18

Em had woken up to Elle breaking into my room. Tomorrow was the last day to submit the list of the kissers for the kissing booth and she still had not given her an answer. Once she was finally able to kick her out of my room she started getting ready for school. As she opened her phone a text from Noah pops up. 

Can't wait for us to be at Harvard together S2

Em didn't know how to feel about Harvard, and she wasn't sure it was for her yet. She also had been considering Berkeley, mainly because that is where her mom went and it would make sense for her to continue in her mom's steps. She liked the message but did not respond, she knew he wouldn't understand her.  She quickly got dressed, she had retired the short skirts and now used pants, and when she felt a bit fancier a blue overall dress over her white button-up shirt. She picked up her phone and there it was, a letter from The University of California, Berkeley. She had convinced herself not to open any of her admission letters until she had decided where to attend. That way she was not influenced by the college's decision. 

She placed the envelope under her mattress so that no one would find out her decision before she did. When she was a little girl, Emily's dreams consisted of a white dress and a spring wedding, she loved flowers, most important she loved lilies, the ones her mother use to grow in the backyard. The ones that she watched die as she mourned her dead mother. Throughout her childhood, her mom never forced her to do anything. She had always felt free as if her future laid in her hands. As she got other Emily started to feel trapped by everything around her, there was no more freedom, no more lilies. She sighed at the sight of the colorless garden through the window, " I miss you mom", she whispered. 

"Six years", Elle spoke making herself noticed. Em looked up to her torn-eye sister and extended her hand. "She would hate this you know", Em said staring at the garden. "She would" Elle affirmed, "she would also hate those overalls", she joked attempting to get a laugh out of both of us.  "Hey!", I smirked, "it's not that bad". Elle smiled and squeezed my hand a bit harder. 

_________________________________________________________

The school was over for the day and Beth had dropped Em off at her house. She decided not to tell Beth about the importance of the day and just played cool throughout the whole car ride. She had lost her mother six years ago and every time it was mentioned, she was left being treated as this poor sad daughter.  Her home seemed quieter, what was usually a happy loud family home, turned into a school library for that one day every year. They would whisper, make small conversations but never laugh, especially not in front of her dad. That one day a year Emily relieved her worst nightmare. As she was getting to go to Marco's her phone started ringing, it was Noah. 

"Hey, Millie!" He greeted her with a smile. She smiled back as she placed the phone up in the bed. He could notice something was wrong, but he also knew what day it was so he stayed quiet and as usual tried to make small talk. "What have you been up to?" 

"Nothing much", she answered, "I have this Literature assignment due, and my partner and I have to finish everything before tomorrow." She didn't want to go into detail about the day, in spite of everything Em was still trying to keep her head up. "Oh it's Marco, he's picking me up in ten", Em said as she read the text Marco had just sent. "Marco? I thought you said you were going to work on a school project?" Noah asked suspiciously. 

"Yeah, I am. Marco is my partner."

Noah felt his skin turn warm, his fists clenched. He did not like Marco, especially since it seemed like he had a thing for his girl. "Why him?" he asked, almost as if he was whispering to himself. "What?" Em asked confused. "Why him?" Noah repeated, "out of everyone in your fucking classroom why is Marco the one you end up with?"

"Noah"

"Why do you go to him?"

"wait is this about that night?" Em asked Noah, now not as lost as she previously was. It always came back to that week, and the fact that Marco was there and he was not. 

"It's not", Noah looked down, deep down he knew that that was exactly what it was. 

"I can't do this today", she said as sneakily wiped a tear out of her right eye. "You know he wants you, so why do you continue to fall under his traps?" 

"Noah stop", she pleaded, "I'm done with this conversation! Marco and I are friends, he is with my sister. Get over your stupid little jealousy act!"

Noah hung up the phone, Em sighed, all she wanted to do right now its punch someone's face or take a shot of tequila.  Whichever one she had access to it first. She looked over her phone, Marco had arrived and it was waiting for her. 

"Hey pumpkin", he greeted her. "Pumpkin?" she asked raising her brow.  "A little nickname I have given you", he smirked. "Here", he said handing her a bouquet of flowers, lilies. Emily's eyes lit up, how did he? why did he? 

"You told me that one day at the beach", Marco broke the silence, "You said that they were your mom's favorite flowers so I assumed..."

"Did Elle tell you?" Em asked confused. "What?" Marco asked. "About our mother's "deathaversity?"

"Damn, what a name", he joked, expecting to get a smile from her, but nothing. "She did! I thought you guys needed a bit of light on such a dark day. I also stashed some seeds inside the bouquet. Elle told me about the garden. "

"Did you even come here to pick me up so that we can do our project?" Em asked. 

"It's done already!" He affirmed. "I thought we could take the night off, spend some time with your family, maybe do some gardening?" he asked as he picked up gloves from his pockets. Em giggled, "You came extremely prepared". 

"Anything for you, pumpkin! I also brought back up", he said, pointing at the figure driving up my driveway. Beth got out of her car with tools in hand, "C'mon, you can be sad and alone all you want but tonight, tonight were sad but we're together", she smiled. Em got out of Marco's car and ran to give Beth a hug. "C'mon, let's go inside!" I turned to both of them and extended my hands. 

Em's dad at first was surprised by the change in routine. They usually took this day really slow and did not do anything unexpected. On the other hand, Brad and Elle thought it was a great idea. They had decided to even invite the Flynns, well not all of them. Em checked her phone hoping he would call, hoping that he placed his jealousy aside and reached out to her, but nothing.  The two families and their friends then began to plant tulips in the garden while talking about the stories of her mom. This is great, Elle taught herself, we should have done this a long time ago. She smiled at Marco, who had been staring at her from across the room. Emily decided she needed a little break, so she headed to the kitchen to place the bouquet in a vase. As she was done placing the flowers in the vase her phone started vibrating. "I wanted to apologize!" Noah stated and she answered the phone, "My mom told me about the garden. I wish I could be there to pay my respects."

"I'm sure she wouldn't have minded", Em smiled, "Look about Marco..."

"Hey pumpkin, your father wanted me to let you know we are doing smores," Marco said as he approached her. Oh shit. "pumpkin?" Noah asked, "is that Marco?"

"I'll be right there," Em said covering the phone. "Noah", she answered, "listen to me okay..."

"Why is he calling you pumpkin Milly?"

"I don't know okay, he's started today. I think he was trying to make me feel better."

"I could think of other things he's trying to do", Noah sighed, "I... I can't talk right now."

"Noah please" she pleaded. 

"Not now Milly!"

Emily placed the phone down and took a deep breath, was Noah right? But how? Marco seemed to be really close with her sister, he would never hurt her, right? Em shook the thoughts off her head and headed out to the garden where her family was laughing and talking. The quiet home had become full of life and laughter just like all the other days of the year creating no indifference. If there was one thing she was sure of was family. So Em picked up her phone and texted her sister: 

count me in for the 😘 booth!

She knew how important this was for Elle, it was her second chance of getting up there and not being stabbed in the back by her sister. 

_____________________________________________

That same night Noah and Emily fought again. This time she had decided to tell him about the Kissing Booth. They ended up coming to terms with everything bothering Noah. Em had reassured him multiple times that Marco did not mean anything. 

"You're the one and only for me Flynn", she smirked as she laid on her bed with Noah on the other line.

"I wished I was with you" he sighed, " I can't protect you from Boston!"

"You don't have to protect me", Em replied "I'm a big girl, I can take of myself." 

Noah smirked, " I know you can."

"Hey Em. I'm crazy about you!"

__________________________________