“Emery, are you sure you don’t want to go?” Mrs. Warden wanted to give her daughter one last chance for the dinner and play, but she knew that she would probably say no.

“I think Austin and I are just going to hang out.” Emery hadn’t told her mother about the party he was taking her to. Why have her mom worry when she needed some time out. She slipped on her sneakers and glanced at the clock. It was almost seven-thirty, so she knew Austin would be calling soon.

“That’s great that you two have hit it off so well. You’ll have to invite him over soon.” Mrs. Warden held out her arms as her husband slipped her light jacket on her. “I’m not sure what time we’ll be back, but have fun with whatever you and Austin decide to do.” She gave Emery a small peck on the cheek, then took her husband’s arm as he led her outside.

Emery waved to them as they walked out the door, then sat down to wait for Austin’s call. Finally, ten minutes later, her cell rang with Austin’s number popping up. “Hey,” Emery said the usual greeting they did with one another.

“I’m just leaving now, so I should be there in about fifteen minutes.” Austin backed out of his driveway and started in the direction that would lead him to Emery’s neighborhood.

“Okay. I’ll see you then.” Emery hung up and went to check her hair and makeup one last time. She never really went all out on the whole hair and cosmetic thing, but decided to dabble in it just a little for tonight. She turned off all the lights, except for the entryway and porch lights, then went outside to wait for Austin.

Austin had to do a double take when he pulled into Emery’s driveway to make sure that was her. She was dressed in her usual clothes, just a pair of jeans along with a long sleeved tight fitted shirt, but she had done her hair up and even had makeup on. She didn’t wait for him to open up her door, she just hoisted herself up and hopped into the seat.

“Hey.” Austin took in the full view now that Emery was closer. Her hair was pulled back, with just little curls circling around her face. She had light gray eye shadow on that matched her shirt and brought out the brownness of her eyes. Just a hint of blush and that classic, deep red lipstick thing that he liked…she looked perfect.

“Hey.” Emery had noticed him just staring at her. She looked down at her clothes and found nothing wrong and then in the side mirror to see if anything was on her face. “Do I look bad?” Now she was paranoid with what she’d done. She knew she wasn’t as dolled up as the other girls would probably be, but she wasn’t into all that.

“Just the opposite.” Austin leaned over and put his hand on the back of her neck. He pulled her head closer and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. “You look great.”

“So do you.” Emery took her finger and lightly rubbed it on his lips to get the lipstick smear off.

Just with that little touch, one that Emery didn’t even know would cause a reaction, made Austin’s level of desire increase tenfold. He grabbed hold of her hand and held it with his own. They began their trip over to where the big local party was happening.

***

“I didn’t think so many people would be here.” Emery questioned whether or not she should’ve come. The driveway was full of cars as well as the streets. She heard the music blaring even before she got out of the truck. There were people standing on the long wrap-around porch, staring over at Austin’s truck. Emery waved her hand in the direction of the kids who were standing outside. “Looks like your fans await you.”

Austin glanced over to where Emery had motioned to before getting out of his truck. “That’s just the junior varsity team.” He recognized them but didn’t know all of their names. He got out and went around so he could help Emery down from the high seat. He intertwined his fingers with hers and led them over to the house. Before they got to the porch, he heard his name being called. It was Dylan and it seemed he was already drunk.

“Hey, what’s up?” Austin fist bumped his friend, who obviously looked like he was having a hard time keeping his balance.

“Dude, you made it.” Dylan was talking to Austin, but had his sight on the girl by his side. “Aren’t you—”

“Emery.” Austin interrupted him before he could get a rude comment out.

“Yeah…yeah…that’s what I was going to say.” Dylan couldn’t remember what her nickname was that all the other girls called her, but was relieved when Austin had told him her name.

“Where’s the rest of the team?” Austin walked up onto the porch before Dylan got a chance to answer him. He knew where they were, most likely inside and as inebriated as Dylan. The sound of Apryl’s voice yelling down the hallway made Austin cringe. He knew she was probably drunk and most likely annoying as ever.

“Hey, baby. I missed you.” Apryl threw her arms around Austin’s waist. It was then she noticed that he had another girl on his side and he was holding her hand. “Is she part of your community service work?” Apryl hoped he had a good reason for bringing that girl here.

Austin pushed Apryl away and pulled Emery even closer. “She came with me. So if you could kindly move out of our way, we would like to get on with our night.” He maneuvered past Apryl and her three tagalongs and pulled Emery along with him to the large party room. Someone threw him a beer as he walked into the kitchen, but he sat it down and grabbed two sodas instead. He opened one up, poured into the plastic cup, and handed it to Emery.

“Thanks.” Emery had to yell over the music that was still blaring. She took a small sip and kept a tight grip on it with one hand. It seemed everyone was taking sneak peeks at her and Austin, like they were the most fascinating couple that was there. Not that she considered them a couple, but she felt they had definitely moved past the ‘just friends’ stage.

“Wanna go outside?” Austin knew there was probably a game of football going on somewhere. It would give them a chance to hopefully not run into Apryl again and get away from the eyes that seemed to be following their every move.

“Okay.” Emery knew being outdoors would be much better than in cramped quarters with people who were whispering about them. She knew they were because she’d heard her name, well, the nickname Apryl had so kindly given to her, and she had heard Austin’s name with questions about why was he with her.

Austin led her to the back of the house where there was a yard large enough that they had played scrimmage games of football on it before. Like he had thought, there were about twenty guys already wrestling and tackling each other. Almost in unison, he heard his name being called by each of them.

Emery gave him a small push. “Go play. I’ll sit over here for a little while.” She sat down at the picnic table that was vacant by the made-up playing field.

“You sure?” Austin didn’t want to dump her all alone, since there weren’t any other girls out there for her to talk to. She probably didn’t know any of them to carry on a long conversation with, but just to have someone sitting with you is always more comfortable. Emery nodded her head that she was okay and motioned for him to go play. Austin bent down and kissed her tenderly on the lips, then peeled off his shirt and caught the football that was thrown his way.

Emery sat there and watched the guys play their game of ball. She’d picked up Austin’s shirt that he’d tossed on the table and folded it across her lap. It was like keeping part of him close to her as a comfort measure. It hadn’t been too long before she heard several people sit down behind her on the bench. Emery watched Austin’s next pass, then turned to see who may have sat down with her. She was shocked to see Apryl and two others seated next to her, looking back and forth between her and Austin. Emery looked back to see if Austin may have seen them sit down with her, but his back was toward her as he was involved with the game.

“You know this is a bet, right?” Apryl decided she’d had enough of the games that Austin liked to play. He was warm one minute, then cold the next in their relationship. The best way to get him back was to get rid of the current obstacle. When this pixie girl, or whatever her name was didn’t respond, Apryl continued. “It was a bet on the varsity team of who was going to fuck you first, you know, since it seems you’re obviously lacking in that department. Unfortunately, my boyfriend got the bad end of the deal so he has to screw you before summer ends.” Apryl saw the look of confusion and hurt wash across the girl’s face. She had her right where she wanted, doubting anything that Austin may have ever told her. Apryl chuckled. “Did you really think someone like Austin, who has me or any other girl he wants, would actually choose someone like you? I mean, c’mon, look at you compared to everyone else walking around here. The way you’re dressed looks like you’re ready to go to some first grader’s birthday party and not hang around people like us.”

Emery glanced around and saw that most of the other girls were wearing small, little dresses or short, skimpy shorts and shirts, not jeans and regular shirts like she was.

Apryl saw the guys were almost done with their game, so she had one last comment before disappearing. “Just remember, Austin will come back to me after his little playtime with you. In fact, he’s been with me every evening after practice and tells me all about your pathetic volunteer work. And the five hundred that he’ll win when the big deal is sealed will be spent on taking me out.” The girls got up and left as quickly as they came.

Emery was stunned at what she’d just heard. It all seemed to make sense. She couldn’t believe she’d been so naïve to think that Austin Murray would actually fall for her. She just wanted to go home, but couldn’t even call her mom to come get her since her parents were out for the night. She felt the tears building in her eyes and knew she couldn’t cry, that would give them all way too much, but she felt like everyone was watching her and laughing because of the supposed bet. The guys were coming her way and she quickly looked away, hoping none of them would notice a change in her demeanor.

Austin could tell that something was wrong with Emery or she wasn’t feeling well as soon as he came back to where she was sitting. Her eyes were all watery, face was flushed, and it looked as though she’d wiped most of her lipstick and blush off on the crumpled napkin on the table.

“Are you okay?” Austin picked up his shirt folded on the table and pulled it back on. She wasn’t looking at him, just staring directly at the ground. He tried to touch her shoulder, but she flinched away.

“Can you take me home?” Emery spoke softly, but didn’t look up at Austin standing beside her. She felt his stare, like he was trying to figure out what was going on, but he should have known his little secret would’ve come out at a party like this.

“Yeah, c’mon.” Austin reached for her hand so he could lead them out, but Emery quickly pulled her away and stood to follow him. With the way she was acting, it was quite obvious something happened when he was playing football. He just had to find someone who might have seen what took place.

“Where are you going?” Dylan grabbed ahold of Austin’s arm as he walked out of the kitchen. The party had just begun and it was never like Austin to be the first to leave.

“I’m taking Emery home.” It seemed his friend had sobered up a little since they’d first gotten there. “Did you see anyone talking or doing anything to her when we were playing football?” Austin watched Emery walk over to the front door and then out. He took off after her, but not before he heard Dylan say something about Apryl sitting with her for a moment.

Emery waited until she heard the sound of the door being unlocked and then climbed up to sit down. Instead of sitting near Austin like she’d been doing, she stayed as close to the door as possible, hoping just to jump out whenever they got back to her house. She didn’t even look at him as he got in, started the truck, and began the fifteen minute drive back.

“Emery.” Austin glanced over at her. She was as still as she could be, staring out the passenger window. “I don’t know what happened, but something obviously did.” Once again, no comment or look his way. “Was it Apryl?” He saw her wince when he mentioned her name, so he must be on the right track. “I don’t know what she said, did, insinuated, but I’m sorry. I should’ve thought before we went. I knew she’d be there, but I figured she’d be too preoccupied to worry about us.” He was getting closer to her house, so he slowed down a bit just so he’d have more time to talk and maybe get an explanation out of her. “I took you to spend more time with you, not to have Apryl and her bitches ruin our night.”

The more he spoke, the more pissed off Emery got. Why was he lying to her right now? “I know about the bet,” she spat out at him with sarcasm and bitterness.

Austin was confused. How did she know about the bet and why would she be so pissed off about it? “Okay…and?” He needed more clarification on the whole matter.

“So, you admit to the bet.” Emery finally got the answer she’d been waiting for from him. She shook her head and looked back out the window. It was all too clear now how he’d been acting and what she’d found out.

“Emery, what does this have to do with anything?” Austin pulled into her driveway and saw her parents’ car wasn’t there. At least he had a chance to finish talking to her without prying eyes or someone coming out.

“How many people know about the bet and who paid?” She still hadn’t made eye contact with him yet, but could tell his eyes were fixed on her. It was just that feeling that you get when you can feel someone staring at you even though you haven’t looked their way.

“The whole team and they all paid, why?” Austin was racking his mind trying to figure out what she was onto about this bet.

Emery let out a large sigh. She was so hurt that she’d been fooled. She was actually starting to really like him, but that had changed when he admitted to the deal he had going on. “You can leave.” Emery opened her door and jumped down to the sidewalk. She walked as quickly as she could to get to the front door, but she was grabbed from behind.

Austin held Emery’s arm so that she couldn’t run away from their fight, dispute, mix-up or whatever she wanted to call it. He wanted to get to the bottom of this and he was sure Apryl was behind it all. “I’m not leaving until we get this all straightened out.” He felt her try to pull her arm away, but he kept his grip tight.

“This can’t be straightened out. I can never, ever trust you again.” The tears Emery been holding back since Apryl had told her about Austin and all his little friends’ bet, started to roll down her cheeks.

Emery had Austin all confused now. Here she was crying over some stupid football bet saying how she could never trust him again. “Emery.” He let go of her arm, and she didn’t try to run. “If betting on who scores first this season upsets you that bad, I can withdraw my money and tell the guys I’m out.” He hated to do that since they’d been doing this since freshman year and he liked the extra idea of five hundred dollars they all pitched into the pot, but if it was disturbing her this bad then he would take his money out and tell the guys he couldn’t do it.

Emery thought she’d heard him right, but it wasn’t the story that Apryl had so nicely told her. She wiped the tears and turned around to look at him. He looked distraught by everything that was going on between them. He’d said about the money, like Apryl had, but who was lying and who was telling the truth?

“That’s what the bet is about, or is it your version?” As much as Emery didn’t want to talk about it, she had to find out if the other bet was true. Since she was facing him, and was a good reader of people’s expressions when asked something, Emery knew this was the only way to find out the truth. “What about the bet about having sex with me before the end of the summer? You know, so you can win all the money.” Now to wait for his reaction.

Austin felt his temper about to boil over. This must have all occurred when Dylan had said he’d seen Apryl over by Emery when he was playing football. “First.” He knew he said that a little too loud, but it was getting harder to maintain his anger. “There isn’t and never will be a bet like that.” He roughly rubbed his hands on his face, trying to get his emotions in check. “Second, never believe anything Apryl or anyone from that group tells you. They are lying and conniving bitches. Damn, Emery, just to prove to you that I’m not lying I won’t touch you the rest of the summer.” He knew that would be hard, something was pulling him toward this girl and he liked that feeling and didn’t want to lose it.

Emery’s head was throbbing and her thoughts were all still jumbled on who to believe. Apryl had been nothing but a pain in the ass to her ever since ninth grade year. Austin was like them, or at least Emery had thought, but over the past month she’d learned a whole other side of him. She wanted to believe him, but didn’t know if she could handle the heartbreak and devastation if she was being played.

“I don’t know, Austin. I don’t know who’s lying and who’s not.” Emery saw he had closed his eyes and was clenching his fists, like he was really worked up. She didn’t want him back on the streets like this and definitely didn’t want him going back to the party and getting into some wicked fight. All he needed was to be arrested again, this time for assault or something. “Do you wanna come in?” She took the key out of her front pocket and opened the front door.

Austin walked inside the house after Emery made the offer. It was a normal looking house with tons of pictures hanging around of Emery from the time she was a baby until now. He stood just inside the doorway until she led him in the direction she wanted him to go. They walked down one of the short hallways and through double doors into a room that looked like a family room. He followed her over to the flower cushioned sofa that was positioned in front of a large, thin screen television and sat down next to her. Not too close, but enough where his leg was touching hers.

“Why? I mean, if she did lie, why would Apryl do that?” Emery had to start somewhere to maybe trust Austin again and get over the fear that he could be deceiving her.

Austin shrugged. He had no clue why Apryl did anything that she did. “I wish I could give you a reason, but I don’t have one.” Austin held his hand next to Emery’s to see if she’d pull away again. When she didn’t, he put his hand on top of hers. “Em, I’m sorry she said stuff like that. She knows about the bet that we all do every year. She just decided to put a twist on it and make it sound like I was using you or something.”

Emery nodded. She wanted to believe Austin, but it was going to take some time. She turned her hand over and intertwined her fingers with his. He looked surprised by this response, but squeezed her hand and put it close to his lips.

“I promise to get this all straightened out.” Austin kissed the back of Emery’s hand and then placed it back on his lap.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

“Are you going back to the party?” Emery didn’t want to keep him from his friends, but at the same time she didn’t want him to go. She may be still mad and hurt, but she didn’t want him to end up with Apryl tonight like she implied that they always did.

“If you don’t want me to stay, I can go home. But no, I’m not going back there tonight because I’d probably get into some nasty fight with a lot of people.”

“No, you can stay. I just didn’t want you to feel like you had to.” Emery leaned back on the sofa and put her head on the high pillows. “You can watch TV if you want.” She motioned with her free hand to the remote on the stand.

Austin made himself more comfy on the sofa. He positioned himself so that he would be able to look at Emery directly and not sideways. “Nah, I’d rather talk with you.”

Emery looked at him like he was crazy or something. “Hmm…I’m not the most interesting person.”

“Well, let me be the one to decide that. If I didn’t find you interesting up to now, I wouldn’t be here.” Austin reached for her hand once more and held it with his on his knee. “So. What are you going to do after we graduate next May?” It was always good to find out what aspirations she might have, hopefully not like the others and only want to go to some good party school.

“Um…I have enough credits so I get to graduate in December. Well, not graduate per se but get my diploma.” Emery had worked hard and long hours to get the needed graduate hours to get out of school early. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to join in on all the graduation fun, now that Austin was sort of in her life, but one never knows what the future holds for them.

“Wow.” Austin was surprised by this fact. “Is it because you want to start college early?”

Emery shook her head no. Now was not the time for reasons. “I really don’t know if I’m going to college.”

Austin snickered and shook his head. “With your grades and ambition, you’d be crazy not to.”

Emery shrugged. The path of life was always changing. She didn’t know what would be going on next week let alone six months from now. She had to always prepare just so she would get her goals completed. “What about you? What’s your plan?” Emery decided it was time to find out more about Austin. Other than being the pretty boy and player of the school, what was Austin really like?

“Well.” Austin ran his free hand through his hair. “My dad wants me to play college ball and hope to get drafted.”

Emery shook her head. “I didn’t ask what your dad wanted. What does Austin want to do after graduation?” She gazed at him carefully, hoping not to scare him off with bold questions about his future.

Now it was Austin’s turn to shrug his shoulders and be dumbfounded by a simple question. “I guess play football. It’s been the only thing I’ve done every year since I was five years old.” Emery looked surprised by this fact, so he decided he had to expand on it a little even though it meant letting her into his personal life. “My mom got pregnant when she was young, like fifteen. So after she had me, she studied and got her GED.” Austin saw Emery was following along with the story, unlike others who would probably be looking around the room trying to find an escape from hearing about someone else’s life. “My dad, who’s a year older, graduated high school but only got a two year degree from college so he could go to work fulltime and support mom and me.” Austin looked down at the ground, but when Emery lightly squeezed his hand he looked back up at her and continued. “Dad was big in high school with football. He had a lot of universities looking at him, but he said he did the right thing by marrying mom and going to work.”

“Is that why he wants you to play?” It seemed Austin liked to play football, but maybe he was only doing it to appease his dad for what he gave up.

“Maybe. I guess since he gave up so much because I came along way too soon, at least I could maybe make him proud and do something he wishes he could have.” Austin knew he was exposing too much of himself, but it felt okay to talk to Emery about all of this…like she would understand.

“But is playing football something you want to do for the rest of your life?” Emery knew there must be something else that sparked Austin, something that defined who he was and not just some player.

“I guess I really haven’t thought about it since everyone assumes I’ll get a football scholarship and go that route. But seriously, Em, I just don’t know if that’s what I want to do forever.” Austin smiled as he looked at her sitting there so content with just him talking. It was like she was so focused on everything that he was saying, like she actually cared. “Okay, now what about you? Any brothers or sisters?” He hadn’t seen any other pictures around that would indicate, but it was a good way to get the topic off of himself.

Emery shook her head. “I’m the only one. How about you?”

Austin let out a large sigh. “Five younger sisters.” Of course, Emery had the flabbergasted expression that most others did, open mouth and large eyes like she was really surprised by his answer.

“Wow, I bet that’s either fun or stressing. How old are they?” Emery was excited to hear about his family, it made her feel closer to him. Maybe that wasn’t such a good thing. Her heart said that he was telling the truth about the bet, but there’s always that little part that goes ‘he could be lying.’ She decided to give into the moment and live, enjoy what she had right now because who knows how long that happiness would last.

“Chelsea and Kelsey are six, Brianna is three, and Lake and Reese are eight months. And it’s stressing because all they do is either scream, cry, hit, or bite. Yeah, I don’t think I’ll ever have that many kids, well, not me personally but whoever I marry. That’s if I even get married.” Austin started stumbling around for words. He wasn’t used to talking about himself later on in the future, especially not getting married or having kids.

“So, you want kids some day?” It was amazing that Austin was being so open with her. Usually when they talked it was nothing too personal, but tonight he seemed so comfortable to share things with her. Maybe someday soon she would have to return the favor, but just not yet.

“Yeah, I guess. Don’t you?” Austin thought it was every girl’s goal to have kids, at least one. But who knows, Emery was so unlike all the other girls who hang around him. Maybe she had other plans for her life than to stay at home and take care of kids.

Emery never really thought about having children. There were always too many other things for her to worry about or deal with other than if she was ever going to get married and have kids. “I don’t know. I never really thought about it.”

Austin gently pushed Emery’s shoulder. “Okay, enough with all this serious talk.” As much as he would like to keep up with the sentimental talking, he wasn’t that great at expressing his emotions. He just hoped he didn’t come off as too much of a pussy with their first real heart-to-heart talk.

They spent the next two hours going over all the music and movies they liked. They had similar taste, but Emery tended to favor romantic movies and country music over Austin’s rock and action packed genres. They found out their birthdays were only two weeks apart and that they would both be eighteen during the second month of school. It was around midnight when Austin noticed that Emery seemed to be getting sleepy.

“Hey.” Her eyes were lightly closed as he brushed the hair off of her forehead. “I’m gonna get going so you can get some sleep.”

Emery opened her eyes and noded okay. She didn’t want him to go, but understood that he probably wanted to go spend some time with his friends at the party. “Just be careful.” She stood when he did so she could at least see him out.

“I don’t live that far away, so I should be all right.” He didn’t know why they were whispering, but he thought it was kinda cute and sexy.

“You’re not going back to the party?” Even though he had spent a lot of time with her tonight, Emery thought for sure he’d want to catch back up with Dylan and the rest of the team.

Austin couldn’t hide the smile that was trying to come out. Emery was inconspicuously trying to see if he was party bound. Could that be just a hint of jealousy that she was displaying? “I can’t. I have a busy morning tomorrow. I have to pick this beautiful girl up so we can go make a whole bunch of kids happy at the hospital.”

Emery tilted her head as she looked at Austin. She wasn’t sure on who he meant since she usually drove herself. “Guess I’ll see you there then.”

“I’ll pick you up around noon then?”

Emery had second guessed his intentions once again. Here she thought he was being the player, but really he seemed genuine in his response. “Okay, that sounds good. Thank you.” She decided to take a little initiative on her own. Although Austin promised to not touch her, as in kissing, just to prove that Apryl was lying, Emery wanted to feel that warm fuzzy feeling that she got with the touch of his lips. She placed one hand on his chest and the other lightly on his neck to bring his face closer to hers. The feeling of fire and desire, which she was waiting for, began as her lips gently touched his.

Austin was surprised that Emery initiated this action. She always seemed hesitant to make the first move. He didn’t waste any time in response to her sudden onset of boldness. He backed her up so that they were away from the front door and her back was against the wall. He intertwined his fingers with hers and pinned her arms on the wall beside her head. Austin deepened the kiss and felt Emery’s tongue and lips react with his. As his lips moved from hers and onto her neck, he felt her body shudder and a soft moan escape her lips. He knew he had to end this moment, not from lack of desire or want, but just out of basic respect that she wasn’t ready for anything that might happen if this moment continued and he wanted this relationship to be more than just a ‘it was fun see you later’ type of deal.

“What’s wrong?” Emery’s voice sounded husky as Austin ended their heated moment.

He placed a soft kiss on her swollen, red lips, let her arms down, and buried his face in her hair. “Nothing. I knew we needed to stop.”

Emery kissed the side of his neck. “Thank you.” Austin lifted his head up and questioned her with his eyes. “Because you could’ve taken advantage of me, but you were the one who recognized that we aren’t ready for that yet.”

Austin softly stroked her cheek until her eyes met his. “I would never do that to you.” He kissed her one last time and walked back over to where they’d started. “I’ll see you at noon.” He didn’t wait for her response. He walked out the front door before his mind listened to his body in response to what it wanted.

The next two weeks went by with Emery and Austin spending more and more time together. Not only did they have their volunteer time together, but they also did things after his football practices and her other volunteer hours. They didn’t go to any more parties, not that there weren’t any, but Austin felt it was better for them to stay away because of Apryl. They went to each other’s houses, meet the other’s families, and just enjoyed doing all the other normal stuff that other teen couples did. And yes, that meant that sometimes the moments got a little too hot, but they still hadn’t ventured past the whole second base thing.

* * *

Austin went looking for Emery as soon as he got into the hospital. She’d decided to drive herself because she wanted to go in early and see one of her favorite patients who wasn’t doing so well. “Hey, Anne. Where’s Emery?” Austin spotted the older lady that was always there when they were there during the week.

“Oh, hey, Austin.” Anne had grown to like Austin. He was a good fit for Emery and he played well with the kids. “She’s back in Molly’s room.”

“Is Molly still really sick?” Austin had seen the effects of treatment and cancer first hand when it came to these kids. Molly was one of the ones who probably wouldn’t make it out of here to ever go home. It was going to kill Emery if, or rather when, something did happen. Anne nodded her head yes to his question, then motioned toward the gaming section. Brian was over there, frantically waving his hand for Austin to come join him. “Just let Emery know I’m here if you see her before I do.” Anne told him that she would, and Austin joined his gaming friend for their daily bout of war.

An hour later, Austin saw Emery come back into the activity room. She looked devastated by whatever had gone on in Molly’s room. Her eyes met his and he saw the tears that wanted to fall but didn’t because of all the kids that were present. Emery was one of those girls who wouldn’t cry in front of people, especially the kids, since it seemed to make them even more upset.

“I’ll be back in a minute.” Austin gave his controller to the little boy who had been watching him and Brian play. He hopped at the chance to take over Austin’s spot on the game since he was beating the other player. As soon as he got over to Emery, she laid her head on his chest. “Is everything okay?” He ran his fingers through the back of her hair and pulled her closer to him. He felt her shake her head no, but wouldn’t answer him just yet as to what had happened. He led her over to the small office room and shut the door behind them. “Emery. You have to talk to me.” She was just standing there like she was about to collapse.

Emery felt the first of the tears fall and quickly wiped them away.“It’s Molly.”

“Is she…is she gone?” Austin didn’t know how to ask this personal question. He was hoping that Emery would say no.

“No, not yet. But she will be.” Emery had willed herself to stop crying. As much as she hated this whole dying thing, especially with these kids, it was something they all had to do at some point in their lives. “Her mom gave me this. She said Molly wanted me to have it.” Emery took the folded painting out of her pocket and handed it to Austin.

He was confused as to what the picture symbolized. “Does this all have a special meaning?”

Emery nodded yes. “The last picture she gave me was one of me and her standing beside the snowman.” Emery pointed to the picture Austin was still holding. “But this one shows me and you standing beside the snowman and Molly is looking down at us.” She pointed to the face that was mixed in with the clouds. The tears fell again and this time Emery couldn’t stop them.

Austin looked once again at the picture and clearly saw what Emery was talking about. The two figures smiling by the snowman resembled him and Emery and the face looking down at them, the one with red hair and freckles, was definitely Molly. He pulled Emery closer and let her cry into his chest. He rested his chin on the top of her head, closed his eyes, and stayed as strong as he was always taught to be. He had to be the support in this situation and not give in to how he was actually feeling, or else he would be crying just as hard as she was.

Emery finally got herself under control and backed away from Austin. “Sorry about all of that.” She apologized for overreacting to the situation.

“You don’t have to apologize for being human and having emotions.” Austin pulled her closer and kissed her on the forehead. “Are you going to be okay?’” He wiped the tear stains away from her cheeks.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” Emery leaned her head on Austin’s chest, took a deep breath, then looked up at him. “Ready?” She motioned her head toward the rec room.

“Yep.” Austin gripped her hand and walked out with Emery at his side.

* * *

“Are you going to be able to handle the next whole week without me being here?” Austin pulled Emery by the hand so that she would sit down beside him on his bed. He’d reminded her once again that he was leaving tomorrow for football and cheer camp for the week and wouldn’t be back until next Sunday.

“I’ve made it almost eighteen years without you, so I think I’ll be good for one week.” Emery tried to act like she was being serious, but knew that the grin spreading across her face wasn’t helping her pull this one off.

“You’ll miss me and you know you will.” Austin started tickling her sides, which caused her to start laughing and squirming to get away. In the midst of their play, somehow Emery ended up on her back, laying on Austin’s bed with him halfway on top of her. Her shirt had come up and exposed her flat stomach. The tickles had stopped and become more like light, gentle caresses.

Austin waited for some sort of sign that she wanted him to stop, but the look or push never came. He cautiously leaned in closer and began to place soft kisses where his hand had been on her stomach. He let his tongue leave a path from the top of her shorts to the bottom of her shirt, which now was at her nipple line with her pink laced bra exposed.

Emery felt her body shudder with each kiss, nip, and lick. She wanted to stop him and tell him they weren’t ready to move past this point, but how could she when these feelings felt so good and right. Instead of pushing him away, Emery pulled him closer. Her back arched up with each touch and she felt her shirt being lifted up slowly so that not only was her stomach bared, but also her breasts.

Austin slowly undid the front clasp of Emery’s bra. He had felt the hesitation in her body when he moved up to this unmarked territory but noticed she had relaxed and even run her fingers through his hair, encouraging him to continue. Austin’s hand skimmed over the laced material and exposed one of Emery’s breasts. The nipple was erect and his tongue instantly darted out for a quick lick. Emery ran her fingertips along Austin’s back and lifted his shirt so that he could take it off.

Austin did as Emery wanted. He tore his shirt off and threw it to the side of his bed. He looked back down at Emery and saw in her eyes the same hunger that he was feeling. His hands skimmed up the sides of her body and lifted her bra and shirt the rest of the way off. His lips went instantly to hers as his body hovered over her.

Emery reached up and pulled Austin down so that he was lying on top of her. She wanted to feel that skin-on-skin contact and be able to run her hands freely over his naked, muscular back and chiseled chest. With each touch, she felt Austin’s breathing increase. Emery felt Austin slightly move to the side as his hand slipped below the waistband of her shorts. She welcomed him as her legs automatically spread wider and her hips came up off the bed. Austin pictured the pink laced panties that probably matched the bra as his hand ventured south across the forbidden state line.

Emery had never been this far before with any guy, let alone someone like Austin Murray. She closed her eyes and let out a soft moan of pleasure as he tormented her with his carefulness of how he approached her. The way she was feeling, Emery wanted him to take the rest of her clothes off, along with his own, and just do her right then and there. She scooted her butt down a little further so he would understand that she was all right with where this was leading. His fingers were working their magic and she felt the squeezing of building tension that signaled she was close to a climax.

Austin stopped his moment of pleasuring Emery and started to ease her shorts and panties off. The sound of one of the twins crying and his mother in the hallway halted the entire moment. He'd been lost in the moment of just being with her for the first time that he’d totally forgotten where he was, his family was still home, and he didn’t have any sort of protection just in case it would’ve gone that far.

Austin pulled Emery’s shorts up and her shirt back down. The moment was over and he needed the least amount of stimulation as possible. If he had touched her or looked at her once more he would’ve said ‘fuck the family being here’ and continued to make both of them happy.

Emery had heard the baby and Austin’s mom. She felt her shorts being put back on and her T-shirt pulled back down to cover her breasts and stomach. Before she sat up, she clasped the front of her bra back together so she would look more presentable. Emery saw Austin had his face planted in his hands and was sitting still on the bed.

“It was nothing that you did, so if you’re thinking that… just stop.” Austin knew she was probably as worked up as he was and she probably questioned why he stopped so abruptly.

“I know.” Emery hoped she was right on her assumption. “It was because one of the babies was crying and your mom was out in the hall, right?”

Austin nodded she was correct. He took a deep breath and moved his hands away from his face. Emery was seated next to him, but not to the point that they were touching. He picked her hand up off her knee and placed it with his on his own. “As much I wanted that to happen, it just wasn’t the right time.”

“Not the right time for Austin Murray?” Emery tried her hand at being witty, but it sort of came out sounding mocking. “I mean.” She tried to cover up her big blunder. “Um, from what I’ve heard…” Now that she had his full attention, she didn’t know how to proceed.

“And what have you heard?” Austin knew all the stories that were spread around school about him, some true and some totally made up by Apryl.

“Well, you know.” Emery saw that he was still waiting wide-eyed for her to explain herself. “That you’ve been with a lot of girls, some that you only knew for the night.” Emery shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe it is me. We’ve been friends for almost two months and this is as far as we’ve gotten.” She glanced away from his stare and focused on his shirt that had been thrown on the floor.

“First.” Austin lightly squeezed her hand. “We are more than just friends…well, you know unless that’s all you want to keep it at.” He waited for her response, which was a smile and a head shake, but she still hadn’t looked at him. “Emery.” Austin tilted her chin up so that she would look at him. “I don’t want it to be like with all the other girls, the ones you supposedly heard about. Maybe this time, I’m the one who wants to wait.” He nudged her with his shoulder. “Unless that’s the only reason you’re hanging around me…you know, to get me into bed.”

Emery about choked on her saliva with that comment. “Oh, yeah, Austin, now you know my true intentions.” She ran her thumb over the top of his hand as he held hers. “I’d rather wait too. Maybe a different time, different circumstances.”

Austin popped up off the bed and pulled Emery along with him. “If anything happens like that between us, I promise it won’t be here on my bed with my parents and sisters around.”

Emery nudged him back. “It will be in your truck then?”

Austin put his arm around Emery’s shoulders and walked them to his door. “Nope, your car.” He knew her car could only hold four people max and the ones in the back needed to be small or they would be squished. There was no way for any type of messing around to be done in that car.

Emery let out a humph and walked with Austin back out to where his family was gathered in the living room.

* * *

“So, I’ll see you next Sunday.” Austin had Emery meet him at the school parking lot where the chartered buses were all lined. The school used these so that all players, cheerleaders, dance, and band crew were all accounted for the week-long camp. He and Emery were standing by the stand that housed all the beverages and food when it was game time. The other players were standing around either with each other or their own girlfriends.

“Yep. You’re coming back during the afternoon, right?” Emery noticed he confirmed what she thought was true. “And no cell phone, Skype, or anything else that we could use to stay in touch for the week?” She knew this was also probably correct since he’d told her last night about not being able to take his phone with him. Emery was just hoping that maybe there was some reconsideration taken of how no one would be able to stay in contact with anyone around town.

Austin pulled her in for a tight hug. He’d seen some of the players had already boarded and he didn’t want them to have to wait on his account. “Nope, we can’t take anything. And I will miss talking to and seeing you every day.” He kissed both her cheeks and then lightly on the lips.

Emery kissed him on the neck and then pulled away. “You better get going.” She nodded to the line that was clambering up the bus steps in a rowdy manner. “I’ll see you Sunday.” She gave him one last peck and turned him around so that he would go. Emery watched as he sauntered over to the line and did several fist bumps with his friends. He turned around one last time to wave before he climbed the steps and disappeared. A push from behind almost sent Emery falling over her own two feet.

“He’s mine for the week, bitch.” Apryl strutted past her, shaking her hips more than a strip club dancer.

Emery watched as Apryl pushed aside the players who were lined up and made her way to the front of the line. She saw Austin seated by the window and there were two cheerleaders behind him. Apryl seemed to be ordering one of the girls out of their seat and she then took the seat directly behind Austin. Emery knew or at least hoped, Austin wasn’t too happy about this. But the way Apryl seemed to always get her own way, who knows what she was capable of doing this week.

Austin waved as the bus started to pull away and Emery did the same. Even though they’d only really known each other for the past two months, the next week was going to be a difficult one without him.