My Bestfriend's Brother

Chapter 11

"Emma, we need to talk to you," My mother and father are next to each other but my mother speaks, "Sit, please," She says.

"What's wrong?" I ask, confused. What could it be? Did they find out? Did Liz tell them? I have so many questions to ask but I want them to tell me first.

"We... We're... We're getting a divorce," My mother tells me and I freeze.

"You're WHAT!?" I ask, full of anger and confusion and sadness.

"We're so sorry but our marriage hasn't been working out. Every time you go to Liz's house we fight and we've never done it in front of you for you brown good but it just isn't working out for us anymore," My dad tells me. I can't believe they're actually saying this. They always seemed perfect for each other. I thought they were meant to be...

"Emma?" My mother says in a soft voice.

"I'm here," I growl back, "How could you do this to me? I thought you guys were perfect for each other and now you're doing this?" I continue, "Who's keeping the house? Who am I going to live with? Is anyone moving to another state?" I have even more questions but these are the most important ones. I'm so mad at them for doing this. It's adding more stress but at least I've finished school and it's already summer break. If they had told me during finals I would've gotten all F's.

"But you guys seemed fine at the trip... and you even kissed multiple times..." I say, my voice deep with sadness. They don't answer so I run up the stairs to my room and call Josh.

"Josh?" I say as I sob into my phone.

"Em? Is everything alright?" He asks, "Why are you crying? Do you want to come over?" He asks.

"Yes please, can I stay the night?" I ask, still sobbing.

"Yeah, I have a shirt here if you want to sleep in it, just bring clothes for tomorrow." He tells me.

"Thank you," I sniff, "I'll be right over." I hang up the call, pack a little bag and leave the house without saying a word. I walk to his house and when I knock he opens right away. He hugs me and picks me up, carrying me to his room and closing the door.

"Have you eaten?" He asks.

"Yeah," I reply.

"What happened?" He asks, giving me his shirt. I undress and put it on. My nose fills up with the smell of his cologne and I get into his bed with him. He wraps his arms around me and wipes my tears away with his gentle hand.

"What happened?" He asks.

"My...my parents are getting a...a divorce," I say.

 "Oh no. Baby. It's okay don't worry," He says reassuring me. I can't hold in my sadness and I start sobbing again

"It's like I didn't even expect it, they always seemed perfect to me and I never thought this could happen. I don't even know what's going to happen to me. They didn't explain anything to me, they just said they're getting a divorce because it's not working out." I inhale and continue talking, "I never thought this would happen because I never saw them fight, ever, but they said they fight every time I come over here to be with Liz and that makes me so sad. They said they hid it from me for my own good but I wish they didn't." I say.

"It's okay Em," He starts, "It's okay for marriages to end but it doesn't mean they don't love you. Your parents will love you no matter what. And don't worry, they'll tell you the details about everything soon. My aunt and uncle are divorced and my cousin turned out just fine. I'm always here if you want to talk and I won't leave you," He says and when I turn my head around to look at him, he kisses my forehead gently and I'm so thankful for his presence.

"Thank you for letting me stay the night here, it means a lot," I tell him.

"You can stay whenever you want, I prefer it when you're here anyway," He says and I smile. I drift off to sleep in his arms and wake up in the same position. As I open my eyes, I'm immediately confused about where I am, but I soon remember where I am and I relax. I reach over to his bedside table and grab my phone. I look at the screen and I see 20 unread texts from my mother and 6 missed calls from my father. Oh no, they must be worried sick.  I read the texts from my mom: "EMMA WHERE ARE YOU? WHERE DID YOU GO? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? EMMA TEXT ME BACK! YOUR FATHER AND I ARE SO WORRIED!" I text my mother back and tell her I came to spend the night at Liz's and turn off my phone. I don't want to go back home, I want to stay here with Josh. I drift back into a deep sleep and don't even notice Josh getting up, showering, and coming back until he opens the door.

"Good morning," I say in a sleepy voice as I watch him dress.

"Good morning. Are you feeling any better?" He asks.

"Much better now that you're here," I say and we both smile. "My mother asked where I was and I told her I spend the night here so I'm sorry if she comes barging in to get me," I joke and he laughs. We go downstairs to get breakfast and we find Josh's parents crying on the kitchen counter. 

"Is everything alright?" Josh and I ask in unison.

"No. Everything's the opposite of alright. It's Liz... she"