iris | one tree hill

9. the trick is to keep breathing

Yours

Ethan.

Peyton was reading the card over her sister's shoulder and patted the girl on the arm, urging her to open it quickly. As soon as Emma opened it, she saw that it was a dress. Emma removed the dress completely from the box and put it on in front of her body, running to see it complete in the mirror. Then the girl ran into the bathroom to try on the dress, returning to show it to her sister.

"Emma, the dress is beautiful." Peyton said.

Emma couldn't answer, she just smiled at her sister.

"Okay, does that smile mean you're not going with me to Tric's to go to Ethan's to thank him?" Peyton asked.

"'Peyton, I'm going with you to Tric. Can I just call Ethan first?" Emma asked her sister, who just nodded.

Emma had changed again and left her dress stretched out on the bed, while she sat down on the carpet in her room to call Ethan, and on the second ring Ethan was already saying 'hi, pom-poms'.

"Hi, pretty boy."

"Did you like it?" Ethan's voice sounded on Emma's cell phone, questioning him.

"No." Emma said, Emma heard Ethan cough and start to stutter. "I loved it, Ethan." Emma said laughing.

"Don't play with my heart like that, Emm's."

"Sorry. But how did you know my number right?" Emma asked.

"Well, I tried to describe you to the woman in the store and then I made the poor saleswoman show me a trillion dresses that I imagined you would like." Ethan explained.

"Thanks, Ethan." Emma thanked the boy without stopping smiling.

[....]

Peyton had gone to Tric without her sister, and when Emma arrived Ricki was leaving. Emma didn't like it one bit.

Emma knows that Karen found out about the drug situation and said she didn't want Ricki in her club anymore. Karen was absolutely right.

When Emma met Peyton, Emma wasn't smiling.

"I've just seen Ricki. What did he want?" Emma asked.

"He left some CDs." Peyton replied and then saw the look on her sister's face. "Nothing happened, Emm's."

"Promise?" Emma asked.

"I promise."

Peyton came around the counter and put her arm around her sister's shoulder.

"Emm's, what do you think about you and Haley singing at Tric again?" Peyton asked.

"Count me in." Emma replied.

"A whole set?" Peyton asked more quietly.

"What?" Emma stopped walking.

"I'm serious, Emm's. You're great, people loved it." Peyton tried to reassure her sister.

"Are you sure?"