Hey guys! Hope you liked Chapter 14! Ironically, it actually almost didn't happen! (Mhmm. -Jordan)

I have to send the chapters from my laptop to Jordan and my dad took the modem thing away so I couldn't get on it all the time. So, when I asked for the modem to send it, he didn't know where it was! I like freaked out!

THEN, my computer CRASHED. Thankfully, the computer recovered my document. (I almost screamed when I got her text. -Jordan)

Phew! Anyways, onward with Chapter 15!

"Mom," Troy laughed nervously, "What a surprise."

"I thought I'd come home a bit early and have a visit with my kids," she gave Troy a hug.

Emily and Chad stood up, but they made no noise. Emily's face had a grimace, as if she were looking at a rotting corpse instead of her mother.

Laura Bolton moved closer to hug her daughter, but Emily moved aside.

"Em, be nice," Troy hissed.

"I'm not being nice to this person."

"Emily, I'm not just a person! I'm your mother!"

"Why did you come here?" Emily snarled.

"Because it's my house."

"No, it's Daddy's house and you left him for some slutty business partner!" Emily stormed into the house.

"EMILY KATHERINE BOLTON!" her mother scolded.

"That's my name," Emily sighed exasperatedly.

"What's all the commotion…?" Jack's voice trailed off as he stepped foot into the kitchen. "Laura."

"Jack," their mother replied stiffly.

"What are you doing here?"

"Visiting my children."

"Well," Troy tried to break the tension, "Why don't we have something to eat?"

"Sorry, I'm not hungry. Whores make me lose my appetite," Emily stormed to her room.

Laura Bolton just stood in shock.

"I'll go check on her," Chad ran up the stairs.

"Why is Chad going to check on Emily?" Laura questioned.

"Because they're dating, Mom. I know for a fact Emily told you more than once," Troy said.

"Oh," Laura watched as Chad entered Emily's room, "Should we trust them to be there alone?"

"Laura, it's Chad, not some random boy," Jack said.

"Well, I don't know Chad."

"Emily, I know this is hard…"

"SHE SHOWED UP LIKE NOTHING HAD HAPPENED!"

"I know, but you've got to give her a chance."

"Should I really have to give my own mother a second chance?"

"Well, no."

"EXACTLY!" Emily screamed. She collapsed back on her bed in a huge sigh.

"Emster," Chad started, but he stopped once he heard her whimper.

He sat next to her quietly.

She looked up at him with tears welling in her eyes. "I've lost my mother, Chad," she whispered.

"Shh," he wiped away her tears and pulled her close to him, "You haven't lost her. She's right downstairs, waiting to be greeted by her loving daughter."

"I don't know that woman."

"Yes, you do. Now, come on, let's go see her."

Chad took her hand and stood her up. He led her downstairs to her mother.

"Hi, Mom," Emily said shyly.

"Hello, Emily."

Troy could sense the tension between Emily and her mother. He hated seeing it, but he couldn't deny the truth: Their mother was gone.

Sure, not physically, but she was basically a stranger. She knew nothing of their daily activities, friends, or anything. Troy wondered if she even knew about his musical. Or Emily being hospitalized.

Dinner that night was quiet. Even Chad, who stayed for dinner at Emily's request, was quiet. Emily kept looking at her father during dinner. His face looked so sad. Jack Bolton kept his face towards his plate, never looking up. The three teens at the table all became worried at this. Jack Bolton was a very social man, and a very up-beat one at that.

Emily tried to be nice to her mom, she really did. It just wasn't quite working out. She didn't know how to control her temper. Looking at her mother just made her angry.

The worst part was, Laura Bolton was trying to make conversation. Emily tensed up at the sound of her voice and she would occasionally snarl the answer in her mother's direction. Only she tried not to do this, because it earned her an elbowing from Troy.

"Um, kids, I have some news," Laura said.

"What now?" Emily angrily answered.

Troy nudged her and gave her a look that said "Be nice."

"I mean, what now?" Emily said with a fake happiness in her voice.

"Emily, Troy, I'm getting married!"

Jack quickly stood up from the table and walked to his study.

"THAT'S IT!" Emily threw down her napkin and stood up.

"Emily," Troy said in a warning tone.

"No, Troy. I'm not going to be nice anymore. She's already making plans to be married and she's not even officially divorced yet!"

"Mom," Troy sighed, "Em has a point."

"Well, we've talked about it…"

"Who is we? Because it obviously isn't Daddy. Mom, I swear you're so stupid! DAD'S HURTING FROM THIS DAMMIT!"

"EMILY!" her mother yelled.

"NO, I'M NOT DONE! YOU'VE ONLY CARED ABOUT YOURSELF THIS WHOLE TIME! WHAT ABOUT DAD, HUH? HE WAS NOTHING BUT LOVING AND HELPFUL TO YOU! AND HE'S TAKEN COMPLETE CARE OF US WHILE YOU WERE OFF SCREWING AROUND WITH SOME OTHER GUY!"

"Emily…" Chad hissed.

"WERE YOU THERE WHEN I WAS PUT IN THE HOSPITAL…TWICE? WERE YOU THERE WHEN TROY SANG IN THE MUSICAL? WERE YOU THERE WHEN I WAS SAD BECAUSE I BROKE UP WITH CHAD? WERE YOU THERE WHEN TROY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO FOR HIS AND GABBI'S ONE MONTH ANNIVERSARY? THE ANSWER IS NO! YOU WEREN'T THERE FOR ANY OF IT!"

"EMILY! Sit down," Chad hissed again.

Emily didn't move, but stood there staring angrily and breathing heavily.

Chad grabbed her arm and yanked her back down to her seat.

"Well," Laura said, "Glad to know this is how you feel about me." She stood up and walked to the guest room.

"Emily, you took it too far," Troy shook his head.

"Oh, like you weren't thinking it, too."

Emily sat in her room later that night. She took out an old notebook and began writing.

Dear Journal,

I know, I haven't written since…well I guess the first day I got you. I can't believe all that's happening. I'm just…overwhelmed. How am I supposed to deal with this all at once? But, I can't crack. I have to be strong for Dad. He's just so hurt. I can see it in his eyes. I mean, isn't marriage about trust? God knows we all trusted Mom. Sure, maybe yelling at her like that wasn't the best thing to do, but I am not the best-tempered person in the world. Natalie eroded my temper with her own. I just miss my mom. Not that woman in the guest bedroom, either. My real mom. The one who knew all my problems and knew just how to make it better. Now, my "mom" is a complete stranger. She didn't even know I was with the love of my life – Chad. I just hope he doesn't start to think I'm going to end up like my mother.

Until next time,

Em

"Emster?"

Emily turned around, "Chad? I thought you left."

"I was talking to your dad. He's a mess, Emster."

"I know," Emily looked down.

"Hey," Chad picked up her chin, "We'll all get through this."

"I want her out."

"I know you do, but she's not leaving for a few more days. So just please try to be nice to her."

Emily didn't respond.

"I mean it, Emster."

"Fine," she sighed.

"Hi, Mom," Emily called casually into the kitchen.

"Emily, can I talk to you?" Laura wiped her hands on a dishrag.

"Um…sure?"

"I know we started back off on the wrong foot, but we seem to be getting along, right?"

"Yeah," Emily said.

"I want to ask you to come live with me."

"….Live with you? In Montana?"

"Yes."

"Live? With you?"

"Yes, Emily!" Laura laughed.

"I can't believe you have the nerve to ask me that question."

"Emily, don't start this again."

"I'm not living with you. I was only being nice to you because Chad told me to!"

"See, there's your mistake, Emily. Your always listening to men," Laura rolled her eyes and continued her work.

"And that's your problem, Laura. You never listen to promises. I guess you zoned out during your wedding, because the vows say 'Until death do us part'."

"You shouldn't speak to your mother that way."

"I DON'T CARE WHAT I SHOULD DO!"

"EMILY! STUDY! NOW!" Jack yelled into the kitchen.

"Emily," Jack rubbed his eyes as he sat at his desk.

"Don't lecture me, Dad. She deserved it."

"No, she didn't."

"YES, SHE DID! She hurt you, Dad! And only I seem to care!"

"Troy's just trying to keep fights out of the house."

"Dad, I don't want her here, and neither do you."

"Emily, that's not the point!" her father's voice took on a teary tone.

"Dad…are you c-crying?"

Her father turned away. She ran to him and threw her arms around her father.

"Oh, Daddy. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Thanks for sticking up for me, baby," her father whispered.

"Anytime, Daddy," she whispered back, "Anytime."

"Emily why did you start another fight?"

"She asked me to live with her. You and I both know that was a big mistake, Troy."

"Well…"

"Troy, what's wrong?"

"Mom asked me to come live with her…"

"And you said no…right?" Emily raised her eyebrows.

"Em," he sighed.

"Oh my God, you're going to live with her!"

Ok, it's late. I'm tired. So this is going to be short and sweet.

Hope you liked it. Please review.

Make sure to check out Jordan's (penname: sh0rty) Natalie one-shots. (Next two are gonna be out soon! -Jordan)

Review!