Swimming always relaxed me and right now I was more than relaxed. After Dylan and Connor went up stairs with I decided to go for a swim. I have been in the pool for about 1hr and I am not ready to get out, the water felt to good.
I started to sing When I look at you by Miley Cyrus.
"Everybody needs inspiration
Everybody needs a song
A beautiful melodyWhen the nights are long'Cause there is no guarantee
That this life is easyYeah when my world is falling apart
When there's no light
To break up the dark
That's when I, II look at you
When the waves are flooding the shore
And I can't find my way home any more
That's when I, I
I look at you."
"Who are you crushing on?"
I jumped, I wasn't expecting anyone to come out here.
"Caleb, what the hell? You can't sneak up on someone like that."
He let out a little chuckle. " Sorry, and you didn't answer my question." He said raising an eyebrow.
I rolled my eyes, but also blushed a little. "I don't have to be crushing on someone to sing that song, stupid."
"No, but you were singing it really passionately. Also you didn't say you didn't have a crush."
Did I? I had been so caught up in this whole Thomas thing I hadn't had time to think about anything else. I didn't want admit I might have a slight one on Caleb, but come on i couldn't be true. Maybe it was just because he had been there for me lately, yeah I'll go with that.
I was now suddenly feeling nervous around Caleb. Stop it Emma, you can't like him. I could feel my face warming up, this wasn't good.
"Maybe I do, what's it to you?" I ask raising my eyebrow.
He face change slightly, kind of like Thomas's did at the ice cream shop.
"Mmm..so you getting out anytime soon? because your dad wants to see you after you get out." he said walking back toward the door.
"Yeah, I'm getting out right now." I stood up and realized I had forgotten a towel.
I turned toward Caleb to ask him if he could get me a towel, but when I looked back he was just staring at me, which made me feel really self conscious about my body.
I snapped my fingers in front of Caleb's face. "Caleb, my eyes are up here."
This caused Caused Caleb to blush, like really blush. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the floor.
"Sorry, I....well I was just....look I can't help it I'm a guy."
I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, I need a towel please. I forgot to grab one when I came out here."
He nodded his head and went back inside, while I was waiting for him to come back I laid in one of the long chairs and tried to dry off a little from the sun.
"Here buttercup." Caleb said as he throw the towel on me.
"Thanks."
He walked back into the house and after I dried off a bit, I went up to my room to get changed. After that I walked back down stairs trying to find my dad. I went to the kitchen and seen Mary, but that was it.
"Hey Mary, have you seen my dad?" I asked leaning against the counter.
"Yeah, I think he is in the bedroom sweetie."
"Thanks." I said turning around heading for the stairs.
"Wait Emma." Mary called out.
I turned around and faced Mary.
"I got two free spa tickets from work today and I was wondering if you wanted to go with me? You don't have to, I'll understand."
I smiled, " Of course I'll go with you. We can have a girls day."
Mary's face light up and a big smile formed on her face. "I would love that."
I walked up the stairs to my dad's room to talk to him. I knocked on his door and opened it slowly.
"Dad...are you in here?"
"Yeah, honey." He sounded a little sad.
"Sit down, I have to tell you something."
I looked at him scrunching my eyebrows together. This sounded serious.
"What's wrong?"
"I just found out I have a business trip and it is going to be 2 weeks long. So that means I won't be here next Tuesday."
My heart sunk, I hadn't even thought about Tuesday, it was the anniversary of my mom's death. I could feel my eye's start to burn, but I was trying to hold back any tears that were trying to come out.
"Sweetie, are you going to be okay? Do I need to stay here, because I can."
"I'll be fine dad. It's just you havn't really had anytime with you since you got married and started your new job."
He looked down and then back up at me with a frown on his face.
" I know, and I promise when I get back we will spend a whole week together just you and me. I'm sorry, Emma I have always been here on the anniversary of her death, are you sure you don't want me to stay?"
Thinking about my mom's death was making it harder not to cry, I tried to get something out, but when I tried to talk I just started to cry, I couldn't stop. It wasn't because my dad wasn't going to be here for the anniversary it was because all of the memories started to come back up.
When I started to cry my dad grabbed me into a big, tight hug and I just grabbed onto him and let myself go.
"Shhh...it's okay Em, I'm staying. I don't want to leave you alone." He said while rubbing my back.
I calmed myself down a little bit and a looked up at him.
"No, I want you to go.....I promise I'll be alright. It was just the memories of it all and I won't be alone.....I have Mary,the boys, and my friends. I'll be fine dad, really go." I said wiping the tears away from my face.
"I don't know......"
"Dad, go I'll be fine,"
It took some convincing, but I finally cracked him. After that I went to my room until we ate supper, which was pretty silent. I was tired so I just went to my room and have been laying here ever since. It was now 1:00 am and I had school in the morning, but I couldn't fall asleep.
I keep tossing and turning trying to fall asleep, but realized sleep wasn't going to come. I decided to go out onto the back deck and set out side maybe some fresh air would do me good.
When I stepped out onto the deck I seen someone sitting on the porch swing and froze, but realized it was just Caleb. I debated going back in, but it was too late because he seen me.
"Buttercup, is that you?"
"Yeah, mind if I join you?"
I said walking over toward him.
"No, you can sit down."
I sat down beside him looking out onto the night sky, it was beautiful.
"Why are you out here?"
I asked wondering why he was up so late and not asleep in his bed.
"I could ask you the same thing."
"yeah, but I asked you first."
He nodded his head with a little chuckle. "I had a lot on my mind that's all. What about you?"
I looked at him and then back to the sky,
"Well, let's see. It could be because I have to worry about the whole Thomas thing or because my mom's death anniversary is next Tuesday and my dad isn't even going to be here."
I let out a bitter laugh, I don't really know why, but when I am out here with Caleb I want to tell him everything just like the last time.
Caleb's face changed, it looked like he felt sorry for me. I really didn't want him to, I just wanted to forget about the whole thing.
"I'm sorry Emma, if you don't want to do this whole Thomas thing than I understand. You can just stop now. I didn't want you involved in this whole thing anyway."
I rested my head on his shoulder, I don't know why, he just made me feel safe.
"No, I still want to do it. I am just....well I don't know. Everything has changed so fast and I guess I haven't really processed it. "
"Yeah I guess a lot has changed."
We just sat in silence, but it wasn't awkward it was actually nice. I wanted him to keep talking to me, his voice made me calm and I was actually starting to feel tired.
"Caleb, can you keep talking? It helps calm me." I said not really caring if it sounded weird.
He chuckled a little, which I felt because I was resting on his shoulder and somehow was now holding on to his arm.
"Buttercup, you're different than a lot of girls. I mean that in a good way, your special and that's why..........."
I didn't hear what else he said because I had fallen asleep. His voice just made me forgot about everything else, which is something that made me feel something toward him, maybe I did have a crush on him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The next morning.~~~~~~~~~~
BEEP!!!!
BEEP!!!!!
I hit the alarm really hard, rolling back over onto my pillow. I was unwilling pulled myself out of bed, I looked down at my bed and the memories of last night came back. Caleb must have carried me up the stairs last night because I remember falling asleep on Caleb's arm. Thinking about that made a smile form on my face, last night I had realized I had a slight crush on Caleb, but nothing was going to happen and plus he was my step brother.
I pick an outfit out, today I didn't feel like dressing up too much so I put on some skinny jeans and a cute tank top with a denim jacket.
When I walked out of the door I bumped into someone. I prepared to hit the floor, but never did. I opened my eyes to see green ones staring back at me. I could feel a blush creeping up my cheeks. Ever since I realized I had a crush on Caleb, I felt awkward around him.
"Falling for me?" Caleb said with a smirk.
"W-What no, I think you're crazy." I said getting out of his arms and standing up, I tried my best to act normal, but I could tell I was failing miserably.
He chuckled a little. "I was kidding buttercup, calm down. Are you ready to go?"
I nodded a little. I needed to act normal around him, it wasn't even that big of a deal. It was probably some stupid crush that I would get over in about a week.
Today Caleb was driving, which meant we were going about 30 mph over the speed limit. After we picked up Mason and Dylan we were headed straight for school. When we got there I rushed out of the car, didn't really like everyone staring at me when I got out of the car with the boys. Yesterday I walked in with them and I could hear all kinds of people whispering stuff about me, which is why I'm surprised the school's queen bee hasn't confronted me yet. Are school had your normal clicks, but Hannah, are schools queen bee, was different. She had dark brown hair, got mostly all A's and didn't wear cakey make up, and yet she was still a hoe.
I went to my looker to grab my books when Winter came up behind me and scared me.
"Hey Emma." she said with a big smile on her face, I could tell she was warming up to me.
"Hey, why so happy?"
"I just pulled into the parking lot and seen some of the cutest guys ever, I think I can get use to this school." she said laughing a little, which made me laugh with her.
"And who were these guys?"
"Here they come now." she said pointing toward the door.
I turned around to see Caleb,Luke,Connor,Dylan, and Mason walking through the door. I rolled my eye's, but then felt a little worried that she was talking about Caleb.
"Which one do you like?"
"I like the one on the end, next to the twins."
I let out a breath of relief, I know it was a little stupid but I couldn't help it. Then an idea popped into my head and a mischievous smirk found it's way onto my face.
"Hey you should come over tonight, I could really use a girls night."
It wasn't a lie I really did need a girls night I had been around boys for to long.
"That sounds so much fun, and I can bring over some movies if you want, we can have a movie marathon."
I chuckled, it had been forever since I had a nice movie marathon with a friend.
"Sounds good. Do you need my address?"
"Yeah just text it to me. I have to get to class, it's on the other side of the school. Bye."
Once she turned the corner I turned around to find Connor, I needed to make sure he was going to be at the house tonight. When I turned around Thomas was standing right behind me, which made me jump.
"Sorry didn't mean to scare you."
I chuckled, "That's okay."
"So about our date Saturday, is it okay if we have it at my house because I have something planed and plus I have a pool." He said with a smirk.
"Really?" I said with the best seductive voice I had and I had a smirk on my face. "Because that sounds amazing." As I was talking I started to get closer to him and put my hand on is chest.
He licked his lips and chuckled a little, I hated this. I didn't want to be touching him right now, but I knew I had to get information off of him.
"I'll see you saturday." And with that he walked off.
A shiver went down my spin, I couldn't wait until this whole thing was over. I went to go find Connor, but when I looked back I seen Cabel looking at me and he didn't look happy. As soon As I looked at him he walked away, well that was weird.
I shrugged it off and finally found Connor, he was leaning against Dylan's locker talking to him.
"Hey Con, what are you doing after school?" I said standing beside him and Dylan.
"Umm...I think The boys and I have somethings to do after school and then we're going back to your house and probably staying the night. Why?"
A big smile formed on my face, this was perfect. "Oh no reason, I was just wondering."
He looked a little confused, "Okay, whatever you say."
I then realized they were my ride, but he just said they had stuff to do after school.
"Wait, how am I supposed to get home?" I asked with an eyebrow raised.
"About that, so you know how we told you not to go with Thomas alone. Well you're going to have to catch a ride with him."
I let out a huff of air, I was going to try my hardest not to ride with Thomas.
"Really? You guys can't drop me off at the house first? Or you guys can even take me with you?"
Dylan let out a little chuckle "Yeah that's not happening. Luke and Caleb done said that you don't need to get anymore involved than you already are and honestly I agree with them."
I rolled my eyes, "Fine, whatever. I have to go see you guys later." I said as I walked off.
1st period was pretty boring and went by pretty fast. When I was headed to 2nd period I bumped into someone and landed on the floor. I looked up to see a smirking Hannah.
"watch where you're going loser." She said laughing along with her friends.
I didn't want to deal with her today, I looked at her and then seen rose behind her. So this is why she wasn't my friend anymore.
"I'm not the one who should look where they're going, you are. Oh and hey Rose enjoying being an assistant to Hannah. the bitch"
She didn't answer me she just rolled her eye's and looked away.
"Excuse me, who do you think you're talking to, just because you live with the Johnson twins now don't think you're anymore popular." she said with a scowl on her face.
"I never said I was, why are you getting so worked up over nothing."
"You think you're something now, well news flash you're not. You can't just walk in here and get with Thomas and think you're the only girl for him, but really you're just another slut."
I rolled my eye's she was one to talk.
"Yeah because you've never sleep with guys to become more popular. Listen Hannah, you don't know anything about me so how about you stay away from me. Oh and you don't know anything about me and Thomas so stay out of it."
I walked away, but I could still hear her in the background yelling at me, she may have talked like that to me before but now that I had this new found confidence I wasn't going to let that happen.
The rest of the day went by pretty good, well until lunch. I found winter and we talked about what we were going to do, until the boy's decided to interrupt us.
"Hey Emma, who's this?" Connor asked sitting down next to Winter and Dylan sitting on the other side of her. When she looked at him her face turned red and her eyes went wide, this was to funny.
"This is my friend winter, winter this is Connor and Dylan. I'm sure you've seen them in the halls."
She looked at me raised her eyebrows, basically asking me why the hell didn't I tell her I knew them.
she turned back to Connor and let a small smile form on her face. "Hi." she said kind of quietly.
Soon Caleb and Luke came to sit down.
"Where's Mason?" I asked.he never seemed to be here.
"Probably on a closet somewhere, eaten some girls face." Dylan said more focused on his food than anything.
"Eww, I didn't need to hear that while I'm eating, or anytime for that matter." I said sitting down my sandwich.
Caleb really didn't say much the whole time, he pretty much ignored me. I felt kind of bad, but I shrugged it off.
"Oh and Thomas said he couldn't take me home so, one of you are going to have to suck it up and do it." I said looking at all of them.
"I'll do it." Caleb said speaking for the first time since he's been here.
He was the other the only one who brought their car besides Connor.
"Okay." was all I said, he didn't even look at me. After Lunch we all went our separate ways.
When the bell rang for the end of the day, I wasn't looking forward to riding in a car with a mad Caleb.
I seen him leaning against his car waiting for me.
This was going to be interesting.
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Hey guys, hope this chapter was good. I kind of rushed toward the end, but I tried my best, lol.
The idea for this chapter was givin to me by AngieBriseno7 , thank you so so much. Everyone please go follow her.
Also this chapters shout out goes to dragonfly0425 Thank you for voting on the book.
Please leave a like and comment, thank you.