Emma Barnett.’
‘Pft. Like I care. Come on, that bitch had it coming. Look, I’m just going to ask her.’
‘Don’t,’ Suze’s friend said.
‘Urgh, stop being a spoilsport. It’s just a question.’
‘Seriously, Suze. Suze!’
I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked up from my Kindle. A girl a few years younger than me looked up at me through overgrown bangs.
‘Are you the one dating Emerson Lark?’
I stared at her. First of all, I was unsure why on earth anyone would be asking me that question. Secondly, why had she approached me? Me? The girl who literally screamed: stay away! Antisocial Alert! with my aesthetic and every action.
‘Are you?’ she asked again, since she must have thought I hadn’t heard her or something.
‘No.’
‘Are you sure? Because I heard from a friend who said you two had been caught making out.’
Unless that friend had spies in my kitchen, that was a total lie.
‘I’m sure. We’re not dating.’
Suze almost looked like she believed me, until her eyes bugged out from her head. I knew why before I’d even turned around. I could feel the bond between me and Emerson pull, then the vamp-glamour kicking in.
‘Hey, love,’ Emerson grinned. ‘So, the game tonight might run a little late. We could grab a burger before I drop you off home?’
I turned away from Suze, my attention back towards the field, and stood up from my seat, moving so I was standing against the barrier. I attempted not to laugh at his attire as I looked at him through the netting that protected spectators from being hit. Since I’d not returned to gym class with the rest of the girls when I’d gotten my cast taken off, I hadn’t seen Emerson dressed in his baseball uniform since he’d left mid-practice to come talk to me.
‘Sure,’ I said, answering his question, but the laugh was audible in my voice.
‘What?’ Emerson asked.
‘Baseball uniforms don’t really do it for me,’ I snickered. I ignored the gasp of the girl beside me. I’m sure it must have been a massive shock that anyone could insult one of the amazing Sons right to his face.
Emerson shook his head. ‘Should I make Grayson quit football and take his place?’
‘Well, I mean, football is better in all aspects, so I’d probably not be bored to death watching your games if you did.’
Emerson trailed his finger along mine, suggestively. I hadn’t realised that I’d put my hands up to the netting to touch him as I spoke. Sometimes I forgot the effects of the glamour and how it made my body act on impulse.
Though Emerson had been getting closer to me ever since we’d stopped our “war” and touching me a lot more lately since our kiss, I knew from his smirk that this was something different. He’d heard Suze’s question. He was doing this to make it seem as though we were going out. If that asshole thought that was going to get to me, he really didn’t understand how I worked.
I hooked my fingers through the netting, grabbing his hand so we were holding hands through the barrier. The awkward position probably saved him from most of the contact my rings would have on his skin, but not all. I smiled sweetly, like this was what he had wanted when he’d trailed his fingers along mine, all the while knowing the silver of my rings would be burning him.
I answered in my most saccharine tone, ‘but I’m sure you’ll be great even if the sport is total shit.’
I squeezed once before I dropped his hand. I didn’t want to hurt him that much. Just a sting. He’d not pulled away the entire time. I assumed he would; he’d not been able to bear it before, but he’d kept on holding my hand like it wasn’t affecting him at all. His jaw ticked, the only sign that he was suffering.
‘Are you wrapped up warm enough?’ Emerson asked, out of nowhere. It was chilly, since it was late October, but the weather was clear today. Plus, I was in a thousand layers. I nodded. ‘Remind me to buy you some gloves, anyway.’
I stifled a laugh. His eyes twinkled, and I knew whilst he was in pain, he wasn’t actually pissed at me for being a bitch and burning him.
Twice Bitten Page 25