rise up.

Emma 

Emma had one of those days at work where the days dragged in. She loved her job, she did but some days when it was slow or she had to send it catching up with paper work it just got too much. She knew she probably should be making something at home but by the time she had locked up the shop the only thing that sounded appealing was take out. Emma knew she could get Ryan on board with it so sent him a text asking if he wanted to join her and was happy when he accepted. She got home and put in their usual pizza order and pour two glasses of wine, waiting for Ryan to arrive.

Ryan

Ryan was surprised to get the sudden text from Emma inviting him over for pizza. She sounded like she had a rough exhausting day, him being able to feel it just through the words on the phone. Ryan had already been ready, a plain crisp white t-shirt that hugged his form well layered on top of a pair of crisp dark jeans. His hair was already styled and a handsome musk of cologne had already settled on him. Leaning up against the bathroom counter, he looked at his phone  and opened a message. "Are you still coming? 😘" read the message. His fingers hovered momentarily over the keys before he typed out an apology that he could no longer make it. Grabbing his coat and keys, he made his way out to the car and ignored the following series of message notifications on his phone. Driving to Emma's, he parked, walking up to her door and knocking.

  Emma

As soon as she got home Emma changed into a pair of lounge pants and a tank top. It felt nice to just be home and be relaxed.  It wasn't that the day was hard, just long and boring. She preferred being at the shop front and getting to speak to customers, rather than on the phone with suppliers and dealing with the actual business side of things. Emma opened the door and smiled at the sight of her best friend. "Hey!" She greeted, going in to hug him. "Oh, you smell good." She commented as she walked him through her apartment. "I didn't take you away from anything, did I?" She asked, raising and eyebrow and handing him a glass of wine as she sat on the soft, tucking her legs under her. Ryan

"Hey," Ryan greeted in return, going to hug her back. "Thank you," he chuckled, pulling back to follow her into the apartment. Ally's car wasn't in the driveway, so he figured she must not be there. "Me? What would I possibly be doing?" he said with a playful scoff, ignoring the continual vibration of his phone in his back pocket. Yeah, she did seem a little crazy. "I just always naturally look and smell this good. You should know that by now," he chuckled, taking the glass of wine and brining it to his lips. Ryan took the seat beside her on the couch. "Anything new going on?" Emma

Emma knew Aly was going to be out tonight, which was another reason she had invited Ryan over. Eating pizza and drinking wine was a lot less sad when you had someone with you and she knew that she could be herself around Ryan and that was what she needed. "I never said anything about you looking good." Emma teased. Although she was very aware of how attractive Ryan was, anyone would be a fool not to see it. But Emma also knew she couldn't let herself get too caught up in those thoughts - otherwise she would be led down a path she had been before with him and it wasn't fair on any of them. "Nope." Emma said, popping her p. "Boring as ever." She laughed, taking a drink from the wine. "Please tell me all the exciting things in your life." Ryan

"You didnt? Hmm, I could have sworn you said something about it," Ryan teased with a chuckle, grinning at her. The man brought his glass of wine to his lips again, sipping it as he listened to her answer. "We need to get some excitement in your life. Get out there. Have fun," he commented.  Thankfully, after Emma's engagement ended, the two of them could hang out closely again. Perhaps Ryan was selfish to be glad for the break up since it hurt Emma so much, but he never liked the guy. "My life? Hmm. Going out here and there, but everything is pretty much the same. It's prom and graduation season, so the shop orders have been picking up a bit." Emma

"You wish I did." She teased, it was always so easy with Ryan. Emma knew that no matter what was going on in her life she would have him there. If it weren't for him, she probably would have spiralled after her engagement ended. "Pfft, you mean eating pizza and watching America Say isn't fun?" She teased. Ever since everything happened, she was scared to put herself out there. "Besides, it is much more fun to comment on your life. Is there anyone there I need to give a grilling too?" She teased, taking another drink. "Well, that is fun!" Emma grinned, loving the idea of Ryan helping all the high school boys pick out their prom suits. Just then the door went, she grabbed money for a tip and went to answer the door. "It is here." She grinned, putting it on her table and bring through some plates for them. "Dig in!" kerosenedaze — 24/04/2022 "You're right, maybe I do," Ryan responded with a laugh. At her 'fun' activities, he rose an eyebrow with a small chuckle. "You know, sometimes I think you might actually be like 60 years old trapped in that body," the man joked. "Grilling? I don't know about that. Nothing sticks long enough, really. Maybe my standards are too high," he casually shrugged a shoulder. Ryan shifted a bit as she went to get the pizza, putting the wine glass on the table and looking up as she came back in. "That smells amazing," he took a slice, putting it on the plate. Emma

Emma laughed at her friends words, already things were feeling better and it was like all her stress of work was just gone. They had been best friends since they were teens and Emma was so grateful they still had this banter. "A 60 year couldn't deal with my diet." She laughed, taking a bit from the pizza and putting it on her plate. "Ah yes, no one is good enough for you. Which, I get. I mean, you deserve the best but also you need to know that you deserve to be with someone. You are amazing." Emma said, taking another sip. "I know. The thought of this got me through the day." Ryan

"I don't know. I've seen some 60 year olds who can get down on some pizza and wine," he mused, taking a bite of the slice in front of him and turning to look at the red head. "That's not what I meant," he responded to no one being good enough for him. "It's just... I don't know. Attract the wrong people I guess," he responded, pursing his lips together. "You are too, ya know? Amazing. You should... get back out there and find someone who realizes that," he said, though as he said it, he didn't like the feeling that sat with him. Emma

"Good because if I get to 60 and can't have pizza and wine? I'll cry. Real tears." She said, trying to be serious but not being able to help the laughter. "I know it's not but probably no one you bring home to me will be good enough anyway." She laughed. Suddenly the thought of him with someone else did not sit okay with her. "Oh god. That is not something that I think we need to worry about." Emma said, the thought of rejection being too much after Chris broke off their engagement. Ryan

"Real tears? Not fake tears? Oh, no, we can't have that," Ryan teased with a soft chuckle, moving his body to push it playfully against hers. Taking another bite of the pizza, he thought about what she said. "You know, it's the same for me. No one will be good enough for you and I'll secretly hate and distrust all of them," he assured, a slightly laugh to follow, but he wasn't joking as much he he let on. Emma

"Not fake, real!" Emma said pointing to the corner of her eye. "We don't. Mainly because you are the one who will have to deal with it." Emma laughed when he pushed his body against hers. Emma let out another laugh at his words. While she knew it was the same for her, no one could be good enough for Ryan, he only deserved the very best, she thought it odd he would think the same in return. "We might need to look into that whole getting married to each other if we are both single at 50 thing." Emma laughed. Ryan

"Oh no! Real tears? Are they there??" Ryan chuckled as she pointed to the side of her eye. He grabbed her face in his hands and pulled it close. "Hmm, I don't see anything. I think you may be yanking my leg," he grinned. When Emma mentioned the getting married when they hit 50 thing, he let out a soft breath of air chuckle. You only have to wait 9 years for me to turn 50. I have to wait 17 years for you. How is that fair? I'll be 58 then. God, that's gross," he teased. Emma

"There are there!" Emma said, when he held her face in his hands, she looked him in the eye. It wasn't lost on her how close they were in this moment. Emma wasn't sure but something about this felt different. She snapped out of it when he spoke again. "You just aren't looking close enough." She teased. Emma couldn't help but laugh at his words. "Oh man, I never thought about it like that. It might be time for me to trade you in for someone younger." She teased. Ryan

"Mmm, I don't know. I don't think so," he chuckled, but let it trail off quietly when the tone in the room switched as their eyes locked together. His face inched slightly closer to hers, before he realized what he was doing. Surely, she wouldn't want that. Perhaps he could do it and if she didn't like it, he could blame it on being in the wrong mindset from expecting to go on a date. No. This was too important a friendship to even risk messing up over something like that. Ryan's mind raced, but the moment passed as Emma continued to speak. He barely registered what she said, mind focusing back on the present.  He let out a small chuckle like he was paying attention. "Damn, that hurts," he teased Emma