Make It Nasty

©AwardedEmmy

2012

‘Take a temporary hiatus.’

Chapter 10

Six days had passed, and Jimmy had never texted Emery back…

()()()()()()()()

Alisha: Jimmy, we have to talk about our phones. Will you be at the end of the year party on Saturday?

Alisha: Lol, so are we not giving each other’s phones back or….?

oooooooo0000oooooooo

Six days had passed, and Logan had avoided Emery like the plague… Six days had passed, and Emery had never felt so deflated and rejected in her life….

The phone only vibrated when Jimmy’s alarms went off- every morning at six thirty. They now served as Emery’s alarms as well, but every morning at six thirty Emery woke up hopeful that maybe, Jimmy had texted while she slept. 

But he hadn’t.

And Emery would look to Comet who would also wake up with her alarm and she would ask, “What is this kid trying to pull?” 

After sending a quick text from Sunday through Tuesday, Emery got the hint and stopped texting him, period. Was he embarrassed from having to call her and ask her that degrading favor? Was he attempting to stall the process of returning one another’s phone?  What was that kid trying to pull?

The upcoming Saturday, the juniors of Freemont High School would be celebrating the end of the 2011-2012 school year and Emery hoped to exchange phones with Jimmy there since she’d found out that they attended the same school and were actually in the same graduating class. 

But that wasn’t the extent of her plans for Saturday night. She also had plans for a certain Logan Isley. She wanted to finish what had been started in the closet at her father’s signing party. But Logan seemed to be walking around in a stupor of his own. When he was over hanging out with Darrell he seemed to always be stoic and dazed, and at school he was much the same. When Emery was to ask him a question, even the simplest of questions, he’d respond with a simple shrug and a quick answer before he’d find some reason to leave the room. 

()()()()()

Emery padded into the family room with her carton of ice cream and immediately turned on the TV and Playstation. She’s had a long day at school, because it was the last week of school, it was the time to begin cramming for the finals that would be taking place all day on Friday, and Emery wanted to take a moment just for her to now relax. Picking up one of the game system controllers Emery crashed on the couch and popped open her Ben n’ Jerry’s. 

“Comet!” Emery called out, beckoning forth her most beloved creature from wherever it was probably dozing off. “Come here baby cakes!” Emery continued, licking the ice cream off the inside of the lid. After cleaning off the lid she threw it down on the coffee table and dipped her spoon into the Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream and brought the spoonful to her mouth. She moaned upon tasting the creamy snack and then proceeded to giggle to herself remembering just two weeks before when she and Logan had flirted for the first time over her ‘porn star moan’.

She sighed and set the ice cream cup on the coffee table in front of her and then jumped up from the couch. She was determined to bring Comet to her, since he was disobedient and didn’t like to come when he was called. 

Marching out of the family room and turning the corner into the hallway that led towards the stairs, Emery crashed into a body. She shook her head, “Excuse me.” She muttered, before beginning to start her climb up the stairs. 

“If you’re looking for Comet…” Emery bit her lip and turned around.

“I am.” She said smiling shyly at Logan, she made her way back down the stairs and retrieved her orange fur ball from his hands. 

“He was in Darrell’s room and I heard you call.” Logan explained. 

Emery nodded, “Thanks for bringing him down. We both know his lazy ass doesn’t come when momma calls.” Emery said, and then turned to her cat. “Disobedient feline.” She scolded, then returned her gaze back to Logan and flushed under his scrutinizing gaze. 

“Alright.” Logan said, and then made his way around Emery and back up the stairs.

Emery frowned and turned around to stare at the stairs. 

That was it? No cute comeback to her embarrassing insanity? Just, ‘alright’?

Emery shook it off and headed back to the family room, Comet in tow.

oooooooo0000oooooooo

Did he regret almost kissing her in the closet? Surely he could not, but that’s what it certainly seemed like. Emery would catch him looking at her with a considerate expression on his face, multiple times throughout the day, but it seemed as though his conversational skills had begun a downward spiral, with her specifically. 

()()()()()()

Emery rested her head in the palm of her hand as her anatomy teacher droned on and on about everything the class had learned collectively since January, and Emery couldn’t help but succumb to the sleep that was coming over her. She tried to fight it, but it was impossible. She needed to stay awake. Had to stay awake. There was nothing more embarrassing that falling asleep during class.

There was only one thing that would keep Emery alert, and that would obviously be conjuring up romantic scenarios that involved Logan, but that would require seeing him. She hadn’t seen much of him over the past few days. 

Biting her lip, Emery turned her head slightly, as if studying the posters on the west wall of the classroom and then she turned her head a little more, and a then just a smidgeon more, and her gaze caught that golden gaze of Logan’s. She stared back for five full seconds before turning back around in her seat. Her cheeks were flaming, her heart was racing, and the wheels in her brain were spinning She could be mistaken, but it definitely seemed as though Logan had already looking at her before she looked at him. She bit down harder on her lip and crossed her arms on the table. Cradling her arms in her head, Emery began to imagine what it would be like to be Logan’s girlfriend. How he would kiss her. How the would chill on his bed and eat Ben n’ Jerry’s. How they would tease each other with, ‘I don’t know is it?’. She grinned to herself and closed her eyes tightly. 

Whatever the case was with him, she planned to figure it out… But, if Logan wasn’t already practically avoiding her, she’d be avoiding him thanks to ‘Make It Nasty’.

oooooooo0000oooooooo

“I am so ready for summer guys, ugh!” Chelsea exclaimed, slamming her lunch tray down on the table. Emery looked up from the cell phone that landed on the table and sighed at her dramatic friend and removed her white ear buds from her ears and paused the music that was playing from Jimmy’s phone.  “These tater tots are like rocks. Hard as fuck. How am I supposed to eat rocks?”

“Don’t.” Emery offered. 

Chelsea cut her dark eyes at Emery, “But I’m hungrier than a muhfucka.” Chelsea cried. 

“Oh my gosh, Chelsea, shut up. Please.” Trenise pleaded, rubbing her temples in agony.

Chelsea groaned and sat down in her chair, “Okay. Ya’ll are in pissy moods. What did I miss?”

“Jimmy’s not texting me back.” 

“I didn’t get that internship that I applied for.” Trenise said glumly, taking a tater tot off of Chelsea’s plate and hitting it against the table. The small potato smashed between her fingers and Trenise cried out, “Ew.”

“Wow Tren. Way to waste the only soft tot on my plate.” Chelsea berated.

Trenise shot Chelsea a dirty look and got up from the table, presumably to go and get a napkin for her hand. 

Chelsea looked back at Emery, “So why do you think he’s not texting back?”

Emery shrugged, “Probably because he’s embarrassed. He woke me up at four in the morning to get some hoes number, because he had an issue he couldn’t fix by himself… Apparently. But I don’t really know why he hasn’t texted me back.”

“Oh… So did you talk shit about him wanting to get her number?” 

“Not really, I had a bit of an attitude, and I sounded really jealous… My mistake. But we weren’t angry at each other. We’d both just woke up and we were frustrated. Sexually.”

“Aw, look at you Emery.” Chelsea cooed. “Since when do you get sexually frustrated?” 

“Since I started reading ‘Make It Nasty’ and started trying to be seductive. It’s like, all of the sudden, I’m extremely hormonal. It’s weird.” Emery admitted.

“It’s probably just because you’re finally coming into your sexuality.” Chelsea suggested. “You know, you were all about video games and stuff and now you actually take the time to straighten your hair to get a guys attention. I’m gonna have to congratulate you, baby cakes.” 

Emery blushed, “Thanks, that’s what I was thinking but, I wasn’t sure.”

“So are you going to have sex with Logan? If the opportunity presents itself?” 

Emery shrugged, “I don’t know… I mean, yeah, if the opportunity presents itself maybe, but, Chels. I don’t think I’d be able to control myself.”Emery said laughing nervously, “I’m horny all of the time.”

“Girl, welcome to my life.” Chelsea said laughing alongside of Emery.

“No… Chelsea, I mean I feel like I have to have sex or I’ll die or something.”

Chelsea rolled her eyes, “Maybe you have a problem, you should Google that.” 

Emery sighed, “I’m serious.” 

“So am I. You might be like a budding nympho or something.” Chelsea replied. 

Emery nodded, “Wouldn’t that be weird, if I turned into a total whore?”

Chelsea laughed, “Come back senior year as a completely different person? You wouldn’t be the first.” 

Emery sighed and rested her head on the table. What if Chelsea were right? What if there was something wrong with her… She wouldn’t be surprised. 

“Your brother is heading over.” Chelsea said, nodding at the impending male over Emery’s head, as Emery’s head rose slowly. 

Emery nodded, “Okay.”

“Your man is right behind him.” Chelsea added smirking at Emery as she popped a tater tot in her mouth. The look on Chelsea’s face went sour as she began to mash the tater tot in her mouth. Emery smiled at her friend’s displeasure, before focusing her eyes on a ketchup stain on the table as her brother pulled out the chair and sat next to her. 

“Em.” He greeted. 

“Hmm?” She responded bringing her gaze away from a ketchup stain on the cafeteria table and staring at her brother. 

“I’m going to the studio after school.” He stated easily. 

Emery frowned, “Okay…” She replied waiting for him to continue what it is he had to say. Next to him, Logan pulled out a chair as well and took a seat. Emery tried to focus her attention on her brother, but her gaze flickered to Logan’s. His topaz eyes burned into her as he stared at her blankly. Emery gulped and slid her eyes back to her brothers. 

“So, you’re gonna need to find a ride with someone else or you’re stuck with me.” He finished. 

Emery sighed, “Alright. Hey, do you think dad will buy me a car if I ask nicely?” Darrell laughed, but didn’t respond, the answer to that question was in his sad brown eyes. Emery sighed again. “It’s the last day of school Darrell. I just want to go home. Why can’t you just drop me off at home?” She whined.

“Cause the house is ten minutes that way and the studio is forty-five minutes that way.” Darrell responded pointing in opposite directions as he gave his sister an exasperated look. “You can call mom.” He suggested, but cleared his throat when she rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the table. “I’m kidding.” Darrell said pushing his sister slightly, she didn’t budge. “Hey Chelsea, can you give my sister a ride home?” Darrell asked looking at the girl across the table. 

Chelsea sighed, “I would. But I can’t.”

“Why not?” Darrell asked. 

“Because, I have places to be as well.” Chelsea replied. She looked at Emery, “Sorry.” She looked to Logan, “Logan why don’t you take Emery home?”

Emery looked up and shook her head, “I think I am gonna to the studio.” She said her gaze catching Chelsea’s. “It won’t be that bad. Besides I want to hear this song that you were talking about D.” She nudged her brother’s shoulder and smiled at him.

Darrell’s eyebrows knitted together as he watched his sister closely, “So you’re riding with me?” He asked, turning his head fully in her direction and then making weird eyes at Logan who sat next him.

Emery nodded, “Yessir.” 

She did not look at Logan, but she felt his eyes searching her features. She didn’t want to deal with his awkward presence, and found knots were tightening in her stomach at the very thought of riding in a car with him. After a week of acting weird around her how would he act in a ten minute car ride? Plus, he hadn’t offered, nor had he said anything when Chelsea asked him, thus making Emery wonder if he would give her a ride home, but she didn’t want to find out. 

“Okay then.” Darrell replied giving one last look at his sister. 

“Aye, I’m gonna go get a water.” Logan said, he stood up from the table. The motion catching Emery’s attention. She watched him stand to his full height and grip the strap of his black Jansport that hung loosely on one shoulder. His eyes burned into Emery’s for a split second before he turned his back and headed off in the direction of the ala carte line in the cafeteria.

Emery released a breath and reclined in her chair lazily. 

“Emery, does your brother know about you and Logan?” Chelsea asked from across the table. 

Emery frowned at her friend, “If he didn’t he’d know now.” Emery said to her friend. 

Chelsea flushed. “L.o.l, my bad. But does he?” Emery didn’t respond as she picked up the ear buds and put them back into her ears. Was she wrong for being irritated at Chelsea for trying to give her up? What if Darrell hadn’t known? Everything would be screwed. But he did know. Emery was about to remove the buds from her ears when she heard her brother begin speaking. She had yet to press play on the music and she had the ability to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“Do I know that my sister likes my best friend?” Darrell asked Chelsea quirking an eyebrow. Chelsea nodded, “Yeah, I know.” 

“And you’re cool with that?” Chelsea inquired. 

Darrell sighed and relaxed in his chair like his sister had, “I guess. To be honest, I’m not thrilled.” He said. Emery’s heart constricted. He said he was cool with it. Had she misinterpreted his response? Of course not, he’d laughed and told her that he’d figured as much…“But, I just want my sister to be happy.”

Chelsea nodded again in understanding, “Don’t big brothers usually act all overbearing and shit?”

Darrell laughed heartily while shaking his head and sitting upright in his chair. Bringing his hands above the table he spoke using his hands to add animation to his words, “That shits for Hollywood. Real brothers only get protective when his sister gets hurt. I don’t have to act tough with Logan. He’s my friend. I know him.”

“But, Logan- isn’t he like… A player?” Chelsea asked genuinely interested as she placed an elbow on the table and rested her head in the palm of her hand. “Aren’t you worried that he might not be the right guy for your sister?” 

“Logan is-,” Darrell paused, searching for the right words, “He is- a guy. You know?” Chelsea nodded, “I’m a guy too. I ain’t gonna be a hypocrite and shit and say, you can’t talk to this guy because he’s had sex with a couple of chicks, right?”

“Okay, but… He’s your best friend.” 

“Yeah, I know that. But we’re young. Nothing they have- if they have anything is gonna be that serious.” 

“What will happen if he ends up hurting Emery?” 

“Nothing.” 

“Really, you aren’t going to fight him if he breaks your sister’s heart.” 

“I won’t have to.” 

“Why not?” 

“Because he’s not going to do anything to my sister.” 

Chelsea sat up straight, “Now you sound like you’re going to threaten him.” 

“Nah, look. Logan’s cool. And my sisters cool. If you know, something happens between them, then whatever. I’ll be happy for the both of them. I can’t be mad at Logan. You know, he’s over all the time, Emery’s always around. I’d be shocked if they never felt anything for each other.”

Chelsea giggled, “They’d be cute together, huh?”

“Sure.” Darrell responded, “But, both of them have shitty ass lives, and if they can I don’t know, make each other happy? Then so be it. Who am I to block? I just want my sister to be happy and if my best friend is who’s gonna make her happy then whatever. I have a feeling that Logan wouldn’t do anything to hurt her, because he is my best friend… Even if that meant not ever even dating her.”

“Ohhh. So what if he doesn’t like Emery back?” 

“He does.” 

“He’s told you?”

“Nah, but who wouldn’t like my little sister.” 

Chelsea smiled, “I’m glad that you’re not going to be a pain in the ass about them.” 

Darrell shrugged, “I’m a realist baby.”  

“Just because we had a good conversation does not mean you can start calling me baby.” Chelsea said to Darrell giving him a stern look.

“Whatever you like that.” 

“I do, do I? What do you like?” Chelsea asked batting her eyelashes at Darrell suggestively.

“Oh my God. Chelsea stop flirting with me, you’re my sisters best friend.” Darrell joked before laughing. 

“Whatever.” Chelsea replied. Trenise came back to the table and sat down in a foul mood and Chelsea sighed loudly. “Trenise, there are always other internships, you know that right?”

“I know.” Trenise bit.

Chelsea sighed loudly and looked at Darrell, “I’m out, you can deal with these pissed off bitches. Ciao.” She stood up and grinned, “Baby.”

Darrell laughed, “I’m leaving too. I don’t do pissy moods.” 

Darrell stood up and Chelsea picked up her lunch tray before heading towards the cafeteria exit. Darrell headed in the direction of the ala carte line to meet up with his best friend. And Emery removed the ear buds from her ears and sighed heavily. 

“Gotta love my brother.” She whispered under her breath, cocking an eyebrow and biting down on her bottom lip as she smiled.

oooooooo0000oooooooo

A rueful smile touched the bruised and aching lips of Emery as her amber orbs met the ticking second hand of the analog clock that sat quite desolately, front and center on the whitewashed wall of the classroom. Her smirk quickly faded, had a final exam to finish. She gazed down at the paper before her. The soft carnation pink eraser on her number two pencil tapped the thick test booklet in trepidation. Only twenty-six more questions to go and fifteen minutes left before the final bell would ring signaling the end of junior year.

Junior year, said to be hardest year in a scholar’s pre-university education. Well, that myth certainly proved to be true for Emery, someone who definitely couldn't claim the star student title. She was an average student, doing what had to be done, but never going above and beyond- a B student with the occasional C and one hideous D. The advanced placement courses were nothing but a front, she was smart enough to be in the class, but not motivated enough to actually apply herself- she did what she needed to do to get by, and that's where the problem was. What college was going to admit a student with a 2.9 cumulative grade point average? What kind of person respected a kid in honors classes who proved to be nothing but a mediocre student?

Emery exhaled, rather loudly and didn't bother looking around to see who she'd bothered, she had to pass this exam. 

"Ten minutes." Mr. Decker called out to the class, his emerald eyes locking with the lack of tests stacked on the desk in front of him, before he too sighed with anxiety. 

The sweats broke out on Emery's forehead, as she focused her attention on the test instead of on the clock.

Multiple choice questions: easiest kind of test known to man... Sometimes.

What was the main cause of the dustbowl? Top soil. I know this. So D. Okay. Twenty-five more questions. Nine more minutes. I got this.

Her palms were disgustingly sweaty, but she didn't stop to smear the sweat on her denim short-shorts. Her eyes found the next question and they immediately rolled, who in the world was Woodrow Wilson? She knew he was a president, but what were his policies? She picked 'A' just because she hadn't written it down in the new column of the testing sheet.

Her left hand tucked into a fist and lifted to her mouth, she proceeded to nibble on her thumb as she filled in random answers. She knew it was so wrong, but she needed to finish, and who knows maybe her guesses were accurate, she was still reading the question- she just wasn't taking time to comb through the answers. The whole year in her AP History class, she’d done her absolute best in the class, but when it came to tests and quizzes she blanked completely.

Her stomach growled, and she froze. Obviously the bright pink nail polish off of her thumb wasn't sufficient enough. Her amber eyes rose to peer at the clock.

Five minutes.

Oh dear Lord.

She was desperately hungry, and the constant rumbles of her stomach were a major distraction. It seemed as though, maybe Pop-tarts weren't best for breakfast- sure they were easy but not filling. She should’ve had lunch earlier instead of staring at the cell-phone that wouldn’t buzz. 

She exhaled loudly and replaced her thumb that was wedged between her teeth with her bottom lip that had already suffered enough trauma within the first forty-five minutes of the exam.

Around her, her peers began getting up, making as much noise as possible to signal that they had finished, and Emery tried her hardest not to let the sliding chairs and moving paper distract her. She needed to focus.

Emery felt awful by the time she'd reached the last question- she had never bubbled in so many wrong answers on purpose in her life. She decided to actually do the last one and she began reading the question.

Who refused to give up her seat on the bus, beginning the bus boycott? That was a no brainer. C, Rosa Parks.

She grimaced, what if all the answers she had just randomly bubbled in were all that simple? She shook her head and went over the answer sheet making sure each answer spot, had a letter bubbled in. Satisfied that she'd completed the test, she pushed her chair away from the desk, cringing at the noise of the chair sliding across the tile. She hoped not to distract anyone as she picked up her test booklet and answer document.

She padded to Mr. Decker's desk, and handed in her final exam, when the balding teacher smiled at her, she returned it, and then hurried back to her seat to pack up.

Summer break was in t-minus something seconds, and Emery wanted to be the first one out of the heavy wooden door- even if she would only be going to Darrell’s studio right after the bell rang.

oooooooo0000oooooooo

“Darrell, the lyrics…” Emery said, reclining in the swivel chair in the studio. 

“What about them?” Darrell asked from behind the glass window. 

Emery took a deep breath, “Their cheesy man.” She responded, crossing her arms over her chest, “It sounds like you Googled pick up lines, and then rapped them to a dope beat. I don’t like them.”

“But-,” 

“I’m sorry.” She said twisting her lips. 

“It’s fine. I just thought it was good.” 

“The beat is good, but when you listen to the lyrics, it’s kind of like… I don’t know, they don’t mesh.” Emery said.

“Yeah.” Logan said from across the room as he stepped forward. Emery blinked, wondering where he came from. When he arrived? And if he was really agreeing with her. “It’s a really basic rap compared to your usual deep, real life stuff. It’s like you just jumped on the hoes and drugs train.”

“So it’s not good?” Darrell asked from behind the glass a look of disbelief on his face. 

Emery didn’t want to say anything to harsh, “It’s just different D.” 

“Oh.” Darrell said sounding dejected. “Then I’m ready to go home. I’m on some depressed shit right now.”

Emery bit her bottom lip as she felt Logan’s body heat beside her. “Man maybe we can go get some ice cream to cheer you up.” Logan joked. 

“Man fuck you. Diss my music then wanna cheer me up with ice cream. I ain’t no bitch.” 

Emery covered her mouth to avoid letting Darrell see that she was laughing at him. 

“Fine then I’ll just take your sister. We can celebrate hurting your feelings.” 

“Yeah, ya’ll need to leave. I need to rethink this song.” 

Emery rolled her eyes, “I refuse to leave until you this song comes from the soul instead of Lil’ Wayne’s handbook.” Next to her Logan bust out into a fit of laughter and she rolled her eyes, “I’m serious though.”

“Bye Darrell.” Logan said, before he grabbed onto Emery’s arm and attempted to drag her from the studio. Emery resisted his pulling.

“No way Jose. I meant what I said; I’m staying right here with Darrell.” She said. 

She watched as the brightness drained from Logan’s topaz eyes. ‘Now who’s the sad one. Rejected.’ 

Although her thoughts were leaning towards indifference towards the guy who’d hurt her feelings by avoiding her all week. Her heart made an ceremonious tug in her chest and she couldn’t help but sigh at the pressure that was building in her chest. She looked away from his dejected brown eyes and at her brother. 

“Why don’t you use Ms. San Diego as inspiration?”

“I’m not talking to her anymore.” Darrell said. 

Emery sighed, “Why not?” 

“Cuz. She ‘can’t handle long distance’. Hoe.” Darrell said, using air quotes and rolling his eyes. 

Emery pouted, “Oh. So she was inspiration for this song?”

“Yup.” 

Emery rolled her eyes, she opened her mouth the respond to Darrell when she felt Logan’s thumb caress her arm lightly. She sighed instead and lightly pulled out of his hold. He was going to have to work for her to turn into pudding at the moment. Things would be different at the end of the year party, but the time spent in the studio until the time that they’d be in their bathing suits on the beach- Emery refused to melt into his charm. 

She went to sit down on the leather couch in the studio and she sighed. “We can stay here all night, but there is no way I’m letting you put that out there. You have too much talent for that explicit basic shit, Darrell.” 

“I’m out.” Logan said loudly. 

 “Aight see ya later bro.”

Logan nodded and headed towards the door. But he did not exit the room without looking back at Emery with a perplexed expression playing across his handsome features. 

Emery bit her lip, she’d make up to him tomorrow at the party.

A/N: You guys!! I apologize for taking so long to update! The internet at mi casa is acting up and getting connected is a chore! 

So, I’m in the school library doing homework when I notice that these lovely school computers have a slot for a Micro SD!!! And now I am finally able to update! I cannot even begin to describe my excitement. Anyways, now that I know I can write the story at home and post it at school I will most definitely have the next chapter up soon. It’s already halfway done, but I want to make it as juicy as possible, lol. So, until next time.