Emilee

I walked into Math this afternoon, my only class beside Max, alone, anyway. Anna had enrolled in our school and just so happened to be in every class of Max’s except Math. I’d so far suffered through sitting behind them in History as they were holding hands, and sitting beside them in English as they were whispering things to one another. I’d have to try to get to class earlier to avoid such situations in the future. It’s not my fault they were the only seats left. I lifted my head and looked around the classroom, not surprised to find the only spare seat beside Max. It seemed to be my running luck today. I sighed and walked down to the back of the class, taking my seat and getting out my books. Craig threw me an apologetic glance from his usual seat beside Robert, and I smiled lightly in return. Max opened his mouth to say something to me, but was silenced by our teachers booming voice. As the teacher raved and ranted, Max wrote something down on the corner of my open book. I’m not sure why I let him. Perhaps it was just too hard to argue anymore. He finished as the teacher finished giving us our work and went to start on it in silence. I read what he’d written:

“Emilee.
I’m sorry things have turned out as they have. We barely had time to get to know one another, but I guess that’s a good thing in the end. I just want you to know that I still care about you. You’re a very special girl. Seeing you upset hurts, so chin up, yea? xo”

I looked over to Max, small tears in my eyes. I couldn’t believe him. Chin up? How can he expect me to be happy about this at all? Anna was an awful girl. Max noticed me looking and looked back, seemingly surprised by my expression. He didn’t understand. To him, we were together for a few weeks, if that. To me, we were together for months. I knew him inside and out, or so it felt, at least. I tore my saddened eyes from his and started my work. I had to let go of what we had.

As I was walking back from lunch with Alice, I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was following me. Alice and I went our separate ways, then out came Anna from nowhere. She giggled as I jumped. “How are you Emilee?” she sneered. I didn’t answer. “Don’t ignore me bitch, I asked you a question,” she snapped. I continued to ignore her as I got my books out my locker for my next class. That turned out to be a mistake. Anna placed her cold hand on the back of my neck, sending memories straight to my vision. These memories were not mine, however, but hers. What she could do was insane. It was as if I was there.

“Please don’t go,” Max whispered, crying. He was in his lounge room, his head in his hands as he sat on the couch. Anna hung up her coat and took a seat beside him, hugging him tight.

“Max, can I sleep here tonight?” she asked him. I realised this must have been the night I was at Craig’s doing homework.

“Sure, I guess. I mean as long as Emilee doesn’t find out,” Max said. “She’d not understand.” Anna smiled sweetly at Max as he got up and left the room, returning moments later with a blanket. “I’ll take the couch.”

“No Max, I’ll be fine here,” she replied. Max didn’t move. “Look, how about we share then?” Max was a little hesitant. “Come on, it’s not as if she’ll find out. Besides, you look as if you could do with a cuddle Max. You’re a lovely boy.” Tears fell from his face, and he eventually sat down beside Anna. Seeing him so upset killed me. Seeing Anna lay him down and cuddle up to his side killed more. “Is your shirt necessary? It’s itchy,” Anna complained, softly tugging on Max’s black shirt. The same one I saw on the floor the morning after. Max sat up and took it off, before lying back down and snuggling back up to Anna.

“Thankyou,” he whispered. “Anna, you’re a lovely girl.”

I found myself staring at the contents of my locker once more, my face streaked with tears. Anna laughed and walked off, leaving me to cry in peace. I wasn’t going to class this afternoon, as I had a feeling I’d not survive it without breaking down in tears again at least once after seeing that. I didn’t need to see that at all. I grabbed my bag and slammed my locker shut, hurrying out of the school. As I got home to a thankfully empty house, I went straight to my room and crawled into bed. This was all too hard. I couldn’t lose Max to her. He’d asked her to stay. He fell for her before we were broken up. Hell, I was surprised they hadn’t started kissing right then and there on the couch. I reached over to grab my math book from my school bag, opening it to the page with Max’s note and ripping it out. I read it over and over again. It seemed it didn’t matter how special I was; Max was still with her. My phone vibrated from beside me on my bedside table. I answered, not thinking to check who it was calling.

“Hello?” I choked out through sobs.

“Emilee, how come you’re not in Art?” Craig asked in a hushed voice.

“I...I’m at home.” My voice was strangled. “Craig, this is too hard...”

“Hold on a sec,” he whispered before hanging up on me. He called back a few minutes later. “Okay I can talk now, I asked to get a drink,” Craig said. “Emm, what’s wrong? What happened?”

“Anna...she keeps showing me these visions, these memories. She showed me one of hers...of the night she and Max spent together as I was home crying after fighting with Max over the phone,” I replied. Fresh tears cascaded down my face.

“Please don’t cry Emm,” Craig soothed. “It’ll be okay.”

“I can’t do it anymore. I can’t watch them two live their lives as mine is breaking down.”

“Emilee...Emilee, listen,” Craig said. “Don’t do anything stupid over a jerk like Max.”

“He’s not a jerk though! That’s what hurts the most Craig...I know of the boy he can be, and I want that boy back...”

“He’s not like that anymore Emm, he’s changed...”

“Regardless, I can’t live without him,” I choked. I hung up on Craig and rolled over in bed, clutching the covers and pulling them over my face.