I stared at her.
"OMG YES YES YES!"
Everyone present at the table congratulated me, and I felt like my face would split in two- I was smiling that hard.
Paul smiled, but I noticed that it was a bit strained. Seth was smiling a bit as he talked to Sam. Emily looked blank, but I caught a glimmer of something pass her face.
Suddenly she came over and hugged me.
"I'm so proud of you."
For a second I just stood there, until I hugged her back.
Bella crept away, and I couldn't care less, but what hurt me was that Jacob went with her. Psh, whatever. The poor kid had a HUGE crush on her.
This day was the best day of my life.
"Mom and Dad want to talk to you."
This morning was so great, my evening was ruined by the news Emily gave me.
"What? Why?"
"The tour. They're coming tomorrow..."
I nodded.
"God... Okay."
How could such a good day turn so bad, so fast?
*Next Day*
Me and Mimi ran around in our pajamas.
"Oh My God, Bri, what do I wear?!"
"I don't know?! Clothes, maybe?"
"Oh haha."
"Just kidding."
"Okay, I'll wear something manager-y."
"Imaginary?"
"No, you idiot, manager-y."
"...Okay, whatever."
Mimi pulled on shorts with a blazer. With pumps and a bit of make-up, she was ready.
I put on jeans and a sweater. I didn't want to make a huge effort for them.
We looked in the mirror.
"Nice!"
"We look hot."
When we finally went downstairs, everyone just froze and stared at us.
All of the guys were sitting on the sofa, squashed up, and Emily was looking at the floor.
And then I saw them.
My mother and father.
(By blood and marriage, anyway)
My mother wore her usual fancy clothes and sniffed at everything. My father wore his trousers and shirt. They had Emily's black hair and eyes.
My mother sniffed at my clothes and opened her mouth.
"Brianne."
I nodded in return.
"Mother."
My father sighed and ran a hand through his black hair.
"Uh, can all of you go in the garden. This is kind of a private conversation between me, Charlotte, Emily and Brianne."
Everyone shuffled out in a single line. Paul squeezed my hand on the way out, which I was thankful for.
As soon as they were gone my mother turned to me.
"Brianne Melody Young-"
"Carter."
"You're a Young."
"No, I'm 18. And I take my mother's surname. Carter."
Mother sighed.
"Well, then, we read about your tour."
"Ok?"
"You aren't going?"
"WHAT?!"
I looked at my mother, and then my father, who glared at me.
"Brianne, we are your parents, whether you like it or not, and we make your decisions. You are not going on tour."
"I'm 18, I'll do whatever the hell I want."
"Language, Brianne. Emily, dear, do tell her."
Emily looked away from her mother and didn't say anything. Mother huffed but didn't say much.
My dad took a deep breath.
"Brianne, honey, that came out wrong. Look, we're sorry for all we did. We can all move into your condo and live happily ever after."
"YOU BASTARDS, ITS ALL ABOUT MY MONEY, ISN'T IT?!"
My mother rolled her eyes, that sick cacface but my dad spoke up.
"Don't be silly, we care for you."
"Oh, do you now?"
"yes, and we always have."
I couldn't help it. I just burst. All My emotions just flew off my chest as I screamed to my hearts delight.
"YEAH, RIGHT. PLEASE. YOU CARE FOR ME? SO, WHEN YOU KICKED ME OUT WHEN I WAS JUST SIXTEEN, YOU WERE 'CARING' FOR ME? WHEN I WAS ROBBED, WHEN I WAS RAPED, WHEN I WAS BROKEN, WHEN I WAS HOMELESS, YOU WERE CARING FOR ME?! BRILLIANT. YOU KNOW WHAT? WHEN I WAS SIXTEEN, HOMELSS, AND IN NEW TORK A RANDOM STRANGER TOOK MY INNOCENCE AWAY. MAKING LOVE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME FOR ME. IT WILL NEVER BE SPECIAL. MY LIFE WAS RUINED. AND THERE YOU WERE, CARING FOR ME. I NEVER HAD A NORMAL FAMILY, I WOULD LOOK AT THE FAMILIES ALL ROUND ME AND CRY, BECAUSE I NEVER HAD A FAMILY. KNOW WHY? BECAUSE OF YOU!"
Emily had tears running down her face but she managed to keep her voice form wobbling.
"Mother, Father, she's right. What you did was worng."
My mother sniffed.
"It was her fault, she went to New York. We told her not to."
She smirked at me.
"Mommy knows best, darling."
"YOU AREN'T MY GODAMN MOTHER, SO SHUT THE HELL UP AND GET OUTTA HERE, BEFORE I CALL THE POLICE."
My father gave my mother a look.
"Brianne, Honey, please-"
"OUT!"
My voice broke and I shut my eyes.
My mother and father gave each looks and went outside.
And then I couldn't help it.
I burst into tears, and Emily pulled me into a hug.
I felt suffocated, trapped.
All the voices running through my head.
Crying out, I ran outside, past Mimi and Seth, pass the other guys, only to bump into a wall of muscle.
"Sh... It's ok..."
Paul's deep voice was raspy and i felt a few tears hit my shoulder.
I didn't care.
I just clung onto him as I wept, feeling for the first time, in his arms, safe.
And that's how it was meant to be.