𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀 𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 ― l. patterson ✓

NINE: broken promises

Her entire face burned as red as her accessories. "Oh my God, shut up."

Apollo chuckled. "Plus, I couldn't wait to see and Julie play again. That song you performed at the Spirit Rally, Bright? It's been stuck in Nick's and I's heads for weeks."

"Well, someone should let it out," Julie voiced.

Emilia blinked at her. "What?"

Julie shook her head awkwardly. "I don't know what that meant either."

"Yeah, okay," Emilia muttered to herself before looking at Apollo. "Did you need anything else?"

"Nah, I just came to wish you guys luck." Apollo then glanced down at the floor. "Oh, hey. Sick shoes, Julie."

Emilia watched before her very own eyes as Julie became flustered. "U-Uh, thanks, Apollo. I doodle on them sometimes. There's flowers, stars, hearts—"

"Julie," Emilia interrupted before Julie could start rambling. "Your doodles are lovely."

"Yo, Apollo," Nick's voice called out, and Emilia peered over her brother's shoulder to look at him. "I'm getting some punch, you wanna come?"

"Yeah, I'm coming." Apollo then turned back to Emilia and Julie and gave them a large smile. "You'll crush it."

With that, Apollo followed after Nick. Julie sighed and looked at her phone, the time reading nine-fifteen.

Emilia nudged Julie with her elbow. "You and Apollo, huh?"

"No," Julie denied, obviously trying to play it off. "No way. He's your brother, that's just so—"

"Amazing?" Emilia finished. "Julie, I'm not mad. You obviously like him and he obviously likes you. Don't let me get in the way of that."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." Emilia slung an arm around her shoulder. "And now, we wait for three late idiots."

𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙 ♔ 𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁

AT THIS POINT, Emilia was beyond mad. It was two hours after their performance time and the boys were still nowhere to be found. She sat against the floor, her head resting on a wall with one leg tucked into her chest and the other spread out before her. Julie sat close to her with the projector they had to make it seem like Luke, Reggie, and Alex were actually holograms. The two of them could feel their hearts sinking to their stomachs as they slowly came to the conclusion the boys weren't coming. Emilia couldn't believe them.

Flynn rushed up to them from her place at the DJ table. "I can only stall for so long. It's eleven o'clock. I think you two should just play by yourselves. I mean, holograms or no holograms, you'll be amazing."

"You saw me the other day," Julie protested. "I can't play without them. Emilia probably could."

"Um, yeah, that's a no," Emilia cut in, playing with the laces of her shoes.

"They'll be here," Julie insisted. "They have to."

Emilia frowned. She wanted to believe it as well. Flynn tapped her wrist to signify time was running out and walked back to her table, yelling looking good, Bobcats! Emilia then looked up to see her brother walking backstage again.