If Not For Her

Chapter 32. "We could be something"

Emmalyn held up a drunk Annabeth as she took away the glass from her. Nick was pulled away by Alex and she was too drunk to even notice. Emmalyn put her arms over her shoulders. "Let me go, I want to dance, dance with me," Annabeth said. Emmalyn tightened her grip around her waist. "We will dance but first let's get out of here" she pulled her away from the jumping crowd.

"Where is your boyfriend?" Emmalyn asked, looking around for him. She spotted him the exact moment he saw her and more importantly Annabeth. He rushed to her with Alex on his heel. "What is wrong with her?"Alex asked. "Are you bloody blind, she is drunk" Emmalyn said. "Who the hell gave her alcohol, she is underage" Emmalyn looked at Nicolas, "we will talk about it later, first we need to get her to sleep," Chris said. "I will take her," Emmalyn said, "let me help you?" Nicolas asked. She glared at him from the stairs, "you have done enough"

"Watch your step" Emmalyn said as she guided her up the stairs, "cole," Annabeth said. "Hmm?" "I need to puke" Emmalyn closed her eyes and let out a breath, "we are close hold it," she said opening a door. She led her to the bathroom where Annabeth dropped to her knees and Emmalyn held her hair and patted her back. Annabeth wiped her chin, "I am sorry you have to see me like that" she said. Emmalyn helped her, "let's get you cleaned up. She helped her clean herself up and stood outside the door as she changed her clothes. Emmalyn tucked her in bed. "Go to sleep," she said. "You are very pretty" Annabeth suddenly said

"And you are very drunk" "no, I just want to say that why are you suddenly good to me?" She asked. "I never hated you, I never did" she mustered up her courage and slightly kissed her forehead before closing the door. Downstairs the party had died down. The people were gone. Emmalyn saw the time it was 1 past midnight. "I should go," she said.

"How is she?" Nicolas asked.
"She is fine now"
"Emmalyn, did she ever drink?"
Emmalyn bit her lip a bit, what should she do, she could sabotage their relationship or she could let them be.
"She did but once, it was not much" Emmalyn lied, he nodded. Emmalyn looked at the stairs, "you should stay with her," she said pulling out her car keys.

She wanted Annabeth to be happy, even if it was not with her. She saw Nicolas run up the stairs, "Alex, Adam, and Chris were on the couch, done with the cleaning. They were close to sleeping. She decided not to wake them and slowly walked out of the house. She felt the cool winds on her skin as she drove. She searched her bag for her phone when instead she found the spare keys to the Academy from the summer she worked there. Gloria did not know, no one did.

She took a turn and moved towards the Academy. She had to pull herself together. She slowly turned the keys and switched on the lights. It looked bigger every time she came alone. She walked towards the wall with mirrors and put on the music from her phone. She always kept a spare shoe at the Academy as some ways she came directly from cheer practice. She put them on and stood up.

She started moving and soon lost herself in the dance. When the music ended, her muscles ached as she sat down on the floor. "I knew someone breaking in I didn't expect it to be you," Grace said walking in. "What are you doing here?" Emmalyn asked, "I can ask you the exact same question" the reply came as Grace sat next to her. Emmalyn avoided her eyes. She felt Grace take a deep breath in, she was going to say something, something Emmalyn was not ready for.

"Do you want to dance?" Emmalyn asked trying to avoid the question. Grace looked at her. "Sure," she said, she seemed taken aback. The music started and they started dancing. Grace had an envious elegance to her. Emmalyn joined her in and when the music stopped Grace softly pressed her lips onto Emmalyn's. Emmalyn's eyes widened. Grace slowly pulled back, "I can't stop thinking about...that" she started. Emmalyn just listened her mind spinning she just kissed Grace again.

"I think we could maybe be something...don't you think?" She asked. Emmalyn was confused, "how would you like to go on a date with me?" She asked. Grace's face lit up, "I would love to," she said. Emmalyn nodded, "I will see you tomorrow at practice, Grace" she waved at her and drove home. She was in a mess.