Before It Ends • Hessa • Emery Scott

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I see Emery shut her eyes, a breath releasing from her nose. "Dad, I really, really would like to take a shower." Her half British/half American voice is slow, I can tell she's trying her hardest not to slur her words.

"Who brought you home?" I ignore her reason of escape, and gently remove Tessa's feet from my lap so I can walk closer to my daughter.

"Why does it matter?" She snaps, and I'm quick to retaliate.

"Who brought you home, Emery!" My voice stays quiet but my tone is demanding and harsh. She rolls her eyes, her head hanging low on her shoulders.

"I drove myself."

I stay quiet, a small sigh leaving my lips in disappointment. I silently nudge her to go up the stairs so I can talk to her without waking up her mother. Tessa would blow the fuck up if she saw Emery this way. Not only that, but she'll end up setting off the ticking time bomb called Emery and go to bed sobbing her eyes out, ranting about how her daughter hates her. I don't want to hear Tessa cry about this again. It's really hard to keep my temper towards Emery when she hurts her mother like this without even a fucking second thought. It isn't okay, but Tessa has made me promise to just let it go. Something about not wanting her daughter to hate her even more, when in reality it's only her disciplining her child to be a better person.

I am tugged out of my thoughts when Emery almost trips on the second to last stair, I hold out my hands abruptly, but she catches herself first. I stay close behind her to catch her if she falls as she scurries up the rest of the steps.

"It isn't safe to drive while drunk." My voice is surprisingly calm as I shut the door behind me in her room. She immediately sits on her bed, a relaxed sigh escaping her lips at the comfort of her pillows.

"I didn't drink-"

"Don't lie to me." I interrupt, pointing my finger at her as I sit beside her. "What happened? Who were you with?"

"I wasn't with anyone!" She defends, and I stare at her so heavily that she has to look away and straighten her posture. "No one in particular."

I look around her room a little. It's dark without the lights on and her curtain is closed shut, a small light from the house across shining dimly through them, the new neighbors must've finished settling in today. I dismiss the random thought, and look back to the drunk girl sitting next to me. Her eyebrows are furrowed in concentration as she thinks of something that I can't really decipher. I wrap my hand around her shoulders and rub them gently. "I don't want you partying with strangers. Or anyone, really."

She shakes me off of her shoulders and brings her feet up so she can untie her shoes. When she doesn't reply, I decide to continue, "I really don't. Your mum was so worried about you."

"She doesn't have to worry."

"You don't know that."

"And you do?" She looks over at me, her face now completely visible for me to see. She has bloodshot eyes and she looks so fucking tired. I know exactly what her mum has to worry about. I've lived it. Tessa has lived it. I mean, I'm a perfect example of what Tessa should be worried about. At least my past self. I was a horny, who-gives-a-fuck dick back then and I knew multiple people just like me. They were all found at parties, the exact parties Emery goes off to some nights. It takes everything inside of me not to grab her shoulders and shake her as I ask her multiple questions about who she talked to and what happened.

Instead of that crazy act, I just simply nod at her, giving off my best sympathetic look imaginable. I would fucking love to ask her what made her drink. I would love to know her mind and her thoughts. But if she is anything remotely like me, then I know that I'll only push her away if I ask any questions about her 'getaway' shit tonight. She has nothing to say to my simple gesture and she just sighs, crawling over to the headboard of her bed and slipping under the covers. "Can I sleep now?"

I sigh, nodding my head as I stand from her bed. Before I walk out of her room I whisper, "if you need anyone to talk to, your mum and I are here."

She only nods, and I shut her door behind me.

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𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛'𝚜 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎

Hello! Welcome to my first After Fan Fiction. I usually write about Twenty One Pilots, but I decided to take a break from that and write about something new.

    I really enjoyed Anna Todd's after series, and the movies! I picture Hardin as Hero and Tessa as Josephine, of course. I picture Emery Scott as the original Tessa Young from the Harry Styles Wattpad version of After, and Auden Scott as young Hero in Harry Potter. ;)

    Of course, you can picture them however you please, but I will be doing a character chapter of introducing the characters and pictures once every character is formally introduced.
    Keep in mind that I might come through here and edit chapters as I write, but I promise it won't be a big plot change or anything.

Chapter one: Sept. 10, 2020