Calvin listened. He listened to everything before responding to any of it - he was good at that. Sometimes, Calvin found, it was so much easier to listen to other people than to say anything himself, especially in situations like this. A wide variety of expressions flicked over his face as Emily talked: agreement and encouragement at Emily's gaining some degree of control over her powers, sadness and determination at her commentary about the possibility that Jacen might run away, and then... shock. Jacen was the one she liked? Good Lord. This probably wouldn't end well. He knew both Emily and Jacen rather well, and although he thought that they got along, he wasn't so sure if Jacen would really consider dating her. Well. He might consider it. But only after a long, long period of morning. Jacen was nothing if not incredibly focused, and over the past three years he'd seen his infatuation for Lexie blossom from a harmless crush to something akin to obsession. He winced visibly when Emily called her perfect. It was bad enough that Jacen had gotten that notion into his head; it had to stop somewhere.
"Look, Em," he began carefully, brushing some stray hair behind her ear. "Alexandria isn't perfect. She's pretty and she nice, but really, that's all. She doesn't have layers, Em. I've talked to her siblings and as far as I can tell, she's really not a whole lot deeper than what you see on the surface. She's a pretty girl with a nice smile and that's that. You're more than a match for that, Em. Jacen is a really complex guy, and he should be with someone who understands that. And honestly, Alexandria Tibbits is just not a good fit. He doesn't see that now, but he will, one day." At least Calvin sincerely hoped so. If there was anything Jacen needed, it was to break this obsession. "One day he's going to realize that this whole silly obsession hasn't really made him happy. I don't know when that'll be, though. Just keep your chin up, okay? Be patient with him."