Roommates with a Player

Chapter Forty Two: She's Ba-ack!

(finally back to) Emma’s P.O.V.

            One week later

            I knew I was back in town when I didn’t feel the need to constantly check my hair to see if it was becoming frizzy from the humidity in the air. I could check that off my worry list. There. Now I only had about a million left.

            With my suitcase rolling behind me, and my cell phone clutched in my hand, I headed up the deck and into the airport lobby.

            Being back in the airport did not bring good memories with it. My mind kept flashing back to my leaving to Florida with Aunt Joyce years back. Each step I’d taken closer to the plane, it’d felt as if someone had been driving a needle through my skin. I never thought I’d be back, so it was a bit elating to be waiting in the bustling foyer once more.

            Everything was the same: the smell, the look, the temperature of the air, the look on the faces of those flurrying through the airport looking for their flights. I felt like a foreigner, almost. Maybe it was my Florida attire or my kiddy Powerpuff Girls suitcase, but I was getting some strange stares from people.

            I shrugged it off and focused on looking for Ricky.

            And with the thought of seeing him again, my heart went flying. He’d sent me the flight details and that was the last I’d heard of him. All I knew was that he was in this place somewhere and he was looking for me. I had the urge to run to the nearest bathroom to check my makeup and outfit, but resisted. I needed to look as confident as possible and give off the I’m-not-that-needy-little-Sophomore-you-used-to-know look.

            After about five minutes of standing awkwardly by my terminal, I started looking around for Ricky. He was known for being late, but I would’ve thought he’d be just as eager to see me as I was.

            A familiar person caught my eye and I stepped forward, trying to get a better look at them before they could see me. Adrenaline pulsated through my veins as I realized that must be Ricky. I started walking towards him, a grin on my face.

            And then I stopped in my tracks. That wasn’t Ricky. That was…

            “James!” I shouted, dropping my suitcase and sprinting towards him.

            He turned towards me, arms extended, the happiest damn expression I’d ever seen plastered on his face. I jumped into his arms, and he swished me up into the air. I gripped him tightly, rubbing my face into his shirt and listening to his hearty chuckle as he staggered backwards, trying to balance himself.

            “Hey, you!” he laughed.

            “What are you doing here? What about Ricky?” I asked, still smiling.

            James plopped me back onto the ground.

            “I don’t think he could tear himself away from the hospital. He’s been staying over there for days now. So, he sent me to pick up his little sister. Everyone is so excited that you’ve come to visit!”

            My expression darkened and I lowered my head.

            Nathan. The whole reason I’d returned. The whole reason I’d taken leave from school. The whole reason behind the pinching feeling in my chest. He was in the hospital, possibly dying, and the thought of that was unbearable.