Coffeshop Soundtrack

Emily stayed away from the guys the rest of the weekend. Alex only put just enough effort into practice to get the guys worried. Alex didn’t pull out any details except that Emily was pissed off at him and he’d rather not talk about it. Only Jack knew what was going on, but didn’t push it. He’d wait to see if either of them wanted to talk to him about it. He knew they were big kids and could work stuff out for themselves. Plus Jack figured he was probably out of good advice for another 17 years of his life…

Monday arrived and Alex drove over to Emily’s house to give her a ride like he did every other week. He stopped in front of her driveway and found her leaving her house, walking towards her car. He honked only once, instead of his usual obnoxious five times and she stopped and stared at his car. She hesitated before cautiously walking to his car and getting into the passenger seat. They had both chipped into one parking space to share and so she knew she wouldn’t have anywhere to park if she didn’t ride with him.

The car ride was tense and awkward. Even blasting New Found Glory couldn’t rid the vehicle of the silence that surrounded the two friends. Both were waiting for the other to say something first, but they both should have realized that they were also two of the most stubborn people alive.

Alex swung into his usual parking spot and quickly rushed out of the car, as did Emily. They had noticed each other’s uncomfortable and antsy demeanors after the unusually “long” drive.

“Alex, Emi!” Both looked up to see Rian waving to them from Jack’s mom’s car a few parking spaces down. They walked about two or three feet apart, heads facing away from each other.

The group of friends consisting of Jack, Rian, and Rebecca (Rian’s girlfriend) all noticed the unusual behavior and quickly tried to divert attention away from the awkward silence that would have occurred.

Emily and Alex didn’t speak, joke, laugh, or acknowledge each other in any of the classes they had together. Their four teachers noticed and were relieved because they could actually have a non-disruptive class period. They both heard the whispers that filled the classes and hallways about why they weren’t talking but shrugged it off and conversed with other people around them.

At lunch Emily sat down in her usually spot across from Alex but focused her eyes down the table.

Finally getting sick of the silence, Alex whispered, “Em—“

“Alex!”

Emily looked slowly back as Lauren, one of the school whores, sat down on Alex’s lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. Emily watched as Alex fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat and tried to keep back an eye roll.

“Baby I miss you,” she crooned. “We should hangout tonight,” she smirked.

Alex’s eyes caught Emily’s and saw the anger flash across her eyes.

“Excuse me, I think I’m going to vomit,” Emily announced, standing up and walking away from the table.

Jack stood up and followed after her.

Alex watched her walk away noticing tears beginning to form. “What’s her problem?” Lauren scoffed.

Alex turned his face back and raised an eyebrow at the girl sitting on his lap. He stood making her slide off his lap and looked down at her. “No thanks,” Alex answered walking away from the table, leaving a disgruntled Lauren in his wake.

Jack caught up to Emily and wrapped an arm around her. She shrugged it off and he replaced it. “Not now Jack,” Emily said quietly.

“C’mon Emily, let’s skip,” Jack offered.

She looked up at him and, without hesitation, grabbed his hand and followed him out the school doors to his car. Jack began driving through the streets with no destination in mind.

“Emi—“

“I mean I know he slept with other girls but I guess I didn’t realize how much it really hurt until today,” Emily began to ramble.

Jack stayed silent, listening and ignoring his ringing phone.

“I mean how stupid can I be! Look at who he sleeps with! And then he comes over and I let him fuck me too? I’m so stupid,” Emily mumbled with her head in her hands.

Jack stopped at a red light and turned in his seat to face her. He grabbed one of her hands and made her look at him. “You are not stupid,” he replied firmly. “Okay?” he asked more softly.

Emily nodded her head and smiled a little. “Jack, you’re my superhero lately, you know that?”

Jack grinned and yelled, “To infinity and beyond!” and stuck up his arm out to motion it.

Emily laughed and turned back in her seat singing along to the Bane CD playing as Jack drove out of the city.

Back at Dulaney, Alex searched the hallways for the rest of lunch and had no luck finding Jack or Emily. He called both of them, texted both of them, and still got no response. He slammed his fist into a locker and rested his forehead against it afterwards. “Fuck,” he mumbled.

He walked out of the school and jumped into his Audi and drove through the streets with no destination in mind.

They both just needed to think.