Free The Day to Remember by Jessica Wood Page B

some beer, hoping to keep her calm. The rest of the night was a blur, and the next thing I remembered was waking up with her naked in my arms in my bed.
    Just then, my phone went off. It was Emma, and I instantly smiled at the sight of her name.
    “Hey babe, how’s it going? Shouldn’t you be out?” I asked.
    “Hi iii ba-by,” came Emma’s slurred voice from the other end of the line. I could hear loud music and people on her end of the line.
    “Emma? Are you drunk? Is everything alright?”
    “Nooooo,” she said, dragging out the word .
    “You’re not alright?” I asked, a feeling a cold panic wash through me .
    “No silly, I’m aaaaa-okay. I’m just here . With the girls.” I heard her giggle uncontrollably.
    My body relaxed at her words. “That’s great, babe. Are you guys having fun?”
    “Hey,” she said brightly.
    “Yes, I’m here.”
    “Hey,” she said again.
    “Can you hear me? ”
    “ Hear what? Hey. Hey. So I want to tell you something.”
    “Tell him about the hot guy,” I heard a distant female voice say.
    “Who was that?” I asked. What guy? “Where are you guys?” I demanded.
    “So I was going to tell you something,” she slurred, ignoring my questions.
    “Okay, what is it?” I decided to play along.
    “Hmm. I forgot.” She started giggling again. “Oh wait! I ‘member now … so, shhh, don’t tell anyone, okay? Promise.”
    “Um, okay,” I agreed tentatively.
    “So I think I am a lightweight.” There were more giggles.
    I laughed. “Emma, are you guys okay? Where are you guys?”
    “Umm, I’m not sure. Let me ask Damian,” she murmured into the phone.
    “Who is Damian?”
    “He’s … Hey, Damian, where are we?”
    “Hey you. You’re at Doc’s Clock, sweetie,” I heard a male voice yell through the music and noise.
    “Oh right. Baby, we’re at Doc’s Clock.”
    “Who is this Damian guy?”
    “Oh him? Just someone we met tonight. He seems nice,” she giggled. “Anyway, I called because I missed you. I’m mad that you’re not here.”
    I chuckled, “I’m sorry, babe. I really wish I was there too. I miss—”
    “Hey Brandon, did you need to shower?” came Des’s voice from behind me. I quickly moved away from Des, hoping Emma was too drunk to hear that.
    “Who was that?” Emma demanded.
    My heart leaped out my chest at her words. She wasn’t as drunk as I thought. “Who’s what?” I asked back, hoping to throw her off. Shit, why do I keep digging a deeper hole for myself?
    “I thought I heard someone say something. I thought I heard a girl.”
    “No, there’s no girl. That was just the … the TV,” I said and attempted a chuckle.
    “Really? It just sounded so real , and I thought I heard her say your name,” I could hear the doubt in her voice.
    “No, I’m just hanging out with the family here, watching TV. It’s kind of noisy on your end though, so maybe there’s something with our connection. Anyway I should get going. I’m glad you’re having so much fun.”
    “Oh, ok.” Her voice was laced with disappointment.
    “I can’t wait to see you. I miss you.”
    “Okay, I miss you too . Call me when you’re back, okay?”
    “I will.” I quickly hung up the phone, and looked up to see Des smirking at me and shaking her head.
    “I see you didn’t tell her everything.” There was a satisfaction in her voice that gnawed at my guilt. It was one thing to know I lied to Emma, but quite another to lie to Emma and have Des of all people know about it.
    “I’ll tell her everything when I see her,” I said, reassuring Des as much as I was reassuring myself.
    “Well, you better.” Her voice was threatening. “Because if you don’t, I will.”

 
Chapter Eight
    Emma
    “Everything okay?” asked Damian as he handed me another drink. “On the house. You look like you need it.”
    “Yeah,” I finally said. Brief clear thoughts broke through my drunken fog. I swear I heard a girl’s voice. Even though I knew I