Re: The Warner Family Presents Emma with a Gift
Justin made his way out with the crowd and whistled as he saw the car. Wow. And then he frowned. It reminded him of his own Benz - the one that had been stolen once he got to college. Well damn - it was like missing a person. He took a sip of the soda he had in hand and tried not to think of anything else that was associated with his sixteenth birthday - he was here for fun.
What he did notice was that kid who'd driven the car getting friendly with Emma and he wondered what the hell was going on. Wasn't she with the red headed kid?
Someone stepped up next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head with a smile that died away when he saw who it was. Anderson. "I wish I'd been there on your sixteenth birthday," he said solemnly.
Justin wanted to retort that he'd had his dad there but that wasn't true on many levels. Instead, he looked away wishing Licia were here. It was an odd random wish, but there it was. "You didn't miss much," he chose to say instead.
"I doubt that," Anderson replied, but his tone stated clearly that he didn't just doubt it - he in-fact knew Justin's statement to be a total fabrication. The fact was that had Anderson been in his life, his sixteenth birthday would have been much different.
"Well you weren't there and nothing can change that. It is what it is," he said as lightly as he could manage. They were getting some looks from people he recognized as sitting at Ryan and Reese's table and figured they must be family.
"Take a walk with me," he said, less command than plea. "It's a big hotel, and there's a lot that needs to be said."
Justin's eyes darted around for Kriss. He felt he needed rescuing and he could tell his brother was not going to ride in like a Knight any time soon. Hell he'd be happy to see them talking.
"We're at a party," he began and Anderson interrupted him.
"Please. Justin, don't make me grovel here. I just want to talk to you. There's a lot to be said and if we don't do this now you'll just avoid me like the plague again."
Justin paused trying to figure a way out of this. What Anderson said was true though. Justin would avoid and maybe if they got this out of the way he would finally be left alone. With a small nod, Justin turned and started walking, heading away from the crowd on a small exploration of the hotel. Anderson, of course, walked beside him.