Chapter 4 – Unexpected Company

Emma’s POV

By Friday, I had learned that cafeteria pizza wasn’t nearly as bad as everyone said—it was the company that made it better. Julie and I usually sat together near the back, laughing over random gossip or her endless stories about her cousin’s luxury car obsession.

Today, though, things were different. I spotted Chelsea waving at me from across the room. She was wearing a lavender sweater that made her look like she’d stepped out of a magazine, and she had the kind of confident smile that drew attention without trying.

“Emma! Over here!” she called.

Julie followed my gaze and frowned slightly. “You know her?”

“Yeah—Connor’s sister. I met her yesterday.”

“Oh,” Julie said slowly. “Well, go ahead. I’ll find you later.”

I hesitated for a second, unsure why her tone sounded a little… flat. “You can come too, if you want.”

She shook her head quickly. “Nah, I promised to sit with Mia today. You go.”

I nodded, balancing my tray, and walked over to Chelsea’s table. “Hey.”

“Hey yourself,” she said with a grin. “Connor’s running late. He says he’s printing something for class, but I think he just hates walking fast.”

I laughed softly. “He seems… quiet.”

“That’s a polite way of saying antisocial.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

Chelsea smiled knowingly. “I know. He just takes his time letting people in. But once he does, you’ll never get rid of him.”

There was warmth in her tone—protective, teasing. I liked it.

A few minutes later, Liam and Ethan joined us, mid-argument about whether cereal counted as soup. I was still laughing when Connor appeared, sliding into the seat across from me.

“Hey,” he said, brushing his hair back.

“Hey,” I replied, trying not to seem too self-conscious.

“You found your way here without a map this time?”

I smirked. “Barely. I took one wrong turn by the science lab.”

“Told you,” Liam said. “That wing’s cursed.”

Ethan nodded solemnly. “Some kid got lost for ten minutes last year and ended up in choir rehearsal.”

Chelsea groaned. “You two and your ghost stories.”

Their laughter mixed easily with the cafeteria buzz. It wasn’t forced, and that comforted me.

Halfway through lunch, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I pulled it out under the table and saw a text from Julie.

Julie: Where did u go??

Julie: I thought we were sitting together today 😕

I frowned, quickly typing back:

Me: I’m at another table w/ Connor’s sister. Come join us!

A few seconds passed. Then another message popped up.

Julie: Nah, I’m good. Have fun with your new friends 😉

I stared at the screen for a moment, unsure how to read that. The wink emoji made it sound like a joke, but something about it made my stomach twist.

“Everything okay?” Connor asked quietly.

“Yeah,” I said quickly, locking my phone. “Just my friend being dramatic.”

He nodded but didn’t press, which I appreciated.

The conversation shifted to the upcoming pep rally. Chelsea leaned closer. “You’re coming, right?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never really been into that kind of thing.”

“Oh, come on,” Ethan said. “Half the fun is making fun of it.”

Connor smirked. “You mean heckling the cheer team?”

“Constructive criticism,” Ethan said with mock seriousness. “You’ll love it, Emma. It’s loud, pointless, and somehow everyone ends up covered in glitter.”

Chelsea nudged me. “He’s right about the glitter part.”

“Maybe,” I said with a shy smile.

Connor looked up from his drink. “You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”

“Thanks,” I said softly. His voice was low and kind in a way that made me notice him differently.

When the bell rang, Chelsea offered to walk me to class. “So,” she said, “you and Connor seem to get along.”

I blinked. “Do we?”

“Mm-hmm,” she said with a teasing smile. “He doesn’t talk that much to most people.”

“I still can’t tell what he’s thinking,” I said honestly.

“Good luck figuring it out,” she laughed. “He’s a puzzle in a hoodie.”

We reached the fork in the hallway. “Hey, what are you doing after school?” she asked.

“Probably homework,” I said.

“Boring. I’m going to the coffee shop near the park. You should come.”

I hesitated but nodded. “Sure.”

“Perfect! Meet me by the gates after the last bell.”

That afternoon, I stood by the school gate, texting Julie again before Chelsea arrived.

Me: Going for coffee w/ Chelsea. Want to come?

The typing bubble appeared, disappeared, then finally popped up again.

Julie: I can’t. Got stuff. Anyway, have fun with your new crew 😜

I frowned again. The second “new” stung more than it should have.

Before I could think about it too much, Connor walked by. “Heading somewhere?”

“Coffee shop. With your sister.”

He nodded. “She likes bringing people there. Says caffeine fixes everything.”

“Does it?”

He smiled faintly. “Depends on the person.”

Then Chelsea appeared, waving. “Emma! You ready?”

“Yeah.”

“See you Monday,” Connor said.

“See you.”

The coffee shop was small and cozy, smelling like roasted beans and vanilla. Chelsea ordered her usual caramel latte, and I copied her.

“So,” she asked as we sat down, “how are you liking Manatee so far?”

“It’s better than I expected,” I said. “Everyone’s been nice. Well… mostly.”

Chelsea raised a brow. “Mostly?”

“Just some weird vibes. My friend Julie’s been acting… off.”

“Old friend?”

“Yeah. We’ve been close since middle school. She was so happy when I got into Manatee, but now I don’t know…”

Chelsea sipped her drink. “Sometimes people like being the one who helps, not the one who watches you grow.”

Her words hit harder than I wanted to admit.

“I don’t think she’s jealous,” I said quickly. “Just… different.”

Chelsea gave me a soft smile that said she didn’t believe me but didn’t want to argue. “You’ll figure it out. You seem good at reading people.”

I laughed quietly. “Not sure about that.”

We talked about music, favorite movies, and weird teachers. By the time we left, the sky had turned orange and pink.

“See you Monday?” she asked.

“Definitely.”

As I walked home, the breeze carried the faint scent of coffee and something else—uncertainty. I wasn’t sure if Julie and I were okay. I wasn’t sure what Chelsea saw in me that made her want to be friends. But for the first time in a long time, I felt like I belonged somewhere new.