Make It Nasty

©AwardedEmmy

2012

Shoulders squared and jaw set, it was determination that propelled her into the dusty old bookstore. Behind the counter stood the pot-bellied, bugged-eyed, bookseller, who every second used a single finger to push the wire-rimmed glasses up on his straight nose.

"Welcome to dollar books," He deadpanned, "Is there anything I can help you with today?"

Emery shook her head, "No. I'll be fine, thanks." She replied stiffly, walking past the counter and towards the how-to manuals.

Seventeen year old 'tomboy', Emery Johnson, was going to seduce Logan Isley; Freemont High School's chief athlete, on the football field and on the basketball court. Also, the number one player among multiple hearts of very unfortunate young ladies. Ladies who pride themselves on being fabulously fashionable, unbelievably thin, and super popular. Notorious for his enigmatic personality and being completely adamant against change, Emery recognized that seducing Logan would be none too easy, because above all else, Logan Isley also happened to be the best friend of Emery's older brother, Darrell.

The game of seduction. The act of playing hard to get. Such a precarious ordeal, even though her personality was that of a sheltered good girl, Emery had always taken pleasure in throwing caution to the wind, she figured her plan to snag Logan Isley would serve to be an entertaining challenge, especially since Emery had her eye on Logan for eons, unbeknownst to him. For six years, Emery had observed him, quite intensely too; it was hard not to, when most of her spare time was spent imaging an array of scenarios between them. If the plan of seduction was going to work, she would need to step out of her shell, quite a bit. Instead of creating scenes, she'd need to make them happen.

Emery had crushed on Logan back before the bronzed muscles, the growth spurt, and the deep voice ever came onto the scene. Emery was fond of Logan back when he was just a five foot one eleven year old, who was on the plump side, with a sissy voice, who, even then didn't really acknowledged her. In Logan's eyes Emery was and would always be, 'Darrell's sister'- which for the longest time, she received as an odd endearment.

The incessant crush was all Darrell's fault, for inviting Logan to their eleventh birthday party. She probably wouldn't have ever known Logan existed, had it not been for Darrell's lack of friends, and pursuance of the only other nobody on the playground. As twins, Darrell and Emery always shared birthday parties, and back then, it was Emery who had the abundance of friends, not Darrell. Fifteen kids at the party and two of them were males. Logan stuck out like a sore thumb, and his timid attitude throughout the whole party, didn't make him less prominent. Emery kept an eye on him, and noted the way he blushed every time a girl tagged him during their freeze tag game, it was hard not to see how cute his personality was, and thus her crush ensued, but Logan had grown up immensely, physically and mentally. Since the birthday party, he's taken on the role of the clichéd ladies man, using his scintillating topaz eyes to make any female within a fifteen foot radius swoon in delight. Logan reeled in girls with his overwhelmingly white teeth sinking into his bottom lip seductively, and a single hand thrusting through his dark chestnut hair. Shoving his hands in his pockets that hung low on his hips and subtly (or so he thought it were subtle) flexing his biceps, and giving his next victim, the coy look that was carried on from the days when he was less attractive and more introverted.

Logan Isley would never- not in a million years know of Emery's crush. Mainly because he never really made it a point to call her by her legal name… Of course since the two rarely conversed, it wasn't a requirement, but it still befuddled Emery that 'Darrell's sister' left his lips more times than 'Emery' ever did, but it was time to change that.

The one question that always remained on the front of Emery's mind though, was how in the world was she going to get his attention now that he'd grown into an oversexed ladies man? The answer to that question lied in the grimy aged bookstore, in the self-help section. After hours and hours of searching shelf after shelf, and a considerable amount of inner debates on whether or not she was doing the right thing, Emery stumbled upon the one book that brought a wicked smirk to her lips.

'Make It Nasty: A Girl's Guide to Seducing AND Catching Your Man'

The white book with the red lips and bold pink letters was almost God-like in between Emery's hands. She flipped through and skimmed the book, before deciding that it was everything she needed, and then some. Three simple steps to capturing Logan Isley, written in detail right between her fingers.

'You want him, but he won't take time out of his day to notice you. For seconds, minutes, days, months, maybe even years, you've sat by and watched the only man you could ever want, make advances on other women, and you've stayed in that shell of yours. No longer can you sit by. It's your time. If you want any semblance of this man, then you're going to have to tease him, seduce him, and altogether, make it nasty.'

Make It Nasty

©AwardedEmmy

2012

'The first step to seducing and capturing your man has absolutely nothing to do with him. I hope you didn't think that the art of seduction (the right way!) would be easy! The first step is all about you! Who are you? What do you like? What do you dislike? If you don't know who you are before making it nasty, then how do you know that you'll be able to figure out who he is?

Ladies, if you want to make it nasty, the first thing you have to do is find out what makes you… You.'

Chapter 1

"I'm a woman on a mission," Emery Johnson belted out loudly as she entered the two story modern mansion in which she resided. Slamming the large wooden door behind her, she threw her Jansport off her shoulder. When the backpack that was lighter than a pillow contacted the floor, her foot connected with it, sending the bag skidding across the shining hardwood floor. "I'm gon' get me some." She shouted, squeezing her eyes closed, hiding the dark amber orbs. She broke out into dance moves that weren't even acceptable in the 80's as she traveled out of the living room area. Opening her eyes to avoid an unwanted collision, she made her way into the kitchen and over to the Sub-zero freezer. "Get me some Strawberry Cheesecake Ben n' Jerry's." She said smiling and shaking her head at her own humor. "I'm so lame." She muttered, reaching for her ice cream.

"I'd say." A humored deep voice said from somewhere else in the kitchen.

Emery grimaced inside of the freezer; she didn't have to look to know who that voice belonged to. Like butter sliding across a mildly hot surface, like melted chocolate flowing over a fountain. The voice that Emery imagined would someday whisper words of endearment into her ears. The voice that sent chills running down her spine. The voice that had made her smile and frown nearly every day for the past six years. The voice of the one and the only…

"Logan," Emery said cheerfully, stepping out of the freezer and closing the door. Her eyes found his location, standing in the opened door of the pantry. Looking delectable as usual, wearing a pink crewneck t-shirt, black skinny jeans that he sagged slightly, and a pair of white Vans. His chestnut hair wasn't styled, unless the 'fresh out of bed' look was now in fashion. Emery wanted to drop her ice cream and reach for him- touch him, all over. "May I ask what exactly you're doing in my pantry?" She asked the question she didn't need an answer to. Logan was practically a part of the family, because of his long-standing friendship with Darrell; Logan was a warmly welcomed figure in the house. Spending a great deal of his adolescent years in the Johnson's home due to his parents busy work schedule, Logan virtually lived with the Johnson's; as opposed to just being a frequent guest. The arrangement made everyone happy, but secretly it made Emery the happiest.

"I was hungry." He said nonchalantly, his broad shoulder shrugging in indifference, "Then I heard you come in screaming some weird shit." He chuckled, and then licked his pink lips and shoved his hands into his front pockets.

Emery rolled her eyes and padded to the island counter where she popped the lid off her ice cream. Feeling for a drawer on the counter, she slid it open and grabbed a spoon. "Stop eavesdropping on me." She countered lamely, inwardly grimacing at her poor attempt at a comeback.

Logan took a step forward and used his topaz eyes to send Emery a coy look as he said, "I don't think it's considered eavesdropping if you were shouting loud enough for me to hear." He then crossed the kitchen to lean on the counter opposite of Emery. Emery shrugged and dug her spoon into the frozen dairy, and battled for a scoop. Settling on the small shred of ice cream that was mainly composed of graham cracker, she put the spoon in her mouth and sighed as her eyes fluttered slightly before closing.

It was exactly what she needed. After a long day of school and then a grueling hunt in the dusty bookstore that sent her allergies soaring, a nice cold snack put her to ease.

Emery's eyes opened, when across from her Logan cleared his throat and laughed a little, "Whoa, porn star moan." He said, his tongue swiping across his soft looking pink lip.

Emery's head cocked to the side as she went for another scoop. "I only sighed." She told him, praying to God that she was right. Her cheeks began burning as she put the spoon back in her mouth, awkwardly the second time around.

Logan shook his head, "No, you definitely moaned." He reached across the marble countertop and snatched the ice cream carton from Emery's left hand, "Here, hand me the spoon, I'll show you exactly what you did." He said, holding his hand out for the sterling silver utensil that was now bending in Emery's death grip.

Handing Logan the spoon would equate to sharing saliva with Logan. Emery couldn't believe he was even asking to use the same spoon she was using. She couldn't decide whether or not she should be ecstatic or nervous, she chose the former and thrust the spoon in his direction. Her amber gaze met his and the corner of his mouth came up in a sexy smirk that displayed strikingly white teeth, as he took the spoon from her grasp.

"Wait, before you put that in your mouth, are you the carrier of any sort of mouth disease?"

Logan looked up with a confused expression on his face. His dark eyebrows were knitted together and his mouth slightly agape. Emery raised her left eyebrow as he stared at her for a second too long. The question was a serious one, Logan had kissed a lot of girls, he could've come into contact with something, and she didn't want it. Logan leaned up away from his slouched over position and looked around her kitchen. Then back at Emery. He grinned. "I'm sorry; I just forgot where I was."

Emery frowned at him. "You're in my kitchen." She told him, while giving his tanned face an awkward onceover.

Logan licked his lips as he came back down, and placed his elbows on the counter and finally moved his topaz eyes back to Emery's and licked his lips. Quite an ungodly habit that he had, there. "Yeah. I remember that now. And the answer to your question is no. I'm squeaky clean." He said grinning so wide and displaying his perfect set of teeth. The smile faded quickly as Logan slid the spoon between his perfect for kissing pink lips. His eyes closed, and he moaned. Emery's eyes widened, she knew that she hadn't moaned. He was taking the spoon out of his mouth with his eyes still closed. He moaned again, and when the spoon was out, he squeezed his eyes shut and Emery watched his jaw work as he mashed up the ice cream in his mouth. When he swallowed, his tongue peeked out from between his lips and he seductively licked his top lip. Emery's face grew hot. She really hadn't realized he was watching her that intently. Logan moaned and opened his eyes.

"I did not moan." She recanted. "I didn't lick my lips either." She muttered, trying to remove her thoughts from the x-rated zone in which they'd entered after Logan's reenactment of an activity she didn't recall doing.

Logan shrugged, "Yeah, you did, you were in your own little world. I watched you."

Emery scrunched her nose up, "Why were you watching me?" She teased.

Logan scratched the back of his neck and looked at the ice cream carton in front of him. "Well, I told you I was hungry, and then you come in here and whip out some ice cream. I was watching you with jealousy." He admitted.

Emery rolled her eyes; she would just pretend he said, "I was watching you because I love you, very much."

"We have a lot of snacks in the pantry. You just weren't looking hard enough." She said, then reached across the counter and took her ice cream back.

Logan looked up at her and pouted. "I looked very hard, my search was interrupted when I heard the front door slam and then you start screaming, 'I'm a woman on a mission, gon' get me some'." He said with a straight face, and then the corners of his eyes crinkled and his tanned hand covered his mouth as he started laughing.

Emery rolled her eyes as a humored grin slipped onto her face, his deep laughter was contagious, and soon she too was laughing.

"What did I miss?" Emery looked over at the entrance of the kitchen where her older, by two minutes, brother stood. His snapback was on backwards, hiding his small tight curls. He was wearing a dark jean jacket, a light purple tank top, and a pair of dark khakis which were sagged. His choice shoe was a simple pair of white Vans.

Emery shook her head; too busy laughing at her own antics to reply, but Logan sat up, and said "Your sister is a freak." He told Darrell, pushing himself off the island counter and taking a few steps back.

"Yeah, but bro, we've known that for a minute." Darrell responded, a small smile gracing his face. "What did Ems do now?" He asked, and Emery didn't miss the way her brothers light brown eyes scanned Logan's movements and her own.

"She came in singing some whack shit about being on a mission." Logan stated as he cooled down, then he shook his head, and his eyes landed on Emery, "It really wasn't that funny." He said seriously, and then he looked at Darrell, "Ready to go?"

Emery's heart hit the hardwood floor of the kitchen as she stared at Logan's profile. He licked his pink lips as his toned, tanned arms crossed over the carnation pink of his t-shirt. He cocked his head to the side, and the silver stud in his left ear gleamed in the light of the kitchen. She could just punch him. How dare he bust out in a fit of true laughter at her expense and then get sober and say it wasn't that funny. The spoon in his hand glimmered in the light and she smirked.

"Logan, may I please have my spoon back?" She asked and looked over at her brother, whose eyebrows knitted together as he looked at the spoon that was being held firmly in Logan's whitened knuckles. He nodded, and tossed the spoon on the counter without sparing Emery a glance. That just wouldn't do. He needed to look at her. She laughed, "Logan was showing me how I moan when I eat my ice cream." She scoffed and rolled her eyes, as she reached for the spoon on the counter. When it was in between her fingers she looked up and saw Logan staring at her. Expression unreadable. She pretended to be unfazed by his unwavering gaze as she dug into her ice cream, "So where are you two headed?" She asked looking over to her brother who was twirling the keys to his 67' Mustang around his pointer finger.

"We're going to the studio. Logan's fixin' to help me spit out a rap." He stated, "Let's go. See you later tonight Em." He said, nodding his head for Logan to follow him out of the house.

"Don't stay out too late, Darrell. You know we have school tomorrow and dad will be pissed if your grades start slipping." Emery called to her retreating brother.

"Shut up, you goodie two shoe." Darrell called back jokingly.

Emery rolled her eyes as she heard Logan's chuckle at her brother's diss. She stared at Logan's back until he turned around, grinning, topaz gaze met dark amber gaze, and briefly Emery wanted to smile, but she just said, "Make sure he's back before ten please." And then she looked down at her melting ice cream.

"Darrell, your sister wants you back before ten." Logan shouted as he looked away from the girl in the kitchen and followed his best friend out of the house.

oooooooo0000oooooooo

"So the book wants me to figure out who I am." Emery said to herself, letting the white book fall from her hands and hit the dark purple hue of her comforter. She stared at the red lips on the cover of 'Make It Nasty' and then proceeded to bite her bottom lip in thought. She reached out for the orange-haired tabby that lay slumbering next to her and set the cat on her lap. "Alright, Comet, I'm going to talk to you. I've been told I'm loony because I hold conversations with myself, so now if anyone asks, I'm having a conversation with my cat. K?" Emery asked looking into the big chocolate eyes of her Garfield clone. The cats eyes closed and it lowered its head into her lap.

"So, I'm just one of the guys." Emery admitted while sighing in defeat as her slim fingers ran through her dark hair repeatedly, each time stopping to untangle the ends she'd dyed golden. Her amber eyes searched the burgundy color of her bedspread and she pursed her lips. "Weird because I have a cat instead of a dog, but I guess it's the truth, I just never wanted to confess it out loud. Darrell was the first to say it, and even then I despised the thought of being 'one of the guys'. I mean I don't mind being a 'tomboy', but 'one of the guys' just sounds so much different, in my opinion. Sure, I could be found hanging around with my brother's posse more than my own friends, but that's only because my friends are kind of ditzy. Great girls, but really catty. And, yeah I curse like a sailor, I can whoop ass on the Playstation and Xbox, I'm an excellent sportsman- woman, and I shop in the men's section. But, I never really considered myself a tomboy, I always thought I was just stepping to my own beat." Emery mumbled to herself, picking at a piece of lint on her comforter. "Ya know?" She asked the cat, who just snored. Emery removed the cat off of her lap and bounded off the bed. Crossing her bedroom, she stopped in front of the mirror that displayed the length of her whole body.

She was wearing black cargo shorts that she'd purchased in the men's section at Wal-Mart. Blue and black Nike's graced her size six foot, and a cobalt blue Orlando Magic jersey with the number 12 printed on it covered the top half of her body. On her head was a backwards black snapback, but she knew on the front of the hat there were blue and white letters reading 'Magic'. Her attire wasn't feminine at all, but her appearance on the other hand… Her hair was thick and long, reaching midway down her back the color of dark brown almost black, though the ends she'd dyed a golden color. She lifted up the jersey to expose her flat stomach with the bellybutton piercing that she'd gotten when she was fifteen, and then she turned profile to take a look at her generous backside. Her body betrayed any hope of 'tomboy' attire. She couldn't exactly say tomboy though, just simply because she opted not to wear short shorts, skirts, dresses, low cut shirts, and sandals. The way she dressed in her opinion was very fashionable in her own way. She even wore a hint of makeup, just a thin line of black eyeliner on the top of both eyelids.

Tomboy was the label given to her by her brother simply based off of her athletic abilities and it stuck, though most other 'tomboy' notions were lost on Emery Johnson.

"There pretty much isn't one bad bone in my body," Emery continued. If there was finding it would prove to be an interesting challenge because she could hide it well. Despite her tough persona and an intense aversion to stupidity, Emery had nothing but the mentality of a goodie two-shoe, and she hated it. She roamed around displaying her chilling exterior and feigned indifference to every situation, but at the end of the day she was programmed for bending to anyone's pleas.

"The word 'no' isn't in my vocabulary, and I make sure that no one knows of that little detail by mostly keeping to herself." Emery said crawling back onto her bed and stroking the hair of Comet. She stared at the white wall in front of her. She pouted pathetically. "I'm smart, even though I don't exactly get straight A's. I'm kind of sarcastic, and definitely deviant." Emery huffed, "I think that just about explains me, now, whatever, let's read the next chapter." Emery reached for 'Make It Nasty' and she looked at the back.

'So, you want that man, but he's light years out of your league. That's okay! You can snag him, because you did yourself the justice of picking up this here book. Now, to be one hundred and seven percent honest, you're not going to be able to capture your man by simply reading every line in this book, nope. If you want to seduce that special guy, it's going to require quite of bit of action on your part. You can't just begin making it nasty. If you could already do that, you wouldn't have bought this book, and you would be going about it all wrong!'

Emery chuckled to herself. After reading the first chapter about 'discovering who you are', Emery found that the authors writing style was extremely laid back, and very humorous which made for an enjoyable read and easier understanding. The book wasn't very large, just about sixty pages. It wasn't really even a book, just a pamphlet. In the bookstore, it was the only one on the shelf and it was hidden behind other books. Emery was lucky she'd found it. How else was she going to seduce Logan Isley, without the help of the book it wouldn't be an easy feat, but something told Emery that she was on the right track earlier. When her conversation with Logan was more of a joking nature she felt like she was reeling him in, but as usual when Darrell would make his presence known Logan would turn on his 'Disregard Emery' attitude. It was like Logan was afraid to even be friends with her. Emery rolled her eyes and started flipping to chapter two in the book.

"I'll make him see." She muttered, her eyes landing on the bold number two on the fourth page. "I'll make Logan Isley see, that I'm worth it."

'So, now that you've got a whole new wardrobe, you're probably ready to flaunt it? Or maybe you're having second thoughts about this whole thing? Just stop all thoughts completely and focus on this.

One time.

You have one time to show him what you're capable of. Make It Nasty by going all out. Once.'

Chapter 3

"I changed the clock on my phone to military time, but I'm too lazy to convert the time to regular time. So I just never know what time it is anymore."

Emery's head snapped in Logan's direction at the sound of his husky laughter and she smiled dreamily, before feeling the desire to sink into the depths of the dark leather couch she sat on. Across the room sat Logan in all of his fresh out of the pool glory, with the Playstation controller wedged between his manly hands.

'Dear Lord, how is it possible for one guy to look so good while playing video games?'

One would think it was impossible, but Emery had to admit, the fact he was only wearing dark purple swim trunks (the color certainly complemented his tan), and a pair of white Nikes contributed to his allure. It was too bad that curled up by his side, with her pedicured toes curled on Emery's couch, wearing what looked like less than a bikini, was Julia, giggling like an airhead at his joke. How they were still together after he was clearly annoyed with her the night before was a mystery to Emery.

Emery's top teeth sunk into her bottom lip and she turned her gaze away in disgust. She was unable to figure out why he insisted on inviting her over after she'd insulted Emery and why she hadn't left immediately after the swimming.

"I thought you guys said I could get a turn." Emery finally voiced. She'd been sitting there for about an hour waiting patiently, her favorite game was displayed on the seventy-two inch TV, and her brother had promised she could play the winner. Well, she'd turned the video game on, and then they boys came in and asked for turns, and as soon as they both beat her out of a controller, they hadn't shared.

"And we said later. I don't see why you even have to play, it's not like you didn't play last night, and you literally just play for like two hours alone." Darrell replied not once looking away from the screen to fully acknowledge his younger sister. Emery grumbled not too nice things under her breath and stood up quickly, her swift movement earning her a gaze from the vivacious topaz eyes of Logan. She knew that look. It was one of 'recognition', like he'd completely forgotten she existed. Any second now he'd address her as 'Darrell's sister' and then ask her for something, and she'd willing oblige.

Logan grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling, white teeth gleaming, and is if on a certain cue, his eyes shimmered and he said. "Hey Darrell's sister, can you fetch me a beer, por favor?" The question caused Emery's heart to fall.

Even worse, Julia's head came off his shoulder and a hopeful grin spread across her cheeks. "Me too?"

Darrell paused the game, "Yeah, me too." He didn't even ask. He just added on, like he knew that Emery was going to go and get it for him.

"I ain't 'fetching' anybody anything. Last time I checked I don't neigh or bark." She said stubbornly. Emery always had small retorts; every single one was a small hopeful attempt at seducing Logan into conversation…

But like always, "Thanks girl." He said, with a final grin, before turning his attention to the bumping of his nose against Julia's. Life just wasn't fair.

"You're welcome." Emery mumbled. "Darrell, if dad-,"

"He doesn't care. It's just what, three cans, he won't even notice. Especially since he's not home." Darrell said putting his finger up to his lips in a shushing manner, even though he knew Emery wouldn't ever think to tell on him.

"Whatever." Emery sighed, exiting the family room, and heading to the kitchen. Whipping open the refrigerator door, she scanned the shelves until she came across the box holding the beer. She tore into the box and brought out three beers. Closing the fridge door with her foot while balancing the three beverages in her arms precariously, she found on the other side of the door was Julia- with her golden hair in some messy bun, staring at Emery expectantly with her beady eyes.

'Dear Lord. What now?' Emery thought, stopping and giving Julia a look that meant she was already bored, "Can I help you?" Emery asked dully, handing Julia one of the beverages in her hand and then grabbing the beer that had been stuck in the crook of her elbow.

"Yes. You can. I know about the whole brother's best friend cliché thing, let's not forget I used to read every single romantic cliché in the library," It was a while back, but hard to forget. Julia used to be the school's bookworm, until some jock, not Logan, pimped her out. "You obviously didn't take the subtle hints that I was throwing at you last night. But don't think I don't see the way that you look at him. You need to stay away from my man." Julia said cattily, every sentence taking a step closer to Emery, "Got it?"

Emery set a can on the counter, and snatched the other one from Julia's hand. "I don't care what you have to say. I don't care what you think is going on. I don't care." Emery said as calmly as possible. She'd never been in a physical fight, but she was ready to put her right arm to work. Emery wanted to punch Julia dead in her beady blue eye, but she wouldn't do that. "I do care about the fact that this is the second time in not even three days, that you've come into my house and blatantly disrespected me. So you know what? I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Emery was surprised with how levelheaded she sounded. On the inside she felt like showing Julia who exactly was the 'bad bitch' in the room.

"What?" Julia asked, screwing her face up into a look of pure confusion, "I refuse to leave. You didn't invite me."

Emery raised an eyebrow, "Out." She said with finality in her voice, before breezing past the big headed girl.

How dare Julia even insinuate that Emery would want to steal Logan? As much as Emery was displeased with him having a girlfriend that wasn't named Emery Johnson, she wouldn't man-steal. Never. In fact, she would hold off her plans until she was sure he was no longer in a relationship, before she could be labeled a 'man-stealer'.

She padded back into the family room and handed her brother his beer, then walked over to Logan and handed him his. "Um, Darrell's best friend," That was the first time she'd gone with the approach of not calling him his name, and he seemed to notice, he looked up with confused brown eyes, yet his lips portrayed that he was humored. 'Score'. "I just kicked Julia out." Emery said nonchalantly while walking away from him.

It was quiet for a second, before Logan scoffed, "Darrell, did I just hear your sister correctly?" Logan sounded dubious, almost enough to make Emery want to turn around and looked at the facial expression that she knew had to be cute. "I think she just said that she kicked Julia out."

Darrell was laughing, it was apparent that he wasn't a fan of Julia. When Logan was asking him if she could come over to swim, it took Darrell a long time to give his consent. "Emery, why would you do that?" Darrell questioned, tipping his can to his lips, humor twinkled in his eyes.

She smirked all to giddy to share why Julia got the boot. "Because, she told me to stay away from her man. Like, I'm offended that she would even think that I'd want any part of Logan." Emery said, rolling her eyes, "So I told her to leave." She turned to look at Logan who was actually looking at her.

'Score'.

Her words must've been a cut to his manhood. His expression was one of someone who was assessing something with pure fascination. A look that instantly made her feel incredibly uncomfortable, she'd watched him give the same look to dozens of other girls and wished it would someday be her under that gaze, now that it was her she was cowering. "How long have you guys been dating anyway?" She asked awkwardly. She already knew that they had only started doing whatever it was that Logan called it since sometime yesterday, but she'd rather play off the fact that she knew nearly everything about him.

Logan stood up, and even though Emery knew what he was doing, her eyebrow arched. It was a seduction technique, she'd read about it on the internet. Guys with muscles like to put them on display. He stretched his hands to the ceiling and his swim trunks slipped a little. Emery's breath caught in her chest as her gaze caught a glimpse of his tanned 'v' underneath the impressive six pack. Now she wanted to moan, but of course she didn't. She forced her eyes back up to his face. She wanted to look at his body, but she fixed him with a leveled gaze, in his eyes, not at his perfect abdominal muscles. "Since yesterday after school." He answered, winking. He threw his body back down onto the couch and took a swig of his beer. After swallowing he said, "I'm offended that'd she would even be calling me her man." He leaned forward on the couch, his elbows resting on his knees, and the red beer can he held by the rim dangled in his left hand. "It wasn't even official; I only asked if she wanted to chill over the weekend." He said shaking his head. "Some girls just don't even know." His head fell and he looked down, allowing Emery the opportunity to stare at his shoulders. The shoulders of a basketball player. Big, broad, and incredibly sexy. The tan skin was smooth and a sprinkled with a few light freckles from his excessive sun exposure.

Emery gulped, "Right?" She replied shakily, like Logan had just spoken gospel. "I think I did the two of us a favor." She said truthfully. Kicking Julia out saved Emery from looking like a weakling and saved Logan from a possessive… Wannabe girlfriend?

Logan's head popped up, and his topaz eyes sparkled as he said, "I think you did. Thanks, Darrell's sister." He said while smirking and winking. Emery frowned. It was almost like he was playing a game with her. Like he knew that the title bothered her and yet… The way he said it was almost… Flirtatious! He said 'Darrell's sister' almost like he acknowledged the fact she… Wasn't just Darrell's sister? Like it was an inside joke. The pessimist in her said that the smirk and the 'falsely said endearment' meant that he was simply ready to dismiss the conversation. Yet the optimist in her said that the wink and the flirtatious way he spoke meant that things had definitely changed. Logan never winked at 'Darrell's sister'.

Darrell cleared his throat and looked at his best friend, "Don't ever lemme catch you winking at my sister." He threatened.

Logan sat up and threw his hands up in a surrendering motion, "Sorry dawg." He mumbled.

Emery rolled her eyes, "So, are you going to go and get Julia?" She asked Logan.

He shook his head vigorously, "Hell no!" He shouted, and licked his bottom lip, "I'm glad you kicked her out. I meant it when I agreed with you on the favor thing." He said honestly, causing Emery's heart to swell, as he smiled at her.

The clearing of Darrell's throat captured her attention and she looked at her brother, "So, are you coming tonight?" Emery knew exactly what Darrell was talking about. Darrell Johnson was an aspiring rap/hip-hop artist. Being that he was one of the lucky children to be born to a rap legend- now CEO of a rap music producing company, breaking into the business wasn't difficult for Darrell. He had the correct publicity that ensured that every venue was always packed. At least he was good. He could spit out raps like nobody's business, wicked fast, delicately slow, Darrell was on the rise to fame, and Emery had been there every step of the way.

Emery nodded, "Of course." She grinned, displaying her deep dimples, "What kind of sister would I be if I didn't support my twin bro?"

Darrell grinned at his sister and flicked the Playstation remote that was still in his hands onto the couch and reclined, swigging his beer, "A pretty bad one, I reckon." He joked. "Tonight I'm featuring a new rap; Logan here helped me write it."

Emery's nose wrinkled. Logan writing music. Like hell, he didn't even like to write his own papers for school. She looked towards Logan."Well I can't wait to hear this." She muttered, looking at the kid sitting on her loveseat wagging his eyebrows and cheesing like a fool. Emery turned her amber eyes back to her brother before her heart had time to palpitate straight out of her chest. "Anyways, my friends are coming over so we can get ready. That means, I won't be doing anymore beer runs, yeah?" She only said it because the two boys seemed to enjoy calling her from her bedroom to do little tasks that could've easily been done without her help.

"You're getting ready?" Darrell asked skeptically looking at his sister. He looked at her attire, beige cargo shorts that he remembered purchasing at the same time as her… From the same section, and a loose blood red tank top with a small pocket on the right breast. Her shoes were her favorite red high-top converse, and in her hair was a red paisley bandana, tied in the Tupac fashion. He rolled his eyes; she would end up wearing just that outfit to his concert.

Emery rolled her eyes, "Stop assessing me, you already know that I'm wearing what I have on. My friends are coming over to get ready themselves." She frowned at her lie. The frown deepened when she thought of all of the times she acted like a loser, inviting her friends over so they could get all dolled up while she played Draw Something, because she was too lazy to even attempt the whole 'get pretty' thing. Now she was finally going to give it a go, and her brother didn't believe her.

"LAME!" Darrell said loudly, grinning at his sister. It was all jokes for him, but Emery truly felt lame. "Hey remember how we were talking about your chick swag last night?" Darrell asked raising his eyebrows. Emery rolled her eyes; she didn't want to talk about this again. She nodded her head and noticeably grimaced. "Well, I heard that, Justin Todesey likes your chick swag." Darrell mentioned suggestively.

Emery's jaw dropped, "Justin Todesey?" It wasn't her that asked the question with a voice filled with cynicism. Emery's amber eyes darted over to Logan, who looked disgusted. He shook his head, unimpressed.

"Yep." Darrell confirmed. "Last night at the party he was talking about you. He wants to talk to you, and there is no way in hell, I'm letting that happen. If he ever approaches you, just come to me."

Logan cleared his throat, "Or me." He shook his head again.

"Like I would go to you, you don't even call me by my name." Emery reprimanded and then frowned; she was deeply pleased with his gesture. Justin Todesey, Freemont High School's luminary baseball player and number two playboy, coming in second to Logan. Emery laughed, "I think I can handle Justin." She said haughtily. "I'm not like all the other girls who are like, 'Oh Justin, your blue eyes just-!' Faint."

Darrell scoffed, "Emery, just stop, we all know that when it comes to guys you bend over backwards for them, and I didn't mean that in any dirty way." Emery pouted, even though she knew it was the truth, she still wanted to believe she was more independent than that. Darrell frowned as if considering something then said, "You better not be bending over for anyone."

Emery's cheeks heated as she looked over nervously at Logan whose topaz gaze flickered over to her, "I'm n-not." She stuttered, looking away from the quizzing eyes of Logan.

"Good." Darrell said, "Besides, when girls tell guys, especially guys who are players that they 'aren't like other girls', it only ends up being a long game of hard to get and it ends with the girl in tears. I don't need you playing that game and getting hurt."

Emery stared at her brother for a second, and then a wicked grin spread across her face. "So, if I were to tell Justin that I basically wasn't interested in his silly advances, then he'd try to do anything to be with me?" She asked genuinely interested in her brother's answer.

Darrell stared at Emery blankly. "If he's really that interested in getting in your pants, then yes. Besides guys who usually get it easily, are most likely to be down for the chase, sometimes guys like a challenge." He said honestly.

Emery smirked. "Is that so?" She began wondering if 'Make It Nasty' had a chapter on making her man jealous. Although, what Darrell was describing sounded exactly like what 'Make It Nasty' was teaching her. It was basically all a game of hard to get. Darrell was warning her about some guy whom she didn't give two fucks about, when the real danger followed his best friend.

Darrell nodded, "Em, I don't want to see you hurt. Are you planning on trying that with Justin?"

"No." She said truthfully, but suddenly it seemed like she would need to deviate from the book just a little. What if she used Justin to make Logan jealous? The sound of the doorbell shook her, and she inwardly smirked ready to get her friends upstairs to get advice on her new plan.

"Good. I'd hate to see you upset because your heart got broken."

Logan sighed, "Yeah me too, just don't play with Justin. It's a bad idea."

Emery nodded, "Of course not. Thanks for the advice Darrell, and Darrell's best friend. I'll make sure to stay away from Justin." She said kind of- honestly over her shoulder as she exited out of the living room. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, as she rushed to the front door to let her friends in and tell them all that was said.

Ooooooooo00oooooooooO

"I get what your brother's saying." Trenise said, nodding in an understanding fashion while twirling her waist length light brown hair around her pointer finger. Her brown eyes scanned Emery's deep burgundy comforter in concentration. "Don't do it. You're already getting yourself in deep with trying to seduce Logan."

Chelsea Ryan cleared her throat from the other side of the room. Twisting on a swivel chair, childishly. "Yeah, you don't want to…" She paused and snapped her fingers, "There's this saying. It's- Ugh!" She repeated the snapping motion with her fingers, and then gasped, "You don't want to bite off more than you can chew." She finally said, grinning at herself.

"Alright." Emery deadpanned.

"Alright." Chelsea mimicked. "The plan that you have already sounds decent enough. But do you seriously think you're mature enough to play that hard. Like, you've never had a boyfriend, you've never been kissed, and now you're thinking about playing with two guys hearts. You have to think about everything Em." Chelsea said her face looking completely sympathetic as she continued, "Like, what happens when, Darrell finds out you're stringing along his best friend, and the guy he warned you to stay away from? Or when Logan decides to get with someone else because you're holding out?" Chelsea asked smartly, flicking her lengthy raven hair over her shoulder.

Emery's face fell, she hadn't considered those things. "Wow." She huffed and threw her hands in the air.

"I'm just simply pointing out the other sides- the sides that aren't just benefitting you. Sorry babes." Chelsea said shrugging. "I'm here to help you out."

Trenise cleared her throat, "I know you're going to hate me, but I have to ask, what if Logan doesn't take the bait? What if he ignores this whole transformation?"

"He has to take the bait. My brother said that some guys like a challenge." Emery said.

Trenise and Chelsea shared a look, both wondering how their friend could be so naïve. "Some." Trenise and Chelsea said at the same time, and then giggled.

"But seriously. If you want to do this, I mean adding Justin into this complicated equation, we're behind you every step." Trenise said smiling still.

Chelsea clapped her hands together and stood up from the swivel chair, "So this book says that it's time to give him a peek of the new you." She giggled.

"Yeah, but I kind of want to take this whole transformation step by step. I don't want to just pop up and be like, 'Logan, check out the new me.' Ya know? I want to slowly introduce this."

"Okay, we'll take it slow... But after tonight. Tonight you have to look hot. The book says so. No trying to get out of it. What do you have in your closet that's super sexy?" Trenise asked, rolling off the bed and already making her way into Emery's walk-in closet.

"No idea. We bought a crap load of stuff yesterday though, so…" Emery answered. She never really wore too many things that would appear attractive unless forced into it by her mother. She preferred dressing like an individual, and tight sexy clothes really didn't fall into that category- in her opinion.

"We'll find something," Trenise called as Chelsea joined her inside the closet.

Emery nodded to herself and walked over to her vanity and stared at her reflection. There wasn't a thing wrong with her, eyes the color of dark amber and a heap of dark brown waves that she'd dyed golden on the tips, her hair stopped at her mid-back. Her skin was a light brown, like the color of French vanilla coffee. She was well proportionate, with a generous set of hips and breasts, a flat stomach, and a well rounded derriere. She pursed her pouty red lips and looked at her small button nose. She smiled and the deep set of dimples came on display, sprinkled over her nose and cheeks were light freckles. She wrinkled her nose and grinned wider.

There was nothing wrong with her at all.

"Oh Logan." She mumbled and closed her eyes, the smile on her face faded, and she pouted.

She wasn't 'obsessed' with him, nor in love with him. She just wanted him, but then again, who didn't? Logan Isley was the son of Kingston, A-list celebrity and Isadora Isley, British super model turned fashion designer, meaning he was richer than rich, but unlike many others, Emery didn't want him because of his wealth… Or his looks, though she must admit that his naturally sun kissed skin, sparkling topaz eyes, dark chestnut brown hair, and muscles for days made him undeniably attractive, and was a great bonus. Emery wanted him because- her eyes opened and flickered to the red construction paper heart wedged between the wood of her vanity and the mirror. Her eleventh birthday present from him to her.

She remembered the way he approached her shyly at the beginning of the party and shoved the heart into her hands, he'd said,

"Darrell's sister?" When she'd turned around and acknowledged him, she raised her eyebrows, "I'm sorry, I didn't really know what to get a girl for her birthday, so," He looked down at the heart in his fingers, "Here, it's my heart- the best one I've ever made, and you can have it." He thrust it into her small hands then blushed. Emery had blushed too, and then drew him in for a quick hug, completely out of character for her- especially back then. She thanked him, and immediately ran up to her room to wedge the construction paper heart between the wood and the mirror, its home for the past six years.

Emery shook her head. She couldn't believe she'd held onto the heart for as long as she did. It was probably extremely girly of her, but she liked to pretend that the sweet gesture had meant something more. Like maybe he had a crush on her or something. Of course she'd never know… Until this whole plan of hers worked. She smirked.

It had to work.

It would work.

"Damn Em!" Chelsea squealed coming out of the closet; Emery raised her eyebrows and looked at her friend through the mirror. Chelsea held up a black dress and shook it, "When did you buy this tight thing, because I know this was not on the receipt yesterday."

Emery grimaced and turned around, walking over to Chelsea, she remembered the dress. "The last time I wore this, I was in a dressing room." She commented smirking, remembering when her mother shoved her into the dressing room. Dennis Johnson, Emery's father, the CEO of Dope Kings, a hit record label for rap and hip hop music, was finally buying out Money Thugs Records, a less successful company. The event would require a formal party, and formal meant fancy dresses. Something that Emery didn't have. Her mother forced her to the most expensive boutique in Los Angeles, and bought a mass amount of dresses…. Emery ended up wearing a tight skirt she found at a thrift store- just to be rebellious, and stored the rest of the dresses in the back of her closet.

She studied the dress; it really wasn't anything too special. It was a formfitting- bodycon, black dress, with tight three-quartered sleeves, that would extend to right above Emery's mid-thigh. A black lace silhouette covered the whole dress, making it look much more elegant. Emery smiled, "I like this." She murmured.

Trenise came out of the closet and assessed Emery. "Oh my. What if you keep the converse and Tupac bandana on?" She said clapping, "And put the dress on, and we'll straighten your hair!"

Emery visualized the outfit. "Actually, that's not a bad idea." She said grinning; it was all falling into place. Except the hair straightening part. She rarely straightened her hair; she couldn't stand damaging the beautiful thick hair on her head.

"Yeah, you can keep your swag, but be sexy at the same time. Swexy." Trenise had some sort of affinity for making up her own words by combining words.

Emery nodded. "Alright, what are you guys wearing?" She asked, actually caring. Both Chelsea and Trenise gave Emery impressed looks.

Chelsea squealed, her signature noise, and ran across Emery's large bedroom and tore through her bag, she brought out a shoe box, and "I got new shoes!" She ripped the lid off the box and snatched out the right heel. "Isn't this beautiful?"

Emery studied the shoe from across the room and frowned, it was a leather nude color. Honestly, nothing special. "How much were they?" She asked, feigning explicit interest, when really she just wanted to know what Chelsea was wearing the shoe with.

"A lady never tells." Chelsea said dramatically, and then rolled her dark eyes, "Three hundred."

Emery's face went blank, "Your shoes are like high priced prostitutes. You pay so much for just one night with them, and then you never use them again."

Chelsea gasped, "Not fair, I wear all of my shoes at least twice." She defended herself lamely.

Trenise rolled her eyes, "What will the lady be wearing with the expensive shoes?"

"Oh." Chelsea bent back down and pulled a pair of high-waist skinny jeans out of the bag and a way loose pink crop top. "I'm wearing that, and then putting this mess," She combed her fingers through her raven hair, "In a high ponytail, and putting on a golden necklace with a cross on it and wearing a simple pair of golden hoops."

Emery nodded, "Sounds cute." It actually did. She turned to Trenise, who was sitting lamely on the swivel chair in the corner of the room. "What about you?"

"Something simple." She got up and padded to her bag where she lazily tore through it until she found her outfit. "These shorts." A pair of light denim high waist shorts. "This shirt." A see through, thin, white button up shirt. "I'm buttoning that up all the way, top button." She said, as if it hadn't ever been done before. "My white canvas Keds and a middle part in the hair." She finished, running her fingers through her light brown tresses of slightly wavy hair.

Emery nodded and her eyes shot to the analog clock on her wall. "Well, Darrell's concert starts in about two hours."

"So we should start getting ready. I need to get about ten numbers tonight." Chelsea said, as if nine from three weekends ago wasn't good enough.

Trenise rolled her eyes, "Chelsea, do you even use the numbers you get?" Chelsea thought for a second, and then shook her head. "You need to stop leading those poor guys on."

Chelsea's eyes rolled and she shrugged. "I think you should tell the newbie it's a bad idea, not the professional."

Emery's gaze met Trenise's and then she looked at Chelsea. "You said-,"

"I know I was kidding, I'm here every single step of the way." Chelsea said smiling, "If you wanna play, then I'm gonna teach you, and first things first, the cargo shorts need to go. At least for a few weeks."

Emery smirked, "I know that, and I totally don't mind giving up the comfort of my cargos for a few weeks if it means that I'll have Logan yapping at my heels." She said honestly, finally feeling like everything was falling into its right place and that she shouldn't be nervous about the change anymore.

"Dear Lord." Trenise said, "I just had the weirdest visual. Big ass Logan, on his hands and knees, chasing after you, and yapping." Trenise massaged her forehead as if the visual was just too much.

Emery smirked; it really wasn't a bad image- in her opinion anyway.

Ooooooooo00oooooooooO

"Your obsession with camouflage is unhealthy." Chelsea said, plucking at Emery's oversized camouflage jacket.

"I can't help it." Emery glowered, slightly yanking her arm away from Chelsea's judgment. The dress was extremely tight, and to contrast it, she threw on the biggest jacket she had in her closet, which just so happened to be camouflage.

"Leave her alone Chels." Trenise said, pulling Chelsea away from Emery. "You can't complain about her choice of cover-up if you were able to get her to wear some heels. That's an accomplishment."

Emery rolled her eyes, she didn't have a problem with the heels, she could walk in them quite well, but they just weren't her choice of shoe. She took a glance down at the suede red pumps adorning her size six feet. She'd forgotten she had the shoes. They'd been a pair shoved to the back of her closet as well. They were expensive. She had a problem with wearing expensive things mainly because she didn't want to ruin something, money doesn't grow on trees- it was unfortunate that the rest of her family couldn't understand that.

"Emery, did I tell you I like how you made the mole above your lip, bolder. So Marilyn." Chelsea commented.

Emery smirked and wondered if the red paint on her lips made the smirk appear to be more seductive, "Thanks girl."

The three girls sauntered towards backstage of the concert- the crowd was huge. Emery's heart swelled at the thought of her brother being able to achieve his goal of being an acclaimed rapper by the age of twenty. By the looks of it, he was almost there, and since it was summer break, he was allowed to go out of town and perform. Something Emery was looking forward to, after all she was his default travel buddy. Wherever Darrell goes, Emery follows and vice versa.

"Ladies." The bodyguard said, having their faces memorized, he smiled, and stepped away from blocking the door. Emery smiled gratefully, and began to lead, noting the confused expression of the big bodyguard, as he assessed her.

Upon reaching the large VIP like room, Emery stopped in the doorway, there were a few people there already, but it didn't take long for her to spot Logan sitting on the red couch in corner of the room. Covered in girls. "Typical." She muttered, but she couldn't deny the fact that he looked amazing. What could be seen of his dark hair was standing up on his head just like he'd run his fingers through it recently, and what wasn't visible was covered by a snow white beanie that made a placid hook shape on the back. He wore a light blue tank top, with thin straps, and a dark blue sun-like design in the middle. The tank top allowed Emery a view of his glorious tanned biceps, and the front dipped down and exposed a small amount of her pecs. He wore dark straight leg jeans, and his white Vans. Emery bit her lip and shivered.

Walking further into the room she immediately felt her forehead break out into a thin sweat. It was inevitable; the comfort of the jacket would have to go. The clacking of her heels quieted down her brothers many groupies as a great deal of them turned and stared.

"You don't have to be so nosy." She said aloud, feeling extremely confident in herself.

She reached an empty table that was coincidentally in front of where Logan was sitting. She closed her eyes, took two comforting deep breaths, and then clutched the sleeve of the camouflage jacket and started taking it off. Suddenly everything moved in slow motion. Coming out of the jacket seemed to take a lot of time- too much time, but when it was off she threw it down on the table and shook her straightened hair behind her back. She opened her eyes- still in the slow motion feeling, and her amber gaze met the scintillating topaz gaze of Logan.

His eyebrow quirked as his two pointer fingers and thumbs formed a gun that he brought up and placed on his full pink lips. His eyes scanned her, assessing the shiny straightness of her hair that went long ways down her back. The lacy black dress that she had on hugged ever single part of the her body that it covered, and in his eyes it didn't cover much. The curves that the dress exposed astonished him and the way her legs looked in her heels… Logan shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Emery's eyebrows rose too as his eyes finally came back up and met with hers. The flushed feeling came to her face, but she wouldn't risk the façade by cupping her cheeks, her habit when she felt she was blushing. He concentrated hard on her, his eyes narrowing just slightly.

Emery smirked, and she gave him a look that she hoped translated into, "Is this more feminine for you?"

'Score'.

She turned away from him, the half smile never leaving her face, and she began to make her way towards her friends who'd stopped walking a long time before to provide her with some confidence. But her upper arm was yanked, causing her to fall backward, and the hold she had on her phone almost loosened. She cried out, her heart racing as she imagined her phone crashing to the ground and cracking into a million pieces. She was glad that she was able to grip the phone tighter. The clutch on her upper arm sent tingles running up and down her spine. She turned her head and looked up.

Logan.

'Go figure with the tingles.'

She could barely keep up with him, while he was relentlessly dragging her out of the VIP section, and she found herself stumbling in her heels. She used her free arm to grip the arm Logan was using to drag her away to steady herself.

"Why are you walking so fast?" She grumbled. He didn't answer. "Typical." She muttered under her breath. Logan rarely replied unless he was the one to initiate the conversation.

They made it out of the VIP section and rounded a corner.

"Ugh." The sound of bodies colliding caused her to look up. Only the collision didn't just make her stumble over her own feet. She heard Logan apologize and a feminine voice reply, but the only sound that mattered to her was the cracking sound that could only be recognized as a phone meeting the floor, only it was echoed. She barely recognized that the phone lying on the floor was hers as she fumed.

Logan bent down and picked up two phones, he handed one to the owner that he'd collided into and squeezed Emery's into her hand. She immediately investigated the screen. No cracks. Thank God.

She smiled, but it didn't last long as the dragging continued, "Dammit, Logan." She mumbled.

"Back to saying my name, I see." Logan joked easily, yanking her around a corner.

"Much to your amusement." She whispered under her breath, and then took notice of her surroundings. "Why did you pull me into this small space?" She inquired curiously. She liked it, but just the thought of all the endless possibilities that could happen in such a small space wreaked havoc on her stomach.

Logan took a deep breath, and Emery was mentally celebrating, thanking the Lord she decided to take that jacket off, it was just too hot. "I didn't really mean what I said- you know, last night."

Emery blanked, "What did you say last night?" Oh, she knew exactly what he said.

"You mean you don't remember?" Logan asked and Emery shook her head slowly. "Oh that's good then." His husky laughter filled the small space, as he began to try and exit, but Emery grabbed his arm, "What?" He asked, and Emery had to take a calming deep breath to squelch the tingling feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She was finally touching him, and damn if his skin wasn't soft as hell. "What did you say?"

"Never mind." He whined, attempting to walk away, but that only made Emery's grip firmer as she yanked him back into the small nook. Logan looked down at Emery and her fierce amber eyes and he huffed, "You don't remember when I asked your brother why you didn't act like a chick?"

Emery's gaze lowered. 'That's right, play the sad card', she told herself. Of course she remembered, but it wasn't something that was on the forefront of her mind at the moment. How could she forget the guy she'd been practically in love with for six years, didn't think twice about her because she didn't do 'girly things'.

Logan's hand cupped her chin and lifted her gaze back up to his. "Look, kid,"

'KID?They were the same age. Was saying Emery so hard?' Emery's head screamed, as she listened to what he had to say.

"Everything Julia had said last night was," He paused and licked his lips, "Extremely dumb, and I don't know what's wrong with her, but we weren't having 'eye sex'. When she said that, the look your brother gave me. I needed to get out of the huge hole Julia put me in! So I just changed the subject to a recent kind of thing. You know?"

Emery scowled, the biggest insult was the fact that in all of the six years she'd known him, he still never said 'Emery'. "Okay?" She deadpanned. "Are you done?"

"No, I'm pissed." He said honestly, his light brown eyes boring down into Emery's. His jaw clenched and he licked his lips.

"Why?" Emery asked, uncomfortably crossing her arms in front of her chest. Logan had never been mad at her, and if he had, he'd never spoken to her about it.

"Well first you kicked my girl out. Second, you said that you wouldn't ever be interested in me." He admitted, "Do you know how extremely low that blow was to a guy like me. Ya know, I've got so many chicks fallin' after me, and the one that I'm around the most doesn't even think I'm attractive."

Emery rolled her eyes, "Don't even. You don't need 'Darrell's little sisters' opinion on shit."

Logan frowned, "Well, you're like a little sister to me."

'Oh my God. Why? Can I have permission to just die?'

"Really? I feel so honored. Why would you want your sister's opinion on your attractiveness?" She asked rather loudly, she was angry. He called her kid, and then said she was like a sister. "Did you think that maybe I wasn't attracted to you was because your whore-ish ways are gross?" She asked.

"What even? All guys sleep around, some guys' way more than me. I'm not a whore." Logan said defensively and then frowned, "Is that what you really think?" His feelings sounded hurt, but Emery's were too.

"That's what I know." Emery said, "Anyway, I need to go watch my brother on stage. So, you can go back to your orgy. Deuces brah." She hoped to end the conversation with that, but Logan grabbed her arm. For the second time that night he'd taken her arm in a rough manner that still managed to send shivers running up and down her spine.

"If you leave bruises." She glared up at him, "I will tell Darrell, and he will kick your ass."

Logan's grip didn't loosen. "I'll just have to tell Darrell that you came to his concert in search of your future pimp."

Emery gasped, "First you wondered why I didn't act more feminine, and now your claiming I look like a prostitute." She attempted to step back but only landed against the wall.

"I asked why you didn't dress or act like a girl. Not, 'why doesn't your sister dress like some sort of hooker'. You should've seen the way that all of the guys back there were practically drooling over you. I didn't mean for what I said to make you start dressing like this."

"You thought I listened to you? You're opinion matters little to me." She held up her fingers in a pinched fashion, and scowled at him.

"I didn't think Darrell's little sister was a liar. Don't pretend you didn't get all ass hurt when I reminded you of what I said earlier." Little did he know, she was playing him with that downtrodden behavior. "And don't try to point all the fingers at me either, I tried to explain why I said what I said, and you acted like you could care less."

"Maybe, I didn't want to hear your explanation. Maybe, I wanted to go the rest of my life thinking, 'Oh, Logan thinks of me as his little tomboy sister who he doesn't even call by her name'. Ha, no thanks dude."

"What? You begged me to tell you! Does that upset you?" He asked, "That I consider you a sister?"

Emery put her finger on her chin, "Let's think. I already have one older brother, who puts me through hell with all of his rules and stipulations. I don't need another one, but thanks for feeling like you could step into that position."

"My bad that I'm an only child. Wow that was fucking low."

Emery scowled. "Perhaps."

Logan didn't respond his eyes just bore into Emery's. His contemplative gaze made her stomach turn over, and she shifted her weight uneasily. Now was the moment she wished she hadn't worn the heels, they didn't even work. He wasn't sitting in the VIP room lusting after her, but instead he dragged her to some off corner of the venue to ruin her dreams. She fumed, and looked away from him completely. She hadn't noticed how good he smelled, and now the spicy, masculine scent of him was making her heart flutter. Had he always been so tall? Of course, six foot four. Emery pressed herself against the wall and realized exactly how small the space was. If she wanted, she could place her hands on his chest and tip-toe up to kiss him, but she now knew exactly how he felt, and now the whole plan of seduction was going to take a little bit more time.

A fucking little sister. She shook her head and a small laugh escaped her lips.

"What are you thinking about?" Logan asked softly, and Emery looked up in time, to see Logan lick his lips as his eyes bored down on her.

Oh goodness, well now her thoughts were in a total R-Rated area, she cleared her throat, "I'm thinking about the fact that this is the first time we ever argued in six years." She said and laughed at how truthful her lie was.

Logan laughed too, that husky laugh that sent chills coursing through her body. "Is that right?" He asked. Emery nodded, not trusting herself to speak- she was known to stutter in certain situations. "You smell really good." He said gently.

Emery's heart fluttered, she was glad that she chose Citrus Pomegranate from Bath and Body Works for the night. "Thanks." She said, meekly, and after an awkward second of keeping her gaze down she added, "You too." Logan mumbled his thanks, and Emery's heart raced. "These shoes are freaking killer." She mumbled, shifting her weight again. "This is why I prefer sneakers. I've only been wearing these things for about an hour, tops."

Logan laughed, "I much prefer when you wear sneakers. Look how tall you are." He pat the top of her head like she were a puppy. 'Little sister move.'

Emery sighed, "I was just trying something new." She admitted. He didn't need to know the whole truth. "I'm playing the numbers game with Chelsea." She chanced a glance up at him, and saw the surprised look on his face.

"Oh really. How many numbers have you gotten so far?" He asked another lick of his lips.

'Please don't lick your lips before I do something so far out of character.'

"I just got here, and then you drug me into this small space." She paused, "Was there another reason that you brought me back here?" She asked suggestively.

Logan laughed a little; Emery noted how nervous the chuckle sounded. "What? I'd never, in my life, put the moves my best friends little sister." Logan answered, looking at the wall above Emery's head.

She glowered, so he was for real. "Yeah right." She reached up shoved him lightly, and then riskily added, "You know you want this." She said jokily, shimmying a little for effect.

Logan licked his lips, 'what kind of ungodly habit?'

"I don't know, is it worth my friendship with Darrell?" Logan asked, the look he gave her was a coy one. His eyes were slightly hooded and dough like, as his tongue rested on his canine tooth.

'Score.'

"I don't know is it?" Emery asked smirking. Her cheeks flushed, she couldn't believe she just asked that question.

Logan didn't respond, instead he just looked at her- contemplated her. Emery took that as her cue. Patting his muscular chest she slipped out from the nook and walked back towards the direction of the VIP section to gather her friends so they could go watch her brother. The whole walk back, she heard his footsteps behind her, and his eyes glued on her.

"Oh my God." She whispered to herself, "He took the bait. Score."

Ooooooooo00oooooooooO

The phone was sleek. Top of the line. Newest generation. Thin, touch screen, virtually weightless. It only possessed a few signs of wear; the small scratch on the upper right hand corner of the screen and the chip in the black paint on the bottom left corner, other than that, it truly was a decent looking phone.

It was truly unfortunate that the phone had one little tiny problem, that couldn't be easily fixed….

The phone as nice as it was- didn't belong to Emery Johnson.

Emery turned the phone over in her hand for what seemed like millionth time, but she still couldn't understand how on Earth she'd managed to come into possession of the small piece of technology. Emery hadn't let her own phone out of her sight, but there she sat on her bedroom floor holding some strangers phone while her phone was somewhere- sitting in the same predicament.

She huffed.

'3 Reasons Why I, Emery Alisha Johnson, Should Go Through This Phone:

-There might be a picture of whoever's phone this is, so I'll be able to narrow down who might possibly have mine.

--It's in my possession now. I have the right to see what's on this phone.

---Whoever has my phone has probably already gone through it.

3 Reasons Why I, Emery Alisha Johnson, Should Not Go Through This Phone:

-It's not any of my business to see what's on this phone.

--I wouldn't want someone going through my phone.

---It's morally wrong. Period.'

Emery bit her lip indecisively, but after a second of staring down at the screen she finally decided on going though the phone.

There was no harm in taking a peek.

Her finger hovered over the power button for a long while, before she finally pressed the button, lighting up the screen. She was greeted with the same image she'd seen when she first realized the phone wasn't hers- a picture of a basketball logo. So she'd already narrowed down her investigation- the original owner was male- or a tomboy like her, but even her screensaver was kind of girly- a single red tulip with dew drops on it- beautiful- and she missed seeing it.

Emery attempted to slide the phone unlocked like instructed, but the pad of her thumb was sweaty from nerves, so she had to apply more pressure on her second try. The screen came to life, and she bit her lip. She had the same exact phone, but looking at this one was like staring at a foreign language.

She pursed her lips and looked for the photos button, spotting it, she pressed it. "256 pictures." She sighed, "Dear goodness. Conceited." She sang. In contrast her phone only had a simple amount of pictures. None of her or anything personal, so whoever had her phone wouldn't even be able to see her.

"Score." She mumbled gleefully.

She pressed the button that'd open up the gallery and waited patiently for it to load.

"Wow."

So the sender was definitely a male. Or was a psychopath saving pictures of male chest and abs and- unmentionables. She giggled. Whoever's phone this was had a nice body though. Scrolling, she continued looking through the pictures, a lot of sports pictures. Typical. A lot of pictures of scantily clad females. Typical. A lot of pictures with no faces. And oddly an insane amount of nature shots. Whoever the phone belonged to was obviously a sexter though.

"Cool." She stood up and exited her room. She needed to eat something so she could digest the fact that she had someone else's phone in the palm of her hands, while her phone was out there- somewhere. She pouted as she entered the kitchen.

"How could I have not noticed at the concert?" She asked herself out loud while shaking her head in depression.

Ten minutes later, she sat with a bowl of lasagna while thumbing through the apps on the foreign phone.

The owner had a nice taste in apps; it wouldn't be hard to pass the phone off as her own… She couldn't tell anyone she'd lost her phone, she'd be labeled even more phone irresponsible. It wouldn't have been the first phone she lost. She closed her eyes; she had tried so hard to protect her phone, and here she was with some other sad person's phone.

The phone vibrated on the table next to her and she jumped. The message appeared on the first screen, short simple, and sweet.

-Don't go through the pictures.-

The text read and Emery's stomach churned. She had the option of pretending she never saw the text or responding. She bit her lip in concentration, before tapping on the message. Her fingers flew over the keyboard quickly typing before she changed her mind.

-I already did…. Nice.-

She hit send, and then gnawed on her thumb. "Oh goodness gracious." She mumbled.

The next text came back in a flash:

-You think?-

She nodded, the rolled her eyes, before replying:

-I'm not a liar.-

Oh dear, this was turning into a full-blown conversation. She frowned when she realized she was waiting anxiously for his reply.

-Oh really? Then what are you?-

Emery rolled her eyes.

-What do you want me to be?-

She bit her thumb nail nervously.

-I'm James, or Jimmy.-

Emery's heart rate sped up; she shouldn't tell him her first name. It wasn't smart, she bit her lip.

-Alisha.-

She pressed send.

-Nice meeting you, Alisha. How are we going to get our phones back? If my dad finds out that I lost my birthday present, count on our correspondence ending.-

Emery chuckled at his joke, and how smart he sounded. Smiling she responded to him.

-I have absolutely no idea, dude.-

Emery sat back in her chair, her Italian food began returning to its cold form. She hadn't ever been a big texter, but she realized that she was about to become addicted to texting.

"Looks like I did get a number tonight." She said smirking.

And for the night, 'Make It Nasty' sat on her nightstand upstairs untouched.

Make It Nasty

©AwardedEmmy

2012

'Your next step as seductress is to touch him and give him a compliment. If he didn't notice you before, now he certainly will. Want to take it a step further? Touch him and compliment him in front of his friends. Now that will for sure gain you some attention.'

Chapter 4

The plastic teeth of the red comb glided through Emery's hair with ease, untangling every knot that formed while she slept- more like tossed, turned, and stared at her ceiling fan. She was going back to school today and nerves had wracked her entire body. When she'd finally fallen asleep, the alarm clock woke her two hours later, which to her was the equivalent of two minutes. Bending over the black marble countertop in her private bathroom, Emery maneuvered the comb down the middle of her scalp to perfect her part. Setting the comb down, her eyes caught sight of the red curling wand lying on the counter. She bit her lip and squinted her eyes as she stared at the hair styling utensil.

"Should I curl my hair, Comet?" Emery asked her cat, who sat perched on the toilet seat cover, peering back at Emery. Comet blinked and then hopped up onto the counter, "I think this outfit deserves a few curls." She said, brushing her palms along the dark denim of her jean jacket, her fingers catching on the brass buttons. She looked down at the soft white tank that's looseness was covered by the jacket. The sleeves on her denim jacket were rolled up to her elbows. She looked back into the mirror and her eyes caught sight of her legs encased in a pair of black skinny jeans, and her shoes were her red high-top converse. Emery bit her lip. "I think I'll pass, I don't even know how to use this thing." Emery said picking up the curling wand, and waving it in front of her face precariously. "Wouldn't it be funny if I burned myself?" She thought aloud, smiling a little. Comet meowed and leapt off the counter, the movement startling Emery, as she stopped waving the wand and it slipped from her fingers. Grabbing for it, before it singed the cat, she wrapped her fingers around the golden part only to realize her mistake as her hand started to throb.

She'd grabbed the red base of the iron and squealed as she threw it onto the counter. Her left hand was throbbing and turning red. "Shit." She mumbled, gripping her left wrist in her right hand and staring at the pulsating left palm. "Oh my God. Owwwwie." She cried out, sniffing and shaking her hand. "I'm so glad, I didn't burn my face, but damn." She whispered, looking from her pounding hand to Comet's curious gaze. "Double damn. Okay I'm done in here." She said, turning off the iron with her right hand and then the bathroom light before stumbling into her bedroom, looking at her door in time to see Darrell walk by.

"Darrell," She called and waited for him to back track and look into her room before continuing, "Where's the ace bandage?"

"Like I know." Darrell said, leaning on the frame of her door. He looked at her up and down before asking, "What do you need it for?" Confusion was written all over his face as a thick eyebrow rose and his nose scrunched.

"I burned myself with the damn curling wand." Emery cried, storming across her bedroom in the direction of her desk clutching her left wrist in hopes to stop the pain from continuing its onslaught on her hand. "Darrell, you're just like Comet, no help." She muttered, "Unless you want to put my shit in my bag, then you'd be the most helpful chap in the world." She said with a false smile.

"I'll help you on one condition." Darrell said walking into her bedroom, going for her desk and closing up her maroon binder. Emery reached for her new bag that lay on the dark hardwood floor of her bedroom. Her hands gripped the light brown strap of the satchel/messenger bag like purse that she'd use as a backpack and she immediately placed it on her desk.

"And that condition would be?" She asked leaning against the wooden desk and studying her hand.

Darrell shoved Emery's binder into the satchel bag that Chelsea had delivered the day before, stressing the importance of having a fashionable bag, and sighed, "You need to tell me what the hell is going on with you."

Emery's head shot up and she looked into her brother's light brown eyes, "What do you mean?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowing slightly.

"Logan told me about what you wore to my concert. What were you thinking? Do you not know how many sleazy ass guys go to concerts?"

"Darrell, Logan told you what I wore from a male's perspective." She told him in a hushing manner.

"Exactly." He replied sternly. "And this. Skinny jeans? Cute clothes? Girly clothes? I'm beyond confused right now dude."

Emery rolled her eyes and pushed off her desk, heading to the other side of the room to reach for Jimmy's cell phone that lay on her nightstand. "Look, I wore what I wore, because I wanted to. I'm wearing this, because I want to. You aren't dad. You can't tell me what I can and can't wear." She told him clutching Jimmy's iPhone tightly.

"I'm your 'guardian'." He said with air quotes, "Since mom and dad think that work is more important than family, I'm the one that is in charge of you. I am the one that will get blamed if something happens." Darrell was firm in his speech as he zipped up the zipper on the pocket that held Emery's pens and pencils with more vigor than necessary, "And, I'm not going to let anything happen while we're still under the same roof." He looked dark, like an evil villain relaying the mastermind plan that would never fail. "So I need to know everything that's going on with you."

Emery exhaled loudly and slipped Jimmy's phone into her back pocket. Crossing the room, she snatched the strap of her satchel out of his hands with her right hand and glared at him. "I don't need protection. I know how to handle myself."

"Lies."

"Truths." She replied easily, "Now can we go, before we're late?"

Darrell's hazel eyes rolled as he glared right back at his sister. "You're up to something, and when I find out…." He shoved past her, sending her body reeling back a couple of steps. She scowled as he turned around and said, "Game over."

Emery's jaw dropped, "Who do you think you are?" She asked him, following him out of the bedroom and attempting to put the bag that was flailing around in her one hand. "I can't believe you think that I'm up to something. I just wanted to casually change my sense of fashion and you jump my damn nuts." She yelled hitting the light in the bedroom and trailing after her brother, who she noted was making no attempt at replying to her. "Know what? You are an ass." She told him.

Darrell's shoulders shrugged casually, "I'm just concerned about you, that's all. The bandage is in the first aid drawer in the kitchen. I won't even ask why you didn't think of that." He told her, "Meet me in my car when you're done wrapping up the hand you burned with the-," He paused and laughed loudly, "Curling wand."

Emery's eyes rolled, "Will do." She replied in annoyance, her eyes looking out of the ceiling-to-floor window to her right and staring at the array of tropical trees outside before snapping back to the path in front of her as she headed down the dark wooden stairs and towards the kitchen.

Emery reached the first aid drawer in the kitchen and slid it open. Upon immediate spotting of the bandage, she reached for it and pulled it out. "Alright, let's wrap this bitch." She muttered, putting one end of the bandage in her mouth and letting the rest unravel and hit the floor. Removing the end from her mouth, she gently placed it on her hand, and used her thumb to secure it in place. She winced as she thought about the blister that would eventually form there.

Emery continued to wrap the bandage around her burned left hand; she'd gotten halfway through when a familiar vibration occurred in her back pocket. She gasped and hurried to finish wrapping the ace bandage around her hand even going as far as to wrap part of her wrist too. When she finished, she awkwardly put a safety pin at the end, and then smiled at her work.

Emery used her right hand to retrieve Jimmy's phone. Pressing the power button, she quickly read the message.

-So…. Did you figure out what we're going to do about our phones yet?-

-Nope. I'm stuck, summer is around the corner and I'll be free to switch back then. Just a few more weeks.-

It was difficult only using her right hand to text, but she managed and then hit the send button on the black iPhone. Her finger depressed the power button as she exited the kitchen in the direction of the garage.

Darrell sat in his blood red mustang tuning through stations on the radio when Emery came out- a secretive smile on her face. He rolled his eyes. She wouldn't ever understand why he felt the need to protect her. It wasn't worth explaining to her either, she'd just tell him, 'I can handle myself,' like she'd done in the past, and he was tired of her naivety.

When Emery got into the Mustang, she turned on the phone, completely intent on ignoring Darrell on the ride to school. She was uncomfortable in her seat because she was trying to sit as far away from Darrell as possible. The iPhone buzzed, and she smiled as she read.

-I'm on summer break in a minute here too… So, you're in school…?-

Emery admired his smugness, she imagined the texter to be extremely attractive- yet she couldn't picture an exact face, just small tidbits here and there. So she placed Logan's face as the texter. This time, in her head, Emery saw Logan, a small smirk playing on his pink lips as he asked the question coyly, biting on his lip as he trailed off.

She replied, -I am, junior going on senior. High school.-

Her heart raced, she couldn't believe she was actually carrying on a conversation with someone over the phone. Sunday, they'd gone the day without texting each other. She didn't have a problem with that since she dedicated her Sunday to doing homework and finding the appropriate outfit for Monday.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she read the next text to come in. She couldn't believe it. Butterflies. It was impossible, she'd never even seen the kid whom she was texting, but she got butterflies. Emery Alisha Johnson never got butterflies.

-I know this is going to sound incredibly creepy since we haven't even been texting that long, but you sound really cute. Like, I know you're a girl, judging by the stuff on your phone. So I just wanted to throw that out there.-

Emery was all too giddy to respond when the phone was snatched from her hands rudely. Emery's eyes snapped up as she glared at Darrell.

"Who ya textin'?" Darrell asked, casually scrolling through the screen, his eyes on the road, but at any minute ready to read the thread.

"None of your damn business." Emery cried, reaching for the phone, but because her satchel bag was still attached to her, the seat belt had her strapped down, and her left hand was 'out of order' she was unsuccessful. Emery's cheeks flushed. She couldn't tell Darrell about the phone. Being the protective older brother that he was, he'd insist on taking it and finding some way to get hers back ASAP and she couldn't have that. Emery was the most irresponsible person when it came to the keeping up of technology. Cellphones that have suffered water damage from bathtubs, toilets, and pools. MP3's that suffered the same fate. Laptops that have gotten left in hotels and limousines. It wasn't easy persuading her parents to shell out money on things that they constantly had to replace.

"Who?" Darrell asked again.

"I'm just texting this guy." She responded nonchalantly, rolling her eyes.

"You." He said in convicting tone, "You. Are texting a guy? Since when do you text boys?"

"Since I had my own business, now give me the phone." She growled, "Is it so hard to believe?" She asked arching an eyebrow.

"Yes. Yes it is." Darrell responded, "It better not be Todesey."

"Darrell, this isn't funny." She said to hush her brother's sinister laughter. "Why are you so freaking obsessed? It's just this kid, he wanted to know about some homework due today, now may I please, cherry on top, have the phone back. You're not fair."

Darrell threw the phone into Emery's lap. "People don't smile at homework texts."

"Good people do, because they're being nice. Jerk off." She muttered. "You need to calm down."

"I just want to know what you're hiding from me."

Emery gasped, "I am not hiding anything." It was a lie, but Darrell needed to bug out.

"Well, you can tell me anything, ya know? So when you're ready to. I'm here, but stop being so secretive. I hate that shit. Okay?"

Emery nodded, "Yeah, whatever."

"You know mom and dad will be home in a minute here." Darrell said attempting to break an awkward silence.

Emery rolled her eyes and scoffed, "Why?"

"Should I really answer that?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"I guess not." She muttered turning her head and staring out of the window.

Emery Johnson did not hate her parents. True, she wasn't their biggest fan, but she did not hate them. A father who was mostly concerned about not becoming a 'Used-To-Be' in the world of entertainment. A mother who was more concerned with body image and living the life of a hedonist. It wasn't hate that Emery felt for the parents who put their children on the backburner to pursue their own independent desires, but it surely wasn't admiration.

"Do you know when they should be back, exactly?"

Darrell laughed, "How the hell would I know, I talk to them about as much as you do."

Emery shook her head and smiled slightly, "So never?"

"Exactly, I just remember them saying, be back before school ends, and what do you know. Finals are coming up in a few weeks here, and then school will be over."

Emery nodded in resolution of the conversation and her eyes fell back towards the screen to see another text had come in.

-Alright, that was creepy… Sorry.-

Emery typed as fast as her right hand would let her, -It wasn't creepy… Okay it was a little weird, but my brother was just being stupid and stole the phone. So, yeah… Sorry. Anyways. We're going to have to keep each other updated until summer comes, huh?-

Emery pressed send and then looked at her brother from the corner of her eye as he parked at the school. Darrell looked back at her and opened his mouth; it was that moment that she wanted to punch her brother. "When are you going to tell me what's going on with this new look? Is it because of that skank, Julia?"

Emery loudly exhaled in frustration, she was tired of having the same conversation with him. "No Darrell, it's because of nothing. I wanted to try something new, and- voila! Here it is- something new. Get off my case, please." She begged and then turned to fix her brother with a leveled stare, "You know, it's not fair that you accuse me of being secretive and shit, yet you've had a girl, and I'm pretty sure it's the same girl, over a million times. I hear you guys, and I don't bug the shit out of you, wondering who you're dating or whatever. So I'd like the same respect. Obviously you have a secret girlfriend. You can't act suspicious when you believe that I have a secret boyfriend. Okay?" She said firmly, opening the car door and rushing out before Darrell had time to defend himself. She hurried out of the student parking lot and towards Freemont High School's grassy courtyard.

oooooooo0000oooooooo

The goal for Emery's day was to touch Logan. How that was going to happen, she had no idea. Already lunch had wrapped around. She'd had two classes with him before lunch, where she did nothing except watch, and she had two classes with him after lunch, and she couldn't possibly just sit and watch again. The challenge was to touch him in front of his friends. How on Earth was she going to do that? Where on Earth was she going to touch him?

Emery's right pointer finger twirled around the golden ends of her hair as she stared at the wooden cafeteria table in deep concentration. She wasn't really paying attention to her friends. Their conversations had been mostly made up of cheer tryout discussions, and Emery couldn't be bothered. The last time she was a cheerleader- something forced upon her by her mother., was back when she was 12. Upon entering high school she told her mother to forget about it. She wasn't doing cheer ever again. Her mother, Eden Johnson, had wanted the perfect daughter. Giggles and frills were what she would have died to have; it was unfortunate that her way of getting that was by force. Eden had forced so many things on Emery to the point where Emery didn't want any of it. Emery tried her hardest to steer clear of anything that her mother would like. Of course she never disobeyed, but she found a way out of everything.

Emery sulked in her seat even further. She had no idea how she was going to touch Logan. It couldn't be a meaningless tap or a playful shove. She actually had to touch him, and she needed to do it soon. She was dying of boredom, considering the fact that Jimmy still hadn't texted her back from earlier. She bit her lip in concentration and then looked up.

"Guys, I'm gonna go sit with Darrell." She said, placing her empty grape juice carton on her barely touched lunch tray. She just needed to be next to him in order to figure it out.

"You mean you're gonna go sit with Logan?" Trenise asked, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

Emery nodded, "Yes, that's exactly what I mean. The book says touch. So, I'm going to touch." She said while easing her shoulder bag onto her right shoulder.

"Touch him where?" Chelsea inquired, with her dark eyes wide open.

Emery shrugged, "I have no idea and I'm thinking that if I sit next to him, I'll figure it out." She stood up from the table and put a smile on her face. Picking up the lunch tray in her right hand she winked at her friends and sang, "Wish me luuuckk." Before turning away and disposing the tray in the trash can right next to the table.

She couldn't understand why she was so nervous; she'd sat at her brother's table more times than she could remember, but for some reason as she approached the table that seated football players, basketball players, and lady-players alike butterflies began wreaking havoc in the pit of her belly. She attempted pushing the butterflies away, but when she realized that the only seat available at the table was next to Logan- they returned with a vengeance.

Was she nervous about touching him? Or nervous about being around him? Events from Saturday night returned to the front of her brain and sent chills coursing down her spine. She couldn't believe they'd flirted. She couldn't believe the things he'd said that hinted at some sort of attraction to her. Her right hand clutched the long strap of her bag as she took a deep breath. The instructions from the book had proven to be useful, so she couldn't back down. Make It Nasty said touch, so touch she would.

Sliding the sturdy plastic blue chair with the metal legs away from the table she greeted her brother's friends with a warm smile- dimples and all. His friends all greeted her with sweet smiles and favorable recognition.

Taking her seat, Emery moved her bag onto her lap. "How are we?" She asked, attempting to start a conversation since all of six of Darrell friends- including Darrell and Logan, seemed to no longer have anything to say… Or they'd forgotten their previous conversations.

"We're good." Tristan Thomas answered, "Now that you're here." He added, winking at her.

Emery winked back, "I'm glad." Tristan's baby blues shimmered as he picked up a single fry and ate it.

"What're you doin' here, Em?" Darrell asked, next to Tristan.

"I come here all the time, dear." Emery replied, smiling at her brother sweetly and then rolling her eyes. "You always let me sit here. What's the problem now?"

"Nothin'." He replied, shrugging his shoulders and smiling at Emery.

Emery nodded awkwardly, and looked around at Darrell's closest friends. Yes, the table was jammed packed with a bunch of males, but only four people sitting at the table were considered to be friends of Darrell's therefore she tended to only socialize with them.

Tristan Thomas was a certified stoner. It was hard to find a point in time where Tristan wasn't high as a kite. With the prettiest set of blue eyes, raven hair, a pretty amazing personality, and one of the best basketball players at Freemont, it was easy for everyone to look past his bad habit.

Two juiceheads sat next to each other, devouring down plates of nachos like heathens. One had short blonde hair, a baby face, and the most alluring set of green eyes, Ricky Monet. The other had curly light brown hair, a rigid 'I don't give a fuck' face, and wicked brown eyes, Anderson Jenkins. Those two were obsessed with weightlifting, steroids, protein shakes, and anything that would make them beasts on the football field.

Bradley Benson, the dark haired lady charmer who used his sapphire eyes to get him anything he wanted stared off into space. No doubt trying to figure out how many more days until his graduation. He was the only senior at the table, all of the rest of the seniors who used to eat lunch at Darrell's table decided to get half-days after their sport season ended.

Emery's eyes finally found Logan who sat to her right. He looked handsome in a purple crewneck sweatshirt, his standard white Vans, and black cargo shorts. God, how Emery missed the comfort of her cargos. On his head he wore a black snapback and judging by the large purple 'W' Emery was aware that it was a Washington University snapback. He wore it backwards, the purple bill slanted downwards. The purple snaps of his hat peeked out from behind the small section of his brown hair at the front that was standing up.

He was enraptured in a game on his phone, and Emery immediately recognized it; Angry Birds. Biting her lip, she nudged him gently, causing one of the birds that he'd angled perfectly to fly askew. She heard him let out an annoyed breath and then look up from his phone. The moment his copper gaze met hers, his eyebrows furrowed, and he frowned. He looked confused, as small creases formed on his forehead. It was like he was seeing her for the first time. She could tell he hadn't even realized she'd been sitting there; he was so into his game.

Blinking a couple of times and then smiling a little, Emery said, "I just wanted to tell you that's my favorite game on my phone." She said, "In fact, I'd gotten stuck on that level."

Logan nodded and a small smile touched his lips, "Really?"

She nodded, "Yeah, so when you get past it, you gotta show me how you did it."

"Alright." He agreed, "And then looked down at the phone again, "I think I've figured it out, but, I'm not really-, I hate this fucking green bird." He muttered.

Emery smiled, "Yeah me too. It's the reason why I quit playing."

Logan looked back up at her, and smiled one last time, before returning to his game. Emery chewed the inside of her lip and turned back to her brothers friends. She'd need a little bit more time to formulate a plan of action.

"So, Lakers or OKC?" She asked the table, a wide grin taking over her face.

"Emery, you are aware that we live in L.A, right?" Anderson joked easily, laughing, and licking the nacho cheese from the corners of his mouth.

"I'm not stupid," She retorted, crinkling her nose at how foul Anderson could be. He was really light-hearted, but kind of gross.

"Lakers." Tristan voiced loudly, slamming a hand down on the table. "Lakers take all." He continued.

Emery rolled her eyes, and looked to Darrel who shrugged nonchalantly and said, "L.A all day."

"Bradley and I are siding with ya'll on this. Lakers baby." Ricky said with a wide grin.

"Lakers are so glorified. Freaking overrated." Emery said, "OKC. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Kendrick Perkins. Even Nick Collison can get in there. Thunder Up, baby." Emery turned to Logan and cocked her head to the side.

It didn't take him long to feel her eyes on him and look up, he raised an eyebrow, smiled and then coyly said, "Thunder Up."

Emery grinned and turned to the rest of them. "Ya'll will see." She said nodding her head. "Celtics or Sixers?"

"Who the fuck cares." Tristan said, rolling his eyes. "Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, done. Lakers take all. Lebron, once again, has no ring to speak of."

"Final." Darrell said cracking a grin and high-fiving Tristan.

"I'm telling you guys, OKC." Emery persuaded.

"We can't be persuaded baby, we from L.A. We believe in L.A." Tristan said laughing, and then receiving high-fives from the rest of the guys at the table. "Our man, KOBE!" He shouted loud enough for some people at surrounding tables to hear.

Emery snorted and turned to look at Logan. He looked distressed. He'd removed his hat, and held it firmly in his right hand. His left hand was tugging at his hair incessantly, and his head hung low. It was in that second; of seeing his hand in his hair that Emery knew what she had to do. Biting down on the inside of her lip, her right hand ascended slowly towards his left hand, and before she knew it, she'd made contact. Her hand held his, and the tugging of his hair immediately halted. She gingerly pulled his hand away from his head until it rested on his left thigh.

"Logan," She said softly, "You have got to stop tugging on your hair. You could go bald." She informed him, and then gulped before she said, "And then you wouldn't be handsome anymore." Logan's head snapped up and he looked at her- his eyes were wide and incredulous. She smiled, and released his hand, before reaching back up and ruffling his hair, "There, now your hair is a little messy and should last for a few minutes." Her hand fell from his hair and landed on the bag in her lap.

Logan watched her hand for a second, before he smiled and laughed- nervously, "Thanks," He said, looking back into Emery's eyes, biting his bottom lip and quirking an eyebrow.

Emery's stomach clenched, but instead of locking up, she decided to ask a question. "Are you okay?"

"I think the appropriate question is," He paused dramatically, "Are you okay?"

"Me?" She asked confused her forehead wrinkling into a frown. Logan's gaze shot down to her hand and back up at her. Emery looked down and gasped. She'd completely forgotten she was a burn victim, "Oh yeah." She said reassuringly, "I just burned myself with the curling iron." She said, and then noticed Logan's eyebrow quirk again, "Um- I didn't get to curl my hair because Comet decided to make some sketchy movements and scare the shit out of me. I dropped the iron and caught it on the wrong end." She paused and looked away from him, "It was really stupid." She added as an afterthought.

Logan laughed, "No, it was your reflexes. You've got good ones."

Emery's cheeks heated, she'd take that as a compliment. She turned her amber gaze on him and smiled, "Is that a good thing?"

"I don't know is it?"

Emery's heart thudded loudly in her chest as she looked into his eyes. Unable to break the contact. He just directly quoted her teasing parting words from Saturday night. So he'd remembered. Emery's bottom lip got sucked in between her teeth as her eyes brightened. He'd remembered. Logan's eyes didn't stray as he stood up from the table and smirked at her. Finally he looked away and told his friends that he'd see them around, before he parted from the table, but Emery sat there stunned. She could only focus on one thing.

Mumbling under her breath in excitement, Emery's was elated, "Oh my God. He's thought about it. He remembers."

oooooooo0000oooooooo

'Jimmy: My favorite color is pink. Is that weird?

Alisha: Nah, not at all.

Jimmy: So, what's your favorite color?

Alisha: I don't really have one… Is that weird?

Jimmy: Kind of, all girls have favorite colors… EVERYONE has a favorite color. Are you okay in the head?

Alisha: Yes. Yes I am. So, what do you like to do?

Jimmy: People watch and high class females.

Alisha: o_o … Oh my God, I cannot believe you just said that. Hahaaa, I'm cracking up.

Jimmy: Why?

Alisha: So, blunt and honest is all. What else?

Jimmy: Football, basketball, work out. That's it. What about you?

Alisha: Video games. :)

Jimmy: That's hot. A girl who plays video games. Mmm.

Alisha: You're weird.

Jimmy: I know. :) Is that all?

Alisha: Just about… How was your day?

Jimmy: It was good. I hope you don't mind but I beasted on one of your apps.

Alisha: Que?

Jimmy: The bird game, I like got through seven levels. Don't hate me. You can go back, I was bored. :p

Alisha: It's whatever, I was stuck anyway, and I hadn't played that game since, like, January.

Jimmy: January? It's May now girl! How can you go that long without the birds of anger?

Alisha: I had better things to do.

Jimmy: Like?

Alisha: Like study for my SAT. Which I have to retake. :( I got a 1500.

Jimmy: Not tryna brag, but, uh, I got a 1700. ;)

Alisha: Oh, you're cool….

Jimmy: You know it. ;) Do me a solid?

Emery: Like what?

Jimmy: Describe yourself or send a picture. ;D

Alisha: Bahahaha, I'm short.

Jimmy: Okay…. Send a picture.

Alisha: No. What if you're a creeper?

Jimmy: We're going to have to meet eventually if we want to switch our phones back, so we might as well see each other's face! :)

Alisha: That reminds me, how did our phones get swapped? I know that mine fell on the floor, but I could've sworn I'd bumped into a girl.

Jimmy: No idea, this chick just handed me my phone looking all guilty. So, I'm just as confused. I didn't even know my phone was missing. Biotch stole it.

Alisha: Well… hell.

Jimmy: We should talk on the phone.

Alisha: Hah, why?

Jimmy: To confirm our genders, you know. :) And because I want to hear your voice.

Alisha: Do you think that's a good idea?

Jimmy: Obviously. ;p

Alisha: Okay then, call me.'

oooooooo0000oooooooo

Emery sat Indian style in the middle on her queen sized mattress. She was chewing on the inside of her bottom lip, and stroking Comet. Jimmy's iPhone laid on the comforter, directly in front of her, face up. Both she and Comet watched the phone silently, waiting for the screen to light up. Her hand was shaking and she didn't know why exactly, but if she could pin it on anything, the tack would land on nerves. It would be her first time conversing with an absolute stranger over the phone, and it was a boy. She was usually relaxed and unfazed when it came to the male species, but that was because she had nothing to worry about.

Emery closed her eyes, "Jimmy could be a forty year old bouncer." She told herself, and that's what she was mainly worried about. She took a deep breath, "I have no reason to be nervous." Emery reassured herself, laughing a little and staring at the black screen. "If everything goes south. I'll just come clean to my parents about the phone." She paused, "I'll tell them that I shouldn't have been holding it in my hand… But I really had nowhere else to put it so technically-," Emery squealed as the phone's screen lit up, indicating a call from her number. She licked her bottom lip and waited a second. She didn't want to answer too quickly and make Jimmy aware of the fact that she'd been waiting for his call.

Removing her right hand from the fur of Comet, Emery reached out in front of her and wrapped her fingers around the iPhone. Inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly- she answered the phone. "Hello?"

Make It Nasty

©AwardedEmmy

2012

'It's time to get close to your man. Find a way to spend time with him constantly.'

Chapter 5

"Thank God you're female." Jimmy whispered on the other end of the receiver. His voice was still deep, completely masculine. She could tell by certain cues that he was definitely around her age; he had the type of voice that wasn't yet fully developed, but was still deep.

Emery bit her lip and smiled slightly, "Thank God you're male." She mimicked easily in her loudest whisper, her left fingers gingerly sweeping over the orange fur of Comet.

"So, what's up?" He continued quietly. Emery's stomach clenched, he sounded so casual, like they were best friends.

"Um, nothing much. I was just-, nothing. Nothing." Emery cursed herself, she sounded so dumb. She felt dumb, she couldn't believe that instead of making immediate plans to get her phone back, she was instead engaging in full-fledged conversations with this guy, and enjoying every one of them. "What about you?"

"Watching T.V." Was his simple answer.

"Do you always whisper when you're watching T.V?" Emery asked in a hushed manner, a smile on her face.

"No, but I'm babysitting my uncle's kids and they're knocked out." He said quietly. "That's why it took me so long to call you. I was contemplating whether or not it was appropriate- you know, if they'd stay asleep or not."

"Oh makes sense, whatcha watchin'?"

"The basketball game. OKC and the Lakers."

Emery's eyes widened, "Shoot, I forgot about that." Sandwiching the phone between her right shoulder and her head, she reached across the bed and on her nightstand picked up the remote for the flat screen T.V that hung on her wall.

"It's because you were so busy with me." He said, and it was the truth.

"Shut-up." Emery said laughing softly, "What's the score?"

"It just started and the Lakers just made a point." He paused. "Fuck."

"You for OKC?" Emery asked raising her eyebrow.

"Yes. The Lakers are overrated. Fuck Kobe." Jimmy spat.

Emery giggled- giggled. Emery didn't giggle. "I couldn't agree with you more. Who do you want from the east?"

"Uh- well, I was really hoping for the Bulls, buuuut, that didn't happen. So I think Celtics."

Emery nodded, "I see."

"What about you?"

"Miami Heat. I'd like to see Lebron get his ring."

"Pretty sure the whole country wants Lebron to have his ring." Jimmy said, laughing. His laughter was so sexy. It was deep and genuine, Emery wanted to jump through the phone and smother him in kisses. "You play video games and watch basketball. Pretty much my dream girl." He laughed again, and butterflies invaded Emery's stomach for the second time that day.

Emery rolled her eyes in annoyance, she didn't even know what this guy looked like, yet she was lusting after his voice, and he was only whispering. "Dream girl, huh?" She pondered aloud, her thoughts temporarily drifting to Logan and how much she wished that her likes were dream-girl material to him. She swished away Logan, being on the phone and thinking about him would lead to an awkward conversation. "So, do you have any tattoos?" She asked casually figuring that if she brought up small things she could fit together Jimmy's appearance.

"Nah, I want a few though." He answered.

"Oh really, where?"

"On my side, not tryna be all like, conceited or anything, but I've got a pretty amazing abdomen area," He said, and Emery bit her lip and rose her eyebrows in interest, "And I hear that the ladies love a fit guy with a tattoo on his side." He said.

Emery laughed, "Um, okay, well, what do you want the tattoo to be?"

"Something tribal. I think." He replied, "Like one of those sick snakes with like bird wings or something. I don't know yet. I was thinking about getting tatted up on my back too, but I turn eighteen in October so I have a few months to make a decision." Emery could hear the smirk in his voice.

So already she had one piece of information, he has a nice body… He could be lying, but she didn't want to imagine anything else. "Any piercings?"

"Just my ears." He replied. "Do you have any piercings?"

"My ears too, but the holes are probably closing. I don't really wear earrings a lot."

"Really? Then why are they pierced?"

Emery rolled her eyes, "My mother. Every time they close up, she drags me back to the damn shop to get them done again."

"At least it's pretty much painless." He said.

Emery nodded her head, and used the remote to enter the TV guide. Finding the game, she turned it on, and threw the remote onto her mattress. It was quiet, but it wasn't awkward. She focused her attention on the game, stuck on not knowing what else to say to him.

"Soo…" Jimmy said, into the silence of the phone. "You said you were short. How short exactly?"

"Um, I believe I'm five two." She told him. "How tall are you?"

"I'm about six foot, seven foot, eight-,"

"Jimmy." Emery said, as he started mimicking the popular Lil' Wayne song from the year before or previously- the Banana Boat song, "That song is so old. Be serious."

"Sorry," He said laughing a little, "Uh, I'm six foot four." He informed her, "I love the way you say my name."

Emery's jaw dropped, "Oh, really?"

"Yeah, I don't know, girl. When you said, 'Hello', I almost dropped the damn phone. You have a sexy voice."

"W-wow. Thanks, I- I think?"

"Oh you are very welcome." He replied smugly. "Did you just see that shot Durant made. That's my boy."

Emery laughed, "I did. He's so lanky."

"If he were to work out, he'd suck. That's fact." Jimmy said.

Emery nodded, "I believe it. So I lied earlier."

It was quiet for a second before Jimmy asked, "Um, about what?"

"My favorite color."

Jimmy burst out laughing, "Um, alright babe. What's your favorite color?"

Emery's heart fluttered at his use of the word 'babe'. "Pomegranate or maroon. I can't believe I couldn't think of that. I feel dumb, but you needed to know."

"Well, I'm glad you told me." Jimmy said, "So tell me somethin'."

"Okay..." Emery said, her voice was unsure.

"Why are we talking on the phone, if we have FaceTime?"

Emery's eye twitched, "You suggested calling me."

"That is very true." He said, "Wanna FaceTime?"

Emery shook her head, "Nope! I hate video calling. It makes me really uncomfortable."

"Are you serious?" He asked laughing.

Emery pouted, "One hundred percent."

"Well, I kind of agree. I don't know, it's just awkward staring at someone through the phone, huh?"

"Extremely. This is perfectly-,"

"Atta boy KD." Jimmy interrupted her. Emery laughed she'd just watched the same play, but didn't quite have the same reaction. It was good, but not that amazing. "Sorry, bout that. Anyways, tell me about yourself."

Emery bit her right thumbnail and stared at the basketball game on T.V. She hated talking about herself; she could never formulate exactly what to say, "Um, I'm seventeen." She said

"Oh yeah? Me too." He said,

"Yeah, I figured." Emery said with a tight laugh.

"Right, because of our tattoo conversation."Jimmy stated, "So."

"So..." Emery mimicked, in the same low voice he used.

"So, so." Jimmy said in a serious tone.

In a British tone Emery repeated, "So, so, so."

"So, so, so, so, so, so." Jimmy said quickly, and then took a deep breath, like it was too much on his lungs.

"So, so." Emery said, clucking her tongue in between each 'so'.

"So, so, so, we should probably stop that." Jimmy said laughing.

"I agree. Tell me about your cousins." She asked casually.

"Well, I have three, and they're all under five, and I babysit them, a lot."

"Does it suck?" Emery questioned, recalling that most teens despised babysitting.

"Nah, because it's not like, every night I have to babysit. It's frequent, but not like, my life. And I love 'em lots. So, nope, it doesn't suck, and besides, my uncle's house is like my third home." He told her.

Emery nodded in understanding and then quirked an eyebrow and asked, "So, what's your second home?"

"My best friends casa." He answered simply.

"Ah, I see." Emery said, biting her lip and searching her mattress for something to say. On the other end of the phone, Emery

"Aye, babe, can you hold on one second. One of them just woke up."

"Yeah sure." Emery said a smile on her face. He called her 'babe' again, something about the word made her stomach tense up with nerves.

"Thanks." He replied, and then the line went quiet.

Emery's teeth immediately sunk into her bottom lip and she groaned. She liked Jimmy. Not in the, dating sense, but in the after they returned each other's phones, she wouldn't mind being friends with him. She didn't make friends with just anyone; he or she had to be special and the fact that Jimmy answered the phone whispering, and never stopped whispering, was definitely special.

"Hey, boo!"Emery's eyes shot up to see Chelsea and Trenise come stumbling into her bedroom.

Emery pouted and pulled the phone away from her ear, "Hey guys what're you doing here?"

"We wanted to talk about the events of today and you haven't texted either of us back." Trenise said in a serious tone, crossing Emery's bedroom and throwing her handbag on Emery's desk. She turned around and stared at Emery with her hands on her hips and an eyebrow raised in question. "What's the deal?"

Emery bit her lip and stared at her friends. To tell them about the switched phones or not. "Um." Emery pursed her lips. "Well, I'm on the phone." She stated, giving her friends cross looks.

"Oh, we noticed. Noticed how you can talk on the phone, but not return the texts. What happened today at lunch?" Chelsea asked, coming to sit on the bed in front of Emery.

Emery huffed and put the phone back up to her ear, "If you'd give me a second-,"

"Um, alright sounds good." Came Jimmy's voice through the phone, he was still whispering, so he must've gotten his cousin to go back to sleep, or the other ones were still sleeping.

"Oh, Jimmy. I wasn't talking to you," Emery whispered back into the phone, returning the confused expressions of her friends with one of annoyance. "My friends just barged into my house."

"Oh," He laughed a little, "Well that sounds good, but actually my uncle is about to be home and I'm finna roll out. Can I just text you?"

Emery nodded, "Yeah, uh, of course!" Emery said, smiling and biting her lip while looking everywhere but into the eyes of her perplexed best friends. "Just don't text and drive!" She warned him.

"Alright I won't," He said laughing, "Bye-bye Alisha." Jimmy said slowly.

"Bye-bye Jimmy." Emery returned in the same low whisper before pulling the phone away from her ear and pressing the 'end' button.

She stared at the screen until it dimmed and cut out, all of the while, wondering why in the world she'd just whispered that whole conversation.

"What the hell?" Trenise asked, coming onto the bed and sitting right next to Chelsea. The two girls stared at Emery in wide-eyed wonder. "Did I really just hear that?"

"Emery, were you flirting with some guy on the phone?"Chelsea asked in disbelief.

Emery snapped out of her trance and looked up from the phone at her friends, "Um, I wasn't flirting."

"The hell you weren't." Trenise accused, "Who was this guy? What is going on? I was expecting to hear the name Logan, but no-,"

"Who the hell is Jimmy?" Chelsea screeched.

Comet jumped at Chelsea's exclamation and Emery settled the cat with a small stroke, "Just this guy who has my phone." Emery said nonchalantly.

"A guy who has-? What?" Chelsea asked, clearly confused, her dark eyebrows arched.

"At Darrell's concert, Logan was dragging me off into some corner to apologize for things he encouraged, and we bumped into some chick and my phone frickin' flew out of my hand, and so did the girls and Logan handed us back the wrong phones. Turns out the girl we bumped into wasn't carrying her phone, but she was carrying Jimmy's- the guy who now has my phone, because she returned it- to him."

"So- you're just flirting with some strange guy on the phone?" Trenise asked, attempting to see the logic.

"You make it sound so horrible." Emery said looking down at Comet. "We just started texting each other to confirm that our phones were out there, and then one thing led to another."

Chelsea nodded, "Okay, so why were you guys whispering?"

"He was babysitting his cousins and they'd fallen asleep."

"Where does this leave you with Logan?" Trenise asked seriously.

"What do you mean?" Emery inquired.

Trenise cleared her throat, "Well, I mean, you're trying to seduce him and what not, yet- now you're flirting with this one guy who you obviously like."

"Yeah, I like him on a friendly level." Emery stated rolling her eyes.

Chelsea reached over and patted Emery's shoulder, "How long will it all stay on a friendly level?" She asked, and Emery frowned then opened her mouth as if ready to say something before closing it.

"Just a thoughtful question." Chelsea said, "Now, it all makes sense, why you didn't text us back, but Jimmy should have told you we were texting you like crazy. Anyway, tell us what happened with Logan at lunch today."

Emery bit her lip and the corner of her mouth tilted upwards as she recalled touching Logan. When she'd gripped his hand in hers, the electrical waves that rolled through her entire body were undeniable. "Well, you see, Logan has this habit of tugging on his hair sometimes, right?" Emery waited for her friends to nod before continuing, "And today at lunch he just so happened to be exercising that little habit of his, so what I did, was I casually reached up, right?" She alternated looking into the excited eyes of her friends before saying, "And I took his strong hand in mine, and I gently pulled it away from his hair, and you know what I said? I said, 'you gotta stop tugging your hair, because you won't stay attractive for long if you're bald'. Not to say he wouldn't be handsome bald, but he's just so cute with hair, you know?"

"Oh my God." Trenise said, "That was so freaking bold of you. I'm proud, what did he do?"

"Oh he just stared at me for what felt like the longest time, and then said 'thanks'. I swear you guys, holding his hand for even the smallest amount of time was like heaven." Emery gushed.

"That's so cute." Chelsea squealed, "Oh geez, now what's the next step?"

Emery turned a little, and reached over onto her nightstand to get her copy of 'Make It Nasty', turning back to her friends she opened the book to where her purple construction paper bookmark lay. "Shall I read the blurb?"

"Yeah." Trenise encouraged, smiling.

"Okay." Emery cleared her throat, "It's time to get close to your man. Find a way to spend time with him constantly. For example if he plays bingo every Wednesday, your task for making it nasty is to be at bingo every Wednesday sitting in close proximity, batting your eyelashes, and subtly telling him that you want to spend time with him." Emery closed the book and huffed. "I'm stuck."

"Don't be." Chelsea said, a wicked grin slowly creeping onto her face, "I have the perfect idea."

"Well, please, by all means, share it."

"Try out for cheer." Chelsea said simply.

Emery's jaw dropped as she stared at her Chelsea like she'd grown a second head, her amber eyes fierce, "Me." She paused and laughed a little, "Trying out for cheer." She looked at Trenise, "Me?"

Trenise shrugged, "I think it's a good idea. Cheerleaders are close to football and basketball players, which Logan happens to be both of. In fact, the cheerleaders practice almost directly next to the football players all summer, and they do all kinds of events together."

"Well, the fact that he's Darrell's best friend is enough right? I mean, I'm always around."

"No," Trenise said, "You have to show you want his attention, not just get it by association."

"Emery, your mother put you through gymnastics and cheer for years, you know the ins and outs. It wouldn't be that terrible, and it's the best excuse." Chelsea persuaded.

"Yeah, it's not like he has a job or any other interests besides sports." Trenise shrugged, "I think this would be your best option."

Emery held up her left hand, "I'm out of order." She said.

"So, take that bandage off, pop the blister and be prepared to do some back handsprings." Chelsea said.

"Guys," Emery whined with a pout, "I hate cheer."

"But think about-,"

A knock sounded at Emery's door, interrupting Trenise. Emery looked around Chelsea's head to see Logan posted in her door frame she could see he changed his shirt; he was no longer wearing the purple sweatshirt, but a simple purple tank top that was loose on his muscular body- it was a good thing too, it was too hot to be wearing a sweatshirt. His hands were folded across his chest and he had his signature coy look plastered on his face. "I need to talk to Emery." He said simply.

Emery's heart fluttered at the way he said her name. He'd said it. Her name. Emery bounded off the bed, scaring Comet in the process. Once off the bed, she took a deep breath and told herself to cool down. Before looking back at her friends, "I'll be right back." She told them smiling a little then following Logan out of her bedroom and down the hallway.

"Where can we go for a little bit of privacy?" Logan asked turning to look at her a little.

"Um, well there is the bathroom right here and the guest bedroom is at the end of the hall." Emery told him biting the inside of her bottom lip to keep herself from smiling. Privacy? Logan wanted privacy with her!

Logan turned to the wooden brown door next to them and smiled before pushing it open and taking a hold of Emery's hand to pull her into the bathroom. He closed the door quietly and then smiled at Emery a little. The heat of his hand around hers radiated between their two bodies and as if he noticed a burning sensation, he released her hand and went to stand in front of the counter. He placed his hands on dark granite countertop, his shoulders hunching slightly, his muscles becoming prominent. He didn't speak just stared into the mirror. Emery leaned against the counter and crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the quiet Logan. She watched him purse his lips and then exhale loudly. Her eyes scanned over the few freckles on his tanned face, and the length of his dark eyelashes. His diamond earring gleamed in his left ear.

A half smile tugged on the corner of his lips as he turned his attention to Emery. "I totally forgot what I wanted to tell you." He said huskily, licking his bottom lip.

Emery rolled her eyes, "Yeah right."

He shook his head, "No really I did."

"Oh, well then we're just standing in a bathroom for nothing then." She said pushing herself off the counter and preparing to leave.

Logan's grasp on her wrist halted her, and she turned to look down at the grip that was slowly moving down until his fingers intertwined with hers. "."

Emery looked up into his eyes, her throat was dry, and her cheeks were burning, "What?"

"I said," Logan took a deep breath, "I think you looked very pretty today."

"Oh." Emery said a smile forming on her lips. "Thanks." She heard him correctly the first time; she just wanted to hear it again.

"You're welcome." He replied, smiling himself. He squeezed her hand and pulled her a little bit closer. "I mean, this side really suits you. It's different, I don't usually like switch-ups, but you look really good." With his free hand he seized a lock of her hair and gingerly ran his fingers through the straight length of her dark hair. "I like your hair straight too." He said.

"Well thanks."

He nodded, smiling, and staring at her hair. "So is all this permanent?"

"You mean the hair and clothes?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

His topaz gaze locked with her amber one and he nodded, "Yeah."

Emery shrugged, "Um, I'm just trying things out right now. I'm not sure."

"Oh." He said, nodding, "Well, you look nice either way. You know, swaggy and uh, this way." He complemented, squeezing the hand that he still held.

"Ya think?" Emery asked.

He nodded, "Yeah." He shrugged his shoulders.

Emery grinned up at him, making sure not to break her eye contact with him. "Thank you."

"You are very welcome." He replied, taking a step closer to Emery. His light brown eyes scanned over her face before stopping on the lips that Emery had just moistened with her tongue. Emery pursed her lips and stared at the lonely white pocket on Logan's purple tank top. The silence was comfortable, yet weird. Emery couldn't understand why exactly he wasn't saying anything, but it all of the sudden became very clear to her.

Logan's fingers left Emery's hair and his hand cupped Emery's chin gently. Her body shook with nervous chills as Logan's thumb swept over her bottom lip tentatively in a back and forth motion. Her breath hitched in her throat as her eyes rose to look at Logan. His eyes were focused on one thing and one thing only. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what was on Logan's mind. The indecisive searching of his eyes over her lips and uncertain stroking of his thumb over her bottom lip made it blatantly obvious.

Logan Isley wanted to kiss Emery Johnson, but he wouldn't, and Emery could see that by the slight twitch of his lips. She wanted it, though, and it could happen. She had to be patient. But she chose to encourage the process, dipping her tongue out slightly to meet the tip of his tongue. She heard his breath catch in his throat, and watched as his eyes met hers. They were no longer the glittering light brown, but instead looked like the color of dark chocolate.

A small smile touched his lips, and then he opened his mouth, "I um," He started, "I- I gotta go back downstairs, I'm watching the game with Darrell." He said easily, his hand falling from her face. Smiling one last time, he began to walk past her, their fingers slowly untwining until he was too far and they fully broke apart.

Emery licked her bottom lip in shock, before turning in time to see him turn around as well. Logan stopped in the hallway and watched her. Her eyebrow rose, and her lips twitched into the smallest of smiles, which he returned. Logan lifted his snapback off of his head and ran his fingers through his hair before placing the hat back on backwards. He shoved his hands into the front pockets on his black cargo shorts and shrugged innocently, the action causing the muscles in his arms to become visible.

Emery shrugged too in response and he licked his bottom lip. His eyes hooded as he looked her up and down slowly. When his gaze returned to hers all he did was bite his bottom lip, and turn to continue down the hall.

Once he was out of sight, Emery exhaled loudly and doubled over. Gripping the bathroom counter to support herself, she realized life was becoming too complicated. She was supposed to be focused on Logan, but now Jimmy had jumped into the picture, and the familiar vibration in her pocket brought about that reality.

Emery pulled the iPhone out of the back pocket of her jeans, and read Jimmy's text.

'Hey Alishaaaaaaaaaa.'

He'd texted and Emery smiled slightly, her cheeks still burning from her encounter with Logan.

'Hey Jimmmmmmmyyy.'

She replied and then turned to look at herself in the mirror, she blew out a breath from between her lips, and looked towards her ceiling, "Dear Lord," She mumbled, then paused she didn't know whether or not to say 'thank you' or plead for guidance in the right direction so she decided to just shrug her shoulders and smile.

---

 

 

Make It Nasty

©AwardedEmmy

2012

 

‘You know what they say, men like boobs. A little cleavage never hurt anyone, unless you go overboard. Do not under any circumstances smoosh, smash, and completely overexpose yourself. Just a little hint should be fine… Give it a try.’

 

Chapter 6

 

“Guess who’s being risky? Emery is being risky.” Emery sang offbeat to her cat that sat perched on her desk watching her shove books and binders into her shoulder bag. “Guess who’s not wearing a bra today? Emery’s not wearing a bra today!” She continued. “Wanna know why? Because the damn strap broke off the pretty black push up, that’s why.” She growled, now frustrated.

If Emery had woken up even two minutes earlier, she might’ve been able to change her outfit. But because she’d woken up late, and was rushing, changing outfits was out of the question. Besides an array of colorful sports bras, Emery only owned one other bra, a simple black push-up bra from Target and after much wear and tear, the poor strap snapped when Emery was putting it on after her shower. So she decided to throw caution to the wind and go to school braless, which could work in favor of ‘Make It Nasty’, but it was so far out of her comfort zone. “But, it will be okay because mama’s got enough guts and- what’s that- oh, confidence to pull this off. I’ll just need to go to Target after school.”

“Well you’re gonna need to find another ride; I’m going straight to the studio after school. What happened?”

“My bra strap broke, all of my sports bras are dirty, and even if they weren't they're all bright, and would show through this shirt and I came to this discovery too late. So, basically brother, I’m braless.” Emery said, slinging her bag onto her shoulder and turning around to look at her twin brother.

He looked down and then back up, “That sucks.” He said, “But you look nice. I can’t even tell.” Emery was sure that Darrell was lying- he was a certified people pleaser, telling everyone what he thought they wanted to hear.

“Really? Good.” Emery said, looking down at the two-sizes too large, emerald green tank top that she’d loosely tucked into a pair of white cut-off shorts, and fastened with a slim black belt. The tank top made it totally noticeable that she wasn’t wearing a bra, but for the sake of making it nasty, she was going to brave through the day.

A silver peace sign necklace, which barely past her breast area, hung around her neck and a group of black and silver bracelets adorned her wrists. She switched out her red high-tops for a pair of black ones, and her hair was neatly done in a bun at the crown of her head. “Look, I’m actually wearing earrings.” She pointed out to Darrell, using her now ‘in-service’ left hand to tug at the silver medallion-like earrings that hung from her ears.

“I noticed, they bring out your face a little bit more.” Darrell commented smiling at his sister.

Emery returned his smile with one that expressed her gratitude and then turned back to the desk to pick up Jimmy’s phone. As she started walking towards Darrell to follow him in the direction of the stairs, he said, “You have got to stop talking to yourself.”

Emery gasped, “I wasn’t talking to myself. I was talking to Comet.” She told him defensively.

“You mean the cat that can't respond?” Darrell asked laughing a little, “Alright.”

“You’re jealous that I can hold conversations without a verbally responsive audience.” Emery joked walking alongside her brother in the hallway.

“Nah.”

“Ahh.” Emery replied, ‘dropping the ‘n’.

“So Logan tells me you’re trying out for cheer.” Darrell said, as they made their way down the dark wooden stairs. “I thought you said, you’d never do that again.”

“Is there anything that he doesn’t tell you?” Emery asked, biting her lip wondering how long he’d eavesdropped. Darrell shrugged, and Emery rolled her eyes. “I only told Chels and Tren that I would try out so they’d drop the subject. I’m going to do sports medicine instead.”

“Sports medicine?” Darrell asked, opening the garage door and waiting for Emery to walk in front of him before he continued, “Why?”

Emery gulped and thought of a lie. “Um, I uh, want to- try new things. You know? Maybe doing that after school will broaden my horizons, and someday I’ll be a physical therapist.” Emery said, and then smiled at how amazing the excuse was.

“That sounds like a good promising career.” Darrell said, “Or you know, a good way to touch professional athletes.” He suggested, opening the door to his Mustang.

“Darrell, shut up. Sports medicine is just introductory; I could decide to work with people who weren’t even involved with sports at the time of their accident. Stupid.”

“I’m just trying to get a feel.”

“A feel on what?”

“On what’s going on with my sister.” Darrell said, cheesing. “Like why do you have to do sports medicine? Why were you cornered into cheer? Something specific?”

Emery rolled her eyes, “I already told ya man. Nothing is going on.” She paused. “But if something begins to ‘go on’. I’ll let a brotha know.”

"Promise?"

"Pinky." She said, extending her left pinky finger to grasp onto Darrell's. She smiled genuinely at her brother before getting into his Mustang as he walked around to the driver’s side to get in himself.

The car ride to school was quiet, but Emery didn’t mind. She spent most of the ten minute drive waiting on a text from Jimmy. She knew she could’ve texted him first, but she didn’t know what to say. The whole situation with him freaked her out to no end; she never had problems starting conversations. She decided the difficulty with her inability to text first was simply because he was a stranger… A stranger who seemed to really like talking to her- therefore he could send the first text.

She didn’t get a text, which she thought was weird. The amount of time that they’d spent talking made her believe that he’d jump at the opportunity to text her first thing in the morning, but she’d have to settle with the fact that she made to many assumptions, and he probably just wanted to confirm genders and wait until summer- when they could return each other’s phones. And besides, she didn't mind only texting him sparingly, it meant she could focus more of her time on Logan.

Emery didn’t know why she chose summer for the time they could swap phones. It wasn’t like she had any sports or clubs that she did after school; nothing kept her busy- so why couldn’t she have just set up a close date to swap the phones back. She rolled her eyes, if Jimmy had a problem with her saying summer, then he could’ve said something. Besides, summer was a decent time to handle that business because there were no obligations, such as school of course, but also, being grounded or something which could happen at any inopportune moment.

Upon arrival at Freemont High School, Emery thanked her brother for the ride and walked casually onto campus. She didn’t want to rush her walking pace and make her breast predicament obvious, but she didn’t want to walk so slow that she seemed to be cautious. So she paced herself.

The pacing didn’t at all make her feel less naked though. She hoped her imagination was playing tricks with her and that she wasn’t garnering the attention of several males on campus, but it was reality. She gritted her teeth. She didn’t want their attention. She wanted his attention. She’d much rather be in the comfort of a push-up bra, bending over a table- for just Logan. She was fuming and a tell-tale way of knowing that was the tips of her ears were burning, and so were her cheeks because she was slightly embarrassed, but she had to stay positive.

Masking her face with her ‘too cool to care’ façade, Emery bit the inside of her lip as she walked through the gates of Freemont and into the lush courtyard. All she needed- no, wanted to do was find her friends that symbolized a safety zone. She spotted them, sitting down at one of the benches, gazing at themselves in compact mirrors and correcting any errors on their faces. She rolled her eyes.

“Guys.” She said, sitting down on the bench next to him, but not before checking to make sure she wasn’t about to sit on anything that'd ruin her white shorts.

“Hey.” They replied, at the same time, not bothering to look away from the mirrors to giggle at their responses like they usually did.

“I need a ride to Target after school.” She said seriously, almost urgently. There was no way she was going to put up with the ‘bra-less’ style one more day.

“For what?” Chelsea asked, sort of loudly, “Girl, you know I don’t mess around in Target.”

Emery rolled her eyes; she’d forgotten that Chelsea was one of those rich girls who didn’t shop at ‘middle class’ stores. Whatever the hell that meant. “Right, I forgot.” She said, gritting her teeth and looking at Trenise. “Tren, can you please take me?”

“No can do bunny boo.” Trenise said, shrugging, and capping up her compact, “I’ve got an interview after school. I’m trying to be an intern at that fashion magazine, remember?”

Emery nodded, “Yeah, I do. I forgot it was today. Good luck.” She said with a tight smile, and then face palmed herself.

“And, what’s wrong with Darrell taking you to Target?” Trenise asked, looking at Emery, “Oh, girl you look cute today.”

“Thanks,” Emery said, smiling a little, removing her hand from her face, and then returning to the original conversation, “He’s going to the studio straight after school. So I’m out of luck,” Emery paused, “I don’t even have a ride home.” She groaned.

“Um- why don’t you ask Logan to run you around?” Trenise asked, looking at Emery like she was crazy.

Emery’s jaw dropped, “I need to go to Target for a new bra, the strap totally snapped on my only bra this morning,” She paused, “And being without a bra is the most uncomfortable feeling ever.”

Chelsea’s compact snapped closed loudly, “Oh my God. You’re not wearing a bra? You go girl!”

Emery shuddered, “I don’t like this feeling. Anyways, I hadn’t thought to ask Logan for anything, and I definitely can’t ask him to take me to get a bra.”

“You can and you will.” Tren said. “Because, you’ll need a ride home- might as well kill two birds with one stone, spending some quality time with your man, and getting a new bra. If you don’t ask him, you’ll regret it when you’re walking home without a bra.”

Emery’s jaw dropped, they were right. Chelsea cleared her throat, “May I ask where your rich parents heads were when they bought Darrell a car and not you?”

“I didn’t really want one, the only places I go are school and home, anywhere else and I get a ride with you guys. I didn’t really need a car.” Emery said, “My mistake.”

Trenise laughed, “So, ask Logan. He’ll gladly give you a ride.”

“Oh my God, it’ll be perfect. You and Logan together, shopping for lingerie. It’s so perfect for your plan.” Chelsea said grinning.

Emery pouted as the bell rang, and the three of them stood up, “Okay.” She said. “But, isn’t that a little weird?” She asked, gripping the strap of her shoulder bag a little nervously.

Trenise shook her head and laughed, “Emery Alisha Johnson, you have so much to learn.” She said as she began walking towards her first period.

Emery turned to Chelsea who smirked, “First of all, if you want a bra that will actually last, you won’t go to Target, but Victoria’s Secret. Yeah? Alright, now, you have second and third hour with him. Ask him to take you to the mall during second hour, and then also ask him to walk with you to third hour. Then report back to me and tell me how many times he trips over his own feet because he’s too busy looking down your shirt, yeah? But, Victoria’s Secret, Emery, not Target.”

Emery’s eyes widened as she nodded uncertainly, “Yeah. Victoria’s Secret it is.” She said and then smiled briefly at her friend before making her way towards her first hour.

First hour really put the short attention span theory in teenagers to the test. Emery couldn’t pay attention to save her life. While her English teacher, Mrs. McForester was droning on about ‘Grapes of Wrath’, Emery’s thoughts were on everything else. She came to the conclusion that she would only ask Logan for a ride, and once they arrived at the mall she would walk away from him. She figured it would be extremely tacky to ask Logan to accompany her in the buying of a bra, so she’d make sure to make it an in-and-out trip.

When the bell ran signaling the end of first hour, Emery closed her copy of ‘Grapes of Wrath’ and slid it into her bag. She made her way out of the English classroom, and to the science building, the whole time formulating the appropriate way to ask Logan to give her a ride.

When she got to Mr. Daze’s anatomy lab she found that she was one of the first students to arrive. She surveyed the classroom until her eyes found Logan, at a lab table in the back of the classroom. She took a deep breath, and began walking towards him.

“Logan!” She called, biting her lip as she swerved through lab tables.

He looked up from his phone and nodded in acknowledgment. Emery noticed the shift in his eyes as he looked her up and down, and she bit her lip harder- most likely drawing blood. She quickened her pace, eager to get to the lab table so that he didn’t have to watch her walk anymore. When she finally reached the table she immediately went in front of him. Not bothering to pull out a chair, because he wasn’t sitting either, Emery leaned across the table, shielding her chest area, but at the same time, causing her shirt to dip and expose a hint of cleavage. There was never any justice, was there?

She smiled genuinely at him, and waited for him to look away from her clasped hands on the solid black lab table, and meet her gaze. When he finally looked into her eyes, he smiled, and leaned across the table himself, to the point where his clasped hands almost touched hers. “Yeah?” He asked, cocking an eyebrow and licking his bottom lip.

Emery sucked her teeth, almost forgetting what she needed to say because her eyes were trained on his full pink lips. “Um. Logan. Yes. Right,” She looked up and huffed, “I was wondering if you would mind taking me to the mall after school.” She asked, raising her eyebrows in anticipation of his answer.

“Depends.” He said, licking his lips and looking down at their hands, “How long do you plan on staying there? And for what?”

“It will only take about ten minutes, and it’s none of your business.” Emery said, and then watched as he looked at her crossly. His topaz eyes burning into her own eyes. She sighed, “It’s an in and then out kind of trip.”

Logan exhaled loudly and then nodded, “I suppose that I can consent to that.” He said smirking.

“Oh my God, thank you so much.” Emery gushed, grinning idiotically.      

Logan laughed, “Yeah no problem.”

“Oh, and I was wondering if you wanted to walk to third period with me…?” Emery trailed off, as her grin transformed into a sweet smile.

Logan bit his lip and looked down at their hands, “Woman, there’s like two weeks left of school. We’ve never walked to third period together, and all of the sudden you want to start?” He chuckled lightly, and Emery’s cheeks heated as she watched the corners of his eyes crinkle. She’d never understand how the littlest things that he did could make her blush insanely. He looked up, and shot her a coy look, while he licked his bottom lip, “I guess. I wouldn’t mind.” He said shrugging, and smiling.

Emery inwardly cheered. “Alright, cuz, I just didn’t want to walk alone today. I’m feeling,” She paused and searched for the right word, “Social.” She said, and then smiled genuinely.

“Is that right?” Logan asked, nodding and staring at Emery’s face.

She nodded, “Yep.”

“If you’re not in your seat you’re getting marked absent. Ahem, Emery.” Mr. Daze stated loudly from the front of the classroom.

Emery’s eyes bulged as she smiled one last time at Logan before crossing the classroom to sit down at her assigned lab table. She pulled her binder out of her bag, and opened it up to the science section. It was only a few seconds later that she felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise, and her cheeks heatslightly. Her attention was being called away from her notebooks and towards the back of the classroom. Turning her head slowly, her gaze immediately clashed with Logan’s. She blushed and bit her bottom lip, offering him a shy smile which he returned with a wink. Emery heart skipped a beat or two as she turned back around in her seat and rested her chin in the palm of her hand and sighed dreamily.

 oooooooo0000oooooooo

Emery repeatedly gripped and released the strap of her book bag as she languidly walked next to Logan on their way to math.  Occasionally she would steal glances at Logan out of the corner of her eye and see him casually walking alongside her with one hand stuffed into the pockets of his beige cargo shorts and the other holding the strap of his backpack.

Emery cleared her throat; they just exited the science building and had yet to say anything. The only interaction they had shared was a quick smile. “So, are you ready for summer?” She asked with genuine interest, although she already knew the answer. It was the same as every other student in the country.

He nodded, “Kind of.” Was his response, “I’m going to miss a lot of people, but I’m ready for senior year? You?”

“Um, same.” Emery replied. “Summer is going to be boring as hell.” She added.

“What? How? We’ve got Darrell’s concerts and shit, because you know he’s going to be doing some traveling. I’m fuckin’ excited, dude.”

Emery laughed lightly, her cheeks burning at his use of the word ‘we’. “I guess you’re right, that’s something to look forward to.” She paused, “I don’t think Comet will like all of the travel though.”

“Comet? Your cat?” He asked skeptically.

Emery rolled her eyes, “Yes, Comet, my cat.”

“You’re bringing him?”

“No, I’m just going to leave the poor thing home alone all summer, cuz you know, my parents will be home and care enough to feed it.” She said sarcastically, glaring at Logan from the side, before smiling, “Of course I’m going to bring my baby.” She said laughing a little.

Logan chuckled, “What if someone on the bus was allergic? Would you still bring him?”

“Oh well, I still would.”

“Really?” He asked.

Emery bit her lip and shook her head, “No, I guess not. I’d just leave him at Tren’s house.”

Logan nodded, “Well, let’s hope no one is allergic, I’d hate for you to have to leave your ‘baby’.” He teased with air quotes.

Emery giggled and then stopped- stopped giggling and walking. That needed to end. She didn’t like giggles. Logan stopped and looked back at Emery. She smiled slightly, and continued to walk, noticing the way his eyes darted to her chest. Logan’s eyes vaguely widened and his lips parted slightly. Emery’s teeth sunk into her bottom lip, as she watched Logan study her bosom. The minute bell rang and Emery’s eyes grew wide, “Logan, we gotta get to class,” She said, walking ahead of him quickly. She heard his footsteps behind her, but she didn’t slow down her pace, she didn’t know what she’d do if he looked at her chest again.

“Calm ya tits, girl. I’m late to this class every day. Ms. Frazier really doesn’t give a fuck.”

Emery drew in a sharp breath at his comment, but decided not to think about it. Obviously his head was in another place. “I know you’re always late, but I’m not. You can be late by yourself.” She replied.

Logan laughed, and reached forward to grab Emery’s arm and pull her back to his side. He grinned, “Let’s be late.” He said. “You gotta break some rules sometime.”

Emery rolled her eyes, and relaxed in his hold, “I do break rules sometimes.” She stated smiling at the concrete beneath her converse.

“Yeah right. Tell me one rule that you’ve broken.”  He taunted.

Emery licked her lips and thought for a second. “My mom’s number one rule for me is not to swear, but I curse erry’ damn day.” She said.

Logan laughed, “Oh my God. I meant a real rule.” He said.

“That is a real rule. If my mom heard me curse, my ass would be toast. I’m afraid to think what would happen to me if she ever heard me swear.”

“Are you for real?” Logan asked skeptically.

“You know how my mom is with me.” Emery said, biting her lip.

The bell rang, and Logan smirked before replying to Emery. “Yeah, I’ve seen how she pressures you into all that crazy shit that you don’t seem to like.” Logan admitted.

“She’s one of those parents who lives vicariously through her children, except she couldn’t give two fucks about what Darrell does. It’s all about me. I hate her.” Emery said miserably.

Logan stopped walking and tugged on Emery’s arm, which he hadn’t let go of. He stroked her skin with his thumb, as he stepped in front of her and looked genuinely into her eyes. “Babe.” He started, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as his eyes bore into hers, “Don’t say that. Because you’re actually lucky. You have a mother who might be kinda over the top with her wants for you, but it shows that she loves you, and she wants what she thinks is best for you. There are other people in this world who don’t have mothers, or have moms who don’t even care.” He stated, smiling sadly. “I mean, my mom is never even home, she barely ever calls- right? And I still love that woman. Because she had me, and I’m fuckin’ amazing.” Logan said laughing a little to lighten the tone of the conversation.

Emery nodded, “I didn’t mean it.” She said biting her bottom lip, “I just-,” She cut herself off, cursing Logan for making her feel so guilty.

“I know, everyone says shit that they don’t mean.” He licked his lips, “But I’m serious, your mom is crazy as hell, but she loves ya.”

Emery exhaled and nodded, “Wow, Logan way to make me late to class and make me feel like shit.”

“I wasn’t intentionally trying to make you feel bad.” He said, “Sorry.” He apologized, using his free hand to rub the back of his neck.

Emery smiled, “I know, I was kidding. Can we get to class now, though?” She asked raising an eyebrow.

“Uh, yeah, sure.” He replied stepping out of Emery’s path to allow Emery a chance to walk forward. His hold on her arm didn’t fall, as he walked along side of her, and of course, Emery didn’t mind. The fact that he called her ‘babe’ didn’t slip her mind either, but because she knew the conversation was of a serious nature, she ignored the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach, but thinking about the crisp way he said ‘babe’ caused the butterflies to return at full force.

Emery clutched the strap of her bag nervously, and decided to walk towards him a little. When she bumped into him, she smirked at the ground and said, “Sorry, I’ve never been able to walk in a straight line.” She attempted to distance herself from him, but he pulled her into him, and released his grip on her arm to throw his own arm around her shoulder.

“It’s quite alright.” He said, slipping into his British accent. His shoulders shook with laughter.

Emery smiled, and subtly pressed herself even closer to him, and a satisfied smile touched her lips as Logan squeezed her shoulder. They entered the math building and soon found themselves in front of Ms. Frazier’s classroom. Emery sighed and looked up at Logan, “If I get in trouble, your ass is mine.” She stated.

Logan cupped Emery’s chin with his free hand and turned her face to look up at him, “Is it weird that I want you to get in trouble?” He asked. A smirk graced his face as his topaz eyes held Emery’s gaze.

Emery’s face heated up instantly as she watched him bite his lip and raise an eyebrow. She searched his eyes looking to see if he was actually flirting with her. Confirming her inner question Emery smirked herself, “I don’t know. Is it?” She asked in the same haughty tone that she’d used backstage at Darrell’s concert. She smirked, and then shrugged out of his hold, before opening the door to her math class and entering.

She was pleased to find that the class was actively chattering about topics that weren’t related to math. Her eyes found Ms. Frazier, who looked at Emery sternly before finding something to make her gaze harden behind Emery. Ms. Frazier placed her hands on her thick hips and huffed, over the chatter of the class she asked, “Logan, are you being a bad influence on Emery?”

Emery’s nose crinkled as she turned her head to look up at Logan, who stood next to her. Logan’s hand landed on the center of his chest and he cocked his head to the side, “Of course not. I just stayed behind with her last hour because her foot fell asleep, and she was being a big baby. She didn’t want to walk and being a gentleman, I thought I’d save her the embarrassment of having to come into class all alone.”

Emery’s eyebrows rose as she stared at Logan. “You’re stupid.” She muttered, smiling innocently at Ms. Frazier and then heading towards the back of the classroom where her seat was. Logan followed behind Emery and sat in the empty seat next to her.

Grinning he said, “Nah baby girl, I had to be pretty damn smart to trick her.”

“Logan, past math, the lady is daft.” Emery told him, absentmindedly searching though her bag so he couldn’t see how elated she was with his new choice of nicknames for her.

“Really now?”

She nodded, “Yep. Now go to your seat.” She said pulling her binder out of her bag and ignoring the fact that Logan only pulled his black Jansport off of the one shoulder he always carried it on and placed it on top of the desk.

“I like it back here.” He said, and then smiled. He reached out and poked Emery a few times, “Wanna take a nap with me?”

Emery turned and glared at him, “Boy, you already made me late.” She accused, and then when she noticed the innocent pout on his face, she added sweetly, “Maybe another day.”

Logan grinned and nodded, “I’ll hold you to that.” He said, and then slammed his face down on the backpack that was nearly empty. Emery winced at the sound that his head made colliding with the desk, and then rolled her eyes at his thoughtlessness. Logan groaned miserably, and brought his arms up to cradle the backpack and his head. Very faintly, she heard him whine, “Oww.”

Emery laughed a little and pulled out a pen, clicking it a few times, she got into a comfortable writing position, and then proceeded to copy down the daily warm-up.

oooooooo0000oooooooo

 

It was pizza day at Freemont High, and it was probably the best lunch that could ever be served. Too bad Emery’s landed on the floor, when Justin Todesey, not so subtly, bumped into her. Emery took a calming deep breath as she stared at the grease oozing out of her pizza on the floor. She could faintly hear Justin apologizing profusely in front of her, but she didn’t care for his apologies. He’d walked straight into her, from the front. His eyes were trained on her hard, and he didn’t even stop.

“Could you be anymore dumb?” Emery asked, her nostrils flaring. She wouldn’t have been so upset if the line for pizza wasn’t long, and she spent forty-five minutes out of an hour standing in line waiting, but since that was the case, she heard her stomach growl and her eye twitched. “Do you have any idea, how long I had to wait for this pizza?” She asked, her eyes not straying from the pizza.

“I know, I know, the line is long as hell, but, you know. It’s just pizza. How about you let me buy you another one.” Justin offered. He didn’t even sound sincere.

Emery looked up into the dazzling blue eyes of the one and only Justin Todesey and she shook her head. “No thanks, dude. By the time we’d get to the front of the line, the bell would ring, and lunch would be over. But thanks for offering.” She said glumly, attempting to walk past him.

Justin caught her arm in a similar fashion that Logan had exhibited earlier, yet it didn’t feel good. Emery’s eyes widened as Justin moved her around until she was standing directly in front of him. He sighed and smiled, “Look. I feel absolutely terrible about making you drop you pizza.” He said, running his fingers through his blonde locks. “And I get what you’re saying about the line taking too long, so let me take you out on Friday.” He offered.

Emery began to understand, “No thanks.” She said, “Now please let go of my arm so I can go to the spirit store and get some chips or something.” She asked politely, but Justin didn’t release her.

“I’ll buy you a bag of chips.” He pleaded.

Emery frowned, “Dude, no.”

“Why not?” He asked curiously.

Emery sighed and decided to nip this off in the bud. “Look, I see what’s going on, and I really appreciate you trying, but I can’t go on a date with you, because I like somebody else.” She stated.

Justin released Emery’s arm and nodded, “Logan, huh?”

Emery scowled at the five foot nine baseball player that stood in front of her. “What? No? Why would you think him?” She asked, but then rolled her eyes feigning disgust and then attempted to step around him.

Justin stepped in front of her and touched the back of his neck. “Wait. Let’s, uh, let’s be friends.” Justin offered coolly, his voice almost sounded like he was begging.

Emery’s eyes widened and she nodded with uncertainty, “Um. Okay.” She said to him, attempting to decode him. Wondering why he would want to befriend her after she totally rejected him.

His blue-green eyes lit up slightly and he nodded, “Alright.”

Emery smiled a little and then stepped over the pizza and then around Justin before speed walking back to her table. When she sat down she sighed heavily. Her friends looked at her with curious gazes and she just shook her head and rolled her eyes, before looking towards her brothers table. Her eyes spotted Darrell first and he was looking curiously at Emery. Emery shrugged her shoulders and waved him off, before meeting the gaze of Logan.

Even though some chick sat in the chair next to him, talking her head off in hopes that he was listening, his gaze was trained on Emery. The look he gave her when their gazes locked was one of confusion, but it didn’t take him long to turn the curious look into one of complete flirtation and wink at her. She clapped her hands over her cheeks, and smiled briefly at him before turning her attention back to her friends.

 oooooooo0000oooooooo

 

Logan’s shiny black Jeep Wrangler breezed down the freeway. The warm wind from the rolled down window assaulted Emery’s dark wayfarer glasses covered face. Through the radio came the voice of Wale rapping about stereotyped girls from 90210, the catchy hip hop tune had Emery tapping her thigh lightly. Out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of Logan, nodding his head in time with the beat. One strong hand gripped the steering wheel and the other hand rested on the arm rest in between their seats.

He had gone without a hat or beanie on his head, and Emery could faintly see his messy hair blowing around restlessly.  Emery's amber eyes trailed from the diamond stud in his ear to the pair of black wayfarers that matched with his faded loose black tank-top, down to the beige cargo shorts, the black crew socks with white letters spelling out 'Vans' toward the top, and she even made out the black shoes he wore from the same company that manufactured his socks.

Emery faced forward and a small smile touched her lips. Her crush on Logan would probably seem incredibly stupid to an outsider, but she couldn't help the way she felt... The crush would probably never go away. He wasn't ever the nicest to her, barely calling her by her name and pretending to not care about her feelings around her brother, but past what some would call 'mistreatment', he was still a sweetheart to her. From the first time Emery met Logan at her eleventh birthday party, Emery was certain that he would always be good to her. It was the small things he did, the little conversations. The times they had when Darrell wasn't around... Emery's eyes widened at the obvious realization. It was all Darrell's fault. He probably made Logan nervous. She had heard of instances before, where the love interest was afraid of the prominent male figure in the woman's life. She shook her head at the new problem that was beginning to dominate her thoughts, and then Logan interrupted her mind.

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" He asked casually.

Emery turned her face in his direction and shrugged, "Nothing really."

"Ah, alright." He said.

Emery nodded, "What are you thinking about?" She returned.

Her eyes lit up when she saw the smirk on Logan's face form, "You." He said bluntly causing Emery's face to burn.

"What about me?" She asked, biting her lip and watching him shake his head.

"Two things." He said, "One, what do you need from the mall so desperately. After school you were like going crazy trying to get me into the car." He said, and then laughed, "Two, why were you talking to Justin Todesey at lunch?"

Emery faced forward, "To answer your first question, you my friend, were already told my reasons were pretty much top secret... I swear its in and out. And for the second question, you obviously didn't see that creep walk into me, and force my pizza to the ground."

"What?! I only saw him grab onto you. Want me to beat him up? I was going to when he touched you, but I was like, naw Logan, sit tight, Emery can handle herself."

Emery laughed at the way he said his thoughts, "No, that won't be necessary, but thanks. Are your thoughts always in a British accent?"

"Ha, okay, you're welcome, and naw, I just wanted to make you laugh." He said, turning his head to grin hard at her, before returning his focus back onto the road. "Well, what did he say?"

"He wanted to buy me another piece of pizza or take me out sometime, but don't worry. I declined."

"Yeah, don't fuck with him. He's a player." Logan accused, shouting the word player.

"But aren't you a player too?" Emery asked innocently.

Logan laughed and shook his head, "What?! No. A dude can only be a player if the girl is willing to be played."

"So basically, you take no responsibility for all of the hearts that have been broken at Freemont by you?"

Logan nodded, "Yeah, basically. Especially when, I'm not even trying to play the game." He said honestly.

Emery frowned, "Wait, what?"

"Do you think that I myself am capable of going after a new girl every other week? Nah, that shit is tiring. The girls that I've slept with or whatever are the ones that came after me."

"Oh." Emery said, her cheeks flushing. She knew Logan wasn't saintly, but conversing about the fact was not an easy task for her. Emery bowed her head; she was nothing better than those girls who chased after him. On her journey to getting him, she was losing sight of her morals, stooping to the level of just another girl who wanted Logan's attention. But was she different? Because she wanted him, to want her, and pursue her on a different level? Because she wanted him to notice her? No, she really wasn't that different.

"Man, I shouldn't be talking to you about this." Logan said, exiting the freeway on the exit to the mall. "It's kind of embarrassing, but people always seem to think that the guy is the predator when in all actuality sometimes the dude is legitimately the prey."

Emery nodded slowly, "Yo, that makes a whole lot of sense. So basically you're being hunted?"

"Technically I am. These chicks around here see me, and they see like money and a set future, but really I'm planning on going to community college, getting a quick degree and settling down somewhere." 

"Really?" Emery asked, genuinely awed by Logan.

He nodded, "Yep."

"What about football or basketball. You look like you could have a promising future if you'd stick to one of those."

"I could." He answered, pulling into a parking spot and stopping the car. "But not everything is guaranteed. Am I really that good to the point where I could see myself going pro? There are guys out there who are probably fifty times better than me."

Emery's jaw dropped as something big dawned on her; she reached across the car and rested her hand on Logan’s shoulder, "You are doubting yourself, Logan. Please don't be insecure. It's just not who you are. I've been watching you play football since we were eleven and you and Darrell were on the flag team. And I remember when we were thirteen and you started playing basketball and you didn't make any shots because you were so short. You've come along way. You're so good at both sports, that I've actually prayed that you'd get your dream and play professionally- either one. Don't lose hope. You can't make it if you give up." Emery said, while staring at the sunglasses that shielded his beautiful eyes.

Logan didn’t respond immediately. Instead he licked his lower lip and moved his free hand over Emery’s, and pulled it off of his shoulder.  "Wow." He finally said, lightly stroking the back of Emery’s hand. "You definitely just cheered me up big time. I can’t believe we both got all inspirational on each other and shit today. You just totally made my day. Thanks,” He said, and then sighed heavily, “So much." He finished.

Emery smiled, "You're welcome."

The car was silent for a few minutes until Logan shut off the engine and turned back to Emery, "Now come on beautiful, let's go get you whatever is so top secret." 

Emery's heart fluttered as she nodded anxiously and got out of the car and then without a single thought about it, she took off in a sprint, weaving through cars, attempting to get away from Logan to save herself from the embarrassment of bra shopping with him.

She made it into the mall, every long stride, making his voice calling her name in confusion even vaguer. She found Victoria’s Secret and scampered into the shop quickly- hiding behind a mannequin until she felt the coast was clear enough for her to shop without him walking by the store and seeing her.

But the moment she started to survey the shop for the most simple of bras- was the moment that she realized the trip wasn’t going to take ten minutes, but probably more. Huffing in exasperation she studied the store curiously. Her interest in bras was always zilch. She never cared about whether the bra was demi-cup or underwire. The only bra she liked was push-up, but not because it enhanced her breasts or anhthing, she loved push-up simply because it protected her, lifted her, and was always comfortable- either those or sports bras.

Emery’s shoulders slouched; she never cared if her bra was pretty or not. A brassier in Emery’s mind was never an accessory, but always a necessity. Never a fashion-statement, always an undergarment. Emery bit her lip as she passed by a lacy black and white bra. She pursued her lips, wishing that she had tried to get Chelsea to take her; this job wasn’t done alone easily- at least not for Emery. She was so- unaware… Naïve, when it came to things such as her current predicament, partly because she sprinted away from her mother’s attempts at shopping for anything. She now regrets putting off her mother’s requests for shopping for bras. Instead, Emery just bought a bra that fit and threw it out when it was time.

Licking her bottom lip, her eyes roamed over ever single bra display. Every cup, every strap, every clasp caught her eye as she slowly milled about the shop.

The clearing of a throat behind her caught her off guard and Emery turned around, and her eyebrows rose. A plump blonde with bright pink lips smiled blindingly at Emery.

Emery’s eyebrows rose as she waited for the associate to speak, when the woman didn’t say anything, Emery turned back to the display in front of her and eyed the plain red bra that lay on a counter.

“You look like you could use a little bit a’ help.” The associate finally said, stepping closer to Emery, and standing next to her, in front of a display of push-ups.

Emery didn’t bother looking at the shop keeper as her eyes scanned the counter for a simple black push up. When she found it, she reached for it, but the associate said, “Sweetie, bras are a reflection of who you are.” Emery’s eyes widened as she finally looked at the sapphire-eyed associate. “If you wear a black push up… You’re flat out plain.” Emery’s jaw dropped. Who was this woman offering advice that she didn’t want?

“Um-,” Emery started, but was cut off by the associates continuance of her speech.

“You wear a strikingly red push-up, you’re powerful… But, a lacy red demi cup, and you’re sexy and fierce.” She said, raising her eyebrow and smirking.

Emery’s right eye twitched, “Like this one?” And her gut contracted. Turning her head, her eyes met Logan, who stood in front of a counter holding up a lacy red bra, in both hands. One of his eyebrows was quirked as he studied the undergarment. Emery couldn't take her eyes off his hands and how rough and masculine they looked holding the delicate piece of clothing.

“Exactly like that.” The associate said, flicking her dark brown hair over her shoulder. Walking over to Logan she reached for the bra, and took it from his grasp. “The minute you put this on. Whew, baby, you’ll feel… You’ll feel…”

“Like a brand new person?” Logan offered, crossing his arms over his chest. Emery noticed around his wrist was a bag from Game Stop. A guilty feeling washed over Emery as she realized that he had time to actually buy a game- which meant that she took longer than she expected. She grimaced as he leaned against the solid display counter.

“Exactly. It’s hard to explain, but all I’m saying is that a bra is an extension of yourself… And honey, a black push-up bra….” She trailed off and Emery’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Um, but, I-,” She paused and took a deep breath. “I’m not trying to be someone else; I am trying to get a simple bra that will last a while so I don’t have to go through the embarrassment of not wearing a bra because my strap broke.” Emery said.

“Sweetie, a snapped strap means absolutely nothing. You could’ve still rocked the bra. I think it was God’s way of getting you to reach for new heights within yourself.” The associate said nodding, looking to Logan who nodded slightly in agreement, although a confused frown marred his face. 

Emery pursed her lips and turned away from the both of them. Her annoyance with the associate’s unwanted advice covered the awkwardness she felt due to Logan’s sudden presence. Reaching onto the display counter, she snatched up the black bra. Looking back into the curious topaz eyes of Logan that were trained on her, she exhaled loudly and with a small smile said, “I’m going to buy this and then I’ll be done.”

Logan scoffed, “Are you telling me that you didn’t listen to a word that Sarah just said?” He asked, and Emery’s right eye twitched. Sarah?

“I’m not interested in mood-changing bras.” Emery growled, at the moment, overly annoyed.

“She never said that.” Logan countered.

“Alright fine, I’m not interested in using a bra to give me confidence.” Emery rephrased, rolling her eyes at Logan who hadn’t moved an inch. His arms were still crossed over his chest, and Emery took the opportunity to admire his muscular arms, and sturdy shoulders. Her mouth watered at the sight, but she unwillingly pulled her eyes away and pursed her lips.

“I think you should try changing it up.” He stated easily.

Emery’s eyebrows furrowed, “How would you know that a different bra would be a change?” She asked.

He shrugged, the motion attracting Emery’s eyes once again to his broad, freckled shoulders. “The way you’re acting right now says it all. You’re like so intense. Relax.”

“I-uh, I- ugh, Logan.” She groaned rolling her eyes.

“I’m not saying you have to.”

“I know that.” She responded looking at the hardwood floor of Victoria’s Secret.

“Anyways, I’d be more than willingly to give you advice on bras.” Sarah said, cutting her way back into the conversation.

Emery cut her eyes at Sarah. “This is stupid.” She said, but then crossed her arms and looked towards the ceiling and weighed her options. Continuing to look at the bras would be a way to spend some time with Logan… But, at the same time, how tacky was it that she’d be spending time with him bra shopping?? Incredibly tacky. He’d know every bra she decided to buy, he would of course put in his own thoughts on everything, and he would of course say things that’d make butterflies wreak havoc in her stomach. Those three things alone caused her cheeks to burn with embarrassment. Emery’s eyes came down from the ceiling and immediately found the sparkling orbs of Logan’s. They glittered, in anticipation, as they studied the contents of the store. Emery caught the small movements of his jaw as he gnawed the corner of his bottom lip. Sighing, for the sake of ‘Make It Nasty’s’ section on finding a way to spend time with her man, Emery said, “Fine,” and then immediately turned back to the display counter.

Logan’s eyes came down from the ceiling and his eyebrows shot up in surprise. He hadn’t expected her to accept the challenge, but he was glad she did. She could be… Stubborn at times. He knew that because Darrell always complained about her reluctance to do anything out of her comfort zone. Logan also knew that she was allergic to the word ‘no’, she would never say it no matter what, but he was still pleased with her answer. He smirked and turned to Sarah, unfolding his arms, he clasped his hands. Grinning he mouthed a ‘thank you’, and when Sarah responded with a happy nod, Logan turned back and returned to a stance of supportive nonchalance just in time to see Emery turn around.

“Well?” She asked raising her eyebrow and giving Sarah a pointed look.

“Uh, right.” Sarah said, tipping her head to the side and then walking up to Emery. “So, in a bra what you’re looking for is something that is going to make you happy.”

“You mean like the black one in my hand?” Emery asked saucily.

Logan grinned, and walked to the other side of Emery. Throwing his arm around her shoulders he said, “Don’t stop there, baby girl, there are probably a lot of things that can make you happy.” He told her, she rolled her eyes, scoffed, and then shrugged out of his hold.

Sarah smiled sweetly, “As I was saying, when you look for a bra, you want one that is going to make you feel on top of the world. That’s why Victoria’s Secret is such a great place.”

Logan nodded, and repeatedly said, “Yeah, uh-huh, uh-huh.” Just to annoy Emery. And annoy her he did. She glared at him. Her pretty brown eyes shooting daggers at him, before she turned her attention back to Sarah.

“Is there anything you’re looking for specifically?” Sarah asked sweetly and Logan winced- that was the wrong question to ask.

“Um. Just this.” Emery bit, twirling the black brassiere around her pointer finger. Logan smirked and whisked the object away from her, then chuckled as she turned and glared at him.

“Um,” He said imitating her, “Just forget about this for a sec.”

Emery sighed heavily, “Fine.” She said, “Sarah, can you please just help me find a bra that makes me feel good so I can go home…” She said, trailing off, she looked away from Logan and back to Sarah, “And cry.” She added.

Logan’s eyes rolled, she wasn’t the type to cry. “I personally think, Emery would look lovely in the red that we just had.” Logan suggested, snickering at the way her body visibly tensed. Turning to look around him, he snatched up a black and white lacy bra and dangled it in front of her face, “Or this. This would look amazing on you.” 

She bit her lip and only looked at the bra for a second before looking towards the hardwood floor beneath their feet. He suppressed a laugh as he turned around and walked a few paces away from her. He was definitely enjoying his time out with her. At first he was a little cautious to her intentions for the mall trip. It wasn’t like he was going to deny her a ride; he would never do that- mostly because he could never even think to do that, but the shady way she asked for a ride all out of the blue in second period, and then wouldn’t tell him the reason for her request tripped him out. She’d never really asked much of him, so of course he was elated when she asked for a ride. A ride meant spending some quality time with her- without Darrell’s face constantly popping up and ruining any chance Logan had at trying to get closer to Emery. He smiled ruefully and shook his head, then ran a few fingers through the chestnut hair that he liked with a little length to stand up on his head, but never reached a length below his ears. The sides were shorter than the top, and it was just perfect that way.  Ruffling his hair again, he turned to walk back towards Emery.

Smirking slightly as he noticed Emery’s nonchalant stance, he heard Sarah still rambling on about how essential bras are to a womans mood, and he just rolled his eyes. Sticking his tongue out and touching it to the skin above his top lip, he walked up behind Emery, and coolly wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed his body into hers and smirked at the way she tensed up and shivered in his arms. Yes, he realized he was completely forward… But, he was almost positive that she didn’t mind. Closing his mouth he looked at the bun on top of her head, and then without thinking, he began inserting his face into her bun, repeatedly.

“Logan, what the hell are you doing?” Emery asked, laughing nervously and attempting to pull away from him.

He could tell she was a little uncomfortable, but he just smirked, “I’m getting bored.” Logan lied, loosening his grasp around her stomach, and reaching up to fluff the bun. “Are you going to be trying anything on?”He asked curiously, stopping his assault on her bun, and returning his hand back to his other hand that still rested around her waist. He maneuvered her to the side, until they were at a point where he was able to look into her eyes and waggled his eyebrows while biting his bottom lip.

The heated expression on her face made him smirk as she shook her head and stuttered a reply, “Wh-what? No- no. No.” She said looking away from him, and back to Sarah.

Logan let out a heavy sigh before bending his knees slightly and lowering his head to rest his chin on her shoulder.

“I think I know exactly the bra that you need sweetie.” Sarah said smiling widely. “You need some sunshine. Be right back.” She began walking backwards and then turning to hurry off onto the other side of the store, and Logan didn’t remove his head off of Emery’s shoulder.

“Sunshine?” Emery asked incredulously.

“Yes. She probably realized that you were acting grumpy, and she’s going to send you out of here with a sunshine bra.” Logan said, smiling.

“I’m not grumpy,” Emery retorted, turning her head to the side and looking at the side of his face.

Logan smiled, “You’re acting like you don’t want to be here.” He said.

“I don’t.” She replied without hesitation.

Logan turned his head slightly, and leveled his gaze onto her dark amber eyes. His eyebrows furrowed and he pouted. Feigning sadness he asked, “You don’t? But I thought you wanted to hang out with me.”

Emery rolled her eyes and smiled cheekily. Logan’s eyes fell to the dimples on either side of her mouth and he smiled slightly. “I never said that. I only asked for a ride. No one asked you to follow me.” She said impertinently.

Logan rolled his eyes, “Whatever girl, you know exactly why you asked me to take you shopping. I bet,” He paused and smirked. Quirking an eyebrow and moving his head closer to her, he leveled his mouth with her ear and whispered, “I bet, that this is all an act. You are really pleased with my presence.”He pulled away and looked at her before nodding suggestively, then moving his mouth back to her ear, he continued, “I bet you want me to see what bra you’re going to buy.” Moving away quickly he stood to his full height and threw an arm around her shoulder, “So, I’ll ask again, are you going to try on anything today?”

Emery laughed and turned up to him, motioning for him to bend his head back to her level, she grinned and once she was able to whisper in his ear she replied, “No.” Pushing him away, and walking a few paces in front of him. Emery crossed her arms over her chest and sighed heavily.

Logan pouted, “But aw, Emery, why not?” He whined.

Emery peeked at him over her shoulder and said. “Because, I don’t have time for a fashion show, Logan. I need to get home and feed my cat.” She stated, “I thought Justin was awkward and creepy, but no. Logan, you’re weird. Leave me alone.” She said, turning to look in front of her again.

Logan’s jaw dropped and he chuckled slowly, shoving his hands into the front pocket of his cargo shorts he slowly walked up behind her. Returning his mouth to her ear he whispered, “I’m not weird. You’re just nervous.”             

Emery turned her head and scoffed, “Right. Because I’m going to be nervous around a guy I’ve known for six fucking years.” She rolled her eyes, “Give me a break.”

Logan smiled, he didn’t miss the flustered expression on her face. His smile turned into a smirk and he said, “A guy can dream.” He shrugged.

Emery nodded, “He can.” She said, and then smirking on her own she continued, “And he’ll have to.”

Logan pouted and sighed heavily, “Well fuck me.” He said rolling his eyes, walking away from him, he went to lean on the wall a few steps away from her. Lifting his leg, he placed his foot on the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. “Emery.” He droned, when he caught her eyes, his bottom lip slipped and he whined, “I’m bored.” It was a lie. He was having a blast.

“That’s your fault.” She said pointedly.

He attempted to suppress the giddy smile that always appeared on his lips when she talked, but it was hard when he was so enraptured in the subtle movement of her right eyebrow and the appearance of a dimple high on her cheek. “How?” He asked, licking his bottom lip, before sinking his teeth into it to make a physical suppressant to any smile.

“Because, I already had my eye on what I wanted, and then you got, Sam involved.” She said shaking her head in annoyance.

“Sarah.” He fixed for her, “Well, my fault. I didn’t know you’d be so upset.” He said, shrugging his shoulders and looking towards the exit of the shop. He heard Emery’s sigh and he bit the inside of his bottom lip.

“I’m not upset.” She said.

“Could’ve fooled me.” Logan said, feigning nonchalance. Every conversation that he shared with her was electric, and it was always difficult to act like he wasn’t enjoying every second of their conversation.

“I found the bra.” Sarah said, as she approached Logan and Emery, finding them in total different attitude caused her bright smile to falter slightly, but she grinned even harder. “Here.” She said, handing Emery a bright orange bra with yellow lace lining the cup. “This is the bra that will make you happy.”

“I am happy.” Emery stressed.

Logan looked over at Emery and rolled his eyes. The agitated expression that marred her face said otherwise. He smirked and laughed a little. “So, anyways. Not only will the bra alter your attitude, but the panties. Dear goodness, If you wear a lingerie set... It’s like your body is in heaven all the time. You own the room.” Sarah gushed, “And, you’ll be prepared for a hot quickie,” Sarah finished, visibly winking at Emery behind a hand that only half shielded her face, and then she had the audacity to jab at Logan twice.  Logan choked on his spit as he shared a heated look with Emery- well heated meaning she looked completely embarrassed and he was conjuring up a passionate scene in his head. “So I brought the underwear too.” Sarah said, holding up the matching pair of orange and yellow lace underwear.

Emery snatched the underwear from Sarah’s hands. “Fine, I’ll take the bra, the underwear, the red lace set, the black and white lacy set, the blain black set. I’ll buy the whole fucking store. I need to get out of here.” She screeched, clearly past the point of embarrassment.

Sarah smirked, and began picking up the sets of lingerie that Emery mentioned. Mentally cheering at another successful sale. “Would you like to look at our swimsuits? It’s summer, right?”

“Sure, just pick one for me since you’re so great at that, and just meet me at the register.” Emery growled handing the orange bra back to Sarah and stalking off in the direction of the register. Sarah tucked the sets into a bag that was practically glued to her arm for situations such as the one she just encountered, and then turned to Logan.

“Would you like to help me pick out the perfect swimsuit for your girlfriend?” Sarah asked curiously.

“She’s not my girlfriend.” Logan wanted to say, but instead he grinned, pushed himself off the wall and nodded, “Of course I do.”

“Great!” Sarah said and began to walk across the store.

Logan followed behind the sales associate, rubbing his palms together slowly as he plotted out exactly what he wanted to see Emery in over the summer.

oooooooo0000oooooooo

 

Emery clutched the largest Victoria’s Secret bag into her stomach as she sat in Logan’s Wrangler. She was pissed. Beyond pissed.

Logan had done the worst thing possible and added more sets of lingerie to the tab, and more than one bikini, and then he paid. She rolled her eyes as she stared at the street lights as they sped down the freeway. Too stunned at the size of the bag on the counter, Emery couldn’t speak, and then he slid his card, and Emery fumed. She didn’t even touch the bag until he placed it on her lap in the car. She tried to tell herself that she knew that the trip wouldn’t have been quick, and that he would’ve ended up coming in, but she was still angry that he thwarted every single chance she had of getting the hell out of the store.

She pressed her lips together and sunk into her seat. He now knew that she wore a 36C. He now knew all of what was in her underwear drawer. The embarrassment that Emery was feeling was immeasurable.

“I finally got the new Max Payne game.” He said casually from the driver’s seat. Emery rolled her eyes. He didn’t even seem bothered by the fact that he just basically invaded her privacy.

“Cool.” She responded quietly.

“Emery? Are you mad at me?”

She nodded, “Yes. You messed up the plan. I just wanted one thing, and I wanted to pay for it. And I’m fucking embarrassed.” She admitted against her better judgment.

“You knew what you were getting yourself into by asking me to give you a ride.” He stated. “If you really wanted to keep me out of your business, you would’ve hurried up.”

Emery rolled her eyes, she knew he was right. “Whatever, Logan.” She said, and then rolled her eyes at herself. She was beginning to sound like a girl. “I’m cool. Thanks for the stuff.”

He nodded slowly, “You don’t have to be embarrassed. It was just bra shopping.” He offered.

“I don’t go bra shopping with my mom. Mainly because she’d annoy the hell out of me, but also because it’s not something I feel comfortable doing with other people.”

“I understand.” He said.

“Yeah, it was an emergency, I couldn’t get a ride with anyone else, and I feel bad about acting like a little bitch, and I'm sorry, but you are like the last person who I’d want to shop with.”

“Well you did.” He said, laughing a little, “And how was it. It wasn’t that bad was it?”

Emery shrugged, “It wasn’t too bad.” She said, “Thank you for taking me, even though it was a little tacky.”

“You’re welcome. I actually had fun, and I’m not going to tease you or anything. In fact, you’re bra size is like perfect, nothing to be embarrassed about.” Logan offered and then snickered; Emery rolled her eyes and sunk further into her seat. “Nah, but seriously, somewhere deep down, I know you had fun too.”

“Deep down.” Emery responded.

Logan grinned and exited the freeway on the exit for her neighborhood. “I told you, I knew it.”

“That you did.” Emery said, laughing at Logan, and then looking down at her nails. She wouldn’t admit it, but she did have fun, past her annoyance and embarrassment, she was glad that Logan was there. “Sarah’s sales pitch was dumb as fuck.”

“Are you really going to say that? She sold to you, didn’t she? I could tell that she looks for the customer’s weakness and then pounces like a fucking tiger.” He licked his lips as Emery stared at him unconvinced, “You wanna know what your weakness was?” He asked, Emery quirked an eyebrow, and Logan leaned over, in his seat. He was on her street finally, and it was empty so he allowed himself to get close to her ear before whispering, “Logan Isley.” He pulled away and then gazed in her dark amber eyes, which seemed darker in the night time. Her jaw had literally dropped, and he nodded at her.

The car swerved under his tightened grip, “Pay attention to the road, dipshit.” Emery muttered, turning to look out of her window to hide how truthful his words were.

Logan chuckled slowly as he came to a stop in front of Emery’s modern mansion, pulling onto the curb, because he saw Darrell’s car and figured he’d stay, he cut the engine, and opened his door. Emery hadn’t moved from her seat- too busy gathering her items and he took the opportunity to show her that he really was a gentleman and ran around the car to open the door for her. She stared at him with her big eyes full of surprise and a smirk came onto her face.

“Well, look at Logan, opening the car door for his best friends little sister.” She said grinning, and stepping out of the car, clutching the strap of her shoulder bag on in one hand, and gripping tightly onto the Victoria’s Secret shopping bag handle with the other.

“I'm just proving I'm a gentleman, since my lie to our math teacher wasn't a good enough example.” Logan joked tipping his head, and looking into her eyes coyly.

Emery pursed her lips as she stared to walk up the driveway towards her front door while fishing for her house key in her shoulder bag.

“But I was serious. I was your weakness in the store. Because, she saw that you were all embarrassed to have me in there and what not, and that you were totally frustrated, so she built up everything and then boom, started talking about a quickie with me, and you popped like a balloon. Which by the way, if you want a quickie, all you gotta do is ask, especially now that I know what will be goin’ on underneath the clothes. Right? So, there. Her sales pitch was perfect, because you bought like three sets- well I did. So you would’ve bought three sets, if I hadn’t decided you needed more. It’s alright you’ll like what I bought, since you were too busy seeing red, you’ll dump the bag out and be surprised. Yeah so.”

Emery’s shoulders drooped as she watched Logan ramble, he was just so perfect, and she couldn’t even fathom how in the world she could ever not like him. The thought of ending her crush on him had drifted past her mind too many times to count, but as with many things, that was easier said than done. Inserting her key into the lock on the door, she turned it, and then grinned at Logan. “Logan, you’re a sweetie. Thanks again for taking me, as I said, it was an emergency.” She said, deciding to skip over the ‘quickie’ comment, needing more time to mull over it while dancing excitedly around her room.

“Anytime, suga.” Logan said, grinning and leaning against the front door casually, winking at Emery and biting his bottom lip suggestively.

Emery opened her mouth about to say something about how sweet he was again, but the front door was whipped open, causing Logan to fall into the foyer. Emery gasped in shock and stared at the person who opened the door. Her mood went south immediately, she almost felt the joy drain from her entire body.

Eden Johnson stood in the foyer with a hand on the door looking back and forth from Emery to Logan. Her other hand was placed firmly on her small hip. Her dark brown hair was in its natural curl framing her pretty face. Her light brown eyes finally penetrated into her daughters solely and she opened her mouth. “Emery Johnson, you know you are supposed to be in at a modest time. Eight o’ clock is unacceptable.” She spoke in her pinched yetdictatorial voice.

Emery rolled her eyes, “I had things to do. You came home on the day that I wasn’t in before four.”

“That’s still unacceptable, what could be so important that you’d disobey my orders?”

“What? You’re never even home to enforce that, yet I still follow it. Give me a pass on today. It was an emergenc-,” She stopped talking abruptly as she saw her mother’s gaze fall to the Victoria’s Secret bag in her hand.

“Victoria’s Secret?” Eden asked in disbelief. “With Logan? Emery Johnson, you know that is so tacky. You never take a man shopping for lingerie. I try so hard Emery. So hard, and you disregard everything I say.”

Emery looked at Logan, who stared directly into her eyes with understanding. He nodded his head, and smiled with sympathy, “Mrs. Johnson, I’m gonna excuse myself to Darrell’s uh, quarters.” Logan said, and Emery rolled her eyes, at his joking nature.

She nodded and stepped back to allow Logan further access into the house, and for Emery to enter. Logan began walking towards the stairs, but stopped and turned back to Emery, when she looked at him, he pointed at Eden and then made a heart with his hands above his head. Emery suppressed a grin and gave him a small nod. He grinned in response before hurrying up the stairs.

Emery turned back to her mother, who looked at her accusingly, “Dear Lord, Emery. Where is your bra?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make It Nasty

©AwardedEmmy

2012

‘Don’t talk to him… Unless he speaks first. Don’t ‘accidentally’ touch him. Don’t do anything except for look at him… Not in the creepy stalker-ish way, but he’s definitely going to look at you from time to time... And eye contact is key in seduction.’

 

Chapter 7

 

“Those shorts are a little short, Emery. Don’t you think?” Eden Johnson asked from behind the counter in the kitchen, the sizzling of the bacon on the stove lessening the tension in the kitchen considerably.

Emery shrugged as she leaned across the counter and towards her mother. “Not as short as the pageant dresses you used to make me wear. You know? The ones that my five year old butt cheeks would hang out of?” Emery countered, picking up a piece of bacon and snapping the crispy strip off in between her teeth and watching her mother’s eyes roll.

“I didn’t pick those out. Your coach did.” Eden replied calmly, not bothering to look her daughter in the eye as she flipped casually through a cook book.

Emery smirked, “Exactly.” She said, swallowing the bacon and watching her mother intently.

They shared the same amber eyes and height, five foot two. But when it came to hair Eden preferred her hair straight and chopped to right above her shoulder. The two could be twins, especially since Eden did everything in her power to keep herself looking young.    

Eden pressed her lips tightly together and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Whatever, eat your breakfast.” Eden demanded, turning to check the popping bacon on the flat stove. “Are you watching your calorie intake?”

“Nope.” Emery said, picking up another piece of bacon and watching her 120 pound mother at the stove. “Why should I?”

“We talked about this. If you want to be thin at your eighteenth birthday ball-,”

“I’m fine, besides that’s next March mom, and I’m not having one. So it doesn’t matter.”

Eden groaned inwardly. “I’m just saying that I don’t want you to look pudgy, and you won’t want it either, because whether you like it or not, you are having that ball.”

Emery rolled her eyes and dropped the bacon back down onto the plate. “If I’m not pudgy now, I doubt I’ll be ‘pudgy’ then. I’m going to get Darrell.” She said monotonously, turning to walk out of the kitchen in the direction of the stairs.

“And change your outfit, right?”

Emery paused and spoke over her shoulder, “Would you prefer that I wear my cargo shorts and sports jerseys?”

“You already know the answer to that, but the shorts make you look trashy.” Eden replied, “I raised you to be a lady, not that. Maybe, you could put on one of those nice skirts that I bought for you.”

Emery groaned deciding not to justify her mother with a response, as she walked out of the room as fast as she could. Her heart hammered in her chest rapidly as her feet carried her up the stairs and in the direction of Darrell’s room. The door was closed and locked, as usual, so Emery raised a fist and knocked.

Darrell opened the door shirtless with sleep in his eyes and Emery gasped as he rubbed his eyes, “Dude, what the hell? We have school today.” Emery spoke, surveying her brother’s sleep riddled features.

“I feel like shit.” He mumbled tiredly, opening his door wider and trailing back into his room.

Emery followed him in, “You look like hell.” She murmured. He sat back down on his queen sized mattress and shot Emery a miserable look. “Maybe mom poisoned you.”

“She wouldn’t do that... To me.” He said quietly, reclining and pulling the covers over him. “What’d she do already?”

“She was bitchin’ about my clothes.” Emery muttered rolling her eyes.

Darrell snorted a quiet laugh, groaning and closing his eyes, “She’s probably hella confused, Em. You made a-,”He paused and turned on his side to look at Emery, “Big change. I was.” He finished.

“It’s not a big deal, though. Is it?”

“Nah, it’s just weird. One day you wake up and it’s from cargos to short shorts.”

Emery got up and walked over to the mirror that hung on her brother’s bedroom wall and surveyed herself. Her dark hair was still straight, she wore a white shirt with a thick lace pattern that covered the upper part of her chest and back while a solid white covered the rest, she matched the shirt with a pair of dark denim jean shorts. On her wrists she work simple silver bangles that matched with the simple pair of sterling silver hoops in her ears, and a silver necklace with a cross on it was around her neck and fell mid-chest. On her feet were her red high-tops.

“Well, I’m feeling a little bit better.” He told her sitting up fully, “I went to bed like two hours ago.”

“Oh.” Emery said, smiling at Darrell, and crossing the room to sit on the bed. “Why did you stay up so late?”

“I was talking to this chick.”

“Oh really

“This fan.” He smiled and bit his lip before his cheeks cast a rosy tint.

Emery gasped, “Nah.”

“Ah.” Darrell said, grinning. “She lives in San Diego, so it’s not sexual or anything. But, God, she’s fucking beautiful, so I gave her my number. And she called, and so we’ve been Skyping and shit for the last few weeks.”

“Awwwww.” Emery cooed.

“I didn’t want to say too much about it, until me and her could hang out in person and stuff a few times, but I told you anyway, because I don’t like to keep secrets… Unlike someone.” He stated, sitting up further in his bed, and resting his back against his headboard.

 

Emery laughed nervously, and stared into her brothers light eyes. He obviously wanted the truth and it was evident that she wasn’t going to be able to hide it forever. Taking a deep breath she looked down at his navy blue comforter. “I’m going to tell you since you want to know so bad. But, what I am going to say, you're probably not going to like, but, fuck, you’ve been bugging me about it every day, so here it is. I like Logan. A lot."

 

It was quiet as Darrell stared at Emery for a second, and then a slow smile spread across his face and he burst out laughing, "Oh God, I knew it!"

 

“What?” That was definitely not what Emery was expecting, she didn’t smile. In fact she was void any emotions as she watched her now- healthy, looking brother clap his hands and double over laughing. “What?” She asked again.

 

He sat up and took a deep breath, “I knew it.” He said, shrugging. “But, what’s this gotta do with the clothes?”

 

“Everything. I thought if I made myself more attractive-,”

 

“You changed for a guy?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“You don’t have to look the part, if you’re already amazing. I mean yeah, short shorts are nice, but all you’d have to do is talk to him and stuff.”

 

Emery rolled her eyes, “So you’re not… mad?”

 

“Why would I be mad?”

 

“Because I’m like trying to get your best friends attention and you’re always like, ‘man, don’t wink at my sister.’ And when I think I’m finally making progress with him you’re like, ‘what’s going on here’. If you knew it then why did you always… cock block?”

 

“Cuz, it’s awkward seeing you guys all flirty and shit.” Darrell said, “He’s alright, though. But seriously, I don’t give a fuck about who you date or whatever.” He laughed, “I mean I do, but I just don’t want you to be taken advantage of again…” Darrell said, and then trailed off, giving his sister a sad smile.

 

Emery looked away and bit her lip uncomfortably before quietly replying, “I know that, I’m just glad you’re cool with it.”

 

“Want me to put in a good word?” He asked, wiggling his eyebrows, slightly.

 

“No! I want to do this by myself.” Emery said, half smiling at her twin. “So, anyway, are you coming to school, cuz if not, I’m gonna need your car keys.”

 

“I’m just gonna stay here and relax.” Darrell placed his hands behind his head and leaned against his headboard, “Maybe catch some zzz’s. The keys are on my desk.” Darrell informed her.

 

“Thanks man.” Emery said, kissing her brothers forehead and getting off the bed to retrieve the keys to his mustang.

 

“Yeah. Tell mom I’m staying in, yeah?”

 

Emery groaned, “Ugh, why are you making me speak to her?” She said with conviction before leaving her brothers room and closing the door shut behind her.

 

Downstairs, Emery entered the kitchen to find her mother sitting at the kitchen counter, eating her eggs and bacon quietly, walking up to the counter, Emery snatched up her shoulder bag and cleared her throat. “Darrell’s staying home. He’s sick.” She said, and then quickly headed out to the driveway. While unlocking the car door, a familiar vibration was felt in her back pocket, so she hurried into the car, in order to read the text form Jimmy.

 

Closing the door to the Mustang, Emery threw her bag into the passenger seat and then turned on the iPhone.

 

-Morning!!!!!!!! :)

 

-Hey! What’s up?

 

Emery bit her lip and placed the phone in the passenger seat, turning on the car she buckled her seatbelt and then eased out of the garage and driveway. Her eyes surveyed the condition of Darrell’s car and she grinned. On the outside, it was a classic, but on the inside, Darrell had ripped the interior apart and gave it all of the features of a modern Mustang- motorized lock system and windows, better radio with the audio jack, it was an overall nice car, and not just because it was a classic.

 

Jimmy had replied to her while she was on her way to school, and it was unfortunate that she’d been blessed with all green lights. She had to wait until she parked Darrell’s Mustang in Freemont’s student parking lot to reply.

 

After the engine was cut, Emery reached for the phone in the passenger seat. Bit her lip in anxiousness as her finger hovered over the power button, she didn’t notice the dark figure standing next to the driver’s door, but the tap on the window made her aware as the phone fell into her lap. Looking up in surprise, Emery’s eye twitched in annoyance, as she pressed her lips together and commenced to putting the key back in the ignition so she could roll down the window.

 

“Yes?” She asked in pure aggravation, pressing the ‘lock’ button on the door without looking away from the kid in front of her who was teetering back and forth.

 

“Hey, I couldn’t help notice that Darrell wasn’t in the car, so I chanced coming over here.”

 

“Why exactly?” Emery asked, cocking an eyebrow.

 

“I’d like to walk you to class, if that’s alright?” Justin managed to say, the way he looked down into the car caused his blue eyes to hood slightly making them darker.

 

Emery exhaled loudly, she wanted to say ‘no’, she only wanted to text Jimmy and float on cloud nine. She stared at him for five long seconds before rolling up the window and reaching for her bag in the passenger seat. “Fine.” She mumbled unappreciatively, as Justin opened the door for her. Getting out of the car, she relocked the doors, and then took a few steps back so Justin could slam the door closed. She cut her eyes at him, “Don’t slam that door. This is Darrell’s baby.” She informed him.

 

He chuckled lightly and rolled his eyes, “I’m sure.”

 

Emery frowned and looked his five foot nine frame up and down slowly. White Vans adorned his feet and the baseball tee with a light gray midsection and navy blue sleeves, hung loose on his lean torso and was paired with a simple pair of straight leg dark wash denim jeans. His short blond curls were slightly blowing on top of his head with the light breeze, and his narrow nose crinkled slightly as a smirk graced his bow shaped lips.

 

“You look nice today too. Now let’s go.” He said, turning, and holding up his elbow in hopes that Emery would loop hers through it.

 

Emery snorted as she walked past him, clutching Jimmy’s phone in her hands. “We aren’t on that level yet.” She said to him, a satisfied smirk coming onto her own face. “I refuse to touch you.”

 

“Aw, that’s too bad. You might actually like it.” He said catching up to her as they walked towards the tan building.

 

“Definitely maybe.” Emery responded sarcastically. Looking down at the phone, she finally pressed the power button and was able to read Jimmy’s message:

 

Yeah, sorry I didn’t text you yesterday. I don’t think we should talk 24/7, because we’d get bored easily, and I don’t want to get bored of you. ;)

 

Emery’s cheeks heated, as she went to reply, but Justin’s voice interrupted her mentally drafted reply. “Who are you texting?”

 

She rolled her eyes, “None of your business.” She grounded out.

 

He laughed, “My bad, baby. We should hang out this weekend?”

 

“No.”

 

“Come on. Why not?”

 

“Because to be one hundred percent honest, you, creep me the fuck out.”  Emery said honestly, biting her bottom lip as she stepped over a banana peel on the pavement. Her nose crinkled in disgust as she turned back to look at it, mentally scorning whoever thought it was a good idea to litter.

 

“What?! How?” He screeched looking down at her curiously.

 

“Yesterday, in the cafeteria. You walked right into when I had food in my hands. It wasn’t an accident, because you were looking right at me as you walked into me, and that was just weird. Too weird.”

 

“You’re right, it wasn’t an accident, but maybe I could’ve acted that whole thing out better. I wasn’t thinking, I just did it, because I wanted to talk to you.”  He said.

 

“Mmmhmm, I’m sure.”

 

“But, I’m serious.”

 

“Well you accomplished your task.”

 

“Yeah, and now you think I’m weird.”

 

Emery shrugged, “There’s always a downside.” She said stopping in front of the building that would lead to her first hour class.

 

Justin stopped too and smirked, “There doesn’t always have to be.” He said, stepping closer to her.

 

“I said we could be friends, take three steps back.” She said, holding up a hand.

 

Justin laughed and nodded, taking exactly three steps back. “This good.”

 

Emery bit her lip, “Nah, you’re still not far enough.” She said, hearing the bell ring, she smiled at him before turning to head into the building and away from Justin.

 

Sliding into her desk in English, Emery turned on the phone in her hands and quickly began to respond.

 

Lol, I don’t want to get bored either. :) Yeah, sorry it took me so long to reply, I got all green lights and then harassed by some dude.

 

After pressing the send button, she slid the phone into her lap, knowing that it was already on vibrate, she patiently waited for his response, and when it came in, she tuned out Mrs. McForester completely.

 

oooooooo0000oooooooo

 

Jimmy: Its aight. So, harassed you say… You must be pretty hot? Am I right?

 

Alisha: I guess… What’s your definition of hot??

 

Jimmy: Kim Kardashian. lol jk. I mean she’s hot, but not my type. I can’t really say, I think a lot of things are hot.

 

Alisha: Then I must be hot.

 

Jimmy: You must be… Yo, I’m trying to be careful and not get your phone taken away! O_o

 

Alisha: Yeah, be careful.

 

Jimmy: I will be. Admin would tear your phone apart and I’d get in trouble for the shit you got on here.

 

Alisha: What?! What’s on my phone?

 

Jimmy: You already know. ;)

 

Alisha: Actually, I don’t, help me out?

 

Jimmy: It hasn’t even been a week and you already forgot?

 

Alisha: You’re kidding.

 

Jimmy: You’re right. I am.

 

Alisha: I’m too good to have anything bad on my phone. Jokes on you.

 

Jimmy: …. So, you’re a good girl? Fuck.

 

Alisha: Haha, what?

 

Jimmy: That means you probably won’t ever send a few naughty pics? Haha.

 

Alisha: Probably not… To a stranger.

 

Jimmy: Don’t knock it, till you try it.

 

Alisha: I know you tried it. ;) haha.

 

Jimmy: OH GOD. YOUR EYES ARE PROBABLY RUINED.

 

Alisha: My eyes are fine, haaha.

 

Jimmy: Haha, good to know. Maybe when we meet you can see it in person. ;)

 

Alisha: Oh my God, ew. You are now on pedophile status.

 

Jimmy: I was kidding, but once you see me… You’ll probably want it. ;)

 

Alisha: Omg. Jimmy. Haha.

 

Jimmy: You’re in denial now, but I can change your mind. Tonight, imma call you up. ;)

 

Alisha: Ha, I won’t answer.

 

Jimmy: Yeah you will!!

 

Alisha: How do you figure that? Haha.

 

Jimmy: Cuz… you apologized for not texting me back immediately… You love talking to me. Haha.

 

Alisha: …

 

Jimmy: It’s alright. I love talking to you too. :)

 

oooooooo0000oooooooo

 

“Emery, care to explain to me the importance of chapter three.” Mrs. McForester asked from the front of the class.

 

Emery looked up from the iPhone in her hands and sighed. “The chapter with the turtle?” She asked, cocking an eyebrow. “It was just illustration of how difficult times were.” She said, referring to the third chapter in ‘The Grapes of Wrath’.

 

“Correct. I was just making sure your attention was where it should be.” Mrs. McForester said, forcing a smile on her aging face and then delving back into picking apart the famous book.

 

Emery rolled her eyes and returned to her conversation.

 

oooooooo0000oooooooo

 

Alisha: I notice you like to make assumptions.

 

Jimmy: Educated guesses, my dear.

 

Alisha: -__-

 

Jimmy: Not with the face. You know I hate the face.

 

Alisha: I know this kid and he made a lot of assumptions last night and I almost punched him.

 

Jimmy: Rape.

 

Alisha: Nah, not that serious.

 

Jimmy: I know this kid and he likes to eat spaghetti upside down.

 

Alisha: Bahahahhaa. You’re weird. Not as weird as this other kid I know. The one who is harassing me. Ugh.

 

Jimmy: What’s he like?

 

Alisha: I really can’t say… He likes me, but he’s kind of a player. Y’know? And he got my attention with something incredibly dumb, but he walked with me this morning, and he’s not too bad, he just didn’t start things off right with me, and he’s just weird.

 

Jimmy: Give him a chance. Sounds like he did something to catch your attention, now he obviously has it. So yeah.

 

Alisha: That’s what he said, but oh well because, I like someone else.

 

Jimmy: But does ‘someone else’ feel the same way? Don’t waste your time on ‘someone else’.

 

Alisha: Your points are valid.

 

Jimmy: Haha. Yeah. :) I give good advice. :)

 

Alisha: Yeah… I’ll have to think about it.

 

Jimmy: Of course you will, ha. Don’t rush it.

 

Alisha: Alright. :)

 

Jimmy: Lol. Ugh, group work. :(  I’ll text you back later, k?

 

Alisha: Kk. Bye.

 

oooooooo0000oooooooo

 

Emery bit her lip in consternation as she made her way across campus towards her science class. ‘Make It Nasty’ instructed her to basically steer clear of Logan, and she was already struggling. She knew when she entered Mr. Daze’s classroom, he’d be in his spot at the back of the classroom, looking as hot as ever, and she’d trip over her own two feet, and draw attention to herself which is what ‘Make It Nasty’ wants her to avoid.

 

Entering the science building, Emery’s footsteps quickened as she was anxious to see her man, and when she reached Mr. Daze’s classroom, she stood in the hall for a few seconds to catch her breath and then finally entered the classroom.

 

She wanted a quick peek, but found that stealing a glance would be impossible to do without going unnoticed, because Logan’s eyes were already on her. Emery felt his topaz gaze search her and she couldn’t help the flushness of her cheeks. He licked his bottom lip, and quirked an eyebrow as he watched her.

 

It took Emery a minute to realize that she’d stopped walking, and it took her a few seconds to send a sweet smile in Logan’s direction, and carry on swiftly to her seat.  Sitting down in the tall lab chair, Emery bit her lip as she looked at the wall next to her table, wondering if he was going to try and walk with her to class again.

 

It was a onetime thing, but Emery certainly wouldn’t mind being escorted to class by him for the rest of the year. She sighed heavily and began to unpack her binder to prepare for class. She’d cross that path when it came.

 

oooooooo0000oooooooo

 

Lunch had come around after what felt like decades, ultimately because Emery sat through every class waiting for a text from Jimmy, and being bummed because Logan had to stay behind in Mr. Daze’s class to talk about his grade, so as much as she wished they would’ve been able to walk to class together, they weren’t, and then their math teacher, didn’t allow seat swaps. So it seemed that her day was in favor of ‘Make It Nasty’s’ avoidance step. Chewing languidly on a tortilla chip from her nacho tray, Emery half listened to her friend’s conversation.

 

“End of the year party….. Denim shorts….. Next week… Beers, boys, and bikinis, Whaddup… Emery.”

 

“What?” Emery asked, peering at her friends over the gooey tortilla chip she was closely investigation for reasons unknown to her.

 

“We said you’re coming.” Trenise said, looking over at Emery briefly before returning to her own tray of nachos in front of her.

 

“Coming where? The end of the year party?” Emery asked, putting the chip into her mouth and then frowning.

 

“Yep.” Trenise said, popping the ‘p’.

 

“And we already know what you’re going to wear.” Chelsea added, smirking.

 

Emery rolled her eyes, “You sound like my mom.” She said grudgingly. “When is that anyway?”

 

“Like next week? I think. Anyways, you have to go. Logan’s hosting.” Trenise said.

 

Emery’s attention on the conversation grew stronger as she paid attention, “What?”

 

“Yeah, his relatives own a huge plot of land right off of the beach up north and it’s going to be a bon fire type thing…” Chelsea informed Emery. “And your brother will be performing…”

 

Emery nodded slowly about to reply when the table shook with an incoming person. “Talking about the end of the year party?”

 

Emery gritted her teeth, as Justin’s hand snaked around her shoulder. “Yes.”

 

“Emery’s brother is performing… He raps.”

 

Justin chuckled sarcastically, “Yeah. I know that.” He said arrogantly, like he knew everything, causing Emery to glare up at him.

“I was just letting you know.” Chelsea said defensively. “You’re kind of a jerk. Emery why is he here?”

“Because, Emery and I are now friends and I like to sit with friends.”

Chelsea rolled her eyes, “I was asking Emery.”

“My info is just as good.”

“Ya’ll need to stop. I am not in the mood to hear all that.” Emery said.

Trenise cleared her throat, “Anyways, only the junior class is invited.”

Emery sighed; she really didn’t care about the end of the year party. The only thing good about it was Logan.

Logan…

Emery’s eyes adverted towards the table where her absent brother usually sat, and she quickly searched for Logan. She bit down on her bottom lip, harder than expected, when her gaze met his.

He was already looking at her.

Again.

The distance at which they sat apart from each other was about twenty feet, yet the gaze they shared felt like they were standing right in front of each other. She could see his eyes searching hers, as he languidly reclined in the plastic lunch chair. It was hot. Emery’s cheeks heated quickly as he slowly licked his bottom lip and then smiled just a little, before slipping the wayfarers that were on his head down over his eyes. The direction of his head didn’t move, which could only mean that he changed his tactic, and had begun secretly looking at her through his glasses, only it wasn’t a secret, because Emery could feel his eyes on her.

“Someone’s flushed.” Trenise said, drawing Emery’s attention away from Logan. She turned to look at Trenise and then smile slightly.

“Because, I’m here.” Justin said cockily.

Emery flicked his arm off of her shoulder and stood up, “Not even.” She scoffed, picking up her bag and slipping it onto her shoulder, then getting her trash off of the table she sighed heavily.

oooooooo0000oooooooo

 

Emery made it to the student parking lot faster than usual, in hopes of escaping Justin Todesey, who seemed to have her on radar.

When she made it to the Mustang, she dug into one of the many pockets in her bag and felt nothing except a pen. Frowning, she took off the bag and placed it on the hood of the Mustang. Opening every pocket, she found dead end after dead end, the keys to Darrell’s mustang were not in her bag. Biting her lip as a thin sweat broke out on her forehead she looked at the asphalt under her feet, thinking maybe she dropped them.

“Dear Lord.” She mumbled, squatting down, and using her hand to support her as she scanned underneath the car. “Oh fuck.” She said, standing up, she hurried over to the other side of the car and bent over to peer into the window. “Fucking perfect.” She muttered, spotting the keys in the ignition.

Resting her head on the top of the car, she closed her eyes.

Darrell was going to kill her.

“You locked the keys in the car, huh?” Emery’s head shot up to find Logan standing on the other side of the car, his head resting on his crossed arms. An eyebrow was quirked and his topaz eyes dazzled in the California sun. Emery bit her lip and nodded slowly.  Logan smirked, “Come on, I’ll take you to your house to get the spare.” He said, standing to his full height and collecting Emery’s bag off the hood.

She followed behind him solemnly a few spaces over and waited by the passenger door of his Wrangler. Once the doors were unlocked and she was sitting next to Logan as he turned on the car and air conditioning, she said, “How could I have been so stupid?”

“It’s the company you keep.” He said, turning her head to the side and grinning at her lopsided. Her eyebrows knitted together as she waited for him to continue. “I saw you talking to Justin, you were lookin’ all distracted.” He said and Emery rolled her eyes, but he was right; she was distracted, by Justin and Jimmy. “Do you like him now or something?”

“Hell no!” She said rather loudly, “He’s so annoying. He followed me around all day, and ugh.”

“So you don’t like him for sure?”

“For sure.”

“Good.” He said, turning to look out of the front mirror, as he took his Jeep out of park, and began easing out of the space.

“Why good?” Emery asked, genuinely confused.

“The guys a douche. Spend enough time with him and you’ll soon see… But I don’t recommend any spending time with him at all.”

Emery laughed lightly, not fully into the conversation, her thoughts still on the fact that she was leaving Darrell’s baby in the high school parking lot. “It’d be easier if he would leave me alone.”

“Might be hard.” He said, and Emery frowned.

“Why?”

“Because—why are you questioning everything?”

“Your answers are vague. That’s why.” She said turning her head to look out of her passenger window.

“Lighten up, baby girl. Imma take you home so we can get the spare key… It’ll be in and out.” Logan joked reaching over and grasping Emery’s bare knee, and rocking it back and forth as he chuckled heartily.

Emery rolled her eyes, “Wow.” She said loudly, exaggerating the word, turning to him and grinning.

He smiled back before focusing on the road ahead of them, his hand had yet to move from her knee, and the heat of his palm was sending Emery’s senses into overdrive.

They drove quietly for a few minutes and Emery watched as the city passed by, until everything registered. “Logan…?”

“Yes, I kidnapped you.” He sighed loudly and turned to look at Emery as he sped down the street.

Emery groaned, “Why?” She asked, not being able to hide the giddy grin that spread across her face.

“Because, I had fun with you yesterday, and I wanted to have some more fun today. Is that a problem?” He replied, smiling widely as he turned his head back forward.

“Not at all.” Emery bit her lip as she looked down at her lap. “But I have a curfew, though.”

“Four. I know.” He said, and smirked slightly. “So, where do you want to go?”

Emery sighed heavily. “I don’t know. You kidnapped me, you decide.”

“Right.” Logan said, sucking his teeth, loudly and tapping the wheel of his Wrangler. “Where does a kidnapper take his prey?”

“To his house.” Emery suggested.

Logan laughed, “Nah, only if he wants to rape her.”

“Not true. He could take her there for ransom or something, and never touch her.”

“… Very true.” His hand slid up her thigh a little, and he squeezed lightly, “But, if you were the girl I kidnapped, I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands off…” He trailed off, “Just saying.” He added on an honest note.

Emery blushed and looked down at his hand and whispered, “I can tell.”

“Can you? Am I that obvious?” He asked, grinning. “But seriously, I’ll take you to my crib.”

“Your crib?” Emery scoffed, “What the hell?”

“Would you prefer I call it my crack spot? Or my humble abode? What about my teepee, my adobe, my castle, my dwelling, my joint, my house, my kennel, my palace, my place of residence, mi casa…” He trailed off, and turned to grin at Emery in the passenger seat.

“Call it whatever.” She said shaking her head while toying with the tassels on her bag nervously.

“Aight, let’s go to my whatever.” He said simply.

“So you can ravish me?” Emery questioned flirtatiously, looking up from her lap and at Logan’s profile.

“Duh.”

Emery giggled and bit down on her lip as she quirked an eyebrow. “Really now?”

“Only if you beg.”

The tension in the car became outstandingly heavy as Emery shifted in her seat and surveyed Logan. She wouldn’t mind begging to be ravished, because he was looking particularly handsome. He was wearing a black tank-top with blue and grey stripes, dark skinny jeans, white Vans, and his black wayfarers. His studded earring glittered in the sunshine that shone through the cars window, and his chestnut hair was messy again. He licked his lips, as Emery looked from his muscular torso, beautifully sculpted biceps; down to the masculine hand that was still gripping her thigh a silver band accented his thumb. It was in that moment that she didn’t just feel the warmth that radiated from his hand, but she also began to feel the roughness and the callousness of his palm. His hands weren’t soft and that simple fact was turning her on… That and the fact that his hand was still unmoving on her thigh, sending relentless tingles up and down her spine.

Emery’s gaze lifted as she felt the car begin to slow down and she peered out of the window.

“Ah, home sweet home.” Logan said, “Like my dog house, my castle, my dwelling, my-,”

“Logan, I get it.” Emery said, frowning a little as she looked at the house in front of her, “No offense, isn’t this a little small for your parents??”

“Baby girl, I moved out.” He said, grinning and jumping out of the Jeep.

Emery opened her door and grabbed her bag. “What?”

“Well, I figured that if I was going to be on my own, I might as well be somewhere that I like.” He said honestly.

Emery nodded as she closed her door and walked up to Logan who waited at the top of the driveway grinning. “Why didn’t you like your parents house?”

“Want the truth?” Logan asked, throwing his arm around Emery’s shoulder as she met him.

“Yes please.”

“Well, I don’t want to sound like a little bitch, but that house was fucking scary. I was always there by myself- actually I had a nanny, but she was a bitch, so she doesn’t count… There were ten bedrooms- the place was huge. I didn’t need all of that space. So I asked my parents to get me a little casa, and now I’m a free man.”

“And they just pay for their son to live alone?” Emery asked.

“Yep.” He said, leading her towards an iron gate with circular designs. “If you want to escape your mom, you can be my roommate.” He said smugly.

Emery laughed, “Don’t tease me like that. You know I’ll accept.”

“What if I was serious?”

Emery bit her lip, as he unlocked the gate, with his keys. “Well are you?” Emery questioned, after watching him open the gate, walk in, and wait for her, and then close it, lock it and proceed to the front door.

After inserting his key into the front door he looked at her and grinned, “I don’t know. Am I?” He teased.

Emery pursed her lips and rested her body against the glass of his front door. “What is that our inside joke now?”

“I don’t know. Is it?” Logan said his face completely straight, and then he snickered as he opened the front door. “I’ll never get tired of saying it, so yeah.” He paused with one foot in the door, causing Emery to bump into his solid figure. Looking into her eyes he grinned, “We’ve got an inside joke.” Emery bit her lip as Logan’s arm snaked around her waist and drew her closer into him. “Would you like a tour before or after I ravish you?” He asked cocking his head to the side and lifting an eyebrow.

Emery sighed, “What sounds good to you?” She asked, leaning into him slightly and grinning slightly. With his free hand, Logan poked her dimples.

“Tour first, ravishing second.” He replied.

Emery nodded and then giggled, “Ravish.”

“I know it’s a funny word.” He said, and then pulled her in, “So, you see here we have the foya’.” He said in a British accent.

Emery smiled and looked around. “Nice. Nice.” She said, noticing the ‘foya’ was completely empty save a huge mirror on the wall and black wood floors.

“You’re lying, this shit sucks. Onward.” He said walking forward with her, “And here we have the living space.” He said once again in a British accent.

Emery looked around, “I like this one.” She said, looking at the white furniture with black pillows thrown on it, and the eighty inch TV on the wall.

“I like it too.” He said, sighing loudly.

“Because of the TV.”

“Exactly.” He said, “To the kitchen, I’m quite starved.”

They walked to the kitchen where Logan released Emery and walked over to the fridge, dropping his keys on the counter. Opening the fridge, he stood there for a few seconds before he closed the door and looked at her, “This is embarrassing.”

“What?” Emery asked, “You don’t have any food?”

Logan nodded, “I usually eat out.”

Emery laughed, “Right. Well, I like your kitchen.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, the white cabinets. Black countertops. Very… Clean.” She said, walking over to sit in a metal barstool.”

Logan just grinned and watched her drop her bag on the counter and pull out her phone. She stared at the screen before pursing her lips and putting the phone back in her bag. She looked up and smiled

 “God, I’m so hungry.” He moaned.

“You didn’t eat lunch?”

“I did, but, I’m still hungry.” Emery giggled and placed her elbow on the counter and then rested her chin in her palm. She watched Logan, lean against the refrigerator door and cross his arms over his chest, as his eyes shot to the wall clock that was on the opposite wall from the refrigerator. “Well, this kidnapping was a bust.” He said sighing loudly. “What is wrong with your mother? A four o’ clock curfew? Da fuck?”

“Um, you were the one that was all like ‘love thy mother’ yesterday…”

Logan pushed off of the refrigerator and crossed the kitchen until he was leaning over the island counter right in front of Emery. “That was before I found out you had to be home by four, when she’s around. I mean,” He paused and licked his bottom lip as his topaz eyes searched the black granite countertop in his kitchen, “How the hell are we supposed to truly hang out, if you have a fucked up curfew?”

Emery shrugged, “I don’t know. I could talk to my mom about extending it, but… I don’t think she’d do it.”

“I mean, how the hell am I supposed to truly ravish you in between two-thirty and four o’ clock?” Logan asked, and finally moved his eyes from the counter top, to looking directly into Emery’s. Her heart skipped two beats as a slow smile formed on his lips and his fingers lightly skimmed over the back of her hand causing chills to erupt all over her body. Emery shrugged lightly and Logan intertwined their fingers on the counter. “Was your mom always so crazy?”

Emery shook her head, “Nope.” She sighed as she watched hers and Logan’s hands rocked back and forth on the counter and a small smile touched her lips as she looked up in the topaz eyes that already peered back at her. “I used to consider my mom a mom… Like, I know that sounds weird, but, I did everything she said, I mean I still do, but I used to be so… I don’t know? Loyal? To her.”

“And what happened?” Logan asked, raising her eyebrow.

“She was fucking obsessed with beauty pageants, and I loved them too.” Emery looked away from Logan and back down at their hands, “Until I became very displeased with some.. Stuff that was going on.”

“What stuff?” Logan asked quietly.

Emery shrugged, “Just stuff and I tried to get her to listen to me, but uh, she never did and she forced me to do pageants until I was ten. I had become extremely uninterested at four years old. That’s six years that my mom kept me in pageants, even though I didn’t like them.” Emery gritted her teeth and sighed, “So basically I lost a lot of respect for her.”

“Oh.” Logan said nodding, “That really sucks. But you act like you’re afraid of her?”

Emery bit her lip and looked up, “I am.”

“Why?”

“She’s obsessive. I mean, after I finally was able to quit, I didn’t really-,” Emery stopped talking and looked away from Logan again.

“What?”

“This is embarrassing to say.” She whispered, looking up at the ceiling.

“I won’t judge you.” Logan said honestly, cocking his head to the side, and studying the reluctant expression that ran across Emery’s features as she looked into his eyes.

“I didn’t want to be a girl anymore.”

“Oh.” Logan said, raising eyebrows.

“You’re judging…” Emery sang, as she leveled him with a sweet smile and nervous glare.

“Nah nah, not at all. I’m just putting all the pieces together. So your mom…”

“She uh, was pretty pissed. After a few months she allowed me to start wearing boy’s clothes and stuff, but then she started implementing all of these fucked up rules.” Emery paused, “You can wear boy’s clothes but it’ll be a cold day in Hell before I let you forget what’s between your legs. She’s fucking crazy.”

“Damn. Did she say that?” Logan asked cocking an eyebrow. Emery nodded slowly and the kitchen was quiet. Their fingers were still intertwined and had caught both of their attention, but the quietness of the room had become too much and Logan said, “So beauty pageants, you must’ve been a cute little girl huh?”

Emery laughed and nodded, “I guess, I have a shit ton of gold medals in my closet.”

“I bet if you did pageants again you’d have more gold medals. You’re seriously beautiful, Emery.”

Emery blushed as a grin spread across her features. “Thanks, Logan, but I’m done with pageants.”

Logan smiled and glanced at the wall clock. He groaned and rolled his eyes, looking back at Emery he said, “We gotta go.”

“Right, because you still haven’t taken me home to get the spare key.”

A laugh escaped Logan as he walked around the counter, to pull Emery out of her chair, never un-attaching their fingers. Emery grabbed her bag off the counter and followed behind him all the way until he opened the door of his Wrangler and helped her in.

oooooooo0000oooooooo

 

Logan whipped into the school parking lot and whizzed through the aisles carelessly until he, impressively, came to a stop in front of Darrell’s Mustang.

Emery sighed heavily. “Logan, what the fuck?” She asked, “Did you forget that the spare key is at my house, which you sped past five minutes ago?”

“The spare key isn’t at your house.” Logan admitted, shutting off his Jeep and smirking at Emery. Hopping out of the car he walked over to the Mustang and flipped through the keys on his key chain, until he chose one and entered it into door, and unlocked it.

Emery jumped out of the Jeep and walked over to Logan quickly. Placing her hands on her hips, she stared up at him. “You had the key the whole damn time?”

“Yeah.” Logan shrugged nonchalantly and then wiggled his eyebrows, “Clever huh?”

Emery licked her lips and nodded, “Yeah, real clever.”

Logan opened the car door, “Even though it wasn’t a long time, I had fun with you today.” He said genuinely, shoving his hands into his pockets and looking coyly at Emery as annoying butterflies

Emery nodded, “Me too.”

“We should get ice cream sometime; I know this sick ice cream shop up the road. They’ve got the best ice cream.”

“Really, I haven’t been to an ice cream shop in a long ass time.”

“Because you’re on that Ben n’ Jerry’s shit. I’ll take you to get some real ice cream.” Logan said winking.

Emery grinned, “Alright.”

“Alright.” Logan repeated on a final note. Pulling his hands from out of his pockets he took a step forward and wrapped his arms around Emery drawing her in for a bear hug. Emery’s cheek pressed against Logan’s broad chest and she wrapped her arms around his waist before melting in the hug. She could hear his heart beat thundering inside of his chest and she smiled.

They released each other at the same time and took a step back. The crooked smile on Emery’s face didn’t stray as she noticed that Logan donned one similar to hers. He scratched his head and his hair that appeared to be golden in the sun ruffled slightly.

Licking his bottom lip and looking Emery directly in the eye he said, “I’ll see you tomorrow, right?”

Emery nodded, “Yep- of course.”

Logan grinned and ran his tongue over his top teeth. “Okay then. Bye.”

Emery nodded, and watched his walk back to his Jeep. When he got in he waved and Emery’s heart melted. The innocent look on his face- the small grin, the cocked eyebrow, and the motion of the hand that had touched her thigh and held her hand. Emery smiled and turned to get in the Mustang, waiting for the door to close before she squealed.

oooooooo0000oooooooo

 

“So Comet. I think he likes me. I think.” Emery said, laying flat on her bed with a big grin on her face. “I mean, he held my hand, he touched my thigh, he listened… But that could just means he wants to have sex with me… He does talk about that quite frequently, but whatever, I wouldn’t mind. He’s got a nice body.” Emery giggled and rolled over on her stomach. “Make It Nasty is actually working. I’m getting closer and closer to making Logan Isley mine, and you know what, Comet?”

Emery stared down the orange cat that blinked in response, “Before the end of summer break, Logan will be my boyfriend. Actually I could have him before the end of the school year, which is in like two weeks. How much you wanna bet? No toys for a week...” Emery paused and surveyed her cat, and for the first time she noticed that she was actually conversing with her cat. Sighing heavily, she rolled onto her back and whispered, “I think I’m officially insane.”

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make It Nasty

©AwardedEmmy

2012

 

TO: comettotherescue@gmail.com

FROM: j.l.is@gmail.com

Talk to me...

-----

TO: j.l.is@gmail.com

FROM: comettotherescue@gmail.com

        Omg. Really? It's been like five months! I thought after I told you my mom took away your phone you wouldn't want to talk anymore.... I'm sorry about leading you on... IM me..

-Alisha

-----

j.l.is: ... I wasn't going to, but I figured you were nice company so we could keep talking.. What even happened?

comettotherescue: I got into some trouble with my mom and she didn't know what to do with me. So she sent me to boarding school.

j.l.is: Forreal. Damn. I can't believe I never got to meet you... We should skype sometime?

comettotherescue: Nope.... I don't have a webcam.... I wish I hadn't put off the phone swap thing... I really wanted to meet you.

j.l.is: Yeah, I wanted to meet you too. Oh well.

----

Chapter 12

Logan Isley's tongue poked out of the corner of his mouth as he struggled to fit into his shoulder pads.

Damn. He could tell he was bulking up and that fact brought a small smile to his face. He didn't want to get too swollen, but he needed a little bit more muscle. Opening his athletic locker a little bit more he eyed himself in the mirror and lifted an eyebrow as he cocked his head to the side. His light brown eyes tracked to the muscles on his stomach and he pursed his lips as he traced the side of his stomach with his fingers. Excitement began to bubble inside of him as it dawned on him that after football practice he had an appointment to get his tattoo.

He already had it planned out. He wanted a bold feather-like print on the side of his stomach with a snake slithering through it. He'd been planning this tattoo since he was fifteen, but he had always had a slight obsession with tattoos and when he wasn't playing football or hanging out with Darrell he was designing his tattoos.

He wanted a sleeve, but had no idea what the hell to put in it. Usually people had incredibly deep meanings to their tattoos, but Logan really didn't have anything he was passionate about... Except football.

He rubbed his chin before closing his locker and fitting his black mesh net practice jersey over his head. Sitting on the concrete bench pulling his foot up he tied his cleat and then the other before jumping up and heading out of the locker room and onto the field.

The lush green grass bent softly under his cleats as he jogged slowly onto the field and towards his teammates. He was praying today wouldn't be as grueling as every other day, but he knew football at Freemont was competitive as fuck meaning that there was never an easy practice.



He reached the field and paused next to Dixon Hornet, a junior. "What's going down this weekend?" He asked while throwing his right arm over his chest and gripping it in order to stretch.

"Uh. Nothing... Aye, you eighteen yet?" Dixon asked, cocking an eyebrow and imitating Logan's stretch.

Logan nodded, "As of today. October eighteenth." He replied with a big smirk on his face.

"Think you can buy me some cigs?" Dixon asked, his deep blue eyes widening in hope.

Logan laughed, "Nah man." His voice although covered by a laugh, was completely serious. For two very important reasons did he turn down Dixon's request. One, it was his first day of being a legal adult; there was no way in hell he was about to go and do something illegal. Two, Logan's first rule of being an athlete is do not- under any circumstances, fuck around with drugs- now he didn't include alcohol in that rule, but he knew it was all just the same. Logan stayed far away from cigarettes and marijuana. No matter how tempting either of the two sounded based on peer review, he didn't want to do anything that could cause an addiction and poorly effect his future. He drank alcohol when he partied- he knew it was just as bad, but to him it was safer than anything else.

Dixon's nose crinkled slightly, "Why not man? I'll pay you double. I just need a pack. I'm dying here."

"I'm not about to buy a little minor cigarettes." Logan said laughing; he was pleased with the fact that he could finally tease people because they were minors. "And yeah you are dying..." He trailed off before switching his arms and looking off into the distance of the field.

Dear Lord it was his senior year. After four years of battles on the field he stood on, the end was approaching rapidly- unless they made it to state- which he had complete confidence that they would, the end of his career as high school football player was ending in just a few short weeks.

"So, what are you doing for your birthday?" Dixon asked awkwardly, bouncing back from the rejection quickly.

Logan sighed heavily and shrugged. His mom was in New York doing her thing as a clothing designer, his dad was in Beijing working hard on a new action film, and Darrell was in San Diego doing a show.... On a school night, and Emery... Where the hell was Emery? "Nothing man." Logan said with a shrug.

"What?!" Dixon asked in outrage. "You are eighteen. Your ass needs to be celebrating!"

Logan chuckled, "That's why I was looking to do something this weekend."

"You just need a fine ass chick to come over." Dixon told him, he sighed, "That's all I want for my eighteenth birthday- hell very birthday." He added then laughed, "Speaking of fine ass chicks. Where did your best friends little sister go?" Logan frowned, previously his full attention hadn't been awarded to Dixon, but with the words of ‘best friends little sister' he had to start listening. "I remember being a little skeptical about her since she was always so weird looking wearing dudes clothes and all, but towards the end of last year she started showing off those legs. Whoo." Dixon blew out a breath, "I'd love it if you told me where I could find her." Logan didn't say anything, just fixed his glare on Dixon. Dixon was unaware of Logan's death gaze as he continued to speak, "I saw she started hanging around you quite a bit..." Dixon said trailing off and looking at Logan questioningly.

"Yeah we chilled, but we've always been around each other, so it was nothing." Logan replied, but judging by the pang that resounded throughout his chest he meant the opposite of what he told Dixon.

"Was her name Emily or Emery? Emery huh?" Dixon asked, Logan nodded. "Emery... Emery Johnson? Cute name. I'm gonna have to look her up."

Logan scoffed, "She doesn't have a phone or anything." Logan told him. Grimacing at the embarrassing memories of him attempting to coax that information out of Darrell.

"How do you know that?" Dixon inquired curiously.

"She's my best friends little sister. I know shit okay?" He paused and fixed Dixon with a hard glare. "And when she comes back.." Whenever she comes back. "Don't try to fuck." He warned in a dark voice.

Dixon smirked, "Who said I was trying to do that?" The smug look on his face betrayed any accountability.

Logan fixed Dixon with a stern face and then turned and walked away. He was sick of talking about Emery, but mostly he was sick of thinking about Emery. She was on his mind all day everyday and he couldn't understand why. It's not like she was his girlfriend who just up and disappeared. Seriously, why did he care that she decided to leave five months ago? The only reason why he felt that he should sympathize for her surprising disappearance was because Darrell had struggled with her absence... But Logan knew that he was having a hard time without Emery simply because he'd developed feelings for her- like deep feelings in just two short weeks.

It was weird for him to think about, but since it was constantly on his mind, he figured, why not just delve into the deeper meanings behind his loss of Emery. He always had thought that she was cute. When he first moved to Los Angeles from New York at nine years old, she was the first girl he had a crush on. She was tiny, cute, and friendly- but then she got kind of weird and started wearing boys clothes and he- just like Dixon, became a skeptic at just how ‘cute' she could be. So his crush on her kind of ended. Then he became friends with Darrell, her twin brother.

On the first day they'd agreed to be friends, because yes, their friendship started out as an agreement, Darrell laid down a very firm line.

"Logan, as long as we are friends, you can't like my sister."

"Why not?" Logan questioned, trying his hardest not to let on that he already kind of liked her.

Darrell shrugged, "Because that would be weird if she liked you too and then you guys started making out all the time." Darrell gagged, "If you're going to be my friend, I don't want to see that... Ever."

Logan had truly wanted to be Darrell's friend so he agreed to those terms, because Logan had transferred to Freemont Elementary in the middle of the fifth grade, making friends was tough and because he wasn't an appealing child and kind of shy, approaching others to even attempt to befriend them was harder. So when Darrell came up to him on the playground and said,

"Look, you don't have any friends and I feel bad for you because I don't either... So, let's be friends."

Logan gleefully accepted and he'd do anything to stay friends with Darrell. Darrell had been his only friend for a long time. When his parents decided to jet out of town whenever, Logan would stay at the Johnson's residence. When Logan was lonely, he would go to the Johnson's. Inside of the Johnson's house there was stability- even though Dennis was usually doing stuff with music, and Eden was a little strict... Stability- he hadn't had much of at all and he wouldn't dare fuck up having even though inside of the Johnson household there was Emery. That's why for six years, he'd reduced her to ‘Darrell's Little Sister'. He feared that saying her name would open up a new world for comfort and he didn't want to be comfortable with Emery.

The minute that he did say her name- a whole new world opened up and Logan did in fact become comfortable maybe a little bit too comfortable? If only she hadn't started acting so weird in May. Then he wouldn't be thinking about her all of the time. He started feeling for her- and he thinks, that perhaps she might have had some feelings for him as well? And back in May he was ready to test those feelings, but he had no idea how to approach her on what he was feeling for her. The first week of their flirting had been fine, but the second week after the storage closet, when he'd almost thrown caution to the wind and done things he'd probably cherish but regret today, he had to take a step back.

He had to remember the promise that he had made with Darrell. As stupid and as juvenile as that promise was, Logan wasn't risking his friendship for anything- even a girl that he really, really liked, but towards the end of the second week, before she disappeared, he was about to confront her on her motives and his resurfaced feelings, but what did she do?

She poofed. Emery had left and here Logan was a quarter into senior year trying to figure out how he felt about the entire situation. The last time he saw her, he had rejected her. His disposition today was because of his inability to take control five months ago. What could he have done though? He was intensely uncomfortable with the events that had transpired between them, but after he'd titled that bottle to his lips he'd regretted it more than he'd regretted anything in his life. His logic for taking that drink was simple- he didn't want their first kiss to be a game. He had wanted to kiss her every day that they were near each other for two weeks and yet, he held off, why would he kiss her because of some kiddy game? More importantly, why did she get pissed off with him because of it? How come she couldn't see the logic?

How come he couldn't have just grabbed her and explained it all to her and then did what they clearly had both wanted him to do.

God, he really missed her. Where she was, he didn't know. When she was coming back was unknown as well. She'd left the morning after the bonfire and Logan couldn't help feeling that it was his entire fault. If he had just taken her into that tent and explained his feelings for her...

The sparkle in her light brown eyes was what he remembered the best and the longer he thought about those eyes, the quicker an involuntary smile spread across his lips. He began to lightly jog in place as he remembered how warm she was every time they were near each other and that day that he'd ‘kidnapped' her... He still yearned to take her out for some ice cream.

Ugh, he was becoming miserable thinking about her. The only thing that made him feel right was football which he was working his ass off for. She told him to play the best he could and so everyday he showed up to practice to play his heart out so that when she came back he could impress her.

A cheeky grin spread across his face when he thought about how impressed she'd be if he showed her the college he was recruited to and then took off his shirt and showed her his new tattoo. Oh, she'd like that.

The grin was wiped off his face by the sound of the whistle blowing and he knew it was time to get down to business. He was shooting for- top schools for football and he wasn't going to get recruited thinking about his best friends little sisters.

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

J.l.is: I haven't IM'ed someone since like sixth grade. Lol.

Comettotherescue: I know me either... This is weird... So, what's going on?

J.l.is: I'm having chick trouble...........

Comettotherescue: Oh... What's the problem...?

J.l.is: So this girl... She's new in town, and she's interested in me right...?

Comettotherescue: Okay.

J.l.is: This is weird... I've never talked to someone about stuff like this.

Comettotherescue: It's not that bad.

J.l.is: Okay, so she likes me. But I like someone else.

Comettotherescue: Oh, so you feel bad because you'll have to let her down?

J.l.is: That's not it. She's sexy, but the other girl that I like and I aren't on the same level right now, I want to wait for the other girl, but the new girl....

Comettotherescue: I'd go for the new girl... There is no point in waiting around for someone... Besides, maybe the girl you liked first will end up really jealous and you can have two girls fight over you... Ooo.

J.l.is: That's evil. What's going on in your world?

Comettotherescue: I'm at some private school for girls in London... Cool huh?

J.l.is: Not really... Why are you there?

Comettotherescue: My mom wants me to learn some manners and this is the best she could do because there was no way in hell I was really going to listen to her... That sounds awful huh?

J.l.is: Your mom wants to teach you that good.

Comettotherescue: EW, you're starting to sound like someone I know. :p

J.l.is: Haha okay? What do you think of London?

Comettotherescue: It's okay... Besides girls what else is new in your life. It's been a month since we first started talking again... Tell me stuff I'm really lonely over here. My brother doesn't call he just emails me every week.

J.l.is: I will tell you later I gotta go.

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

Logan sat on the floor of his best friend Darrell's bedroom with his phone between his hands. His back was against Darrell's footboard and his eyes were adverted towards the screen of the TV on the wall across from him, between his hands was his phone; he was waiting for Cassidy to text him back.

His girlfriend, Cassidy Crenshaw had a poor habit of losing her phone in the middle of conversations. If there was one thing that irritated him about her, it was that, mostly because- maybe it was his imagination, but she seemed to conveniently lose her phone every time he wanted to hang out. They'd been dating for exactly four weeks and she was still uncomfortable being out in public with him. Cassidy was- kind of shy, when they first started talking she rarely said anything- it was all him, but he'd finally got her to start talking more freely, and now she was nervous about hanging out.

He sighed out loud causing Darrell to turn to him from where he sat on the floor beside Logan.  "What's going on with you?"

Logan sighed and ran his fingers through his chestnut hair and shrugged, "I've just never been with a girl so awkward."

"Then why the hell are you with her?" Darrell questioned, "You've known each other for about two months... Why?"

"Because she has a body that contradicts that personality."

"No shit? But, have you gotten any?"

Logan sighed again and shook his head, "Nah man."

"Then... why does her body even matter if she's holding out? Are you waiting?"

Logan's shoulders went up and down as he twisted his phone around in his hands, "Cuz, I can teach her how to act around me. I ain't waiting for shit."

"You know, I've never seen her."

"That's because you're always doing that online school shit." Logan accused.

Darrell laughed a little, "I gotta graduate." He replied.

Logan nodded, "I know what you mean."

It was silent for a second before Darrell cleared his throat. "My sister is coming back in a few weeks for Christmas."

Logan's eyes widened slightly as he bit his bottom lip anxiously, but toned it down and asked, "Really?" His voice was casual and he was glad Darrell didn't catch that moment of excitement.

Darrell nodded, "Yeah. She had to finish a semester at Mayfield and Hobbs, but she'll be back soon."

Logan laughed. "Are you excited?"

Darrell looked at his friend and nodded, "Yeah I miss my sister a lot." He smirked, "But you miss her too."

Logan was careful not to allow his eyes to widen as he nodded, "Of course I do." But of course she chose to return after he found himself in a relationship. Just then an orange fur-ball stationed himself next to Logan's side. "Aw, your sister's cat." He said, looking at the cat that was basically hissing at him, like he knew about the rejection that he'd served Emery. The cat seemed to come and hiss at him every time he was over, which was often, but never before had Logan realized how thin the cat had become. He frowned. "It looks hungry."

"I don't see why, I feed it every morning."

"Is that it?"

Darrell nodded and looked at the cat, "Yeah... Why?"

"What the fuck man? How would you like to be fed once a day in the morning?" Logan replied turning and rolling his eyes at his friend. "This is your sister's cat."

"You care more about that cat and the fact that it's my sisters than I do..." Darrell said trailing off and giving Logan a suspicious look. Secretly, he despised the fact that Logan had found himself a girlfriend, he knew that it would be upsetting to Emery to find out that Logan had moved on. He was still unclear about what happened between them that caused her to go off on their mother, but whatever it was it was just a minor fight. She'd probably come back and expect to fall right back in with Logan, but now Logan had a girlfriend.

Logan sighed as his phone buzzed in his hands, he looked down at it and read the text message that came and smirked, "Ah, she's finally ready to come over and I'm not planning on pulling anything..." Logan paused after saying his thoughts aloud.

"Don't want her to think it's all about that sex?" Darrell questioned with a raised eyebrow

"Exactly, I need her around me." He paused again and sighed, "Anyways, I got to go. I'll see you later man." He stood up as the cat pawed his legs. "Oh, and I'm taking this cat, you negligent ass. What's its name again?"

"Comet, and bro, please take it, I don't want that. I hate cats and keep it if you want; Emery is always talking to it and shit. Please, keep it."

Logan laughed and scooped up the cat, "I'll see you later man."

As Logan climbed into his car and released the cat in the passenger seat, he sighed, he'd never really liked cats either. He was only taking Comet for the sake of Emery. Even after getting a girlfriend, he was still unable to escape the feelings that he had for Emery, which was really awful, and the news of her arrival sucked even more. How was he going to suppress feelings for Emery while he had her cat? He hit the steering wheel of his jeep and growled, "What the fuck is wrong with me?" He asked looking over at the cat in the passenger seat; it took his a second to realize that he, just like Emery, was speaking to the cat, "What the hell." He said, and then shifted the car into drive; he needed to get away from Darrell's house before he would return the orange cat to starve.

 

Make It Nasty

©AwardedEmmy

2012

Chapter 13

The do's and don'ts of being a proper woman:

-Don't speak unless spoken to.

-Do talk lightly- pare down sentences to short sweet replies.

-Don't talk back. Dull your tongue. A proper woman is always quaint- never headstrong.

-Do wear a pleasant smile every passing second- bare no teeth.

-Don't use profanity.

"What the fuck is this?" Emery asked aloud in horror, picking up her final review guide and flipping to the cover. In pink script there were the words 'Final Exam for Women' and Emery scoffed as she flipped the pamphlet closed and laid it down on her wooden desk.

Where was the calculus? The physics? The rhetorical devices? What kind of final exam was this? Had it been approved? Emery sighed and shook her head. It was London, there were so many things that they did different from America, she couldn't even keep track. Yet, a test with no core subjects to review was so far beyond not normal anywhere.

Standing up from her rickety wooden desk, Emery crossed her small dorm and peered out of the medium sized square window- out into the overcast mist of London and she sighed.

Beautiful as it was, the circumstances that forced her to be in London, didn't allow much joy in anything that Emery was to see or do. Visiting under alternate circumstances- ones more desirable would have changed Emery's mind completely on just how melancholy the city was.

Thank God she would only be staying another few weeks. The month was December- the month of final exams and Emery was pleased that she would be able to return home. After much complaining and promises- and pleading with her mother, Emery was to be removed from Mayfield and Hobbs and would go home to finish her senior year at Freemont, but only under one condition was it possible- only if she resumed beauty pageants could she come home. She would do it if she had to, she was just ready to leave.

Emery had learned from the experiences she'd had over the last six month period, but her mother hadn't learned a thing. The woman hadn't even considered anything from the one incident in May. She would immediately force Emery back into the world of pageants without thinking about Emery's reason for hating them in the first place. That didn't shock Emery, but instead made her sad.

In the six months that Emery had spent in London. She couldn't kick the depression that she felt. Although she was upset about being away from home- it was the events that transpired between her and her mother that sat in the pit of her heart and made her weep to herself before falling asleep.

She still doesn't know what she should've expected from her callous mother. A hug? An apology perhaps? How could someone give life to another human being and not protect him- or repent for failing in doing so? How could a person overlook the fact that her daughter was being violated right underneath her very nose? How could a person not love a child?

How could her dad not say anything at the breakfast table the next day as his wife announced she was sending their only daughter away? How could he not even say goodbye?

How could people treat someone they carried for nine months and provided for, for seventeen years as though she was just a dog...? Even though Emery was sure a dog would be treated much better in the Johnson household than she was.

Why did she even want to go back? What was the point? Pageants? Birthday balls? Facades?

Emery rested her forehead on the frosty glass and watched as her breath fogged up the window with each exhale.

Although she didn't enjoy the snooty nature of the girls at the school, who seemed to be under the impression that being educated to be a housewife was more superior than anything else, Emery had learned a thing or two from her experiences. Emery couldn't see herself being anyone's wife- and if she could, she would never see herself being a housewife. But that must be what her mother had envisioned for her. It's all laid out in a plan that Eden seems to have and will force her daughter to adhere to.

But Emery had learned. She would never be able to follow the do's and don'ts of being a proper woman- never. But she would cook.

A part of the 'woman training' was learning how to cook. Measurements, ingredients, and most importantly recipes- Emery had found that she actually enjoyed cooking though Mayfield and Hobbs. If there was anything she would take from the all girls' school, it would be her new found passion for cooking and baking.

Emery pushed herself away from the window pane and tugged on the itchy pink wool sweater that was a little too snug for comfort as she went to sit back down at her desk.

She had her plane tickets bought two weeks in advance, because she was so anxious to go home. She missed Darrell. She missed Trenise and Chelsea. She missed Comet... She even sort of missed Logan.

During her time at the academy, Emery had a lot of time to reflect over her relationship with Logan. And soon enough she decided it was all just physical attraction. From the first day she met him she believed that his shyness was cute and as he developed into a man her attraction for him blossomed.

According to the Internet, purchasing 'Make It Nasty' and attempting to act on her attraction to Logan Isley was all because of her hormone surge along with the aid of being sexually abused as a child. It made sense to her; she was using Logan as a target to take out her sexual frustrations due to pent up anger.

Pitiful.

If anything she was glad the separation from Logan had occurred because she would have thrown everything out of the window in order to be with him. Hindsight leaves her feeling disgusted and ashamed by her actions in May.

In retrospect, she now realizes that she never really even had a crush on Logan- aside from feelings she felt before he grew up.

But that didn't matter- he didn't return any of those supposed crush-like feelings anyway. Thinking back to all of their interactions- its clear that he just wanted the same thing from her that she wanted from him- sex. No relationship. Just sex.

Why? How could a few childhood issues lead her to feeling so bad about who she had turned herself into. God, she had changed so much. Starting with the clothes- which she would have to keep wearing to please her mother now- and ending with that 'seductive' attitude.

That wasn't Emery Alisha Johnson.

'Make It Nasty' was a mistake, and if it had gone through- friendships would have been destroyed as well as dignities.

Emery was sure in her mind that upon her arrival in California things were going to be different. She couldn't- wouldn't, act upon her attraction to Logan Isley- because that's all that was, attraction and there are plenty of men in the world who she can be attracted to who will not only return the attraction, but there will be something more with them as well.

There wasn't really 'anything more' with Logan Isley.

The burnt orange ball made it through the hoop and a resounding bounce echoed through the quiet neighborhood park as Logan came back down from his dunk. The rim made a creaking noise as it vibrated, recovering from Logan's weight. He bent down and swooped up the ball mid dribble and bounced it back to Darrell who stood waiting on the court a little distance away.

"You think you're so cool cuz you can play some ball." Darrell said shaking his head.

Logan just chuckled for response as he prepared to block Darrell's attempts at making a basket. The two skirted around the court for about twenty seconds before the sound of Logan's tech-like ringtone sounded out on the bench right off the court. Logan walked off the court, not even saying time out, allowing Darrell to make a basket.

Darrell cussed out Logan with his usual colorful vocabulary and Logan rolled his eyes as he chuckled, "It's my girl man." He notified Darrell.

Darrell rolled his eyes, not particularly fond in Logan's choice of girlfriends. She was too sweet. He hated that, she was never sarcastic and was always pretending like she was innocent, but he didn't believe her personality. She was familiar to him.

When he first met her he couldn't help feeling like he had known her from somewhere else. He shook off the feeling, congratulated his boy on finding a hottie even if she wouldn't put out and had a weird schedule- and he moved on with his life. But the suspicious feeling never strayed from him. Of course he wouldn't tell his best friend that his girl unnerved him.

"What? You gonna ditch me cuz your girl can chill...? For once."

It took forever for Logan to reply, "Naw." He said simply.

Darrell shook his head and rolled his eyes. He was already anxious to know how his sister would feel about Logan's new girlfriend when she got back home, he hoped she wouldn't be too upset, but Logan was beginning to act like Cassidy was the best thing walking around here.

Just wait until Emery gets back. Darrell smirked, but it immediately turned into a frown. How would Logan react to Emery? He's so stupid he would probably end up ruining both of those relationships.

Darrell shook his head at his best friend, he was happy for him, just kind of skeptical at the same time. He constantly wondered why Logan was even sticking around that girl, but decided against contemplating it too far. All Darrell knew was that Logan still- thoughtlessly, of course-constantly brought Emery up in conversation.

Weird ass kid.

"Well shit, you've stopped our game so many times I've lost score. Might as well just call it a game." Darrell said, picking up his overused dirty ball and walking over to the bench. He sat down, the cold and damp metal froze his ass through his sweatpants and he sighed in discontent as he picked up his own cell phone.

The first few new messages on his phone were from a few girls who were trying their hardest to charm him and the last was from his father.

[Come down to the studio.]

Darrell scowled at his phone before turning it off. He was sick of his parents.

"What's wrong with you?" Logan questioned sitting down on the bench as well.

"Man, I'm tired of music." Darrell replied honestly, "I'm so done with it." Darrell rubbed the corner of his eye as he yawned.

"Why?"

He sighed, "I always knew my dad didn't really care about my sister... But after he consigned on sending her away like," Darrell paused and watched his cold breath dissolve into thin air before he continued, "I've just felt different about music."

Logan nodded in understanding.

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to his office right now and I'm quitting."

Logan's eyebrows shot up ad he nodded again. "You make the right decision for you, dude."

"It is right, I mean damn. What kind of people raised me?" Darrell asked as he leaned forward on the bench, his elbows resting on his kneecaps. Logan imitated his actions and listened, he never really knew Darrell's take on important situations. Darrell was usually reserved, so when he spoke about something, it meant he was feeling strongly about the situation. "I'm just so mad."

And that was it. Logan couldn't sigh in disappointment at his friend's ineptitude to express his true feelings, because really? What guy was going to sit and bitch and moan about family problems? So, his last sentence was enough, and Logan understood.

"I'd be too." Logan agreed and then scoffed, who was he kidding? He was mad too. Darrell was right, what kind of people raised him?

"So that's what I'm going to do... Then I'm getting Emery from the airport. Wanna come?"

Logan did- really did, but he shook his head, "I shouldn't, you guys probably have a lot of catching up and shit to do. Family stuff."

Darrell laughed, "You are family, I'm sure Emery would want you to be at the airport with me." Darrell hinted, cocking an eyebrow.

Logan didn't catch it- why would he? What was Darrell doing trying to get his best friend and twin sister together? It'd be a disaster if he got involved. Besides, Logan was already dating someone, so technically it was too late. If only he'd been at that spin-the-bottle, stuff would've gone down differently.

"Nah man I'll come over tomorrow or something."

Darrell nodded and stood up from the bench. "Alright, see ya."

Logan nodded his acknowledgment and leaned back on the seat.

So Emery was coming home...?

Shit, well, what the hell was he going to do now?

First class, round trip, more hours than countable on Emery's two hands, and Emery had arrived back at LAX and was patiently waiting for Darrell. Without a phone, she was unaware about her brother's whereabouts, but that didn't stop her from proceeding through baggage claim, retrieving her maroon and black luggage.

After eleven hours on a plane, she'd acquired a massive headache. The only way she could think to relieve it was squeezing her eyes closed repeatedly, but that was barely doing its job. She couldn't wait to get home, get a glass of water, cuddle with Comet; a small smile arrived on her face as she thought of Comet. She pondered if he'd changed much since her departure. She frowned, hoping he'd stayed the same.

Not realizing she was still practicing her headache reliever, through one of the lapses, Emery caught sight of a tall male figure standing before her. He wore a navy blue coat, a clean pair of white sneakers in which light blue jeans were tucked into. Emery grinned as she recognized the short tight curls on top of the man in front of hers head.

"What the hell were you doing?" Darrell questioned, referring to the way she was attempting to alleviate her headache. Emery didn't respond, instead she stepped into him and wrapped her arms around his trunk, he followed suit, and Emery only hugged him tighter.

She couldn't form words; every part of her was focused on the thrill of being back home. No more snobby stay-at-home-mom-to-bes'. No more dreary days. No more being completely alone. Where her body was cold, and not just from the frosty December air, she was instantly warmed. The part of her that felt desolate was instantly dissipated with the reunion of her twin brother. He hugged her tighter, obviously feeling the same warm connection that she did as he gave her a light peck on the top of her head.

"I passed my finals." Emery told Darrell, as they flew down the freeway in Darrell's Mustang. "I aced them, they were bullshit. I passed every class. That punk-ass school didn't teach me shit."

Darrell laughed, "You're cursing more." He noted.

Emery frowned, "I'm not."

"You are."

Emery scowled, "Fuck you."

"See what I mean?" Darrell asked loudly and Emery laughed.

"Fine, I am, but it's not on purpose. I cursed a lot in frustration over there. That school was so- UGH!" She sank in her seat, her hair caught on the fabric so she slid back up. "I'm so glad to be home!"

"Tell me about it on a real level."

Emery crossed her arms over her chest, "Bitches over there were acting like we reverted back to the fifties. Do your hair like this, talk to men like this, smile like-,"

"They were telling you how to smile?"

Emery nodded frantically, "Yes, oh my gosh, I saved almost every single thing I got from that school, I'm going to show you. If you didn't believe me-,"

"I have, only Eden would send you to some stupid shit like that."

Emery frowned slightly and leaned into her seat, turning her full attention towards her brother, "Eden?"

Darrell looked over at Emery at nodded nonchalantly, "Yeah."

"Eden?"

"Do you want me to call her mom?"

Emery's frown deepened, "Well- why wouldn't you? What happened? What did she do?"

"Nothing to me. It's what she did to you. Dennis too."

"Dennis. Look at Darrell, calling his parents by their first names." She teased.

"I'm serious, they aren't my parents anymore. I'm done. I applied to a couple colleges, I'm gonna make it on my own, come May, I'm out of there."

Emery sighed, "You have it easy, you'll be gone half the time with your rapping thing. I'm stuck doing fucking pageants because I decided to come home now. Life's rough." Darrell didn't respond to what she said and Emery studied him carefully for a second before asking, "Darrell, what happened? For real?"

Darrell sighed, "I'm not rapping anymore."

"Oh." That was all Emery could say, she'd watched Darrell dream of being a rapper every since he knew what music was. "Why not?"

"I just, I don't know what's wrong with them." He shook his head in annoyance, and ran his free hand over his curls, "But, whatever, I've decided to be like you, I'm a little late though." He paused again and then belted out, "Fuck them!" Emery's eyebrows shot up, "I wanted to rap because I wanted to be like dad, but not anymore. I am so sickened by those two. I just-," He stopped talking as they exited the freeway.

Emery blinked, "So- did you ever really like rapping?"

Darrell was quiet in thought then he shook his head, "Nah, I guess not. It was cool getting girls and being known and shit, but eh-," He shrugged, "I like music, I'm good at it, but I don't want to even-, I want to be completely separated from those two. Both of us. We need to get the hell out of there, before something bad happens."

Emery's eyes widened at her brothers words, "Uh-,"

"Okay. Not that far." Darrell hadn't even had to look at her to know what she was thinking. "But I'm serious."

"It's illegal. You're still a minor?"

"So- I don't give a fuck."

Emery nodded, "Did you tell dad- um- Dennis?"

Darrell snorted, "Yeah, and that asshole had the nerve to tell me I wasn't done with music just because I was done with him. He said it like he didn't give a fuck that I no longer wanted to be considered his son, but instead he was more concerned with the music? I don't understand what the hell is wrong with those two at all."

Emery shrugged, "What does he mean you're not done?"

"I have no idea, but he said, 'you can't just walk out on something that's gonna stick to you forever', and I was like fuck you." Darrell paused, "Okay, I didn't say that, but I thought it. I just walked out."

Emery laughed at her brother's rage toward their parents as they neared their community. "They won't be home tonight will they?"

Darrell shrugged, "Probably will be, they've been home a lot lately. I don't really understand why?"

"They're attempting to perpetrate probably. Is someone important questioning their family values?"

Again Darrell shrugged, "No clue."

Everything was as it had been left back at home. Same clutter on the desk, same spotless floor, and same closet clogged with clothes that she'd used to attempt to seduce Logan. Emery scoffed aloud as she ran her fingers through the clothes kind of nostalgically. She bit her lip and rolled her eyes, what had she been thinking?

At least she could avoid seeing Logan, by staying pent up inside her room every time he decides to visit. No. That wouldn't work; he still felt it was acceptable to attempt to go into her room.

But why would he even try to go into her room now? Emery sighed, memories of that night in May came flooding back into her brain and she groaned aloud. He rejected her and she acted like a completely unstable bitch.

She'd need to apologize about that- that was a very bad note to leave on. At least he understood the way she felt, but did he care?

Did she care?

Emery shook her head, being back in Los Angeles- close to Logan, was messing with thoughts she'd fought to stabilize.

"Okay, Comet, remind me from now on. No more Logan Isley thoughts." She said out loud running her fingers through her dark hair. She grinned realizing she was falling back into old habits.

Only something was off. It was eerily quiet. Emery knew when Comet was around, whether it was the sound of his claws lightly tapping on the hardwood floors of the house, or his constant meows that- in Emery's mind, signaled that he understood her.

Emery frowned and called the name of her beloved cat repeatedly. After waiting somewhere around two minutes and not hearing him come, she pursed her lips and started to wander the house in search of her cat. A slow panic began to settle in as she realized that she couldn't hear Comet and weirdly enough, she couldn't feel his presence either.

Downstairs in the kitchen, Emery encountered Darrell and she sighed going to him and watching him carefully she noted the nervous expression on his face and she asked slowly attempting to make her voice sound even, but she heard a tremble of fear, fear for her cats life. "Where is Comet?"

Darrell leaned up from the counter and looked away from his phone, he blinked at her as if seeing her for the first time and Emery rolled her eyes because she could see guilt all over his face. With all the fake-nonchalance in the world he replied simply with, "At Logan's."

Emery turned her head and bit her knuckle. In all the emails they'd exchanged, she hadn't known her precious baby was at Logan's house.

Logan's house. Out of all the places, anyone would have been better.

Better than Logan.

Logan had Comet, which meant...

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Emery was not ready to see Logan. Even though she wanted her baby back, she was not prepared to be faced with the guy she spent seven months getting over. Why the hell was he at Logan's house in the first place?

Emery voiced her last question out loud and Darrell chuckled easily as if the reason was a light joke. This was Emery's cat and he was acting like it was nothing. Emery fumed. "Apparently, I suck at cat sitting and he could do a better job."

Emery shook her head at her brother, "Oh my God, you asshole, just letting my cat-,"

"Hey! Before you start blaming me for what you probably think was a poor decision, I would like to let you know that your cat is probably well fed and fat off of love or some shit at Logan's. So you should be thankful I let him take it."

"It?" Emery wanted to scream. She wanted her baby, so bad, but Logan. Fucking Logan Isley. She inhaled deeply as she turned and exited the kitchen before she could exercise violence upon her brother.

Back in her room she rifled through her closet, looking for anything remotely warm to wear unfortunately all she had to wear were skinny jeans or sweatpants. She huffed, deciding on the black skinny jeans, she pulled them on and wiggled around a bit. They fit perfectly, she smiled, realizing she hadn't gained nor lost any weight. Looking for a decent shirt took more time, and multiple times during the search she reprimanded herself for even looking. What was the point anyways?

"I don't like Logan." She told herself.

But she still continued to search her closet until she found a loose bubbly white tank top, she pulled it on over her black push-up, the very one from Victoria Secret's, she smirked, a small one, and then erased it. "Don't think about that. Think about how amazing and long-lasting this damn bra is. Yeah. Good thoughts. No Logan. None of him. Good bras."

She searched some more until she found her dark denim jacket, she shrugged into it and slipped into her red converse, before treading to her bathroom. Looking in the mirror, she instantly reverted back to that day in May in which she'd worn the exact same outfit. The first outfit she wore to impress Logan. She laughed at the fact that she would remember what she wore seven months ago and then she shook her head.

"He's probably ugly as hell now." She told herself and then she laughed, "Ugly brown eyes, ugly brown hair, ugly boy, ugly Logan."

Fluffing up her hair she chewed her lip in nervousness, but stopped herself. "You're not nervous, Emery. Dammit, you're just going to go and get Comet. That's it. He's ugly and you don't like him anyways. So there. Stop being nervous."

Still the butterflies fluttered around like crazy in her stomach. She tried to stop them, but they wouldn't stop. She groaned as she made her way back downstairs, bumping into Darrell on her way. Prepared to give him the cold shoulder, her efforts were thwarted as he started questioning her.

"Where are you going."

'Over to Logan's.'

Don't say that.

"To get my baby." She told him.

"Oh I'm coming too. We should eat there, to avoid those people."

Emery rolled her eyes at her brother's deceitful expression and smiled a little, and then she frowned. Staying would include being around Logan. Being in Logan's house. "Can't. I have to be here tonight."

"Nah, you don't. Let's go. I'll drive."

Emery wanted to fight that, but she rolled her eyes. "Do it for your kitty." She muttered.

Emery got out of passengers seat of Darrell's Mustang and unintentionally slammed the door. Wincing as the thunking noise echoed through the neighborhood, Emery's eyes darted towards Darrell who was glaring at her. She shrugged an apology and then looked towards the small home in front of her. She saw Logan's Jeep and a shiver ran down her spine remembering the times she rode in it. She shook her head.

Comet.

She braced herself, closing and unclosing her fists as she made her way up the dampened from rain path towards his front door. "I'll just say hey and get my cat, then disappear. Somewhere. Oh my gosh."

"Stop talking to yourself." Darrell said coming up behind her. He reached towards the doorbell, but Emery's hands shot up and she karate chopped his arm away from the buzzer.

"I'm not ready." She told him noticing that confused expression on his face.

"For what? It's just Logan..." He smirked, "It's been seven months; please tell me you don't like him still."

Emery glared at Darrell, "I don't." She admitted.

Darrell's eyes widened, "Wait. What?"

"I don't. He's ugly and old news. Small simple crush, I'm over it. British guys were totally hot and-,"

"Logan is half-British. You know that right?"

"Half." Emery seethed.

Darrell rolled his eyes, "Whatever Emery." He said and then reached forward and rung the doorbell.

Emery shrieked and impulsively kicked her brother in the shin, "How could you? I'm not ready." She whined.

Darrell responded with a glare.

Emery crossed her arms underneath her breast and sneered at Darrell.

The front door swung open easily and Emery's eyes slowly slid towards the opening. Her attraction to Logan Isley whooshed back into her system so fast air rushed from her lungs, butterflies returned with a vengeance, and her eyes widened slightly.

Holy shit.

Emery surveyed Logan carefully. He wore a pair of dark denim straight-leg jeans, more loosely than the jeans he used to wear. His signature white tennis shoes were on and Emery frowned, in the comfort of his own home he wore shoes? A baggy red sweatshirt covered his upper-half, it was rolled up to his elbows and Emery saw the makings of a bold black tattoo on his right forearm. Her heart began to pound as her eyes wandered towards his face. His sparklingly topaz gaze held hers and his pink lips held a seductive smirk.

Well, fuck me. She wanted to say it, but the comment wouldn't be treated well in the company of her brother. His eyes dipped, and she followed them, before nervously uncrossing her arms. Tank-tops, push-up bras, and crossed arms don't go together.

"Well, well-,"

"I'm here for my cat." Emery blurted, effectively cutting off Logan and getting right to the point. She couldn't believe what was going on in her body. She needed to sit down. She needed a drink. Her cheeks were hot. She could swear she was sweating. She licked her lips as she looked everywhere but into Logan's eyes.

This was what she didn't want.

She wasn't ready. If he talked to her, it was over. It was so over; she'd be hooked on him until the day she died. Emery licked her lips again and focused her attention on the ground.

"You can go in and find him." She heard Logan say and she nodded as she attempted to walk into his house, but he blocked the path. She wanted to kick him like she did Darrell, but she decided against it. "You could at least say 'hi' to me before trying to go into my house." Logan chided in that wonderfully smooth voice that had her melting. Emery suppressed an irritated groan as she mumbled a greeting. "Wow, that was the lamest fucking 'hi' I've ever gotten in my life."

Emery clenched her fists and looked up in the eyes that she loved to look at, but hated at the same time. "Hi." She forced herself to say it, hoping he couldn't detect the nervousness that laid beneath the words.

He grinned, "Well. Hi. It's nice to see you too Emery after all this time. I even fed your cat and you can't even smile at me?" He teased. Emery looked at him more closely; he was bigger, more muscular, and even taller? Logan was always growing, and stirring up her feelings, at least she didn't get jittery when he said, 'Emery'.

"Oh my God. Hi, Logan." She said, smiling. It wasn't forced, just the simple fact that he said her name had her walking on heaven, but she was so nervous, she wanted to crawl underneath his doormat and die.

"So fake." He said, stepping out of the way allowing Emery entrance into his home. She breezed inside and disappeared around the corner. Logan looked at Darrell and sighed, "What's wrong with her?"

"She's trying to fight her emotions." Darrell said- almost telling on Emery.

Logan frowned, "Why?"

"She doesn't want to seem too excited to be back." Darrell said, and then shrugged.

"Oh." Logan nodded. "Want to come in too or-?"

Darrell smirked, figuring he'd torture his twin sister. His shin was still stinging from her kick, and even his arm was still aching from her karate chop. He nodded, "Sure."

Logan opened the door wider for Darrell's entrance, but before he even had time to close the door, he heard his name being called from outside. He frowned and looked outside, and his eyes widened. "Logan." Cassidy stood outside, looking at him. Green eyes just as wide as his.

"Hey Cass." Logan said, beckoning her over with the arm that wasn't holding the door.

She came closer and stepped into the house, her green eyes slid towards Darrell and she bit her lip nervously. "I didn't know you had company." She said.

"They just stopped by."

Cassidy shifted uncomfortably, "They," She paused, "You mean-," Logan nodded without even waiting for her to clarify who 'they' were.

"What the fuck are you guys doing?" Darrell asked. "Acting all shady."

Cassidy giggled nervously and tucked her raven hair behind her ear. "We're not acting shady."

Darrell rolled his eyes, before staring directly into the jade green eyes of Cassidy. "Yeah you are."

"No-," She shook her head adamantly.

Darrell sighed, kind of annoyed and looked to Logan, "Emery's just getting her cat if ya'll want alone time."

Logan shrugged, "You guys can stay. We don't need to spend time alone."

"What?" Cassidy and Darrell asked at the same time. Logan bit his lip and awkwardly looked down at his phone which was secure in his hand.

Darrell shook his head thinking about Emery, she was going to hit rock bottom. He could tell she was already struggling with the fact that she'd be around Logan again. He bit his lip and his eyes slid to Cassidy, who behind Logan watched him closely. Her hooded eyes carefully scanned him, causing him to gulp in discomfort. What the-? He cleared his throat and adverted his gaze quickly.

"I'm ordering pizza. We all like pizza. Okay? Yeah? Good." Logan nodded, shoved his hands into the pocket on his sweatshirt, and walked out of the room quickly, leaving Darrell in the room with Cassidy.

He'd never felt so uncomfortable in his life, as his best friends girlfriend watched him. Taking a deep breath he looked at her and boldly asked, "What the hell are you looking at?"

"Nothing." Cassidy replied, looking around the foyer anxiously, "Nothing at all. I was just- checking."

"Checking what?" Darrell pushed.

Cassidy shrugged, "Nothing."

"Okay. You're always staring at me. I don't like it."

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"You're dating my best friend." Darrell added, "So cut it out." And then he turned and exited the foyer, trying to maintain calm while practically running for his sister. That suspicious feeling returned and Darrell frowned. Hell no. He wasn't that type of friend.

Emery walked into the kitchen, expecting to meet Logan and Darrell immediately, but instead was greeted by another female as well. She tried to hide her surprise figuring, Logan was Logan, but jealousy coursed through her veins before she could stop it. "Darrell. I got Comet." She said to her brother who was casually leaning over the counter.

Darrell stood up in acknowledgement and looked at Logan who frowned, "I just ordered like- half a pizza shop. You guys have to stay."

Emery scowled. "I'm sleepy from my flight."

"Yeah right." Logan said, "Stay."

Emery looked at Darrell and then at the other female in the room and sighed. She was so pretty. With exotic green eyes, olive skin, and long raven tresses. Her body was perfect, true to the stereotyped Latin curves. Emery hid her jealously well and nodded, "Fine, but don't get all pissy if I knock out on your couch." She said.

Logan nodded, "I won't. I'll just move you to my bed and keep the party going." He said simply. Emery's heart-raced, even though she was trying her hardest to squelch dirty thoughts. Logan continued talking, "But seriously, I hate leftover pizza. It's never good the next day..." He trailed off in thought, and the room was quiet and awkward.

"Logan-," Darrell said then motioned between Cassidy and Emery.

"Oh!" Logan said loudly, then smiled, "I'm so out of it right now... Uh, Ems, this is Cassidy my-," He paused and looked at Cassidy, Emery noted his smile fading slightly.

"Girlfriend." Cassidy piped up, glaring at Logan. "Your girlfriend."

Logan laughed, "Yup." He crossed the kitchen and threw his arm around her shoulder. "My baby." He continued, and then grinned widely.

Emery stared at Logan, baffled, her stomach doing twists and turns, her heart racing, and her throat swelling. She could tell he was avoiding her gaze, he was looking at ceiling, the floor, and the bar stools. Taking a deep frustrated breath, Emery looked into Cassidy's green eyes and smiled. "Hi." She could hear tears in her own voice, and prayed no one else could hear them.

Cassidy replied with a 'hi' as well.

"It was all awkward in here." Darrell said, "Now that everyone knows everyone's name we can eat pizza together." He looked at Logan and shook his head.

Logan frowned, "Oh, my bad."

Emery licked her bottom lip as she clutched Comet closer to her chest; thanking God she had him there with her. Girlfriend? As in... Girlfriend? Emery pursed her lips and shook her head slightly. Since when? She wanted to ask questions, but she wasn't sure how to do it without sounding jealous, so she opted against it, and pouted behind Comet's head. He called her 'Ems' then announced his girlfriend.

Well done, Logan. Well done.

"Aye, how'd that thing go with your dad?" Logan asked Darrell.

Darrell sighed, "He said something about, 'you can't just walk out on something that's gonna stick to you forever' so-,"

Cassidy gasped garnering the attention of everyone in the room. Her eyes were as big as saucers as she licked her bottom lip and pouted. Emery frowned and looked at Darrell who shared her expression, then Emery turned her attention to Logan who was staring at Cassidy with eye's just as wide and shaking his head. He probably though it wasn't noticeable, but Emery saw it.

What the fuck?

"Sorry." Cassidy said, "It's just those words are so telling, you know?"

Darrell nodded slowly, "Yeah..." He trailed off, "Anyway, whatever he thinks is going on isn't going on. I'm done rapping and that's-,"

Cassidy gasped again, "What?!" She belted out, "Done rapping how- why? What? You were so good! Are you stupid? Are you dumb? Darrell, why are you quitting? I don't get it?!"

Darrell took a step back, as though she was approaching him, when all she was doing was yelling at him over the counter. Darrell looked at Emery, Emery looked at Darrell.

"Okay." Darrell said, "Sorry. It's just not for me anymore."

"Not for you?!" Cassidy continued, "But, what about your f-,"

"Cassidy!?" Logan shouted, clapping his hand over her mouth and dragging her from the room so fast Darrell and Emery could easily forget they'd ever been present.

Darrell looked at Emery, Emery looked at Darrell, and Emery said, "I'm so confused."

And Darrell replied, "Yeah, me too."

 

 

 

Make It Nasty

©AwardedEmmy

2012

 

Chapter 15

 

Logan stood with his arms crossed over his chest and his back against the subzero refrigerator door. He was deep in thought; even the delicious aroma of the lasagna and garlic bread baking in the oven couldn’t penetrate his pensive state. He tipped the green tumbler filled with ice cold water to his lips and drank.

“Logan, I don’t really understand what you’re trying to accomplish.” Ryan Isley, Logan’s dad’s brother said, while he poured himself a goblet of scotch. “Like, what are you doing?”

Logan shrugged, “I don’t know.” He mumbled, after bringing the tumbler away from a large sip.

“Well it’s your life, kid.” Ryan continued after watching his nephew pout for a few more seconds. His blue eyes twinkled as he remembered what he felt like when he was caught between being a good friend and doing what he wanted to do. Those were the times.

“I know that.” Logan sighed and ran his free hand over his face and through his chestnut hair. “I just want to do the right thing for Darrell and Cassidy, but it’s really messin’ me up.”

“You can do both.” Tracy, Ryan’s wife, piped up, as she pulled apart hearts of romaine lettuce that would be the side salad for the lasagna dinner.

“But, how?” Logan asked rather loudly in frustration.

“Well first you need to talk to Cassidy.” Ryan advised.

“Yeah, she needs to handle her own business instead of using you.” Tracy said, rolling her eyes, “What even makes her think that Darrell’s going to want your sloppy seconds?”

“She’s not sloppy seconds, we only officially dated for a few weeks-,” Logan paused, “She wouldn’t even let me kiss her.”

“And you kept dating her?” Ryan asked dumbfounded, shaking his head a little.

“She was hot.” Logan replied.

“And you let her break up with you?” Ryan accused shaking his head even more, “Tsk. Tsk.” Ryan joked, hoping to gain a least a hint of a smile from his nephew- Logan didn’t smile.

Tracy’s emerald eyes rolled, “Tomorrow or after dinner, you’re going to need to have a talk with her. Ya hear?”

Logan nodded, “I plan to... But how can I do both? Be a good friend and get what I want? It’s so confusing.”

“Well you-,” Ryan started, Tracey cut him off.

“I think I’m better equipped to deal with relationships.” She said smirking slightly.

Ryan chuckled, “Whatever.”

“Tell the truth. That’s what you need to do. Tell Cassidy what you’re going to do and why. Then just do it.”

Logan sighed, “Okay. I will. But what if she’s not ready?”

“She needs to get ready; she only has a few months left before it’s too late.” Ryan said.

“It’s never too late to notify the father of your child.” Tracy said.

Logan groaned, “I don’t know how the heck I got caught up in this mess.” He said mostly to himself.

He saw a pretty face.

That’s how.

He thought he could get over Emery by jumping into another relationship. He thought that by the time she came back from London he could have already forgotten about all of the feelings he had for her. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. He rushed into a relationship with a girl because she was easy conversation and had an amazing body.

He thought that she was just shy. She rarely hung out with him, and when they did hang out she didn’t hold his hand. He had believed it would take time, but she was pretty. She would open up and cause a great distraction from his best friend’s sister.

That wasn’t the case. Four weeks into the relationship, she ended things with him. He was confused, very confused. He hadn’t done anything wrong. He was a good boyfriend, respectful, kept his hands to himself.

Then she told him she was having Darrell’s baby and he was even more confused. She said she had hoped that by being around him she could gauge Darrell’s personality and see if he would take the news well.

Logan had felt used, but then again he had kind of used her as well. So he agreed to help her get closer to Darrell. Of course pretending that they were still in a relationship wasn’t his idea, but he wanted to help, not for any other reason except the fact that the baby was his best friends and Cassidy was a good girl. He still questions how she could put herself into this sort of situation too.

Still, with Emery being back, and him being in a fake relationship, he couldn’t believe how difficult and stressful his life had become.

Every time he was around Emery he wanted to touch her, hold her, kiss her, and tell her how much he’d really missed her since she’d been gone.

But he couldn’t because he would be betraying his relationship credibility. Even though the relationship was false he had to pretend it was real and it was killing him. 

“I’ll talk to her tomorrow sometime.” He finalized, looking at the leftover ice in his cup and then at his uncle.

“Are you staying here for New Year’s or going to a party?” Ryan asked after acknowledging the fact that Logan probably wouldn’t be home all day tomorrow. Although his brother had supplied Logan with a small house closer to his school, Logan preferred living with his aunt and uncle and spent most of his time at their house.

Logan set the tumbler on the counter and pursed his lips before responding, “Probably going to a party.”

“Don’t drink and drive.”

Logan nodded, he liked the fact that his uncle didn’t preach about not drinking alcohol, but rather cautioned Logan; even though as a lawyer he should have been attempting to curve his nephew from behavior as such. “I won’t… I probably won’t even drink.”

Ryan fixed Logan with a knowing look and Tracy from the kitchen table mumbled, “Sure.” Sarcastically.

Logan chuckled at the skepticism his aunt and uncle displayed then shook his head. He couldn’t believe he considered these people his parents when his actual parents were still very much alive. Didn’t help that he and his uncle were only twelve years apart. So maybe Ryan was like a big brother, but still more fatherly to him than his own father. Who provided money- that was it. And Tracy, who always helped him out with female situations, when his mother provided relationship advice to magazines all the time. Lord knows why- she and her husband rarely see each other.

That’s why he enjoyed his friendship with Darrell- they had similar situations when it came to their parental units. Though he closer relates to Emery in the situation, because by his parents he generally feels unloved- except he had Ryan and Tracy- Emery had no one.

He frowned- it was time to do work.

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

Emery rose early and prepared to meet with her pageant coach, Bailey.

She really liked Bailey, they’d met about six times since their initial meeting and every time they met Bailey had warmth about her that Emery felt comfortable with and when she left Dixon at home, Emery and Bailey seriously bonded. It was almost a mother-daughter kind of bond. She needed that.

They shopped, actually shopped. Bailey didn’t throw clothes at Emery saying, “You’ll wear this on Wednesday… And this to bed.” Instead she showed Emery clothes, and asked her opinion while giving her own opinion. She understood Emery’s tastes. Understood that Emery was more modest than what the normal ‘pageant’ girl was. Emery hadn’t intended to be modest- she blamed part of it on Mayfield and Hobbs- and also on the fact that ‘Make It Nasty’ was stranded in her nightstand drawer, she didn’t need to wear sexy clothes- or anything excessively revealing, and since she wasn’t pursuing Logan she could be herself.

Bailey complimented Emery on the small things, like her choice of jewelry. She liked it. She needed it. She craved it. When Eden tagged along she was usually the third wheel, standing to the side attempting to provide input, but Bailey would excuse her rude comments with something reassuring to Emery.

Emery loved it. For once her mother was the one in the shadows. Emery was actually starting to like the preparation for pageants. She visited the beauty shop and had her hair professionally straightened. It looked luxurious- soft and shiny. She hadn’t cut her hair since she was eight, and usually donned her hair in its natural state- crinkly waves that were a little frizzy; it was long reaching her mid back.

She woke up with a smile on her face days that she knew she was going to be meeting with Bailey and the smile didn’t disappear until the next morning.

Downstairs in the kitchen, she filled her glass with orange juice and leaned across the counter as she languidly sipped.

Darrell entered the kitchen as well and looked at Emery before scratching his head, his short tight curls ruffled beneath his fingers as he grunted.

“You look like shit.” Emery noted.

He sniffed before grunting again and heading for the refrigerator, “I know. I was up all night last night applying for colleges… By the way, have you got accepted into any schools yet?”

Emery nodded, “USC. Arizona. That’s it so far.”

“Arizona State or University of Arizona?”

“University of Arizona.” Emery replied, sipping from her glass and watching her brother pour his own glass.

“Nice.” He replied.

“Where did you apply?” She asked.

After taking three gulps he smacked his lips, “NYU. And all the same schools as you and also Oregon.” Emery nodded, “Do you know where Logan is going?”

Emery tensed slightly, “Shouldn’t you know that.”

“I do, I was just wondering if you did... Are you cool?”

Emery pursed her lips and nodded slowly, and looked at Darrell. “Of course.”

Darrell nodded as well and leaned on the counter too, “What are your plans for today and tonight?”

“Well for tonight, Dixon invited me to a New Year’s Party, and Chelsea and Trenise should most likely be there so I’m going to that.” She said recalling the fact that her two best friends, went to almost every party.

“Cool cool.”

“Are you going to that party? It’s Ben’s?”

“I don’t know yet…” He thought for a second, “I don’t know.”

“And then for today I’m meeting with Bailey we’re going to practice my ‘presentation walking’.” Emery said with a smile.

“So you like pageants now?”

Emery shrugged, “I like my coach… For once, we have, like a mother-daughter bond. It’s nice… So I guess I kind of like the whole thing. It’s doable.”

Darrell chuckled and the sound of their mother’s heels entering the kitchen quieted them as she came in looking stone cold. “Emery I need you to look extremely presentable today, we’re meeting your new coach.”

Emery sat up; abandoning her orange juice on the counter as she frowned, “Wait… What?”

“I fired Bailey yesterday. She was too friendly; we need someone who gets work done.”

Emery’s frown deepened and she walked out of the kitchen quietly without another word. Darrell looked at Eden who had a slightly confused look and slightly offended, but more pissed off than anything.

“Mom.” Darrell said, “I don’t get your obsession… You are seriously going to regret living vicariously through your daughter…”

“I’m not living vicariously through her.” Eden replied.

“Then what the heck are you doing?” Darrell pressed, “You two aren’t the same people. What you want, and what she wants are two different things. But because of you I’m not even sure she knows what she wants. You need to quit trying to control her life.”

“I’m not.” Eden replied defensively.

Darrell’s eyebrow quirked, “I don’t get why you can’t just be her mother instead of her manager- she doesn’t want that.”

“Then what does she want? To wear cargo shorts and be a boy? I won’t let that happen.”

“Maybe if you talked to her and stopped making things about yourself, you’d realize you caused that to happen.” Darrell said truthfully. “And now you fired her coach? Why would you do that?”

Eden looked at him wildly, “She said that they had a mother-daughter bond. Bailey isn’t her mother. I am. I saw how they interacted and Bailey was just so-. They only bond they need is coach-participant.”

Darrell smirked as he nodded, “You got jealous of their relationship?” Eden didn’t respond instead her eyes darted towards the hardwood floors of the kitchen. Darrell’s eyes widened slightly. This was new. “All you have to do is be her mom…” He told her, suddenly feeling sympathetic. He never thought that his mom actually loved Emery just, as he said, wanted to live vicariously through her. He had to tell Emery. Or maybe he couldn’t, not yet. Emery was going to be upset for minute.

“But I am.”

Darrell shook his head, “Yeah, you’re her mother, but you’re not her mom.” He said, and then stood up from where he leaned over the counter, and walked out of the kitchen.

Upstairs he knocked on Emery’s locked door ready to ask if she was alright, but after several moments realized she’d want to be alone, so he headed back to his own room to fall asleep. He couldn’t believe his mother was actually jealous. He shook his head, complicated.

Things were just so complicated.

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

Logan’s Jeep pulled to a stop in front of Cassidy’s house in the afternoon and he took a deep breath. He was ready to confront her on how she was going to handle this situation. It wasn’t his problem. He wanted to help, but he wanted Emery more.

He still couldn’t believe he just walked out of her house that night. He’d felt bad, but he was angry. He knew the kind of guy Dixon was. The things Dixon had said at practice about two months previous about Emery, made Logan uncomfortable. He needed to protect her from guys like that. Guys that would use her. Like Dixon.

Lecherous.

He had been so jealous.

He regretted inviting ‘Alisha’ over, because that ended their text conversations. He could no longer talk to her freely under the pretext that she wouldn’t know she was actually emailing/IM’ing her brothers best friend. It had been fun flirting with her through text, she was so free. He was even jealous of Jimmy because of how easily she flirted with him, and when she sent that picture. He couldn’t believe she was so easy with a stranger. He immediately went over to her house, with the intentions on confronting her- letting her know he was Jimmy, but then he got distracted by her bikini, and decided he’d like to remain anonymous.

Still- he should have told her.

This was Darrell’s fault.

Why did he have to have a sister?

If she was any other girl everything would be fine, he’d have approached her with ease like he did Cassidy.

Cassidy. Right.

Logan approached the front door and rang the doorbell. After a few seconds the door opened and Cassidy poked her head out. “Oh, Logan… What- what are you doing here?”

“I think we need to talk about our situation.” He said, biting his lower lip, a habit he noticed Emery had when she was anxious or nervous- and he’d picked it up. He smirked slightly, before remembering where he was and why.

“Yeah me too… I’ve been feeling bad about this lately… It’s cold, come in.” She said, opening the door wider and allowing him into her parent’s apartment. 

“Thanks.” Logan mumbled as he stepped into the warm living room.

Cassidy closed the door after he entered and locked it, and then moved to the couch to sit down. She muted the TV, silencing MTV. “Ironic, huh?” She asked motioning toward the TV with the remote.

Logan’s eyes caught the screen and he smirked, Teen Mom. “Yeah.” He murmured, sitting down next to Cassidy and sighing.

“This looks so bad.” She said.

Logan sighed and ran his hands over his face, “I know… So, remember how I told you about the girl I like.”

“Darrell’s sister, Emery. I know… I’m really sorry, Logan. I’d hoped to have already told him and fixed this whole situation before she came back.” A tear rolled down her face and she instantly wiped it away, “He doesn’t even recognize me now… He’s going to hate me.”

“He won’t hate you.” Logan reassured, but really he didn’t know. “You just have to talk to him. Besides, you said you guys were drunk.”

“We were! But, I’m just not the girl that I was that night. And I really hoped that by being around you, he would understand that I’m not an annoying, desperate, slut.” Logan pat her back. “I just wanted to listen and go home. I only wore jeans and a t-shirt, and then my friends were like, ‘oh we have backstage tickets’ and somehow we ended up at some party in the middle of the city. I feel so horrible! What am I going to do?”

“You’re going to tell him that you’re pregnant. Refresh his memory. Let him know me and you are just friends and have been for a while.”

Cassidy sniffed, “I’m scared though.”

“I know you are Cas, but I can’t stay in a fake relationship with you.”

Cassidy growled, “I hate her for making this difficult.”

“Well, she’s your baby’s aunt, so don’t.”

“I know, I’m kidding. I knew this was coming, I should have prepped for when you’d ‘dump’ me.” She joked. “Jeez she’s so pretty and nice- she was so jealous of me that night. I felt so bad. I was ready to spill everything, but you dragged me out of the room so fast.”

“Wait- what?”

“You and she could be dating by now if you’d have just let me cuss Darrell out for giving up on something he’s good at.”

“Wait- she was jealous?” Logan asked.

Cassidy frowned at him, “You didn’t notice. She was practically crying when I said I was your girlfriend. You almost fucked everything right there though. You were all awkward. It was cute though, you didn’t want her to get the wrong idea. I shouldn’t have come over.”

“Nah, it was good that you did, because then she wouldn’t know I had a ‘girlfriend’.”

“Of course because you wouldn’t tell her about your fake girlfriend.”

Logan smirked slightly. “So do you think she likes me?” He asked hopeful.

Cassidy nodded, “Who wouldn’t? You’re extremely handsome and you’re a really good guy. I mean she might fall in love with you when she finds out that you were helping me. You’re really sweet. If I wasn’t tied to Darrell right now, she’d have some competition.” Cassidy said, nudging him slightly.

Logan crimsoned, “Two girls fighting over me?” He waggled his eyebrows.

“Nah, it doesn’t seem like anyone could compete with Emery.”

Logan shrugged, “I don’t think so.” He admitted.

“That is so cute. Why haven’t you guys dated before?”

“Well-,” Logan sighed, “She’s my best friend’s sister. He’d kill me.”

“Look at us all afraid of Darrell.”

“Well we are involved with the two most important people in his life… But I’m not really scared of him.”

“Yes you are.”

“No-,”

“Then confess to him. Tell him you like Emery and see how he takes it. If not well- I’m sorry for you. I mean, I’m pregnant. I should be more scared.”

“He’s my best friend.”

“He’s my baby’s father.”

Logan chuckled, “Fine. So it seems we both need to talk to Darrell.”

“We really do.”

In Logan’s pocket, his phone began to vibrate against his thigh and he frowned before retrieving the phone from his pocket. Looking at the number his frown deepened as he didn’t recognize the number, he decided to answer the phone anyway. “Hello?”

“Logan?” He perked up, a smirk forming on his lips- she called first. After he left her house because he was jealous they had avoided each other like the plague. He was beginning to wonder when he was going to try to talk to her again, or if she was going to be the one to break the streak. He thought it’d be him. “It’s Emery. Can you come and get me?” She sniffled, and the frown returned to Logan’s face- she was crying.

“Yeah, of course, where are you?” He asked, already standing up, alert.

“I’m at my house.”

“What happened to your mom’s car?” He asked, testing the seriousness of the situation with a joke.

She didn’t laugh or respond; she just sniffled and quietly asked, “Please?”

“Yeah, I’ll be right there.” He told her.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.”

She hung up first as Logan pulled the phone away from his ear and looked at Cassidy, “I gotta go.”

“Was that Emery? Is she okay?”

He shrugged, “I think she’s crying… She doesn’t cry.”

Cassidy frowned, “Oh… I think you should tell her about us, so you can clear up everything between you two.”

“I can’t do that without telling her about the baby… She might tell, Darrell.”

Cassidy licked her lips nervously, “I know, but I feel like it would be best if she told him, that way he can process everything. I’m just scared to do it myself. I don’t think he likes me as a person, and I want him to know I’m just- scared.”

Logan exhaled and looked at Cassidy for a moment before nodding, “I’ll tell her, I don’t think it’s a good idea, I feel like you need to do it. But I’ll tell her for you.”

“And for you. I want you guys to stop playing around. It sounds like you’ve been waiting for each other for forever and I’m a hindrance.”

Logan smiled slightly and then gave Cassidy a quick hug. He could feel her belly against his stomach and he sighed. She was five months in, Darrell needed to know ASAP, she was about to find out the sex too.

“Alright, I’ll text you after I tell her, okay?”

“Okay.” She said, and then walked him to the door.

Logan walked out into the cold and then hurried to his Jeep.  

He couldn’t help going ten over the speed limit on his way to the Johnson residence. When he pulled up in front of the house he frowned. He could already feel the tension oozing from the house. These people had more problems than a little.

-I’m here.-

He texted Emery, then got out of the Jeep to go stand near the front door. He didn’t want to knock, but he wanted to see Emery’s face immediately. Too see if she had in fact been crying. She didn’t come out and he sighed, deciding to just wait in his car, as he turned around, he saw her heading down the driveway, a duffel bag, and a suitcase trailing behind her, and Comet’s tail languidly moving underneath her arm. He frowned as she stopped by his car and turned around and looked at him.

So she had been crying. Even across the driveway he could see her tear stained cheeks and puffy eyes. He walked to her and unlocked the door, not saying anything as he took her stuff from her- aside from Comet and put it in the back. She climbed into the Jeep, and closed the door firmly, but quietly. Logan followed suit, and started the ignition before pulling away from her house.

He didn’t say anything until after they exited her lavish neighborhood.

“Where are you trying to go?” He asked.

She sighed, “Do you remember when you kidnapped me?” He nodded, “And at your house you said that if I wanted to escape my mom I could come stay with you?”

He frowned, he didn’t remember, but he said, “Yeah… So, you’re trying to stay at my place?”

She nodded, “If you don’t mind…”

He shook his head, “Of course not…” Then he paused, “What happened?”

“She fired my pageant coach because I liked her.”

“Wait… What?”

Emery ran her hand through Comet’s fur and sighed, “She said, that it was business not play.” Emery sniffed, “I really liked Bailey… Why is she so mean to me?”

Logan didn’t know how to answer. He wasn’t even sure if he should have answered. So he stayed quiet, the entire ride to the house his parents bought for him. The only words he spoke to her after they arrived were the words he had to say when showing her the guest room. She was quiet as she tried to pass him into the room, but Logan stopped her, his hand wrapping around her arm.

She didn’t look at him. She looked horrible, she felt horrible, she wanted to take a nap, but she didn’t want to take a nap back at home. She didn’t want to be back at home. She was glad Logan was such a good guy, but she wished he didn’t have to see her being maudlin and pathetic.

Logan pulled her body to his as he enveloped her in a hug. She needed one. He needed to feel her against him. He needed to help her. He wrapped his arms tightly around her body. She didn’t hug him back, but he was fine with that. He just hoped that she’d understand that he was more than glad to be there for her. He held her body against his, her head lay on his chest; he tried to steady the rate at which his heart was beating so he wouldn’t seem too excited. Emery heard it, and at the same time tried to steady her heart. She was feeling so bad about her situation, now was not a time to be going crazy because Logan had his arms around her in the best hug she’d ever received.

Finally, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight, “Thank you for being a good friend.” She mumbled, before pulling herself out of the hug.

Logan nodded, as her gaze met his. She bit her lip and watched his eyes as he looked at her. “You should take a nap. We’re going to a party later.”

Emery frowned, “What? Do I look in the partying mood?” She asked, smiling a little bit.

Logan smirked, “It’s to cheer you up.” He said, and then moved out of the doorway to let her into the room as he made his way to his own room. He needed to breathe. He wanted to go back a kiss her, but it was a bad idea. Now was not the time. He couldn’t kiss her until after she knew about Cassidy’s situation.

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

 

Emery woke up from her nap feeling a whole lot better. Realizing she was away from her mother and the depressing state of her house she actually smiled a little before throwing the white comforter off of her and getting out of the full bed. She pulled a sweatshirt over her head as she exited the bedroom and headed to the living room where she could hear the TV.

She saw Logan sitting on the black couch with a PlayStation remote in between his hands. He looked at her and smiled. “Oh. Hey.”

“Hey.” She said, noticing it was dark outside, she frowned, “Are we still going to the party?”

He paused his game and leaned back on the couch, “We don’t have to.” He said, “We can bring in the New Year here together... If you want.”

Emery looked at him before raising an eyebrow, “Well-,”

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. The party ‘starts’ in like a few minutes at eleven… If you want to go, we should go.”

Emery nodded, “Okay. I’ll go get ready. I’ll be quick.” She told him, turning on her heel and leaving the room.

Her cheeks were excessively hot. Geez, bringing in the New Year together, whatever could Logan Isley have meant. She closed the bedroom door behind her and proceeded to prepare herself. In the shower she took extra care to make sure her hair didn’t get wet.

She slipped into a pair of black jeans, and pulled a light denim three-quarter shirt on. She rolled the jeans up at the bottoms to make them capris and the put on her white canvas sneakers. She ran a hand through her straight hair and tousled it slightly before giving herself a once over. Picking up her phone she headed back out of her bedroom and the same time that Logan was coming out of his room.

His slim-fit grey jeans stopped at the top of the black lace-up top sneakers with and he wore a basic navy thermal shirt. His chestnut brown hair was tousled and still a little wet from his own shower. He tucked his wallet into his back pocket and nodded at Emery, “You look good.”

“I look simple… You look good.”

Logan smirked, “We’re both just basic as fuck... You ready to go?”

Emery nodded and looked down at Comet who was sitting at her heels. “I already fed you.” She said, it was a hassle sneaking around the house retrieving Comet’s food and litter box- after all she had snuck out of her upstairs bedroom window. She didn’t feel like confronting anyone on her decision to go to Logan’s and she couldn’t go to Chelsea or Trenise’s because they didn’t know her full story and she didn’t want to tell them.

She looked back at Logan, “Let’s go.”

“Alright.” He replied as he nodded towards the door.

 

 

Finding a spot to park at the party was difficult, the streets were lined with cars, so they parked a block away and walked into the party. Emery liked the fact that music was blasting. A party was definitely what she needed to get over her funk.

As they approached the front door Emery’s phone buzzed in her back pocket, she pulled out her phone and sighed, she’d totally forgotten about Dixon and how he had invited her to this very party.

-I take it you can’t go…?-

Emery replied carefully, -I’m at the party, mom probably wouldn’t have let me go, so I had to sneak out and get a ride from Logan.-

-Logan Isley?-

Emery didn’t respond to that one, because she could feel Logan behind her, stumbling over his feet to read her messages over her shoulder, she didn’t want a problem with him like she had days ago. She returned the phone to her back pocket and bit her lip.

Logan smirked; she made the right decision by putting that phone away. He wouldn’t want to have to take it from her. He shook his head as he threw his arm around her shoulder as they walked through the door that was already wide open.

Music blared from a booming sound system, the catchy rap tune instantly rushed through Emery’s systems, and she slightly bounced as they made their way deeper into the party.

It was hot, dimly lit, crowded, and loud. Emery loved it. She moved her hands to the beat of the music as she pressed herself closer to Logan. Logan’s hand left her shoulder and moved to her waist as he guided her through the some more of the crowd of teenagers, looking for a little bit of space. Not finding any empty space, they just stopped walking, and Logan found himself pressed closely against Emery.

“We’re here to cheer you up!” He shouted, over the music in her ear. “So, what do you want to do?!”

“I wanna dance!” She shouted back, already swaying her hips to the beat of the music.

Logan’s heartbeat picked up as he looked down and licked his lips. Bending to her ear again, “With me?!”

“I don’t care with who!” She replied honestly. “But you’ll do just fine!”

Logan smirked, and placed both of his hands on her hips, following the seductive sway of her hips, his eyes shot down as he pressed his self against Emery completely. She pushed her back into his hard chest. Geez, he must’ve really worked it out in football, he was incredibly muscular. She felt it when his arm was around her shoulder, weighing her down, but pressed against him... Whew.

She bit her lip and closed her eyes as she slowly winded down and back up. The artist of the song droned, ‘Make It Nasty’ repeatedly and it stuck in her head. As she swirled her hips back into Logan’s, who closely followed her movements. His hands dipped under her shirt and came into contact with her smooth stomach; he gripped her hard, and pulled her further into him. Grinding his hips into hers. Emery’s placed one of her hands over his under her shirt, and their fingers laced through each other. She grinned, and her other hand went into the air to balance her as she twirled her hips against him.

She’d never danced with someone at a party before, she usually just watched from the sidelines. Feeling like no one would want to dance with her, when she was wearing cargos and snapbacks. With Logan, she was going off of what she had observed other people do and what she had practiced against her bathroom wall and in the mirror. She decided not to worry about whether or not she was doing it right, as she soon realized she was very much in control of the dance and where she went he would follow. If she went down, he bent as well. If she rotates, he circles. Her teeth cut into her lip as her head fell against his chest as she swirled her hips to the catchy beat.

Logan’s mouth neared her ear and is hot breath sent shivers down her spine, “There you go.” He said. Emery blushed realizing that he knew it was her first time ‘grinding’. She nodded, and continued to lead him.  The hand that was in the air, crooked and she lightly touched the back of his neck, before running her fingers through his full chestnut hair. He shuddered, and she felt that, one by one a butterfly began to take flight in her stomach as his lips lightly touched the tip of her ear, and then skimmed her ear until he reached her earlobe which he nipped with his teeth repeatedly. Emery’s lips fell open slightly and she opened her eyes, and watched in a haze as he kissed her ear then her cheek and pulled back to look at her. His eyes were dark and cloudy as he stared back at her.

God, the things she would do to this boy.

It ended too soon, the song, and when it did, Emery found that she was very much out of breath. Logan offered to go with her to get a drink and she agreed. Even though another song had immediately started up, Emery needed to get off of the dance floor. Dancing with him was fine. She figured it was his responsibility to remember he was in a relationship therefore she wasn’t going to stop him from ruining his relationship. Though, she did believe that ‘once a cheater, always a cheater’, she didn’t know what to do. She liked him. Clearly. Now what?

In the party-hosts kitchen she leaned against the counter as Logan handed her a beer, she gladly accepted as he popped one open for himself and tipped it to his lips.

“Emery!” The sound of her voice being called halted her from finishing opening her beer. She looked up to see Chelsea come stumbling into the kitchen, “When the fuck did you get back, girl?”

“Last week.” Emery answered, eyeing her wasted best friend, and deciding to put her beer back on the counter and forget about it.

“And you didn’t call, bitch?” Chelsea asked.

Emery sighed, “I’ve been bu-,”

“Come here, let’s go see Trenise and group hug, we missed you so much you have no fucking idea, let’s go.” Chelsea grabbed Emery’s wrist and dragged her from the room before she could even say a word to Logan.

Logan pouted slightly before shaking his head. He should have told her about Cassidy before the party, because he wasn’t going to be able to control himself around her tonight. Evidence was in the front of his tighter pants.

“Logan, I hear you brought my girl to the party.” Dixon said, after entering the kitchen and staring at Logan for a second.

Logan frowned, “Your girl?” He scoffed.

“Yeah, my girl… I think she likes me, and I like her… So she’s mine… I think, I’m beginning to see that you want her to be your girl though, am I right?” Logan didn’t respond, he just stared blankly at Dixon with his beer at his lips. Who was this kid to try taunting him? He smirked, but still didn’t say anything. “Well, here, buy me cigarettes until I’m legal mid-February and I’ll stop hittin it.”

Logan rolled his eyes, “Dude, what the fuck is your problem?” He knew for a fact the only thing ‘hittin’ was marijuana, and he was trying to lay claims over the girl that Logan has none for about seven years.

Dixon raised an eyebrow, “What’s yours?”

Logan laughed a little shaking his head, “I’m not buying you cigarettes. You really can’t threaten me with anything, to be honest.”

“How would you like it if I told Cassidy about you grinding all on Emery?”

Logan shrugged, “She’s not my wife or my girlfriend, so…?”

“What?”

“Look, you seem to think you can threaten me with Emery, but she’s mine.” Mine. “I don’t know what you’re seeing through your little smoked out eyes, but she’s been mine. The fact that you even tried to get her number makes you look pathetic, for some cigarettes? Get the fuck out of here with that.”

Dixon sneered at Logan, “I didn’t try to get her number. Well I did, and I succeeded. For the last week we’ve texted nonstop. What have you done? I can tell she sure as hell isn’t thinking about you. So fine, fuck the cigarettes. I like Emery though, and with or without the cigarettes I’m going to try things out with her.” Logan sighed heavily. “Prove that she’s yours, and I’ll back off. Unlike you, I don’t play around with relationships.”

“I will tonight, keep your eyes open.” Logan said simply, before taking another sip of his beer and pushing past Dixon on his way out of the kitchen.

He was so annoyed, he’d never dealt with so much stupidity, must be what cigarettes and weed do to the brain. That’s a prime example of why he doesn’t fuck with that shit.

 

Emery and Chelsea weaved through peers as they hunted for Trenise. Emery missed being with her friends, but she wished she hadn’t allowed Chelsea to pull her away from Logan. He was probably in the kitchen, feeling like she’d just rejected him or something. She pouted, but kept her eyes open for Trenise.

When she finally spotted her, what she saw shocked her. The way she was flirting and kissing Justin Todesey’s cheek, made Emery’s cheeks heat up. She looked at Chelsea, “Are they dating now?”

Chelsea shrugged, “They’ve been fooling around for a while… I really don’t know if they’re official.”

Emery nodded, well; at least he’d stop harassing her. Thinking about the way he’d knocked her pizza to the ground to get her attention instantly made her steam as she looked away. “They’d be cute together, but I think I’ll have to catch her back at school in a few days.” She told Chelsea.

Chelsea nodded, “Yeah… So how’ve you been? Where’d you go? Are you okay? Did you go away to give birth?”

Emery frowned, “I’m okay. I was just in London, not having a baby, but doing women studies.”

“Women studies?”

“Yeah, it was lame, I know what I’m not majoring in in college.”

Chelsea smiled, “I want another beer. Hey were you dancing with Logan?”

Emery nodded and smiled shyly, “Yeah.”

“Nice. I want to hear all about that, but it’s too loud here. Maybe you should go find him… The ball is dropping in,” She pulled out her phone and looked at it, “In like two minutes.” She waggled her eyebrows and Emery blushed.

Yeah she would find him to congratulate him on the New Year. She nodded at Chelsea, “I’ll go then.” Chelsea grinned at her and walked back in the direction of the kitchen. Emery really didn’t think she needed another beer, but who was she to stop the fun. Turning around she made her way down a hallway and in the direction of the living room, where the music had turned off, and the television had come on in order to watch the ball drop.

She pushed past people and stood on her tippy toes to look for him. He was tall, it really shouldn’t have been hard, but finding Logan was proving to be a challenge. Dixon stepped into her path and grinned, his blue eyes sparkling even in the dim light of the rather large living room. She smiled back.

“I’ve been looking for you all night.” He admitted.

Emery grinned, “Hi. I actually got here like twenty minutes ago.”

“Really? Why were you guys so late?”

“We were fashionably late.” She said looking down at her outfit and smiling at him.

Then she bit her lip and looked around the living room as the countdown began.

“10!”

Her eyes scanned around her, nobody she knew. People were barely even familiar.

“9!”

She stood on her tippy toes and looked above heads.

“8!”

Unbelievable.

“7!”

It’s too damn crowded.

“6!”

This is certainly a fire hazard.

“5!”

I shouldn’t have let Chelsea taken me away from him.

“6!”

Fuck!

“5!”

Maybe I should move around.

“4!”

Why is Dixon looking at me like that?

“3!”

Step away from Dixon. Shit, he is a little too close.

“2!”

Where is Logan?

“1!”

I wonder if he is looking for me…?

“Happy new year!!!”

Emery lowered herself from her tippy toes in disappointment, and prepared to congratulate those around her, when a large hand wrapped around her left wrist and pulled her into a brick wall of a body. She shrieked nervously and looked up into the topaz eyes of Logan Isley. Definitely the first pair of eyes she wanted to see in the New Year. She began to smile, when Logan’s eyes hooded and his lips crashed down onto hers.

Although the initial clash of their lips felt awkward, Logan softened up his kiss as he softly tugged at her bottom lip. He pulled away and looked at her. His grip still firm on her wrist as his eyes searched hers. Emery was stunned, she wasn’t expecting that. She licked her lips slowly and looked at the lips that had just touched hers. A giddy feeling exploded in her as she smiled a little. Logan smiled too, a coy smile, his eyes not straying from her eyes until she bit her lip. Logan released her wrist, and his finger touched her lip. He pulled it from between her teeth, and his finger trailed a path from her lower lip to her chin which he tipped up slightly. Slowly, his lips descended back towards her. Gently he placed his lips on hers, and their eyes closed. He moved his hands to wrap around her body as he pulled her closer to him. Emery threw her arms over his shoulders, curling around the back of his neck. Logan slowly and deliberately ran his tongue over Emery’s bottom lip, gently persuading her to open up and allow him to deepen the kiss.

Logan’s lips were warm and soft, much softer than she’d ever imagined they'd be. As his tongue caressed hers, Emery’s mouth opened wider, and their lips shifted, he tasted of Corona, but Emery didn’t mind, there were still traces of his minty toothpaste. Emery could feel the heat of his body now, pressing obscenely into hers, and she wanted him closer. She slid her hands along the back of his neck, and ran her fingers through the hair at the back of his head, the slowly she moved her hands down to his arms feeling his corded muscles as his grip on her waist was tightening in a possessive way. Logan pulled her hips harder into his, while applying pressure on her back so he could capture more of her mouth. Again, he took Emery’s lower lip between his teeth as he ended the kiss.

 Emery pulled her head away from his and looked at him in astonishment. He was her first kiss. Did he realize that?

He smirked at her. “Shit, I’ve been waiting to do that since your dad’s merging party. Remember in the closet?” He asked as he casually ran his hand up and down her side.

Emery nodded stiffly, not knowing what to do with herself. She was a bundle of nerves. The lower half of her body was responding to him in a way she’d only read about only. She didn’t think it was as powerful, but she couldn’t even form a word.

“Damn, so I take it you liked that kiss?” She nodded once again. “I’m glad. Theses lips right here are the masters of kissing. Remember that aight?” Emery buried her face in her hands, and laughed. She couldn’t believe she just kissed Logan Fucking Isley! “I know, I’m hilarious. Happy New Year, by the way.”

Emery looked at him, and smiled, “You too.” She replied finally able to speak.

“Shit, what a way to bring in the new year…”

Emery smiled, “My first real kiss.” She looked at the ground, her cheeks flushed. “Was incredibly cliché.”

Logan laughed, “I had to do it.” He told her blushing as well.

They both avoided each other’s eyes.

"Cassidy." She mumbled, grimacing and allowing guilt she tried to keep away to wash over her.

"Is not my girlfriend." Logan stated bluntly. Even though people were celebrating all around them, Emery and Logan were surrounded by a dead silence.

Emery’s eyebrows furrowed, as she looked up at him wildly, "What? What the hell happened?"

"We haven't been dating since the end of November..." Logan admitted.

"Then why'd you lie about dating her last week?" It was Logan's turn to grimace. Emery licked her lips quickly in agitation, "Geez. You like to lie, huh? About who you are dating... About who you are over the phone."

"I have reasons... Legit reasons." Logan said quickly, “Real reasons. I swear.”

Emery cocked her was to the side and lifted her eyebrow, "What are they?"

"Well two different reasons, one I don't want to talk about here, and the other I'm not ready to talk about."

“You always have reasons.” Emery recalled as she frowned slightly, Logan was aware she was referring to the reasons why he didn’t kiss her last May at the bon fire. She sighed, "I don't get it."

"I'm sorry." Logan said quietly, "Emery."

Emery nodded, "You don’t have to apologize dude. I’m  just a little concerned for you.”

Logan nodded and smiled slightly. "Okay... Well we can talk when we get back to my place, but for now turn that pretty ass around and throw it back for me... Yeah?" Emery snorted a laugh. “I mean we did come here to cheer you up, so, come on.” He did a spin motion with his pointer finger as the music started back up again.

Emery’s heart raced she was happy, but scared at the same time.

“Emery, I invited you first, don’t you think you could give me a dance?” Emery’s head turned to the side and she looked to Dixon who stood beside her with his eyebrows raised and a small smirk on his face.

“Oh, uh. I don’t know.”

“Come on girl.”

Logan stepped closer to Emery and put his arms around her waist and pulled him to her. “Dixon, quit making an ass out of yourself. I already proved she’s mine so back the fuck off.”

Emery frowned, “Proved I’m yours?” The words caused havoc on her brain and in her belly. It sounded wrong and right. First she wanted to find the wrong before she celebrated the right. She pulled herself from Logan’s grip. “How can you claim someone that you just lied to? As far as this goes, I just found out that you’re single, after you ‘proved’ yourself… You’re really confusing me Logan.”

Logan’s eyes widened slightly, “I said I’d explain later.”

“Explain why you’re ‘claiming’ me without my permission first- because I had no idea about that earlier...”

Logan licked his lips, “Because.”

Emery’s eyes widened, “Come find me when you’re ready to talk about what’s going on, yeah?” She looked at Dixon, “Lead the way.” She said shortly, he immediately took her hand and started to pull her away. She chanced a glance behind her at Logan, who looked like he’d just gotten slapped, and his features were calculating. His gaze met hers quickly and with a tongue in cheek expression he turned away from her. So she turned too.

“I don’t think I did that right.” She mumbled under her breath. The music was so loud, no one could possibly know she’d talked to herself. She looked at the back of Dixon’s head and bit her lip.

Moments later Dixon and Emery entered a different room, a bedroom. That didn't make her stomach too happy, as it lurched.  There were a couple of kids inside, but she didn't get a good look at their faces because Dixon walked her straight to the other side of the room where some girl sat. After close inspection, Emery recognized Chelsea.

Dixon ushered Emery to sit down next to Chelsea, and then he sat next to Emery.

"Ladies." Dixon said, his voice sent a nervous chill down her spine, splintering yet soothing.

"What can I get for you two?" Chelsea asked, not yet noticing Emery. Her eyes glued on Dixon.

"The usual, babe." Dixon said, his small smile turning devilish.

"Alrighty then." Trenise, then proceed to bend over and flip open a large brick red cooler.

Emery didn't get the chance to snoop what was in the cooler, because Dixon said, "Chels, this is my friend Emery. She's new to all of this. And--," His words stopped short, whatever he was saying didn't sound to savory. Emery was trapped in her seat by Chelsea’s wide eyes as she finally recognized Emery.

“Oh my God.” She mumbled quietly, then repeated it. “Emery, what the fuck are you doing in here?”

Emery shook her head, “No, what are you doing in here?” Emery asked.

Chelsea didn’t reply.

Dixon chuckled, "I’m gonna break her in." He said offering Emery a small smile, and when Emery returned the smile, she instantly felt like I was making a deal with the devil himself.

“Break me into what?” Emery had an idea, she still wanted to ask. Who was this kid to drag her up here like this?

"The first time, you're just going to be like, okay cool. But next time, you'll touch the fuckin' sky. Guarantee." Dixon said grinning wildly.

Chelsea rose from digging in the cooler. “Money first.” She said extending her hand. 

Emery passed a worried look between Chelsea and Dixon, and Dixon smiled reassuringly at her as he dug in his back pocket for his wallet. He fished out a few bills and handed them to Chelsea, who smirked, "So who wants to do the honors tonight?" Chelsea asked.

What the hell is going on?

"I’ll do it, lemme show Em’s how its done.." Dixon responded and Emery continued to look around, confused as hell. Chelsea opened the palm of her hand, unveiling a little brown stick, and Emery finally, understood. She handed the blunt to Dixon, before resting her back on the couch and sinking into the deep cushions. Emery noticed Chelsea avoiding her questioning gaze and finally he gave up waiting.

Emery watched as Dixon brought the blunt to his lips.

She watched as Chelsea fished in his pockets until she found a liter.

She watched as she found it, and extended her left arm over Emery, to light up the stick in between Dixon’s lips.

She watched as she grinned at Dixon, and then looked at Emery finally, a small awkward smile playing on her face. Emery turned back to look at Dixon, who winked at her before closing his eyes and inhaling the life out of the blunt, before bringing it from out of his mouth.

Emery watched as he closed his mouth and held the drug inside.

She watched as Dixon opened her mouth and exhaled, little 'O's forming in the air in front of his face. It was actually fascinating. She always thought the idea of marijuana was interesting, but there was no way in hell she was going to try it- ever.

Dixon coughed repeatedly, "Damn." He said, his voice cracking as he placed the blunt back in his mouth to repeat the process, and then reached over Emery to give the blunt to Chelsea.

Emery watched. Slightly stunned.

 She never knew Chelsea was into this kind of thing. She never took seemed like a smoker.

She was always too cool for that…

"Good shit.” Chelsea said, and Dixon nodded slowly. She passed the blunt back to him. He leaned over Emery and kissed Chelsea on the cheek. "You're always so cute when you smoke." He said, and then he faced Emery. "Your turn. Here's what you're going to do. Put the blunt between your lips and kind suck..- It’s an instinct kind of thing. You'll get the hang out it. Ready?"

Emery’s breath wad hot and shaky, giving her the appearance of being scared as the white blunt was brought in front of her face.

The room was at a standstill. It seemed like everything was going in slow motion. Her eyes wandered to Chelsea, who was slouching on the couch, a look of pure delight on her face. Then her eyes found Dixon’s- half lidded and looking at her with purpose.

And finally Emery looked at the marijuana, staring back at her expectantly.

What?

What am I doing?

-Here?

This is a bad idea. A really bad idea.

"Emily?" Emily? He’s really going to call me Emery. Shit, I should’ve just backed it up on Logan. Fuck.

"It’s Emery." She replied, still in a daze.

“Sorry, Emery, I forgot. So, are you ready?” Emery’s eyes met his and she slowly, but surely started to shake her head. “Yes you are. You know you are. Babe, I don’t have all night.” His voice was like a low growl in her ear and she stared at him.

“No.” She said firmly. Her gaze turning away from him. “Last time I checked, you asked me to dance, not to blow trees…”

“Ahhhhhh, I see what our problem is. What’ve you had to drink tonight?” He asked her.

“Nothing.” She replied shakily.

“Well. That’s a problem, you need to loosen up. Come on.” Dixon reached forward and grabbed her hand. In no time he was pulling her out of the bedroom, and soon they’d ended up in the kitchen.

Dixon opened the stainless steel refrigerator door and peered inside, “Let’s see. Beer. Beer sounds good. Which beer do you want?”

No beer. “Um. I really don’t care.” Was what came out of her mouth, and she frowned.

“Well. Personally, I like Budweiser, so, we’re gonna go with that.” Dixon said reaching into the fridge and retrieving two brown bottles with a red labels. He shoved one of the bottles into her hand and pulled her out of the way of the fridge so, that a random kid could get in. Off to the side Dixon popped the cap off of his beer and took a healthy swig. She watched him cautiously- as he watched her over the bottle. When he was finished drinking he pulled the bottle from his lips and gestured at her unopened bottle. “You going to open that?” He asked.

“Um- oh. Yeah.” Emery said, placing her hand on top of the cap, she tried to pinch it off, but had no luck. She tried a few more times with no luck, and then she pouted, feeling pathetic. Why was she so nervous?

“Oh my God. Lemme see that.” Dixon said setting his beer down, and snatching hers from her hands. He popped the cap off with ease, and then licked his lips. Not in a sensual, ‘Me so horny’ way, but a simple chapped lip way.

Emery was by no means interested in a conversation with this Dixon. In fact, she wasn’t sure if she’d ever talk to him again after the party ended. He was attempting to push her into drugs, and she wasn’t thrilled. She’d rather be worrying about Logan’s problems than having weed shoved in her face, and the smell of Budweiser wafting up her nose.

God. Never again.

I am staying far-

Far away from this type of thing.

Partying.

Perhaps this party was way out of her league. Or- maybe Dixon just wasn’t right for her.

Chelsea was drunk and high. Which was weird because she thought Chelsea vowed to stay away from drugs, and now she appeared to be selling them?

Trenise was with her boyfriend? If that’s what Justin is to her.

“You haven’t had a sip of that yet. Are you scared?” Dixon was taunting her. Really taunting her.

She scowled at him, before shaking her head. “I’m not scared. I’m just not that thirsty.”

Dixon, remembered the blunt between his fingers and he hit it quickly and coughed before asking, “What? You don’t have to be thirsty to indulge.” Dixon even through his laugh, she could hear this skepticism.  Tipping his bottle up to his lips, he sucked in mass amounts of beer, and then brought the bottle away. “See. Easy. No thirst required.” Dixon said and Emery rolled her eyes inwardly.

“Yeah okay.” She replied coolly.

“Now it’s your turn go ahead.” Dixon urged her and she stared at him blankly, before declining as politely as possible. “Aw come on.” Dixon was really hitting on her nerves now. “I promise you’ll like it.”

She looked down at the brown bottle and bit her bottom lip in consternation.

The sound of a female giggling hit Emery’s ears, “Logan, quit.” Was said through giggles.

Emery’s head snapped up and she looked across the kitchen, and immediately tensed up. Wow. He was really fucking with her tonight.

Emery watched carefully as Logan backed some girl against the wall and stood really close to her. She could hear him whisper something, and the girl giggled nervously, and Emery bit her lip. Well damn. “See I knew I shouldn’t have walked off, fuck.” Regret surged through her as she spoke aloud and then covered her mouth and looked at Dixon, who was giving her a small smile, and then she looked back towards Logan who had turned and looked at her.

His eyes widened, and Emery just smirked slightly. It was her fault he was trying to seduce another girl, no need to cry. She looked at Dixon, “I’ve got to go.”

“What about the weed, we were supposed to share?” He pouted.

She sighed, “I didn’t agree to that.” Then she moved around him and calmly exited the kitchen, before hurrying to get out of the rest of the house. She made it outside before taking a calming deep breath, and then she started to walk. Logan’s place was ten minutes down the road; she just needed to go back home and think.

Logan wasn’t in a relationship. Good.

Logan has reasons… Bad.

 

By the time she made it back to Logan’s place she decided that she was going to get what she wanted- Logan. No more games. She was tired of them. If she had to open up ‘Make It Nasty’ for direction, then so be it. But, she wanted Logan- so she would get him.

Realizing the front door was locked; Emery hopped the fence, and entered the house through the guest room window. She immediately shed her clothes and put on her sweat pants and tank top.

She sat on the bed with Comet and sighed, as the wind from the window came in and chilled her. She took a few deep breaths. She was undoubtedly confused about Logan, but she didn’t want to think about it. Her phone buzzed in her hands and she looked at the screen.

-Where are you?-

Logan texted her, she bit her lip and told him that she’d walked back to his place. Then she set the phone down again and sighed heavily. Logan had put his lips on her lips, and put his tongue in her mouth and she walked off with Dixon.

“That was stupid.” She told herself. “No, he’s stupid. He’s stupid for trying to claim me like that.” She rolled her eyes, “Oh, lemme grind on you, then steal your first kiss and your New Year’s kiss, and then tell you that I’m not in a relationship and I haven’t been for a fucking month.” She rolled her eyes. “Stupid.”

“Yeah. I am.” Emery screamed and jumped off her bed, crouching on the floor she looked at Logan over the edge of her bed.

“What? How the fuck did you get in here?”

Logan shrugged, “Same way as you did…” He told her, and then sighed, “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.” Emery stared at him, from over the edge of the bed. Her cheeks heated and her eyes widened. He licked his lips as he nodded, “I really like you.”

“Oh.” Was all she could say.

“Also,” Logan crossed his arms over his chest and took a deep breath. “Cassidy’s pregnant.”

“Oh.”

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

A/N: Aww, it’s coming to an end.

 

 

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.

***

 

 

 

 

 

Make It Nasty

©Awarded Emmy

Chapter 17

 

Sometimes it's okay to feel guilty- rather- embarrassed by something you did in the past. When I was a junior in high school I was plagued with a low self-esteem stemming from a traumatic childhood experience. This bout of insecurity led me in the wrong direction a few times too many. It's scary to feel uncomfortable in one's own skin, I was unsure of how I should and would control myself. I wanted something so bad- or so I thought, that I changed myself completely for it.

I regret that now.

I feel like too many things are indefinitely missing.

Like whether or not he actually liked me for me.

And...

Why I wanted him so badly in the first place...

I recognized the risk of seducing my brother's best friend, but I continued with my plans like it didn't matter. Why? Why did I do that? To myself and to him...No doubt he is probably just as confused as me.

My first step in facing this messy situation is admitting that I made a horrendous mistake.

I made a mistake.

Second step is to analyze the mistake that I made for what it actually was.

Pursuing Logan Isley just because he was Logan Isley.

Because I loved when his golden hair would blow in the breeze and his earring would catch sunlight. I loved when he'd cock his head to the side and tease me with that cute little smirk. I liked hanging out with him and making him laugh... While at the same time I loved how he made me laugh...

The guilt and the mistake lands in how I went about gaining those memories. What made me think that he couldn't like me for me?

I understand that because I chose that route my relationship with Logan Isley can never-ever be more than me being his best friend's sister. Because I chose not to respect myself, how could I possibly expect for him to respect me?

‘Make It Nasty'?

Why?

Why did I have to ‘Make It Nasty'?

Since it can't be undone I'll just have to ‘make it right'.

And the first step in that process is admitting everything to the one and only, Logan Isley.

***

Logan sat next to Darrell on his living room couch. Usually there would be a video game on the TV and a remote controller in his hand, a smile on his face, and a beer on the coffee table.

But today was different.

He had to talk to Darrell- apologize to him and come completely clean.

Darrell had been ignoring him for the last week. Of course he had it easy though, since they were back in school completing their final semester of high school, and he always had some little excuse of, "This is my last semester, man. I gotta focus."

Logan understood completely.

Darrell didn't tell him.

And Emery hadn't told him shit. Logan was half-suspicious that Emery was trying to ignore him as well. And it made him angry. After he'd let her stay in his home- no matter how short the stay- she blew off all of his texts.

Cassidy had reported that Darrell did not go back to her apartment to talk. He'd sent a text that said, "I don't remember shit either... I hope you can come up with more convincing evidence." She'd been upset by his text and called for Logan. She didn't have any other proof.

All Logan could tell her was wait until the baby comes and then perform a paternity test.

Logan had assumed the baby was Darrell's because in all of the photos him and Cassidy were practically glued to each other, but at the same time he also believed a paternity test should be issued because it wasn't like there were pictures of every second of that night.

Logan finally turned his head to look at Darrell and break the silence, "Cassidy agreed to do a paternity test."

Darrell's head shot in Logan's direction and his light brown eyes formed slits as he bit out, "You would fucking know."

Logan stood up from the couch and held his hands up in surrender, "I fucked up, dude. I should've told you about something so serious a lot sooner. I'm sorry. I thought I was helping."

"Well you fucking thought wrong..." He paused, "Ever heard of secrets not making friends dick-wad?" His glare was lethal as he remained on the couch. It had Logan wishing he hadn't just showed up at Darrell's house after school demanding that they have a straight-up talk.

Logan's jaw had dropped in astonishment at his best friends R-rated kindergarten chant, but after a moment he closed his mouth and nodded, running a hand through his golden hair and looking down at the white Vans on his feet. "I know, man." He said and then as an afterthought, something he really did not mean to say aloud, "Blame your sister." After saying it though, he prayed he'd said it low enough that Darrell hadn't heard, but Darrell's glare had hardened.

"What do you mean, blame Emery? Did she force you not to tell me about this too? Was there some fucking pact?" Darrell asked, knowing his assumption wasn't the truth, but he wanted to hear Logan admit it. Admit to everything.

"No." Logan said, and then after a sigh he continued, "If she hadn't left all of the sudden, I wouldn't have even fucked around with Cassidy." Darrell rose from the couch and assumed a defensive stance. His jaw clenching and unclenching as he stared at Logan. So he finally admits that he liked Emery. "But pretend I didn't say any of that, because it's fucking unimportant."

Darrell sneered, "You're full of shit, Logan. I would have never-ever kept this from you." He paused, "I can't even begin- like- this is my life, my fucking future and you are just so caught up in my younger sister that you couldn't even think about me? Your best fucking friend?"

"Okay, now you're bringing her into this. Not me." Logan accused, once again displaying hands of surrender.

"You just said that if she hadn't left, you wouldn't have even known Cassidy's name." Darrell said, "So it's all about her."

"L-Look Darrell, I didn't even know she was pregnant until like-,"

"I don't give a fuck, you've known for a month. I've known for a week. It doesn't add up. If that baby is mine, I don't know if I will ever be able to forgive you."

Logan nodded his head, "I understand."

"Do you?" Darrell asked, "Do you really?"

Logan nodded again, "Completely. I-I really fucked up."

"To the point where I can't even trust you, man." Darrell said, his voice was weak, but his words still held venom.

Logan lowered his head. He hadn't thought that wanting to help out Cassidy would get him into this much trouble. He exhaled loudly, feeling miserable as fuck.

"I know you're feeling my sister..." Darrell said, "But, I'm gonna have to ask that you leave her alone."

Logan's head shot up quickly, "Wait, what?"

"Dude you're on fucking thin ice with me right now. If you were to get involved with Em and end up hurting her. I'm one hundred percent positive I would fucking kill you." He paused, allowing that to sink in before he continued, "So if you want to stay my friend you'll think back to that dumbass promise we made and settle."

"Is this temporary?" Logan asked, his heart hammering a mile per minute.

"This baby is due early March. I'd get paternity results in about May."

"So you're saying I have two months to prove that I can stay your best friend. And two months before I can talk to your sister?" Logan's eyebrows furrowed, "Last year at your dads event you told me some promises are meant to be broken."

"That was way before all of this shit went down. To be honest man, this shit you pulled with Cassidy, using her to forget about Em just proves that you could break her heart. I'd be happiest if you just forgot Emery even existed. I mean... No I mean that."

Logan stood still for a moment, unable to believe his intent was to apologize for the Cassidy situation and ask Darrell if he could have Emery.

Unbelievable.

But- Logan agreed. "Alright." He had to agree. Darrell had been his best friend for years. He'd been there when his parents weren't. He'd basically been a brother. And Logan could not give that up. "I can do that." Besides it would be easy since Emery had been giving him shit through text. Probably meant she was pissed at him too.

Darrell nodded and sunk back down on the couch, "Let's play Madden or some shit." He suggested.

The atmosphere was too tense, Logan would much rather go back home- where he could sulk. Instead he nodded and picked up a PlayStation remote off the coffee table and sat back down on the couch.

***

Emery entered her modern mansion and let her bag slide off her shoulder and hit the floor. Sluggishly she made her was to the kitchen and opened her pantry. Empty.

So she walked to the fridge and found her cup of lemonade that she had stored in there after not finishing it with her breakfast. She took it out and headed towards the family room. The sounds of a video game only meant that Darrell was home.

She hadn't expected to see Logan sitting on the couch next to Darrell.

She hadn't expected for Logan to look at her with an annoyed expression before turning his attention back onto the game.

Not even a nod acknowledging her presence?

Emery was preparing herself for an exit when Darrell greeted her, "Hey Em." He said giving her the nod that she'd expected from Logan.

"Hey," She mumbled, "Uh- I'll be upstairs."

"Wait before you go, can you get me a Coke or something?"

She nodded, "Sure. Logan, do you want anything?"

Logan grunted his eyes remaining focused on the TV.

Darrell pursed his lips before looking at Emery, "He'll have the-,"

"Fuck!" Logan interrupted, Emery jumped and noticed his eyes didn't stray from the TV. "Fuck this game." He continued.

Darrell turned to look back at Emery, "He'll take a Coke too."

Emery nodded and exited the room, concern firmly etched upon her face. When she came back, she placed the Cokes on the table in front of the boys. Darrell nodded his thanks, while Logan stared at the Coke can before taking out his phone and leaning back on the couch and investing himself in that.

Emery removed herself from the family room and returned to the kitchen.

Logan was pissed. Probably pissed at her for blowing off his texts, but truthfully everything he was asking her she didn't know the answers to. Darrell was just as closed off with her as she assumed he was with Logan. She replied with an ‘idk' to most of his texts, offering no further explanations. She knew that maybe she was being a bit of a bitch, but as she was preparing to tell him about that whole ‘Make It Nasty' thing, she was unsure how he'd take it and cutting herself off from him was sort of protection.

Setting her lemonade on the counter and pulling her phone from the back pocket of her black skinny jeans she maneuvered to the messaging app and texted Logan.

-We need to talk...-

It was the truth, things between them were rocky, but she wanted to level everything out.

-Oh. Now you want to text me?-

Emery frowned.

-Stop being an ass.. I'm serious.-

-What do we need to talk about?-

-In person. I need to tell you something.-

-Fine. I'm leaving in ten minutes. Meet me by my Jeep.-

Emery feeling incredibly put off by Logan's behavior decided to head out now in case he tried to pull something and leave sometime before ten minutes had passed. As she leaned against his Jeep, she found that her assumption was right. Five minutes and Logan came out of the front door and began making his way down the driveway.

"Really Logan?" She asked, "Trying to leave without talking?"

"What? I was going to wait out here another five minutes..." He stopped in front of her and crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you want?"

"I need to tell you something." Now that the moment had come, she wished she'd waited another week.

Logan nodded, "Okay." He waited and when Emery opened her mouth and closed it six times, he began to get irritated, "Can you spit it out, it's cold as fuck out here."

"Then let's get in the Jeep and turn the heat on." She suggested, procrastinating what she knew she had to say.

Logan stared at her blankly for a second. If Darrell came out and saw them fraternizing, he was screwed. At the same time, he looked at Emery's amber eyes darting around nervously, and then her mouth. Her teeth were chattering, and she pulled her bottom lip between the teeth in efforts to stop that reaction. He pulled his keys from his back pocket and went to the driver's side. Hopping in, he unlocked Emery's door and started up the car- turning on the heat immediately after.

"So..." He pushed resting his arms on the steering wheel and turning to look at Emery, who was playing with the cuffs of her sweater sleeves.

"Last summer- or May anyway do you remember when you asked Darrell why I didn't act like a chick?"

Logan sighed, "We already talked about this... It's because-,"

"No. I mean you asked me that, and then the next day was Darrell's concert and-,"

"You were wearing that tight ass black dress?" He asked smirking, "Yeah I remember."

"Good." Emery said smiling a little and looking away from him, "Because I want you to forget."

Logan's eyebrows shot up, "Why?"

"I wanted to seduce you last summer." Emery said honestly, finally gathering the courage to just speak, and then she couldn't stop herself. "I was so pissed that you'd known me for years and rarely called me by my name. I was Darrell's little sister. Like, why the fuck was that, Logan? Why? Why couldn't you call me Emery? Maybe because I dressed like a guy you had to remind yourself that I was a girl by always saying sister. I hated that." She paused, "I had a huge crush on you, and I hated that you couldn't see it. Maybe you were so buried in girls that you couldn't notice me and I really wanted you to notice me. Okay?"

Logan's cheeks had crimsoned, "Okay." Damn. All this was coming out after Darrell had forbid the relationship.

"So I went and picked up this book from the bookstore and it was this guide for seduction." Emery giggled, "This sounds so fucking dumb. But anyways the book told me to emulate what you like in order to get you. I did that and-,"

"You got me?" Logan asked.

Emery nodded, "Well not really, but I mean I was getting there before I got sent to London." Emery laughed. "But I'm asking you to forget all that shit that happened in May because, I don't want to feel like everything is superficial anymore. Do you know what I'm saying?"

Logan nodded, "You're basically telling me that I'm shallow."

Emery's cheeks heated in embarrassment. "No-,"

"Yeah. You are." He said and then chuckled.

"I had to tell you this, because on New Year's, when you kissed me- I wasn't sure if it was because you liked me... Or you liked what I turned into to get you. Even though there was a big ole' time gap. So I want you to pretend that didn't happen. I'm going to be myself again and I want you to like me for me. If that's possible. Not saying that you have to like me or anything. But I mean if you do like me, I don't know. I-,"

"I'm glad you're telling me this shit." Logan said honestly, "So I can say that I liked you for what you became for me." He said, not so honestly. Emery nodded in understanding, "I probably wouldn't have even noticed you, like you said. So if you go back to normal I can forget about everything."

Emery couldn't explain the way she felt her heart drop, but she felt it.

"I'm glad you told me so I can finally understand where the fuck that new Emery came from." Logan continued talking. "I'm glad you told me this because now I know it was just a game?"

Emery shook her head, "I wouldn't call it a game."

"I mean it sounds like a game. What? You just wanted to fuck or what?"

"I-," Emery choked, "I don't know."

Logan grinned, even though his heart felt heavy and weird, "Anyways, you're going to USC in like six months. I'm going Notre Dame officially."

"Oh really?" Emery asked, she hadn't known that. That's where Darrell was going for Law.

He nodded, "Yeah. Playing football, but majoring in architecture." He told her.

"Oh cool." She forced out, all of the sudden too aware of the ache in her heart.

"Damn girl. I can't believe you played me." Logan muttered shaking his head.

"I didn't- okay I kind of did. I'm still Emery though. I just wanted to-,"

Logan nodded, and then he forced himself to say something that he was ninety-five percent sure he didn't mean. "I don't like you, like that..." He told her, "I would bang you in a heartbeat." Truth, "But I don't see us being in a relationship." Not so true. "And with graduation and college coming sooner than we think, I don't really know if it's worth trying to get to know you on a different level. Even if it was only how you dressed you know? There still is something weird about everything, you know?"

Emery nodded swallowing, a lump in her throat, "Yeah I understand completely, like who really knows if we're compatible like that, right?"

Logan nodded exactly, "And it's the last semester of high school. We should just focus on getting the hell out."

The things he was telling this girl all for the sake of his friendship with her brother.

"Well. I'm glad I was able to come clean." She said turning to smile at him. Their eyes clashed and an instant flame ignited between them.

Logan wanted to kiss her- one last time. Emery wanted him to kiss her.

But instead, her trembling fingers found the latch on the passenger door of his jeep, and the sound of the door opening caused their eye contact to break. She smiled at him weakly again. She knew she had led him on, she knew that she would regret starting anything with him on superficial terms. She knew that it was better that he knew about how insecure in herself she'd been. She opened the car and jumped out.

"See you later." She told him, closing the door to his Jeep before he could respond and turning to walk back up the driveway and back into her house.

She felt a tear drop before she knew she was crying.

Why?

It was her fault.

God, it felt worse than any type of break up could be.

She was positive of that.

 

 

 

 

Make It Nasty

©Awarded Emmy

Chapter 18

 

 

-Four Years Later-

 

            Eden Johnson stared out of the passenger window of her SUV searching the sidewalk for her daughter, the task was insanely difficult considering she was behind the wheel and the person in front of her slammed on their brakes every ten seconds. The airport was unusually crowded for the time of year which pissed Eden off. It was early June. Not early July. There were no holidays, or anything. Then again it was summer. And this was California.

Finally after going around the whole airport after accidentally passing the correct terminal twice, Eden found the right terminal, and came to a stop as close to the sidewalk as possible. Reclining in the seat she took out her cellphone and texted Emery.

-I'm here.-

And looking up, like clockwork, Emery came out of the terminal doors. Her handbag was on her shoulder and she was holding the cage containing Comet in one hand while dragging a cart with the rest of her luggage behind her.

Eden rolled down the window and shouted, "Emery!" While easing forward a little, but not too much for fear she'd roll over the little BMW before her and the man shoving bags into the trunk.

Emery looked around at the sound of her name being called and spotted her mother's SUV. She made her way through the throngs of people waiting for rides until she reached the car.

Eden jumped out of the car and opened the door on the back. When Emery met her around back, Eden immediately pulled Emery in for a hug. "Oh my God! Look at you!" She squealed her eyes taking in her daughter.

Gone were the golden tips at the bottom of Emery's hair. Her hair was straightened with a slight under curl at the ends and rested just barely past her shoulders, though the style was a little messy and tossed around from her flight. She wore soft pink maxi dress that complimented her caramel skin, and a pair of sliver flip flops. Her eyes were covered by a pair of large brown sunglasses and her ears were adorned by silver hoops. "You look so cute!" Eden gushed, pinching Emery's cheeks.

Emery grinned, "So do you. When did you cut your hair and start wearing it natural?"

Eden patted her short curls and shrugged, "I did this last week... Straightening and style took too long when I've got better things to do with my time." She touched Emery's hair, "This is your real hair though?"

Emery nodded, "I couldn't find anybody to do my hair in Spain so I had to do something myself." She shrugged.

"Emery put Comet's kennel in, I'm ready to get home." Eden said taking a suitcase from off of the cart and hoisting it into the back part of the car. Emery helped load her luggage into the car and finally put the cage into the SUV, but then took out the aging Comet to hold as she walked around the car and placed herself in the passenger seat.

Eden closed off the back door and got in, looking over at the fluffy cat on her daughters lap and sighed, "He's getting too old to be traveling." She warned.

 "Yeah I know, but if I leave him behind he'll pass when I'm gone." Emery said pouting, and scratching her cat behind its ears.

Emery turned in her seat and looked at her mom, "Next time I go to Spain I'm taking you with me instead."

Eden chuckled, "Why? Was it that beautiful?"

Emery nodded wildly, "Oh my gosh- yes." She paused and then slyly added, "And you wouldn't cheat on me."  

"You guys were there for a month." Eden asked taking her exit on the freeway.

"Yep. I bet he cheated on me when we were in London too."

"Asshole." Eden muttered shaking her head.

"I know."

Eden rolled her eyes, "So we're having a barbeque later on."

"Just a random barbeque?" Emery asked reclining her seat and brining Comet to her chest.

"Well you just flew in from Spain and Darrell just moved back to the city. We have to do something to celebrate."

Emery nodded, "Sounds good to me."

Emery turned back in the bucket seat and stared out of the passenger window. She loved living in Spain for a month, but it felt good to be home. Even if her heart was broken completely.

It all started because of senior prom. Dixon Hornet had asked her to be his date and she accepted- it only seemed right, he had been actively pursuing her since she'd arrived back in town from London. And after her ‘break-up' with Logan and his complete three-sixty attitude towards her- treating her only exactly as what she was- Darrell's little sister, she'd given up hope that they'd ever be friends or anything, so she had to move on.

And she liked Dixon. After he apologized profusely for his behavior on New Year's Eve, he turned out to be a sweet guy. Emery knew he smoked, but he never did it around her, and never talked about it, and never tried to push her into it again. And he was gorgeous. His dirty blonde hair was messy on top of his head, and his eyes were such a dark blue that they almost looked black at times and always made butterflies appear in her stomach.

So when he asked her to be his date, she agreed.

She'd worn a coral dress that was longer in the back but exposed her legs in the front. The dress had a silver sequined trim. Her hair was curled into a mass of tiny ringlets. Her nails were French manicured. She wore white round-toe heels, and diamond jewelry. Natural makeup.

Dixon had worn a white tuxedo with white dress shoes, his vest was the same color coral of her dress.

That night they'd danced and they had fun, but they didn't fall into a relationship. They both ended up going to USC as good friends. There wasn't any opportunity for a relationship when Emery began studying abroad every chance she got.

They started dating during March of their senior year when Emery turned twenty-two. Dixon was the one who suggested going to Spain for their post-graduation trip. Their relationship was practically fresh when Dixon decided to step out with some Barcelona hoochie.

 

Eden turned into the driveway of the house Emery hadn't seen in an entire month, and when Emery got out of the car she wanted to kiss the driveway. Her mother's garden had bloomed in the last four years, almost to the point where it looked like an over grown jungle of plants and flowers. The big wooden door that used to be a staple on the gray concrete walled establishment had been hidden behind a glass door with an eclectic design. Parked next to them in the driveway was a black Range Rover which only meant that her father was home.

Four years ago... Emery would have dreaded the thought.

In the kitchen, after suitcases had been lugged up the wooden steps and stored in Emery's bedroom, Emery stood at the counter helping her dad season the hamburger patties.

"So you just packed up and left?" Dennis asked carefully with a cross expression. He was ‘new' to being a father and he was actually trying. Years previous when Eden came around she forced her husband to do the same- it has taken time though.

"Yes." She said.

"And did he come back too?"

Emery shrugged her left hand lightly shaking salt across the meat on the counter, "I have no idea, actually. And I do not care." She said, but she did care. She cared a whole freaking lot. Two months, after four years of friendship, what was the point?

"I think you care." Dennis said. She bit her lip and caught the dark brown eyes of her father. He raised an eyebrow.

Emery wasn't going to cry in front of her dad. Their relationship wasn't there yet. He'd probably get super uncomfortable. So she blinked a few times and looked away.

"We were really shocked to get your text yesterday. I'm sorry you didn't get to finish your vacation."

"It's alright, I'll get over it." Emery said smiling through her headache, the burgers were finished being seasoned, "Is there anything else I can help with? How about I make the salad?"

Dennis nodded, "Yeah you can do that." He then placed the patties on the tray and exited the kitchen.

Emery pranced over to the refrigerator and pulled out the romaine hearts and set them on the counter and then retrieving a knife from the utensil holder, she began to slice the lettuce and while she did it, even as she tried her hardest to push the image from her mind, she couldn't help but pretend the lettuce was Dixon's penis.

She needed to get a grip.

"Auntie Em!"

She knew that voice, and she loved it to death. Four year old Madison came barreling into the kitchen and wrapped her little arms around Emery's legs.

Emery set down the knife and stroked the silky straight platinum blonde hair on Madison's head as she bent down to her level. "Maddie! Hi!" She said, wrapping her arms around her ‘niece'.

Then she stood to her full height in time to see Cassidy come into the kitchen with a plastic grocery bags stuffed with varying brands of chips, "Is Darrell here yet?" She asked, placing the bags on the island counter and rearing her head back to peer through the window into the backyard.

"Not yet." Eden said trailing in behind Cassidy with a few more grocery bags.

"Auntie Em?" Madison asked tugging at Emery's dress.

"Yes Mads?"

"Um- is- um- is Uncle Darrell coming too?"

Emery nodded, "Yes ma'am."

Even though Madison didn't have an ounce of Johnson blood in her body, Madison and Cassidy were considered family. After Maddie's birth the DNA results were negative for Darrell being the father. Even though he was happy to hear the news, the look of absolute terror on Cassidy's face made him feel guilty. Guilty for throwing the party. Guilty for getting so wasted that he couldn't remember the night even as hard as he tried.

By the time that he'd compiled a list of all the people that attended the party and tracked down Madison's father- who refused to take responsibility, claiming he wouldn't have slept with Cassidy if he'd been sober, like that was a real excuse... Darrell had already formed a small attachment to both Cassidy and Madison, thus becoming Uncle Darrell. He never dated Cassidy though, but he became a good friend to her, offering help when she needed it, even when he was miles and hours away.

"What about Uncle Logan?" Madison continued.

Emery pursed her lips and shrugged, "I don't know about Uncle Logan, babe..." She trailed off, unsure of whether or not she wanted Logan to attend. "I'm going to toss this salad, and then me and you can get into the pool. Okay?"

Madison nodded and stood with her back against a dark brown cabinet waiting for Emery to finish. Emery turned back to the task of cutting the lettuce heads, but this time Dixon's man parts weren't on the front of her mind- Logan was what she couldn't push from her head.

She chided herself not even forty-eight hours out of a relationship and she was already thinking about another man. Truthfully though, she thought about Logan often. After going away for college, the only time she really saw him was on holidays, but after she started studying abroad, some holidays she wouldn't even come home. Spending summers in China and Italy and winters in Brazil and Australia. She was sure it had been more than a year since she last saw Logan.

But she knew that shouldn't matter, there was a chance she could reconcile with Dixon. Maybe his cheating was a onetime thing. "Don't be stupid." She said to herself out loud, shaking her head and rolling her eyes at herself.

"Still talking to yourself?" Emery jumped at the sound of that voice in her ear. The voice that slid across her senses making her want to melt on the spot.

So he was coming. How could she have not noticed the racquet, Madison shouting with glee that her uncles had arrived, Darrell announcing he brought liquor, the heat of Logan's body so close to her from behind?

"I didn't know you were invited." Emery said, her hands were shaking making it impossible to cut the lettuce.

Logan stood next to her and leaned his back against the counter, "I'm family." He told her.

Emery nodded, "How could I forget?" She asked, forcing herself to smile even though she felt nauseous.

"Beats me." Logan said, she could see him shrugging his broad shoulders. She had yet to look at him, too afraid of what she would see. Too afraid that she'd succumb to her crush again. "You're cutting the pieces of lettuce too big. No one wants to eat the whole fucking head." He muttered under his breath before pushing off the counter to go harass someone else.

Emery's shoulders could not relax. Suddenly something so simple like making a salad seemed too difficult of a task.

A heavy arm was thrown onto her shoulder and a chaste kiss was placed on her forehead. "Emmy, how was Spain?" Darrell asked.

Emery shrugged, "It was pretty."

"That's it?" Darrell asked, and Emery nodded. She was so shaken by Logan she couldn't even converse with her brother. So she set down the knife and settled on giving him a hug instead.

When they separated, Darrell gave Emery a silly grin, "I'll let you finish this, and I'm going outside with dad." He said and Emery nodded, but they both shared a look, knowing it was crazy that four years ago they were done, and now they were having barbeques and actual conversations all because the twins snapped.

Darrell left Emery's side and Emery was able to return to cutting the lettuce. She gathered enough focus to finish the salad and then go upstairs to put on a bathing suit.

Truthfully, she felt uncomfortable wearing a two-piece when Logan was there- especially since she was still donning the suits he'd bought her in high school. It was crazy and she knew it, but she couldn't deny how she felt. Even though they agreed to forget about that rollercoaster she'd taken them on, she couldn't forget. It was impossible.

So in the end she ended up not changing into a swimsuit at all, and stayed in her dress. When Madison got into the pool, Emery only dipped her feet, and Madison, who was so pleased to be spending time with Emery, mostly stayed on stairs, giggling.

Emery's phone was glued to her hands, she kept checking it for texts from Dixon. Of course there was nothing. She couldn't stop herself from wishing he'd call and grovel. Even text and say something. When she'd come back to the hotel room after shopping in the market to find him in bed with one of the hotel's barmaids she wordlessly packed her things and vacated as he sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands.

She left without saying anything and in her mind that meant that she hadn't even officially broken up with him.  

That's why she knew she shouldn't have looked over her shoulder towards where Darrell, Dennis, and Logan stood at the grill. But she did, and what she was met with made her heart pound almost out of her chest.

He was so very handsome. He'd cut off his hair, it was now a dark brown buzz cut barely even there and it accentuated the strong lines of his face. His arms were crossed over his chest- flame like swirly designs took up both arms and biceps bulged beneath the tight fit of his maroon t-shirt. He wore beige cargo shorts and white sneakers. He was listening to something Darrell was saying, but his focus was on the concrete ground.

Emery turned back around to look at Madison, "Are you ready to get out now?" She asked even though they'd only been at the pool for fifteen minutes. Maddie grinned and shook her head. Emery pursed her lips and nodded.

Then took another peek over her shoulder, this time catching the vibrant topaz eyes of Logan. She smiled weakly, embarrassed that she'd gotten caught peeking at him, and turned her gaze towards Darrell who was saying something to Dennis.

In her hands her phone vibrated and she looked at it, the screen flashed Dixon's name and her heart leapt from her chest. "Mads get out of the pool for a second, okay?" She asked, standing up. Madison pouted, but got out of the pool and Emery walked over to the pool chair to sit down and answer the phone. "Hello?" She asked into the mouth piece.

"Hey." Dixon said, his voice was hoarse and sent chills down her body. She could not believe she witnessed him screwing some other woman and still reacted to his voice. "What's up?"

"I don't know, Dixon." She said, sitting pulling her legs into Indian position as she tucked the phone between her shoulder and ear and picked at lint on the chair.

Dixon sighed, "Are you okay?" He asked.

Emery looked up at the sky and rolled her eyes, "Yeah." She lied. "Should I not be okay?"

"Um- did you get home safely?" Breezing over her question.

"Who said I went home?"

Dixon sputtered, "Wait- where are you? You didn't go home?"

"Why would I? I still have a vacation to enjoy." Emery continued her lie with a smile on her face, "Just didn't want to spend the rest of it with a cheater- is all."

"Okay- well I'm flying back and I'll be home tomorrow night. I wanted to tell you that cuz I wanted to meet somewhere and talk, but uh- I guess that won't be happening?"

"No sir." Emery sighed, "I don't really know if there is anything to talk about. We both know what you did."

"Yeah. I guess." Dixon clicked his tongue annoyingly and Emery cringed, "I'm gonna finish packing up, I'll call you tomorrow."

Emery rolled her eyes, "Don't bother." Then, "Bye." She hung up. "Oh my God." She whispered under her breath shaking her head. She had no idea what to do with herself. Uncrossing her legs and standing up from the chair, she looked up in time to see Darrell motion for her to come over.

She made her way to the grill and stood next to Darrell who smiled, "Who was that on the phone?" He pried and Emery frowned.

"Why are you asking? Invasive much?" She asked crossing her arms over her chest and frowning slightly. She didn't want to tell Darrell about the situation with Dixon. He hadn't approved of the relationship.

"You just look upset, so I was curious." Darrell continued.

Dennis turned his head and looked at Emery, Emery shook her head a little pleading with her eyes for her father to not say anything. He nodded and turned back to the grill. "Burgers are done." He said, taking the attention off of Emery.

"They smell so good. Geez." Emery said, "I haven't eaten all day." The only thing she had was a little snack on the airplane. So technically she hadn't eaten since the morning before. Too sick and too preoccupied to eat after witnessing Dixon's tryst.

"That's unhealthy." Logan quipped from the other side of the grill.

Emery peeked around her father catching the gaze of Logan and she smiled, "Thank you, Dr. Isley."

He nodded solemnly- not looking at her, but out into the vastness of the backyard, his hands still crossed over his chest.

Emery pinched her lips together and looked away from him before he had the chance to turn his head. She was too afraid his gaze would still be the all-seeing, panty-dropping, gaze that it was four years  ago. And she knew she was crazy for being so skittish about something as simple as eye-contact, but it didn't stop her from wanting to avoid it at all costs.

***

The dinner was one big catch-up. Darrell talked about the reason he was moving home- which was the law school in California that he'd been accepted into. Logan shared the process of gaining a license in architecture and told the table that he was going back to school to gain his masters. Everyone was intensely interested in Emery's tales of her travels- though she left Spain out of her grand depiction of the countries she'd visited, and then she shared that since she minored in English she was greatly interested in going overseas to teach it. Cassidy was quiet mostly saying that she was still in school trying to become a nurse, and leaving it at that. While Madison boasted about how ready for kindergarten she was. And Eden and Dennis only provided their input in the conversation when giving advice, other than that they knew their jobs over the last four years and going forward would be trying their hardest to continue forging a relationship with the twins.

Cassidy had left around eight due to a strict bedtime that she kept Madison on, she was still living in the apartment she'd shared with her mother while pregnant with Madison.

Around nine, Darrell announced that he was ready to leave, after eating nearly three hamburgers he was stuffed and tired. Emery insisted on walking him out and giving him a big hug, "I missed you." She said, smiling.

"I missed you too." Darrell said, "I still can't believe you excluded me from all of that travelling."

Emery shrugged her shoulders, "No one told you to immerse yourself into studying law and being so busy." Darrell snorted a small laugh and rolled him eyes.

Emery looked to Logan who was standing awkwardly to himself on the driveway, "So you two are living together?" She asked, including him in the conversation.

He nodded a little bit, "Yes. We're sharing that house I lived in in high school."

Emery cocked her head to the side and looked at Darrell, "You're actually sharing a house with someone?"

"Yeah- I haven't found something I like yet. So I'm imposing on my man here."

Logan exhaled loudly, "I wish you'd hurry the fuck up in that search by the way."

Emery rolled her eyes, and Darrell pet her head, "Hey since you weren't here to celebrate our twenty-first birthday, why don't we all go out next Saturday, catch up, and get wasted."

Logan's eyebrows raised in appreciation of Darrell's idea and he looked to Emery, "Well," Emery pursed her lips, "Okay. I'm down. I need a drink or two- and not one in the company of my parents." She said mentioning the small very tame glass each one of them had with their dinners.

"Alright sounds good. I'll text you details." Darrell told her, unlocking the door to his old Mustang, and then unlocking the door for Logan. "Love you." He said over the door before getting in, and starting the engine.

Logan hadn't made moves to get in the car and Emery turned to him and smiled, "See you next weekend."

He nodded and took a step towards where he needed to be, "Yep." Then he turned on his heel and hurried to get in the car. Darrell was revving the engine annoyingly causing Emery to roll her eyes, then giving one last wave she hurried back into the house.

***

Emery's very belated twenty-first birthday party came around quickly. She stood in the mirror of her bathroom tousling her curls repeatedly until they fell loosely around her head. Her lips had been puckered and glossed, a thin line of eyeliner had been drawn on her upper eyelids. Her scent of choice for the evening was strawberry due to its summery vibe. She wore a navy blue bodycon dress with three counter sleeves and paired it with yellow round-toe heels, white bangles, big silver hoops, and a white clutch.

She tousled her hair again before pursing her lips and putting on her sexiest face. She was going to enjoy her belated birthday party. The location was a ritzy club in Beverly Hills- which she wasn't too thrilled about because she could already guess the attitudes of the attendees. Her ride was already waiting downstairs, Darrell had swung to get her.

She descended the wooden steps as quickly as her heels would allow with a big smile on her face. Darrell grinned, "Aww look at you." He teased throwing his arm over her shoulder.

Emery shrugged his arm off, "You'll mess up my hair." She fussed, not missing the way Darrell's eyes rolled.

"Yeah- yeah." He yanked a strand of her hair and Emery shoved him.

"Don't make me beat you up, asshole." She seethed. "I'm serious."

Darrell chuckled, "Whatever, let's go, Logan's meeting us there."

"Why didn't you guys come to pick me up together?" She asked, checking her hair in the mirror by the front door.

"He takes forever to get ready. Let's be honest," Darrell explained, "He doesn't even have any hair to do anymore."

As they stepped out into the warm June breeze Emery recalled his look from the nights before and frowned, "Why'd he cut his hair?"

"Because he wanted to?"

Emery rolled her eyes, "Stop being an asshole or I'm going back inside, for real."

"Yeah, yeah. Get in." Darrell ordered opening the door for Emery. She got in while glaring at Darrell, and pulled the door closed herself.

***

Getting into the club was simple because Darrell had arranged things earlier in the week. Emery was surprised that the place was actually filled with familiar faces, all of them friends of Darrell who wished the both of them a ‘Happy-Late-Ass-Birthday!'.

Even though they were supposed to be catching up, Darrell was more running around greeting friends, getting drunk, and actually ‘celebrating'. After thirty-minutes of following him around as he talked to people, Emery realized she wasn't clicking with anyone and excused herself to take a seat in a booth off to the side.

An employee came around and asked Emery what she would like to drink. She asked for straight whiskey. She couldn't stop mentally cursing out Darrell in her head, the least he could have done was invite Chelsea and Trenise- that way she wouldn't be completely by herself. She crossed her arms over her chest and sunk into the black leather booth seat.

Sucking her teeth she removed her phone from her clutch and turned on the screen.

Dixon hadn't called all day.

She knew she shouldn't have been disappointed when she told him not to call, but was their relationship really nothing? She thought four years wouldn't have amounted to this. She blew out a loud sigh and placed an elbow on the metal table top, and rested her cheek against her open palm.

She tossed the idea of texting him back and forth a few times, but for what? Would he respond?

Would he grovel-apologize?

That's all she really wanted.

She couldn't deny that if he apologized she'd go right back to being his girlfriend and the thought was disturbing to her.

She licked her lips tasting her sticky lip gloss, "Fuck it." She muttered, her finger tapping on the messaging icon.

"Wow, don't you look like a waste of space at your own damn birthday party."

Emery looked up and scowled, "Fuck you, Logan."

"What?" Logan asked, holding a hand up to his ear and leaning over the booth table a little, "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear that threat. Say it again, but this time lick your lips and say ‘I want to' first, yeah?"

Emery squinted her eyes as she pieced together his request and then she leaned into the booth seating and crossed her arms over her chest, "What do you want?"

"I came over to say ‘hi', is all." Logan said, standing to his height and smirking.

"By insulting me? ‘Hello' to you too, asshole."

Logan frowned as he slid in the booth to sit next to her, "Did I miss something? When did you become so hostile?"

Emery pressed her lips together and then sighed, leaning forward and crossing her arms over her chest, "I'm just not in a good mood."

"Boyfriend troubles?" He asked. And Emery looked at him for a second, preparing herself to nod, before he continued, "Pretty sure I warned you about that dick-wad way back in the day. Why the fuck would you date him?" Emery's jaw dropped, damn, she thought he was preparing to give her advice, not make her feel like an idiot. Logan chuckled, "I'm just saying. How long did you guys date anyway? A year? No... Six months... Nah? Oh wait, two months, right?"

"We're still dating." Emery said. "And yeah it's almost been three months... But we've been friends for like four years."

"Yeah?" Logan asked.

Emery nodded, "Yeah."

"I mean it totally makes sense that I just passed him- with his arm around some other girl. You know? Makes sense, but damn she was fine."

Emery's heart began to pound slowly in her ears, "What?"

"Almost three months sure as hell is enough time to ‘hump it and dump it', like I told you, right?"

Emery looked into those topaz eyes that pinned her against her seat accusingly and her bottom lip quivered as she recalled the conversation they'd had, four years ago, but she still remembered the way he'd gotten angry at her for just texting Dixon.

"At least I didn't come running to you crying." She said, turning her head away from him.

"At least you didn't, because I would have an ‘I told you so' waiting." Logan said honestly, his fingers tapping the table top.

Emery watched his lips tilt into a smirk, and she wanted to scream, but the waitress delivered her whiskey to her at that moment. Emery reached for the glass and without a thought tipped it to her lips and downed the whole glass. It burned her throat and warmed her stomach. She placed the glass before her and wheezed. She couldn't decide if the whiskey was making her eyes water or it was the situation.

"What the fuck is Dixon doing here?" She asked herself, powering on her phone and opening the messaging screen with more gumption, only to have Logan snatch the phone from her fingers.

"What were you trying to do?" He asked assessing the screen she'd opened, "Who were you going to text? Him?" Emery didn't look at him. "Damn, babe." He tusked, "So is this why you came back early? Did he cheat on you in Spain?"

"You know for someone who doesn't know the situation you sure as hell are talking a lot of shit to me." Emery said through gritted teeth.

"I think I'm headed in the right direction though." Logan said, moving to put her phone in his pants pocket. Then he cupped her chin and turned her head to face him, "Right?"

Emery blinked and forcefully removed her head from his hands, "I'm not obligated to answer your questions. Mind your own damn business." She then scooted in the opposite direction to get out of the booth.

She stormed away from where Logan was sitting and found the woman's restroom. She wouldn't allow herself to cry, because she was positive she looked ugly when she cried, but damn there was a lump in her throat and she knew tears were threatening to spill. She wanted another drink, but she didn't want to leave the ladies room, because Dixon was out there with someone else a week and two days after he'd gotten caught. And Logan was out there waiting to make her feel like an idiot for dating Dixon.

But why should she feel like it was her fault for Dixon's infidelity? She didn't even need to really ask herself that question. Because then she would blame herself. If she'd just had sex with him...

Emery shook her head and braced herself on the restroom counter and looked at her reflection. The wound was too fresh she could still see the sadness in her own eyes. It was too soon to be out in public after having her heart broken. She inhaled through her nostrils and exhaled through her mouth, before fluffing her hair and exiting the restroom.

She needed to find Darrell and get the hell home.

A hand caught her wrist, stopping her dead in her tracks. She turned her head and looked up at Logan as he began to pull her with him, back towards the restrooms. They passed a small dark alcove and Logan paused and took a few steps backwards before walking into it and pulling Emery in with him.

Emery waited until he turned to face her, before making moves to escape, but he stepped in front of her and took steps towards her. Her back hit the back wall of the alcove. "Logan." She muttered, making moves to go around him, but his body was big- taking up most of the small cut-out.

She couldn't see his face as his back was to the dim light of the club. "Why did you drag me in here?" She asked.

"Where were you going?" He asked.

Emery huffed, "To the bathroom." She replied.

"No I mean after the bathroom." He clarified and Emery rolled her eyes.

"Does it matter?" She asked, and he didn't say anything, but she noticed he hadn't released his grip on her wrist and it tightened slightly. "To Darrell." She answered.

Logan chuckled, "So you were just going to force Darrell to take you home? When he's actually enjoying tonight? You know he only threw this party for you since your ass decided to jet set all over the damn world."

Emery gasped in offense, "Hey!"

"Why were you leaving Emery?" He asked seriously, "Were you leaving because of Dixon bringing a date to your party? Or were you leaving because of me?"

Emery glared at him incredulously, but she was positive he couldn't see it, "I was leaving because I'm bored." She responded.

"No."

"What?"

"I don't believe you."

"What?" She repeated, "I'm not lying, I'm bored. If he threw this party for me, he could've invited my friends. Besides I thought we were catching up. I didn't think it was actually a party. And why don't you believe me? You're really starting to piss me off. You know that, don't you?"

Logan took a step closer, his body dangerously close to Emery's, "I know right now you're trying to pretend this whole situation doesn't remind you of anything." He said.

It did.

"I'll get a cab. I won't bother Darrell." She said quietly.

"What does this situation remind you of?"

Emery rolled her eyes, "I thought we decided to forget all that shit, Logan."

Logan sighed, "We did, but I know you didn't."

"Clearly."

"Emery."

"What? I'm officially pissed, let me out before I hurt you."

"In case you haven't noticed miss five foot two, hundred and twenty pounds, I'm over six feet and built... Hurt me?"

"That's what I said." Emery gritted her teeth, "What are you playing at?" He didn't respond, "Oh my God, I won't leave the party, just let me out of this box, I'm starting to sweat." Logan sighed and stepped away from her, and exited the alcove. Emery sighed as she came out, "Thank you." She huffed.

She turned to look up at him and noticed the pointed look he was giving her and she shuddered, his topaz eyes giving her butterflies. She continued out and towards the dance floor, hoping to squeeze into the crowd and disappear from Logan who she could feel following her.

As she got closer to the middle and started weaving through people, she noticed a familiar blonde, but not familiar in the sense of she'd just seen him before. She knew him.

He was grinding all up on some girl, making her nauseous. "I mean?" She mumbled to herself.

A week and two days.

A week and two fucking days.

Did he forget?

Maybe he thought that they never even started dating?

She tried to rack her brain for how he asked her out, but she knew it was legit. He'd practically chased her for four years.

She needed a drink.

She needed three.

TEN!

Emery turned around with the intention of heading towards the bar, but instead walked into the open arms of Logan. He wrapped his heavy arms tightly around her, and pressed his mouth to her ear, "We're going to dance or we're going to talk and catch up. Which would you prefer?" Emery's body had frozen from the chills of his mouth against his ear.

Emery pulled her head away, "Are we actually going to talk or are you going to berate me?" She asked loudly over the music.

"We'll actually talk." He replied and Emery nodded, allowing Logan to lead her back to the table they'd just abandoned. Emery sat opposite of Logan and pursed her lips waiting for him to the start the conversation. Which he did after getting comfortable in the booth, "So- how have you been?"

Emery raised her eyebrows and shrugged, "Besides an unfaithful boyfriend, I've been pretty good. What about you?"

"Eh-." He started and looked down playing with the buttons on his shirt, before looking up, "I've been okay."

"Just ‘okay'?" Emery asked crossing her arms under her breasts and frowning.

"Yep... So tell me about this whole teaching English overseas thing. When did that come about?"

"When I first went into USC I was undecided, because I had no idea what I wanted to do, right?" Logan nodded and Emery continued, "So I was just floatin' around looking for something and then I got involved in the study abroad programs and ugh-," Logan quirked an eyebrow and relaxed into the booth crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't think there is any way to describe how I feel when I get on an airplane or how I feel when I'm like in a new country." Emery leaned forward propping her head up on her elbow, she grinned and sighed. "It's like refreshing."

"Really?" Logan asked, "And what about the teaching? Who would you teach? Kids? Older people?"

Emery chewed her lip, "Definitely kids."

Logan crinkled his nose and leaned forward resting his arms on the table, "You like kids?"

"What!?" Emery asked loudly, "I love kids! Do you not think I would be a good teacher?"

Logan shrugged, "I think you'd do fine." Then he grinned, "Now that I'm looking at you, you do look like you could deal with kids. I bet you want a lot of kids of your own don't you?"

Emery frowned, "I think I want to be a teacher because I don't want children of my own- honestly."

It was Logan's turn to frown, "What?! What kind of woman are you? All women want kids."

Emery shook her head, "I-," She paused and thought for a second, "I wouldn't want to make the same mistakes as my mother. I'm too worried about that. So I don't want kids. Besides a lot of women choose not to have children."

"Really?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow, "You shouldn't be worried about that, though. You can learn from your mom's mistakes and raise your own kids your way."

Emery gave Logan an impressed look, "Thanks for the advice, Dr. Isley."

He shrugged, "Just make sure you get the right man." Emery sat up, reality smashing back into her. She sniffed, feeling tears coming. "Aye- don't get upset though."

Emery rolled her eyes, "It's hard not to get upset when you keep bringing him up." Emery said rather quietly, rolling her eyes to keep the tears at bay.  "And when he's here. If he wanted to screw other girls he shouldn't have asked me to be his girlfriend."

Logan frowned, "Yeah- he's a dick. How did he fool you?"

"People can change Logan."

"Maybe."

Emery sighed desperate for a conversation switch or she'd end up crying, "So what? Do you want kids?"

Logan nodded and grinned, "Yeah, lots."

Emery smiled weakly, "Why?"

"It'll be inevitable." She frowned, "For reasons." He ‘explained' then added a small wink.

"Oh-um." She blushed and flagged down a passing waitress, "Can I have a glass of whiskey ple-,"

"Bring a whole bottle actually." Logan interrupted, the waitress was gone immediately.

"I'm not drinking a whole bottle." Emery said frowning at his requests.

"Yeah you are. You and I are going to share." Logan explained, "Your brother invited you out to catch up and get wasted. So that's what we're going to do."

Emery sighed and nodded at his logic, "I guess I agreed with it."

"This is going to be fun." He said, "You should have fun tonight."

Emery shrugged- she should be having fun tonight, but with Dixon under the same roof she felt that was impossible. Even though he was supposedly there with another woman, sitting with Logan made her feel as though she was the one who had cheated.

"So tell me why you minored in business." She inquired trying to keep thoughts of Dixon out of her mind.

"Uh- I'm still unsure about what I'm doing with my life." He said and then he chuckled, rubbing his hands together, "I know that doesn't sound too good, but business really interests me."

"What happened to football?" She asked.

"Too many head injuries, it wasn't advised I keep on doing that. So..." He trailed off and frowned.

Emery sighed, and went to reply, but the waitress appeared showing the bottle and Logan paid for it, and poured them both a glass.

Logan bit his lip as he stared at the glass then his eyes that matched the whiskey rose to meet Emery's as he smirked, "Drink up."

Emery smiled and did as she was told.

***

"I just want to dance with you." Logan slurred into Emery's hair, as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her body into his after he slid all the way around the booth to be next to her.

Emery squealed and pushed at his arms and chest, "We can't." She whined and turning her head she leaned away and looked him in the eyes, "What if Dixon sees?" She whispered.

"Fuck Dixon." Logan replied jerking her back closer to him.

"I don't want to fuck Dixon." Emery slurred, hiccupping.

"Then don't." Logan mumbled, holding onto her as she fidgeted nervously and drunkenly. "Come out and dance with me." He continued to push, "One dance."

Emery sighed, "I would be cheating on Dixon."

"Fuck Dixon." Logan repeated, honestly annoyed with hearing that name.

"Fuck Dixon." Emery mimicked pulling away to look Logan in his eyes, she grinned and held up one finger, "One dance, Mr. Isley."

He nodded, "One."

"One." She clarified giving him a pointed look before giggling, and holding onto his arms as she pulled the both of them out of the booth.

Logan gripped her hips eagerly, but still held the bottle of whiskey, as he walked behind her, tripping over her heels as they stumbled onto the dance floor. Emery's giggles were infectious and Logan's cheeks hurt from grinning so hard. After squeezing through bodies and finding comfort towards the center of the floor, Emery started wining to herself as she got into the music.

Logan watched her for a second, even in his drunk state he knew that he shouldn't touch, but he did. He stepped to her pulling her body into his and wrapping his arms around her waist. She felt so good against him, it made his heart hammer against his chest. Emery took each of Logan's hands in hers and waved them in the air as she swayed drunkenly.

"Two Chainz!" Everyone in the club who was coherent of the music droning in the background called and Emery giggled some more and put Logan's arms around her waist again and ground her bottom into his front. Then she manipulated his hand and took a long swig out of the whiskey bottle while two stepping- before completely snatching the bottle from his grip. Logan was lazily following her motions waiting for his turn to take a sip from the bottle. Over her head he caught the gaze of Dixon.

Dixon's blue eyes pierced Logan accusingly as he oozed and grooved behind the brunette he'd been with earlier. Logan frowned, at the bottle of whiskey being pushed in his face, and he removed a hand from Emery's waist to retrieve the bottle. He took a long sip of the whiskey, before mashing his lips against the side of Emery's face. Emery swiftly turned her head and pressed her lips to his before removing herself from him completely and dancing solo.

Logan's eyes widened as he looked at Emery as she wined to herself. He ran a hand over his face and shook his head.

He'd done it again.

He just wanted to keep her company.

Logan turned and walked away, needing to give her space.

Actually give himself some space.

 

Emery wasn't aware of Logan leaving her side, she thought it was him roughly jerking her from dazed dance, but what she was greeted with honestly surprised her. She'd pushed his existence to the back of her mind.

"Emery." He said sternly his blonde hair matted to his face with sweat.

"What?" She responded becoming aware that Logan had ditched her on the dance floor. She frowned and took a step away from Dixon ripping her arm from his grip.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He asked, as if she had been in the wrong for anything.

"Having fun at my belated birthday party." She responded, trying her hardest to convey her annoyance over the loud music of the club.

"Yeah it fucking looks like it." He snarled at her.

Emery gasped, "Are you kidding me, Dixon?" She asked taking a step closer to him, "Are you fucking kidding me? So you get to fuck other girls on our vacation and bring other girls to my birthday party and you get to get pissed when I'm dancing?"

"Damn right I do. You're still my girl."

Emery snorted a laugh, "What are you doing here?"

"I was invited." He answered venomously.

Emery's eyebrows rose, "Who the hell invited you?"

"I did." Darrell said coming to stand next to Emery, he looked very confused, as his eyes darted between Emery and Dixon. "I thought you'd want your boyfriend to come...? Was I wrong?"

Emery bit her lip and nodded slowly, "Yes." She replied calmly.

"Well you could have told you're brother." Logan came onto the other side of her, suddenly.

"I know I should have told him," She rolled her eyes in frustration, "But, I didn't want to talk about it."

"Well what the fuck happened?" Darrell questioned, watching his sister fidget.

Emery shook her head, noticing that a few people around them were eavesdropping heavily. "I don't want to talk about it. It's old news." She said looking at Dixon, "We're through. Don't ever speak to me again."

Dixon chuckled, "Can we talk privately?"

Emery frowned, "I don't want to talk to you."

"Why the fuck not?" Dixon asked taking a step closer to her, only to run into the chest of Darrell who slid between them.

"If I hear you talk to my sister disrespectfully one more time, I will beat the shit out of you." Darrell threatened crossing his arms over his chest and glaring hard at Dixon who visibly gulped. Darrell had a few inches and pounds on Dixon.

Emery bit her lip and stepped around Darrell, "Okay, let's talk." She said attempting to turn and go somewhere quieter, but Logan stepped in front of her.

"What is there to talk about?" He asked her, and she looked around her nervously, "He cheated on you. If he apologizes are you gonna take him back? Just like that?" Emery was now chewing her lip as she caught her brother's expression out of the corner of her eye.

"You knew about this shit?" Darrell asked, looking at Logan.

Logan nodded, "Only for a few minutes." He answered before turning his gaze back to Emery. Emery sidestepped her brother and Logan and stormed out of the club in desperate need of fresh air after she felt drowned by Dixon's blue eyes.

She would have been dumb to think she wasn't being followed, when she turned around Dixon cleared his throat, "Em?" Emery turned her head and looked at him, "I am so sorry." Her heart hammered in her chest and she gulped, "What happened that day- I just- I don't even know what happened. It's all a fucking blur I swear. I never meant to hurt you."

Emery's fought hard to keep tears she knew she shouldn't shed at bay, "But you brought some other girl to my party."

"I didn't-,"

"Don't play that shit with me." She responded, "You didn't know? Yet you admit to being invited by Darrell. I'm done talking to you."

Dixon looked around guiltily, "Baby." She looked away from his sapphire eyes and hugged herself, "I saw you getting really cozy with fucking Isley tonight." He spat, "That's how you're gonna play me?" He asked, "Wouldn't put out for me, but all that asshole has to do is fucking exist and your panties are fucking missing."

Emery gasped, and couldn't control the fist that she sent smashing into the side of his face, "Don't ever say that." As he stumbled at the impact she advanced on him, inserting herself into his space. He was wearing that cologne. That cologne that used to make her feel so warm, but now made her want to vomit. She hit the top of his head with her clutch, "How dare you. I am not the bad person in this relationship. You couldn't wait for me. You stepped out. Not me. I am not the bad guy in this situation."

She raised her clutch to hit him again, but he caught her wrist in midair and glared at her, "I chased you for four fucking years. We were friends. Why did I have to wait so long?"

"Because-,"

"Because you couldn't stop thinking of Logan. Could you?"

"I said don't say that. Logan hasn't existed in my sphere for four years, Dixon. He was the last person I would have thought about. If I hadn't had been travelling, I would have agreed to be your girlfriend years ago, and who the hell knows where that would put us now. If I was thinking about some other guy why would I agree to commit to something with you?" Emery snatched her hand from his grip. "You let your insecurities fuck up what you spent ‘four years chasing'. So I am not the bad guy. It's you. It was you last week and it was you tonight."

"I know you're putting on this act right now, but the minute I go back inside to Isabella you're going to miss me."

Emery shook her head, "You had no confidence in me." She said, "So I won't miss you. Not one bit. I am going to move on."

"But what about my mom?"

"I love her, but I don't love you. Don't bring her into this. Stop bringing outside people into this."

Dixon's jaw clenched as he glared at Emery, "I could fucking hit you right now. You're being so stubborn."

"Hit me, Dixon. Let's brawl." She challenged, pulling on the hem of her bodycon. He rolled his eyes and she straightened up, "So- was she worth it?" Dixon didn't reply- he just stared at her. "You'll miss me, more than I'll miss you."

Dixon was quiet for a long time as he reached into his pocket and retrieved a cigarette. "I know." He replied.

Emery nodded and made moves to reenter the club, "I'm going to enjoy the rest of my night. I hope yours is just as enjoyable." There was no condescension or hate in her wish, just emptiness. She didn't know if she actually meant it.

As she turned the corner to head back in, Logan stepped in front of her, "Really? You didn't think about me at all over the last four years?" He asked.

Emery jumped at his sudden presence, covering her chest with her hand, "Shit, Logan." She breathed, then met his topaz gaze and straightened up, "I-I- Logan, I-."

He shrugged, "I don't know what I was expecting. It was you that said that we should forget everything, but it was me that agreed completely and all night all I've been trying to get you to do is remember. I'm sorry."

"Well." She said, giving him a blank look, "I don't know what to say."

"Me either- do you want to blow this?" He asked, pointing back towards the club.

She nodded without thinking, "Yes."

His smile was weak as he started walking, and Emery followed closely behind him, "So you eavesdropped on my break-up?"

He nodded and shot her a cheeky grin, "Your brother asked me to keep an eye on you while he made sure the party people were okay."

Emery rolled her eyes, "Priorities." She mumbled, then she loudly groaned, "I can't believe I just broke up with Dixon." She cried miserably.

"Shut-up." Logan commanded, "I don't want to hear his name ever again, for real." He said, "It took me everything not to smash his fucking face in tonight."

Emery sighed, "I don't feel horrible though." She told herself.

Logan cocked his head to the side, "No?"

She shook her head, "I maintain the worst break-up I've been through-,"

"Whoa. How many boyfriends have you had?"

"Just Dixon." She said, "But the last time we talked four years ago, felt like a break-up to me."

Logan nodded in agreeance, "Me too." He admitted, focusing his attention on the sidewalk.

Emery stopped walking, "What? You too?"

"Yeah." He answered not stopping his slow walk.

She shook her head and walked to catch up with him, "Well. Once again, I have no idea what to say."

Logan chuckled, but remained silent a little while longer as they meandered down the street. Finally he opened his mouth, "So, I have a plane to catch tomorrow."

"Damn and you were trying to get wasted tonight?" She asked.

Logan sighed, "Honestly, yeah. I kind of wanted to get so drunk that I would miss the flight."

"Really? Why?"

"I'm flying to New York to meet my baby brother." He deadpanned, looking off into the distance. "And stepmom."

"Oh." Emery pursed her lips, "Shit."

He nodded, "Yeah, fucking drama dude. Unfortunately, I left our bottle of whiskey in the club, and I'm like sober after dealing with your old dude. So, scratch getting wasted off my ass." Emery had no idea what to say about his situation so she stayed quiet while he thought for five minutes, "So I guess I should get you home."

Emery nodded, "For sure. Even if you don't want to go, I'd hate for you to miss your flight."

Logan rolled his eyes, "I am so not feeling this, and you have no idea."

Emery felt horrible, she didn't know what to say to him especially since she wasn't aware his parents had even divorced in the first place, so she pat his back in what she hoped was a comforting gesture, and walked in step with him as they walked back to the clubs parking lot.

***

It had been a very quiet drive to Emery's house. Emery knew that Logan was consumed in his thoughts about his family situation and she could understand how that could put a damper on anyone's mood. So when they pulled up in front of Emery's house, and she was prepared to hop out of the car, she only expected maybe a ‘goodbye'. She wasn't expecting for Logan to become social again. The night had been a hectic one, and she was unsure about where it left them.

Obviously so was Logan, as he drummed the steering wheel and looked off down the street as he asked, "So- did you really not think of me at all over the last four years?"

Emery stopped her hand in mid-reach for the door handle. Logan's breathing had stilled in anticipation for her answer, "Logan- I thought about you all of the time." It was a joke, because she was unsure of where the question came from. The whole car ride she'd assumed he was thinking about his family. But, that question made her reassess her thoughts on his concentrated silence.

"Really?" He asked turning to look at her and raising an eyebrow.

Emery sighed, "Actually no, I was kidding- trying to be sarcastic." She laughed a little, but he didn't join her, "I did think about you, yes, but I tried my hardest not to."

"Oh." He responded, looking away from her and running his hands over his head. "Well, I mean. I want us to be friends." He said honestly, fixing her with an earnest gaze.

"Yeah? Well, I want that too."

Logan smiled a little, "Good."

"I don't want that awkward horny stage that we had in high school to mess anything up." Emery told him and she truly meant it, especially now- being fresh out of a relationship, she didn't want to rebound on Logan. She was glad that he was asking for friendship instead of asking about the ‘What-If's which mostly floated around her mind.  

He shook his head, "Me either."

Emery took a deep breath, "I mean, I'm wondering if we can handle a friendship, Logan? With our weird past..."

He laughed heartily, before cocking his head to the side and smirking, "I don't know, Emery. Can we?" He quipped and Emery's heart leapt from her chest at that memorable innuendo.

Her cheeks heated and she looked away from him, "We'll see, then." She then frowned, "Um- can I have my phone back?" She asked, and then laughed, "The last thing I need is some Jimmy to Alisha bullshit going on again."

"Oh yeah." Logan said, reaching into his pocket and handing her phone to her. "It wasn't bullshit by the way. I liked the conversations we had."

Emery shrugged, "Yeah me too." She wouldn't admit that she had a huge crush on ‘Jimmy' at that time. It grew a little quiet between them until Emery was unable to control a yawn that escaped past her lips, "Okay, I'm obviously drained. So, I'm going in." She said, opening the door to Logan's Jeep.

He nodded, "Okay. I'll see you later."

"For sure. I want to hear all about your New York situation when you come back though." Emery said.

"Yeah, I'll be back in like two weeks? I don't know- I haven't decided when I'm coming back. I'll decide once I get there."

Emery nodded, "Okay, sounds good."

"Damn- you need to go to sleep." He said laughing at her dazed expression, "I'll see you."

Emery nodded and closed the door to his car, before hustling up the driveway and into her house. Once the door was closed and she had hurried upstairs into the haven of her bedroom, she couldn't help but press a hand to her forehead, close her eyes and sigh.

"Emery, Emery." She said to herself. She tried to take calming deep breaths, but, she couldn't settle the speed at which her heart was racing inside of her chest.

She felt guilty- like she was betraying herself because her relationship with Dixon had just ended, but she knew the situation. She knew that every time she met the light brown gaze of Logan something inside of her light up. And when he laughed her mood became better. And when he talked about himself, her heart swelled.

"Dammit."

She was stuck on Logan Isley.

Again.