If Not For Her

Chapter 49. If Not For Her

Annabeth couldn't get it right. She couldn't bring out the colors or the texture, nothing seemed to work. "Take some rest," her father's voice came from her doorway. "I didn't know you were home," she said. Her father sat next to her. "What are you drawing?" he asked. "I am trying to copy the one I wrecked," she said, her frustration with herself growing with each passing second. She looked at her previous painting beside her."I can't get it right," she said. "What if I don't get in?" she asked. That was the only dream she had as a child. "Then you can try next year," her mother said as she sat next to her, "but for now work on it," she said.

"There is no harm in trying," her father said standing up. "Goodnight kid," "Goodnight dad, dad" she called out. Her father walked back in, "yes honey" she looked between her parents. "I need to tell you both something". Her parents sat on her bed while she stood in front of them, suddenly realizing the momentum of the situation. Her brother walked in the exact moment.  He looked at all of them, "am I missing something?" he asked. "I was about to tell them," Annabeth said. Alex nodded and started to walk out. "Alex, stay" she called out. Her brother joined her parents.  "I am in love with someone," she said, her mother's face broke into smile, "that is great," her mother said. "A girl" she added

Her father was the first one to speak "Okay, what's her name?" her father asked. "That's it? What's her name?" Annabeth asked. "What do you expect us to say, Anne, we almost knew we were waiting for you to tell us. We didn't want to rush you honey " her mother said. "Knew? how?" Annabeth asked, she was shocked and so was Alex. "We did, we are your parents we know everything," her father got up and kissed her forehead. "This doesn't affect anything, we love you just the same,"

She hugged him and then she hugged her mother, her mother kissed her cheek. "Goodnight love" "goodnight," she said as they closed the door. She hugged Alex, "everything will be fine," he assured. Nothing else mattered to her. She sat in front of her canvas with a new idea. The days passed and Annabeth avoided Emmalyn with everything she had. One day Emmalyn  tried to speak to her, maybe clear something, but Annabeth stopped her before she could get  a word out. "You know Cole, you promised to give me anything, well I don't want you to talk to me anymore"

After a few days Emmalyn stopped even looking at her, and things went back to how they were in the earlier years. They were nothing but strangers with a lot of memories. She submitted her painting along with Emmalyn and waited for the results.

The day came a lot sooner than she thought it would. "I don't feel so good," she said as she sat with the other students in the auditorium waiting for the announcement. "I feel nauseous," Annabeth said. "Don't even think of puking Annabeth, I am wearing my new shirt" Adam said. Chris slightly hit his arm, "Annie you are just nervous," Chris said. "What if I don't win," she said.

"You would you are the best in the class," Adam said. They saw Emmalyn walk in and sit in the front row with Sofia. Annabeth turned the other way. Adam patted her shoulder and gave her a notebook. "Where did you get this I couldn't find it," she said. "Emmalyn gave it to me maybe you should open it," he said. She was hesitant but opened it and inside on a page was a beautiful portrait of her laughing and paper folded. She opened it and started reading it.

Dearest Liv,

I don't know when you would get it but I hope when you do you don't hate me as much and like all the romantic cliches in the world, I am writing you a note. I just want to tell you that I am ashamed of myself and I wasn't half as brave as I should have been. You were and still are the most amazing person in my life. I never wanted to lose you. No one else mattered until you. You showed me how much I was capable of loving someone. You brought out the worst as well as the best in me. Madame Andrea told us to draw what we love, you are the one I love.

Yours, Em

Their principal got on stage along with Madame Andrea, she was holding a cream envelope in her hands. "Here I have the results of the competition and the competition was extremely close between two people. We would have chosen both but sadly there could be one winner and the winner is" Annabeth held Chris's hand as tightly as she could. "Ms. Emmalyn Cole" Annabeth let go of her hand as the claps rang. She felt numb, all her dreams, wishes everything shattered right in front of her eyes. The one dream she had was gone.

She saw Emmalyn get on the stage, her painting behind her covered. Her eyes found Emmalyn's, blue met brown once again as several memories flashed. Emmalyn was congratulated by the teachers. Her drawing was unveiled and Annabeth gasped with the other students. It was the same portrait of her laughing, and she looked beautiful, Emmalyn brought out the best of her.

She smiled at Annabeth as she took the mic, "this opportunity means I lot to me but sadly I can't accept this" Annabeth frowned "I started taking art to get back at someone and not because I loved it and during that time I found a lot of things I love and my true dream. I made a lot of mistakes and I would hate to take the opportunity from someone else who truly deserved it," she glanced at Madame Andrea, "as much as I would love to have a place at the academy I can't accept it," she walked back to her seat.

Madame Andrea went to the mic, "as the rules if the winner doesn't accept the place, the painting that came second wins, and now the winner is.." with a pause she said, "Annabeth Reed" the claps roared once again, but Annabeth's eyes stayed on the blonde. She slowly made her way through the stairs to the stage, she went to the mic and saw Emmalyn, she just faintly smiled and got up, she was leaving. "Thank you," Annabeth said in a soft voice as the students saw her painting. She didn't care about anyone else at that moment, "Em" she called out.

Emmalyn stopped. Annabeth ran after her, she turned around and Annabeth kissed her in front of everyone and Emmalyn took her waist and kissed her back. She heard the claps once again. "You are an idiot," Annabeth said as she pulled back. "I am your idiot sweetheart" Emmalyn pulled her back. "That you are," Annabeth said. "I love you," Emmalyn said close to her lips. "I love you more," Annabeth said. Both of their lives would have been extremely different if not for her.