Tyler

Her name is Emma Fray. And if I haven’t already, I’m falling in love with her. But its not like I can do anything about it. She’s one of those girls that everyone wants to be with. Every week is seems like she is with a different guy, and every week I wish it was me. She only goes from boy to boy because they end up hurting her or cheating. Emma doesn’t deserve any of that. She deserves me, and that might sound selfish, but I know for a fact that I would treat her better than anyone else. I’ve known this girl almost all my life and we have been friends since fifth grade. I first started to have feelings for her when it was our country club’s swim meet. It was my turn to swim and she was standing behind me, seemingly gazing off into space. The horn went off and everyone leaped into the pool, but I was stuck. She noticed my feet glued to the edge of the pool and next thing I know I have her dainty but powerful hands pushing me into the pool. I swim the lap and finish not first, but also not last.
She walked up to me after the race, I was very confused because she never conversed with many people. She then explained herself, “Sorry I pushed you, but sometimes a little push is all you need. I’m Emma.” She held out her hand.
She isn’t that daring girl she was back then. But she is still Emma, the Emma that makes a silly face at me in the halls when she sees I’m down. When I see her, all I think about it how beautiful she is. It sucks that I can’t do anything about this or tell anyone because they will just call me queer.

Johnny
“Hey Tyler, come on.” I say and drag him upstairs. I plop on the small couch in my room and smirk at him like the Grinch. He asks why I’m smiling. I answer him, “Because I found a girl… and she’s so fooled by me. I have her wrapped around my finger.” He assumed it was a cheerleader because everyone knows that if you compliment a cheerleader then they will do anything for you. But this one isn’t as easy as the others. This one isn’t as pretty as the others I’ve been with, sure, but she will do.
“What’s her name?” Tyler asks, seemingly not interested.
“Emma,” I reveal to him. He looks shocked at first but its not like he could ever like her. They are kind of friends, but Ty isn’t that kind of dude. He couldn’t ever like, let alone love Emma that would be weird and gay.
Tyler
I can’t believe how unbelievable Johnny is being right now. Did he take the time to get to know her? No. Does he know the color of her eyes? Definitely not, I mean, it’s Johnny we’re talking about. Well I do, medium green, like that fungus, but pretty, you know? If Emma actually falls for this jerk, I might just die. If it was up to me, I would handcuff us together and protect her from everything, but that would be weird. I can’t even imagine what would happen if they got together. What if I saw them kiss. Ugh. I could picture myself freaking out and punching him, screaming at him to get off of her. I would probably be placed in an insane asylum. What if he uses her and I don’t do anything about it. She will be so broken and never talk to me again. But I also can’t tell Johnny to back off because I didn’t tell him I like her. And at our age, boys are supposed to use girls, then later on, mature. If anyone defies that “law” then you are automatically labeled gay. If Emma and I remain friends, she will be my wife one day, I am sure of it. I don’t know if I can face Johnny at school tomorrow. Odds are I will get sick at the sight of him. I might just tell Emma that he isn’t the right guy for her. But won’t Johnny hate me?



Emma

I think I might be falling for Johnny. I always assumed he was just like all the other jerks in my grade, but he’s not. Johnny is sweet and it seems like he genuinely cares about me. I’ve been so distracted during class just thinking about him and what we could be. I get all tingly inside when he talks to me. Whenever I’m with him I get all giddy inside. I don’t know how to control these emotions. The only thing that gets me through the school day is remembering all of our little talks at day’s end, when all the worries are gone, the homework is done and all that’s left is us. I fall asleep to him messaging me about what he thinks I should do with him when we see each other on the weekend. I wouldn’t ever do more than kiss him though, and I hope he understands that.

And then there’s Tyler, one of my best friends. I used to always think that one day, me and him would end up together. Maybe at our prom, he would fall for me. Maybe neither of us would ask or be asked and we would decide to go together, as friends of course. And then the slow song starts playing and he sees me across the room, swaying back and forth, alone. He takes my hand as pulls me to the center of the dance floor, right under the disco ball. We slowly edge closer, each in the others arms, palms getting sweaty. Then our eyes meet, and we just stare into each other’s gaze. Maybe we would go back to the time we first met, when I first fell for him, but now I like Johnny, and I’m pretty sure he likes me back.


Johnny

I’m going to be done with Emma for now. It doesn’t ever seem like she’s taking my bait. And I mean, anyways, I found another girl who’s already offering. If Emma isn’t going to start moving faster with me then I’ll move on. It won’t be that hard to forget her, I never even liked her. I put out so many hints for us to get together and she never got a clue. Tyler doesn’t like anyone, Emma doesn’t like anyone, and I’m moving on to Cindy Coles. I’m planning to meet her after school on the bleachers.

Emma

I was walking to my house around the block, through the small clump of trees blocking our school from the street, and past the bleachers. I saw them, Johnny and Cindy. But I don’t even feel like I should be surprised, everyone knows that’s Johnny Pepperman always uses girls, or cheats, or just leaves without notice. And he did exactly that. I just hoped this time would be different. He is known as the bad boy in school and I always promised myself I wouldn’t fall for him, but I did. I saw them both just kissing each other. They looked like animals; I wanted to throw up it was so disgusting. He must have heard my footsteps, because he opened his eyes and stared at me, yet their lips were still latched. At that moment, I couldn’t do anything but stand there and watch them; my feet were stuck. I needed a push. I needed Tyler to come out of nowhere and push me to move, to do anything. I probably looked like a statue, looking like I just saw a ghost. I didn’t know what to do with my body, seeing them together after I thought he liked me and only me. I couldn’t help myself from thinking about if I was his one and only for a single moment. How many other girls did he call babe? Was this the first time he hooked up with Cindy? Did he ever like me at all? I won’t ever find these answers. And I will have to live with the fact that it wasn’t meant to happen, or maybe it was supposed to teach me something? Well, all the songs about heartbreakers make sense now. What will come next?


4 years later

Tyler

I went to prom alone that year, so did Emma. Turns out neither of us found a date. We grew apart so we couldn’t go together. We haven’t spoken since the end of eighth grade. She started seeing some guy named Jerry, and that was the end of us. And every day since, I have missed her. I can still feel her smile in my heart like it was just a moment ago. I don’t believe that Jerry and her are still together but who knows. After that year I guess I stopped hoping for Emma to come around. I’m no longer friends with Johnny. His mom’s job got transferred to Ohio, and we never talked after that. I have some new friends but they don’t compare to a sixteenth of Emma. I got into The University of Columbia. I heard Emma got into The University of Montana. After this prom night, I won’t see her for very long after. We will be at opposite sides of the country. I won’t lie; I will always have a special part of me that will always love Emma Fray, which will carry on with me throughout the years.

I knew that Emma had always dreamed of her senior prom. She told me about her dream guy. I assumed it was Troy Davidson, football jock. She wouldn’t admit to it, but I guess it was true. She said that during the last slow song starts playing, he would hold her and they would have their first kiss, right in the middle of the dance floor, under the disco ball. I guess we will find out tonight.