Chapter 1

“Why are you so upset?” Sarah asked Emily as they walked down the street. She was always trying to cheer her up when she was feeling blue. They had been best friends since high school, and Sarah knew all of Emily’s secrets. Well ... almost all of them anyway.

Emily sighed heavily before answering Sarah’s question. “It’s just ... everything seems so pointless right now,” she replied, looking down at the ground. Ever since Emily turned eighteen half a year ago, nothing seemed to be going right for her. She still lived at home with her parents, and they were constantly nagging her about finding a job or going back to college. They didn’t understand how she felt - stuck between childhood and adulthood. All of her friends from high school had already graduated and moved away while she was still there, living in the same town where she grew up. Nothing ever changed around there, and she couldn’t wait to get out and see the world.

Sarah put her arm around Emily and gave her a sympathetic look. “Come on, things will change eventually. You just have to be patient,” she said encouragingly. Emily smiled weakly at her words, knowing deep down that she was probably right. But sometimes it was hard to stay positive when everything around her seemed so bleak.

They continued walking until they reached their favorite coffee shop. Sarah ordered for both of them, and they found a small, secluded table by the window to sit down and chat. As soon as they sat down, Sarah noticed something strange about Emily.

“What’s wrong? Are you crying?” Sarah asked, putting her hand over Emily’s.

Emily looked up at her through teary eyes and shook her head. “No ... it’s just...” she began, then hesitated. How could she possibly explain this to Sarah without sounding crazy?

Sarah must have seen the confusion on Emily’s face because she quickly reassured her. “You can tell me anything, Emily. Remember that.”

Taking a deep breath, Emily decided to take a chance and confide in her. After all, if anyone would understand what she was going through, it was Sarah. “I met someone,” she blurted out suddenly. “His name is Jack, and he’s ... well, he’s different than any other guy I’ve ever met.”

Sarah’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Really? What do you mean by ‘different’?” she prodded curiously.

Emily took another sip of her latte before continuing. “He’s older than me. Like, a lot older. And he has this confidence about him that’s really sexy. He makes me feel special whenever we talk, and he always knows exactly what to say to make me smile.”

Sarah nodded thoughtfully. “That sounds nice. So why are you so worried about it?” she asked gently.

Emily’s cheeks flushed pink as she remembered the reason behind her anxiety. “Because ... he wants more than just friendship from me. He told me that he loves me,” she admitted sheepishly.

Sarah’s jaw dropped in shock. “Wow ... that’s pretty intense. Have you considered giving it a chance?” she asked cautiously.

Emily swallowed nervously, thinking about his proposal. It had caught her off guard completely, especially considering the huge age difference between them. But there was no denying the way he made her feel whenever they were together. Did she really want to throw that away just because society deemed it unacceptable?

After several long moments of contemplation, Emily finally came to a decision. “Yes,” she whispered softly. “I think I am going to give it a chance. Even though everyone says it won’t work, I trust my instincts, and I know that he truly cares about me.”

Sarah grinned widely, hugging her tightly. “Oh my god, Emily! That’s amazing news!” she exclaimed excitedly. “When did this happen, anyway? Why haven’t you mentioned him sooner?”

Emily shrugged, feeling slightly embarrassed. “It only happened a few weeks ago. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how to bring it up with you without freaking out too much.”

Sarah laughed, taking another sip of her drink. “Well, don’t worry about it anymore. Just focus on enjoying your new relationship and stop stressing about what other people think. That’s what I always say.”

And with that, they spent the rest of the afternoon chatting about Jack and their future plans. By the time they left the coffee shop, Emily felt ten times better than she had earlier that morning. Maybe things weren’t so bad after all.