Chapter Twenty Six

I opened the box that Brian had given me. Inside was a gold ring. There were little blue stones in them. Blue was my favorite color. On the inside of the band was “ 143, Brian.” 143, I love you in pager codes. I swallowed back. I didn’t call for Brian to come back. I slipped the ring on my finger and fell asleep.

After I had calmed my mother down my parents left. I sat there in my hospital gown. The sick smell of plastic overwhelming me. The bright sun shinning on me. I twirled and played around with the ring. It was really beautiful. What was happening? I had known Brian for all my life. We were best friends ever since we were young. I eventually moved away from Lexington to Orlando for college and Brian moved here as well after he was asked the join the Backstreet Boys. I had always pictured us growing old together. Not as lovers…just as best friends.

18 Years Ago:

“Brian!!” I shrieked. He was squirting me with the hose. I ran around the yard trying to avoid him. Brian, grinning, ran after me. His two front teeth missing and his dark blonde hair messed up.

“Em Em!! I’m coming!” Brian shouted. I giggled. Brian would never find me. I was behind a tree.

“AHA!!” He cried and sprayed me. I shrieked and started running away from him.

I ran too fast and slipped and fell.

I started crying. I had skinned my knee and it really hurt.

Brian sat down next to me

“I’m sorry Em Em…” He said crying.

I kept crying. It really hurt. He then bent down and kissed my skinned knee

I looked at him, my face dirty with tears.

Brian looked back at me. Tears still in his eyes.

“Does it still hurt?” He asked me.

“I’m okay now…” I said smiling.

“We’re best friends right Em Em?” Brian asked me grinning. I grinned back.

“Yup!” I got up. Brian pulled me down.

“Swear?” He said holding out his pinky. I “pinky sweared” him.

“Swear!” I vowed. We ran inside to have ice cream.

2 Weeks Later:

“Emily! Jeff has this friend of his! Wanna go and double date?” Lisa wandered into my room. She does that a lot.

“Uh…” I took off my reading glasses and looked at her.

“He’s cute…” She said looking at me,

I laughed “why not?” I said closing my book

“Ok…be ready tonight! Girl…this is the beginning! The new you!” She said playing with my hair which I had gone crazy with and chopped off it and layered the rest with some shiny brown highlights. I had also lost a lot of weight. After that hospital day with Brian I had done nothing but eat my way through misery. Now I was fresh again.