Emma slammed her eyes shut, a headache already managing to brew. The buttery leather of Mads car seats no longer seemed fabulous, but more of a scratchy material itching at Emmas nerves. After much argument, Emma agreed to get a ride home for the sleepover with Mads, Charlotte, and Laurel they had supposedely planned this morning. She had tried to escape, but now here she was acting like Sutton Mercer yet again.
"God, Sutton," Mads said with an eye roll, "What are you wearing?" she said sticking out her tongue with disgust. Emma realized she had been wearing her own clothes, which were old sneakers, a pair of black spandex capris and a purple fitness sweatshirt.
"uh…" Emma struggled for an explanation and avoided the question by asking Mads how she did her nails. Of course Mads went off on a long complicated story, and while Emma wasn't bothering to listen it bought her some time to think of her next move. The car rolled up to Sutton house, which had on lights inside. Shit. Sutton has got to be home Emma thought trying hard not to have a panic attack. Then Mads opened her door, and Emma knew it was game time. May the better twin win.
Charlotte, Laurel, and Mads were all crowded around the granite top island in the kitchen when Emma finally built the courage to walk inside. The distinct smell of the Mercer home hit her like red bricks, the familiar surroundings stabbing her in the heart. God did she miss this place.
"Sutton! We totally love your outfit," Charlotte falsely stated, "Fitness clothes are SO in" she nodded, sticking out her lips. Emma missed Chars lame comments and false compliments already.
"Are Kris- I mean, are Dad and Mom home?" Emma asked knowing that if things got sticky, she wouldn't want them to be around.
"Duh, they would never leave us here alone to have a sleepover," Laurel shrugged and laughed. Emma bit her nails, and felt the words sting. Then it happened. Suttons voice came chiming down the hallway, the sound screeching like nails on a chalkboard.
"I suh-wear if you guys started the movie without me, I will claw you to death with my very own nails," Sutton said as she padded into the kitchen. Everything stopped. It was silent. The girls stared in awe, their eyes wide.
"What the hell?" Laurel managed to squeak out, her and the other girls slowly backing away. "Mom, Dad!" Laurel yelled at the top of her lungs. The room spun, and Emma felt sick to her stomach.
Kristen and Ted walked into the kitchen, and Emma could feel herself losing her sense of grip on the situation. Her only family she ever had, had just gotten ripped away.
"Mom, get her out! This girl…she posed as me and I warned her to leave town, but now shes back!" Sutton pretended she was scared, and put on a huge production filled with tears and shaky breath intakes.
Kristen looked pale, and rested a hand on the counter for support. Emma and Ted locked eyes, a glimmer of hope was shared between them before he picked up the phone and dialed 911. They had turned on her, told her they loved her but now that she wasn't their daughter she no longer was in their hearts. While the tears came streaming down her face, she turned around on her heels to run.
"Get out!," Kristen yelled, grabbing a pan and chucking it at Emmas back. It slammed between her shoulder blades, making her fall down to the ground. Charlotte and Mads grabbed Kristen to hold her back. "You deceiving lying…you know what? Their was a reason no one wants you as a daughter!" Kristen yelled with a fury, a hatred not even Emmas old foster mother could have mustered.
Emma managed to pick herself up, and when she looked back she saw a satisfied Sutton smirking back at her. She ran outside, and into the rocky hills. She finally foujnd a tree, and slid down the back. Her tears ran down her face, tasting salty as they reached her mouth. She pulled grass out of the ground, convulsing with her shoulders heaving.
"Mommy, mommy why did you have to do this to me?" she said shakily, then lied on the rocks curled up in the fetal position. She remembered Kristens eyes. That look of disappointment. "someone just love me, please just someone want me," she whispered into the ground. That's when she saw a figure standing above her,the dark sky made it hard to see but she could see they were extending a hand. She grabbed it.