Thought We Were Friends

Emma, December Thirteenth, 10:47 P.M.: How was your date?

Jackson: It was alright. She doesn’t seem into me, though.

Emma: Oh no. I knew that she wasn’t right for you, j.

Jackson: It’s ok. besides, I don’t need love right now.

Emma: don’t say that

Jackson: it’s true, tho

Emma: no it’s not. you deserve everything and more, j.

Jackson: awww, you’re making me blush, e.

Emma: shut up. besides, I always said that Sam was not good for you and that you had such a better shot with Laura or Bea, j.

Jackson: maybe you’re right, e. although isn’t Laura going out with Ben?

Emma: oop, gotta go. My parents saw me and now I have to plug up. g’night, j.

Jackson: g’night, e.

Jackson, 4:56 A.M., December Fourteenth: hey e. u up yet?

Emma: surprisingly, yes. early morning snack/workout that I felt like I needed to do.

Jackson: ok great. I need to talk to you, e.

Emma: is everything okay?

Jackson: not exactly

Emma: oh my God j. are u ok??

Jackson: yeah, i’m fine. mom is leaving again. rehab said that it’d be 2 extra weeks because she didn’t obey and shows signs of like, OCD with her addiction and stuff.

Emma: oh my gosh i’m like, really sorry. should I come over? i’ll make something up, don’t worry.

Jackson: thanks. yeah, you can come over. mom’s leaving today, tho, so she’ll be packing and probably crying and yeah.

Emma: ok. I’ll be there in 20.

Jackson: see you then, e.

Emma, 5:32 A.M., December Fifteenth: hey j. yesterday was really fun! we should do that again! random, but do you want to have Christmas eve dinner with me and my family? since, you know, your mom won’t be around?

Jackson: it was indeed really fun. of course i’d like to come! should I bring anything?

Emma: nah, just yourself and Christmas spirit! besides, my aunt Rebecca always makes like, 50 million pounds of mashed potatoes, and everybody else makes too many dishes to count, so you’re okay.

Jackson: cool cool. man, I am so tired from literally ALL of the testing this week. i’m so ready for breakkkkkk!!!!

Emma: I know, right?? I had to take SO many AP exams, and like a billion others. is all this deprivation of sleep really necessary so close to breakkkkkk??? like what?

Jackson: Ha!! real tho. ah, I need to get on the bus. see you at school, e.

Emma: see ya, j.

Jackson, 3:13 P.M., December Seventeenth: UGH I FREAKING HATE OUR SCHOOL! like, why did you ban phones the WHOLE entire day?? like, I was done testing by the end of fourth period! at least it’s OVER and we can ESCAPE the PRISON they nicknamed SCHOOL.

Emma: j., school’s not that bad… although I will agree that the phone thing was stupid. I didn’t get to text you all day!!

Jackson: is that what you look forward to everyday??

Emma: no, butt-head. besides, you know i’m going out with Eric, j.

Jackson: oh, right, I definitely forgot. I mean, it’s not like you openly campaigned about it, e.

Emma: I did not ‘openly campaign about it’, j. but I still am going out with him. still, that does not stop me from looking forward to texting you. it’s human, j.

Jackson: yeah, yeah, alright. I look forward to it, too, ya know? you calm me down, e. also, I asked Bea out. she said yes, and we’re getting coffee downtown in 2 days

Emma: How could you NOT tell me this??!! OMG J., this is HUGE! AHHHHH!!!

Jackson: oh, shut up, e. it’s not that deep. besides, i’m not even that into her, truly.

Emma: you have said that with literally all the girl’s you’ve dated, j.

Jackson: ok you got me there. but hey, I haven’t found real love yet, and so what? i’m perfectly happy the way I am, e.

Emma: alright, that’s fair. oh, hey, i’m going out with my dad tonight. I won’t be able to talk for the rest of the day :( but anyway, g’night, j.

Jackson: g’night, e.

Emma, 3:28 A.M., December Eighteenth: j.? I need you, j. please respond.

Emma: j., I know it’s early. please respond.

Jackson: oh my gosh e. are you okay?

Emma: oh thank God j., I can’t do this alone.

Jackson: do what alone?? can I come over, can you come over?

Emma: no, no, it’s ok. I can say it over text. Eric and me are done. I told him that I couldn’t do it, that we weren’t going to work out. besides, he’s going to UCLA and I’m going to Harvard. Literally cross-country. you know I can’t do long distance.

Jackson: oh shoot, e. hey, meet me down your street. you need a hug. don’t worry, e., I got you.

Emma: ok. thank you, j.

Jackson: no prob, e.

Jackson, 6:17 P.M., December Nineteenth: bea didn’t show. do you want to join me and my lonely self at Spill the Beans?

Emma: of course, j. and hey, next semester, imma beat her but whenever i see her. that is not cool, j. i’ll be there in 10.

Jackson, 9:45 P.M., Same Day: coffee was so fun!! I didn’t know you had all-black-no-sugar in you, e.!

Emma: ha, yeah! I didn’t know you were a mocha latte person, j. i’m counting down the days until Christmas eve!! you will LOVE my grandma’s pecan apple pie, j. it’s to DIE for!!

Jackson: pecan apple pie? my mouth is literally watering just hearing that, e.!!!

Emma: yeah, I know! wanna hang out tomorrow? you know where.

Jackson: always down, e. gotta turn in for the night, e. g’night, e.

Emma: g’night, j.

Emma, 7:12 A.M., December Twentieth: rise and shine, j.! time to seize the day!

Jackson: ugh, e., it’s break!! I need to sleep innnnnn…

Emma: Nope, not today! I’m coming into your house with skillets and spoons and I’m going to bash your head in after I make pancakes, j.

Jackson: oh God, e., for being so small, you are like, terrifying!

Emma: good :). Now, get up, sleepyhead!

Jackson: 4 days, e.

Emma: yes!!

Jackson, 2:34 P.M., December Twenty-First: I’m sorry, e.

Emma, 7:51 P.M., December Twenty-First: I know you are, j. hey, we’re gonna be alright.

Jackson: yeah. this sounds weird- and i’m saying it as friends- but love you, e.

Emma: love you too, j. (as friends) :)

Emma, 5:56 A.M., December Twenty-Second: j., get up!! only 2 more days!!

Jackson: grahh yes i’m up, e. I’m so excited!!

Emma: good, you’re up :) do you wanna do something today?

Jackson: of course, i’m holed up here anyways.

Emma: ah, yes. ok- how does coffee at STB sound? this time you won’t be waiting for anybody, j.

Jackson: perfect! I wanna do other stuff too, so let’s make this our day out, e.

Emma: alrighty, then, j.

Jackson: see you then, e.

Emma: see you then, j.

Jackson, 6:43 A.M., December Twenty-Third: yesterday was great, e. I loved hanging out with you :)

Emma: aw, now YOU’RE making me blush, j.

Jackson: aw stop!! but seriously, I’m counting down the minutes until dinner!!

Emma: I know, right?? relatives have already brought in enough food to feed five cities at this point :)

Jackson: haha!!

Emma: but that’s the sad part :( because I have to help them like, prepare food and stuff. but now that they know you’re coming, they’ve made even MORE food!!

Jackson: awwww, boo!! well, we’ll still have tomorrow, e. even though it’s only morning, g’night, e.

Emma: g’night, j.

Emma, 8:49 A.M., December Twenty-Fourth: today’s the day, j.!! everything’s set up, and relatives are re-running NBA games. I can’t wait for you to come over!!

Jackson: what time again? you know I have the memory of Dory from Finding Nemo…

Emma: ah, yes, how could I forget? you openly campaign about it daily… ha!! seriously, it’s at 5:00 P.M., my family likes to eat kinda early.

Jackson: no! my own joke, used against me >:( also, I eat dinner early too, so you’re good :)

Emma: okay, well, I’ve still gotta like, help prep and stuff, so I’ll see you at 5, j.!!

Jackson: see you then, e.

Jackson, 12:02 A.M., December Twenty-Fifth: MERRY CHRISTMAS, e.!!!!!!!!!!!! OK YOU HAVE TO GIVE ME THE PECAN APPLE PIE RECIPE!! Seriously, e., I need that pie in my life again!

Emma: God, j., I had to freaking army-crawl to my phone to get it! and here’s the recipe: pie crust, apples (duh), eggs, brown sugar, maple syrup (special ingredient lol), vegan butter (half of my family is dairy free), cornstarch, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and of course, pecans!! you can like Google how to make it or something, j., I don’t exactly know how to make it- just the ingredients used.

Jackson: THANK YOU, e.!!!! ok, i’ll swallow my baking pride and just make it from google’s advice, ha.

Emma: okay :). I have a gift for you, j…

Jackson: I’m scared, e….

Emma: you shouldn’t be, j.

Jackson: no, I should, knowing you...

Jackson: the last time you said that, I ended up with a face full of shaving cream!

Emma: hey! I very much enjoyed that gift, thank you very much. but seriously- it's a real gift this time.

Jackson: are you sure?? I can't trust you, e.,

Emma: that's mildly offensive, considering i've known and LOVED you for ten years, butt-head.

Jackson: do you seriously never curse?? I mean, I don't on this because of your parents, but gosh, e.

Emma: well, I have a really good on and off switch, unlike YOU, j.

Jackson: shut up

Emma: no thank you >:) get on a big coat and bundle up because I want to give you your gift now, j.

Jackson: now?? I'm going to freeze my buns off, e.!!

Emma: exactly what I need...

Jackson: ugh fine!

Emma: I will see you there, j.

Jackson: coming!!

Jackson, 3:28 A.M., December Twenty-Fifth: that was the best gift I've ever received, e.

Emma: I'm glad you liked it, j.

Jackson: I mean, obviously I loved it, but I didn't know you liked me like that.

Emma: seriously?? I thought I was giving it AWAY too much!

Jackson: LOL NO I knew the ENTIRE time!! But I thought I was giving it away, since I definitely feel the same, e.

Emma: aww stop!! but gosh darn I'm not that secretive, aren't I?

Jackson: ha, NOT AT ALL!

Emma: I want to do what we did again. I want to feel that again, j.

Jackson: I do too. meet me. you know where.

Jackson, 5:34 A.M., December Twenty-Fifth: hey, e.?

Emma: yeah, j.?

Jackson: I know like, we just kissed and like, yeah, but I just wanted to say: I love you. (not as a friend this time :))

Emma: I love you too, j. (not as a friend either :))