9 Chapter 9 (1/2)
The next day, Saturday of August 31st, Wyatt wakes up before Emma does. Emma slept in for a while longer, since she stayed up so late. Wyatt takes a shower while he waits patiently for Emma to wake up. After a while, Emma wakes up and the two begin to leave for Savvy Threads. However, when they reach the gate, they see Jessica, Aeris and Jackson already waiting outside.
”It's mid-day already?” Wyatt asks.
”It's actually a quarter 'til” Jackson says, ”I just found everyone else here when I walked out here”.
”I guess everyone was excited” Emma says with a giggle.
”A little bit” Jessica says with a laugh. ”It's been a while since I've last gotten to hang out with friends”.
”Didn't you have friends in high school or something?” Jackson asks.
”Yeah, well...” Jessica says, ”they all got accepted to prestigious colleges. After that, I've never really heard from them”.
”Temporary friends, huh?” Jackson asks.
”Don't worry about all that” Aeris says. ”We're here now, so what do you guys want to do?”.
”Actually” Emma says as she turns around slightly to show her backpack, ”I've got to stop somewhere to drop something off real fast. You guys want to come with?”.
”Oh, sure” Aeris says. ”Where are you going?”.
”Just the clothing store down the road” Emma says. ”Savvy Threads”.
The group walks, with Emma taking the lead. Eventually, they get inside Savvy Threads. ”Welcome!” Matilda begins to say before she realizes it's Emma. ”Emma!” She cheers. ”You've got more friends? That's great!”.
”Who is this?” Jackson asks.
”Oh, where are my manners?” Matilda says. ”My name is Matilda Hadley. I work at this humble clothing store. Which reminds me, I've got something interesting you might want to see, Emma”. Emma looks confused as Matilda reaches behind her and pulls out a dress. ”This dress isn't one of yours, and was traded in the other day” Matilda says. ”However, it looks just like your style of clothing that you make”.
”C-can I see that?” Emma asks. Matilda hands the dress over to Emma. Emma rips off part of the tag on the inside of the dress. On the inside of the tag, small handwriting that read ”Jasmine Frey” was written.
”Do you recognize it?” Matilda asks. ”I don't think there's any other clothier who makes clothes this similar to yours”.
”How much do you want for it?” Emma asks.
”I'm sorry?” Matilda asks.
”I'll take it off your hands” Emma says.
”Y-you can take it if you want, child” Matilda says. ”What has you so worked up about this dress?”.
”Yeah” Aeris says, ”you seem very... panicky”.
”This... was a dress my mom made” Emma says.
The rest of the group was silent. They don't know anything about Emma's parents, but they didn't want to ask any questions that they would regret. However, Matilda knew. ”This is where your skills came from...” Matilda says calmly. ”Your mother was very talented. Here, the dress is yours. I don't feel like I've been able to pay you enough anyways”.
”Thanks...” Emma says softly. ”I... I've also brought one thing for you today. I can trade this for the dress”. Emma takes a shirt she made out of her backpack.
”Oh no! That's fine!” Matilda says. ”I'll pay you for the shirt you made”.
”Sorry I couldn't bring more” Emma says as Matilda gives Emma some money. ”I was sick and stuff this week”.
”Oh, dear, you're such a worry wart” Matilda says lightly. ”It's fine, don't get so worked up. Now go on, you guys look like you were in the middle of something”.
”Well... not the middle” Jackson says, ”but we are doing something at least. I'll be damned if I knew what all that entails though”.
Matilda laughs and says ”Well, I'll let you kids go for now. Have fun, Emma”.
As they leave the store, Jackson asks ”Kids? She does know we're in our 20's, right?”.
”In her eyes” Emma says, ”most people are like children to her”.
”She's that old, huh?” Jackson asks.
”What? No!” Emma says, ”she just looks out for everybody”.
Aeris takes out a small notebook from her front pocket and marks down one tally mark. ”Really?” Jackson asks. ”You're counting that?”.
”Remember” Aeris says, ”you're limited”.
”It's like therapy with you” Jackson says, ”but instead of talking me through problems, you try to break my ribs”. Aeris marks down one more tally. ”Really!?” Jackson yells. ”That counts too!?”. Emma, Jessica and Wyatt giggle together as the group continues walking.
The first thing the group tries to do together was a few games of billiards. They arrive at a bar, and pay to use one of the pool tables. ”So...” Emma asks, ”we just hit the white ball into the other balls to score?”.
”There's not a point system” Jackson says.
”The way you win” Jessica says, ”is when one team hits a ball in, that becomes their team's ball. Like, if one of you hit in the stripes, then you're stripes team. If you hit in solids, you're solids team”.
”But... aren't all the balls pretty solid?” Emma asks.
”No, no...” Jessica says, ”stripes and solids refer to the coloration of the ball. Like this one with a stripe is a stripe ball. The ones without a stripe are called solids”.
”Oh, I think I get it now” Emma says.
”Great” Jessica says. ”Now, if you're on solids team, and hit in a solid ball, you get to go again. If you hit in a stripe ball, it ends your turn”.
”What about the white ball?” Emma asks.
”If that goes into any hole, that ends your turn too” Jessica says. ”And if you hit in that black ball with the number 8, then you lose”.
”So... how do you win?” Emma asks.
”You sink the 8 ball to win” Jackson says. Aeris marks down another tally and Jackson says ”Worth it!”.