30 Days To Fall In Love

Day Twenty-Two: Emma

A/N - Sorry it's been two years since I've updated. Here is a long and romantic chapter for all of you Jake and Emma fans...

Day Twenty-Two

***Emma***

It was still so surreal that life was working out. Dad was gone, Darren had been arrested, Jake actually liked me, I had a home: there were just too many good things happening. 

So why did I still feel empty and miserable? 

Something was still nibbling at my insides and I couldn't put my finger on what. 

I got home from school to lots of text messages - one was from Jake's old phone, which meant Peter was in touch, to say that everyone was fine and that he hoped I was too. Another message was from Anna, apologising for neglecting me and inviting me over for dinner tomorrow. There was one from Jake too, telling me that he loved me. My stomach swooped when I saw those words. Who knew three words could have such an effect on a person?

I was checking these in the hallway, walking into the living room slowly to the sight of my mother.

She was sat on the sofa resembling a crumpled envelope. Her cheeks were damp and her hands were trembling. 

"Mum?" I asked, and she looked at me blankly.

"Emma," she croaked.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" I asked, rushing to her side and taking her trembling hands in mine.

"I -- I'm just finding this overwhelming," she whispered.

"What are you finding overwhelming? Dad leaving? Me running away?"

"All of it," she sighed. "I've always been so scared of being alone...And for the past few days, I found out what it was like."

"But yesterday you were so happy. We were going to move on with our lives..." I said, suddenly worried she might say we were going to move to Wales again.

She nodded slowly, acting strangely lethargic. Had she taken something? 

"I know, but today I feel bad..." she sniffed, starting to cry again.

"Okay, Mum, listen to me. You and me, we're going to be okay. We've been weak before, and we've let men trample on us and hurt us, but not anymore. We have each other, and I will never leave you again." I said firmly.

She blinked away some tears and looked into my eyes, "I love you."

I pulled her close to me in a hug, "I love you too."

She took a deep breath, "I think I'll have a shower before dinner."

"I'm cooking tonight," I said firmly, even though we both knew my culinary skills were limited to microwaving a ready meal. 

She smiled, "Thank you, but you've got exams to worry about, not me."

I chewed on my lip, not sure if she was really okay again or not, but decided to take her word for it. She was the adult after all, not me. I had been through just as much as her - I needed a break too.

"Could I invite Jake over?" I asked, just as Mum was making her way up to the bathroom.

She looked at me, her eyes brightening slightly, "I would love that."

So, I got out my phone and dialled his number. I figured he could do with a break from his family drama, and we needed some time to talk through our relationship. He agreed to come over, sounding excited.

I answered the door to a cheerier Jake than I'd seen in a long time.

"Hey, Emma!" he smiled. "It's so nice to actually visit you in your real house. Every time I've seen you it's been somewhere you don't live."