Chapter 5

Emerson

After a good nights sleep in her new bed Em woke refreshed and feeling lighter than she had in a long time. They spent the morning unpacking the rest of their belongings and clothes that they had brought with them. By lunch time the three of them were fairly settled in. A horn honking caused them to all look up.

“Must be your car Em” mom called to her.

Em ran out and saw her car sitting there in the driveway. She ran over to inspect it and make sure everything looked okay and nothing was damaged. While she was standing there she heard voices coming from the house next door. She looked up at the huge modern house next to hers where she saw a girl and boy about her age. They seemed to be arguing with each other. Em didn’t mean to stare but the girl looked up and saw her and started waving. Emerson sheepishly waved back, knowing she’d been caught.

A couple hours later Em and Sawyer were swimming in their new pool when mom came out and yelled at her that she had a visitor. Em was very confused about this because she didn’t know anyone who lived here, but a second later she saw the girl from earlier bouncing through the back door.

“Hi!” She was waving and smiling so excitedly that immediately something told Em this girl was going to be her friend.

“Im Aspen, im your new neighbor… well technically you’re MY new neighbor because I’ve lived here my whole life. I mean im just 18 so it hasn’t been that long but still longer than you.. I just live right there right next to you. Omg you already probably knew that because you saw me this morning. That was my stupid brother you saw me with. He’s actually my twin - gaarosss can you believe it …. Omigod I LOVE your pool! It’s even bigger than ours! Im sorry what did you say your name was?”

Em stared open mouthed at the girl for several seconds before she could speak.

But she didn’t have to because Sawyer sauntered over and held out his hand to their very hyperactive neighbor.

“Well helllooooo there milady, my name is

Sawyer. Sawyer Elias Parker. Yes I know it’s a weird name I blame my mother. Welcome to my adobe.”

The girl grinned and shook his hand and said “I think you mean ~abode~ but I’ll take it”.

“Whatever” he replied. Would you like to put on a teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini and join me in the pool?”

“Sawyer!!”

Em yelled. “You’ll have to excuse him.”

But Aspen was laughing hysterically. “No please. Believe me if you had my brother you would love this ..” pointing at Saw, the little Casanova.

Em made her way out of the pool to rescue the girl.

“I’m Emerson. Em for short”.

“Well Em for short, I think we’re going to be BFFS.

Em grinned a huge grin. She couldn’t agree more.

The rest of the day she and Aspen hung out. She showed her all around the new house. And told her where they’d come from although she didn’t tell her why, not yet anyway. Aspen seemingly sensed that was a no go conversation , so she kindly didn’t ask.

They hung out in the pool and Em learned they’d be going to the same school - thank goodness. She learned about the elusive twin Asher and how he - apparently- was a trouble maker times ten as Aspen put it.

Night came and her mom grilled burgers on the new grill. Sawyer continuously tried different flirting tactics with Aspen. Emerson bet she got that all the time from all ages of the opposite sex, not just her little brother. Aspen was beautiful, all tan and long legs with long blonde hair. Em was in the middle of asking if their school had a dance team when the doorbell rang.

“Oh that’s probably trouble right there..” Aspen said.

Sure enough a moment later a very familiar human walked into her house. It was Aspen…. but only not. A very tall VERY good looking boy who happened to look VERY similar to her new best friend stood staring at her.

His long blonde hair fell into his eyes as a mischievous grin spread across his face.

“Hey newbie.” He said as he winked at Em.

“Oh no” Aspen got up from her spot on the couch. “Oh no you don’t. This is my new ride or die slice of pie so don’t even come in here with that”.

“What’s a side of rye that goes down a slide?” Sawyer asked.

“That is definitely not what she said little dude” Adonis spoke. “Mom wanted me to come get you Asp” He had a deep soothing voice that Em bet all the girls voluntarily worshiped him for.

“Saw - law”, Aspens new name for her brother - “and Em, this is my unfortunate turn of events— his name is Asher. He lives with me.” Em laughed at her explanation of her twin brother and smiled and nodded at the boy. “Hi”.

A low whistle came from Asher as he gave Emerson a look up and down.

“Hey there baby girl..” Asher began.

“Ok!l time to go.. “. Aspen began pulling her twin out of the house. Not before yelling over her shoulder that she would see her tomorrow.

Em smiled as they walked out the door and thought about how lucky it was that they moved right next door to Aspen. They had spent the whole day together and gotten to know each other. It was like it was meant to be that they meet and become best friends. She already felt that she had known her forever.

In bed that night Em couldn’t shake the feeling that she had seen Asher somewhere before. She knew that couldn’t be right. Aspen said they’d always lived here. She fell into a deep sleep with this on her mind. Then in the middle of the night she woke with a start, popped straight up in her bed breathing heavily. She had just remembered. He was there. At the stoplight. With him. She had seen Asher with the boy.