6 Chapter 6 (2/2)

”I just can't, okay!?” Emma yells.

”Why not!?” Jackson demands, ”is he your boyfriend or something!?”.

Emma hesitates for a second and says ”No, he's just a friend”.

Jackson sighs to himself and says ”You're lucky Wyatt is such an idiot. Anyone with a decent amount of sense could tell when you're lying or beating around the bush... so if he's not your boyfriend like you say, then you're scared to tell him because?”.

”B-because...” Emma says.

”Come on, out with it” Jackson says.

”Because I like him!” Emma says, ”happy!?”.

Jackson starts rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration. ”Let me get this straight, as I attempt to decode your stupidity” he says. ”You like Wyatt? Like... romantically? First off, why? That guy is a blundering idiot... and then, you won't tell him, because you like him. Doesn't that seem like the opposite of how it should be? Are you scared that he'll just turn you down if you let him know?”. Emma nods her head, then Jackson says ”Look... you're an idiot. At this point, tell him or not, I don't think I actually care... however, how long do you think you can keep up with this charade?”.

”As long as I have to” Emma responds promptly.

”Well, you're a lost cause” Jackson says. ”Good luck, I guess”. Jackson then leaves for class ahead of Emma.

”Rude...” Emma says to herself as she leaves for class as well.

As the next class continues, Refus was once again talking with Quincy. ”I'm too tired for this conversation” Refus says.

”I just want you to know” Quincy says, ”that the rest of the teachers have their eyes on you”.

”Yeah, I know” Refus says. ”You guys and your constant pressuring is getting in the way of my sleep, lately. Can't you guys just accept that a laibah can do this job too? I'm not giving up, nor will I be taking any days off. I'm seeing this through. You'll just have to accept that”.

”Some would say no, they can not accept that” Quincy says, ”I, however, KNOW that you can't do the job. It's only a matter of time before Principal Ryan Schafold fires you, and hopefully bans you from the school”.

”Look” Refus says, ”I've got some business to attend to. If you don't have anything worth my time, then I'll be going”.

As Refus walks away, Quincy yells ”It's only a matter of time, Refus! It can never work!”.

After school ended, Wyatt and Emma go to the dorm together. Wyatt drops off his school stuff and prepares to leave for work. ”Hey, Wyatt?” Emma asks.

”What's up?” Wyatt asks.

”Sorry we couldn't do anything else for the last day of the weekend” Emma says, ”I just can't think of what else to do around here. I've mostly just been thinking about the festival”.

Wyatt laughs and says ”Don't worry about it, I'm pretty excited too. I've never really gone to any big event before, so this will be the first”.

”You've gotta go to work now, right?” Emma asks.

”Yeah, unfortunately” Wyatt responds. ”Maybe next weekend, if you want to find something to do, we can do whatever. I'll be back in about 6 hours”.

Emma nods her head and says ”Okay! I'll just work on stitching while you're gone”.

Wyatt laughs a little and says ”Remember what Matilda said about overworking!”.

Emma laughed slightly as Wyatt leaves. Once the door to the dorm closes, and Wyatt is gone, Emma says ”You have no idea...”. Emma sighs to herself and says ”The Autumn Festival, huh? Well, here goes nothing... Wait a minute, when does the festival start?”. Emma scratches her head, then panics. ”How much time do I have left!?” She asks herself.

As Wyatt was at work, his coworker Amelia asks ”You seem rather distracted today, Wyatt. Something wrong?”.

”Well, yes and no” Wyatt says as he sits at the front desk, waiting for customers. ”You see, there's this girl-”.

”Ooh, a girl!?” Amelia interrupts, suddenly very interested. ”What's her name!? How'd you guys meet? What's she like!?”.

”Okay...” Wyatt says with a slightly annoyed face, ”that's too many questions...”.

”But you like her, don't you?” Amelia asks. ”You've gotta tell her!”.

”Yeah, that's the current problem” Wyatt says. ”I do like her... a lot. I'm worried about how I'm supposed to tell her. I don't know how to word that without ruining... well, everything!”.

”Oh come on!” Amelia jokes, ”you're over exaggerating. If she likes you back, she'll accept it no matter what!”.

”Really?” Wyatt asks sarcastically. ”I'm pretty sure there are wrong ways to ask someone out...”.

”There's no wrong way to ask a question” Amelia says. ”If you sound confused while asking a question, then it'll be easier to understand how confused you are, leading people to give you an honest answer”.

”There are several ways to ask a question wrong” Wyatt scoffs.

”Name one...” Amelia challenges.

”Well, for starters” Wyatt says, ”asking several questions without giving people enough time to answer any of those”.

”... Who does that?” Amelia asks.

”You... you did that” Wyatt says.

”Oh...” Amelia responds. ”Then... then name two ways to ask a question wrong”.

”How about this?” Wyatt replies, ”I've been meaning to ask you, hammah mamma needer mammen verfer?”.

”Okay, now you're just being ridiculous” Amelia says.

”Yes! Exactly!” Wyatt says. ”I'm ridiculous when it comes to stuff like this! This whole situation is ridiculous!”.

”Well, try starting with a setting to ask her out” Amelia says.

”There's... the festival” Wyatt says.

”That's a great start!” Amelia applauds. ”Try asking if she wants to go with you”.

”Thing is...” Wyatt continues, ”she already kinda asked... me... if I wanna go with her”.

”Aw, see?” Amelia says, ”she does like you”.

”I would like to tell her how I feel” Wyatt says, ”and I figured that'd probably be the place to do it... but I just don't know how I'm going to get through this mess”.

”Better start thinking on your toes” Amelia says. ”Festival is coming up soon”.

”Yeah, yeah” Wyatt says, ”I know”.

”Let me know how it goes when you finally pop the question” Amelia says.

”You're making it sound like I'm proposing already” Wyatt says.

Amelia nearly shrieks with excitement, and says ”Already? As in, you're already considering proposing eventually!?”.

”T-that's... not what I said” Wyatt says.

”Well, she sounds like a lucky girl” Amelia says.

”You're creeping me out...” Wyatt complains.

After Wyatt gets back from work, Emma was already sitting up on her bed. Wyatt takes a sigh of relief as he sits down on his bed. Before long, Emma asks ”Hey Wyatt? When is The Autumn Festival?”.

”Oh, it's on the 18th of next month” Wyatt says.

”The 18th!? Next month!?” Emma asks. ”That's so close though! It's already almost the end of the month!”.

”You're telling me” Wyatt says with a laugh, ”time is moving too fast. I need more time to be mentally prepared”.

”Mentally prepared for what?” Emma asks.

”A-ah, just... the festival” Wyatt replies.

”Yeah... It's the first time I've ever been to one” Emma says, ”it's kind of making me nervous”.

”Me too” Wyatt agrees.