Chapter Text
It’s the last summer party before the Odyssey High School Class of ‘23 goes their separate ways except Emily Jones isn’t there. Instead she is at the counter at Whit’s End looking at the menu.
“You’ve been looking at the menu for 5 minutes straight. Are you good?” Eugene asks.
“Huh?” Emily shakes her head, leaving whatever trance she was in.
“Do you know what you want to order?" The bell above the doorway of Whit’s End jingles, Jay Smouse walks in smiling from ear to ear.
“Eugene, ah just the guy I was looking for. Do you guys still sell those large gallons of lemonade?”
“Uh yeah…”
“Can I have two please?”
“Coming right up!”
“Yo Emily! What are you doing here?”
“Trying to decide what I want…”
“Are you gonna come to the summer party? It’s gonna be at Trickle Lake. I’m on my way there right now.”
“Nah, it really isn't my setting.” Emily goes back to looking at the menu.
“Don’t you and Matthew literally get the same chocolate milkshake every time you come here? It shouldn’t be that hard to decide what you want.” Emily remains silent.
“Ohhh I forgot y’all broke up.”
“We didn’t break up! He just didn’t want to do all that detective stuff anymore.”
“Okay okay, don’t get so defensive geez. I’m shocked you are letting Parker get to you. You should still have fun regardless of you not being in a situationship with him.”
Emily glared at Jay.
“I mean lack of friendship. I have no clue what y’all used to be to be honest.”
Emily continues to send red laser eyes in Jay’s direction.
“Yeah.. I’m gonna leave you alone for a few minutes.”
Eugene places the two gallons onto the counter. “Do you finally know what you want?”
“Yeah. One chocolate milkshake to-go.”
A few minutes later Jay comes back to the counter.
“Hey Jay, I’m coming with you.” Emily says as she stabs her straw into the cap of the milkshake cup.
“To the party? Sweet.” Jay pulls out his wallet and slaps a 20 dollar bill onto the counter.
“Time to partay!”
“Don’t say party like that ever again….”
**
Jay places the jugs of lemonade down on a table and dabs up some guy. A girl swings off a rope from one of the trees, creating a big splash that ripples all the way to the beach surface. Teenagers cheer loudly pumping their fists into the air before continuing to talk with one another. Emily has never interacted with most of the students in her graduating class, she knew about four of them which includes Matthew but they aren’t on exact speaking terms. Since he decided to leave their detective agency during sophomore year, something shifted between them. At first, they would still talk to each other and eat lunch at the same cafeteria table but he began to make new friends and that seemed the end of it.
“Hi I’m Lia. ”
“Uh Emily.”
“Are you having fun?”
Emily nods and plasters on a grin.
“I’m not believing that smile. You should go swimming!”
“I don’t think I have the proper clothes for it.” Emily gestures to her green tank top and brown shorts.
“Live a little! You’ll regret it if you don’t jump in.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Excuse me guys!”
The music abruptly stops. Everyone starts gathering towards the picnic table and Emily follows right behind Lia.
Oh great.
“Thank you everybody for coming to this last Odyssey HS ‘23 summer party! It’s been so much fun getting to host these events for the last few months.”
“We love you Matthew!”
“Also babe can you come up here?”
Babe?
“Can everyone just give Suzu a round of applause for catering all the food for these parties?”
Suzu places her hands around her face, trying to hide the fact that she’s blushing.
Everyone whoops and hollers for her. Suzu tugs her short black hair behind her ears shyly and smiles. The music begins to play and Emily watches Matthew and Suzu with a look on her face that nobody could even decipher. Jay slowly inches his way closer to Emily.
“Hey, I’m sorry for not telling you about them being an item and that Matthew was hosting.” He attempts to drawl out the conversation, not wanting Emily to be in a mood or focusing on the fact that Matthew is with somebody else. While they weren't close friends, for some reason Jay hated seeing Emily act so out of her personality.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m fine.”
Suzu intertwines her hands with Matthew’s and they are both smiling.
“You know for the longest time I really thought he had a crush on you.”
“Who? Matthew?”
“No, Bob the Builder.”
Emily chuckles, smirking at Jay for a moment before looking back at the happy couple.
“It seemed pretty obvious to me, everyone at Odyssey High too.”
“Well everyone was wrong because he never thought of me in that way.”
Matthew kissed the side of Suzu’s neck and she’s a blushing, giggling mess. Emily looks away from them and quirks her lips at the sight of a metal flask in Ted’s back pocket.
“I’m gonna get something to drink, I'll be back.” Emily waves to Jay.
Emily walks towards Ted and a group of guys from the Odyssey soccer team. She puts her hand on his shoulder and tries to give a flirty smile.
This is going horribly already.
“I was wondering if I could have some of the booze you got there.”
“Little Miss Detective wants some booze huh? I didn’t expect that from you Jones.”
“Well you don’t know everything about me.”
“Mhmm I can see that.”
Ted passes the flask to Emily. She downs half of it before giving it back.
“Do you have any more?” She winks.
Ted whistles, looking up at Emily who just decided that she is going to jump off the cliff into Trickle Lake. She gives him a thumbs up.
“Five!”
Matthew knows the sound of that particular voice. He looks up from the picnic table where he is packing away the grill supplies to see a familiar blonde girl slurring as she screams each number.
“Three!”
Matthew grimaces as he elbows Ted.
“How the hell did she get up there?”
“Two!”
“God Parker, get a grip she’s fine.”
“One!” Emily shouts and plunges into the lake.
Matthew’s eyes widen and he begins running towards the lake; swimming in with no hesitation.
“Em?!” He screams and finally her head bops up out of the water. Her short blonde hair is all wet and stringy, dripping all over her face. The lake water seeps through Emily’s green tank, clinging onto her skin and he doesn’t know what to say for a second. He’s sneaked glances at her during English honors in their senior year and Emily has became more mature but quiet. No more outspoken Emily that he once knew, the Emily who spoke her mind regardless of someone else’s opinion. There were moments that he had to remind himself that he is with Suzu. Matthew had to control himself to not go up to her and say something that would cause Emily to blush. Matthew remembers how much she has grown within the last two years before they decided to uh… what’s the word? Separate?
“What are you trying to prove by making that insane jump?”
“That I’m doing well without you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You don’t fucking get it.” Emily rolls her eyes and begins swimming in wide strokes towards the shoreline where Ted is standing.
“Wow, you killed it Emily!” Ted claps
“And by killing it you could’ve almost died.” Matthew picks up his towel from his draw string bag and passes it to Emily.
“Oh don’t be such a mood killer Matthew.”
“Yeah.”
“Ted. Leave.”
“I will.”
Ted stalks off into the distance.
“I’m taking you home.” Matthew says, grabbing his bag and car keys.
Emily doesn’t move from where she is standing.
“Em, let’s go. You are shivering and my car is heated.”
Emily frowns, dreading to have to sit in awkward silence with Matthew in his car but she doesn’t feel like walking home which means going with Option A.
She opens the passenger car door and sits, wrapping the towel tightly around her shoulders. Matthew steps into the drivers seat and slides the key into the ignition. Emily takes a look at him before whipping her head quickly and looking at the car dashboard.
I can avoid looking at him for 23 minutes. C'mon Emily get a grip. You can get over an ex-friendship situation from years ago.
Emily wishes he was out of her eyeline because if she looks slightly to her right, she realizes how close Matthew's driver seat is to her own seat.
Matthew turns on the radio onto an FM. station that is playing tunes from old black and white movies. Moon River begins to softly play and Emily tries not to smile because this song is from her favorite Audrey Hepburn film. She remembers of all the movie nights that Matthew and her would have together. They would take turns and choose three movies to watch on Friday night.
“I didn’t expect you to be at this party or any party for that matter.”
“Well a lot can change in a few years.”
“Did someone drag you into coming? Was it Jay?”
“It was my decision to come to the party. No one forced me to do it.”
“Drinking isn't good, you could've seriously get hurt if I wasn't there."
“Stop acting all high and mighty Matthew. I know that you’re the guy who is perfect at everything. I’m reminded of that constantly whenever someone mentions that you led the Odyssey Boy’s Soccer team to another win.”
“Why are you so annoyed right now?”
“You’ve ignored me for the last few years and seem okay with just exiting my life. I have every right to be annoyed. It’s annoying how you can just move on when we’ve known each other since we were 10.”
“I needed to find a career or something so I could get into a good college. High school just started and being in a detective agency was just unrealistic.”
Matthew finally pulls up into the Jones’ parking lot. Emily stays silent, unsure of how to respond.
“And what are you doing hanging out with Ted? He isn’t the best influence.”
“You are literally on the same soccer team together!” She exclaims and begins to rub her fingers against her temple.
“God, why are you so interested in who I talk to?”
“Just because we’re on the same soccer team doesn’t mean that I agree with everything that Ted does. I’m just looking out for you.”
“Well I like hanging out with him.”
“I know you. Ted isn’t your type.”
“We haven’t talked in years and now you’re acting like you know me like the back of your hand. Thanks for the ride." She mumbles under her breath. Matthew watches Emily quietly unlock the front door of her house, not even turning around to look at him.
***
Suzu’s phone rings, her home screen lighting up and the contact name of Matt and a pink heart emoji next to it appears. She picks it up with a smile on her face, happy to hear her boyfriends voice.
“Hey babe, can you open your slide door? It’s locked.”
“What?”
“I’m waiting outside of the slider door, are you gonna leave your boyfriend at in the humidity?” He chuckles.
“Well obviously, I’ll be there in a second.”
Suzu sees her boyfriend waving sheepishly through the clear slider door. She unlocks it and Matthew walks in, gesturing Suzu to get into her room.
“Matth-“
He grabs her hand smoothly, pulling her in so that their bodies are flush against each other. Matthew starts kissing Suzu, peppering kisses along her jawline.
Suzu pulls him back.
“Matthew, where is this coming from?"
“What do you mean?”
“Making out, I’m never against doing it with you. It’s just kinda unexpected… I thought you weren’t interested into that. Did something happen?”
“No, nothing happened.”
But Matthew’s mind trails to the conversation with Emily in his car… god why did he say those things? He just made it more of a mess than it was years ago. But he needs to get his mind off of Emily and remind himself of his relationship with Suzu, his loyalty remains with her because breaking up with her would be shitty.
“I’ve just been in my head recently, just thinking about moving out.”
“You know I love you right?”
Matthew’s eyes widen for the moment… the two of them might be going to fast right now but fuck it.
“I love you too.”
Suzu blushes before pushing Matthew onto her bed and kisses him softly this time. Then he adjust his hold around her waist and it’s not Suzu in front of Matthew but Emily. What is going on right now?
“Matthew? Are you good?” Suzu asks and Emily isn't there anymore.
“No, I’m great." He smiles, shaking away the image of Emily in his mind. Suzu turns around turning the lamp off on her night stand and smirks, pulling Matthew in for another kiss.
The morning comes around and Matthew turns to his left looking at Suzu who is fast asleep. He thought that hooking up with Suzu would make him stop thinking about Emily but instead he just felt empty and numb. Matthew and Emily understood each other on a deeper level that nobody else would. Not even Suzu and he realizes that he doesn't really open up to her. Suzu yawns. "Hey you." She giggles.
"Hey." Matthew plasters on a smile and kisses her forehead. He checks the time on his phone realizing it's 8am.
"Oh my gosh, I have to leave in a few hours. I still haven't packed up my bags." He panics and quickly puts on his jeans and shirt.
"Oh- um. Do you want meet you later before you leave?"
"I don't think I'll have enough time. Sorry." He gives her a quick kiss. Suzu looks disappointed and in that same moment, he feels guilty for ditching her like this. Suzu didn't fill that void that he thought she would when they first decided to be together.
"Hey. We'll facetime every day I promise. I love you." He calls out and quickly exits through the slider door. Matthew knows that college is about to be way different than what he perceived through films. Suzu.. their long distance relationship. Matthew felt like he was holding onto this string and the person who was holding the other end of it would never be Suzu. She deserved better - which is why once he arrives at his dorm room, Matthew texts Suzu that their relationship is over. Matthew repeated to himself like a mantra that he wouldn't date anyone while in college. Finally, a new slate when he closes his eyes he won't think about Emily and every single regret he had in high school. Right?