~
"The trouble is
you think you have time"
~
"Good morning." The lady behind the front desk at Dr. Moore's office says as I walk into the building, sending me a smile.
I smile back at her and walk towards Dr. Moore's office.
"You can head on back." She tells me and I nod, opening the door.
"Good morning Emma." He says from his desk as I enter the room.
"Morning." I reply with a smile.
"So how have you been doing since the last time we talked?" He asks me after we've sat down.
"I've honestly been better." I say with a nervous laugh.
"Oh? Care to elaborate?" He says, raising an eyebrow.
"I went to a party for the first time since the incident last night." I start, trying to push down my emotions.
"That's great progress Emma. Was it fun?"
"Mason was there..." I say, starting to fidget. I try to slow down my heartbeat by breathing slowly.
I can do this.
"Take your time Emma." He says reassuringly.
I take one more deep breath and continue.
"I was stupid and went to the bathroom alone, and he cornered me." I rush out.
I pause slightly before continuing.
"He...he started to touch me inappropriately." I say, the lump in my throat growing bigger.
"And h-he was saying stuff."
"What type of stuff?" He asks softly, and I take a deep breath to get myself under control.
I recount the event again to him, and when I'm done, there's a steady stream of tears flowing down my face.
Dr. Moore hands me a Kleenex box, and I gladly accept it from him.
"I'm very proud of you Emma. You've come a long way from the girl I met over a year ago."
"My friends said something similar. Although I have a hard time believing them sometimes." I say through my tears.
"Why? Do you not see the difference? Between the person you are now and the person from back then?" He asks.
My eyebrows furrow in confusion and he continues.
"The girl I met over a year ago had just attempted to take her life and was struggling to find meaning in her life after losing so much at such a young age. The girl now has found meaning, has found a way to smile, has found a way to fight back."
"By kicking him in the balls?" I ask with a grin.
The atmosphere instantly lightens as he lets out a laugh.
"Precisely that." He says with a smile. "My point is that you have come so far, and you should be proud of yourself."
I smile a little at that, seeing it a little bit.
"So, I want you to do some deep thinking between now and our next session. I want you to give me a list of maybe five things about yourself that you think have changed between then and now. " He says, and I sigh.
"Oh no. Dr. Moore, I'm good really."
"I just want you to try it out Emma. It might help more than you think."
I sigh, but nod. He smiles and gives me the okay to leave, and I get up.
"And Emma?"
I turn around and he gives me a small smile.
"Thank you for opening up today. I appreciate it."
"You're welcome." I say before leaving.
'~'
"Emma, wake the hell up!" Someone's voice says, pulling me from my nap.
I just groan and snuggle deeper into the covers. I didn't get much sleep last night, so as soon as I got home from therapy I passed out.
"Go away." I mumble, closing my eyes again.
"We haven't hung out in ages Em, now get the hell up." Sierra says, and I flip them off.
"I know this chica did not–"
Before I knew it my blankets were ripped off of me and Kara is jumping on the side of my bed.
"I hate y'all." I mumble, rolling out of bed.
"Oh no, she's grumpy." Kara says mockingly.
"I wonder why." I murmur as I walk towards my closet.
"You knew we were going shopping today, so you can't be mad at us." Sierra says in a singsong voice.
"You told me an hour ago that you would be here at four. It's only two, so yes, I can be mad."
"Well, we didn't want to waste any time. Shopping waits for no one you know?" Kara says and I roll my eyes as I pass them.
"Whatever." I say as I close the bathroom door.
"We love you!" Sierra yells.
"Yeah yeah, love y'all too." I yell back.
I quickly throw on a pair of jean shorts and a sweatshirt, running a brush through my hair before I head back to my room.
"So why do we need to go shopping again?" I ask as I put on my converse."
"My mom's sperm donor wants to have dinner tonight, and I need something presentable according to my mother." Sierra says bitterly.
"Why the hell is he coming over?" I ask her with a frown.
She rolls her eyes and sighs heavily, flopping down onto my bed.
"She said something about him wanting to see Mateo. That he has the 'right' to." She says with a scoff.
"So why do you have to attend, or look presentable?" Kara asks.
"Because I'm his kid too, even if he's not going to claim me. At least, that's what mom says. In my opinion he's an ass who should go to hell, he's not my father."
Kara and I share a look and she claps her hands loudly.
"Okay! Then let's go make you look jaw-dropping, even though you already are." Kara says, and I grab my phone and wallet as we walk downstairs.
"We're taking Bella just so you know." Sierra says, referring to my car.
"Of course we are." I mutter, going back inside to grab my keys.
We all pile into my car and Kara takes the aux cord, putting on 5 Seconds of Summer, because apparently we don't have any other bands we like.
We jam out to their playlist and fifteen minutes later we're at the mall.
"Do we have to go in right now? I love this song!" Kara whines as I pull into an empty spot.
"Kara, we can listen to it on the way back. Now come on!" Sierra practically yells as she gets out and yanks open Kara's side.
They better not harm my car.
They both bicker on the way to the entrance and I pretend that I'm not associated with them until the yelling is directed at me.
"Look at Em pretending not to know us!" Kara says loudly and by the grin on her face she knows exactly what she's doing.
Heads turn our way, but I grin at my two best friends.
"Okay stop! We need to find an outfit, where to first?" I ask looping an arm through Sierra's arm, with Kara on her other side.
"Hmm...I was thinking Forever 21?"
"Sounds good to me." Kara says as we start walking towards Forever 21.
'~'
"So then he got all weird and hasn't talked to me all day." Sierra says as we're eating Chick-Fil-A in the food court later that day.
"Have you tried texting him?" I ask her, throwing a fry in my mouth.
"Yes! He's being a guy and ignoring all of it." She says.
"I'm only saying this because I love you, but have you tried apologizing?" Kara asks her.
"Why should I have to apologize for having insecurities?" Sierra asks, stabbing her fruit with a little too much aggression.
"Because you accused him of cheating on you with Jade." I point out sheepishly. When Sierra is in the wrong, she doesn't take the truth very well.
"That's because I thought he did!"
"Sierra–"
"What? It's not like the guys we hang around with are saints!" She says, defending herself and giving Kara a pointed look.
"Hey! He's changed!" She fires back.
"Girls!" I snap, getting irritated with their yelling.
"Honey, guys like that don't change." She says, ignoring me.
"Excuse you? Just because your dad sucks ass doesn't mean you can classify our friends and my boyfriend as that too." Kara shoots back.
Oh no.
"Actually that gives me every right. God knows where Jake's dick has been? Who's to say that Chase isn't following in his footsteps?"
What is happening right now?
"Well it's a good thing that Jake's dick is none of your damn concern." Kara shoots back.
Ew, I don't want that image in my head.
"It will be when you come home with an STD."
"Sierra!" I gasp. I quickly look around to see people staring at us. One guy close to us even got up and left.
"At least Jake is experienced. Chase didn't last that long did he? You were the one bitching about it the first time y'all did it!"
"Kara!" I snap again.
"Stay out of this Em!" They both say simultaneously.
I just roll my eyes and take another drink of my sweet tea.
"Look, all I'm saying is that Chase has never given you a reason to doubt him. So you accusing him of cheating on him is kind of out of pocket." Kara says.
"She has a point Sierra, Chase is nothing but sweet to you and everyone around him." I say to her.
I finally see her shoulders slump and she buries her head in her arms.
"What do I do then?" She whines.
"Talk to him you idiot." Kara says plainly.
"He won't answer!" She says.
"Then make him. You're Sierra Rodriguez, the girl who doesn't take no for an answer." Kara shoots back.
While they go back and forth again, I just get my phone out and see that I have a text from Dwight.
Dwight: How's shopping?
Me: Deadly.
Dwight: That bad? Have Kara and Sierra started fighting yet?
Me: Yeah, Jake and Chase's performances were already dragged into it.
Dwight: You can't see me but I just flinched. That bad?
Me: Yup
Dwight: What I wouldn't give to be a girl
Me: Why do you say that? Being a girl is a blast
Dwight: No Em, it's not y'all are scary
"Earth to Emma!" Sierra says, snapping her fingers in front of me.
"Are you two finished fighting?" I ask, gathering my trash.
"Yeah, that ended like ages ago. Shows how much attention you give us."
"Don't y'all dare start." I say, standing up. "Let's go. Sierra has a relationship to go fix."
As we're walking to my car, I get a call from my mom.
"Hey mom, we're about to head home." I tell her, unlocking my car and getting in.
"Emma–" I hear my mom at the other end but she's sobbing.
"It's Jake."
'~'
Hey guys!
Sorry for the short chapter, but this chapter was just pushing us towards the next chapter.
So stay tuned!
Any guesses on what happened with Jake?
Comment and vote!
~Marie Black