Before It Ends • Hessa • Emery Scott

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚢 𝙵𝚒𝚟𝚎

"We're waiting for your aunt Nora to text me about anything new. She said she thinks she found a hint of where Addy might be in the treehouse." Mom explains and my heart starts to beat rapidly in my chest and I feel my anxiety rise.

"Oh." I reply simply, passing them and sitting back down at the counter. I take an orange from the bowl in the middle and peel off the skin. I'm definitely going to that party tonight.

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COLE.

I'm definitely going to that party tonight. How else am I supposed to keep Chris off of Emery? I didn't sleep at all last night thinking about it. Emery is definitely going to that party, which means Chris will be there, which, again, means he's probably going to use their time wisely.

If Emery really hates it as much as she says she does, then I can't let it happen. I don't care if we are on bad terms or if I'm supposed to be mad at her. I promise her, and myself, that I won't let him get away with this. And I really do plan on getting him arrested.

Of course I will respect Emery's wishes of keeping her out of it and instead of the simple going-to-police, I will have to have a whole other reason to have him behind bars. That part should be easy. The hard part will be going through with the plan smoothly.

Emery probably wouldn't approve of my plan, but she doesn't need to be apart of this, just like she wanted.

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HARDIN.

I keep my stare onto my laptop, my fingers resting on the keys, waiting for me to think of something good. I'm getting to the end of this short story book, because I'm beginning to lose ideas.

Either I have no more ideas or my mind is on something else. My mind is on something else.

I'm worried about Emery. She's acting strong about this whole Addy shit but I can tell she's hurt. I saw her rummaging through our liquor cabinet last night. I was getting up to get some cereal.

I want to tell Tess but I don't want her to worry about her. I'm doing so much of that already. I don't want her to turn out like me. I don't want her to go through what I did and what I put my family through. Couldn't she just be more like her mom?

Tessa's personality is what made me love her and I wish Emery would look up to her mom.

I hear the basement door open and I turn myself around in my twisty chair. Tessa comes down with a mug and places it on my desk. "Coffee so you stay awake. You were up all night." 

I give her a soft smile, grabbing the mug and leaning back in my chair. "Couldn't sleep." I simply state and she nods.

"You stressed about Addy?" She asks and I nod.

"Yeah, and Emery. I can tell this is beating her up too."

Tessa nods as if she strongly agrees but then immediately shakes her head afterwards. "I can't imagine how she must feel. I feel terrible about it and I didn't know Addy like Emery did."

Tessa leans onto my desk and I wheel myself around where I am in front of her. I grab her hips and massage them lovingly. "We have to be strong for them. Especially Auden. I don't even think he understands what this could mean." She could've been kidnapped or killed for all we know. She isn't picking up her phone, or coming home.

Tessa's frown deepens, and she runs her fingers through my hair once. "Auden asked me why Addy ran away as if it was some simple question I could answer." She explains, "but I couldn't answer him. I couldn't tell him the possibilities..."

I reach up and brush my thumb over her cheek. "I think that wherever she is, or whatever she's doing, she's okay." I assure, "she's really strong and if Landon and Nora are right about her running away with her friend then I think she'll be just fine."

"I can't imagine what Landon and Nora are going through. What if Emery was the one to run away... I don't know what I would do."

I nod, my hand falling onto her shoulder and rubbing the muscles that conjoins her neck and shoulder. Tessa hangs her head once I hit a hit spot and I keep the pressure there. She needs to calm down. I don't want her overthinking this. I don't want any what-ifs. "No what-ifs, okay? Emery is perfectly fine where she is and I don't have that feeling like she might take off or some shit. I don't think she could do it."

I feel Tessa's shoulder jolt up and then back down and I furrow my eyebrows, leaning my head so I can get a view of her face, which is still hanging low on her shoulders. "Tess..."

When she finally speaks, I can hear the tears clear in her voice. "Every time she leaves the house I'm scared she won't come back. And I know it would be because of me." Her shoulders shake again as she lets out a sob and I'm quick to stand to my feel and press her closer to me. My body is hunched over so her chin can rest on my shoulder and my hands are on her back, rubbing away the tension.

"Hey... hey... don't be like that." I say in a comforting tone, my hand pressing the back of her head closer. I don't know what to say to comfort her. There's no way I can change her mind on this. "You're an amazing mother, Tessa. And she knows you are better than most, she is just stubborn. You know how she is." My hand go under her thighs and I lift her up onto the desk so I can hug her more comfortably. "I don't want any what-ifs, Tess." I repeat and she doesn't reply she just keeps her head on my shoulder, occasionally letting out a small sob.

How the fuck can I comfort her when I'm not even sure of it myself?

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𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛'𝚜 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎

     This chapter was more of a filler. The next chapter will be filled with action though, I promise!

Chapter thirty five: Jan. 4, 2021