Emma

"Alice, that was way too far," you say to her.

Emma visibly relaxes

"I know. I'm..." Alice starts running her hands through her hair. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I think this was a mistake."

She stands up, and starts to stomp away.

"Whoa. Wait," Emma says, as she goes past her. "I mean, look. They are visible. I didn't want to ruin anything, I just--"

"No. You're just being yourself." Alice says, as she weaves around her, fitting in a glance toward you. "And Ryan just...likes it. It's fine. It's all fine. Everyone's fine except me. I just need to take a break. I'm sorry."

You stand up, realizing that this whole situation has triggered her anxiety. "Alice..."

"Have a good time with her, Ryan," she forces a smile, her voice breaking. "I'll just...hang back, for now. It's okay. I'll be okay."

She steps back, turns, and then leaves.

"Shit," Emma says. She looks away at Alice's disappearing form one last time, then back at you. "I am so sorry, dude."

"It's..." You sit back on the couch one last time, and say it aloud as you think it. "No. It's fine. She might be too...fragile, for me. You didn't do anything to make her that mad at you. I think she's right. About herself, I mean. She's got stuff to work through."

After a pause, Emma sits down with you. "You know, it's funny. That was absolutely the kind of girl I imagined you with, though."

You chortle. "Really?"

"Yes. Really. I mean, I got the impression that you were a lot sappier than I was." She freezes and looks off into space, thinking. "It's weird though."

"What is?"

"I mean, I would have been fine if you'd just apologized to me, later. For taking her side. You were on a date with her."

You shrug. Trying not to overthink it. "She was out of line."

"Right," she says. Then looks down at her chest again. "I...did make fun of another girl who was showing her thong. Didn't I?"

You see no point in denying it. "You definitely did."

Emma sighs. "I never wanted to be a bitch. I wanted to be, like, against bitches. If that makes sense. It's hard to tell sometimes when you're the one out of line."

"It wasn't you, this time," you say, then. "I'm sorry. Thanks for not taking it personally."

She looks at you, hard, her eyes holding surprising warmth. Then she says. "Sorry I ruined your date."

"No," you say, meeting her gaze. "Maybe it wasn't the right girl."

Emma doesn't know how to respond to this. There isn't a smile. Something that stops short of a worried furrow comes to her brow...and then her face softens. Only for a second before she turns it away.

"Well dude," she says, still avoiding your gaze. "It seems like now isn't the time for...anything. I'll see you around, okay?"

"See you around, Emma," you say.

You watch her get up and go. Reflecting how much you meant it. Maybe Alice isn't the right girl. Not for you.

Alice (Love) -10
Emma (Love) +10