Picture Perfect (✔️)

Chapter 22

Emily

I don't remember when was the last time, our house felt this lively and crowded before. Mom ordered take out and she ordered a lot of foods. When I say a lot, its like she's planning to feed our neighbours as well. Mom was thrilled and happy when Bloom complimented her plants. Bloom shared her mom likes planting, which is why she have some ideas about plants and flowers.

Dad spoke quietly with Everett and I was nervous. I have no idea what they were talking about. Instead of the small dining table that my family and I use daily, we used the long dining table and it was filled with foods and mom even lit some scented candles around the place. Mom likes scented candles, she always lit one. She said the scent calms her nerves.

Dad and Everett seemed to be getting along fine. Mom occasionally asked us questions about how we became friends.

"I didn't see London, today." Mom said and all of us looked at me including, Everett.

"She didn't come to school today." I said and Mom nodded like that actually made sense.

The dinner was lively thanks to Bloom who kept the conversation going. Even Dad seemed pretty interested in whatever Bloom was talking about.

Everett was sitting across from me and I caught him looking at me once in a while and it made my heart skipped a little. I shouldn't be feeling this way, but my heart feels otherwise.

After dinner, all of them helped my parents tidied the space. Everett was planning something in his head. I could sense it, his movement seemed urgent and calculated, but I could be wrong. He always does something, unexpected.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" He asked quietly when he noticed everyone was busy talking.

"No." I said quietly. I don't want to talk to him because I'm afraid my heart will cave for him. He will hate me like how my family does and I don't want that. I don't want him to hate me and he have London now. He shouldn't be here in the first place. I wondered if London knows he came to visit me or knows that he's here at my place.

"Please." he pleaded and gently tucked the sleeve of my shirt.

"I don't want to talk to you." I said moving away from him. I avoided looking at him because I know it will be another painful expression.

"Please come and visit us often." Mom said to my friends. "Emily will be at home for sometime, she might be bored."

I didn't know what to say other than to flushed a little in embarrassment.

"We will come over on the weekend to share assignments details." Aaliyah said.

"That would be so nice." Mom said. "How about you, Everett?"

I don't know why my mom is suddenly interested in Everett?

"I will come over as well, Ma'am." he said.

"Morgan honey, thank you for always being there for Em." Mom said. "We're very grateful to you."

Morgan was embarrassed and didn't say anything apart from giving her an embarrassing smile.

When my friends left, mom said, "Em, I'm so glad you decided to make more friends. They all seem so nice."

"They are, mom." I said.

"Are you and Everett..."

"No, mom. We are just." I don't know, he said he can't be friends with me. "classmates." That's the word, we're not strangers neither are we friends. We are classmates.

"He seem like a nice boy." Dad suddenly interrupted us.

"He is." I said, surprised that Dad was listening to our conversation.