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Emily and Britney's Playdate Part Two:

8:10 PM

The two of us ordered more appetizers without asking each other what we wanted. We just ordered for ourselves even though we ended up taking pieces from the other's plates with no complaints. Occasionally, there would be a split second of eye contact, but we just brushed it off.

It hasn't even been an hour and I'm expected to sit here for several more, but I still can't believe that I'm sitting across the table from one of my enemies. This is officially the -

"Worst night ever," Britney grumbles.

I look at her a bit perplexed but she doesn't notice. I know she has magic because Apollo told us she did but did she just read my mind? I doubt that because she is definitely thinking the same thing.

"You think I'm having fun on this playdate?" I question rhetorically, stabbing my fork into a piece of shrimp.

"How about we just not talk for the remaining four hours," Britney suggests. "Apollo and I had a no talking pact for a while."

"And how is that working out for you two now that you live together?"

Britney drops her fork on the table and looks at me. I straighten my back, staring her down. I probably have a point because she's not responding. No matter how much she and Apollo may dislike each other, there is no way they could just ignore each other after she moved in, no matter how much they try. I know they're talking to each other.

But I say nothing because if we're not going to talk for the next four hours, we might as well start now. I focus back on my food, pushing it around with my fork before I realize that if we just sit here in silence, it will be the longest and most gruelling four hours of our lives.

So, I decided to break it. I hate silence.

"You know what?" I question.

"What?" Britney moans, sinking miserably into her seat.

"There is no reason why we can't sit here and have a proper conversation."

"I got a good reason."

"Which is…?"

"I don't like you."

My ego is so high at this point and the fact that those words come from Britney Braun means that I am not hurt at all. I still don't understand what Xavier sees in her. But, just to make him happy and to say that I at least tried to make this work, I might as well make this night worth it. If his bank account will suffer, so will my spirit.

"Really?" I question. "Out of all the years you've known me or even things that you heard that might be false, you can't think of one thing you like about me?"

Britney doesn't hesitate one bit. "No."

"Try again. Reach deep into your dark, deep, and bitter little soul to see if you can find at least one nice thing to say about me. And be honest."

Britney looks at me. She doesn't lose eye contact with as she sits up straighter as if she had to prepare her entire body to come up with a genuine compliment. I didn't think it would be that hard for her. She looks around the restaurant and I think it's because she wants to make sure nobody hears her say something nice about me. She's so dramatic, oh my god. Britney leans on the table, looking off to the side, and putting her hand up.

"Waiter!" She calls.

I roll my eyes as I slouch back in my seat.

-o-

8:55 PM

Britney and I ordered our first set of actual dinner, still not talking to each other. It isn't out of politeness to avoid speaking with full mouths, we just don't want to converse with each other. At all. If anything, the only thing we really have in common is wanting this night to end.

Then, two attractive boys approach us, looking all smug and we make eye contact for a split second because we know that they're going to try and make a move on us.

"And this night just got worse…" Britney mutters.

"Hello, girls," one of them says, trying to sound smooth but I'm just sipping my drink to avoid a conversation. "Are you going to be spending the rest of your night here?"

"Why?" Britney asks them. I'm flattered that she looks more irritated with them than she ever did with me.

"If you get bored, you could hang with us," the second one suggests.

I stare at them and blink. "No thanks."

"Come on," he nags, "we could show you, girls, a fun time."

"We're having a great time," I say, not sounding convincing at all. My smile is as fake as can be and Britney is giving me a deadpanned face.

"Gross," Britney says which makes me narrow my eyes in annoyance. But she perks up a little. "We're technically on a date."

Now I'm cringing. "Gross."

"We're technically supposed to win each other over and we're both playing hard to get."

I nod my head, playing along. "Her wannabe-boyfriend set us up."

Britney and I fake smile at one another as the stupid boys scurry off. Once they're gone, we both simmer into a peal of slow laughter as we clink our glasses.

-o-

9:32 PM

I don't know what came over me but it was probably the fact that I was on my fourth daiquiri. Despite it being alcohol-free, my mind is still feeling dizzy. Maybe it's because I've been sitting in the same spot for four hours, trying to not look at Britney even though she's sitting in front of me, and eating endless various appetizers.

I wounded up ordering the whole menu. Britney didn't stop me. She seemed a bit excited and was totally for it.

"Can we talk?" I ask her. I desperately want to try and get the clock ticking. It's only been two hours but it's felt like ten.

Britney groans again. "You're so chatty…I thought you ordered the whole menu so that you'd have food in your mouth the whole time."

I take a breath, trying to remain calm against her. "Food's not here yet. We can talk."

"We already are."

I ball my hands into fists under the table to resist the urge to reach across and tear out her hair. "Are you interested in Xavier being your boyfriend?"

Britney is taken aback for a second that I'm asking such a thing. "Uh, why?"

I shrug casually. "Just curious."

"I don't know."

"What does that mean?"

Britney sighs, running a hand through her hair. "I mean before I would've been totally down for being his girlfriend but things are different now."

"Being Apollo's cousin is not that big of a deal. Xavier told me it wasn't for him."

"I know he thinks that and I really like him that way, but it all sort of seem wrong."

Now I feel bad because she has thought those kinds of things. I can't help but believe that she's thought worse about herself ever since she found out that she was Loki's long-lost daughter. I mean, she literally disappeared for a month because she found out.

"It just seems like something that shouldn't happen," Britney says.

And now she looks sad. God, I feel so bad now.

"The only wrong part is thinking that we are our parents," I tell her. "We're not. We're their kids. I may not know you all that well or like you all that much, Britney, but you are certainly not your father. Besides, Xavier really wants to be your boyfriend even after all of that. I mean, he wants us to actually get along."

Britney smiles a little. "Good on him. Xavier and I can continue dating - or whatever the hell we're doing."

"A date and a boyfriend are not the same things."

Britney pauses. "…waiter!"

I roll my eyes again. This time, it's with a small smirk.

-o-

9:53 PM

Some of the food I ordered from the entirety of the menu comes. The rest will come later because our table currently has no room. Britney and I have ordered so many refills for our drinks that the waiters just come automatically with a fresh glass when our current ones are even close to being empty.

"Shit…" Britney mutters, looking at our crowded table. "We could've shared this."

My mouth is watering. "Bitch, we are!"

We both start taking food from different plates, filling it up to the edges. My mouth is watering as I begin to chow down. God, this is almost making this night amazing. Almost. I'm still not completely fond of the company but she's getting tolerable which, in my opinion, is an improvement.

"Hey, Stark?" Britney calls.

My mouth is full and I quickly swallow, almost choking. "Yeah?"

"You're a boss-ass bitch."

It takes me a second to realize that she's finally complimenting me after I asked her to come up with something nice. That's so sweet of her to say. And I know it's genuine because her face isn't snarky at all. It looks soft and vulnerable which is something I've rarely seen her wearing.

I know I owe her one because when she asked me for a compliment after I asked her, I escaped the table.

I wipe my mouth with my napkin. "Hey, Britney?"

Britney looks expectant. A small grin forms on the corner of her mouth. "What?"

"You're a fucking queen."

"Don't we know it."

We clink our glasses and continue eating.