phosphorescence

Emily: I have some good news for you.

Peter: WHAT

Peter: i've seen enough shitty chick flicks to know that you never rule out the best friend

Peter: how are you feeling?

Emily: I'm sorry that you suffered through those chick flicks, tbh

Emily: The other possibility is Elijah Greyson, do you know him?

Nina: Oh wow isn't this a nice surprise? Hello, Em!

Nina: What's up, buttercup?

Emily: I know, it's been too long since we've talked!

Between Spencer and Elijah, Luke was definitely rooting for Spencer to be the dad. He never expected to have a conversation with Emily where she told him she was pregnant and Spencer could be the dad. The last couple of months had been so hectic and he probably missed a lot of signs. “So do they already know? How did they take it? How did Spencer take it?” He was asking a lot of questions and he didn’t want to overwhelm Emily, but the curiosity was killing him. “And no matter what, you know I’ll be there for you and the baby.”

Emily smiled as she reached across the table to take Luke’s hand in hers. “You don’t know how comforting it is to know that you’ll still be there for me, even after keeping this from you. God Luke, you truly are an angel sent to this earth. I couldn’t ask for a better friend. As for how Spencer and Eli took it, well...,” she trailed. “Elijah thought I was pranking him, and Spencer puked.”

“It’s not like you’re auditioning for America’s Got Talent over here.” Spencer laughed, amused at her protesting. “It’s just me, Em. It’s not like I’m some dancing expert either, so come on. You don’t have to be embarrassed.” He took her free hand into his. “Tell you what. One dance. Just one, and if you hate it that much, you just say the word and we can shimmy on over to the exit, ditch this place, and get you that shamrock shake and fries.” He grinned, his body already moving to the rhythm of the music, his hand tugging on hers and coaxing her onto the dance floor. “What do you say?”

Resisting Spencer’s goofy charm was never one of Emily’s strong suits, and sometimes she swore he knew exactly what to do to persuade her. Unable to resist his already ridiculous dancing, she found herself being pulled out onto the dance floor, all the while laughing as she tried her best to keep her drink from spilling. “Alright alright, one dance. And just for this, you definitely owe me that shake,” she pointed at him sternly before breaking out into a little dance of her own. 

“…And, sometimes I don’t understand a person who says the greatest feeling in the world is a forehead kiss.” Aubrey shook her head incredulously, “What about pulling out a ponytail or removing a bra after a long day? Getting home and out of the rain, and into a pair of fuzzy socks with a big bar of chocolate?”

Emily paused briefly after listening to Aubrey’s question. Normally, Emily would agree without hesitation to all of her claims, but now? Now she felt differently. “I don’t know,” Emily smiled softly. “I do love going home and changing into a pair of knee socks, but a kiss on the forehead? I think it could be the greatest feeling in the world, especially if it’s from the one you love to comfort you. Just knowing you have them in your life through thick and thin,” she nodded.

He shrugged his shoulders and smirked, tilting his head back to gaze up at the sky. “You know… As cute as Latina women are, I don’t think I could ever date one. They’re too bossy and full of themselves.” He paused, but only for a moment. “I’m not saying I want pliability or for her to wash my royal heinie or anything like that, but…” He hesitated again, this time for a bit longer. “Honestly, I just don’t think a relationship can contain two massive egos. Fight would be nice, but fight my ego with humbleness and sincerity, rather than ego… Remind me that my ego isn’t shit, you know?” He chuckled and shook his head. “This spots with spots and stripes with stripes mentality that seems to follow the baby boomers and rednecks around can go back to the stone ages where it belongs.” He said quietly,  rocking back on his heels with a contemplative expression.

“So you’re saying that you don’t want to marry a Latina?” Emily questioned, her brow raised. “Is your family big on that? Lots of pressure to do so? Because if they are, I’m sorry,” she nodded. “I know a thing or two about breaking your parent's expectations. It’s not fun.”

“You wanted to make sure everyone got home safe,” he repeated. “So you’re volunteering to be the designated driver? Seems a bit counterintuitive to me,” he teased, giving her a playful wink. There was a reason Spencer always drove whenever he and Emily went anywhere. Raising his hand, he waved the bartender over and ordered her drink, taking a sip of his own pint of Guinness before speaking again. “Whatever you want, M&M’s. Just promise to tell me when you’re sick of Shirley Temples. I really don’t mind leaving this place for a Shamrock Shake and some greasy good Mickey D’s fries,” he offered again, smiling as he took the virgin cocktail from the bartender and handed it to his best friend. Right on cue, the live band began playing the introduction to Dropkick Murphys’ “I’m Shipping Up to Boston”. Spencer glanced at Emily, knowing she needed to have fun tonight, just as much as he did. So without further thought, he smiled and said, “Drink up, Price, and then we’re dancing.”

Had the pregnancy brain that Lila mentioned to her started to take effect already? Or was it just that the situation right now made her so nervous that she was spewing whatever excuse popped into her mind for why she was at a drunken event. Either way, Spencer caught her in a lie, and she couldn’t help but feel the flushing of her cheeks in embarrassment. “Right, dancing. As if this little drink is suddenly going to make me be good at that,” she teased, taking a sip from the glass. “You’re more likely to get me to leave for that shake and fries than get me out on the dance floor.”

Anders: I mean, Em. I realize you're Catholic, but you need to do what you WANT to do and not let someone else make a decision for you.

Anders: Do you really think you're ready to be a parent?

Emily: That's easier said than done, Anders.

Peter: fuck

Peter: is it Rivers?

Peter: is it between those two bc fuck that's messy

Emily: PETER

Nora tilted her head to the side, a frown crossing her face as she glanced the woman up and down. “Well, ya don’t look pregnant so I don’t think that’s gonna guarantee your safety, unless you’re planning on dropping it into the first five seconds of conversation all day,” she said with a laugh. The idea of babies made her uncomfortable, if she was being honest. “For some reason, I have like, thousands of these beads in my house, so really you’re just helping me get rid of one of my hoarder boxes.” 

Emily laughed along with the brunette. She was right, mentioning pregnancy isn’t something one would normally drop into a conversation so quickly, but in her defense, she was new and talking about her situation was something she still didn’t know how to do. “Right, right,” she nodded. “You ever been to New Orleans for Mardis Gras? You should and take all your beads with you, supply the crowd.”

“Really?” That didn’t come as much of a question but rather something of judgement. “Em, if you’re talking about who I think you’re talking about he literally ignored you throughout high school and his little group were nothing but jerks to us.”

Em quickly diverted her gaze down to his sandwich after hearing his judgmental tone. She really didn’t want to do this, but Luke was her best friend and having him hear the news from someone other than herself would probably do more damage than good. “I know, I know,” she sighed, shifting in her seat in a weak attempt to make herself more comfortable. “I couldn’t help it though, you know that. He was a jerk but he was cute, and I finally got the opportunity and well, I took it. I didn’t think I would end up pregnant Luke, honestly.”

The news of her being pregnant had definitely taken him aback and even more so that Spencer was involved. How did he not notice anything between them? They were his best friends and he had missed a lot. In his head he was still trying to come up with a coherent sentence to follow up, once he had something to say again he was going to speak up but she beat him to the punch and now he really was shocked. “What?” His brows rose slightly, Luke sinking into his chair a little. “Who was it?” He started, “wait – please don’t tell me it’s your hockey friend, athletes can be flakes with everything that they have going on.” He didn’t mean to be a jerk, but it was true from what he read and saw on the media.

Emily really didn’t want to laugh at the situation at hand, but Luke’s comments about athletes had her laughing softly. “No, no... no athlete,” she assured him. “Remember the guy I had a crush on in high school?” It was better to lead up to it than flat out say it.