Before It Ends • Hessa • Emery Scott

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎

"There's probably a bus." He answers calmer than before. "Where'd you put my shirt?"

"On the other side." I mumble, referencing to the bed and he walks around and picks up his dark green shirt.

I watch him as he takes one final look at the wall art, let's out a frustratingly loud sigh and walks passed me towards the door. He stops suddenly and turns around. "Your aunt is at your house and wants to ask you questions about her daughter's whereabouts. I'm guessing she ran away."

My face falters into a shocked face but I quickly recover and go back to my blank expression. He looks down, sighs again, and then leaves me in the hotel room that he bought for both of us. Fuck... I shouldn't have even come here. I should've just stood my ground and went to school. Even though I know Chris is probably waiting for me there.

And why the fuck am I not surprised Addy ran away? She wanted to keep her baby, so let her fucking keep it. Better question, why the fuck do they suspect I have anything to do with it? I'm not the cause of everything wrong in life! At least, I don't think I am.

I sigh, reluctantly gathering my shit into my backpack and hoisting my bag onto my shoulder. Fuck, now I have to drive home alone. I shouldn't have yelled at him like that. I could've just told him "don't do that again." and I know he would never touch my phone again. That's just how he is. But of course, I had to fuck it up like everything good in my life. Maybe they're right. Maybe I am the cause of everything wrong in life...

◉‿◉

I take my time to get out of my car and walk up the steps to my house. I expect a lecture for not being at school and another lecture for being with Cole. I know dad doesn't like him, which is why I haven't told him about our friendship, or I guess past friendship. He'll be happy to know that we are no longer friends.

I slowly open the door, immediately once entering I hear sobs from the living room and see Aunt Nora hunched over the couch and mom rubbing her back. I feel instantly uncomfortable when mom looks over at me with a worried expression. I don't see dad anywhere, or Auden. Well, Auden should be at school, but dad should be around here somewhere, unless if they haven't gotten finished at the eye doctor which is highly unlikely. It's like 1:30.

"I don't know what to do! She won't answer her phone." Aunt Nora sobs and mom whispers something to her, which makes her straighten up and look behind her. "Emery, please come sit down." She says, trying to calm herself. She wipes her nose with some tissues as I slowly make my way to the couch and sit farthest from her. I'm not good at comforting people. It makes me hella uncomfortable. "Is there anything Addy said to you the other day? Anything that could lead to her running away."

"How long as she been missing?" I ask, ignoring her questions. I know exactly why she ran away.

"Since this morning. I assumed she went to school but the school called and said she was absent and all of her art supplies and comic sketches are gone!" She take a shaky breath in before continuing, "our neighbors can't find their boy either. We assume they ran away together and I'm so nervous that I might... I might never..." she lets out another loud sob and shakes her head, apologizing.

"I was worried about you too, Em. When Aunt Nora got here, your school called and said you weren't there either. I thought you left too." Mom says, keeping a warm hand on Aunt Nora's back. 

I shake my head, denying her beliefs. I could've, but I didn't. That explains why Addy was calling me last night. "The police won't help me until she is missing for forty-two hours, but I feel different about this. I know she isn't going to come back willingly!" Aunt Nora rambles between tears and mom mumbles small "I know"s and "it'll be okay"s.

Should I tell her about the phone call I got from Addy and rudely ignored? No... because Addy wouldn't want me to do that. Of course, I wish she wouldn't have ran away, because how the fuck will she take care of that baby alone?! Well, I guess she isn't alone. That guy she talked about is possibly with her. At least, that's what Aunt Nora said. Maybe I should call Addy back and ask for details. I want to help her. I want to help Aunt Nora too, because it's a totally fucked up thing to do to your family.; To leave without warning.

"Landon is at home calling every person we know to ask if they have seen her. He's also really worried." Aunt Nora continues to rant, but she seems to be calming down. Only occasionally sniffing and taking shaky breaths in.

"Where's dad?" I ask gently. I don't want to be disrespectful changing the subject, but I would like to know. Does he know that his niece is missing? Fuck, I can feel my heart drop at the thought. This will hit me hard tonight, even though I don't know her that well.

"He's getting Auden from school. She might've said something to him." Mom answers in her soothing voice. I nod, sighing with relief that they aren't questioning me further.

I'm the one who put the idea to run away in her mind...

"Why don't you just keep the baby? It's your decision not your parents."

Addy takes a deep breath, staring at a certain item on her desk a few feet away. "Honestly, it is their decision. I can't take care of a baby alone, so they would be doing most of the work."

I scoff, "that's bullshit. It's your baby. If you want to keep it, keep it!" When I see that my advice isn't helping in the slightest, I decide to tell her what I would do. "I would run away. Not that you should, but if I wanted to keep my baby and my parents were in the way of my possible future I wouldn't let them push me around. Fuck them, I'd run away."

Fuck... I definitely am the cause of everything wrong in life.

◉‿◉

𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛'𝚜 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎

I am taking a week break from posting this book. I'd like to take my time writing it. I hope you guys are okay with that! I will post next Friday!

Marry Christmas!!! What did you all get?

Chapter thirty three: Dec. 25, 2020