Free Falling

Chapter 19 | I'm Ashamed To Be Friends With Y'all

I woke up with a pounding headache.

I try to sit up, but I grip my head in pain.

What the hell happened last night?

I don't even have enough time to process anything before Jake comes flying in. My door almost flies off its hinges as he storms in and goes straight to my windows.

"Rise and shine Em!" He practically yells, which causes me to wince.

"Jake...stop yelling." I groan, clutching my head.

"Mom and dad are coming in T-minus five seconds." He says a little quieter.

This gets my attention and I whip my head over to him ready to say something but I'm interrupted by a cough from my doorway. Looking over, I see my dad with his arms crossed and my mom right behind him, giving me a stern look.

"Thank you Jake, we'll take over from here." My mom says.

"You're in so much trouble." He whispers to me before walking out. I glare at him as he leaves and my parents walk over to me, sitting on my bed.

It's quiet for a moment before my dad sighs, looking over at me. "So now we know where you went last night. You got drunk Emma?"

I look down at my comforter, suddenly feeling ashamed. "I was mad..." I say, trying to justify my actions.

"Emma when you get mad go for a walk or go for a drive! You don't just disappear for hours on end without telling us a thing, and end up getting drunk! We were worried." My mom says getting frustrated.

"Out of all people, I would think that you would be the one to stay away from alcohol. Haven't you learned that it's a bad thing by now?" My dad shoots out and for some reason, that causes me to snap. 

It's always about Mason freaking Jones. 

"So now I have to live my life based off of what Mason has done? I can't drink because Mason drinks? I can't let new people in because of how Mason turned out? Is that what my life has come to?" I say my voice starting to raise.

"Emma, that's not what I mean." My dad starts, but I cut him off.

"No! I'm tired of changing the way that I live my life just because of him. I'm tired of everyone constantly acting like I have to live my life a certain way because of what he did to me! Didn't he take enough from me already?" I say, ignoring the pain in my head.

"Exactly Emma! He's taken so much from you, why would you let him influence you in everything else?" My mom asks, and that sets me off again.

"Oh please. Me getting drunk is not that big of a deal. It never has been in the past; it's not a problem when Jake does it, or Caleb, or y'all. So why is it a problem now?"

"Because you left and went out by yourself, to a bar late at night, by yourself. Don't you get it Emma? You could've been hurt!" My dad says.

"I'm already hurt dad! I can't really get much hurt than I already am!" I practically yell. 

Why am I so worked up? 

My dad looks at me shocked and so does my mom.

I don't blame them. I never talk to them about anything relating to how I feel, always just saying that 'I'm fine' or that 'I'll be okay', but I'm tired of lying to everyone.

I'm not okay and I am hurt, so why lie about it?

"Emma, we just want the best for you." My mom says softly.

"Is that why y'all lied about everything last year?" I ask, maybe a bit more harshly than intended.

"Emma..." My dad starts running a hand through his hair. I can tell he's getting frustrated. "We didn't want to make you feel worse than you already did."