After a few weeks, Emma had started hanging out with Stephen and his ‘gang’. She still hung out with Roxi, Benji and Joel occasionally, but she was starting to like Stephen.

 

“Hey Emma.” Stephen said, stopping her from getting on the bus. “How about I walk you home? It isn’t that far is it?”

 

“Alright!” Emma said.

 

The bus pulled away and Emma didn’t notice, but Benji was staring out the back window as Emma and Stephen began walking.

 

“What’s up Benj?” asked Joel, noticing a hurt look on his brother’s face.

 

“Nothin.” said Benji, as he turned around in his seat and remained quiet the rest of the way home.

 

Stephen and Emma walked to Emma’s and hung out in the living room, talking about random things.

 

“So Emma, I was thinkin’. Will you go out with me?” Stephen asked her.

 

“Sure.” she replied smiling.

 

Stephen left around 5:00  hugging Emma goodbye. Emma rushed to her room and dialed Roxi’s number.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Hi, is Roxi home?”

 

“No she’s not. Is this Emma?” asked Roxi’s mother.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“She just left with Joel a few minutes ago.”

 

“Ok thanks. Can you just have her call me when she gets back?”

 

“I sure will.”

 

“Thank you. Bye.”

 

“Goodbye.”

 

Since Roxi and Joel were out, Emma figured Benji must be at home, so she called him up.

 

“Yo Benji!”

 

“Hey.”

 

“What’s up?”

 

“Nothin’ much.”

 

Emma didn’t pick up on his lack of enthusiasm and kept talking. “Guess what?!”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Stephen asked me out!”

 

“That’s...cool.” Benji mumbled. “Hey I gotta go take out the trash.”

 

“Oh, ok. I’ll talk to you later then!”

 

“Yeah, bye.”

 

As Benji hung up the phone, he felt like someone had just stabbed him in the heart. Did she not realize that he liked her too? They had so much fun together and they were alike in so many ways. How could she not see it too?

 

When Joel got home that night, he found Benji sleeping on the floor by the phone in his room. “Dude, wake up.” He said, slightly kicking him.

 

“Wha? Huh? Oh, hey Joel.” Benji said, with the same unenthused tone as earlier.

 

“What’s wrong Benji....” asked his concerned brother. He had never seen Benji act this way before.

 

“Nothing...”

 

“Cummon, I know somethin’s up. You can tell me ya know.”

 

“She’s going out with Stephen, Joel. STEPHEN!” replied Benji, obviously hurt by this fact.

 

“Who is?”

 

“Emma.”

 

“Yeah, so?”

 

“You don’t get it Joel. Never mind.” said Benji as he headed towards the bathroom to brush his teeth. Joel was starting to follow, but Benji shut the bathroom door in his face.

 

“Dude, Benji. What’s your problem?” Joel asked through the closed door. Not waiting for an answer, Joel headed off to his room passing by Sarah’s.

 

“Joelie!” his nine-year-old sister squealed.

 

“What’s up Sar.”

 

“I think Benji’s in loooove.” she giggled.

 

“What?”

 

“Look what I found in his room.” Sarah said as she held up a piece of paper with the words ‘Benji + Emma’ written on it with different sketches all around it.

 

“So that’s what he’s all pissed about.” Joel muttered to himself as he walked out of his sister’s room.

 

The next day was Saturday, and since Emma was out with her new ‘boyfriend’, Benji decided to tag along with Joel and Roxi. The three of them went to Erin’s, the local burger house, and sat in a booth, ready to order.