Damon called her "Emmie Love" and I couldn't conceal my stunned expression. Damon has always called me "Emmie love" or "Emmie Darling" or "Dear Emmie" he never once called me Emalyne; he's always referred to me by any of those nicknames. So, to hear him give her a pet name he usually calls me was a shock, but it's not like I really even care, I am just surprised. But that other girl was almost as shocked by Damon's words and actions as I was. Does she even know Damon? They clearly have not been dating for any significant length of time like Damon attempted to let on. I have never seen him with her before. Every time he sees me he flirts with me, not her. Everyone knows I am with Paxxon so, what reason would I have to be shocked and jealous? None. I don't, not of her.
Damon called me: "The Other Emmie?" Me? No, I have been Emmie my whole life. I am Emmie. That girl is just jealous of me, and jealous that Paxxon likes me, and even Damon does too. She was jealous of his attention on me and not her. This other Emmie girl pretends to be all popular, tough, attractive, dangerous, someone to envy, etc. but that must be a facade. I know she's in Defense Against Danger, but I have barely noticed her, she is forgettable, ditzy, and off putting. She likes the attention. She likes how people stare at her with Damon, and she likes that I even gave her my attention. Well not again!! If it wasn't enough to be all over the Dean of Fam-ac's son, she needs attention from me and Paxxon too. This girl, the actual "Other Emmie" is a fake, and Damon sees right through it. He is just using her to bug me, he's trying to make Paxxon angry, and it is working. But Damon is also using this other Emmie girl to make me, Emalyne, the real Emmie, crazy with jealousy. It's not working, I don't even like Damon.
Paxxon and I are the It couple, strong, confident, a couple to envy. Everyone will want to be in a relationship like we have, they already do, and I have seen it all. Paxxon made the right choice choosing me, Emalyne Thatcher, Damon can have that imposter Emmie. She knows I was Emmie first, I am the real Emmie, she will forever now be known as "the other Emmie," and I am over this.
I watch them walk away together and my gaze quickly shifts to Paxxon and away from the Fire Mani's. Paxxon looks angrier than I have seen him before. I am not sure if he is more angry with Damon's taunting words, his evil action, his insensitive flirting, his dismissal, or my reactions to him clearly getting under my skin. Paxxon always remains strong and silent, his face a mask of emotionless uncaring, it doesn't faze him. But I let my annoyance, and even some jealousy and stun I don't understand why I am feeling, show all over my face.
"Let's get out of here and head to the Sunday event at the gym," Phoebe says to break the silence, and I am grateful.
"Are they always like that?" I ask.
"Yes, but we have it under control," Phoebe responds, looking over at Luther and Spencer as she does.
Luther leaves us to go and check on Lucas, and Paxxon volunteers to join him. The rest of us attempt to get all of this off of our mind and have some fun on a Sunday. We have AEE coming up too fast, and Midterms coming up right after. I have way more important things to focus on than Damon Ashbluff and whatever he is doing with that Emmie girl. I hope she keeps him busy so he will leave me alone and I can focus on my work. I know he's using me to bother Paxxon and using her to bother me and bother Paxx even more, I won't let it work. I am not some ditzy and jealous little girl, I know what I am doing.
But my confidence starts to fade as I realize the Fire Mani's didn't leave Am-c to go back to Fam-ac, they are here at the event, playing games as if nothing just happened. Well, I can beat them in absolutely anything, so ignoring them while I have fun with my friends will be no problem.
"Let's go do trivia," I suggest,
"No way Emmie! We have EYE prep and classwork and all of that, all week! Sundays are for fun and relaxing not for more work," Brynn whines.
YOU ARE READING
The Echoes of Rivalry & Ruin (The Acamancy Series I)
FantasyThe Academy of Manipulation and Control was built on that exact premise: to manipulate and control its students and their gifts. 150 years ago, the Founders created the school to control its students, and their gifts to manipulate the elements, and...
