The Ex Pact

Chapter 28. Cookies and revelations

Sam followed her gaze. His mother kept the bracelet for him, claiming one day he would need it. All he saw was EH, the rusted clasp. She spoke with absolute surety that sometimes made him think that she always knew when something was about to happen. "That's nothing, just I bracelet my mother found," he said, putting the cookies in the oven. "Why?"  he asked.

"May I?" she asked. "Yeah, sure,"  he said, setting up the timer. "How can this be?"  she picked it up. "What happened?" he saw her turning it around in her hand. "You know, I never told it to anyone but I had an exactly similar bracelet, I think I was around five or six when I lost it, it is one of my fondest memories," she said. "It had EH on it." she placed the pearl down.

Sam couldn't help but think about the possibility of her being the girl his mother told him about. Was she his first love? he stopped himself from jumping to conclusions. "That is great. Do you remember anything else from that day?" he asked, trying to sound as casual as he could. She smiled, "Yes, I met a boy that day," she said. He looked at the bracelet, and EH stood for Emily Hale. It was her.

"I liked him. He was the first boy I  liked," she said. "I thought I was your first love?"  he asked. He watched a red cover her cheek, "I had a crush on you, but your personality didn't help, so sorry to say you weren't," she said. "Maybe I was,"  he whispered to himself. "What?"  she asked. "Nothing, do you remember your mystery boy a bit?"  he asked. 

"That's the problem. All I remember are his green eyes, I wonder how he turned out actually," she said. "Maybe you know him?" he asked. "I think I would have recognized him," she said. "I really don't think you would have," he said. "Hey, you can't stand here and judge me, I just told you something I didn't even tell my best friend. You can't tell it to anyone, "  she said. "Alright," he said, smiling.

"Were you in love with anyone other than Isabel?" she asked. He pulled the warm cookies out. She tried to pick one out, "it's hot, careful," he said. "it smells amazing," she said. "It tastes even better," he said. She picked one out, "It does," she said after a bite. "Thank you, angel," he said, looking at her.  He looked away the moment she turned.  "What are you thinking about?" she asked. "Did you ever try to find the boy?" he asked.

"I did, I knew that I would feel a connection with him the moment we would talk. We would click. I like to think we would meet again and recognize each other, it will be like in the movies or the books. Time would stop, " she said, taking another one. "Can you teach me how to do these?" she asked. "Sure, I will send you the recipes today",  he said.

Neither spoke for a moment, "it's late. I have to go,"  she said. "I will drive you," he said. His mother entered the moment Emily was about to leave, "You are not leaving, are you?" Mrs. Watson asked. "I am. It's getting later," he said. She turned to see Sam nowhere in sight. "He is driving you, isn't he?" she asked. "Yes," she said, looking for him.

"Emily," he said, coming out with a brown bag and the bracelet. "Here, I don't want to kill anyone," he said, giving her the brown bag. "Here,"  he handed her the bracelet.  She looked at him,  "It will look better on you, and you should really be careful with your things, here let me," he clasped the bracelet around her wrist. "Thanks." she looked at it,

Sam saw her mother smile, she knew. He looked away, "I  will look forward to seeing you, Emily," Mrs. Watson said. "Bye, Mrs. Watson,"  she said, opening the door. "What is meant for us will always come back," his mother whispered before he walked out. "The cookies are in the kitchen," he said, closing the door. 

"Are you okay?" she asked as soon as he got in. "Why won't it be, I am fine,"  he said, starting his car.  "Don't lie, Sam," she said. "Emily, I am fine," he said. "You can't keep everything to yourself, you know," she said. "I will tell you when the time is right, but before that, I need to figure out a lot of things," he said, stopping in front of her house.

"Good luck with Isabel." she walked out of his car. "Good luck with William," he said, watching her go.  He drove back home. "She is the one, isn't she?" his mother asked as soon as he walked through the door. "Could you wait at least five minutes?"  he said. "Does she know it is you?" she asked. "She doesn't even consider me as an option, so no," he said.

"You should tell her," she said. "I can't Mum, she has this fantasy of the boy at the park, I can't break it," he said. "So you will stay quiet,"  he said. "If it makes her happy, I will, and I don't have to tell her, I already have her in my life. She is one of my best friends. I don't want to say anything to ruin what we are, " he said.  "Love can't be controlled. It sneaks upon us, don't try to stop anything from being something better," she patted his cheek. "Have dinner"