Barely Breathing (The Breathing #2)(160)

"What are you looking at?" Sara asked a few feet ahead of me, stopping when she realized I wasn't beside her. The guys began walking toward the school, and what I thought was his truck was a Tahoe. I released my breath and turned away.

"Nothing," I said, catching up with her.

Sara tightened her eyes skeptically. I tried to smile, but it felt foreign on my face, having not done it very much in the last couple of weeks.

"Do you know what we need?" Her eyes lit up at just the thought.

"What?" I asked, not certain if I should encourage the mischievous glint in her eye.

"We need a senior skip day," she exclaimed as we spotted Evan a few rows ahead of us. He raised his chin in recognition when he saw us and waited for us to reach him.

"But don't we have one in two weeks?"

"That's planned. The entire senior class is skipping that day. What's the fun in that?" Sara scoffed with a shake of her head. "Emma, you're in need of some serious spontaneity. We have to pick a day sooner, to rid of the distractions and just have a good time. A much needed good time."

"I could use that," I sighed. I'd been fighting with more distractions than I could handle, including the Sunday I'd gone to see Jonathan―which I couldn't stop thinking about. Or the text he sent the next day, that I'd read every day since. I was in desperate need to rid myself of that distraction in particular, and clear my head.

"What do you need?" Evan asked overhearing us. He slid his hand in mine.

"A skip day," Sara declared proudly. "Just the four of us!"

"Four?" I questioned.

"Jared," Sara explained. "How about this Friday? It's supposed to be so nice and Jared will be here for Evan's birthday. We'll go to the beach."



       
         
       
        

"I don't know if it's quite beach weather," Evan returned.

"Who cares," Sara shot back, already beaming from the idea. "We don't have to wear bathing suits. We'll have a picnic and build sand castles and play catch or whatever. Don't try to ruin our skip day, Evan!"

Evan chuckled and held up his free hand in defense. "Okay, Sara. Friday is our skip day. It'll be great."

"Of course it will."

I grinned at her enthusiasm as she almost bounced her way to our lockers. I turned to Evan as he was about to part ways toward his. He bent down and kissed me briefly. "Will you come over after my game today?" he murmured in my ear.

"Sure," I smiled, letting go of his hand and watching him walk away.

I was still relishing the tingle of his breath against my ear when I opened my locker to gather my books.

"I don't think you should wait until prom," Sara mused, eyeing me with a smirk. "The two of you need to have sex more than any two people I know."

"Sara!" I exclaimed, looking around in a panic to see who may have overheard.

"Just sayin'," she smirked again and walked away.

My cheeks flushed, I rolled my eyes and turned back toward my locker.



"I'm going to shower," Evan told me as we parked in his driveway. "Where do you want to wait for me?"

"I'll meet you in the barn," I replied, opening the car door. My phone chimed as I reached the steps leading to the rec room. I was about to press the ignore button, as I had for the previous three calls that day. Then it beeped twice indicating the missed call, followed by a text.

Emma, please talk to me. Please.

I stared down at my phone. His plea felt like a weight in my chest. I hadn't stopped thinking about him since I'd left him that day. But I didn't really know what it was I was thinking... or feeling. I kept avoiding him, afraid of what emotions his voice would conjure up. But I couldn't keep doing this to him... or to me.

I sat down on the couch and took a deep breath, listening to the phone ring on the other end.

"Hi," he answered quickly.

"Hi," I returned, my heart beating profusely. "I'm sorry I haven't called."

"I'm sorry I keep calling," he replied. "It's just hard, not hearing from you, especially after talking to you almost every day."

"I know. It's been hard for me too."

"I got a little scared. I thought maybe... maybe you didn't need me anymore. You know, now that Rachel's not around and―"

"Don't say that," I interrupted. "I've wanted to call, to talk to you, but... I didn't know what to say. What you expected me to say." 

"Emma, I don't expect anything. I just want you to be honest, that's all." After a pause, my mind trying to understand what he was asking of me, he filled the silence with, "How have you been sleeping?"