Blind Beauty (Preview)

Chapter 14

Brett

Seeing Emma first thing was the best way to start a day, I could only imagine what it would be like if we actually were a couple living together and what waking up with her would be like. That being said that fantasy didn't last long. As if I was in some hyper-aware state, I turned away from Emma just for a second, and that's when I saw her. The polar opposite of the girl who sat next to me.

From the threshold of the door, Bailey's eyes met mine, and my heartbeat only continued to increase. This time it wasn't out of love though, this rapid heartbeat was solely fear. I don't know why this was happening, I knew I would be walking into the line of fire today when I arrived. What I didn't account for was the fact Bailey would approach me. I assumed by the way she just left yesterday, that she didn't really care and I'd just admire her from afar while getting to be cuddly and playful with Emma. That was but a perfect world scenario now.

Each second that passed things only got worse, as I watched Bailey's eyes shift from mine, to beside me. Looking in my peripherals, I could see that Emma was looking at Bailey as well and it was like sitting in an electric chair, just waiting to die as the two girls decided who would be the one to flip the switch.

"Hey," Bailey said with a monotone voice as I turned back to look at her.

"Sup?" I replied doing my best to play stupid in regards to what I knew she was thinking.

Smiling at her as if that would stop what was to come, she smiled back, but her lips were quivering. Beside me, I could see Emma looking back and forth between Bailey and me, likely trying to put all the pieces together. Again Bailey's eyes relocated from mine and immediately targeted Emma, who was still looking at her as their eyelines met once more. It was now a full on battle between these two titans in my life, and I quietly watched as Bailey tried to glare Emma down. That's when the unexpected happened.

"Hi, I'm Emma." The girl beside me said, clearly showing that she wasn't going to back down.

She never did, Emma was always the one using intimidation or manipulation tactics, and this was yet another demonstration of that. Extending her hand to Bailey, she attempted to break the ice between the two of them, likely knowing full well that if Bailey shook her hand, she would be forfeiting power to Emma.

"Bailey," She responded while ignoring Emma's attempt to make peace.

Turning her attention back to me, Bailey looked straight into my eyes, which told me that I was back in the hot seat. While beside me Emma, retracted her hand and realized that she was now dealing with a formidable foe.

"Mind if I sit here today?" Her words were sharp as I panicked not wanting to tell her to go away.

However, I didn't even get time to answer as she pulled out the chair from the desk, and was in the motion of sitting down.

"Uh, yeah sure go ahead I guess."

My words clearly held no meaning, and I was too late to respond. Although now with the three of us all sitting at the table group the tension between us only increased, as a fight for dominance was on the brink of happening.

Turning to my work and hoping that the tension would just go away, I was far from right. Pulling out my binder and searching for my homework, I only wished the other two did the same. Again, that was a perfect world scenario. Instead, when I glanced up, I could see that Emma and Bailey were taking half-hearted shots at each other with their eyes. Then out of nowhere, I felt Emma's foot hit mine. Not hesitating I looked over at her, while her eyes gestured for me to look at Bailey as she suddenly started to question the poor girl.