Free Emerge by S.E. Hall

a partner in crime, and if I ask my dad, he’ll be here packing my stuff within the hour.
    Any chance this answer will come up on a Google search? Maybe I could ask Jeeves? Siri? That chick knows everything.
    After about an hour of miserably self-analyzing, “Ho Hey” saves me. He’s calling me back.
    “Evan.” It’s more an exhale than a word.
    “I’m sorry, precious girl. Forgive me?”
    “Nothing to forgive. I understand you’re looking out for me. I’m not gonna go.”
    “No, Laney, go. I was being jealous and dumb. I don’t get to do that, I know. Get out and meet some people.” The silence stretches on for what seems like minutes. His heavy breath comes across the line, the torture audible. “It’s great of you to look out for your roommate. I broke my promise to you. I’m not with you. I can’t expect you to sit and do nothing all the time.”
    “You didn’t break a promise, Evan. You are where I am, all the time. Every song, every thought, every day…you’re here.” The agony in my voice impossible to hide. “Did you know this would be so hard?”
    “Not even close; I couldn’t have imagined. God, this sucks, I miss you so damn bad I ache, Laney.” He chokes up a bit. “But you need to get out and live. Go to the crawl. I’m so proud of you, taking on the world.”
    “Thank you for calling me back and for always having my back. You’re so easy to fight with.” I laugh softly. “I’ll sleep on it and see.”
    He sighs. We both do that a lot lately. “Did I mention how much I miss you?”
    “Me too, every minute. I’d kill for a Disney marathon in your arms right now.” I can’t help tearing up a little.
    “We could fall asleep watching one together. I packed mine for when you visit.” His laugh is fake. “What’s your heart desire tonight, princess?”
    “You, here with me.”
    “Awww, baby. Damn. You’re killing me.”
    “I’m sorry, I know, I know, just slipped out. Ok, I pick The Lion King , sound good?”
    “Sounds great,” he mumbles, trying to hide his sigh.
    And that’s what we did; we did us.
    When I woke up the next morning, my call was ended but there was a text waiting.
    Evan: Good night and sweet dreams my love, near or far I love falling asleep with you.
     

Chapter 14
    Gotta Crawl Before Ya Walk
    ~Laney~
     
    C lasses weren’t too brutal today and practice was short and sweet. Dragging myself into my room, I throw everything at the end of my bed and crash into it face first. I thought I was still undecided on the whole Hall Crawl thing; I should’ve known my mind was made up for me. Bennett’s enthusiasm can barely be contained in our room and she makes me miss Kaitlyn. I’ve got to call her soon. We haven’t talked since school started.
    “Get up, girly swirly, we have to get ready! Are you excited? I’m so excited! What a creative way to bring people together!”
    Oh God, Bennett is so close to being an obnoxious socialite, but then she throws in the “deeper” meaning at the end. Love her, though, already.
    I grumble into the bathroom to shower as she puts her beautiful dark red mane into foam rollers. Amazingly, I’ve adapted to being in the bathroom at the same time as her. Good thing, or else I’d never get to use it.
    “You gonna let me make you up tonight, Laney?”
    “No. I don’t need to impress anybody. I’m warnin’ ya, B, this is gonna be very low key for me. Oh! I almost forgot, I wanna come up with a word or sign so that if either of us is uncomfortable, it means we’re getting the hell out of dodge.”
    “Laney, my personal bodyguard,” she giggles. “You think of everything! Ok, so how about if we say, “‘these shoes are killing me, I have to go change.’ Or we could sneeze three times in a row?”
    “Um, I’m not sure I know how to fake sneeze and I’m wearing flip- flops, but sure, sounds good. Will you hand me a towel?”
    She tosses me one and urges me to hurry. We have like, two hours, and she’s about to