Disclaimer: I do not own the lying game or any of his characters.
Keep it simple he said, just friends he said. Sure, sounds easy. But not at all. I avoided him almost all week. He didn't seemed upset or anything. Maybe that's the worst part about it, he gave me space. Even if I didn't ask it, but somehow, he knew I needed some. I had spent all my time doing school work and practice for my tennis tournament. Ted never mentioned Ethan again, and Kristen did her best to make me forget about all of that dinner scene. Making my favorite dinner, even if I didn't really had one, making desserts, just be being Kristen actually. Sutton looked a bit happy about the whole thing, I think it make me less perfect at her eyes, and somehow, build up her self-esteem. Maybe that was just what she needed to completely accept me. I was grateful to her to train with me almost every day after school, but not at the club, at school. That way I couldn't possibly see Ethan. I also had passed an entire week without seeing Thayer. Mads and Char had offered me to come over several times for some girl time, and we've had a lot of fun together. It was like if they tried to make me catch up on their lives. But time went by pretty fast, and the father-daughter dance had arrived.
We had been taking care of ourselves all day long. Mads and Char were at our places since 12o'clock so we could prepare ourselves all together. They were planning on doing something with my hair, since like they said I didn't know anything about dressing up properly. Since they had decided to put my hair up, Sutton had decided to let her down, so nobody would take her for me and vice-versa. Kristen had left for an hour or two to actually prepare the ballroom at the club, but she would be back to see us all dressed up.
"You'll look fabulous in your dress!" Laurel said as she was the only one in the room that actually had seen it. Even if I had started to forgive Sutton, I hadn't agreed to let her see my dress. I wanted to make it a surprise. Kind of my way to let them know I could actually pick my own clothes. Mads and Char had picked some gorgeous dresses their selves. Mads had chosen a peach-colored one, and Char would were a silver colored one, she was planning on coming with us, even if her father wouldn't be there. But apparently, he never was and she was using Ted as a substitute. As soon as they were done with my make-up and my hair, they pushed me in my bathroom to put on my dress. Sutton was arranging Mads hair and Laurel went to her bedroom to pick out her shoes. Char was waiting outside the bathroom for me to come out.
"Are you ready yet?" Char asked still waiting. I was looking at myself in the mirror. I was unrecognizable. The girl I was looking at, was just sublime. The girl I was back in Vegas would have never talked to someone like me.
"Yes, I'm ready. Question is, are you?" I say loud enough hoping she would hear it.
"Girls, she's ready!" They are making a big deal out of it, because it's my first dance and all. It's like if I was Cinderella and they were my fairy-godmothers. Can you even imagine, I had four of them! Only, I wasn't going to a ball to meet my prince, but to dance with the man that had become my dad. I didn't need a prince.
"Go wait in the bedroom with the others. Then I'll come out." I tell Char. Better show me to all of them at the same time.
"Okay, now come out!" Char yells and I can hear she's in my bedroom. I unlock the door and slowly walk back to my bedroom, hoping I wasn't going to fall because of my high heels.
"OMG, you look stunning!" Mads say as she sees me enter the bedroom.
"I have to admit, maybe this time, you're the sexiest of us." Sutton jokes, "Or not, I can't decide it yet!" Yeah sure, she isn't going to give up her throne that easily. She was already wearing her dress. She probably had put it on while I was in the bathroom.
"Told you she would look incredible." Laurel said like if anyone actually was doubting it. Maybe some of them were. Like I said before, they didn't think I could actually be able to pick my own clothes. Put, I'm a quick learner.
"You are going to pull some men closer to you." Char said as she walked around me. "Just remember, stay away from my man." Oh, so she's officially dating Derek? Good for her, she deserves a good guy. And if he turned out to be a bad one, I'll kick his ass and he'll see what happens when you touch one of mine.
"Not the point of the dance." I tell them. Nope, the point for me, was to look like a real Mercer. Mission accomplished. "Is Kristen home yet?" I ask hoping she would still like that dress on me.
"Aren't you supposed to call them mom and dad by now?" Sutton said. I was kind of surprised it came from Sutton. That was more something Laurel would have said.
"I know. I'm doing my best. Not that easy. It's not like if I had had 17 years to get used to call them like that. Give me some time. I'll come there eventually." I don't even know them for that long, I barely know them since longer than a month or something. So, I can't tell that it's that easy.
"Yeah yeah. I think she's in the kitchen waiting with her camera or something. That's what she usually does." Sutton continued as the other three girls where still staring at me like if they had never seen another person before.
"This dress really looks great on you." Mads said as she was done walking around me to capture every single detail of that dress on me.
"Well, if you guys are done admiring my sister, I think mom is waiting in the kitchen." Laurel said and winked at me.
Laurel and Sutton where both right. Kristen took at least 20 pictures of us. She wanted to capture every single detail of us all. I have to admit, she took more pictures or Sutton, Laurel and I then she took from Mads and Char, but I guess that's logic. At least I'll have a picture to send to Lexy. Since Mads couldn't get her dad's or Thayer's car, and Char hasn't one, we took both Sutton and mine to go to the dance. Ted would meet us there. From what Laurel had told me, he was probably already waiting for us outside the club. Char came in the car with me telling me about her plans after the dance. Derek would pick her up at the club and they would have another date. A bit late for a date, but why not. If it makes her happy. Laurel wanted to come in the car with me, I could tell it by the way she was looking at me a second before she walked into Sutton's car. But I can understand why she went with Sutton. She doesn't want her to feel jealous. Like I probably said before, Laurel is a good sister.
"Stop worrying Emma. Ted would love your dress even if it was an ugly one, you know, those dresses girls were wearing 100 years ago. And since it isn't the case, he'll only love you more. That's what dads do, I heard." Oh god, even when I don't talk I make mistakes.
"I'm sorry Char." The only thing I could say. Normally I find my words way easier. But I never know what to say when it comes to parents. Maybe it's because I never had some of my own. Who can tell?
"For what? Don't bother apologizing for something you didn't do." I was about to apologize again, but I figured it would be nuts to do so.
I had done such a good job avoiding Ethan during days that I was kind of surprised to find him at the club, which was logic, since he was working there. At least he wasn't the one to park my car.
"Smile Ems, hot guy at two o'clock." Char said as she was talking about Ethan.
"Aren't we supposed to look for Ted?" Avoiding the Ethan subject.
"I'm going to look for the girls, normally Ted is waiting at the ballroom door. I'll be waiting for you there, and give you guys a minute." Char said as she was already walking faster and left me behind.
"He's just a friend Char. Just a friend. Haven't you ever had male friends before?" I whisper so Ethan, who was walking towards me didn't hear what I told her. Char nod and smiled at me as she got away.
"Emma, you look … you look … gorgeous." Ethan said as he was staring at me from head to toe.
"Thanks. So you're working tonight?" How stupid can I be? Of course he is. He is here isn't he?!
"They pay double on the weekends and for events." He was still staring at me. "You really look great." Already said that, but thank you.
"Thanks again." I said. I had actually missed him during this week. Avoiding him, wasn't that easy. Well, it had been longer than a week, but who counts. "I've missed you." Why the hell did I just say that? Wait, why the fuck did I just say that? How could I let that come out of my mouth?
"Yeah, well I wasn't the one avoiding the other." Please, someone shoot me. "But, I missed you too. I was used to having you around. Even if it only was to drive you around." Drive me around? That's not how I would have said it.
"It's not that I was avoiding you, it's more."
"That you were avoiding me." He interrupted me. He was right; I can't pretend not to have avoided him.
"I'm sorry. I just needed some time to think." Think about what? I was even avoiding thinking about him.
"About what?" Like if he didn't know.
"Keep it simple." I think those words a going to resume my thoughts.
"Really? I scared you of? I thought we should keep things simple. I thought that was what you wanted." Maybe, I don't know. How the hell I'm I supposed to know? He used to be with my sister. But on the other side, he's handsome, sweet, funny, smart, … and not to forget, hot.
"I'm not that easy to scare." He took my hand in his without even looking around. He didn't care if someone would see us. And frankly, I didn't either.
"So, what's keeping us from it? I'm not going to jump on you. For the moment, we'll just be friends, that spend time together and that occasionally holds hands. Not more than that. Look Emma, I get it, you had a though life. But I feel good when I'm with you, and I know you do too. So, I repeat, let's keep it simple, for now." Why not?
"What about Sutton?" That's what keeps me from it, well mostly. That and having my heart crushed a second time.
"What about her? I think, I had the wrong sister all along." The wrong sister? Really? How does he know he has the right one now?
"You think?" He doesn't seem that sure about it.
"I'm sure. I picked the wrong one." He says again. Something moved on the side but I didn't turn my head to look at it. "So, keep it simple?" Keep it simple?
"Why not. But just that, we keep things simple." Did I really just agree to that?
"Great. So, I guess it is okay if tomorrow, I pick you up? We can go catch a movie or something? Something really boring friends do." A movie? That's sounds more like date to me actually. But, I've been at home for days since he first talked about keep it simple, so I could use a day out, without Mads or Char, or Laurel and Sutton. Besides, Sutton is asking me if I finally got an answer from Ruth Peterson at least once every ten minutes. I really hope she's going to find an address or a number quickly.
"A movie? Sounds good to me. But as friends right?" That's what keep it simple is all about right? I feel like I'm thinking as keep it simple like an organization or something like that.
"That's what it's all about. I'll pick you up around five? Or do you prefer I hide behind a tree and you joining me there in secret?" I'm not Sutton. Besides, Ted and Kristen already know he's my friend.
"No need to hide. I've made it pretty clear I do not judge my friends and do not let anyone pick them out for me."
"Okay, well go to your party now. And don't be surprised if I take a look inside, I want to see if you remember those dancing lessons I gave you!" I laughed.
"Yes master. Bye." He let of my hand and walks towards the ballroom. I was right when I thought something had moved on my right, Laurel had been watching us.
"Are you and Ethan having something?" She asks me as I come near her? "Wait don't answer. You'll tell me about it at home. For now, daddy is waiting for you."
And two chapters today. I think you guys will be able to forgive for not writing as often as I used to. But its way easier to write when I'm on vacation. So, I hope you'll like this chapter. I made a jump in time, about a few days more than a week, because I felt like going to the father-daughter dance a bit quickly. If anyone is wondering about the tennis tournament. Emma came in second place, Sutton fourth and Nisha sixth. I just wanted you to know, since I'm not talking about it in this chapter, but I could be talking about it in the next one. Don't forget to review on this chapter!