Emily Part 2

Emily swallowed the bite she was working on and set her utensils down, her eyes meeting yours with a weary but genuine smile. "I was starting to think you'd forgotten about me." I chuckled and responded. "How could I forget Ms. Tears?" Emily huffed, an amused but mock offended expression crossing her face. "Oh, so now I'm down to just 'Ms. Tears', huh? You really know how to make a girl feel special, 'buddy'." I sighed and changed my demeanor considering what we were about to speak about is important. "All the fun and jokes aside. Why were you crying?" Emily's expression turned grave, a hint of vulnerability in her eyes. "It's been a rough week," she admitted softly. "There's just been a lot going on with work, family... life in general. It's just been one thing after another, and I guess it all just sort of bubbled over, you know?" "How about your relationship?" Emily's expression softened, a hint of bittersweetness in her eyes. "Ah, the relationship. That's... that's kind of on the rocks, honestly. We've been having issues, disagreements, stuff like that. And it just doesn't help that we're both under a lot of stress. I don't know... I guess we're just struggling to see eye to eye on things, you know?" I looked down at the table and replied. "Considering the fact that you agreed to come with me, the relationship is already in its final stages huh?" Emily huffed in agreement, a hint of irony in her voice. "Yeah... it's that obvious, huh? I guess the writing's on the wall, and it's not looking too good. But it's not just the relationship that's been a problem. Work has been incredibly stressful, and family stuff has been... complicated, to say the least. It's just been piling up, and I guess the whole relationship thing was just the final straw that broke me down." I scratched my chin and asked another question. "Where do you work Emily?" Emily took a sip of her drink, gathering her thoughts for a moment. "I work in a local retail store," she said, a hint of weary resignation in her voice. "It's not exactly my dream job, but it pays the bills, you know? But lately, it's just been really stressful. The management has been making things difficult, and the customers... well, let's just say they can be less than pleasant." "I worked retail before. It's basically like modern slavery." Emily let out a bitter huff of laughter. "You can say that again. It's like dealing with the worst kinds of people, every single day. Between the demanding customers, the unreasonable managers, and the long hours on your feet... it's a wonder I don't have a permanent stress headache by now." "How about family stuff? You do not have to go too personal on it. Just the baseplate." Emily's expression darkened slightly, a hint of weary resignation in her eyes. "Well, family stuff has been pretty rough too. Without going into specifics, let's just say there's a lot of tension, disagreements, and strained relationships. It's like you're walking on eggshells around them all the time, trying not to set anything off. And it's exhausting, you know? You want to be close to your family, have that support, but it just feels like a battlefield sometimes." "How about specifically today? What made you explode after school ended?" Emily took a deep breath, letting it out in a slow sigh. "It all kind of came to a head today," she explained softly. "Work had been really stressful, the relationship issues had been weighing on me... and then I got into an argument with my mom this morning. I don't even remember what it was about, but it just pushed me over the edge. By the time school finished... yeah, I just couldn't hold it together anymore." To lighten the mood I said, "Then you met me." Emily nodded, a hint of gratitude in her eyes. "Yep. If it wasn't for you, I think I would've just curled up in a corner somewhere and stayed there. But you offered help, and you just... I don't know, you felt like someone I could talk to, someone who wouldn't judge me for falling apart like that. I really appreciate you, 'buddy'." I looked at my hands for a second and replied. "I can only help someone if they want to be helped. Do you just need listening ears or do you need my help?" Emily leaned back in her chair slightly, her gaze never leaving your face. She seemed to contemplate her answer for a moment before responding. "Honestly... both, I guess." She said finally. "It's kind of stupid, but just talking to you has helped a lot already. But I also... I don't know, I feel like some advice or help would be nice too. But only if you're okay with it, no pressure." "Listening ears are fine. Helping you will take time. I got my hands full with my own troubles. However, ask me anything. I will try to answer with my experience." Emily smiled faintly, appreciating ny honesty and willingness to listen. "Okay, I understand. I don't want to burden you too much with my stuff, especially if you've got your own stuff going on." She thought for a moment before continuing, "But can I ask you something?" "Go ahead." I said plainly. Emily bit her lower lip nervously, gathering her thoughts. "Well, about the relationship stuff... how do you deal with it when things are rocky? When you're arguing, when things are tough? What do you do when you feel yourself and your partner drifting apart?" I sighed and thought about it. Eventually, "Sometimes, all you need is some personal space for yourself. If you are constantly together trying to fix something that is not broken, time will repair it." Emily nodded slowly, mulling over my words. "Personal space..." she repeated softly. "Yeah, I think you're right, actually. We've been trying to fix things constantly lately, and it just seems like we're not making progress. Maybe taking a step back, giving ourselves some space... that might help a bit." "In my experience, it was trust issues." I admitted. Emily let out a soft huff of weary agreement. "Trust issues... yeah, those can definitely cause problems in a relationship. It's hard to build on something when there's no trust there. If you're constantly doubting each other, it's hard to feel secure or connected, right?" "Problem is, it was me doing that. I am quite the overthinker." Emily gave me a sympathetic smile, her eyes filled with understanding. "Ah, I get it. Overthinking can be a real pain, especially when it comes to relationships. Sometimes it's hard to quiet that voice in your head, the one that's always asking 'what if' and 'could it be?' It's easy to get caught up in your own thoughts and start doubting everything." I noticed her wrist when she slightly moved and decided to ask. "Your wrist." Emily glanced down at her wrist, a hint of surprise in her eyes. She hadn't expected you to bring that up so directly. "Oh, uh..." She paused, considering her words before answering, "It was a few weeks ago. Just... one of those really low moments, you know? I wasn't thinking clearly, I just kind of... did it." "It's okay" I rolled up my sleeve to reveal cigarette burn marks. "I've been that low too." Emily's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the burns on my arm. She looked torn between shock and sympathy, her expression etched with a mixture of surprise and concern. After a moment, she slowly reached out and placed a gentle hand on your arm, her gaze filled with understanding. "God, I'm so sorry. I didn't know you've... gone through that too." "Hey, I am over it now. They are permanently on my skin to remind me how much I have grown since I hurt myself like that." Emily nodded slowly, a mixture of empathy and admiration in her expression. "I get what you mean. Those scars... they're proof of everything you've been through, everything you've overcome. They're reminders of the pain you felt and the strength you found to move past it." She continued silently for a moment, her fingers tracing the edges of the burns on my arm. "You cut yourself unlike me. I am glad you are alive in front of me today." Emily gave me a small, sad smile, her eyes meeting yours with a hint of gratitude. "Yeah... I'm glad you're here too. It means a lot to have someone who understands, you know? The pain, the struggle... it feels less lonely when I know someone else has felt it too." "My problems other than that are same stuff as you. It's my father that is the problem compared to your mother. And I am struggling with money because I am the only one who is working in the house. That's it." Emily listened intently, her expression empathetic as I shared my struggles. "Yeah, dealing with family issues is hard," she said softly. "And money stuff on top of that...? It sounds like you've got a lot on your plate. I mean, being the only one working and supporting the family... that's a huge responsibility, especially if there are tensions in the house with your father." Slight anger formed on my face momentarily after I recalled what happened with my father that afternoon. Emily noticed the shift in my expression, the hint of anger that came and went across your face. She tilted her head slightly, a hint of concern in her eyes. "Hey, you okay?" She asked gently, her tone filled with a mixture of sympathy and worry. "You look like you remembered something that upset you." "It's okay. It's just something that has been bothering me. Don't worry." Emily studied my face for a moment, her expression filled with understanding but also a hint of curiosity. She could sense that there was something that bothered me, something I wasn't ready to share yet, so she decided to respect your boundaries. "Okay," she said softly, her voice filled with genuine concern. "But if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here to listen, okay? No pressure, but I'm here for you, 'buddy'." I took out my phone and placed it in front of her. "Your number, Ms. Teary Eyes." Emily laughed, the sound carrying a hint of surprise and amusement. "Oh, so now I'm 'Ms. Teary Eyes'? I guess that's going to be my nickname forever, huh?" Despite her sarcastic tone, she took out her phone as well, a slight smile on her face. "Fine, fine, if you insist. You better promise not to spam me with memes or something, 'buddy'." "Alright buddy bud. I gotta get back to work. I'll catch you later tomorrow okay? I might even message if I dont forget." As I got up, I left a small sticky note on the table. Emily caught sight of the note as she moved her purse, her curiosity piqued. She took it and her expression filled with surprise. She read the contents of the note, a slow smile spreading across her face. "Huh, what's this...?" she muttered to herself, a hint of genuine warmth in her eyes as she read the positive message. After reading, Emily carefully folded the note back up and placed it tenderly into her wallet, storing it safely in a hidden pocket. As she tucked her wallet away, a hint of vulnerability and gratitude remained in her eyes. It was a small gesture, but it meant a lot to her. As I wrapped up my work shift, the thought of spending time with my mom filled me with a mix of emotions. Excitement and trepidation welled up inside me, knowing that it would be a precious few hours to create treasured memories together.