Karkat called several times after that, but I only ignored his number. I couldn't stand to talk to him. Not after what he'd said. Eventually, I texted him. It didn't end too well. . .
Sent To: Karkat
You need to call him. Soon. He's going to be going to his work soon.
Sent To: Dave
No, I'm not going to call her. Emma, please pick up the phone.
Sent To: Karkat
Karkat, you denied my request. You have nothing else to say to me.
Sent To: Dave
But I do have something to say to you! Please, pick up!
Sent To: Karkat
Listen, if it bothers you so much that I have a crush on you, I can stop liking you. It doesn't have to be awkward. I just want to be your friend still.
Sent To: Dave
But I don't want to be your friend. Please, just let me explain! I. . .Just pick up!
Dave Has Blocked Your Number
I spent the rest of the day thinking about what had happened. He'd rejected me. And then he denied our friendship. I wanted to cry so badly. But I knew it would do no good. So, I tried to keep myself level headed and went to work.
I knew it was risky to leave the house when he was trying so hard to get a hold of me, but I didn't want to be fired. There were so few companies out there that didn't hesitate to hire teenagers without a parent's consent. I needed the job more than anything. It wasn't too exciting though. I had to help volunteers build houses and fences and other things. Sometimes we'd find something cool buried underground when we were digging. But usually it was just building.
I worked my heart out and took hardly any breaks. I didn't want to stop to think about what had happened just hours earlier and took pleasure in the feeling of exhaustion. It meant that I wouldn't have to think about the rejection or the rude words or anything.
I took the bus home and was undelieted to find my mother was already there.
I let out a long sigh before I stepped through my front door. I prepared myself as much as I could for a big beating. I hadn't been home before eight and mom took her dinner at five. I was three hours late to making her dinner and she was not going to be happy about it.
I wandered around a bit, looking for her and finally went into the kitchen. I suspected she was expecting her dinner soon, so I started cooking. When it was done, I took two plates into the dining room. I found her sitting there. I set her plate in front of her with a large glass of wine. It made me shiver, giving her the poison. But I knew the punishment for not doing so.
"Sorry I was late. I was working hard and we wanted to finish up the project today so. . ." I apologized, not looking at her. I poked my dinner a bit, still unappetizing. There was an awful taste in my mouth that just wouldn't go away. I finally glanced up at my mom, curious as to why she hadn't reacted to my bad news to see her looking down at a cell phone. I soon realized it was my cell phone.
"Mom, what are you doing?" I asked. I knew it was dangerous to question her when she was drunk, which was always, but she was invading my privacy and I wanted an explanation as to why.
She looked up at me with tears in her eyes.
"Mom?"
"Sweetie, I'm so sorry you had to have this hpapen. Er. . .happen." She said. She stumbled over her words all the time. "I read you'r txets and I fell-f-f-feel terible. C'mere." she opened her arms and reached for me. She stood up and hugged me tightly. It was the first time she'd ever touched me gently.
I felt a huge barrier break and the tears started flowing. I sobbed hard into her shirt and she hugged me tighter, saying things like, "Shhh. Shhhh. There, there. I'm here. I'm so sorry." It felt good to have her hug me like that. I felt almost like I wasn't the daughter of a drunk for a little while.
She took me into the kitchen and gave me ice-cream and made me hot cocoa.
I fell asleep on the couch, chocolate staining my lips and tears staining my cheeks and I was held all through the night by my mom.
