I totally forgot to write a post for today and it's now 20:38 PM so I'm just gonna jot down another part of 'A Merry Little Christmas', hope you enjoy!
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Chapter 3
'Hi,' I stutter. 'It's me, Emma.'
'And Julie!' Julie shouts into the golden answergrid.
'Emma? I thought you were in Brighton!'
'Yeah, I was, but I kinda had a hard time there with my mum and all that, so... I came back for a week.'
'Can we come in? It's freezing,' Julie complains.
'Oh, of course! Sorry, come in!' The door opens with a pop, revealing the steep staircase leading to the second floor. I step across the doorstep and start to climb the stairs. I can hear Sarah and Cara reacting excitedly to the news of my return two floors up. I'm happy to know that they're the least bit glad to see me again.
After an exhausting but warming climb up, we arrive at the second floor. The old wooden door of Emilia's appartment is ajar. I look back nervously at Julie, and then I knock. One, two, three times. I hear squeals from behind the mahogany front door, then the door opens and there they are. The three musketeers. Emilia with her ever so blonde hair, thrown up into a pony tail, and her light green eyes. I've never seen eyes as beautiful as hers, to be quite honest. Soon after Emilia has opened the door, Sarah and Cara join her, each standing behind one shoulder. Sarah, who has short, dark brown hair and dark brown eyes, smiles at me with her perfectly white teeth, whilst Cara sweeps back her long red locks and bores her blue eyes deep into mine. Cara doesn't say a lot, but her eyes speak for themselves. She can have entire conversations with you, just by staring at you. It's creepy, but at the same time incredibly awesome. They pull me inside and start questioning me.
'Emma! Gosh, we haven't seen you in so long!'
'How are you?'
'How's Brighton?'
'Do you want a cup of tea?'
'Or a sandwich?'
'A scone, maybe?'
'We made them ourselves this morning!'
They are their usual hyperactive selves, three bees swarving around their new pray, firing all sorts of questions at me. Cara is just standing in the doorway, looking at me, smiling. I don't see her smile very often. Obviously I don't see her very often at all these days, but all the same, she's smiling.
'Guys, back off, she's just arrived,' Julie sniggers. I cast her a thankful smile.
'Sorry, we're being a bit overexcited aren't we?' Sarah laughs. Her dark eyes twinkle.
'Kind of,' I reply, 'but I'm very happy to see you guys too, don't worry.'
'So. Do you want anything?' Emilia asks.
'No, I'm good thank you.'
'Okay. Then, I suggest you tell us éverything. And, darling, we want to hear details.'
All of them, including Julie, sit down around me and throw me curious and expectant looks. And I tell them. I tell them everything. Everything that has happened the last few months, everything that has been bothering me, everything. I tell them about my terrible new school, my mum, the fights, the aftermath of the divorce, and how I've even missed Mrs. Cathston, our extrememly strict and forever grumpy English teacher. When I'm done, it's past five pm, the light is starting to fade, and I feel rather tired. My throat is sore from the hours and hours that I just spent taling my friends my troubles and downs, but Julie, Emilia, Sarah and Cara have their eyes wide open, speechless. Cara is the first to say a word.
'Well, you have definately been through some shit, haven't you?'
'Yes, quite,' I answer.
'Good thing you're here now then,' Julie smiles, 'we'll cheer you up, don't worry.'
'But what I really want to know,' I say, inserting a four second silence.
'Yes? Come on!' Emilia hasn't had any patience since the day she was born.
'How's it been here?' I seem to surprise them, which is unexpected.
'Well, uh, not very exciting now you're not here anymore,' Emilia says.
'She's quite right, you were always the one that would propose to do crazy fun stuff,' agrees Sarah.
I look Cara in the eyes and she's telling me the exact same.
'There's one thing that's changed though,' Julie says.
'What?'
'Grayson is a single pringle!'
'Yes, you've already said that. But I assure you, he doesn't like me.'
'How do you know?'
'There's just no way!'
'Maybe you should ask him.'
'Yeah sure. As if I'd have the guts to do that.'
'Maybe if we'd help you a little bit.'
'How?'
'I don't know. Practise the conversation, do your hair and make up, that sort of thing.'
'In your dreams.'
'I've actually dreamt about this, and it went surprisingly well in my dreams.'
'Liar.'
'I'm being serious.'
'No you aren't.'
'Guys, easy,' Emilia jokes, 'I don't want any fights in my house, all right? My dad could get home any minute.' Emilia's dad has an important job at a newspaper, hence why he's always home late and leaves early. Emilia's parents used to both work at the same newspaper, bringing in just enough money to live from, but since Emilia's mum passed away three years ago, her dad has been working overtime. Emilia practically lives on her own, which isn't always easy on her. Even if the two of them have dinner together, it's only because her dad has a meeting or a party that night and comes home to change.
'Okay. Suppose I would agree with your wild plan. How would you approach this massive problem? This problem, that I have had for almost two and a half years now.'
'I haven't exactly worked that out yet, but-' I break Julie up
'See? Jules, it's never going to happen. Besides, I believe he is on holiday now anyway.'
'Come on, Emma! Please! Just let us do this, even if it's just for fun.'
'If everything goes horribly wrong, you can always withdraw to Boring Brighton.' Sarah has a point.
I sigh. I know they'll keep pushing me until I finally give in, so what use is there in resisting any longer?
'Okay then.' They break into exultancy. 'But nothing happens without my permission!'
'Yes, madam!' Three of them say at the same time. Cara just salutes me.
'Okay, let's find out where he is right now.'
Grayson turns out not to be on holiday, but still at home, in London. How they found that out, I have no idea, but they seem pretty sure of it. After establishing his whereabouts, they proceed to discuss the manner of approach. Should I just show up, should I text, should I call? Eventually, they present me the, according to them, perfect way to get a date with Grayson Maxwell. I should text him, telling him I'm back in London for a week, and casually asking him on a date. But not officially of course. That would seem too thought through and not at all spontaneous.
'If he likes you, he'll say yes. If he doesn't, he won't. Simple, right?'
'For you, yes. For me, not so much.'
'Why?'
'You're asking me to text my crush for two and a half years out of the blue, asking him on date! How much more blunt could I get?'
'Do you have a better plan?'
'No, but-'
'Then come on, Em, it's really now or never.'
'I know. And if it goes wrong, I could still retreat to the mountains or the sea or something.'
'Precisely.'
'Okay then, screw it, I'm just going to text him.'
'Damn right you are.'
'Where's my phone? Let's do it now, before I get cold feet.'
I run to the hallway, where my coat is hanging from a misplaced office chair and take my phone out of my pocket. One new message. From mum.
HAVE YOU HAD A SAFE JOURNEY? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE HOME, EMMA. I STILL DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF YOU IN LONDON ON YOUR OWN. MUM
Typical mum. Always those fake worries. She's not worried about me, she just doesn't want me to have a good time. I shake the feeling off and walk back to the living room, where Julie, Emilia, Sarah and Cara are all staring at me. I open my contacts and go the the G. There it is. Grayson Maxwell. I type up a new message to his number, and pass my phone to Sarah, letting each and every one of my friends check the message for spelling errors and possible changes that could be made. When my phone is handed back to me, I check the message one more time.
HI GRAYSON, IT'S ME, EMMA. I'M BACK IN TOWN FOR THE WEEK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GRAB A DRINK SOMETIME SOON? X EMMA
My thumb floats above the 'SEND' button for a second or two, whilst I am seriously doubting my sanity. I look around one more time, recieving only encouraging looks.
'Well, here goes nothing,' and I press my thumb onto the screen.
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Well, I hope you enjoyed reading that, it's really late now, so I'm just going to retreat to my bed now. I'll see you tomorrow for blogmas day 14!
Love,
Rosaly
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