Misconceptions (may change, this is new)

Two.

The music quieted as a notification came through. Grabbing my phone and sliding down the bar to see the new text.

Ems: You still coming out tonight?

"Ugh" I moaned aloud as I remembered the party we had been invited to last week.

Sure, jumping in the lake in the middle of the night seemed super fun, and I would have looked forward to it had it not been for the hordes of people always invited to Matt's lake house parties

I clicked the text icon and typed a reply.

YoursTruly: They had another fight, but if you come pick me up early to ask them...

The question was implied. My stepdad absolutely adored Emily, constantly comparing me to "that sweet little friend of yours." He always said yes to her, even if me asking the same question started another fight about "my duties to this household" and "you're always asking to leave!" Like, no shit Gerald, I hate it here. All that ever happens here is fighting and cleaning up after them.

The message popped up with;

Ems: Yah of course

Ems: wish he wasn't such a dick to you

-

YoursTruly: I wish I would have gone with dad.

He was off on some big adventure with his new model in Tahiti. Gag.

Ems: but then you wouldn't be invited to awesome lake parties with your bestie

-

YoursTruly: lol

I popped out the ear buds and stood facing my open closet. Party close for this event was basically jean shorts and a skimpy top, maybe a pair of hoop earrings if you wanted to be hood.

I rooted around until I found the broken overalls I had ripped off at mid-thigh and a peachy colored tube top.

I couldn't put it on and walk around the house, so I threw them on the round chair in the corner.

I opened the door just as my mom was about to knock.

Eyes dark and sunken and haired pulled back in a ponytail, failing to hide how thin and grey it suddenly had become.

"Hey sweetheart," she sighed, acting much more awake then she looked.

Closing the door as I stepped out in the hall with her. "Emily is coming over in a bit. Don't tell Gerald, I want him to be surprised." No point in lying to her, she wanted out just as much as I did.

She sighed under her breath and ran her hand over her head. "Another 'sleepover?'" she asked, doing air quotes around the word. She pulled out her phone and opened a notes app, "at least give me the address just in case."

I rattled off the numbers before adding "It's the Mason lake house outside of town. They used to have summer parties every year for the younger kids."

She nodded and looked back up from her phone. "Okay sweetie, have fun. Be safe. Do you need anything?" That's one of the reasons we got along so well. She never tried to run my life. Let me do the things I asked even if she didn't really want me to.

I smiled before replying, "Nah, they usually have plenty of drinks even without the booze."

She looked up at me in plain exasperation and we both chuckled a bit. "What did you need?" I suddenly remembered, "when you came up?" I added at her confused face.

"Oh! Yes, I was going to ask if you wanted a sandwich before I started to make them for everyone else." We walked down the hall toward the kitchen, me taking up on the offer for a veggie wrap instead.

I noticed the crooked frames of family pictures but said nothing as we passed them. Nothing had been broken, and he was hiding in his cave for now. Hopefully he wouldn't come out until Emily got here.