False Confidence

13

Harriet is shocked by the whole situation but she takes it in her stride, welcoming Alena and cooing at Emma. Who seems very confused by the fact that there are two of us. She is hiding half behind Alena's legs and moving her head side to side. 

"Hi Cutie I am Harriet!" Harriet crouches in front of her.

"Har-pa." She says pointing at Harriet and I grin.

"No, that is Haarriet and I am Harper."

This seems to confuse her a little more and she examines us, finger in her mouth and juggling a bit on her feet. "No ma'am!" She says and I smile, that is the Emma I know.

"There is no way you are making her your favourite like Beth!" I tell Harriet, trying to subtly eat my candy because Alena scolded me for always eating it in front of Emma and taunting her. She did not like that I then offered her daughter some.  Despite her annoyance with those mothers I know she wants Emma to eat healthy. 

"Emma say no Harri!" I say wagging a finger at my sister and she giggles looking up at her mom. Harriet rolls her eyes as I try to coax Emma to tell her no. 

"Beth has fashion taste, that is all." Harriet says flopping onto the couch and pulling out her phone. 

"I have fashion taste!" Alena scoffs at this at the same time as Harriet and I open my mouth in shock. "I do to!"

"Let me guess, under the baggy hoodie you are wearing Spencer's old shirt and those jeans are my old ones?"

"She knows you too well." Alena says before I can argue and I scowl at her. 

"Can you like leave now, I want to call Spencer, Steve has eventually left his house."

I stick my tongue out and she winks "Steve." Wiggling her eyebrows I throw a pillow at her. "I still cannot believe Spencer told you about his crush, I told him not to!" 

"Well Spencer is a true friend and can't betray me like that."

I am a little embarrassed about having this conversation in front of Alena but I think her interest in me is as dead as the cow I had for lunch. "Why don't you go out with him, he is cute."

"He doesn't even talk to me at school!" I exclaim loudly "And yes I am well aware of your reasoning for that but I do not want to hear it!"

"I do." I glare at Alena who is clearly enjoying my discomfort. After all it has been her turn for the last two days. 

"Everyone thinks she is intimidating because she is like mega feminist and all boss lady."

Alena tilts her head in interest as if sizing me up against the comparison and I flip her off, she grins. "I don't see it."

"I can be intimidating if I want to but I am not intimidating always!"

They both leave me to my belief in silence. I sigh, turning to Harriet "Call your boyfriend then, I am leaving."

Alena looks slightly out of place. "You can do anything," I assure her "Watch movies in the basement, use the theatre room , go in the garden, go for a walk, cook something, eat something- I don't know." 

She tilts her head "What are you going to do?" 

"Unpack my shopping and wrap Sarah's present." There is that spark of interest "You can join but you can't be mad at me!"

She looks on in confusion and I look sheepishly at Emma "I may have gone passed a kids section." She rolls her eyes but good humoredly says nothing and follows me to my room. Emma happily settles herself on my bed with some plushies as I indicate that Alena can open the bags. The first thing she pulls out is the plain shirt identical to the one she has on.