Diamond Bright

Sookie had been sleeping most of the day, with the rest spent in prom preparations, so when she heard Emma she came dashing down the hall with the toenails of one foot painted bright red. "Are you okay?" she asked, mildly panicked. Though that had sounded happy, she was still a little on edge.

From:

Emma's smile split into a full-out grin as she waved the letter at Sookie. "I got in!"

From:

"Oh, sweetie, congratulations!" Sookie squealed, bouncing over to give Emma a hug. She knew that feeling. "Where?"

From:

"Empire State University, in New York," she enthused, still not quite able to believe it. "I'd heard back from other schools, so I knew I had somewhere to go, but E.S.U. is pretty much the school at home."

From:

"That's wonderful," Sookie gushed right alongside her. "Are you going right away, or stayin' through the summer, hon?"

From:

"Staying for the free rent, and working at Devil's Nest for as many hours as Eric will let me," Emma replied. "I'm going to need all the savings I can get if I'm hoping to pull this off."

From:

She nodded along. "That's my plan, too -- work at Luke's until I have to go. Eric's money or no, I'm going to need some savings for books and stuff even at my measly little state school. But that's so exciting." She slanted a look at Emma, adding, "You best be accepting visitors. I'm going to school out in the country. I might need to see New York."

From:

"Of course I'm accepting visitors, don't be silly," she said. "But if you're sticking around too, we should put in to room together this summer, or get an apartment together or something."

From:

*Ems?* Karla's psychic thread hummed with surprise. *Is that you?*

From:

Muppet-flails, Karla. Completely un-Emma-like mental muppet-flailing of glee and delight, even as she was outwardly trying to compute costs for books and wincing. <<I got in to Empire State!>>

From:

*You did? That's wonderful! Congratulations!*

Hmmm. Karla glanced around her room, looking for a few key items. Let's see...yes, that. And maybe that. Oh! And definitely that, too. *Hang on a sec, I'll be right there.*

A few moments later, Karla was knocking at Emma's door, holding an unopened bottle of honey-pear cordial and some Kaeleeran chocolates. "Let's celebrate!" she said, offering them to Emma. "Not that I was at all surprised to hear it."

From:

"You are going to get me drunk before prom even starts," Emma scolded, but she was already going to her desk to get a bottle opener. A few wouldn't hurt, and prom was hours away. "And fat on chocolates. I won't be able to fit into my dress!"

From:

"Aww, you're on to my secret and evil plan!" Karla said, dimpling at Emma. "But if you're really concerned, I suppose I can eat and drink most of all this to make sure you don't have anything to worry about. Because I am a good friend, of course."

From:

"And a horribly wicked little Sister," Emma added dryly. "Presenting such temptations."

Mind you, that wasn't going to stop her from drinking straight from the bottle.

From:

"You love temptation and don't you lie," Karla said with a laugh, holding out a chocolate for Emma as well. "You'd find me dreadfully boring otherwise."

One chocolate for Emma, one for her.

"So, tell me all about your offer," she insisted. "I want to know everything!"

From:

"I was offered some scholarships," Emma admitted, "Although I'm going to have to pay for a lot myself. I get on-campus housing the first year, but after that, I'll need to pay for my own place, too."

She was going to claim that chocolate with her teeth, Karla, as punishment for teasing her.

From:

Karla was just going to sit there and pretend to be cool, even if she couldn't help the slight shiver when Emma nipped the chocolate from her fingers.

And immediately reached for the cordial bottle. "Brat," she declared. "I think you should live on the island and commute via portal."

Because that was feasible. And much less expensive than an apartment, really.

From:

"And what happens during the next invasion, when the portals go down and I have a test?" Emma asked. "Once I get a place off-campus, you may have a key and come whenever you like, but staying here is a horrible idea."

From:

"A key?" Karla asked, eyes wide and shining. "You'd really let me have a key to your apartment?"

From:

"Of course," Emma replied, with a sinking feeling in her stomach. "With one condition: You must call or text me first so I know you're coming, so I can warn you if I have humans over so you don't just pass through the door."

She was going to end up with custody of a Karla every-other weekend by the time Karla was a senior, wasn't she?

From:

"Emma, darling, why would I pass through the door if I have a key?" Karla asked. "You should be much more concerned about me trying to float a hundred different things behind me when I show up."

Karla failed at comfort.

"I know Warren's mentioned ESU a few times," she added. "Wouldn't it be great if you two ended up attending the same version? I could visit you both at the same time!"

From:

"I've got a Warren in my world," Emma pointed out gently. "I've met him, and he wasn't your Warren."

Emma had hit on him, for one, and he hadn't recognized her.

"We could dye his hair and pretend he's someone else, but that would be a lot of work."

From:

"He's only a respectable kisser for one," Karla said with a wry smile. "Though I don't know how upset Warren would be, for the opportunity to pretend to be someone else for awhile."

But it was probably not going to work. Bah.

"I'm really glad you got in," she said, deliberately leaving out the part where she would rather Emma just stay here for forever. She wasn't going to ruin her friend's happiness. "And if there's any way I can help, you let me know, okay?"

From:

"Oh, you know that vanishing trick you have?" she asked. "Guess who's going to be helping me move into the dorms this fall?"

Look what you got yourself into, Karla!

From: