climbed onto it and reached up to the light Slowly calmly she cupped her hands around the moth Then she said Open the window Luce Lucy nose still wrinkled in disgust dashed to the window and threw it open A cool wind snaked inside and wrapped itself around Emma making her shiver Emma could feel the moth’s wings tickle her palms as she reached her cupped hands out the window She released the moth watching it fly up into the darkening October sky until it disappeared Then she closed the window again There she said It’s gone Better Much Thanks Lucy said letting out a deep breath No prob Though no sixteen-year-old liked to admit it most still held on to their childhood fears Some were afraid of the dark some of heights and some as in Lucy’s case apparently of harmless insects searching for light and warmth Not Emma though Emma didn’t get scared Emma had always been fearless She’d always been the first to catch a snake or a frog or a millipede The first to climb to the top of the jungle gym in elementary school balancing atop it as easily as an Olympic gymnast
One Halloween when Emma was nine years old her older brother Peter had tried to pull a prank on her He’d dressed up as a scarecrow and sat in a plastic chair on the front porch of their house his arms and legs and head dangling limp pretending to be nothing more than flannel and overalls and a mask stuffed with straw When Emma had returned home from trick-or-treating a pillowcase full of candy slung triumphantly over one shoulder Peter had leaped from his chair right in front of her and snarled in his best undead scarecrow voice Boo Emma didn’t jump She didn’t scream or cry or drop her trove of goodies and run away in fear like Peter had hoped she would Instead Emma’s reaction had been to punch the scarecrow right in its face She’d given Peter a black eye that his friends would not let him live down for the rest of the school year Lucy shaking off her fear of moths went back to rummaging in her closet The guys will be here any minute she said Unless they’re already here Can you check Emma glanced out the window at the tree-lined street outside Lucy’s house Lamps were sparking to life leaving pools of light and long shadows of
swaying tree branches in the dusk The street was empty Nope she answered Not yet Good Lucy plucked her fifth outfit in as many minutes out of the closet and changed into it This one was a dark purple sweater with skinny jeans So who’s this guy Connor is bringing with him tonight Emma asked Connor was Lucy’s boyfriend His name is Daniel Lucy explained He’s one of Connor’s lacrosse buddies from Rush Valley I’ve only met him once at a party Dark eyes Dark hair Dimples Mmmm He’s cute You’ll like him Lucy twirled in a circle Do you think I’ll be warm enough in this Yeah you’ll be fine I don’t know Lucy said as she began to sort through her closet again Emma rolled her eyes and dropped back onto Lucy’s bed Unlike Emma who prided herself on being dependable Lucy changed her mind about as often as a hummingbird changes its flying pattern Oddly enough though that was one of the things Emma loved about her friend The two besties were so different that to someone who didn’t know them they looked like they would fit together like a round hole and a square peg
Lucy stopped searching for a new outfit and turned to face her friend She placed her hands on her hips and said with a very serious expression Emma I say this with nothing but love but are you sure you want to go on a double date dressed like you’re about to walk to the gas station to buy a slushie and a frozen burrito Listen Emma said grabbing a square pink pillow and chucking it at Lucy I dressed for comfort tonight She wore a simple black hooded sweatshirt a pair of her favorite jeans and bright red sneakers Dimples or not I don’t care about impressing this Daniel dude Well you just might change your mind once you see him Lucy said Emma rolled her eyes and checked the time on her phone It was almost seven o’clock If they don’t get here soon we’re not gonna make the movie she said The real reason Emma was excited for her blind date with Connor’s friend wasn’t the boy It was their destination for the evening They were going to the Rialto Theatre one of the only remaining single-screen movie theaters in the state The Rialto was hosting a special premiere of Invasion from Planet X Part 6 the newest installment in Emma’s
