Page 12 of Never Not Friends

“Stop selling yourself short,” my mom snaps. “Now when is the assembly?”

“In a couple of weeks. I’ll keep you posted.”

I guess it is a pretty big deal. It’s not just chosen from teachers at my elementary school. It’s our entire district. I was super honored and excited when I found out. I just get embarrassed thinking about being in front of a crowd, getting awarded something.

“Also,” my mom says, “your nieces called today, and they want you to FaceTime them tonight. They drew a couple of pictures for you that they want to show you.”

My smile is immediate. My sister has two little girls, and although they live far away, I FaceTime them several nights a week. They are my absolute favorite.

“Okay, I’ll be sure to call them.”

“How are Juliet and Vinny?”

My smile falls a little as I glance at Juliet’s house, where Vinny’s car is parked in his usual spot. “Fine, I guess.”

“What’s happening with the wedding plans? Do they have a date chosen yet?”

“I don’t think so.”

I love how I’m acting unsure when I’m one thousand percent certain they don’t have a wedding date picked yet. Just a giant diamond ring on her finger, taunting me for the last eleven months.

My mom’s brows dip into a V. “Such a long engagement, but I guess there’s no rush to get married when you’ve been together as long as the two of them have.”

I would think it would be the opposite. But opinions about relationships don’t belong anywhere in my mind.

“It’s funny how everything works out, isn’t it?” My mom chuckles almost to herself. “Vinny and Juliet.”

A flinch of hurt rattles through my chest.

But how would my mom know her words cut like a knife? I’ve never told her how I feel. To her, Vinny Brooks is just an old ninth-grade boyfriend I got over twelve years ago.

Her comment follows me as I walk to my car.

How things work out.

I fell in love with Vinny.

He was mine for a while.

Then Vinny fell in love with Juliet.

In my heart, nothing has worked out at all.

EMMA

9th Grade - March

“I know what we should do for our joint sixteenth-birthday party.” I sit up taller, excited to tell Vinny everything I came up with.

He looks at the notebook spread across my comforter. “I’m not having emerald-green party decorations. That’s where I draw the line.”

My lips push into a pout. “I didn’t even say that.”

“Yet.” He smiles at me. “But it’s coming. You choose that color for everything.”

I smile too, because it’s cute how well he knows me. I guess that’s to be expected when we’ve been boyfriend and girlfriend for the last seven months.

“I like emerald green because Google says rich jewel tones look best with my red hair and blue eyes. And I need all the help I can get when it comes to my hair.”