If Not For Her

Chapter 38. "Mistletoe"

Emmalyn was shaking, she didn't know if it was because of the cold evening winds or the fact that she was about to perform the lead for the first time and that too without her mother's knowledge. She peeked through the dark curtain, nearly all of the town of there, but her eyes searched for that one person. She felt a cold hand on her bare shoulder. She shivered at the touch. She turned around, it was Grace. "You will be fine," she said. "Of course, you would say that, you look great" she said. Grace smiled at her as Catrina wrapped her hand around Grace's waist and landed a soft kiss on her neck. "She is not wrong," she said. Emmalyn nodded and looked out once again. "Stop looking, you will get nervous," Catrina said. 

"I don't think I can get any more nervous, nothing can help me now," Emmalyn said clasping her hands together. "Not that it would help," Grace said with a smile and knowing eyes. "But this came for you" she handed her a bouquet full of white lilies, and a pink note, "Good luck," Grace said pulling Catrina with her. Emmalyn sat on one of the chairs and pulled out the note and immediately her face lit up, she recognized the cursive writing,  she spent a lot of her time reading. Her note said, "You are a great dancer, the best I have ever seen" she rolled her eyes and continued to read, "don't roll your eyes Em, all I want to say is that you are a brilliant dancer. Don't be nervous you will do great. Lots of love Annabeth" she smiled as she folded the note and kept it inside the her diary. She smiled at the thought of the brunette, maybe Annabeth was at the crowd. The thought calmed at her down a bit.

She set down her favorite flowers and calmed herself down. "Girls" Gloria's voice came, telling all of them to assemble. She stood at the utter center as the curtain slowly lifted. She felt the light directly hit her and soon she heard the slow music. Emmalyn closed her eyes. Nothing else mattered, she lifted her feet and danced to the tune, blocking away the world. Emmalyn performed the best she had her whole life, she felt it. She stopped with a huge smile.

She heard the loud clapping from the crowd and saw the loudest was none other than her mother standing. She felt her breath catch as she kept her eyes on her mother's proud face.  Evelyn was also clapping. Her eyes searched for Annabeth, she found her sitting with her parents, smiling at her as she clapped. It was her. Shd rushed back stage her mother was there, waiting. She hugged Emmalyn, catching her by surprise. "You were great, my love,"  she said with slight tears in her eyes. She held her mother's hand to her cheek. "You look beautiful," she said. "I am sorry I didn't tell you," Emmalyn said. "It's fine. I am here, you were brilliant... He would be proud of you" 

"You were.. nice" Evelyn said. "Thank you, Evie," she said. "We should go," her mother said, smiling at her. She seemed proud of her. Emmalyn  smiled at the thought. Finally, she saw Annabeth, without any words she hugged her, "Thank you,...for everything" she said. "I told you she would be proud of you," she said. "It means...a lot," she said still holding onto her. "It's fine, Em. You are...." Annabeth didn't have words. Someone I  kind of like. "one of my best friends" she said instead. She watched Emmalyn step back. "I.." she let out a breath, "You should go," Annabeth said instead. "Right, yeah, bye Annabeth" "Bye Emmalyn," she said.

Annabeth watch her walk away. She was extremely confused about everything. "I will walk", she told Alex at the stairs. "You sure?" he asked, putting on his dark green coat.  "I like walking, I will be fine, and it is not dark yet," she said. "Give me your phone," he said. "Why?" she asked, pulling it out. "I need your location, if something happens I would know where to find out. It seems like it would snow soon" he said, looking out. "You are being paranoid" she  said, he handed her phone back. "Call it what you want, don't be out too late," he said. "Bye," she said. "Bye," he said walking out with their parents. Annabeth  needed time to think, to figure out what she feels for Emmalyn and a walk would be the perfect opportunity. She looked around, everything was decorated with Christmas festivities.

"Annabeth," Emmalyn called out to Annabeth from the top of the stairs. She had her blue scarf. "Wait," Annabeth said walking up as Emmalyn went down. She gave handed her the scarf. "Thanks," Annabeth said as she saw Emmalyn's eyes flick above them. She followed her gaze and found a mistletoe hanging just above their heads. Emmalyn looked at Annabeth, unsure of what to say. "Mistletoe," Annabeth said in barely a whisper. "We could not nobody saw us," she said, her cheeks turning a bit red. "We can't fight the tradition," Annabeth said, moving up on her tiptoes to slowly brush her lips against Emmalyn's. They were softer than she had imagined.

Emmalyn was shocked to respond. Annabeth stepped back and tried to read her face. Emmalyn saw the red stain on her pink lips and stepped towards her. She slowly cupped her cheek, she wanted to do that for months now, "May I?" she asked. Annabeth barely nodded. Emmalyn softly pressed her lips against Annabeth's once again. Both of them closed their eyes. Both of them wanted to do it, but none had the courage. The time seemed to stop for a moment. It was just them. "Annie,"  a voice made them pull apart by a jolt. Emmalyn saw Christina and Adam at the end of the staircase. "Thank you, for the scarf, Emmalyn," Annabeth said as she ran down the stairs.

"What happened?" Emmalyn heard Adam ask. "Nothing happened," Annabeth said. Did it mean nothing to her? Emmalyn watched Annabeth turn back to look at her with a small smile. It definitely meant something to her. She went back to the hall with a huge smile. She finally kissed Annabeth Olivia Reed