6:14:19 → j. hale, a. cullen

09.

6:05:03

Making her way inside, Emery momentarily paused at the sound of loud laughter that bounced off the walls of her childhood home. Tiredly moving ahead and placing her backpack near the ending of the staircase in front of her, Emery quickly moved as Bella firmly brushed past her and made her upstairs to her bedroom, a stomp in her step that made the elder's in the other room pause their laughter and call out for the both of them.

After seeing her younger sister barely acknowledge the calling of their names, Emery sighed as she sluggishly made her way into the living room, the school day taking a toll on her. Placing a small smile on her lips, Emery greeted her father and his friend Billy Black, who sat on the sofa with their feet kicked up on the ottoman, beers loosely clutched in their hands as their eyes stayed glued to the screen in front of them.

"Hey bug." Her father Charlie greeted warmly, causing her to grin and a warm feeling grow in her chest as he glanced her way and tilted his beer toward her with a dopey smile on his face.

Pursing her lips to hold back an amused laugh and walking toward the loveseat that was placed next to where he sat, Emery lowered herself and carefully curled her sore legs underneath herself, allowing her body to finally relax and untense.

"Hey short stack, how's high school treating you?" Billy asked, resting his hat on his lap and sending her a gentle smile filled with warmth. With a small smile, Emery looked his way and shrugged with forced nonchalance, not allowing herself to look as tired and weary as she felt.

"It's been good. Everyone's been really welcoming." She responded as the Black nodded, not missing the raised eyebrow he sent her in amusement as her father relaxed at her answer.

"That's great, Em. Maybe school will really work out this time." Charlie replied heartedly, looking at his daughter with a proud look in his eye that made Emery blink back tears, happy she was once again reunited with him. Being away from him definitely took a toll on her. She was just glad she could be with until she ran out of time.

Shaking her head to rid herself of the negative though, Emery brought up the topic of her not having dinner with him and Bella tonight as her father and his friend were too distracted staring at the tv. Grinning with the thought of being able to get away without being questioned, Emery began to quietly make her way to the staircase, but paused and closed her eyes heavily as her father cleared her throat.

Turning around and meeting eyes with her father, she sent him a meek smile and sighed as he beckoned her over to where she just sat with an inquisitive and pensive look on his face.

"You know I'm glad you finally made friends of your own, Em" Charlie started, pausing as he met eyes with his now huffing and flushed daughter. Raising an eyebrow and sharing an amused glance with Billy, he opened his mouth once again, with a grin set in place.

"But if you want to go out, on your own especially, I'll need names, and numbers, and addresses." Emery groaned as he listed on and on, only pausing with laughter as Billy amusingly called out on social security numbers.

"They're going to pick me up tonight at seven, dad. And they're the children of my new doctor, Mr. Cullen. Who will also be there tonight." Emery started to explain, stopping as she saw a dark look beginning to cross over Billy's face.

Making eye contact with the eldest daughter, Billy tried to send the Swan a reassuring smile, but merely sent her a grimace as they thought of the Cullen's came to mind.

Charlie sighed and took a gulp of his now warm beer, pursing his lips at the taste and bent over as he placed the now empty can on the table in front of him.