hay

livi's computer crashed.

she sends her love!

meow.

love ya,

emilie

Joe lay next to me, his lips pressed against mine, and is hands cradling my hips gently. He pulled back and looked at me.

"OH my god. I missed you way to much." He said, moaning a bit. He dove into another kiss and I giggled. The door opened and my mom stood there looking at us.

"Joseph!" She shouted. He pulled off of me and looked at her. He quickly jumped away from me and grinned nervously.

"Mrs. Stewart…. Hi…" He said.

"Lilly, Pete wanted to say goodbye."

"Right." I said. I stood up and walked downstairs, Joe following behind. Pete was standing there waiting paientely. He smiled at me.

"Your back!" I said smiling.

"Yeah. I'm gonna be kind of out of touch for a few months, so I just wanted to say goodbye." I nodded. I hugged him and smiled. "Don't get yourself into trouble, kid." He said.

"Ditto." He laughed. He looked up to Mom and nodded.

"They say hey." He muttered to her. She smiled and nodded.

"Who does?" I asked.

"Nobody, hun." Mom said.

"Seeya, Lils." Pete said. I waved as he walked outside. I turned to mom and looked at her.

"Who says hi, Mom?"

"Nobody." She said sternly. She turned and walked into the kitchen and started cleaning dishes. I followed her.

"Whats wrong, Mom?"

"Its nothing we need to discuss right now."

"Is there something to discuss?"

"Yes. No. Maybe. No. Ok, Lillian, I'm not having this conversation right now."

"Yes, mom. We are." I said sternly. "What are you keeping from me?"

"Lilly, you wouldn't be able to handle it."

"I can handle it, Mom, Just tell me!"

"Its about your father." She said, still looking down at the dishes.

"My… but… You said he was dead."

"Well, he isn't." My jaw dropped.

"Mom, what about my dad?" I asked firmly. Her eyes looked up to me. They were sad.

"We never wanted to hurt you. He wasn't ready to take care of you." She started. "He gave you to me, and I took care of you." I saw tears running down her cheeks.

"Mom, what are you talking about?"

"I'm not your birth mother. I'm your aunt." She said. I gasped. I turned and ran.

--

I found myself sitting in the tree house in the woods behind our houses. Oliver, Miley and I used to hang out here all the time. I guess we grew out of it. So, here I was, clutching a stuffed bear I had left up here. I was shaking.

Joe's head appeared at the doorway. I sighed. He crawled inside the small shack and lay next to me.

"Are you ok?" He whispered to me. I just started crying.

--

I woke a few hours later lying next to Joe. He stroked my hair gently. I sighed. He looked at me, realizing I was awake.

"Hey…" he whispered. I smiled weakly at him. My phone started ringing. I sighed and pulled it out of my pocket. I looked at the caller ID to make sure it wasn't my mom… or… whoever she was.

Pete.

I sighed. It was my… dad. I pressed the phone to my ear and sighed.

"Hello?" I said quietly.

"Hey! Lilly! Its Pete."

"Oh, hey." I said.

"Sorry it's a bit last minute, but I've got a interview scheduled for you at Fuled By Ramen tomorrow at four, ok?"

"Um… look… I… I've been thinking… and… I think I want to give it up."

"Give what up?"

"My deal. I really think there are tons of people more talented than me who deserve it."

"No. Lilly, come on. Your amazing, and very talented. Honestly. You deserve this."

"And I also… kind of think… that the fact that I'm your daughter might have biased your opinion on that." He fell silent for a second.

"Heather told you."

"She told me that she wasn't my mom, but I figured out the rest by myself."

"Hmm. Well, you certainly got your mother's brains."

"…….Um…"

"Sorry. I just…"

"No, its fine… but… Look, I still don't think I deserve it."

"Lilly stop. You do. First of all, it wasn't my idea to sign you. Patrick heard your song and showed it to me. It wasn't until I saw Heather that I realized you were the same girl as my Lilly."

"Oh…."

"Look, no matter what you say, and whether or not you believe me, you're a really talented girl. You deserve the contract. You can drop it. Or not. Whatever you choose to do. I just want what's best for you, Lilly, and if this isn't making you happy, don't keep with it. Your music is who you are. It defines you, and its your gift. Your music has already attracted tons and tons of people, and I know that if you had the chance, you could really enjoy this."