Hello fellow humans! New chapter today! Thank you all for the positive feedback! It always brings a smile to my face knowing you all are enjoying the story. The next chapter will be on Tuesday so remember to check it out. Enjoy and stay safe ;)

Chapter 13

It was around six in the afternoon and the team parted ways back home. Emily was driving while Dani texted her friends in the passenger seat. She was kind of tired from playing all afternoon. Kids can really drain battery out of someone, but she enjoyed spending time with JJ's kids.

"JJ is right. You should be a soccer coach," Emily said with a smile.

"I don't know. Never really played on a team before. How would I coach one?"

"Wait. So you never played on a team?" Emily asked. "Where did you learn how to play?" She was very curious for an answer. She has seen Dani's skills when it comes to soccer. Her skills are very good for a person who has never trained in a team.

"Foster parents didn't like us staying in extracurricular activities. It cost money. All of them would hoard the money to themselves." Dani replied with a frown. "I played soccer with my friends back in my hometown. We would spend hours outside kicking the ball and learning new tricks from each other. But my real teacher was my brother, Lucas. He was the one who introduced me to the sport."

"I'm glad he did," Emily responded kindly.

"Me too. It was a way of him keeping me out of the streets and as a form of distraction," Dani said. "I just play it as a hobby now." She looks out the window and remembers how her brother tried his best from keeping Dani out of all the bad stuff. He tried to take her outside anytime he could in order for Dani to not witness their mother drugging herself or witnessing her overdosing. She thinks of how much of a hassle it had to be dragging around a seven-year-old with nowhere else to go except outside in order to prevent seeing the madness inside their house. Her brother was her guardian angel who tried everything he could to protect her from evil. Then he died leaving Dani out to face cruel reality.

Emily noticed how quite Dani was and glanced at her, seeing Dani thinking with a rather sad expression. Emily knew the reason Dani was like this is because of her talking about her brother. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked while placing her hand on top of Dani.

Dani gets out of her cloud of thought. "Oh, yeah. I'm just a little tired."

The profiler looks at Dani. She could tell that Dani wasn't saying the truth but Emily didn't want to push her into talking. "Okay. If you need to talk about anything, I will always be here to listen," she said with an honest tone. She squeezes Danis hand lightly.

Dani responded with a nod. She knew the agent was being honest with her words. Dani knew Emily cared about her and she appreciated it. But she always had trust issues when it comes to a person. She has learned the hard way to never get too comfortable with someone because you never know their true intentions. She knows Emily is different. Emily has shown Dani nothing but care and affection. She has never given Dani a sign of her being untrustworthy. It's just that Dani hasn't fully trusted someone for a long time.

She receives a text from her friend's group chat. It's from Amelia. Dani reads the message.

Am: Hey, Guys! My parents left for this last-minute business trip. I have the house all to myself. U know what that means ;)

James: Ohhh. that sounds like a bet!

Emma: Last-minute parties are the best 1s!

Am: I'm sending the invite to the rest of our grade. Just pull up!

Emma: U going, Dani?

Dani looks up at her phone and looks at Emily who is on the wheel. Emily notices Dani who appears to have a question. "Oh no. I know that face." Emily said.

"Amelia is throwing a last-minute party at her place," Dani said. "I was wondering if I can go?"

"Ummm. I'm not sure. Will there be any adults supervising?"

"Not that I know of," Dani replied. "But we don't do anything bad. All we do is hang out and dance."

Emily thinks about it for a moment. She glances at Dani and lets out a sigh. "Fine. You can go."

"Yes!" Dani says, pumping her fist in celebration. "Thank You."

Emily chuckles. "But, you have to be back at home by eleven."

Dani opens her mouth in order to start protesting but closes it. "Fine," she replies in defeat.

Emily gives her a smirk. "Want me to drop you off?"

"Yes, please."

Dani responds to the group chat.

Dani: Most definitely

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Emily drives to Amelia's house. It's in a relatively wealthy town with big houses. Each house would have their yard nicely done with grass freshly cut and flowers planted nicely. Dani admired how each house would have luxury cars in each driveway. Cars she would only see on tv. Emily pulls up to Amelia's driveway. The house is a large brick house with three floors. It has a large driveway with nicely trimmed bushes. Amelia opens the front door and waves at Emily and Dani. Dani hops off the car and waves at Amelia.

"So, you will be back by eleven?" Emily asked.

"Si, si. Lo prometo," Dani replied.

"Alright. Take care and have fun," Emily told Dani with a smile.

"Will do," Dani replied. She closed the car door and walked up to the house entrance where Amelia was waiting for her. She greets Amelia with a hug and they head inside. Emily watches as the girls enter the house and she leaves.

Dani enters inside Amelia's home and looks around. The music was on and teens were dancing.

"So, all of this was last minute?" She asked.

"Yup. Parents left and well, why not enjoy this lovely place?" Amelia replies with her arms open. "I always have emergency party supplies for occasions like this."

Amelia and Dani walk inside the kitchen and see Emma and James sitting on the bar stools, talking. They both walk up to them.

"You're here!" Exclaimed Emma.

"Yup. Do you guys really think I would let your party without me?" Dani says with her brows raised.

The group chuckles. "Nope. Especially when the whole freshmen class came. This is crazy, Amelia!" James says, pointing at the large crowd of people dancing in the living room. "When the hell did you have time to hire a DJ?"

"I have my contacts," Amelia replies with a wink.

"I think you broke the world record for the fastest person to throw a party," Emma said. "I mean, you have music, food, drinks, and crazy lights here!"

"Talking about food and drinks," James says while standing up. "Do you ladies want to join me in getting some snacks?"

"Why, yes. We will," Emma replies. All of them stand up and walk to the snack table. It was filled with different kinds of chips and drinks. The group of friends grab a plate and a cup and serve themselves. They head back to the bar and start eating. Amelia goes to one of the kitchen cabinets and pulls out a beer bottle.

"Would any of you guys want one?" She asked. "No pressure."

"Nope. My parents would kill me," Emma says.

"No, thanks," James said. "I don't want to go to my weekend practice with a hangover."

How about you, Dan?" Amelia asked, pointing at the bottle.

"Not today, fam," Dani replies. "I only drink when I am sad and want to forget my problems, but that ain't tonight."

"Sounds good. More for me," Amelia says while opening the bottle. She takes a sip and then raises the bottle. "Cheers for an awesome night!"

"Cheers!"