Summerville: Book 3 of the Saving Summers Series

Chapter 12

Emma's brows came together in slight confusion.
"Why are you smirking?" She asked.

"Well... I hear you have been throwing that word around lately." Peter said.

"What?" Emma asked, confusion plaguing her still.

Peter rolled his eyes.
"Marcus told me you said 'I love you' to him and vice versa."

Emma felt her cheeks warm up.
"He told you?" She asked.

"Yeah." Peter confirmed. "Are you mad?"

Emma shook her head. She had nothing to be mad about. In fact, she was proud Marcus was gushing over her.
"You guys are best friends."

"He is really happy, Em, you make him happy, and he needs that... especially after losing his grandma." Peter said.

Emma gasped.
"You know? He told you?"

Peter shook his head.
"Not at first, I had to force it out of him. It was pretty suspicious how she was not around and I knew the woman. There was no way she would leave her grandson just like that."

"I tried to tell him to talk about it but he would not listen to me." Emma stated.
She was happy that Marcus told Peter the truth. Hiding it was not a healthy coping mechanism.

"I know.. but I'm just glad you were there for him." Peter said.
Emma smiled to herself. She could not wait to find Marcus to hug him for finally opening up about his loss to someone else.

"So what are you going to do about the Jay situation?" Peter asked.

"What Jay situation?" Emma answered with a question.

Peter smirked.
"Oh come on Em."

"What? I really don't know what you are talking about." Emma said honestly. She was clueless and unaware of any Jay thing.

"So you don't know that he has feelings for you?" Peter asked.

Emma felt her body stiffen. She hated this topic with all her being. She wanted to be oblivious about everything.
"No he does not." She opposed. Ethan and Jay confirmed it was Ethan who liked her, though she still had her doubts.

"Yes. He does. I saw the way he was looking at you at the party, not to mention how mad he got when you got up to talk to Marcus." Peter said.

Emma groaned in annoyance.
"Jay has been through a lot okay and I have been the one good constant thing in his life. He is just territorial with me. He has not forgotten the bullying that I experienced from the soccer team so me dating one of the guys that did that shit to me is a little unnerving for him." She said. This was the best explanation she could come up with and it made sense. Even if Jay never expressed such to her.

Peter remained silent.

"Will all the participants of the science fair please make their way to the basketball court." A voice announced over the intercom. "The science fair will commence shortly."

"That is my cue." Peter said then sighed.

"You are going to be fine." Emma assured him. "Come here." She said with open arms.
Peter smiled and walked over to Emma for the hug.
She then kissed him on the cheek after breaking the hug.
Peter put his project on a wheeling table and left the biology class.

Emma sighed once she was alone. The conversation with Peter about Jay still lingered in her mind and it bothered her. She already knew Ethan claiming to be the one who has feelings for her was absurd. She was eventually going to have to face Jay about the whole feelings thing, and she was not looking forward to it.

*

Peter managed to win second place at the science fair.
Liam was also competing in the spelling bee and he secured first place.
Emma called both boys for free cupcakes at the deli. After school, she hung out with Marcus at her house and this was also her chance to tell Emmett about her new relationship. He was used to seeing Liam around and that was going to change.

The dinner table was quiet as the Stevens family ate.
Emma never confronted her father about the alcohol that she found. She realized he was a grown man and did not need to explain anything to her although it was a bit of a shock.

"Dad, I might be home a little late tomorrow because I am watching the play at school, my friend Ethan is starring in it." Emma said.

"Can you take your brother with? I am working late." Martin stated

"Again?" Emma asked. She noticed the late night working was becoming a frequent thing.

"Yes." Martin answered. "I am teaching some part time classes and they usually go till late."

"Oh." Emma said. She did not consider that possibility.
"Okay.... Do you think Macbeth is appropriate for an 8 year old?"

"I can cover my ears and eyes." Emmett commented.

"It is settled then." Martin decided and got up. He put his empty plate in the sink.
"Goodnight."

Emma watched her father walk out of the kitchen. She could not help but feel that "goodnight" was cold. Martin's good nights were usually accompanied by forehead kisses and smiles. This time there was nothing.

"Is dad mad at us?" Emmett asked.

"What? No. Of course not. He has no reason to be." Emma assured her little brother. Martin would have said something if he was upset.

"He does not speak to me in the car anymore like he used to." Emmett expressed.

Emma gave her little brother a small smile.
"You just heard him, kiddo, he is doing extra work. He must be tired."

"Okay." Emmett shrugged.

Emma was a little worried because if Emmett was pointing out a slight change in their father's behavior, did it exist? She just hoped that her father would not be consumed by his work and forget about his children.

"Can we invite Deacon tomorrow? Pleeeaaaaaase." Emmett begged.

"We will have to ask Deacon's father." Emma stated and she was hoping he would say no. She did not know Damien that well and taking his child under her care for a night seemed like a bit much.

"I will ask him." Emmett said.

Emma let out a small chuckle.
"Okay go brush your teeth and get ready for bed."

Emmett nodded with a big smile then left the kitchen.

Emma let out a small sigh as she got ready to clean up the kitchen. She loved cooking but doing dishes was where she drew the line.