Make It Nasty

©AwardedEmmy

2012

Chapter 16

Emery didn't know if she should've sighed in relief or cried in frustration.

It was always like this.

When Darrell was happy, she was unhappy, and when Darrell was unhappy, Emery was happy. They called it the twin-effect. They almost always shared opposite emotions, but these instances were never like,

"I want pizza!"

"No, I want Chinese!"

That was normal. This twin effect only mattered on the big things. They discovered it early on- when Emery was dealing with Pageants and pedophilic coaches and Darrell was getting praised and going to large events in the spotlight. There could never be a balance between the two's state of happiness.

Logan was single. That was a plus for Emery. Now she for sure could do what she wanted to woo him over for good.

But Darrell had gone and impregnated some ‘groupie'.

No.

Emery couldn't just quite yet. She didn't know Cassidy. She had disliked Cassidy for her ‘relationship' with Logan, but since it all came out as fake. She had no idea who Cassidy really was.

Truthfully it sounded like a plot. Cassidy had plotted hard. Impregnated by a rising rap star, then using the hopeful football player for backup initially until the guilt took precedence. And the whole truth about the pregnancy comes out after Darrell announces he's out of the game.

It's false.

False.

Emery couldn't help, but think that way. She didn't want to believe that her brother could have stupidly knocked some girl up, but that's what it sounded like.

And Cassidy. Cassidy just doesn't make any sense. Does she really think Darrell is going to want Logan's ex-girlfriend?

Darrell isn't a second-hand kind of guy. Never has been.

Emery clutched the covers around her head and pouted. She wasn't going to be happy until she knew her brother was happy again. That could take months. He's already feeling deeply upset about the situation going on with his father. Now he has this on top of him?

She shuddered. First thing first, she's going to talk to Cassidy. She knows she has to tell her brother- this secret is too big to keep. But, she wants to run it by Cassidy first since it is her child.

Alcohol.

"Ladies and gentlemen, that's why it's illegal under 21. Stupid ass kids making stupid ass decisions. Ugh!" She tossed again under her brother.

Curse Darrell.

Curse Cassidy.

But, Logan.

That was altruistic of him, allowing her to use him for a minute. He's a good guy. What other guy would stay in a fake relationship under those terms? Not the usual kind of guy, for sure.

Emery's cheeks heated as she recalled what he'd said to her, all blunt. No, roses and romantic car rides. He spit it out like he just couldn't take it anymore. Geez.

"I am stupid. Let me explain myself. I like you a lot, but I need some time to fix things before I can ask you out.... I really like you."

He was all exasperated like it took everything out of him to admit it.

He admitted it.

But, what was with the things he needs to fix before asking her out? Perhaps it's his friendship with Darrell... Because Darrell is going to be pissed when he finds out that Logan was hiding this from him- the pregnancy that is, not Logan's crush.

Pissed and skeptical.

Though it still doesn't make any sense to her- the pregnancy.

It's staged. It had to be.

She wouldn't believe that her twin brother- just no.

Emery tossed.

Sleep was just not going to happen; at least she could see the dawn light poking through the blinds. In a few hours she'd ask Logan to go to Cassidy's. Not for confrontation, but for confirmation.

She'd get the truth out of the situation and then ask if she could tell Darrell. Even if Cassidy said ‘no', Emery would have to tell. The secret would kill her and her relationship with her brother.

She threw the covers off of herself. It was early, right around seven o' clock, but she had to go now. She had to.

Even if she waited in front of Cassidy's house until eight- the appropriate time to visit someone's house.

She was out of bed and dressing quickly. Black sweat-pants and a pink t-shirt. No need to get fancy- she wasn't competing for Logan anymore.

Her hair was in its natural state from a shower that she'd taken to hopefully get her to fall asleep, but obviously didn't work. Logan had a nice shower. The water stream was perfect- too bad it didn't lull her to sleep.

Opening the bedroom door she jumped, startled to find Logan standing in the doorway, with his hand poised in a knocking position. She quirked an eyebrow as she watched him grimace.

"I couldn't sleep." He stated.

She shook her head, "Me either. I was coming to ask you if you'd take me to Cassidy's."

Logan sighed, "I'm not gonna lie, I don't really want to see her right now... You can take my Jeep and I'll give you directions."

Emery scoffed, "Me... drive... your Jeep?" She laughed a little drowsy laugh and stared at him blankly, "You trust me with your Jeep?" Logan nodded and Emery stopped laughing, "Oh."

He shrugged, "I'll text you directions." He said, already pulling his phone from the pocket of his sweats. "Maybe once you go, I'll finally be able to sleep."

Emery pouted slightly, "I want to sleep too."

Logan stared at her for a second, his brown eyes glittering slightly- in that flirtatious way, before he returned his gaze to his phone.

Emery frowned.

Awkward.

It was almost like he wanted to say something, like he was going to say something flirtatious, but then he decided against it. Just the night before he admitted to liking her and now he wasn't going to flirt with her? Another pout formed on her face and in her hands her phone lit up.

She looked down at the address texted to her and nodded. "Oh, I know where this is." She said.

"Okay, good."

Emery looked at him oddly and he avoided her eyes avidly. She sighed, "Where are your keys."

"Kitchen counter..." He said finally looking at her. His eyes captured her and he didn't allow them to stray for what seemed like an eternity to Emery.

Her phone buzzed again in her hand forcing her to look away she noticed it was another text. The sender this time was Darrell.

 -WHERE THE FUCK R U?!-

Emery bit her lip, in her haste to sneak out of the house; she hadn't told Darrell she was leaving. Consumed in his New Year's Eve fun, he probably thought Emery had just left to see Chelsea. She bit her lip. It probably wasn't a good idea to tell him she was at Logan's.

Her phone buzzed again, -THIS IS INAPPROPRIATE! YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HOME. I AKSED CHELSEA SHE SAID YOU LEFT WITH LOGAN. WTF?!-

Emery giggled at the word, ‘inappropriate'.

-Why are you texting Chelsea...? Do you like her? Why do you have her number in the first place...? Darrell...-

Stupid question, but she was attempting to evade his questions, even though he said he was cool with the Logan situation, she knew that he still had a responsibility as her brother to protect her.

-... Are you fucking dumb?? No really. Are you?-

Emery looked at Logan, "Don't tell Darrell that I'm here."

Logan frowned, "Why not?"

"Awkward situation there, I'm your best friend's sister..." She bit her lip attempting to gauge his reaction.

He shrugged and sighed, "Right." He looked sideways as if he was thinking and then he nodded, "Alright, I'll turn my phone off then."

Emery nodded, "Thanks. I'll go now."She said before walking to the kitchen and retrieving the keys and then giving Logan one last smile before slipping out of the house.

()()()

Driving Logan's Jeep had been a challenge as she tried to do everything right to ensure that nothing went wrong while the car was in her hands. After parking it, she wandered around aimlessly looking for building ‘D'. The ambiance of the complex was just right. The grass was vivid green and smelled of the morning dew. The brown tint of the buildings looked just right under the morning sun. It was a well kept complex too.

When she walked up the flight of steps and stood in front of Cassidy's door she became exceedingly nervous. She didn't know why, all she wanted was to get the O.K. to tell Darrell, but first confirm the situation.

She raised a fist and knocked on the chocolate colored door. She was surprised when the door was opened immediately and there stood Cassidy, wearing what looked like three coats multi-colored coats, grey sweatpants, and a pair of uggs. Her green eyes caught Emery and she inhaled sharply, as if surprised.

"Oh." Cassidy said quietly, she looked down nervously, "I thought you were maintenance, the heater is broken." She said.

Emery gasped, "Oh my God, I hate when the heater breaks on the coldest days."

Cassidy nodded, looking up brightly suddenly animated, "I know me too. This is the second time so far since it started getting cold and there are two more months until it starts warming up... I think I am actually nervous."

Emery laughed, "I would be too."

Cassidy laughed a little too, and then opened the door, "I have a fire going, do you want to come in?"

Emery nodded, "Sure." She stepped into the cozy, but cold living room of Cassidy's and instantly got nervous again. It was practically bare.

So it's true, she is pregnant. Her parents must have kicked her out when they heard the news and now she is trying to piece toge-

"I know it's ugly, but we are slow walking the move in." She said. Emery raised an eyebrow and looked at Cassidy, "My mom and I."

"Oh... So is your mom cool with the baby?"

Cassidy looked at Emery oddly, "Yeah." She said stiffly. "So Darrell is done with rap, yeah?"

Emery nodded, "Yeah..." She wasn't here to talk about that. "He's gonna do bigger things."

"That's good."

Emery bit her lip nervously as she looked down at her shoes. God, she really wanted to say something, but she felt like she was intruding. "I don't want us to start off on a bad foot." She started slowly.

"I know, I know. You must really hate me. I'm so sorry that I'm so dumb. I-,"

"Cassidy?" Cassidy's jade eyes had already begun to water, and Emery pouted empathetically, "I wish you hadn't told Logan to tell me. Because I can't keep this from Darrell."

"I know, please don't hate me."

"I can't hate you... Yet." Emery sighed carefully. The situation was delicate. "I- I really hope you didn't sleep with my brother just because he was a rapper."

Cassidy shook her head vigorously, "No- no." She whispered hurriedly. "I promise I'm not like that." She sighed and went over to the couch. "Honestly Emery, I don't even remember what happened that night."

Emery awkwardly took a seat neck to Cassidy, "What do you mean?"

"The only reason I remember the party I hung with Darrell at was through pictures." Emery frowned, "My friends and I had backstage passes and we met Darrell. I talked to him more than my friends were able to and then he invited us-well me to a party. I remember everyone including Darrell was telling me to loosen up, so I had a few drinks, but I didn't do anything else. And I can't remember anything really. I'm being honest." She took a shaky deep breath, "A couple days later I asked about what happened and my friends laughed, said you must've been too high to remember anything. Weird cuz I don't do drugs. Then I was tagged in a lot of pictures on Facebook." She inhaled again, her breath just as shaky, "Emery. I looked like a fucking whore. I'm not like that."

"So you don't remember anything at all?" Cassidy shook her head. "I will talk to Darrell for you."

"Thank you, I would, but I'm mostly scared because I don't know for sure who the dad is." She paused, "I assumed it was Darrell because I was mostly around him in the pictures."

"You're saying he might not be the father?"

Cassidy chewed her lip, "I don't know."

Convoluted ass shit.

Emery reached for Cassidy impulsively and brought her in for a hug. "I'm so sorry about your situation Cassidy." She said honestly and pulling away. "I'm afraid that something bad might've happened to you... I don't want my brother to be involved... So I'll go talk to him and I'll see what I can find out, because shit sounds too weird for me."

"I think I was drugged." She said honestly.

Emery nodded, "I think you were too... But my brother would never do that. Ever."

"Will you show him the pictures? I printed them out, just in case."

She nodded as Cassidy got up and exited the living room.

Emery stood to her feet and her fingers tangled in her hair. She'd been away for a few months and her brother's life had fallen to shit. Unbelievable.

Everything was just too unreal.

Logan was kissing her.

Darrell had gotten a girl pregnant.

Chelsea was dealing marijuana.

Trenise was hanging out with Justin Todesey.

Her mother still had no remorse.

Shit.

Everything was shit.

Cassidy came back into the living room holding a thick stack of pictures, Emery's eyes widened, "Holy fuck!" She whispered, retrieving the stack from Cassidy's outstretched hand.

"I know. It's embarrassing..."

Emery bit her lip, "I will tell him, and then I'll come back immediately okay?"

Cassidy nodded, "Thank you Emery. You're really a sweetheart, no wonder Logan's in freaking love with you."

Emery paused, her head cocking to the side as she looked at Cassidy oddly, "What?"

"Logan is in love with you." She said slowly.

Emery nervously tucked a hair behind her ear and cocked an eyebrow, "Really? How do you figure that?"

"Well, when I switched to your school after finding out I was pregnant. I wanted to become friends with Darrell and then maybe let him know the situation, right, but because he was so focused on rapping he had a very short schedule, so I resorted to the next best thing, Logan. I really liked Darrell, but Logan's hot." She said, then grinned when she noticed a false, yet knowing smile on Emery's face, and the unmistakable twitch of her eye. "I started talking to him, and we became friends and then we started dating in November, but I didn't really feel right about dating him when I really want to be close to your brother and also, Logan never shut up about you."

"Really?"

"Yes, I was so jealous of how he talks about you."

Emery bit her lip and squealed, "Really?" She asked again.

"Emery. Yes. This boy, ‘this color looks good on Emery'. ‘Emery would probably laugh at that'." She sighed, "Sometimes I could tell that he was only dating me to get over you. Which is why when we were dating, it was more like we were just good friends who held hands. We never even kissed, Emery. Logan and I dated for a whole frickin' month and we never kissed."

"I don't believe that."

"Believe it." Cassidy said, grinning, her green eyes sparkling. "Our relationship came to a mutual end when I told him that I was pregnant and told him I was only using him, he admitted to using me, but he's a really good guy. When I told him I just wanted to get close to Darrell, he understood and agreed to let me stay around as long as I told Darrell before you came home. I failed." She giggled.

Emery snorted a laugh, "That's why you guys were so awkward the first time I met you?"

Cassidy nodded, "We've been idiots.. But you do get why I'm so nervous to tell Darrell though... Right?"

Emery nodded, "I do... So if I tell Darrell, would you be cool with me bringing him back, if he's cool with it?"

Cassidy nodded slowly, "I guess, sure."

Emery smiled then it fell and curiously she asked, "Do you like my brother?"

"Yeah." She smiled almost in embarrassment, "I had gone to almost every California concert... Obsessive." She laughed at herself, "The backstage passes were actually birthday gifts."

"Really?"

She nodded, "Yeah I wrote to the company and told them it was my only wish. How lame! At least I got to meet him, too bad I don't remember!"

Emery pursed her lips, "I'll go now... I'll be back soon."

Cassidy nodded, "Thank you, so much."

Emery nodded as well and turned her back before quickly exiting Cassidy's apartment.

Shit.

()()()()()

Emery came to a screeching halt in front of her house and looked at it. She hadn't even been gone a day and the house already looked foreign. Funny. She squeezed her eyes closed tightly and sent up two silent prayers- one for Darrell, and the other for herself in hoping she wouldn't have to encounter her mother during her short visit. Emery unbuckled her seatbelt and tucked the pictures that Cassidy had given her into her bag, before opening the door and leaping out of Logan's jeep.

Her mother was tending her garden on the side of the house. Emery knew this because she could hear a soft hum over top of the spray of the garden hose, and an occasional grunt.

So the house was safe to enter... And she did. Now the next phase of worry would be leaving.

But until that time came, Emery needed to hurry up to her brother's room and dish up all this dirty dirt. Yes, dirty- dirt.

Darrell's door was locked.

Figures.

Emery stood on her tippy-toes and ran her hand across the ledge of the doorframe until she came into contact with the tiny key. Lowering herself and unlocking the door- she entered into Darrell's room thoughtlessly.

His room was black.

That figured as well.

Emery assumed he was asleep- until she saw the dim light from his phone escaping through his comforter.

"Darrell." She whispered, letting herself in and closing the door behind her. "Darrell, I need to talk to you- it's urgent."

"Go away."

"No! I said it's fucking urgent." Emery turned on his lights and walking to his bed she knelt one knee on the bed and ripped his covers from over his head. He shielded himself from the light like and vampire would from the sun and Emery scowled at him, "Are you watching porn?" She asked, "Should I come back?"

Darrell glared at her and sat up, throwing his phone beneath his covers he said, "Nun'ya business."

"Cassidy is pregnant." Emery stated bluntly- almost in the same manner that Logan had said it to her.

Darrell's jaw dropped, "I knew it! I knew something was wrong with her."

"You knew she was pregnant?" She asked, "How?"

"I just- how many girls have tight ass stomachs?" He asked.

Emery blinked, "How could you tell?"

"Well-,"

"Oh my God- how often did you check out your best friend's girlfriend?"

Darrell's cheeks crimsoned, but he puffed his chest and answered honestly, "About as often as my best friend checked out my little sister."

Emery rolled her eyes, "That is so not the point."

"I kid... But the chick was always looking at me- and I don't know she just looked so familiar- I had to look too... But not in a ‘steal your girl' kind of way." Darrell shook his head, returning from his small side conversation with himself. "So what exactly is the point?" Darrell sighed, "I can't believe Logan would pussy out and have my sister tell me he knocked up some chick. What a fucking loser."

"Darrell..." Emery hesitated, she was his sister, but was she really the one for the job. How could she tell him that everyone around him has been shady? "You said that Cassidy looked familiar, and she was always checking you out..." Emery trailed off, she had no idea what to say. In fact, she couldn't get out that last sentence without stuttering and flushing.

Darrell nodded, "Yeah."

"Yeah." Emery said too, biting her lip and looking away from Darrell's frown.

"What are you trying to say exactly?"

"Well Logan and Cassidy aren't boyfriend and girlfriend."

"I don't get it."

"They ‘dated'. See this?" She made quotation marks with her fingers, "Dated. To make you jealous."

Darrell laid back down on his bed, "Emery. What the fuck are you trying to say? Stop playing around and spit it out."

"The baby is yours Darrell, I just found out about this last night. I talked to Cassidy. I have proof. The baby is yours."

Darrell was quiet for a long time. So long that Emery was tempted to leave and let him think about everything on his own, but he shook his head finally and sat back up, "Proof? Show it to me." He said. Emery reached into her bag and retrieved the stack of photos. She handed them over to Darrell cautiously, and he snatched them from her and after another moment he snorted a laugh, "I knew she looked familiar."

"So do you remember this night?" She pushed- trying to get to the root of the problem.

Darrell shook his head, "Nah."

"Now I don't understand- how both of you could have forgotten every single detail from this night." Emery bit her lip, "Do you want to see her? I can take you right now. She wants to see you."

"I don't fucking get it. If she was pregnant she should have come to me. Why the fuck was Logan involved in any of this shit?"

"Cassidy is scared." Emery began to reason, "She claims to not remember that night. You don't either. I think you might have been on something that you didn't know about- it happens all the time at parties. But- since she forgot, she didn't know how to approach you about this kind of thing. Don't get pissed yet- you have to meet her first."

"Do you know what this fucking means Emery?" Darrell asked, getting out of bed and striking across his bedroom, "This means that I am going to be a dad."

"Right." Emery said uncertainty, turning around to watch her brother.

"And my best friend helped this bitch perpetrate a fucking fraud."

Emery stood up too, her brother was ripping through his closet in search for a clean t-shirt and he was pissed. Everything about his movements, from the quick retrieval of articles of clothing off of the floor to the clenched jaw, and bucked eyes.

"Darrell, holy shit calm down."

"No! I won't calm down. I won't. You haven't even been in town for a week and you already know about this shit. How long has Logan known?! Huh? I want to know. Because there is no way in hell I would hide some shit like this. How is this even fucking acceptable? I don't get it."

Emery licked her lips anxiously, "Darrell- he was helping her."

"Fuck her. We are about to be tied to each other for the rest of our lives and she used my best friend to help get at me. Am I really such a bad guy? Have I ever been a scary monster?"

"She doesn't know you!"

"Well she fucked me- she knows me well enough." He said sardonically.

"She doesn't remember." Emery defended, after she flinched at his crudeness.

Darrell turned to look at her quickly, "I don't remember anything either!" He hollered at the top of his lungs. Emery gasped at the sudden outburst of emotion. "What the fuck does this mean for me? What do I do now? I've already confirmed my intent to go to a school across the fucking country. What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

Emery shrugged, "Talk to her." It was almost a whisper.

"So it's that easy, yeah?" He slid into a t-shirt. "I'm just going to call up that school be like, "Hey, I fucked a girl last summer- now she has my baby- so thanks but no thanks." He chuckled, "I'm going to go over to her house and be like, ‘I know that you're carrying my baby, and I want you to know that I am here for you.' And then go to the studio and tell dad to put my concerts back up- I'm doing it. That easy?" He shook his head, "Because that's easy."

"Darrell-,"

"Why don't you just ask your mom for help?" Darrell and Emery's heads shot to the intrusive voice in the doorway. Eden stood gingerly by the door looking between Darrell and Emery quietly.

"Because no one trusts you." Darrell said honestly.

Eden laughed quietly, "I know. I'm the conniving bitch who wanted her daughter to be just like her, meanwhile she forgets she even has a son." She paused and looked at her feet, "That's who you know me as."

Emery and Darrell looked at each other wildly, before Emery asked rather quietly, "Did you just say the ‘b-word'?"

Eden looked up, "Yeah- and I can say fuck, shit, and damn too." Darrell and Emery shared another look, "I can also apologize for being Eden Johnson- your mother, instead of Eden Johnson- your mom."

Darrell snorted a laugh, "Why are you even up here?"

"I heard you screaming from my garden." She bit her lip before continuing, "I really screwed up with you guys. I never realized how selfish I was being- how much I didn't care." She walked into the room a little further. "I wanted- winners for children."

"I don't feel like I am winning right now." Emery said looking down at the carpet.

"Me either. After you left yesterday.... Actually I'd like to speak to you privately after I handle Darrell?" She paused in uncertainty, "Can I?"

Emery sighed- on the basis of her mother using profanity, Emery said, "Sure."

"Great." Eden strode over to Darrell and stood before him. He was a much bigger than her, but at the moment, Eden seemed to have all of the power. "You need to get the address of Castella- no- Cassidy, sorry and you need to go sit down with her- no you need to take her out to get something to eat first- and while you're out you need to talk to her- serious conversation. Find out what went down that night, ask her why she used Logan and how the hell she did it, what her plan is for the next few months, then come up with a joint plan. If you decide you are moving to New York to continue going to school, best believe mom is going to buy a house for not only you, but also for herself- I am going wherever you go. I am going to help you out. I don't want you going back into music. I don't want to see you turn out like your dad. I don't want that for you- I don't want that for Emery, that baby, or myself. Are we clear on this?"

Darrell was dumbfounded, he blinked three times. So Eden turned to Emery, "Write down Cassidy's address for Darrell and leave it on his desk. Darrell, hop your ass in the shower and get ready to go and be a respectful young man. I don't ever want to hear you call the mother of your child a bitch again, we clear?"

Darrell nodded slowly and turned to look at Emery his eyes wide in confusion. The twins shared the same look. "Yes ma'am." He said before turning to walk into his adjourning bathroom.

"Emery, come with me." She said and then headed out of Darrell's room. All Emery could do was follow her mother in shocked confusion as she led her to her own bedroom.

They entered Emery's bedroom and Eden closed the door behind them. She sat down on Emery's bed and sighed heavily. "So..." She said, "You read ‘Make It Nasty'?"

Emery jumped in embarrassment. No one was supposed to know about that. "Ye-yes. How did you know?"

"I found it last night... I slept in here." Eden said before falling back onto Emery's bed, "After you left on your own... I realized you would never come back. So I came in here and cried for a long time. I am not telling you this so that you can pity the woman who raised you- because I am also admitting to snooping as well.. When I came home from vacation last May- and you had transformed into a girl."

"I've always been a girl."

"No- you know what I mean. I was so shocked. I appreciated you when you were a tomboy. I wanted you to be like me when I was your age. Perfect, I appreciated your strength to deny me. I didn't respect you at all though. And I was so wrong."

Emery was at a loss for words. What could she say to this woman? The woman who'd allowed some man to touch on her daughter all for a trophy, and didn't even stop it after she found out. "For a trophy mom? Really?"

"You're so beautiful. I wanted you to know it."

"Back in May was the first time I felt truly beautiful in my life." Emery said quietly, "Logan was finally noticing me."

"So it was all about Logan?" Eden speculated, "Can I offer you advice?"

"Depends. If it has to do with beauty pageants, I don't want it."

Eden shook her head and sat up to look at Logan- "If you have to change yourself for a man to notice you- he is not worth it."

Emery's jaw dropped and quivered. "What?"

"I wrote that pamphlet eighteen years ago- when I thought I needed help seducing someone." Eden pursed her lips, "I have been miserable for eighteen years." She continued honestly.

"Are you saying...?"

Eden nodded, "I am. ‘Make It Nasty', was basically my diary. I wanted to seduce your dad so badly because he meant everything to me. His music was filthy as hell- and it was so unlike me and I wanted him bad because I thought that I wouldn't be so plain if I could just have Dennis Johnson. I meant to seduce him- not get pregnant." Eden blinked rapidly and looked down- "He wasn't thrilled about the thought of me being pregnant... And I- I wasn't either- when we found out we were having twins- a boy and a girl- your dad immediately said that Darrell was his. I didn't argue because I felt guilty, and I got you."

"I-,"

"When you were born you were so stinkin' perfect. I just knew you would be my little girl and I got extremely selfish and took advantage of having a ‘mini-me'. Turns out, doing everything to ensure that your daughter turned out just like you ends up being a big miserable fail."

"Why did you publish the pamphlet?"

"Because my friends begged me to do it. It wasn't a bestseller or anything, but it sold a few copies and it was cool for a minute. I didn't ever think my own child would come in contact with it. This is why I need to warn you..."

"Please don't, I don't want anything to-,"

"Logan called you ‘Darrell's little sister' from the first time he met you- up until you decided to seduce him. What is that? If you put on tight shorts you're not asking for Logan you're asking for Logan's penis."

Emery flushed wildly, "Oh my God."

"Logan asked you to run and do stupid things for him up until you show a little cleavage- then he wants to take you to Victoria Secret."

"You don't know the full story behind that. I asked him to take me."

Eden raised an eyebrow, "And he did." Emery looked at her lap. "Why do you like Logan?"

Emery's head shot up, "Well-,"

"Besides how attractive he is. Why did you like Logan?"

Emery chewed her lip, "I guess I don't know."

"Just because he was cute?"

"I- yeah? I don't know."

Eden sighed, "Emery... Please. I beg you don't follow my guide anymore." And then the tears came like waterworks. "I couldn't handle it. I couldn't handle being a mother. Please don't follow that guide. I don't want to ruin you anymore." She was sobbing madly, her chest heaving wildly, "Please. I won't interfere with your life anymore. Please. Dress like a tomboy. I don't care anymore. I don't! I miss you. I love you, and I want you back home. I can't fix my mistakes. I can't, but I want to improve. I need you to help me be the mom you want. Please."

And Emery's heart shattered.

***