By: lornein
Author's note: I am sorry that I have been as slow as a snail when it comes to updating guys…but real life has been having it's toll on me. But looky…I updated again this week:)
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I know that when people look at some of my attitudes and actions, they think of me as a shallow person. They think I am a narrowminded and selfish bitch who cares little about others and their pains and is too wrapped up in her own high maintenance life. And I have never even tried to prove them otherwise. There are some things in life that you don't share with others, and for me trying to explain to people why I am the way I am would be one of them. And also being a feral does not leave you with much patience to sit down with people and explain each and every move you make. I have had many friends but there have been very few with whom I have really connected. Most of the people I have known have turned away from me after knowing me a little while…or I have pushed them away. But with Emma, something told me that I had found a great friend whom I could trust and share the 'real me' with.
As I sat and watched Emma enter the cafeteria I saw Jesse come up from behind her and they started talking. Emma blushed again and turned beetroot red. Jeez…looks like some people never change. Emma's little obsession with Jesse 'nerd-boy' Kilmartin continues. It won't for much longer…I told myself, not after I introduce Gabriel to her. We were going to have fun at tonight's party! Or so I had thought.
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"Hey Shalimar." Emma sat down at the table, the hints of a blush still warm on her cheeks.
"Hey Miss Perfect." I smiled at her. I know that her eyes were dreading any comment I would make about her little conversation with Jesse. I decided to let it go. She must have picked up my emotions because she looked relieved.
We quickly grabbed a bite to eat and then both of us headed over to where Cliff, Gabriel and the other popular guys were usually found.
I sensed many a pair of eyes throwing interested looks at her as I proceeded to get Emma accepted in.
"I see you are back milady. And this time you bring a beautiful friend with you." Gabriel was his usual smiling self.
"Hi everyone. I just wanted to introduce Emma De lauro to you all. Emma just moved here from Phoenix"
Cliff and his friends seemed eager to accept Emma in. But it was Gabriel who seemed overly enthusiastic towards her. He invited her to sit beside him and quickly invited her to the party. I congratulated myself inwardly. Nikki and I stole glances at each other from where she was sitting beside Cliff. It was a job well done!
***Emma's situation***
Emma was feeling overwhelmed by all the attention she was being shown. So this is how it feels being gorgeous…she told herself. She was picking up stray emotions from all sides…directed towards her own self. She looked at Gabriel sitting in front of her. He was a charmer. And Shalimar's plan was to get her together with him. Which was fine by Emma. She found Gabriel's smile quite pleasing and his voice nice and warm. But it was the emotions that she was picking up from Gabriel that made her a little uneasy. They were very conflicted. He seemed nice and pleasant to her but his emotions contradicted that. It was like he was two people wrapped up in one. Emma didn't want to push it further. After all she didn't even know the man very well. And Emma wanted to fit in with the rest of the group. As she accepted his invitation she looked around the café. Moving her eyes over the crowd, her eyes met and held the blue gaze of another pair. Jesse Kilmartin. Emma's heart gave a weird lurch as she probed deep into his emotions. She felt the warm tingling of a blush forming on her again as he continued to look at her with those eyes. He gave her a smile before she was pulled back to reality by Shalimar's hand on her arm.
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Okay… point to myself. Emma daydreams too much. I have to make her stop doing that. She completely ignored when Gabriel asked if she was enjoying her stay here so far. I don't think things will proceed too far this way. She has to show some outer sense too before people take her personality seriously. You can take the girl out of the farm…but you can't take the farm out of the girl I guess. Anyways I had to get Emma and me out of there. It would hold Gabriel's interest till the party tonight.
So Emma and I made our exit from the café. We had to go shopping first…and then I had to go home and change into my outfit for the party and she would do the same. We decided to meet at the party.
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I stopped with Emma at the shopping mall. After all, I had to buy her a decent wardrobe for the coming party and all the social events that were coming up this year, Christmas being a little over a month away. I found the mall to be packed with people and to my satisfaction, a number of stores were offering attractive discounts. My eyes fixed on a lovely red dress that would be perfect for tonight's party. For me of course. I know I shouldn't have indulged in buying anything for myself but sometimes you have to give yourself treats, and nothing cheers me up more than a good addition to my already stylish wardrobe. Emma and I looked through several stores before I found something pretty for her to wear. It was a green crepe top that would look great with Emma's boot cut jeans. And it brought out the read in her hair very beautifully. Overall, we were ready for tonight.
We stopped at the little restaurant at the mall for a quick cappuccino, I was discussing some healthy beauty tips with Emma as I sipped from my cup.
"Shal…do you know that woman over there? She keeps giving us these strange looks." Emma asked in a quiet tone.
I turned my head to look at the said woman, and my cheerfulness immediately dropped. It was Miranda. I should probably tell you who she is…but don't mind me if I sound a little bitchy. She is Brennan's current girlfriend. Apart for tormenting me and his ex stepdad Brennan also happens to have another 'hobby'. He has these foolish bimbo types following him around and worshipping him like he is a god. But they don't stay long…his record is a month, and this month he had spend with Miranda. I tell you…he has the worst taste in women. But I felt a little pity for the poor gal, she probably didn't even know that Brennan was moving to LA. And he being the weasel…probably never intended to tell he anyway. Eh…I am still stuck with not caring much.
As soon as Miranda saw me looking at her, she gave me a smile and came over to sit with us. Oh boy…this was going to be fun.
"Hey Shalimar. How are you? Long time no see." She smiled at me again completely ignoring Emma who was trying to take in the situation.
"Yeah…you know me…Brennan and me…big arguments. And since he isn't going to be around much longer, chances of me seeing you are slim to none." I tried to blow her off keeping a straight face.
"I doubt that darling."
"What do you mean?" I got a little confused.
"I mean that…when he's going to be moving to LA in two months, I am going with him. I am moving in with him." She said with a self-satisfied smirk.
My stomach was having those funny feelings again. My temples started throbbing as I tried to take in what Miranda had just said.
"So you know, he told you. And…did he..um…did he ask you to move with him?" I suddenly lost my urge for that cappuccino sitting in front of me.
"Of course he told me. I am his girl friend. And no…he didn't ask me, not yet anyway, not to LA. But I am hoping that he will extend his invitation…after tonight and the next two months of course."
"Why? What's tonight?" I was confused again.
"Oh…he didn't tell you. I guess the 'sibling rivalry' is heating up between you two.
I flinched inwardly at the mention of the word 'sibling'. And Miranda's comment about him not telling me something left me even more confused.
"Why don't you just come to the point?" I asked her, trying to keep my impatience in check.
"Will do Shal. Brennan is moving back to his old apartment tonight for the rest of his stay in town. And he asked me to move in with him. So I am cooking dinner for him tonight at his place. And I hope to tell him that I have a job in LA too, right at the moment when he starts his. So I think he will be happy to know that his girlfriend will be there for him." She finished with another smile, a victorious smile if I may say so.
"Really? I think congratulations are in order for you." I said in a calm tone, as calm as I could make it.
"Thank you." Miranda turned back on her heel and left.
I shook my head in disbelief as I gestured the waiter for the bill. Across our small table, Emma was still looking at me with the strangest expression in her eyes. I had the feeling that she was trying to read me.
"What?" I finally asked her.
"Nothing. You seem upset. I am guessing that was Brennan's girlfriend" She told me in a calm tone.
"Good guess. And I am not upset, I don't have any reason to be upset. Just a little blown away, that's all." I tried to blow her off.
"Let's just meet at the party tonight. I am going to head back to my place and try out my dress." I said to her.
"Okay Shal. Are you sure you're alright?" There was a hint of concern in Emma's eyes.
"Of course. I'll meet you tonight."
I forgot all about my car that was parked at the mall. I know I needed to walk and I just did that. While walking I went over everything in my mind. Brennan was not only moving away from us for the next two months before he went away for good but he was taking Miranda with him. And he never mentioned it to me, not even once. To me 'moving in' meant engaged…well almost. I don't know why…but somehow I felt almost…betrayed. After all, why should he tell me. It's not like I am his family or anything…and I am almost never nice to him. So it's only obvious that he wanted to stay away from me with this news.
My emotions were a true conflict when I entered the house. It was the middle of afternoon…so daddy obviously wasn't home but a commotion upstairs told me that Brennan was definitely in the building. I wanted to avoid him at all costs. Not after I knew something that he didn't care to tell me. I just couldn't face him.
But it seems that things never go my way. As I went up the stairs he came out from his room and we were left face to face. His hands were full with two suitcases that were obviously full of his stupid clothes that he always kept storing at our house. His eyes went from my face to my eyes and what they were watching. He looked at his suitcases and back at me.
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"Hey." I said in a casual greeting.
"Hey yourself." Was it just me or was he nervous?
"So…what are you stealing from our house this time?" I tried to smile at him pointing at his suitcases.
"Listen Shal…there's something I should probably tell you. Not that I think you care or anything…but it's just that I've been putting it off for too long." His eyes were downcast but they carefully searched my face.
"No need. I already know. I ran into Miranda at the mall today, she kind of filled me in" I tried to keep my face as straight as I could.
"Oh..so you know that I'm…" I cut him off with a sudden gesture of my hand.
"I know that you are moving to the rat hole downtown for the rest of your stay here. and that you asked Miranda to move in with you." I stated in my usual calm voice…which was getting difficult by every passing moment.
"That kind of…happened I guess." He stuttered.
"Aren't you all cozy. Moving in with your girlfriend. A new job, life is good for Brennan Mulwray." I said in a tone that came out more acid than it was supposed to be.
"Now wait just a moment Shalimar. I thought you would be pleased to see me finally get the hell out of yours and 'yours only' father's life. When did you start caring about me?" Brennan's voice was raising itself.
"I don't. I don't give a damn about what you do or who you do. And don't bother me again about it. I am going to my room, I have somewhere important to be tonight." I flashed my feral eyes at him, not willing to let him see the tears behind them.
"Fine." He almost shouted.
"Fine." I restrained my voice to not reflect any of the hurt that I was feeling.
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After I slammed the door to my room, I leaned back on it. A thousand different thoughts were running through my mind. Why was I so upset that Brennan was moving away? More so…why was I upset that he was moving away with Miranda? My head began to hurt again as I considered the possibilities of what caused these feelings…Oh my god…did I just say feelings?
After an hour I was feeling slightly better as I began to get ready for the party. I finally figured out what had happened. Brennan moving in with Miranda had been a huge news for me…and I started feeling a little bit left out seeing that Brennan was getting somewhere in his life whereas I wasn't. this resulted in me feeling all that strange stuff. I just needed to be among friends and I would be better in no time.
I put on the dress and my make up and looked at myself in the mirror. Looking great as always, I said out loud just to please my ears. I got my purse and I was almost stepping out of my room when I remembered. In all of the bitchiness of today, I had left my car parked at the mall. That meant I had no ride to the party. I had to call a cab.
I ran downstairs almost colliding with Brennan at the foot of the stairs. His hands steadied me to stop me from falling.
I couldn't help but look at his face which had the strangest expression. I blew out a breath that I didn't even know that I was holding and it flew a strand of my hair that had fallen on my face. He didn't look angry, he looked calm and collected. As he looked straight into my eyes he gave me a soft smile and tucked away my hair behind my ear.
"Shal…don't fall." His strong arms steadied my shoulders.
"I won't." I said back.
As I said the last sentence his eyes came to rest on my lips. I just could not hold on to the anticipation as he ever so slowly leaned in towards me. I pushed my mouth upwards o meet his as his fingers laced through my hair.
"I'm home." Suddenly the moment was broken as the front door opened as daddy came in.
It was as if someone had poured cold water over me. I was slammed into reality at the sound of his voice. I quickly bolted from Brennan as I went to take daddy's briefcase from him.
"Shalimar… I haven't seen this dress before." Daddy took off his coat and hung it near the door.
"Oh I have a party…to go to I mean." I managed to blurt back.
"Hey Brennan, you all packed and ready to move?" daddy asked him with a smile.
"Yeah…I am. Just wanted to say goodbye before I left."
"Okay…I'll see you at your apartment on Sunday. And Shalimar have fun at the party. Don't be too late." Daddy's voice trailed off as he went to lab as usual.
"See you on Sunday."
"I won't."
Both me and Brennan said our lines at the same time and for a passing moment I felt that same awkwardness again. But then he smiled and I smiled back.
"So…um..I'm going to call a cab. I don't have a ride." I fumbled with something to say.
"I can drop you over there…if you want." Brennan cleared his throat.
"Okay then.." I left to get my coat.
"Shal…I'm sorry. About everything I said this afternoon and about everything that happened…um right now." He said again.
"Yeah…I understand." I said feeling a little bit disappointed inwardly.
"Thanks…um for understanding. I couldn't leave without clearing that up with you first."
"Good. Now can we go?" I said faking enthusiasm.
"Of course…and you look great." He hesitated with the last part.
"I always look great…sorry but can't say the same about you." I nervously joked.
"Ha ha…see me laugh Shal." Brennan rolled his eyes.
I went out of the door smiling.
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End of part 6
What happens at the party? And where exactly are Brennan and Shalimar headed?? What about Emma? Find out this and more in the next chapter!:)
To all my reviewers: Thanks for putting up with me guys:)…your response is what keeps me going!! I hope to hear your opinions about his one!