 Jenna, Melissa, and Emma at Lake Bell. | I’m so excited for this month’s Beautiful People… it’s all about friendship. In case you didn’t know, August 2nd was National Friendship day (I didn’t know that until recently, either. But it was founded in 1919 by Hallmark—go figure!). So in honor of our BFFs, I’d like to introduce you to Emma’s bestie, Melissa Ryan, from my novel, Aftermath. In case you missed my earlier posts, Beautiful People is a monthly blog linkup hosted by Paperfury and Further Up and Further In. Look for posts each month on the character from The Afterworld Saga. |
Emma, how long have you and Melissa known each other, and how close are you?
Emma: I’ve known Melissa since the third grade when she moved in across the street from me on Cavell. We became best friends immediately. She was the youngest in her family, the only girl, and I was an only child. We were like sisters. We shared everything—well, except boyfriends.
**Emma turned to Melissa and hugged her.**
Emma: I’ve known Melissa since the third grade when she moved in across the street from me on Cavell. We became best friends immediately. She was the youngest in her family, the only girl, and I was an only child. We were like sisters. We shared everything—well, except boyfriends.
**Emma turned to Melissa and hugged her.**
What’s your earliest memory of being best friends?
Melissa: Well, I remember the day we moved in. I was so scared. I left my friends in our old neighborhood and thought I’d never meet anyone to hang out with, again.
**Emma chuckled.**
Emma: My mom told me new neighbors were moving in across the street. When I looked out the window, I saw Melissa standing in her driveway with a soccer ball in her hand. It was like my twin moved in!
Melissa: Awe!
Do you ever fight? Do your arguments last long?
**The girls stole a look at each other.**
Melissa: Not really. **She shrugged.**
**Emma shook her head.**
Emma: Sometimes I get mad.
Melissa: You DO?
Emma: Well, annoyed, maybe. Not really mad, I guess.
Melissa: You didn’t tell me!
**Emma looks up at me.**
Emma: It’s not a big deal. I guess I got jealous maybe. But no, we don’t fight. Not really.
**Melissa shrugged.**
Are your personalities similar, or do you complement each other?
Emma: We’re pretty similar.
Melissa: We’re totally different.
**Emma shot a look at Melissa.**
Melissa: You’re so different from me. You’re quiet. You’re more thoughtful.
**Emma’s shoulders sagged.**
Emma: I guess you’re right. Melissa is much more outspoken than me.
Melissa: Yes! You’re more reserved. I blurt stuff out, but you think about things before you speak. I really admire that.
Emma: Awe!
**The girls hugged.**
Who is the leader of your friendship?
Emma: Definitely Melissa.
Melissa: Yes, me. Emma wouldn’t ever go to parties unless I dragged her out.
Do you have any secrets from each other?
Melissa: No.
Emma: Well…
Melissa: What?
Emma: It’s not a secret, really. But I never totally told you about how strict my dad was.
Melissa: Yes, you did!
Emma: Did I? I mean, I guess you knew that, but I didn’t really tell you how I felt about it.
Melissa: You didn’t have to. I could tell.
**Emma looked away. Wiped tears. Melissa reached for Emma’s hand.**
Okay, let’s move. I didn’t mean to bring up a sad subject (Emma’s dad died). So, how well do you know each other’s quirks and habits?
**The girls smirked.**
Melissa: Totally. Emma gets this look on her face every time she feels nervous, or anxious. I can tell when she’s uncomfortable.
Emma: I do? What look?
**Melissa shrugged.**
Melissa: I can’t explain it. You just have this look on your face. Like a blank look.
**Emma wrinkles her forehead, eyes distant, looks shocked.**
Melissa: That’s it!
**Laughter breaks out.**
What kind of things do you like to do together?
Emma: We love soccer!
Melissa: Shopping! And, hanging out with Jenna.
Emma: Yes. Melissa is pretty forward and outgoing, but Jenna can be wild.
Melissa: Jenna’s the crazy one. For sure.
Who's Jenna?
**The girls look at each other, then chuckle.**
Melissa: She's the instigator.
Emma: Yes, she is!
Describe each of your fashion styles. How are your styles different or similar?
Emma: That’s easy. Melissa is the fashionista! You have this amazing talent to pull an outfit together that I could never envision until you’ve thrown it over the dressing room door.
**Melissa blushes.**
Melissa: I am more daring, for sure. Emma is more conservative. I’m mixing stuff up. I love putting designer jeans with retro sweaters.
How would your lives be different without each other?
Emma: My life would have been so boring in Highland Park!
Melissa: Mine too! I can’t imagine not having Emma with me all those years growing up. She’s my bestie!
**Girls hug. Happy tears flow.**
Melissa: Well, I remember the day we moved in. I was so scared. I left my friends in our old neighborhood and thought I’d never meet anyone to hang out with, again.
**Emma chuckled.**
Emma: My mom told me new neighbors were moving in across the street. When I looked out the window, I saw Melissa standing in her driveway with a soccer ball in her hand. It was like my twin moved in!
Melissa: Awe!
Do you ever fight? Do your arguments last long?
**The girls stole a look at each other.**
Melissa: Not really. **She shrugged.**
**Emma shook her head.**
Emma: Sometimes I get mad.
Melissa: You DO?
Emma: Well, annoyed, maybe. Not really mad, I guess.
Melissa: You didn’t tell me!
**Emma looks up at me.**
Emma: It’s not a big deal. I guess I got jealous maybe. But no, we don’t fight. Not really.
**Melissa shrugged.**
Are your personalities similar, or do you complement each other?
Emma: We’re pretty similar.
Melissa: We’re totally different.
**Emma shot a look at Melissa.**
Melissa: You’re so different from me. You’re quiet. You’re more thoughtful.
**Emma’s shoulders sagged.**
Emma: I guess you’re right. Melissa is much more outspoken than me.
Melissa: Yes! You’re more reserved. I blurt stuff out, but you think about things before you speak. I really admire that.
Emma: Awe!
**The girls hugged.**
Who is the leader of your friendship?
Emma: Definitely Melissa.
Melissa: Yes, me. Emma wouldn’t ever go to parties unless I dragged her out.
Do you have any secrets from each other?
Melissa: No.
Emma: Well…
Melissa: What?
Emma: It’s not a secret, really. But I never totally told you about how strict my dad was.
Melissa: Yes, you did!
Emma: Did I? I mean, I guess you knew that, but I didn’t really tell you how I felt about it.
Melissa: You didn’t have to. I could tell.
**Emma looked away. Wiped tears. Melissa reached for Emma’s hand.**
Okay, let’s move. I didn’t mean to bring up a sad subject (Emma’s dad died). So, how well do you know each other’s quirks and habits?
**The girls smirked.**
Melissa: Totally. Emma gets this look on her face every time she feels nervous, or anxious. I can tell when she’s uncomfortable.
Emma: I do? What look?
**Melissa shrugged.**
Melissa: I can’t explain it. You just have this look on your face. Like a blank look.
**Emma wrinkles her forehead, eyes distant, looks shocked.**
Melissa: That’s it!
**Laughter breaks out.**
What kind of things do you like to do together?
Emma: We love soccer!
Melissa: Shopping! And, hanging out with Jenna.
Emma: Yes. Melissa is pretty forward and outgoing, but Jenna can be wild.
Melissa: Jenna’s the crazy one. For sure.
Who's Jenna?
**The girls look at each other, then chuckle.**
Melissa: She's the instigator.
Emma: Yes, she is!
Describe each of your fashion styles. How are your styles different or similar?
Emma: That’s easy. Melissa is the fashionista! You have this amazing talent to pull an outfit together that I could never envision until you’ve thrown it over the dressing room door.
**Melissa blushes.**
Melissa: I am more daring, for sure. Emma is more conservative. I’m mixing stuff up. I love putting designer jeans with retro sweaters.
How would your lives be different without each other?
Emma: My life would have been so boring in Highland Park!
Melissa: Mine too! I can’t imagine not having Emma with me all those years growing up. She’s my bestie!
**Girls hug. Happy tears flow.**
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