Before It Ends • Hessa • Emery Scott

𝕊𝕚𝕩𝕥𝕪 ℕ𝕚𝕟𝕖

"I met his uncle at a birthday party, his name might've been Trevor, I don't remember." I say, shrugging my shoulders. I probably could remember if I tried, but I don't want to try. I'd like to think that my mother doesn't know whoever the fuck Cole's uncle is because that's fucking weird and unfortunate for me.

She shuts her mouth as if she is speechless and she lets out a small huff, "well, okay. I wanted to see if you remembered. He said he saw you but maybe not." Looks like she'd like to think the same thing. "Uh... sorry for just asking you randomly. Your dad didn't really like Trevor back then, you should know if you've read the book."

"Ah. Mhmm." I hum, nodding my head as if I know whatever the fuck she means. I just want her to leave so I can fucking sleep.

"I just wanted to be sure it was him before talking to your father." She adds, getting up from her spot. "Well, goodnight, Emery. I love you."

"You too, mom." I say, rolling over onto my stomach, burying my face into my pillow, and shutting my eyes.

I am never going to one of those stupid parties again. Never fucking again. For real this time.

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TESSA.

I never ended up telling Hardin about Trevor last night. By the time I got into bed, Hardin was fast asleep, but maybe I did that on purpose...

I know I shouldn't be but I'm slightly afraid to tell Hardin about Trevor. There's nothing Hardin can do about it, so there's no reason for me to overreact, but I can't help it.

I just don't want to hear the annoyance in his voice. I don't want him to roll his eyes at me and pretend I'm not speaking because it's something he doesn't want to hear.

I also don't want him to get the idea that we're friends again. We are not friends. We just happened to bump into each other.

Maybe that's what I should tell him, "mom!" I hear Emery call, pulling me out of my thoughts. I turn around from the pancakes on the stove and look at her. "Auden wants you." She jabs her thumb behind her towards the stairs and I mumble a small 'oh.'

"Will you watch these?" I ask, referencing towards the pancakes and she shrugs in the dining chair, placing her head on the table.

I ignore her and walk up the steps to Auden's room. "What do you need, honey?"

"Which sweater?" He holds up a black sweater with flowers on it and then a pink one.

I furrow my eyebrows at him. Why is he asking what to wear? He doesn't usually care what he wears. "Why?"

"For Mallory. She likes my sweaters." His cheeks become a dark shade of red and his smile becomes a grin.

"Um... the pink one." I say, leaving his room to go back downstairs. I don't know if I trust Emery to watch the pancakes.

I turn the corner to find Emery with a spatula in her hand and she is flipping a pancake. I'm taken back and I'm not sure why. I don't think Emery had ever made pancakes a day in her life.

Well, she and Addy made some when they were little but they ended up burning them and they were like charcoal. I go up from behind her to take the spatula. It would suck if she burned these too.

"Here, let me." I say, reaching my hand out for the spatula but she pulls it closer to her.

"No. I want to do it. You can get me a water." She demands, lifting her free hand to her forehead to massage it. I do what she says. I'm kind of proud of her for stepping up and making breakfast. I plop a water bottle down on the counter beside her as she flips another one, the pancake barely makes it on the pan. "Shit," she huffs, using the pan to slide it back to the center. "I got it mom, stop it."

I didn't even realize I was watching her before she said that and I look away quickly, nodding my head. "Make enough for your father too."

"Yeah, okay. Is there anything else I can do for you?" She questions, and that's when I really get suspicious.

What? Is she wanting something from me? "What is it, Emery?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows at her. She could she ask. She doesn't have to prepare me for something.

"Well..." she puts the spatula down, leaning on the counter and she crosses her arms. She reminds me so much of her father, it's uncanny. "Could you um... maybe try and... I don't know..." she stutters, "I don't know... could you ask Grandpa Ken if there's any spots available at WSU?"

She gives me those round eyes, biting the inside of her lip nervously. All I can do is stare at her. I'm speechless. She wants to go to WSU? Why the hell am I just now being told this? How long has she wanted this? "You want to go to college?"

She shrugs, looking down at the ground. "I was just wondering." She mutters, shrugging her shoulders again.

"Of course I can, Em. I'll call him today." I say, picking up the spatula she abandoned and flipping the more-than-done pancake over to its raw side.

"'Kay..." she says quietly, twisting open her water bottle and gulping it down. She reaches into the top cabinet beside me, taking out the ibuprofen and plopping two in her hand before popping them into her mouth. "Oh uh..." she begins, walking back to the kitchen island and sitting. "I don't think dad wants pancakes."

I tilt my head, "why not?"

"When you were helping Auden he came downstairs and he looked mad. I don't know." Emery shrugs, taking another swig of her water.

"Why is he-" I don't even finish my sentence. I plop the done pancake on a plate and turn the stove off, heading towards the basement. I've gotten four cooked pancakes, that will be enough for now. Hardin is more important, that's for sure.

I open the basement door and the first thing I hear is a chain jingling and a plat sound as if he is hitting something.

Did he seriously set up his boxing equipment? Is he really that mad? What happened?

I feel my stomach turn into knots as I get closer, different possibilities racing through my brain. As my foot hits ground level so does his fist to the bag and my mouth twists in nervousness.

"Hardin." I call, biting my bottom lip. He stops hitting and he turns around, looking at me for a split second before turning back around and swinging at the bag. "Will you stop that for a second. What's the matter?"

I walk over, placing my hand on his shoulder. His eyebrows are furrowed and his breath is heavy as he places his wrapped up hands on his hips.

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𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛'𝚜 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎

Cliffhanger.... oOoOo

Chapter sixty nine: April 8, 2021