Find Me in Vienna

3. You could say hindsight will be 20/20.

Six months. Six wonderful months of Steven and me. Even Em and Austin were still together, turning us from the dynamic duo to the quant quartet. Pushing my lock closed I grinned at Steven. My vision of him obscured by Emily's face. Tight lipped, arms crossed. I sighed. I didn't know why she was mad, but it seemed to be happening a lot lately. Her steps echoed as loudly as mine didn't, but she knew I followed her. Hair fluttered over my lip as I looked back, looking at Steven one last time during the break. His frown deepened when I didn't stop and talk. I tried to smile at him to let him know it was okay. He stayed frozen.

"What's up Em?" I sighed. I really didn't want to deal with this right now. Steven might get upset that I didn't tell him I couldn't hang out with him. Especially since it was just Em. 

"We need to talk. What the hell was up this weekend? We had plans!" She threw her hands up in the air. I was supposed to go with her to the mall and lunch but Steven asked me to come over, but I couldn't tell Emily that.

"I told you I couldn't make it anymore. Something came up. We can do it next weekend."

"Oh yeah for sure. Something came up." She put her fingers up making air quotes. 

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Yeah. How many times do I have to tell you?" 

"Allie! I can see right through your lies! Tell me the truth. Tell me you had to cancel on me because he made you!"

My mouth popped open. "Steven didn't make me do anything." I lied to her, she wouldn't understand. Steven needed me, Em didn't. 

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes. "You better open your eyes soon or else you won't have any friends left by graduation." 

My mouth hung open. Was she threatening me? 

"I know what you're thinking and no, I'm not threatening you. I'm warning you." She turned on and stalked away at that, leaving me in the empty hallway. Turning I walked back to our lockers, breathing a sigh out when Steven was still waiting for me. He turned and looked at me.

"What was that about?" 

"Oh Em just needed to ask me a question about my parents' anniversary dinner in a couple of weeks," I lied. Steven frowned at that. Maybe he knew when I was lying like Em. But he just shrugged.

"Do I have to go to that? And you're sure it has to happen right? We can't cancel?" 

"Steven! It's my parents 20th anniversary we can't just cancel. Plus they know about it." I avoided his first question. My parents hardly knew him, he was always cancelling dinners and I would always go to his house not mine. 

Walking outside, I grasped his hand. I wanted to shake the conversation I had with Emily off, but it kept nagging at the back of my mind. She couldn't be right. Sure I spent more time with Steven now, but I talked to my friends in class still. And I texted Em all the time. Maybe less than before but still a lot. Throughout the rest of the day it plagued my mind. 

**

"Hey Allie- Cat how was school?" My dad's voice rang out from the living room as I pushed open our front door. That's been my nickname for as long as I can remember. It didn't make sense since it was longer than my name but it's what they've always called me. 

"Oh fine, didn't learn a single thing," I joked. They didn't pay extra for me to be in the program, but they were always making sure I got the best they could give me. We even moved into town for my school. We used to live out of town rurally but it was too hard with driving and all the assignments I had to do. My sister and I moved our horses to our grandparents just out of town. Everything worked out well.

"I'm going to go to Steven's later I think."

"You haven't seen Emily in awhile," my parents shared a quick look. 

"I see her at school everyday. Plus I told Steven I'd come over to do some homework together," I pointed out to them. They sighed, relenting. 

"Well so long as your grades stay up where they're at then I guess it's okay." 

I jumped up, kissing them each on the cheek. "Thanks! I'm checking on Copper first by the way" I grabbed the keys from the door. If I had been going slower, I would have seen the concerned look my parents shared and the shake of the head my dad gave the shutting door.

**

"Took you long enough," Steven accused as he opened the door. 

"Sorry. I was talking to my parents and then went to check on my horse. I told you I was doing that"

"I know, I just thought you wanted to spend time with me is all." 

I rolled my eyes at him, walking by putting my books on the marbled table. Stevens parents were well off to say the least. His dad was a successful doctor and his mom a leading accountant. Beautiful original paintings hung on almost every wall surface, and I knew more were in the spare room as storage. The only places there wasn't paintings there were massive windows overlooking the valley. Their house was gorgeous, but I was always scared to touch something I wasn't supposed to. Not that I would tell Steven that, he would probably just laugh at me. It didn't help at all that his mom was horribly intimidating and I'm pretty sure she didn't like me. 

"All right, let's do some math." I feigned enthusiasm, not wanting to make Steven think I didn't want to be there. This was how my weeks usually went. School. Parents. Horse. Steven. Repeat. As I thought about this I couldn't help my stomach clenching. Em was right, I never see anyone anymore. When Steven went to the bathroom, I pulled out my phone.

*Hey Em! What are you doing this weekend? I'm sorry about last weekend. I'm ready to make it up to you <3* I texted out as fast as I could. I knew Steven would be upset but it was time to start seeing my friends again.