CHAPTER THREE
"Hi, Emma!" Fiona greeted her happily, her coppery curls bouncing.
"Hi, Emma," Ashley echoed, her brown eyes lighting up. "Are you coming over to swim tomorrow?"
"Yeah, sure," Emma said. "Can I borrow a bathing suit?"
"Why? You have your own, silly," Fiona giggled. Ashley began to giggle too.
Emma's bathing suit was already packed.
"I have to tell you both something," said Emma softly, her eyes glancing at the floor. "My family is moving to Mapleton after the school year ends in two weeks."
Fiona and Ashley stopped giggling, and looked at each other, confused.
"Where is Mapleton?" Ashley asked.
"It's far away," said Emma. "We can visit and talk on the phone, but I won't be able to see you every day at school or play together as much."
"I'll miss you, Emma," Fiona said, as she leaned over and wrapped Emma in a hug.
"I'll miss you, too," said Ashley, as she threw her arms around both girls and hugged them tightly.
"Call us every day," Fiona requested, "and you can send me emails!" She broke free of the hug and pulled out her notebook. "My parents just got me a computer. I'll write down my email address for you."
"You can come visit me whenever you want," said Ashley. "We can have sleepovers and you can tell us all about your new house and school."
Emma felt a little better. Even though she was moving away, she could still visit her friends sometimes and talk to them whenever she wanted. Plus, she would make even more friends at her new school.
Maybe moving to Mapleton wouldn't be so bad after all.
