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CHAPTER SIXTEEN: TEARS
Emma walked back to the Chatéau. She unlocked the door and shut it behind her, then went into her bedroom and collapsed on the bed. The minute she lied down, all of her pent up emotions were released through streams of tears. She felt like she could barely breathe as she cried.
She stared up at the ceiling, her vision blurry from the tears as she wondered if her relationship with the Pogues was going to be affected or not. She wondered if her friendship with Pope was ruined, because she practically stabbed him in the back by dating the boy who jumped him for no reason—right in front of her. If her friendship with Kiara was ruined because she lied to her. If her friendship with JJ was damaged because she lied to him about not talking to Rafe anymore for jumping Pope. If her relationship with her brother was ruined because she never told him about it. If her new friendship with Sarah was ruined because she didn't tell her she was dating her brother.
Then she remembered how Barry had treated her. How he'd yanked her by her hair so hard, not once—but twice, and threw her into the Twinkie. How he'd held a gun to her head more than once. How he almost shot her. How he almost shot her friends. Her head was full of loud thoughts that couldn't be tamed. The thoughts were consuming her to the point where her brain might've exploded.
Emma sat up and grabbed a pillow. She buried her face in it and let out the most guttural scream she could manage. The stress was driving her crazy. She was losing her mind. She stayed there for a few seconds, staring at the wall while sobbing. And then, she lay back down and took a shaky breath. She cried into her pillow, and eventually drifted off to sleep.
★ ★ ★
Later that night, the Routledge girl woke up to a strange vibration and loud noise coming from outside the house. She rubbed her swollen eyes and got up. She looked out of the window and saw bright lights flashing, attached to the big trees next to her house. She furrowed her brows. "The hell?" She whispered.
She walked outside and followed the lights. That's when she caught sight of more colorful lights around the trees and a hottub in between the trees, with JJ sitting in the middle. He had lavish champagne glasses, beer bottles and colorful swan floaties floating above the water. He was wearing a new golden chain and wearing sunglasses.
"JJ?" Emma murmured, thinking she was in a dream. A bad one. She looked at him, and he was grinning back at her, obviously buzzed. "What is this?"
"I got a jet going straight in my butt right now." He chuckled, as if this was a funny situation. "You should get in immediately, you hear me?" He poured the beer into one of the champagne bottles. "Salud!"
