Chapter 14: Pop rocks (Nathan's POV)

I sat down in my seat as Brandon walked through the door. I groaned, putting my head down. 

What is wrong with me? Why am I so... hostile towards her? She's been nothing but nice to me. 

"Yo, yo, yo," Brandon said, plopping in his seat, "Why so glum? Chum," he smiled. 

"Don't," I shook my head. 

"Okay." He put his hands up in surrender and we sat in silence while students started filing into the classroom. Kendall walked into class on her own. Emma isn't here. Where the hell is Emma? 

"Where's Emma?" Brandon and I asked in sync. 

"She went to the bathroom," she replied while sitting in her seat. 

Mr. Cole walked in and Emma still wasn't here. "Ms. Hayden, you're-" 

"Right behind you, sir. I'm not late," she said, running over to her seat and settling down just as the bell rang. 

"Saved by the bell indeed, okay, let's get to work, shall we?" 

She took her notebook and pen out and was zoned in. No hi, no smile. I know we just saw each other outside but still... no hi? She must have realized I was watching her because she turned to me. "Hi, Nathan," she smiled as if she just read my mind. I looked at her in confusion. "I didn't say hi earlier, I say hi to you every day," she shrugged. I shook my head, biting back a smile while getting to work. "You owe me a pack of Pop rocks," she whispered. 

"Why do I owe you a pack of Pop rocks?" I asked.

"Because of the stunt, you pulled this morning. Call it a make-up-gift," she said, focused on her writing and taking notes. 

"What stunt did he pull this morning?" Brandon asked. 

She looked at me, then at Brandon. "He didn't say hi back when I saw him outside," she said, flashing me a grin. 

"Then I'll buy you a pack of Pop rocks," I shrugged. 

"Let's not talk about Pop rocks, Mr. Sterling, focus please," Mr. Cole called me out. I'm always the one who gets called out, this is totally unfair. 

The day went by as it would normally and it was now lunch. "I have to go to the library, I'll meet you guys at lunch," Emma said. 

"Why are you going to the library?" Kendall asked. 

"Brandon, you're supposed to go too, you know? You know the three books our English Lit teacher told us to issue? Turns out we don't need one of them, I'm going to return my copy, you wanna come?" she asked. 

"I was gonna go at the end of the day but sure," he shrugged, going with her. She linked her arm with his as they walked. He said something, she laughed, she said something, he shook his head and laughed. 

"Can I ask you something, Nathan?" Kendall asked as we took our seats. 

"What's up?" I asked. 

"How come you're... how come you're different with Emma?" 

I frowned in confusion, "What do you mean?" I questioned. 

"You know you're different with her, right? You're a lot nicer to her than you are to a lot of other people." 

That's not true, I'm such a prick to her. "That's not true," I shook my head, "I'm actually really rude to her." 

"No," she said slowly, "You think you're really rude to her because she's always been so nice. That makes you think you should be nice in return, and you are. But there are a lot of other people who are nice to you and you don't exactly reciprocate that." 

"I'm not nice to her," I mumbled. 

"You are," she nodded. She hesitated, "I know you think she looks like Chloe, a couple of other people thought that too." I looked up at her from my tray of food, not knowing what to say. "I don't think she looks like her, but I grew up with Emma, so..." she trailed off, "She doesn't actually look like her. It's just some features. Their hair is the same, so is their face shape, that's about it." 

I pondered her words. She's not wrong, now that I've been around Emma for nearly a week, I'm noticing the differences. She's not like Chloe. Not at all, actually. She's actually completely different. Chloe was... reserved, she was very cautious of what she said and who was around her, she thought things through a hundred times before doing them. Emma just... does it, says it. She doesn't give one shit. 

"I think Emma just fits into your life like Chloe did." 

"What do you mean?" I asked. 

"Chloe was with you all the time. She cared about you, she worried for you. She saw you as a completely different breed from other people. She... prioritized you. Emma does that too." 

"Emma doesn't know me half as well as Chloe did." It's true, she doesn't. Chloe knew me since preschool. I just met Emma. 

"You act like you've never known Emma before this," she rolled her eyes. 

"Have I?" I don't think I have. 

"Emma was here until middle school. She left right before we started middle school, you just don't remember her. She was the girl who was obsessed with babies. She carried the dolls around everywhere, said she wanted a real one all the time... drew a heart on your hand during nap time that one day and you got really angry," she laughed. 

I thought back to that time. We were really young, so the memory was really hazy, but I remember freaking out because, well, cooties. And a girl drew on me. "Oh, my god, she's that Emma?" I asked incredulously. Kendall nodded. "Do you think she remembers Chloe?" I inquired. I hope she doesn't because I don't want Emma knowing anything about Chloe. Anything at all. 

"I think the only time they spoke was when they had that fight over the swings, I don't think she remembers her," she shook her head. 

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and leaned back in my seat. 

"Do you think our school has Pop rocks?" I asked. 

That's what I'm thinking of? We're talking about Chloe and I'm thinking about the Pop rocks Emma asked for, are you kidding? 

"I think you better ask the lunch lady that," she smiled. She smiled like she knew something that I didn't. 

"I'll go do that," I said, standing up and heading back to the line. I waited till my turn and then asked, "Do you by any chance have Pop rocks?" She eyed me weirdly, grabbing them from the back. "Thank you," I mumbled, taking them from her and heading back to the table where Brandon and Emma were now seated. 

"Hi, where'd you go?" Emma asked, looking up at me as I took a seat across from her. 

"To get you your Pop rocks," I said, sliding the pack across the table and to her. 

"Thank you," she sang, ripping the packet open with her teeth and looking down into the packet, grinning like she was a literal child. She poured some out onto her tongue and stayed silent for the remainder of lunch, listening to the popping and sizzling of Pop rocks on her tongue. That's exactly what she's doing, I can tell by the look on her face. 

"Ay!" I looked at Brandon who was nudging my elbow. 

"What?" 

"Quit staring at her and listen up," he chuckled, "There's a party tomorrow." On Friday. 

"Who's hosting?" I asked. I don't normally go to these parties because there's absolutely no point in going when I've only got one friend there but I might try it out this time. 

"Liam Stevens." 

"Little goody is hosting a party?" I scoffed. 

"He's nice, don't be mean," Emma frowned. 

I rolled my eyes, turning to Brandon. "His parents are out of town and the team wants a party, he's the one available to host. Are you gonna come?" 

"He asked you?" Kendall questioned. 

"No, he asked Emma at the library. I was there too, that's probably why he invited me," Brandon shrugged. 

"Are you gonna go?" Kendall asked Emma. 

"I'm not going if you aren't coming," Emma replied, looking at Kendall, then at Brandon, her eyes settling on me. "All of you," she smiled, "That includes you, mango." 

"Mango?" Brandon mumbled in confusion. 

"It's a long story, you won't get it," she scoffed, "Are you gonna go?" she asked me. 

"Probably not," I cleared my throat, twirling the fork in my hands. 

"Why not?" she asked. 

"He doesn't attend these parties, god knows why," Brandon said, glancing at me. 

"It'll be fun. You should come," she nodded at me, "The new girl can socialize a little." 

"The new girl can go," I scoffed. 

"The new girl isn't going with strawberry to keep her company," she laughed, "Come on. Please?" She stuck her bottom lip out. 

"Em, I-" 

"You just called me Em," she giggled, "Anyway, please?" she whined. 

I looked at her for a minute, noticing both Kendall and Brandon waiting for me to give in to her puppy eyes. 

"Okay," I sighed in defeat. 

"Ha!" she beamed at her victory. 

What a dork.

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Chapter 14

I think writing about pop rocks so much I'm realizing it's my favorite candy lmao

comment and let me know what you think of the book so far and make up some theories about how you think the plot is gonna go

next chapter: booze