"Ohhh finally." smiled Mrs Hogart, when her daughter came down the stairs with Emma.
Jay was boredly playing with his spoon with no food on his plate- His mother had lied to get him up here. Little Witch. He glanced over though to do a double take as his eyes landed on Emma. His breath was caught in his throat and he swallowed.
Rachel smirked passing him and patted his shoulder, taking a seat beside him as Emma took the other side and he kept drooling over her as she sat. Emma was nervous to even look at Jay, but she felt his eyes-she always could. She kinda hoped he liked what he saw and by the look on his face, he more than liked it. It was like he was undressing her with his eyes.
"Oh boy.." Emma whispered to herself.
"Daddy's home!" Kevin yelled, running to the table. Their maid, Wendy, was coming around, serving food. Becca smiled so happily as a man with black hair and a patch of grey on the side, entered the room. He was on his cell phone.
"I won't take that offer Elliot, don't ask again." he hung up.
Emma glanced at Jay and just saw him glaring at his spoon. What did his spoon to do him? Or was he taking his anger out on the spoon and it was really about his father?
Walking with Jays well dressed father, was another man but younger, possibly fresh out of college. "Here you go Matt." Jay's father gave him his briefcase and Matt laid it beside the table as they sat down for dinner with them.
"Hi Daddy." Rachel said sweetly.
"Pumpkin." he said very business like and tossed his hand into Kevins hair who sat next to him.
Becca blushed when she greeted his business partner, "Hi Matt." he was so handsome. He smirked back at her but his eyes wondered to Emma curiously.
Since Jay was already glaring at his father, he noticed Matt nod at Emma and introduce himself, "I'm Matt."
Jay clenched his jaw. He tried not to get jealous, but he knew, as a guy, just why Matt was sizing her up and down. His blood boiled.
Emma smiled a bit nervously. She was still trying to take in how she felt about Jay's father. He was the complete opposite of Jay and he didn't have any characteristics that Jay's siblings and mother had. He seemed like a cold man.
"Are you going to kiss your wife hello?" taunted Mrs Hogart, taking a sip of her wine but shot daggers at Jay's father, "Or even say hello to your other son?"
Jay just ignored that and dug into his food, he noticed meet on Emma's plate and stole it from her, sneaking a smirk as she gave him an appreciated look. She was vegetarian after all.
Jay's father didn't say hello, but it's that moment he did notice the girl with his son and looked oddly between the two.
"Whose this?" he asked, eyeing Emma who glanced back at Jay and somehow they both lost the ability to speak suddenly. "She seems to good for you." His father half- joked, but Emma could even feel the slice in his tone. He meant it.
You see, Jay's father was very disappointed when Jay wanted nothing to do with his company. That's why Matt here was basically Jay's replacement. Jay wanted to be nothing like his father and that was the reason for acting out a lot when he was younger- getting into fights, detentions, stuff like that. He brought home promiscuous or girls his family didn't approve of- but not today. Emma was not the usual type of girl he was with.
"Her names Emma." smiled Kevin, taking a bite of his mash potatoes and shrugged when Jay tossed him a look.
"Your girlfriend?" His father asked roughly. He almost seemed to ask in disbelief. Emma didn't get it, since Jay was a good looking guy. Why did his father not think he could get someone like her?
"You gonna speak boy?" taunted his Dad when Jay didn't answer. Emma looked down and slowly at Jay who took a sip of his water; guess that would be a no.
His dad turned to Emma again "Very well you're not dating him then, he can be a disappointment time to time."
Emma bit her lower lip and tried to shut her mouth. His Dad was such an asshole. Now Emma knew why Jay had such a bad behavior in highschool, but now he was mature, and he made more sense to her now. He didn't want to turn out like his Dad, a rich cocky arrogant absent father.
Jay didn't answer him, instead he spoke to Emma loudly so his father heard, "This is how the usual family dinner goes when my Dad is home."
Everyone seemed to glance from Jay to his father who sat up more stiffly. He didn't think Jay would say something. It was about to get worse.
"He comes home maybe once a month, whenever he feels the need for a 'good deed' and acts like he's the reason we're all alive and doing well." Jay cornered his eyes at his Dad as he continued, "But he's a shit father. He couldn't tell you when my birthday is, he also couldn't tell you what college Becca picked out. But look at Becca." He pointed, and Emma did.
Becca had been so excited to see her father. Emma noticed she looked so nervous now, fearing a fight between Jay and her Dad and she tensed when Jay brought her up. It seemed like this happened a lot though.
"She can tell you the last time she saw him," Jay noticed, then squinted his eyes at his father, "But he couldn't tell you that last time he saw her. He doesn't care. And he's never as excited to see her like she is with him. Quite sad honestly.."
Becca swallowed, looking down, but didn't disagree. But it hurt to hear. Emma too pitied her. That couldn't be easy to look up to a father and want his approval when he was never home or gave a shit.
"Jayson." warned his mother, seeing how mad her husband was getting. It's not that she didn't disagree with Jay, but her husbands wrath wasn't pretty.
Jay went on though, "and he couldn't tell you what Kevins favourite sport is. Never even went to any of his practices-"
"But you did Jay!" Kevin said, happy with that. He honestly loved his older brother, a lot !
Emma smiled a little glancing at Kevin until she jumped when Jay's father banged his fist on the table. He looked ready to yell at Jay but Jay beat him to it, smirking snarkily at Emma, "I bet you he forgot your name already."
Mr Hogart lost it, "You disrespectful little shit."
"Lets go." Jay simply said, standing up and Emma nodded quickly but whispered a thankyou to his mother who smiled sweetly back at her but sadly frowned back at her husband. Mr Hogart was still yelling things at Jay who didn't even let it phase him as he and Emma left.
(((**))))
"Where are we going?" Emma asked, buckling up since Jay was reversing so fast out of his driveway and back onto the road.
Jay just tightened his hands around his steering wheel and began to drive. After a moment he looked at her, noticing her eying him. "Party at Spinners."
Emma paused. "Oh. Ok."
He saw it, that look in her eye and sneaking glances at him as he drove them there. "What? What's that look for?" he asked hastily.
She shrugged.
"No, tell me." he ordered
She shook her head no, it wasn't her place.
"What? Are you judging me for back there? With that asshole?"
Emma replied, "No." her eyes widen, of course not! He had every right to say all those things to his Father. They sat in silence and she sighed, admitting, "I just think that maybe this is why you like partying so much, something happens at home, and you rush to the next party you hear about. I kind of understand you a little more."
He cornered his eyes at her, "Did I pay $160 for therapy?"
Emma rolled her eyes, "Theres the old Jay Hogart I know and hate."
"But gladly fucked three hours ago."
Emma's mouth fell open, staring at him with an unbelievable look. He clenched his jaw, avoiding her eyes but regretted saying it immediately. He huffed and tried to explain, "Just don't act like you think you know me or why I do things. I'm a big boy. My father doesn't effect how I feel, I don't give a shit about him."
Emma eyed him. He couldn't be more wrong. He clearly cared a bit. For what she saw back there, his father basically verbally abused and put him down a lot, just because Jay wouldn't be the person his father wanted him to be.
Jay stared hard ahead at the road and cursed under his breath. He wanted Emma to get to know him, that was the point of this. He didn't want to be taking this out on her, but damn- he was so fucking mad. Of course his Dad had to come home the day Emma was there.
Emma bit her tongue, trying not to lash out on him but finally snapped. "I know you more than even Manny knew you or even Sean. No one knows where you're from, where you live or what your family's like. I'm not judging you I'm just trying to show you. I wanted to help, and normal people usually talk about it to make themselves feel better."
"show me what?!"
"That it's okay to feel hurt by what he does to you!" she yelled.
"Don't tell me what I'm suppose to feel, Dr Phil." he snapped "You have as much issues with your family as I do."
"I'm not saying anyone in this car is perfect." Emma saddened. Geez, why'd she care so much? "Just trying to say you can talk to me. I know what it's like…"
Jay snorted and her heart fell but then she got mad. "Fine!" she snapped, "Take me home."
He had no idea that Snake wasn't her real father, did he? That her father wasn't perfect either- actually, he was in a mental institution after tripping on acid one night after he knocked up her mom when they were teenagers which resulted with Emma. And Emma never got to know him, not until she took it on her own to go find him and visit him. Now, she never saw him anymore. He was too uncontrollable and got violent. He didn't understand why Emma was growing up so fast and he was missing it. And that messed her up too. Jay had NO idea.
"No."
"Jay!" Emma began to feel tears and tried to fight them back.
"You're on my time now." he informed, driving into Spinner's driveway. He turned his head and furrowed his eyebrows, watching her get out and slam the door closed after her. He scoffed and followed after her quickly into the party. This damn girl would be the death of him!
"Thank god." Emma sighed, seeing Manny when she got in and just dodged Jay who had chased after her. She moved quickly over to Manny who stood also with Toby. Manny smiled seeing Emma and then frowned noticing Jay following right behind her.
"Em, Hey." Manny greeted but eyed Jay, he was staring down at Emma as he stopped behind her, a hard look in his eyes. Emma's eyes looked a little red too, her nose puffy. "You ok?" she lowered her voice to ask Emma.
Jay grabbed the back of Emma's arm, "Lets go talk." He didn't know what had pissed her off so much.
"I'm busy!" she barked, glaring madly up at him, so much emotion in her eyes. He glared back down at her, but a hint of surrender flashed in his eyes. He clenched his jaw and released his grip on her, half nodding.
Manny eyed between them closely.
"Wow." Toby said, "It's only been two days and you're already down another's throats."
"Feels like a year." hissed Jay.
Emma snapped back, "It's you who bid on me, if I'm such an inconvenience, why did you do it?" she crossed her arms and his mouth fell while trying to think of something to say in front of her friends.
"Oh my god." Manny suddenly blurted out. They all turned to Manny who looked at them in clarity and then she snickered.
"What?" Emma asked confused.
"It's you." Manny said bleakly to Emma, glancing at Jay who stood up straighter. He knew what she was piecing together. "You're the girl Jay wasn't over."
Emma glanced awkwardly around the party, not wanting anyone to see this scene. Jay lowered his voice as well and asked Manny, "Can we talk about this later?"
"So what? Are you guys going to date now?" she snapped, throwing her arms out a little childishly.
"Manny," Emma shook her head at her, giving her a ridiculous look.
"Well you've hooked up before!" now everyone was staring. Emma even gave Jay a mortified look, this was exactly what she didn't want to happen. She couldn't just avoid drama for one week, could she?
"We.." Emma choked on her words, not knowing what to say. Especially since ironically, they hooked up before they came to the party.
Manny was glancing wildly between them now. She always knew they had some sick pull on another but she thought maybe Jay dating her would change that, that he'd move on. She should of known it was Emma! It was ALWAYS about Emma. 'Greenpeace this, Greenpeace that'.
"Tell me," Manny demanded, "I have a right to know if my ex and bestfriend are going to date another now."
"Grow up," Jay finally snapped and Manny gasped. Toby even turned and walked away, not wanting to get into this. It looked dangerous. "At least I was honest to you."
Manny had enough with Jay. She turned to Emma, "I'm your best friend Emma and I totally forbid you from seeing him."
"Uh." Emma didn't know what to reply with to that. She sounded like an angry parent.
"Oh that's not a shocking demand from you, Dimples." Jay shot at Manny, "Ordering Emma what to do, making her stick to the shadows when someone sees her over your spotlight? God no, wouldn't want that now would we? People noticing her over you? Picking her over you?"
Manny eyes flashed hurtfully but she had nothing to say to that. Emma blinked and couldn't really disagree with that either. Boys had always noticed Manny first. Manny could really have any guy she wanted- why did she have to go for Jay? I mean in 7th grade, she got Craig Mannings. When Emma liked Peter, Peter went for Manny first. Now this. Emma didn't feel like fighting over Jay with her- in fact, she felt like Manny might even win with how her self esteem felt like right now.
"I got to go." Emma muttered, now feeling like crap and just shoved between both of them, leaving the party and getting away from them as fast as she could.
"But- Em, wait.." Manny was speechless and watched Emma go with a look in her eye. Jay too felt a bit mad at himself and bit the inside of his cheek, watching Emma go. He shamefully glanced around the party and back down at Manny. She turned to him madly and shook her head, "I can't believe you said that! I-I don't think that."
Jay gave her a dull look, "You're are as into yourself as Ariana Grande is."
Manny saddened, her shoulders slumping. "Do I really do that?" she asked herself more than she asked him. "Em's gorgeous. Everybody knows that! And, Yes, maaybe I don't like it when she gets the attention sometimes but-" she shut up for a moment to think. Oh my god. She had showed Peter her 'you knows' knowing Emma liked him. And Emma hadn't liked anyone for a while til Peter because well, Jay was the last person she was with. And that whole situation was messy. That probably didn't feel good to finally like a guy and your best friend does that. And then she goes and dates the other guy she had a thing with.
And that 'thing' Emma had with Jay wasn't something she had with other guys. Jay gave her more experience, and he was different to Emma than everyone else was. They had an interesting connection to another. A bond nobody could explain. Even Manny could see it, she tried to ignore it but now she wondered if she went for Jay because of Emma? As some kind of competition thing..
Manny now remembered when she use to maybe harmlessly flirt with Sean or go on and on about his biceps. And maybe to Emma, it wasn't harmless. It had probably hurt, deep down.
"oh my god, I'm a horrible friend." She began to cry.
Jay's eyed widened a bit, noticing her start to sob. "Jesus," he cursed, "Pull it together."
She smacked his arm, "You did this!" she sniffed and felt terrible. "How could I do that to her? She's my best friend."
Jay took a deep breath. "You did it subconsciously. You didn't really know."
"Yea but now I do and I would never forgive me if I was her."
"Well," Jay blinked and tried to make it up to her, "If it helps, me and her had sex earlier. Give her some slack, and we can call it even I'm sure."
Manny's mouth hung, trying to sink that in and than glared at him for his blunt crude-ness. She snapped, "She's too good for you."
"I know." He sighed. Manny was a bit taken back by that. She didn't expect that to come from his mouth.
"You're in love with her, aren't you?"
Jay looked back at Manny to see her eying him. He was quiet for a moment. "Yeah.."
With that, Manny watched him leave. She was still in shock as she turned back around to find Toby but her mind was going a million miles per second. How was she suppose to face Emma again ? How did she apologise for that? Emma and Jay had sex?!