Truly Fantastic

Chapter 14

"I didn't even know you had a life outside of school really. Or more precisely I didn't care."

Emily frowned at her statement and turned her back on her classmate, but Shirley kept talking to her, hoping to get some sort of reaction.

"Is your beastly dad here? I told my mother all about what he did at our school and she along with a bunch of her girlfriend went and sent him a piece of their minds."

Just ignore her.... But frankly it was getting harder and harder to.

"Hey! Are you listening to me? Hellooo?"

Shirley began to wave her hand in front of Emily's face as if to see if she really was paying attention and smirked. She was about to say something but was interrupted by another voice.

"There you are Shirley! I thought you were still at Madame Malkin's."

Gerald.

Upon seeing the boy, Shirley immediately turned away from the flustered Scamander child and batted her eyelashes. "Just popping in to say hello," she said gesturing to Emily and smiling so hard the shine on her white teeth were nearly blinding. 

"Well we'd better head back, Madame Malkin says that your suit is ready for fitting now."

Nodding her head, sending a satisfied smirk at Emily. Then touching Gerald's arm and whispering something in his ear, she walked away. 

Blowing out a breath of air, he looked at Emily apologetically "Sorry, um, about her. Shirley really is a great person once you get past all... that."

"Yeah she seems like a real angel." Emily said rolling her eyes and trying not to stare into his eyes. 

An awkward silence endured and Emily felt the tiniest bit of guilt for insulting the boy's friend. 

"Sorry,"

"Nah, you're right. She's a real vulture."

"That's an insult to vultures."

The two of them laughed, Emily couldn't remember a time where she felt this relaxed with Gerald. Maybe it was the bookstore.

"I should be heading back... I need to get my suit fitted as well for Father's Christmas party tonight."

"Alright then, hope you have a wonderful time." Emily told him smiling. Smiling's good right?

He nodded, "You know, the invite's still open. Father says they'll be fireworks."

Before Emily could answer him Hazel, Queenie and the kids came bustling in. 

"Em! There you are we've been looking through every shelf for you! You have to come there's a new ice cream flavor!" Hazel said enthusiastically running up to her grandchild. 

Queenie took a long look at Gerald and smiled "Hello, you must be a friend of Emily's." she said shaking the boy's hand.

"Classmate," Emily interrupted embarrassed for Hazel was looking at Emily, then Gerald, then Emily, and Gerald again. 

She knew that look in her grandmother's eyes, it was the same one when her parents would smile at each other. 

Oh boy

"Nice to meet you all." Gerald said politely to the large group, then to Emily "I'll see you later Emily." and walked out with a wave.

The minute he was gone Alice jumped on top of her cousin excitedly "YOU LIKE HIM YOU LIKE HIM YOU REALLY REALLY LIKE HIM!"