EM
∞ Then ∞
Sophomore Year
"Ow! Careful!"
In response to his reprimand, I scowled at Cole over the top of my headboard, my arms straining to keep from dropping it as we entered the front door of our new off-campus apartment. "You try being careful when you're the one carrying more than half the weight," I grunted.
"That's so funny," he said, and readjusted his grip. "Because I seem to be managing exactly that just fine."
We finally made it to my new bedroom and collapsed, exhausted, on the mattress we carried in earlier. I swatted him half-heartedly. "Asshole."
"Ungrateful."
We grinned at each other, the insults familiar and well-worn by now.
"You know," Ron panted as he and my dad entered the room, struggling beneath the weight of my dresser, "if the two of you don't get your asses up and stop being lazy, I'm going to kill you both."
Nikki's new boyfriend was an absolute peach. The two of them had started dating over the summer and were already totally smitten with each other. When she'd mentioned that we were getting an apartment with Cole, not only had he not shown even a hint of jealousy at the idea of his girlfriend living with another dude, but he'd volunteered to help us move in. She hadn't even needed to ask.
Her parents would be here with her things tomorrow, but Ron was a sweet guy. He was helping me and Cole with our stuff, too.
I leapt up to motion them over to the wall where I wanted to set up my dresser. That was the last of my furniture for now. I'd found the small set through a friend of a friend and I figured I'd get a desk at Ikea or something at a later date.
Nikki and my mom joined us and each dropped a box on the floor.
"Is that everything, honey?" Mom crossed to where Dad stood and wrapped her arms around him.
"I think so." I had bags of clothes in my closet, and a few favorite decorations that I'd accumulated over the past year still in my car. I could handle bringing those in on my own.
Dad ducked to peer out the window. "You didn't tell us you had a view!"
Mom and I exchanged an amused glance. "That's because my view is of the parking lot, Dad."
"Bright side, Emily." Dad turned around to grin at me. "Always look at the bright side."
"Emily?" Cole repeated, brows raised in delight.
"Don't even think about it," I said quickly. Dad was the only one I let get away with that. He had a weird obsession with Sinatra's 'Emily.' I normally didn't even like it when people called me Emmeline and that was actually my name.
"All silver bells, coral shells…" Dad crooned with a grin.
"You'll only encourage Cole. Don't you start," I said, but a reluctant smile tugged at my lips. My childhood had been filled with Sinatra songs, but none so much as Emily.
"I don't know this song, but it sounds far too kindly to be describing our Em," said Cole.
"Ah, that's just because her guard is still up," Dad said. He grabbed me in a loose hug. "Get in her good graces and—"
"You're ruining my reputation, Dad." I broke away and leveled him with a look. "You've given me no choice but to kill you."
Wounded, he clutched at his heart, still grinning. His arms dropped. "All right, enough joking around. I'm starved. All hard labor and no lunch makes Roger a grumpy boy." He nodded to Cole, Nikki, and Ron. "Do the three of you want to come? Consider it payment for helping us get Emily here moved in."
"I'm sure Emmeline is grateful," Mom cut in, with a roll of her eyes.
Nikki and Ron begged off, but Cole hesitated, his eyes going to mine.
Come, I tried to project; tried to beam the thought from my mind straight into his. He blinked, and I had a wild moment where I thought, message received.
He stepped back. "I'm afraid it's a no from me, too. Got a lot of unpacking to do. Thanks for the offer, though."
Now I was the one rolling my eyes. "Spoilsport."
"Listen, just because you take forever to unpack—"
"Hey, I'm not under any delusions that you're going to let me keep my shit packed away for long now that we live together." We both relaxed into the familiar banter, bypassing the moment of something more, something on the cusp, something…
Just… something.
Mom picked up her purse by outside the doorway. "Come on, honey. Your father's not the only one who's starving and you know how I get when I'm hungry."
Cole's expression softened and he tilted his head toward the door. "Go," he said. "Have fun with your parents. I'll be here when you get back."