Tethered by L. D. Davis Page A

and then shrugged. “I don’t.”
    “You won’t even try. That’s stupid.”
    “Donya, don’t preach to me about ‘trying’,” he said with irritation.
    The doors slid open and I stormed out.
    “What is that supposed to mean?” I asked, though I knew what it meant.
    “You didn’t try either,” he said sourly as he held the door open for me.
    We stepped outside and started to walk the few yards to the boardwalk.
    “The difference is that I wasn’t ready. She clearly is.”
    “Why are you so concerned with my relationship – or non-relationship – with Stella?” Emmet asked angrily.
    I looked over at him. “Why are you so angry? I’m just saying that you could be throwing something good away because you won’t try.”
    “Maybe you threw something good away because you didn’t try.”
    I sighed in exasperation. We stepped onto the boardwalk and I immediately felt the chill from the sea. Emmet looked at me with fury, but he pulled his jacket off and handed it to me. I took it and slipped my arms inside.
    “I thought we were past that,” I said to him when we started walking again.
    “I’m not past it, Donya. I just put it aside.”
    “Well put it aside again!”
    He stopped walking and got so close to me I felt the need to take a step back, but he didn’t let me. He grabbed my arms and kept me there. He looked so mad.
    “Did you kiss Andrew?” he demanded.
    My mouth dropped open. Sam, Fred and even my mom were still strict about Emmy and me dating, but they finally broke down and said that if we double dated somewhere public, we were allowed to date. I was in no hurry to date anyone, but after listening to Emmy beg me for a week I agreed to go on a double date with her and Corey Newland. She set me up with Corey’s twin brother Andrew. The brothers were fun, hilarious and kind of sweet - and they were our age. So when more double dates were proposed, I went. Andrew was a good guy and I had fun with him. When he kissed me, I kissed him back. It was nice, but it wasn’t great. It wasn’t like Emmet’s kisses, and he wasn’t Emmet. The bar was set high and poor Andrew didn’t make it. I didn’t go on anymore double dates and Andrew moved on.
    “That’s none of your business,” I growled at Emmet.
    “You dated him. You kissed him!” Emmet yelled, drawing a few looks from the few people left on the boardwalk. “But you won’t date me and you won’t kiss me anymore. Was it good, Donya? Did he get to touch you? Maybe make it to third base? Were you ready for a homerun?”
    I slapped him. Hard. My hand stung, but I wanted to slap him again, so I did.
    “Fuck you, Emmet Grayne.” I took off his jacket and threw it in his arms. “Stay away from me.”
    “I’m sorry,” he said and reached for me, but I backed away from him.
    “Stay away,” I said once more and then I turned away from him and ran.

Chapter Nine
    At the last minute, Emmet pulled out of the annual family trek to Louisiana. He told Sam and Fred that he wanted to spend his last few weeks before college with his friends. Fred asked him to reconsider but didn’t push. Sam, on the other hand, put up a huge fight.
    “What about spending time with your family?” she had demanded over dinner two nights before our departure.
    “I’ve spent the last eighteen years with my family,” Emmet snapped. “And I’ll spend the rest of my life with my family.”
    “I ain’t gonna let ya stay up here,” Sam said in a tone that implied that she didn’t care what he wanted.
    “It’s his decision, Sam,” Fred said patiently. “He’s not a little boy anymore.”
    “He’s my little boy, Frederick Grayne!”
    Emmy snickered beside me. I elbowed her. She wouldn’t be laughing in a few years when she was put in a similar position.
    “I’ll join you guys during the last week,” Emmet said patiently. I could tell he was trying to appease his mom.
    “That’s not good enough. You have cousins and aunts and uncles and friends down