Free Embracing Emma (Companion to Brisé) by Leigh Ann Lunsford

contact and following the goon squad. Maybe a college ten hours from home isn’t a bad thing. Will and I have a different foundation than most relationships. We’ll be fine.
    Famous last words.
    I blew off a ride home with my parents opting to wait for him. His gait is slowed, head bowed, and he looks like the opposite of the boy he was an hour ago. “Hey there, I was wondering if you were ever going to come rescue me.”
    His head snaps up. “What are you doing here?” The blood staining his lip and scraped knuckles alarms me.
    “Waiting for you. What happened?” I nod to his hands, and he shoves them in the front of his jeans.
    “I just blew my chance at playing at UGA.” His monotonous tone and blank stare reveal that he is suffering. “I decided to embrace the Emma way of things, and it backfired.”
    “What?” I have no idea where his anger is coming from.
    “It doesn’t matter.” He steps around me and unlocks his truck. “You coming?”
    “Will you talk to me?”
    “It doesn’t matter.” He slams the truck in gear and squeals out of the parking lot.
    “It does to me.”
    “Give it a damn rest, Ems. You tell me you want me to stand up to the guys, so I did. It happened, and it ruined everything.”
    “What exactly happened back there?”
    “I allowed Brian and Seth’s words to have power over me, and it exploded in my face. The fucking coach for Georgia saw it and pretty much told me what I’ve told you for years.” He avoids eye contact, flinches from my touch. “Said words shouldn’t get to me like that. My actions are all I have to prove myself to him, and I blew it. He watched me fight my teammates. It doesn’t matter why. Then he called me a ‘hothead’ and informed me I don’t have a place on his team. This is what I wanted to avoid, and you wouldn’t let it go.”
    I gasp and reach for him again. He yanks his arm from my grip. “I’m sorry, Will. Can I do anything?”
    “Just admit you were wrong. You think taking a stand makes a difference. It doesn’t. It just cost me my dream and for what? None of those guys are going to change. The only thing changing is me listening to you. I can either go thousands of miles away for school or GSU; which is what I was trying to avoid. I told you I wanted to bide my time and I’d be free of them soon. That wasn’t good enough for you.”
    I want to argue, but I’m at a loss. He pulls into my drive and doesn’t shut off his truck or make any moves to follow me inside. “You coming in?”
    “Nah, going out with the guys.” I try to fight the tears of being dismissed.
    “Why won’t you talk to me?”
    “Because it won’t change anything. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He leans over and opens my door, a clear invitation for me to take my leave.
    “I love you, please talk to me.”
    “I’ll call you later.” He doesn’t turn his head to look at me.
    “Maybe I’ll answer.” I hop down and slam his door as hard as I can. It echoes around the quiet neighborhood, and he scarcely waits for me to step back before he leaves. I slam my front door with equal force and announce my homecoming.
    “Emma, goodness child, what is with all that racket?”
    “Nana, why are men stupid?”
    “Oh dear, you’ve just asked me the age old question. Let’s come in the kitchen and see if we can figure it out.” I burst into tears and feel her wrap me up in her arms. “Your parents have gone to dinner with Brett and James, we need to see if we can get you sorted before your daddy sees you in tears.”
    I follow her to the kitchen and take a seat at the table. She has a glass of wine in her place and grabs another glass, pouring a few sips in it. Sliding it in front of me, she winks. It’s not enough to get me drunk but enough for me to loosen up and feel like an equal. I replay everything to her, and instead of being as confused as I am, she laughs. “It’s not funny, Nana.”
    “This has nothing to do with you, Emma. I admit those boys he