BAD HABITS || OUTER BANKS

29: runaway kook ☆

"You can ask," Emerson told her as she slipped her foot into her shoe. Addison lightly tapped her foot on the floor making Emerson sigh in annoyance. Addison Rhodes did love knowing absolutely everything about her daughter. "I am going to see my... boyfriend," she said, almost hesitantly. It wasn't that she was embarrassed to call JJ her boyfriend, it was that she was worried how her mother would react.

"Oh," Addison sighed, "Why don't you just invite Rafe to come over here?"

"Maybe because I'm not dating Rafe," Emerson replied.

Addison's eyes widened as she tried to comprehend what her daughter just said. "Who is it then?" Addison asked but didn't bother to wait for an answer. "Topper maybe, I heard he and Sarah broke up? Or maybe somebody else from around here"

"It's not Topper or anybody else you know," Emerson told her.

"Well if it's not Topper or someone I know then who is it?"

"JJ Maybank," Emerson answered with a small smile on her face.

Addison gasped as she dramatically stepped away from her daughter. "You're dating a pogue?" She asked, putting her hand over her heart. 

In all her life Addison Rhodes hoped that she'd never have to hear those words coming from the mouth of her child. She had raised them to be better than the pogues, not to fall in love with them.

"Yes, mom. I am dating a pogue," Emerson replied, a proud smile on her face.

"Y-You can't date a pogue, Emerson," Her mother said in a stern voice. "It will completely ruin our reputation. What will the women at the garden parties say?"

"I don't care what they say," Emerson announced.

"You should care. You must care," Addison spoke slowly. Anger coursed through her veins as she looked at her daughter. This was not supposed to happen in the Rhodes family. A broken marriage she could handle but this... this was far too much. "Is this about your father leaving? You're lashing out, aren't you?"

"No, it's not about dad," Emerson answered as she began tying her shoes. "It's not about Nick, and it's not about Rafe."

"Then what on earth could you possibly be thinking?"

"I don't know, Mom. What were you thinking when you were cheating on Dad?" Emerson asked with raised eyebrows.

"Don't you dare speak to me like that."

"Then don't question my relationship."

Addison simply laughed at her daughter. "What you're having isn't a relationship honey, it's a lapse of judgement."

"Well Dad certainly seemed to have a lot of them. Especially when he thought marrying you was a good idea." Addison was shocked by the words that fell out of her daughter's mouth. She had never been spoken to like that and couldn't believe that Emerson even thought to say it. "Now, I promised my boyfriend that I'd come over today, so I have to go now." The young girl felt so proud of herself when she made her declaration. She is going to the chateau and nothing is going to stop-

"Emerson Rhodes!" Her mother shouted. "If you walk out that door then don't bother coming back home!"

Emerson stopped walking, she didn't know what to do. This was her house, home to her family, the people who were supposed to love her no matter what. Emerson knew that she wasn't happy here, but it was still her home. Yes, there was a part of her that wanted to run away but being kicked out is completely different.

She needed to think. She had to wonder if being with JJ was worth being kicked out of her home. They've spent so little time together, they barely knew each other. But Emerson couldn't imagine spending her days with anyone but him... or maybe Sarah. Emerson needed to think, but she didn't have the time. So without giving herself another chance to think she opened her mouth and said: