Riptide

-8-

I looked down at the half-eaten tub of ice cream regretfully.  Mara, Emmy, and I had watched our way through the first two Final Destination movies and were just beginning to start the third when Mara suddenly paused the movie and stood up from her spot on the couch.

"I think it's time for a snack run,"  She announced.

Emmy scoffed, "I think you mean drink run."

"What's the difference?"  Mara laughed, tossing a pillow at her friend.  

"Okay,"  I agreed.  "But one of you will have to roll me off of this couch.  I've already eaten half a tub of ice cream."

"You're just getting started!"  Emmy exclaimed, pulling a blanket off of her body and jogging towards the front of the apartment.  She slipped on a pair of shoes and her coat and reached for the door.  Mara followed close behind, with me pathetically trudging behind them.

As could be expected, the Quick Stop was practically abandoned.  After all, it was 1:00 in the morning on a Friday.  

I quietly perused  a display of drink mixes with Emmy, struggling to balance the pile of chips and cookies that were in my arms.  She plucked a margarita mix from the shelf and shrugged her shoulders.

"So,"  I said quietly, "Mason showed me The Hideout yesterday."

"Did he?"  Emmy smiled.  "How'd you like it?  Did he make you drink the Red Bull smoothie?"

I smirked, "That he did.  It wasn't all that bad."

"How are things going with you two?"  Emmy asked, "He told me you guys talked the night of Elliot's party."

My cheeks turned warm.  It made sense, but I never considered the fact that Mason and Emmy talked about me.

"They're going well, I'd say."  I glanced over at Emmy.  "Unless he's told you something differently."

Emmy's lips turned into a secretive grin.  I nudged her with my shoulder, pleading for her to speak.

"He's glad you two decided to first try being friends,"  Emmy caved.  "Although, knowing Mason, he won't want it to stay that way forever."

My stomach did nervous flips.  Emmy watched me from the corner of her eye as we walked down another aisle.

"Is that feeling mutual?"  She pressed, reaching out for a bottle of tequila.

"I don't know,"  I sighed.  "Mara has already given me the talk though, don't worry."

Emmy's lips twitched.  "I'm just a little overprotective of him since..."

"Since Jade?"  I wondered.  Emmy's head snapped in my direction.

"He told you about Jade?"

"Yeah,"  I replied, averting my eyes away from her.  "I overheard Jackie and her friend talking about him in the bathroom yesterday afternoon, which led to him and I talking about last Summer."

"Shit,"  Emmy muttered in disbelief.

"Look who I found!"  Mara shouted down the aisle, turning our attention away from the conversation.  Close behind Mara was Saul, followed by two men I didn't recognize.  

"Long time no see, Em!"  The taller of the two dark-haired men said.  I watched as he pulled her into a tight hug.

"Isaiah!  What are you guys doing out here?"  She asked, glancing down at the bottle of rum gripped in his hand.