If Not For Her

Chapter 27. "Grand gestures?"

The soft melody started playing as a dancer gracefully emerged. Emmalyn sat up straighter and started explaining to her, the context. Annabeth nodded as she saw Emmalyn passionately talking about ballet. Emmalyn went back to watching the ballet as Annabeth watched her. She liked this side of Emmalyn.

She averted her gaze. Was she staring? One of the plays ended as Emmalyn started explaining everything about it. "How do you even know all this?" Annabeth asked. "Ballet to me is similar to art to you." She said. "So you want to be a dancer?" Annabeth asked. Emmalyn fell on the pillow as Annabeth watched her sigh. She rolled her eyes, "I need to be the CEO of our company"

"But you want something else," Annabeth said, laying next to her. "I can't get everything I want, it is not practical," Emmalyn said, "what is the time?" "Do you honestly care?" Annabeth asked. "No," she said as they stayed laying next to each other. "You should give it a shot for the sake of practically, if it doesn't work out it is fine but what if it does?" "Chances are slim" Emmalyn met her gaze. "But there are still chances"

"I never knew you were this optimistic Reed"
"Maybe you didn't know me?"
"I really doubt that"

They started another ballet play and Annabeth was starting to enjoy it, maybe that was the effect Emmalyn had on people. The door opened as Alex looked between the girls and slowly closed the door. "Should we go and talk to him?" Emmalyn asked. "Let's finish this" she took a notice of the widening smile on Emmalyn's lips.

It was around 8 when the play ended and they decided to go downstairs it was still one hour till her parents were home. Alex was sitting on the couch, with a book barely studying. He looked up at them and closed the book, he was starting to get up, when Annabeth called him to stay. They weren't doing anything wrong were they?

" I am going to get us some drinks, Alex" she called him as he walked after her. "What is" she cut him off "did you cheat on Christina with Meg out of all?" Annabeth asked out of nowhere. "Hey, do you have an" Emmalyn stopped as she realized what she had heard? She looked between the similar brown eyes as she walked back to the couch.

Alex cursed under his breath as they walked back with soda in their hands. " I didn't want to pry and honestly" "it's fine, I just need to clear something, something I am sure you have heard about," he said. "Meg did say something" "I know," he said taking a sip. "What exactly is going on," Annabeth asked looking between them, they knew something she didn't.

"Remember David's party, the one I asked you to come" Annabeth nodded "there I spilled my drink on her dress, Meg's dress and she told me it was fit to clean it up and led me to a room a gave a napkin when she kissed me" "and that exact moment Christina saw you," Emmalyn said. "Why should I believe you, Alex, all I could know is that you are lying I wasn't there," Annabeth said. "I was," Emmalyn said, she looked at Alex, "I saw you run she pushed me out of the way so there is no chance I am mixing it up"

Alex looked at Annabeth, "I pulled back the exact moment and when Chris saw us it looked like we were kissing, " Alex said. Annabeth didn't know what to say about it. Both her brother and her best friend were wrong, but thankfully Emmalyn knew what to say, "you didn't do anything wrong, so you have to do now is win her back" "you think I didn't try calling her" he said

Emmalyn tsked "not calling when you mess something bad, like horribly bad you need a grand gesture" "oh my god, Emmalyn they work better in movies," Annabeth said. Now Emmalyn looked at, "have you ever been at the receiving end of a grand gesture? No then let me" she looked back at Alex who was paying attention.

"Leave her," he said, Annabeth scoffed. "What kind of grand gesture won't she be embarrassed if it goes wrong she will never talk to me, there is not much chance of her," he said. "There still is a bit of chance and you just need to try it out once and for the embarrassment, part do not address her, and it is not the gesture it's the thought that counts" she said. Alex nodded as Annabeth watched Emmalyn advise her brother. She faintly smiled at them when their parents came back. It was dark outside, it seemed like a storm was brewing.

Her mother looked at Emmalyn. Emmalyn looked at Annabeth, "I am going to go," she said. "In this storm, you shouldn't Emmalyn," her mother said, "but Mrs. R" she interrupted her as Annabeth sunk into the couch." you should stay the night and see the weather in the morning any friend of my children can stay. I can call your parents if you want their permission" "mum not home, no one is there is no need" Emmalyn said. "You should stay alone during storms and have dinner with us," she said. Emmalyn nodded.

After her mother was out of sight, Emmalyn turned to Annabeth, "I should not bother" she said. "Stay," Annabeth told her, "besides Chris and Adam stayed here for days you are no different" she walked towards the kitchen.