Words 2263
EMERY.
I had almost forgotten what school looked like. The halls are definitely a brighter color than I remember. They used to be a darker peach color but now they are a brighter peach. The lockers are also a lighter blue than I remember.
I go to my locker and open it up to put my backpack in. I hate carrying my backpack around. It feels odd being here. Dad told me I should probably go today since there's nothing stopping me and I was actually relieved. It'll take my mind off of things.
He also wanted to take Auden and I to school. He thought it would be easier to drive us since he was already going passed there to the hospital for mom. He said it was going to be stressful for him, getting mom back home. So he wanted to do it alone.
I'm okay with that. Because I know for certain mom is going to ask what happened with him as soon as I see her and I'm going to have to answer.
He is leaving in two days. I wish those two days would go by quickly so I can get rid of this anxiety in my stomach.
As I'm closing my locker and locking it, Tailey comes over with a frown. "I heard about your mom. I'm so sorry."
I roll my eyes, "thanks. But I don't need your fake sympathy Tailey. Why don't you hang out with someone who wants to deal with your shit, because I surely don't."
She looks at me with rage in her eyes, giving me the 'how dare you' look. I just pass her, letting out a frustrated breath. I don't want to deal with people today. Maybe coming here was a mistake. All I can think about is how she tried her damn hardest to take Cole away from me.
Little did she know I didn't like him that way. I'm honestly shocked he didn't fuck her. Any guy would've left me for her in a heartbeat. Though she is pretty flat chested, she has that thick wavy hair every guy goes crazy for. She even took my own boyfriend away from me. That bitch.
I begin to walk to class when I look down and notice I am empty handed, and I sigh. My brain is all over the place today. How the fuck am I supposed to go to class without a book? Especially math class. I need something to look like I'm working a problem in. Not that I'm going to fucking do anything but sit. Homework is called homework for a reason. You do it at home.
I twist myself around, venturing back towards my locker. But before I can even turn around fully, I'm bumping into someone, his books falling onto the floor. Anxiety fills my stomach as I look up. "Mark."
"Oh hey, Emery." He smiles lightly, "I haven't seen you in a while. How's your mom?"
"She's fine. I haven't seen you in a while either." Fuck, now here's the distraction I need. He used to be one of my fuck-buddies before Chris. He was definitely one of my favorites too. The reason he was one of my favorites is because he is a lot like me. He didn't care that I hooked up with someone different every night. He did the same thing.
"Hey, you wanna... catch up at my place Monday night? Unless if you're going to the party tonight. We could catch up then too."
"Sure. I'm not going to the party though—"
"I figured you weren't."
"Why?"
"Because of that Cole kid you've been hanging out with. He doesn't seem like a party kind of guy." He shrugs, "oh, and you guys aren't a thing, right? We can do anything we want Monday..."
"Yeah, yeah. We uh... we aren't even friends." I smile up at him. A small fake smile. "I'd love to come over on Monday." I lean up, getting close to his ear, "I kind of miss... fucking with you so..." I whisper and I can hear him let out a breath.
"I still think about you when I'm fucking someone else. You used to love that, huh?" He whispers in my ear, and I can't help but cringe.
"Yeah... I used to." I step away from him, smiling up at him. We used to tell each other that. We were both each other's favorites and we would always tell each other we were thinking of each other while fucking someone else. Not because we liked each other, but it only turned us on even more. Now all I can think about is: Cole wouldn't say that to me.
Cole would make me feel special and say I was the only one he wanted. No matter how many times I rolled my eyes and shushed him about it, he still said it. Now I finally see how special that really was.
"I'll see you later." He says, rubbing my shoulder as he passes me.
"Later." I mutter, turning around and walking to math class without my book once again. You know what? Fuck my book.
And fuck anyone who asks me where my book is.
◉‿◉
"Where is your book, Ms. Scott." The teacher questions, raising her eyebrows. "I know your mother is in the hospital but that doesn't give you an excuse to forget your books."
"Did I say it was?" I ask, rolling my eyes. "And who are you to tell me it's not an excuse? You don't know what happened."
"Ms. Scott. One more word and you are sent to detention." The teacher rolls her eyes, setting down the dry erase marker onto her desk.
"Because I'm right?" I chuckle, "you know what? Fuck you. Send me to detention."
◉‿◉
"Detention, Emery!?" Dad booms,
"It's not a big deal." I interrupt.
"Not a big deal? You have to be fucking with me right now. You have already missed so many days. Now detention? Your mother can't fix this one-"
"What?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows.
Dad sighs, shrugging his shoulders. "Your mother made sure they knew you weren't going to be at school. She sent in a child absence thing." He explains.
"That's why everyone knew." I state aloud, letting out a breath.
"My point is, this detention does not help you. You can't keep doing this Emery. This is your fourth detention this year. And detentions add up, Emery. They add up." He scolds, hitting his palm onto the steering wheel.
I just glance out the window, tuning him out. "Well, I don't want to be here anyways." I mutter, slouching down into my seat.
He lets out a small sigh, turning on the blinker as he turns into Auden's school. My stomach is still full of anxiety. Just under my rib cage my body is aching. I feel like every time I swallow, it gets stuck at the bottom of my throat and I overall feel like a ticking time bomb. One wrong touch or word will either make me yell in rage or sob all over the place. I haven't felt like this in what feels like a very long time.
Auden hops in the car, shutting his door. "I can't wait to see mom. She's home right?" He asks immediately. He sounds like he's smiling from ear to ear. I wish I could do that.
"Yep. She's home, Aud." Dad replies, pulling out of the parking lot. "Don't hug her too hard, she is still a little hurt."
Because of me.
"I won't." He says. I keep my eyes out of my own window, watching as the houses and occasional trees pass, all the way to our own house.
◉‿◉
TESSA.
I chuckle lightly as Nora tells me a story that Addy had told her earlier that morning. Something about how she felt the baby kick in her stomach and it felt so unreal.
I remember the first time Emery kicked me. She was a pretty rough kicker too. So was Auden. That's how I knew for certain it was Hardin's children bouncing around in there. Not that I didn't know for certain already, of course.
"Here, can you hand me that pillow? I'm so sorry but I need one under my back." I ask gently, inwardly beating myself up for asking her for something.
I get that's why she is here, to help me get around while Hardin is out getting the kids, but I wish I didn't need her help at all. I wish I could do the things I wanted to do without the dull pain in my side. I wish I didn't have to leave the hospital with a list of things they are telling me not to do.
Like shower. They told me that I shouldn't shower, at least not alone. And when I do shower there's like an entire list of things I have to do afterwards. I have to, with Hardin's help, apply this ointment to my stitched wound that should help it heal quicker, and then recover it with a pad thing they sent us home with.
They told me that I don't have to wear the pad on my wound, but that it would provide more protection. But overall they were going to leave it up to me, if I wanted to be sent home with pads or without them. Hardin chose for me. He insists I wear it, at least for a few more days. Now, I am just waiting patiently (and with no rush, of course) for Nora and Landon to leave and for Hardin to get home to help me shower for the first time in a while.
"Do you need anything else?" Landon asks as he stands. I can tell he is wanting to help me. He doesn't have to though. Nora is a professional mother and caretaker. Landon is too, but Nora seems to know exactly what I need before I say it. The first thing she did when she got here is hand me a coffee from Dunkin' Donuts. Bless her soul because damn is their coffee delicious.
I could tell when Hardin was rushing out of the door that he was a bit upset she did that. He gets like that when people do nice things for me. I know exactly why. He wants to do those things for me. And he beats himself up for not thinking about getting me a coffee first or something dumb like that. It's always a competition.
He has nothing to be upset about though and he has definitely gotten better at maintaining that small hint of anger. He used to totally overreact about shit like that. Not anymore. I admire him for it.
"Tessa?" Landon waves his hand, raising his eyebrows.
"Oh, I'm sorry Landon. No thank you. Just act like I didn't just get out of the hospital. I'm totally fine." I say, adjusting myself on the pillow. I flinch lightly and hope that they don't notice.
Suddenly my phone dings and I open it up. I smile lightly at the photo of Kendal, the person I planned the wedding for, and her new husband, Danny. I told her we couldn't make it and I made her promise to send a picture of her all dressed up in her dress and then a picture of her and him together. She agreed, and I finally have a picture of her in her dress.
Kendal: ten minutes until the REAL thing! I'm excited and nervous. I'm doing those breathing exercises you said I should do. Wish you were here! I hope you're doing okay. Xoxox
I chuckle at her text, liking the photo she sent before replying 'wish I was there too!'
Kendal is actually a very nice girl. It was a pleasure planning her wedding. We've become great friends.
Suddenly the door opens and I smile at Emery as she enters. She doesn't look at us, she just marches up the stairs quickly and I hear her door shut. My smile fades and my heart sinks.
I hope I'm not back to square one. Whatever happened, I hope she isn't mad at me for it. Once Hardin walks in I question him immediately, "what happened?"
"What?" He questions cluelessly, dropping Emery's backpack onto the floor.
"To Emery. What happened?" I ask again. Auden runs in screaming, 'mommy!' I keep my eyes on Hardin expectantly but open my arms for Auden.
"Careful Auden, damn it." Hardin says, ignoring my question. He walks over to pull Auden off of me but I shoo him away.
"He can hug me, Hardin. Stop being difficult." I say calmly, running my fingers through Auden's brown hair that is on my chest.
"He could h-"
"Stop it." I look up at Hardin with a stern look. I get he is very nervous about me and protective but that doesn't mean he can keep my children from my arms.
He nods his head, stepping back. I can tell he doesn't want to make a scene in front of everyone. Mostly Auden since we promised not to fight in front of him. Landon and Nora are used to it by now. "What happened with Emery?"
"We'll talk about it later." He mutters, sitting down on the couch beside Landon.
◉‿◉
𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛'𝚜 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎
Sorry for the late post!
I went to the beach yesterday. My legs are as red as a lobster, and I don't usually burn so it's new for me.
Chapter sixty: Mar. 18, 2021