Chapter 159: [Happy Birthday] [My Pride]
[Emery’s POV]
[Happy Birthday]
"Zoe and . . . Emery?"
Mrs. Lee’s warm, jolly face greeted us as she sauntered towards us in all smiles.
I unknowingly arranged myself and made sure that I had a perfect picture smile on my face. This was no time for my bitch face. This was my future mother in law after all. I had to look my best.
"Hello, Mrs. Lee," I greeted while the girl with pink hair was blunter.
"Mother-in-law! I’m happy to see you again!"
Zoe zoomed to Mrs. Lee, and they kissed each other’s cheek while I stood there, pouting with envy.
I wish I wasn’t too ladylike and be like Zoe for once.
"Come, come." Mrs. Lee grabbed our hand and guided us from all the crowds with impressive ease.
All eyes were on us while Mrs. Lee held her head high, seemingly proud.
After seconds, my eyes found the boy who was constantly appearing in my dreams.
"Lawrence! Lance! Look who’s here!" Mrs. Lee announced, which made the crowd of teenagers around them glance in our direction.
"Is it sis?!" Lance exclaimed in excitement. But his smile dropped when he saw me behind his mother.
"No, silly. Your sister already said she couldn’t come." Mrs. Lee stepped aside, exposing us in full view for the audience to gawk.
"Wow! Who are they?"
"They look beautiful!"
"Are they celebrities?"
"The air around them is very different from us. I felt smaller by just looking at them."
"Hey! Pretty Lady!"
Lawrence broke the trance as he smoothly made his way towards Zoe and kissed her cheek, which made the girl stunned as the audience gasped. His brown eyes then slid to his brother and motioned his head in my direction.
Lance sighed before he approached me. He shot me a glare when he stopped inches in front of me.
. . .
. . .
I was lost in the wonders of his deep mesmerizing brown eyes that it took a moment to notice that he was signaling me for something.
"Bent down a little. I can’t reach you, you know," he whispered with a mixture of embarrassment in his cute voice.
"O-oh . . ."
I was like a machine as I heed his command. Whenever it came to him, all my grace and poise vanished before me. Lance tiptoed and dinted his cheek against mine as a greeting.
It was a faint contact.
Not even a kiss.
But my legs wobbled, losing its strength as my arms flew around his neck for support.
Lance was stunned as his body went stiff before he tapped my back with an awkward pat.
. . .
. . .
"You can let go now."
I released him when I heard his angry and somewhat annoyed voice.
"H-happy birthday . . . ," I said, changing the topic to cover my embarrassing behavior.
Lance nodded before he went back to the group of teenage boys and girls. I heard the teasing remarks of his friends while some girls frowned as they sized me up and down. Their faces then turned sour except for one –– a pretty young girl with smooth, silky black hair. Brown eyes highlighted by long lashes. Cute nose and thin pinkish pouty lips with smooth porcelain skin and oval shape face.
She was beautiful, and oddly . . .
She reminded me of Leanna.
Only, this girl was much more girly, demure, delicate, and gave off an aura of supremacy. Like she was cut above the rest.
"Sorry ’bout that."
Lawrence’s apologetic voice woke me up.
I tilted my head a little. I did not know why he was apologizing. I was not offended by his brother’s crass actions the least.
Nothing can offend me when it comes to Lance.
"Come. I’ll guide you two to your seat," Lawrence said and grabbed Zoe’s hand, which made the girl blush.
"Lawrence, bring them to the family table." Mrs. Lee winked at us before she went to greet some guests that came pouring in.
Lawrence shook his head while smiling. He led us to the front family table, where no one was sitting at the moment.
"I’ll leave you two pretty ladies here first. Find me if you need anything." Lawrence winked before he turned to leave, but his stride was broken when Zoe grabbed his shirt.
"H-happy Birthday!"
Zoe said and handed a small neatly wrap box to Lawrence, which the young boy accepted with all smiles before giving the blushing girl a peck on her lips.
"Let’s talk later."
Lawrence whispered before he walked away, carefully sliding Zoe’s gift inside his pocket while the latter was paralyzed on her seat.
I looked at Zoe with eyes full envy.
Are they going out?
I breathe a sigh as my eyes shot to Lance, who was talking to his friends with a broad smile on his face.
----
[Emery’s POV]
[My Pride]
"Hello, Ladies. How are you holding up?"
I blinked, noticing that it was a while that I lost myself just staring at Lance while Zoe never left her eyes on Lawrence.
"Hello, Mr. Lee," I greeted the handsome man who was now sitting in front of us.
"Hello, uncle! Glad to see you again," Zoe chimed in while biting her lower lip slightly. She seemed to be uncomfortable with the man. I could not blame her –– I was also the same.
If Mrs. Lee was bubbly and accommodating, Mr. Lee was the no-nonsense type of man. Strict and proper.
"I saw you girls all quiet, just sitting here. So here I am to keep you girls company. That is, of course, if you are both fine with an old man like me." Mr. Lee flashed us a warm fatherly smile, and my first impression of him popped like bubbles.
"Of course!" Zoe said, almost yelling. "We’re honored that a handsome dandy man such as you is accompanying us!"
I wanted to do the same, but I did not know what to say, so I nodded politely in agreement.
"I heard you girls are also studying in Artem. What are you majoring in?"
"The arts!" Zoe said.
"Really?" Mr. Lee’s eyes shone.
And like that, they were lost in their own conversation of paintings.
It was a while before Mr. Lee finally noticed me.
"How about you, Emery?"
"Music," I replied, meekly.
In truth, I was always proud when I told someone about my major. But right now, I wish I studied arts.
"Really?!"
Mrs. Lee’s high pitch voice made our attention shift to her. I did not notice that she was already behind me together with Lawrence.
"Emery Dear! Why don’t you play for us?" Mrs. Lee sat beside me, and clasped my hand, looking all hopeful.
I would not play for anybody, not even for royalty. But this was a different matter altogether.
These are my future in-laws!
"Uhmm . . . if you have a violin, I would love to," I said with a polite voice and accommodating smile.
"There are groups of musicians later. We could borrow one for you," Lawrence said and sat beside Zoe. He raised his hand on a waiter, and the waiter refilled Zoe’s empty glass.
My eyes flew to Lance, who was seated at a table with his friends beside the girl with pretty black hair, who reminded me so much of Leanna.
I ignored the countless cuts in my heart and the unbearable foreign pain, which made me feel like crying when Lance, since the beginning, focused all his attention on that girl.
That girl must be Jennifer Brane.
How Lance treated me with cold indifference was the exact opposite of how he treated the girl with warm kindness. He was smiling the entire time when talking to her. He was radiating with happiness that I wonder if he was the same boy who treated me coldly.
At first, I was confident that I could make him fall in love with me. Not for anything, but I was confident in my looks and in myself.
But looking at it now . . .
It seems . . . I have to give up.
My brain conceded defeat while my heart pounded hard in protest despite all the cuts it suffered.
He is happy with her. Are you going to ruin it for your selfish one-sided love?
Accepting the reasoning of my brain, my heart beat slow and tight. It was hard to breathe and it hurts. I bit my lower lip as I clenched my hands, and lowered my head so no one could see the glistening tears in my eyes.
"W-well . . . I-it’s time for the banquet to start! Emcee!"
Mrs. Lee must have felt my depress state as she lightened the mood. And now, I was not only feeling heartache but guilty as well for ruining the jolly mood.
I inhaled a mouthful of air as I put on my facade.
My grace.
My charisma.
My power.
Even as the pain squashed me under it, all the negative energy compelled me to act out of character . . .
I did not.
After all . . .
I am still Emery Jansen.
----
A/N
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