Say It {Emerson Barrett}

6-His Antics

"I'll pay!" I blurted out when the check was brought over. Internally, I kicked myself. I barely have any money to survive, let alone buy breakfast for four people! Luckily as usual, when the guest tried to pay the intended buyer puts up one hell of a fight.

"Leanne, I've got it." Sebastian said kindly. His voice was soft, but his eyes told another story. One that said, 'if you dare pull out that card I will end. you.' and honestly it was a little intimidating.
"Just let me pay for myself, then." I tried to compromise, but when I went to check my pockets, lo and behold, I didn't have any. I glared at Emerson, who looked confused (as any reasonable person would have been) as I shoved his torso to the side.

"You planned this!!" I accused, frowning fiercely as he held his side and looked at me like I was crazy.
"Planned what?" He asked, a hint of laughter in his voice. "This!!" I gestured down at my dress. "Now I don't have pockets!" I cried, watching as he smirked. It kind of irked me a little. No, scratch that. It irked me a lot. "And you threw me out of my apartment before I could grab anything!"  

He's acting like a pompous asshole, and when I don't cave the first time, he charms me over. Is that really what I want to pursue?

"You didn't have to wear that, y'know." He argued in his defense. I looked at him grumpily, knowing he was right. I didn't have to, but it would have meant that he saw me practically naked either way. At least with the dress he picked out I retained a little sense of.... of.... sanity? I don't know. I knew it was a power play, and the first point went to Emerson.

"You know full well that I did." I scoffed quietly. Without even looking up (hell, I'd be able to tell with my bad eye) I knew Remington was unhealthily interested in what was playing out. He was probably munching happily on a syrup soaked pancake/hash brown combo as I stared down at my two thirds of pancake platter left. "So. Do you guys get to go boxes or...?" I looked up, avoiding Emerson's gaze the entire time.

"Oh! I'll get one." Remington volunteered, and immediately he started to crawl over Sebastians lap.
"What the fuck are you doing?!" Sebastian laughed, holding his arms up and pressing his back flush against the booth as Remington dragged himself across his lap. "Getting a to go box." Rem replied, having the audacity to act like Sebastian was the idiot here when his hands were on the disgusting carpeted floor below us. Remington looked left and right, his shirt and jacket falling off his hips and gathering around the bottom of his ribcage, then he pulled himself off the rest of the way.

It was such an awkward exchange, but he made it look so graceful, what the fuck even is this family. And I can't even deny that I wasn't soaking up every detail that I saw. Hey, I may not like the guy romantically, but I'm not entirely blind. I know sex appeal when I see it.

Remington stood up, pulling his shirt and jacket down again, his neck flushing in an almost blush, before he started walking towards reception. "You could have just asked me to move!!" Sebastian yelled after him, then he glanced around like he was embarrassed and waved at some patrons. At my questioning look, he mumbled, "got some weird looks." My confusion at his slight embarrassment cleared up.

Before I could laugh in his expense, my attention was snatched when I saw Sebastian place his card over the provided checkbook. I glared at his card. "I'm paying you back." I insisted. Sebastian shrugged, like he was acknowledging what I was saying but not accepting it. "You're having us over later. That's payback enough." Remington chimed in, handing me a well sized styrofoam container. I mouthed a thank you to him, taking the box and starting the complex maneuvering of my pancakes into it. My awesome, chocolate on chocolate on chocolate pancakes. They were like flat, triple fudge brownies, topped with whipped cream, strawberries and syrup.

"It's not the same!" I protested as I was doing this, on the verge of giving up. My hands were occupied with a fork and knife respectively, the fork sliding under the stack of five flat brownies, the knife on top to keep it stabilized, and while I was distracted Emerson gently placed his hand on my knee. I froze, gently setting the expensive food down in the container, then with a clink, I put the utensils on my now empty plate. That could have been disastrous.

I need to figure out if I even want to entertain Emerson's antics before he pulls more stuff like this.

So I grabbed his wrist and moved his hand back to his side, over the invisible personal space bubble perimeter, and he looked at me with sad confusion. A sad little basset hound. I didn't meet his eyes as I watched Sebastian like a hawk. A half blind hawk. When the waiter came and took the check with Sebastians card, he maintained cocky eye contact with me as he held out the leather bifold. I narrowed my eyes playfully, knowing I lost this fight, and shook my head in mock disappointment.

"Can't even let the lady pay, can you, Gentleman?" I asked rhetorically. Sebastian's eyes widened.
"With what card would you have paid?!" He asked, his voice going up an octave as he searched for an argument. "That's not relevant." I dismissed with a smile threatening to break across my face. Remington snorted, shaking his head. "...sure Leanne. Sure." Seb says sarcastically, standing up after getting his card back. I took that as my cue to slide out of the slightly sticky vinyl booth, my dress falling straight down around mid-thigh as I stood to my full five foot, one inch glory.

"Awe I didn't notice before but you're so tiny!" Remington squealed as he stood next to me. I craned my neck to glare up at him, further proving his point. Dammit. "Tiny, puntable, but still closer to your ankles than you would have time to move them." I threaten.I glared down at my converse, their age not really showing except for the discoloration around the toes and heel. But that was just on the outside.

Inside, the fabric on the heel was wore away, an ever expanding hole in its place, and the sole near the toes was separating from the bottom of the shoe. I've had these shoes since freshman year of highschool, so for about eight years so far. That's a long time for some semi crappy canvas shoes glued together by rubber and shoelaces.

"We good to go?" Sebastian asked, twirling his keys around his middle finger again. "Yeah- wait no." I turned around and grabbed the take out box.
"I swear if you forgot that Leanne I would have... would have..." Remington tried to come up with a threat, but it didn't really work. I raised my eyebrows in amusement at him as we walked. This time he purposefully walked on my left, forcing Emerson to walk on my right. "You would have what?" I prompted. Remington searched for more words, but he just looked up and shut his mouth.

"Aww it's alright Rem. I know you're just a goth teddy bear anyways." I giggle, looping his arm with mine. "I'm offended." He scoffed dramatically. I pulled on his jacket sleeve, and he looked down at me with a smile. "Yes?" He asked, and I looked at him wide eyed. "Please don't be mad at me..." I pleaded. I don't know where it came from, but Remington seemed to understand. He disentangled his arm from mine, and he used that arm to wrap around my shoulders. He pulled me into him, side hugging me.

"I won't ask where that came from. But I promise I won't." He said quietly, the opening the car door for me. I shook my head, and gestured for him to go first. "I won't see you if I get in first from here." I sighed. He nodded in sudden understanding, looking apologetic. "I can't believe I forgot about that." He shook his head, disappointed in himself. I smiled appreciatively. "I prefer it that way." He looked over at me confused as he got in he slide across the seat, and I followed him in. "You forgetting. Makes me feel normal." I continued.

"Well, don't forget about Emerson." Remington whispered into my ear. I looked at him in confusion, before realizing that I could accidentally be doing the same thing to Emerson I did to Remington earlier.
"Thank you."