Saving Summers (Books 1&2 combined)

14

Emma gasped loudly!
"Emmett! What is wrong with you! Apologize right now!" She scolded. She set the dress back on the rack and walked towards her little brother.
"I said apologize!"

"I didn't do anything wrong." Emmett defended.

Emma was not even sure if she was hearing right but it infuriated her even more.
She yanked Emmett by the arm and walked with him towards Johnny.
"I said apologize! Now!"

"Ow! You're hurting me...stop." Emmett fought back trying to get out of his older sister's grip.

Marcus got up and quickly rushed over to Emma.
"You're hurting him, Em." He grabbed Emma's arm gently and made her let go of Emmett, who was now in tears.
"I'll take him outside and calm him down." Marcus offered. He picked Emmett up and the two of them left the studio.

Emma ran a hand through her hair. She did not understand where any of this came from and she was embarrassed, to the core.
"I'm so sorry for that. I don't even know where he learned that word." She apologized.

"It's okay. I'm sure he meant no harm by asking that." Johnny said with a small smile.

Emma sighed and put her hands on her hips. She was now starting to regret how she handled the situation, especially how she grabbed Emmett. She was humiliated by her brother's behavior and her own. She did not know what to say Johnny and Ava.

The door opened and Marcus walked in.

"Where's Emmett?" Emma asked with worry.

"He is in the car." Marcus informed. "Are you okay?"

Emma nodded.
"That entire thing just caught me off guard. Is he okay? Did he say anything?"

"He heard a group of kids at his school say it to another kid." Marcus relayed. "He is in the car and wants to go home."

Emma paid for the dress and apologized again for what happened. She and Marcus then left.
Emmett was sound asleep in the backseat while Marcus drove them home.

"There was something else... I just didn't want to say it in front of other people." Marcus said, his eyes on the road ahead.

Emma looked at him. She had a slight headache from what happened.
"What is it?"

"Like I said earlier, Emmett heard the word at school right? He told me that the kid being called the word is a boy but he plays with the girls and sometimes acts like them, so yeah." Marcus explained.

"Oh god." Emma sighed. "So when he asked Johnny, that is because he thinks every guy who acts like a girl is that... word?"
Emma cringed at the thought of the slur.

"Most probably... and it's not his fault. No one told him otherwise." Marcus stated.

Emma looked at Emmett who was still sound asleep. She wanted to hug him and tell him she was sorry for hurting him like that.
She looked back upfront and out her window.
"I'm sorry you had to witness that. I was just so angry and confused." She apologized to Marcus.

"It's not me you have to apologize to. I completely understood what happened. The kid didn't." Marcus responded.

"He probably hates me now. I shouldn't have been that aggressive." Emma expressed, plagued by self disappointment.

"I don't think it's possible for anyone to hate you." Marcus said.

Emma let out a chuckle. That was not true.
"Clearly you haven't met Ray Summers."

There was a sudden silence in the car.

"Did he try coming after you again?" Marcus asked.
Emma noticed his grip on the steering wheel tightening.