Breathless: Emily's Story

Chapter 12

September 22- Emily

Waking up with a crick in my neck, I pull out my phone, realizing I had never text Alix or even Avalon back. I mentally beat myself up as I text "Yeah, my dad just needed me" to both girls. Neither respond, but it says Avalon read it.

I, then, get up and decide to start to get up and get ready for school. I wore jeans, knowing that would cover the marks on my ankle, I don't roll up the bottom like I usually did to show off a little ankle.

I also wear a big puffy hoodie, one I know will cover most of the marks I had on my neck. Sliding on my socks and my usual vans, I hesitantly unlock the door and peer into the hall. I walk past my dad's room to go to the bathroom and notice he's laying in his bed, sound asleep. I glare slightly. Sometimes I wonder that if he tried to kill either of us for real, would I be able to defend Bruno? Or even myself? I study his face, and aside from the forming black eye, he looked nothing like the monster that had attacked me the night before.

Once I get to the bathroom, I check out my neck in the mirror. I see a long purple line across the middle of my throat. I clench my jaw, bringing out my makeup and blotch some on top of it. Careful not to get any on the bright pink material of the hoodie. Checking myself out in the mirror, I realize I looked almost just like my mother. I look up at the ceiling.

"Why did you leave me with this- this life?" I heave a breath. "Is this some type of cruel joke?" I look down, blinking slowly as a tear travels down my face.

I look deeper into my mirror as I apply makeup to the surrounding areas of my eye. I knew there would be a bruise there in the next day. But thankfully it didn't swell like last time or I'd have to miss school.

I drive, dropping off Bruno at his school. Texting Avalon as I get back into the car.

Emily: On my way to get you

Emily: Tell Alix I can take her today too

I text again, smiling to myself. Fuck Asher.

Avalon: Ok

She never responded much, I think as I drive out of the parking lot.

15 minutes later

I strum my fingers on the dashboard as I wait for the Byrne siblings. Looking into the rearview mirror, I make sure my makeup didn't smear. I see my makeup did get on the hoodie slightly.

"Fuck" I say, licking my finger as I try fixing the material. But as soon as I see Asher walking out of their house, I opt just to hide the material against my throat.

"Hey, sexy" He greets, sliding into the passenger seat. I roll my eyes and watch past him. Watching for Alix, I was worried she thought I hated dancing with her. In the corner I see Asher, clench his jaw, grabbing my jaw, and kisses me. I push him away.

"Are you crazy?" I burst. Avalon could've seen that, or Alix.

"I wanna show them that you're mine-"

"I'm not yours, Asher" I burst. It was harsh but true. He'd slept with Savannah and thought I was still his.

"I told you not to talk to Alix-" He begins another conversation.

"And I did anyway, because you aren't my boyfriend. I wouldn't do it if you even were"

"Why not?" He asks, looking almost hurt.

"Because you can't control people"

"Why aren't I your boyfriend?" He clarifies his question.

"One, I already technically have one. And two, you aren't my type." Alix might be, I think suddenly, then push that thought very far away. "Plus, you don't date- remember?" He looks forward, almost as if he'd changed his mind about the whole thing. "Look, if you can't understand that we aren't anything more than friends then we should end it" I tell him, feeling bad about it in the first place.