All We'll Ever Need

“So this is really it, isn’t it?” Stephen questioned, looking up at the rising sun.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Emily responded, trying to concentrate on the fast-changing sky, though the boy whose arm was currently around her waist seemed much more appealing to look at. It was the morning after their graduation, after all the parties and drinking; the end of their childhoods. Both were still a bit drunk from the previous night’s activities, but they were fully aware of what the next summer and year would hold.

Emily Hartford and Stephen Gomez had been best friends since freshman year when they first met in Biology. Stephen bombed the first test, and he saw that Emily, who sat in front of him, had gotten a 98%, and he shyly asked for help studying for the next one. After that first study session, they discovered they shared a love for the same music and Stephen invited Emily to go with him to the Taking Back Sunday concert he was taking his little brother to the next week. She excitedly accepted, as none of her friends liked the same ‘stupid emo’ music she liked, and they had a great time. They began hanging out almost every weekend after that, growing closer and closer until winter break of their sophomore year, when Stephen got his first ‘serious’ girlfriend.

He and Emily still talked, but she felt like she imposed every time she invited him to hang out. Once spring break came around, she got sick of being rejected and ignored so she stopped trying. She continued on the rest of the school year as normal, though more reserved than usual. She seemed to smile and laugh a lot less than she had when she was with Stephen, and her other friends noticed but didn’t question it. One late night, about halfway through the summer before junior year, Stephen showed up at Emily’s door, almost in tears. She didn’t ask questions and quickly let him in. She knew, instinctively, what had happened and didn’t say anything about it. They went to her family room and sat on the couch watching old Disney movies until early the next morning, and when they were both awake Emily used her brand new license to drive them to breakfast. They spent the whole next week together, still not talking about the past few months or Stephen’s breakup.

Once school started again, they shared many of the same classes and Stephen found a new girlfriend. With this girl and the many to follow, Stephen always made sure he had time for Emily, though she still got put on the backburner from time to time. She didn’t mind because she knew that she’d always be the one he’d come back to, though not quite in the way she hoped. One day, jokingly, Stephen asked her why he was always the one who ran to her after breakups, why it was never the other way around. Emily’s face froze and she looked away, embarrassed at the question that had been brought forth. Stephen automatically apologized and told her that he was just joking, and she laughed it off like it was no big deal. She told him that she didn’t want to date random guys that she had no interest in; she wanted her boyfriends to be guys she truly cared about and that felt the same way about her. After realizing that she had inadvertently called Stephen a manwhore, she looked away in embarrassment again while he just laughed. He told her that he completely understood and sometimes wished that he was the same way.

A week after their chat, Stephen dumped his girlfriend and stayed single the rest of junior year and at the beginning of senior year. Emily was thrilled, because that meant more time for the two of them to spend together, and the possibility that he’d suddenly see that she was the one for him and they were meant to be together. One day close to Thanksgiving break, Stephen walked into their first class of the day together beaming. They sat on opposite sides of the room, so she had to wait until after class to hear his news. When he ran over to her as the bell sounded, she was informed that the girl Stephen had liked since sophomore year had asked him out. Emily looked at him with her best fake smile and told him how happy she was for him, then asked him why she had never heard about his apparent love for this girl. He said that he was sort of embarrassed about the crush, as the girl was a year younger than they were. Emily just laughed at him, thinking about how great the past months had been with him, and how terrible the next would be.

As much as she wanted to be happy for Stephen, she just couldn’t. When he’d tell her about dates or cute quirks she had, Emily just sat and agreed with him as best as she could. When Stephen and his girlfriend had reached their six month mark, Emily promised she’d help him pick out the perfect gift and plan the perfect date. The night of the date, after Emily helped pick out his outfit, they were sitting on his bed talking about random things. After a quick silence, Stephen looked down, as if embarrassed, and told Emily how grateful he was to have her in his life, how much she helped him, and how he didn’t know what he would have done for the past four years if she hadn’t have been here. Emily, not knowing what to say and choking back tears that were fast coming, just pulled Stephen into a tight hug and told him that no one had ever said anything so nice to her, and that she felt the same things about him. They sat like that for a few minutes until Stephen received a text that told him he needed to pick up his girlfriend 15 minutes earlier than they had originally planned, and that they were going somewhere different. Confused, Stephen got up to get dressed. Emily thought it was an appropriate time to make her exit, and told Stephen to call her later.

Emily was sitting doing her Algebra homework when she got a text from Stephen, asking her to meet him at their local ice cream place. She was confused, as he had only been on the date for an hour and a half, but went to meet him anyways. She pulled in and saw Stephen sitting outside on a picnic table with his head in his hands. Knowing the look, she just sat down, not making herself known to have arrived. Stephen looked up and Emily could see that he had been crying. She put her arm around him, waiting for him to start speaking. Stephen told her that when he went to his girlfriend’s house, she was dressed in sweats and not ready to go at all. She said that she hadn’t realized it was their anniversary and maybe she should wait until the next day to talk to him. Emily stared at him, as confused as he must have been earlier, waiting for him to continue. Stephen just looked at her, completely heartbroken, and said that he’d been being cheated on for the past month and a half, and he was being dumped for a kid two years younger than him.

Completely speechless and shocked, Emily just sat there with him for the next two hours. Stephen told her that he just wanted to go home and he’d see her at school the next day, though Emily insisted that he come over. He wouldn’t oblige, so they went their separate ways for the time being. The next week at school was unbearable for the two of them, as prom was that Saturday. Emily had a date with someone she had gone out with a few times and actually thought was decent, but because Stephen was not attending she told him that she’d stay with him instead of going. He protested, but she wouldn’t hear it. Emily told her date that she’d have to cancel, and though he was upset he quickly found a new date. The night of prom, Emily went out and rented movies and bought a bunch of junk food and showed up at Stephen’s door at 4 PM, the same time the prom attendees had to be at school to leave for the hall. Smiling, Stephen let her inside and led her to the basement where they’d be camped out for the night. The played games, watched movies, ate, and talked until 5 AM, when Stephen decided he’d pass out on the couch. Emily laid down beside him and kissed him on the cheek before falling asleep herself.

The next four weeks before graduation continued as normally as possible, save for the excitement; in the senior class about leaving, and everyone else about it almost being summer. Stephen had just found out that his band had a two week tour at the end of June, and he asked Emily if she’d go on tour with them to help out. She happily obliged, as she loved the music and the rest of his band mates, as well as the opportunity to be with him one last time. Emily found out in March that she had been accepted into UCLA’s pre-med program at the top of their class, so at the end of August she’d be leaving for California. She was ecstatic to have gotten into her first choice school, but sad about leaving Arizona, her family, and most of all, Stephen behind to start a new life. She knew that Stephen was moving on as well; his band had been getting a lot of local recognition lately and they had a few showcases for record labels coming up, but she was still sad nonetheless.

As the senior’s last week of school started, most were joyous and buzzing about their summer and college plans, but Emily couldn’t get excited. She knew that she should be rejoicing with everyone else but she didn’t want to face the fact that she’d be leaving in three months, and her current relationships would never be the same. Stephen noticed this change in his best friend, but thought that she was going through a type of realization phase so he didn’t bring it up. On their last day of school, when he though Emily would be happier, he noticed that she had become more recluse and only spoke when asked about future plans or wished good luck, always with the fake smile she had perfected long ago. Stephen and Emily had last period together, Photography, where the teacher asked all seniors to pose for a group picture. Stephen pulled Emily to the left side and hugged her from behind, smiling for the picture. Just as their teacher snapped the picture, Stephen gave Emily a quick kiss on the cheek and whispered in her ear that they’d be best friends forever. As cliché as she knew it was, Emily turned around and buried her face in Stephen’s chest, letting all the tears she’d held back in the past spill onto his shirt. He wrapped his arms around her again and stood there until the final bell rang.

He walked her to her locker to gather what was left, then drove her home so she could get dressed for the party that night. He waited for an hour and a half, until Emily showed up at his house ready to go. There were countless parties that night, and neither of them drank so they could get to as many as they could. At 3:30 in the morning, they finally headed back to Stephen’s house and went to sleep for graduation the next day. Emily had kept her cap and gown at his house so she could quickly get up then meet her family at the school. She sat two people away from Stephen during the ceremony, and met his open arms on the side of the stage after receiving her diploma. After the traditional hat throwing, the both of them walked over to their waiting families for photos, and found out where the big party that night was.

They went out for dinner then made their way to the party, both anticipating to get very drunk and just let loose. Emily had started to realize that her life ahead of her was going to be a great one, and Stephen was always going to be a phone call away. After being asleep on a random bed for a few hours, Emily was rudely awoken by a still drunk and eager looking Stephen, who threw her over his shoulder and ran to a room on the back of a house that connected to a tiny part of the roof. He helped her outside and grabbed a blanket to wrap around them as they watched the sun rise. They sat in a comfortable silence until after the sun had come up, Stephen’s arm holding tightly onto Emily’s tiny frame, and her head rested on his shoulder. This was perfect, just what she had always wanted.

After Emily answered Stephen’s question, he looked down at her, smiling at the girl who had been his best friend for almost four years.

“Ya know, it’s gonna be pretty weird not being able to go to you house and see you whenever I want anymore,” Stephen said with realization of what this summer would mean: the last months he could see Emily whenever he wanted.

“Well, your life isn’t going to be that bad, getting to go all over the US, playing music every night,” Emily responded, now looking straight ahead at the sky.

“It’s not going to be the same. One of the most important people in my life isn’t going to be with me to experience it.”

Emily looked into Stephen’s eyes as he said the last part, seeing that they were getting the slightest bit watery. He blinked back his tears, knowing that if he started crying Emily would start sobbing, and instead pulled her closer to his chest.

“I might be far away, but you can always get a hold of me. Nothing’s too important for me to not talk to you anymore,” Emily said, half jokingly.

Stephen gave a half-hearted smile in response, feeling now more than ever that he needed Emily in his life. He knew his feelings over the past years, but he hadn’t been able to fully comprehend or understand them until a few weeks ago. As they sat awhile longer letting the new light wash over them, Stephen leaned down and kissed Emily. Shocked, Emily pulled away and stared at Stephen, who was wearing a goofy grin. Emily started to say something, but Stephen interrupted her with another kiss, making this one deeper. Emily pulled away again, still confused.

“What are you doing?” she asked, almost in horror. She never thought this day would come, but now that it had she was shocked. “What, you decided to wait until the day after graduation to do that?!”

Stephen, confused at her sudden anger, didn’t know what to say. “I-I like you, Em. A lot. I guess I have for awhile now, but I never really thought about it before until after my last breakup. I understand if you don’t feel the same way, I was just-“

“No. No way have you liked me for awhile now. You of all people know what it’s like to like someone, to love someone, even. You would have realized that long before now. I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but I’m out,” Emily mumbled as she made for the window, Stephen, more confused than before, grabbed her and sat her down.

“Em, I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes with who I’ve dated, and I’m sure I’ve done a lot of shit that must’ve pissed you off, but you have to believe me. Okay, I’ve known that I’ve liked you for awhile now, but I was scared to act on those feelings. Scared of losing you, the single person that means the world to me. I don’t know why I randomly decided to act today, it just seemed right. I’m probably an idiot, but it doesn’t matter. I needed to let you know how I felt,” Stephen rambled on. He never just let his heart talk, he never said careless things, but now he was. He knew this was the moment the most important thing in his life would be decided. He was scared for the next thing Emily would say, but he was anxious for her to say it.

“Stephen, I…I feel the same way. I have for God knows how long now, but you always had girlfriends, I never thought you’d want to-“ she was cut off by his lips connected to hers once again.

After going back inside and collecting their things, on their way back to Stephen’s house, they started talking about that upcoming summer, tour, and after.

“This was the only way I could be sure to keep you,” Stephen told Emily, sincerity evident in his voice.

“To seduce me? Okay, Gomez, if you say so,” Emily joked, playfully hitting his shoulder.

“Hey! I’m being real here and you keep playing!” Stephen said with mocked anger.

“Anyways, you have no right to ‘keep’ me yet, we’re just two people, sitting in a car, going back-“

“Emily Hartford, be my girlfriend. Please. I can’t stand to lose you once you go to school. Who knows how long you’ll be gone for,” Stephen pleaded, trying to show how scared he was for her to leave.

“Are you really that scared for me to leave? Don’t you know how scared I am for you to go on tour, meeting all kinds of new people? It’ll be easy for you to forget me. I’ll be sitting in classes all day, not able to think of anyone but you,” Emily answered, more vulnerable than she felt in a long time.

“Then say yes,” Stephen looked at her with longing as they sat in his driveway.

“Okay. Yes. Definitely,” Emily quickly answered. It felt surreal that something she had hoped for for so long was here, and all she could do was jumble words together.

Stephen smiled and quickly kissed her again. “I have to go change my Facebook status now!” he exclaimed, taking off into the house. Emily stared at him and rolled her eyes, before taking off to tackle him to the ground. They laid on the grass in the morning light for another half hour. Emily couldn’t help but think that this was easily the best day of her life, and no matter how this new relationship turned out, she’d always have her best friend by her side.