He loves me; He loves me not *Currently Editing*

Chapter 12

When I finally get to school, it's still in 1st block. I see that Jack is here afterall, so I sit next to him. Everyone was doing worksheets so we could talk.

"How'd it go?" he asks me. I look at my wrist, remembering exactly how it went.

"Mom had just left to work, & Father decided to call in late in case I came back.."

"Oh crap."

"Yeah he told me to take back everything I said yesterday."

"So don't. He can't tell you what to do." I look up at him, scared to tell him what Father did to my wrist.

"I'll just take back what I said. It's Mom's fault if she doesn't believe me, it'll be better just to forget about it." I feel my voice drop as I say it, knowing I don't believe a word I say.

"I don't believe you." We work silently for the rest of the class.

At lunch, i'm still silent. Happiness just doesn't seem to be able to find me. The others seem to be able to sinse this as well.

"What's wrong?" Jen asks me.

"Nothing," I shrug. Everyone seems satisfied with that, except Catherine, who is staring at me.

"Seriously, what's wrong?" She asks me after school.

"I said, nothing."

"Cut the bull shit, Emma. We've been best friends since 3rd grade. I know when something's wrong." Tears start forming in my eyes as I tell her about Father cheating on mom, & how she doesn't believe me. I avoid the part about him hurting me, but I tell her that he's making me take back everything I said.

"Oh my God. Don't take a single word back!" She snapped.

"But.."

"But what! He can't make you take the truth back! So don't!" I look at the ground.

"Your mom deserves to know, whether she believes you or not. We'll just have to find proof. But saying that he never cheated is like you're helping him get away with it," Catherine explains.

"Wow when you put it that way. You're right. I'm not taking anything back." She smiles at me.

"Come on let's go get smoothies." & that was that.

After we pick up a couple of smoothies, we go over to her house.

"Hi Luke," I say as I plop down on the couch next to him. He smiles over at me, then grabs my smoothie.

"Hey!" I say as I watch him take a sip. He nods.

"Ohh raspberry, my favorite." I grab my smoothie back & stick my tongue out. "Hey, what happened to your wrist?" Oh crap.

"I went to a friend's house & her cat scratched me."

"Big cat."

"Yeah, a big cat." He looks at me strangely but doesn't say another word.

A couple hours later I go home.

"Hi Mom."

"Where did you go last night?"

"Sorry for bailing, I just had to get out. I was at a friend's house."

"Don't ever scare me like that again," she says as she hugs me.

"Aw, making up are we?" Father asks as he walks in from outside. "Emma, did your mom forgive you for thinking I was cheating?"

"I havn't said a thing about that," I say, standing my ground. He motions for me to say what he wants me to say. I shake my head no. He looks absolutly pissed. "Emma please," Mom pleaded. "Just admit you were wrong."

"Well let's see. While I was at the restaurant I actually talked to Father & he said he was just planning a project with the lady. If that was true, then how come you made Mom believe that you were at work?" I explain. Father's jaw drops. Mom shakes her head.

"Just go to your room Emma, I've heard enough out of you," Mom tells me. I obey & go to my room. I've had enough of the world for now so I decide to take a nap.

A couple hours later, I wake up to being shaken. I open my eyes to see my father hovering over me looking angry as hell. He forces me to sit up.

"You were supposed to tell her that it wasn't true."

"But it is true." He looks me straight in the eyes as he punches me in the stomach.

"You're not the daughter I wanted, that is true," he says as he leaves. I hold my stomach in pain & start crying. I cry the rest of the night til I fall asleep.