Chapter 13: End of Summer Party
Friday-Three Days to Senior Year
Two months had passed since Jeffery Blythe escaped from prison and a month had passed since he had been sent back there. The small town of Hidden Rocks was slowly getting back to it's usual nothing ever happens here mentality. Almost everyone was getting back to that feeling.
Emma Ross still slept with her light on and her door open. Sheriff Murphy had started to limit her to three suspicious person sightings a day. Cohen tried his best but Emma wasn't the same girl he started seeing at the start of the summer. She was jumpy, edgy and just very scared. He hated seeing her like this. He tried to get her to get back to the things she was doing before her father attacked her. She shied away from her friends, only wanting to be with Cohen. She begged off invites from Mollie and her other friends. Her grandparents tried in vain to get her out and about but nothing seemed to be working.
"Emma!" Isabelle called to her granddaughter. "Sweetheart, Mollie's on the phone!"
"Tell her I'm sick," Emma replied. "I don't want to see anyone."
Isabelle apologized to Mollie and then hung up the phone. Now was the time for tough love. She and Harlan couldn't take Emma away from the town for six months and let her come back a different person. That tactic only worked when she was seven. Now it had to be forceful and maybe a little mean. Isabelle climbed the steps up to her granddaughter's room.
"Emma Noelle Ross, it's time you get out of this house and enjoy the rest of the summer," Isabelle said sternly. "Up, up! Let's go!"
"Nanna, I don't want to see anyone. They're all still talking about me. Calling me a shooter and all sorts of other names. Why can't we just go away and let this all blow over like last time?"
"Because you don't solve your problems by running away from them," Isabelle stated sternly. "Mollie needs your help planning her party for this weekend. You are going to go over there and help her plan. And then you are going to call Dr. Lawrence and get back to your sessions. I will not have you hiding out in this house for another moment longer. I expect to see you in the kitchen dressed and presentable in half an hour. Do not make me come back up here."
Emma sighed and climbed out of her bed. In all honesty she had forgotten what day it was or even the time. She had been sleeping all day and staying up all night. She was avoiding everyone. Well almost everyone. When the nights became unbearable Emma would retreat to the one person she knew would protect her. She would go out to Old Man Spencer's ranch and meet with Cohen there. There he would hold her and let her cry. She only cried in front of Cohen.
She went to her closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and an old cheerleading t-shirt. She wandered into the bathroom and ran the water. She wasn't in the mood to do everything she would normally do when going out. She washed her hair but didn't take the time to spike up the back or anything else. She got dressed and wandered her way down to the kitchen where her grandmother had a plate of food waiting for her.
"Now, don't you feel better to be out of that room?" Isabelle said.
"Sure," Emma muttered. "Well thanks for the snack. I should go see what Mollie needs."
"Call if you go anywhere else," Isabelle said.
She echoing of the front door shutting was all the response she got. Isabelle sighed. There were times that she wanted to throttle that girl and others when all she wanted to do was hold her and make the pain go away. Having Jeffery come back into their lives had been hard on all of them. Harlan and Isabelle had to relive the death of their only daughter all over again. The thought of almost losing the best part of their lives was almost too much to bear.
Emma crossed the lawns of her house and Mollie's. Not paying attention of whose cars were in the driveway, Emma walked up to the door and rang the bell. Jack answered the door.
"Emma," he greeted. "Mollie and the other girls are in the kitchen planning. Mollie was hoping you would come."
"Thanks," Emma said, with barely any emotion. Emma wandered down the entry way to the Reynolds' kitchen and was shocked at the sight before her. Maddie and Mollie were head to head laughing and teasing each other, like they were friends. "What the hell is this?" Emma questioned.
"Party planning?" Mollie replied, sheepishly. "I'm glad you came. Do you think Nanna would mind if we expanded the party from my house over to yours for a larger mingling area?"
"What's Maddie doing here?" Emma questioned, her tone harsher than intended.
"I was invited," Maddie snapped. "What am I supposed to just vanish now that you deign to show up? I don't think so."
"Emma, I want you here, just as much as I want Maddie. If you two can't get along, I'm going to have to ask you both to leave. This is the first party I am hosting and I need your help. Both of you. So can we please try and get along?"
Emma slunk into the kitchen and took the empty seat next to Jo. Mollie kept talking and writing down ideas. "I was thinking of getting a bunch of those Japanese lanterns to string up in the trees. We could put the food and drinks on a table under Mom's peach tree."
"That would be nice," Jo said. "I think Reed has a collection of lanterns she'd let us borrow."
Emma didn't say a word while the other's talked. She was still trying to figure why Maddie, Mollie's least favorite person was sitting in her kitchen, helping her plan a party.
"Hold on I'm confused," Emma said.
"About what?" Mollie asked. "The guest list or what, Em?"
"Why Maddie is here?"
"Oh my God! Is it against the laws of Emma for Mollie to have a new friend?" Maddie snapped.
Mollie stood up and walked away from the table. She knew something like this was going to happen. She knew Emma wouldn't understand her new found friendship with Maddie. Mollie knew it and yet she tried to make it work. Maddie sighed and looked over at Emma. Emma slumped in her seat and started picking at her fingernails.
"What is wring with you?" Maddie snapped. "Mollie's trying to do something nice for you and you're practically throwing it in her face by being a bitch. Why don't you do us all a favor and get over yourself?"
"Were you attacked in you own home?" Emma snapped. "No. I was. I shot someone. I think I am allowed a little time to get over that."
"You've had over a month! How much longer do you expect everyone to walk on eggshells around you?"
Jo excused herself from the table. She joined Mollie in the living room and continued to help her with the party, leaving Maddie and Emma to fight in the kitchen. She too had grown tired of waiting for Emma to get out of her funk and join the world again.
"How long are you going to leave them in there alone?" Jo asked Mollie.
"I figure if I ignore them both long enough they'll get the idea that I won't be put in the middle of their war anymore. With the way that Emma pulled away from all of us after everything it's harder to want to include her in things."
Back in the kitchen, Emma and Maddie continued to play their "poor me" game. At this point Maddie was just about ready to walk away from Emma as well.
"You want to know why you're really mad at this moment?" Maddie snapped.
"Why? Why do you think I am upset right now?" Emma retorted.
"You're just mad because Mollie just didn't sit around twiddling her thumbs waiting for you to pull your head out of your ass. She's moving on and creating a life outside of you."
"Whatever," Emma scoffed. "I'm leaving."
"You're just going to walk out on your best friend?"
Emma didn't bother to answer as she left. She blew right past Mollie, Jo and Becca without saying goodbye. The front door slammed shut. Mollie waited about two seconds before going after Emma. She ran out the door and caught up with her best friend in the yard.
"Emma, wait!" Mollie called.
Emma stopped between the two yards. She turned back and looked at Mollie. "What?"
"Please come back," Mollie sighed. "I want your help with this party."
"You don't need me. You have Maddie," Emma practically spat out Maddie's name.
"Emma! You are my best friend! I love you like my own sister! But I can't take you pushing me away anymore!" Mollie's voice cracked and the tears started to fall. "I have called you everyday since the attack. You won't take my calls or anything. It's almost like you want to be miserable. Like you don't want to rise above what has happened and keep living your life. I can't help you if you won't talk to me! Talk to me Emma! Let me in for once in your life!"
"There's nothing you can do to help me! Nothing works! Everywhere I look he's there. He's in my room, in my house, in my mind and soul. Nothing will ever take away that fear that there."
"Emma, if you would just believe-"
"Believe what Mollie? That everything is going to be alright? That everything in the world is covered in daisies and rainbows? That a simple smile can change everything wrong in the world? The world is a dark and frightful place with horrible people in it. Go back to Narnia, Mollie. There's no magical lion that is going to jump in and save the day."
Mollie wiped a tear from her face. "I didn't think you would stoop that low Emma. Four months ago you nearly got into a fight with Maddie for dissing my beliefs. I don't know who you are anymore. Please just go before you say anything else you're going to regret later when you realize you're all alone."
"Maybe that's what I want," Emma replied. Emma walked away leaving Mollie without the chance to come back with anything. She couldn't go home without her grandmother asking questions. For the last few weeks Emma had been leaving her keys and ID in her car. Leaving them there gave her the ability to make a quick escape. Walking directly to her garage, Emma got in her car and sped away. Unsure of where she was going, Emma just drove.
Mollie watched as Emma raced away. She sighed and wiped away the tears on her face. Walking back to her house, Maddie was waiting for her.
"She'll come around," Maddie said. "It's just going to take some time."
"I don't know Maddie. I don't think this is something Emma's just going to get over. I don't think she'll ever be the same."
"Let's just plan this party. If she doesn't want to help that's her problem."
Emma drove out to the Spencer's ranch. Cohen only had a few more days of work there. Being with Cohen was the only thing that gave Emma comfort. At first, their relationship was all about sex. Sleeping with Cohen helped Emma escape from the problems she was having. It took awhile but Cohen was finally able to get Emma to talk about everything.
Down the street from Mollie's Matt was holding his first meeting of the Student Council. He was using this meeting as a chance to get some of his ideas for the upcoming school year out to the other members of the council before school started on Monday. The only person missing was Emma. Matt wasn't exactly surprised. The Council was sitting out on Matt's back deck that over looked the lake.
"I want to thank you all for taking the time out of your last few days of summer vacation to meet today," Matt said. "I have a lot of great ideas that I want everyone to consider for the upcoming year. I for one want to get with the cheerleaders to make sure all the clubs and activities are given their due recognitions."
"Where's Emma?" Halle asked. "She is the co-captain of the squad."
"I will get with Emma later on anything we decide," Matt answered. "She's been having a hard time."
Soon a great many new Student Council practices were being introduced. The first being a set group of people to greet at the doors when the busses come in. It would take some work on the other issues that had been brought up; getting the parking lot repaved, better parking lottery, ect.
After the student council meeting, Halle invited Becca and Matt over to her and Ty's new apartment. Ty was coming back from Greeley. He had gone back to his mom's to get the rest of his stuff. His mother, Lillian, had bought new furniture for the house and had gifted the old living room and bedroom set to the young couple. Ty was also bringing back his brother Kevin's TV and sound system. In the month and a half since the pair had eloped, Anita had yet to speak to either her daughter or her new husband. Because they had to wait two weeks after they returned to move into their place, it was a rather chilly time. To lessen the chill in the house Halle stayed there while Ty crashed with Matt. In the process Ty was given a summer job at the lodge with Jesse, Marc, Matt and Casper.
When the silence between her mother and herself, Halle moved her belongings into her car and took refuge with her friends. For the most part she had been staying with Becca.
It was strange for the others to remember that Halle and Ty were husband and wife and not just dating. The girls found it romantic while the boys were indifferent. They were just happy to have another guy to join their merry, little band. Matt and Ty had started to become really great friends. Ty's transition from Greeley to Hidden Rocks hadn't been as hard as it could have been without Matt and the guys.
Ty was pulling into the apartment complex's parking lot just as Halle, Matt and Becca were arriving. Ty's old truck had barely made it back from it's latest journey. It was literally being held together by duct tape, faith and sheer will power. Ol' George had been handed down one Morris brother to the next since his eldest brother AJ bought the truck used when he was 16. By the time Ty got Ol' George it was 20 plus years old and had over three hundred thousand miles on it. It was ready to meet it's maker in the great junkyard in the sky.
"Hey Matt!" Ty called. "What are the chances of your assistance in getting this stuff into the apartment?"
"Manual labor?" Matt questioned. "Slim to none."
"Did I mention that Halle will make you dinner?" Ty added, quickly.
Matt paused and pursed his lips. Halle's cooking was just enough to get Matt or any boy to lug a few boxes and other large items up a flight of stairs. "Deal."
Matt and Ty spent the next forty-five minutes lugging a couch, two reclining chairs, a bed, dresser, mirror and about seven large boxes up the two flights of stairs. Halle and Becca watched from the balcony, offering maddeningly unhelpful suggestions. Once inside, Matt and Becca helped the Morris' get their living room and bedroom set up. Then the boys started to set up the most important thing in the entire house: the TV and surround sound system.
Kevin's system was state of the art and hand built. Fourteen individual speakers, 12 different sound settings, a base system larger than their coffee table, a remote the size of a laptop, and an eighty-five page, handwritten step by step set-up and usage instruction manual. Halle and Becca retreated into the bedroom to get the bed made and the room cleaned up. There was no need for them to be around if things went badly.
"All right," Matt said, reading from the manual. "'Step one, read each direction fully and carefully, not skipping any part of each instruction, because if you do you'll screw up this system and I will have to kill you.' Wow, you sure you want to set this up? Because I am sure as hell not going to help you move out if we get this together."
"Two words: Halo 3," Ty said. "It will be so worth it."
"Better be," Matt retorted.
Three hours and thirty-seven curses to Kevin and his manual later, Matt and Ty had the system hooked up and running. The two boys were playing Halo 3 while their wife and girlfriend watched from the couch. Halle had made popcorn and was tossing pieces randomly at Matt and Ty, distracting them. Becca would laugh when they would try to swat it away.
"You know honey," Halle said. "I have my GameCube and Becca and I would like to play Mario Kart."
"Baby, it took us three hours to set the 360 up, and until I find the switchbox, I don't want to try to hook up a different system," Ty said, not taking his eyes off the TV. "Do we have all the right stuff for homemade pizza?"
"No," Halle said. "I haven't had time to do much shopping. We have chicken and angel hair pasta and alfredo sauce. Does that sound good?"
"Sure baby," Ty answered. "That sounds good. Thank you honey."
Halle went into the kitchen and started to work on dinner. Becca came in with her. "How can I help?"
"Umm," Halle said, thinking and taking inventory of their pantry. "There is a block of fresh parmesan cheese in the fridge. You could grate that for me and you could dice some tomatoes to stir into the sauce."
"Sounds good," Becca said. The two girls worked in silence for a few moments before Becca spoke again. "What's it like being married?"
"With Ty, it's like we're on this never ending date," Halle said. "We're together all the time and we're always learning. There's little things that we both do, that we've done for eighteen years, that drives the other crazy."
"Like what?" Becca asked, genuinely interested.
"Ty talks in his sleep, drinks directly from the jug in the fridge. You know silly little things that drive you crazy."
"Like Matt and his shoes," Becca said. "It's like he was absent the day they taught the shoe-tying song in preschool."
The two girls laughed and made dinner together. When it was ready, the four teens sat together on the floor of the living room eating and laughing together. It was a time of togetherness and friendship. So many things had changed in Halle's life that summer, that this small moment was more than she could have ever hoped for.
Saturday-Two Days to Senior Year
The next morning Mollie was the first one up and in full star cleaning mode. She was getting the den vacuumed and dusted. From there she was going to scrub all the bathrooms in the house and finish in the kitchen. This was the first party she was ever hosting on her own without Emma that she wanted everything to be perfect. Maddie and Jo were coming over that afternoon with decorations and food. By the time her brother Sebastian got up at nine-thirty, the whole bottom floor of the house was spotless. Katherine met her daughter in the living room.
"Mollie," Katherine began. Katherine's cancer was getting worse. It was harder for her to get around the house. "I need to talk to you about your party tonight."
"What is it Mama?" Mollie replied. She helped her mother to the couch and sat down next to her. "Are you feeling alright?"
"No baby. I know you have your heart set on having this party tonight. Could you see if you could move the location to Maddie's house? I just don't want anyone around the house today."
"I understand Mom," Mollie said. "I'll call Maddie and see what we can do."
"Doesn't it feel good working with Maddie instead of against her?" Katherine asked.
"Yeah Mama. It does. It feels just great," Mollie agreed. "I'll let you know what's going on with the party."
Katherine nodded before lying down on the couch. Mollie covered her mother with a blanket and kissed her cheek. She then went into the kitchen and started to make phone calls. She caught Maddie's voicemail and checking the clock she knew why. Maddie wasn't much of a morning person. Mollie wasn't sure where she could have this gathering until it dawned on her. Her church's youth center. Mollie got on the phone with her student ministry leader Scott. It didn't take much convincing on her part to get Scott to agree. His only requirements were that they don't break anything, they stay in the youth center, no drinking or drugs and they leave the place cleaner than when they found it. Mollie agreed to everything and promised that everything would be taken care of.
Just as she got off the phone her cell phone began to ring. Mollie picked it up quickly.
"I got your message," Maddie said. "What's up?"
"We are having a change of location," Mollie said.
"You're mom's having an off day?" Maddie asked.
"Yeah. But on the bright side I got a place where we can have it. I know it's not the coolest place but Scott said we can have it in the youth center of my church."
"The youth center is perfect!" Maddie exclaimed. "They have the pool and foosball tables, plus a better sound system. Why didn't we think of that before?"
"I have no idea," Mollie laughed. "So, I'm going to call Jo and have her meet us there. What is the fastest way to spread the location change?"
"MySpace or Facebook," Maddie replied quickly. "Did Scott give us any rules?"
"Besides no drinking or drugs? To make sure we leave it cleaner than when we found it."
"I'll meet you and Jo there in an hour."
"Do you think Emma will come?" Mollie asked.
"If she doesn't, she's not much of a friend then, hon."
"Yeah. I'll see you in a bit."
Mollie hung up her phone and reflected on everything that had happened over the summer. Her new found friendship with Maddie was the most shocking of all. No one really blamed Mollie for moving on with her life while Emma hid out. The other thing that changed is that between her brothers, her father and Casper, Mollie learned to drive. No longer reliant on rides places, Mollie could come and go as she pleased. She used the hour she had after calling Jo to get dressed and the car packed with the food stuff that she had picked up a few days earlier.
It was a busy Saturday at the lodge. With school starting in two days the last of the summer vacationers were taking in the last few days of summer. The lake was full and busy. Matt and Casper had a waiting list for boats and skis. Marc and Jesse were out in the woods the whole time. Ty was working on Landon's Wi-Fi system for the lodge. Landon Lang was so very pleased to have a computer savvy person working for him. Now if something crashed he could just grab Ty from the hiking trails and it would be up and running within the hour.
Out on the trails Jesse was having more fun than he had all summer. The McGill's had come up for the weekend and they brought along the exchange student they were hosting. Kate Derlagen was from Denmark and would be a part of Hidden Rock's senior class. Jesse was talking to her the whole time he was guiding the Spencer's on their hike.
"So what do you think of Wyoming so far?" Jesse asked.
"It's nothing like Denmark," Kate said. "I miss the sea."
"I know what you mean," Jesse replied. "My family moved here from Stratford four years ago."
"That explains the accent," Kate teased. "You are a very nice boy Jesse."
"If your interested my friend Mollie is giving a party tonight. A bunch of kids from school are going to be there. It would be a great opportunity to meet some people before school starts on Monday. Would you like to come with me?"
"I will have to check with Mrs. McGill. It sounds like fun," Kate said, agreeing. "Do you have the McGill's phone number?"
"Yes. I will call you later, all right?"
"I look forward to it."
"As do I."
Maddie and Jo beat Mollie to the youth center. Mollie had to stop at Scott's house to get the keys. While there she promised again that nothing would happen to the building or anything in it. She promised that everyone who came would treat the youth center with the same respect as they would show a church.
"Good morning ladies!" Mollie called as she came up to the door. "Are we ready for this?"
"Define ready?" Maddie teased.
"Halle called. She and Becca are on their way and they confirmed that Matt and Ty will run the sound system," Jo said. Also Becca said she might be bringing Dallas along to help."
"Cool, the more the merrier. Now Scott said that we can use anything we may need just as long as everything is cleaned up and put back in it's right place when we are done," Mollie said, unlocking the front door. "I was thinking of firing up the slushie machine. That would be a nice treat for everyone."
"Sounds good to me," Jo replied.
Mollie and the girls carried in the food and decorations from her car and into the youth center. For the next few hours Jo, Maddie and Mollie turned the youth center into party central. By the time that Halle and Becca arrived there wasn't much left for them to do with the decorations. The next thing that Mollie had on her list was the start on the food. She had gone to the Sam's Club in Casper and raided the frozen snack food case of all their pizza rolls, chicken wings and cheese sticks. She had little over two hours before everyone would be arriving.
It was late in the afternoon when Emma emerged from Cohen's bunkhouse on the Spencer's ranch. After her fight with Emma the day before Emma took solace with Cohen. It was only the third time in their short relationship that the night did not turn into a mattress mambo. It was Cohen's last day working for Old Man Murphy. Emma began to help Cohen out by cleaning up and packing up his things in the bunkhouse. Cleaning was the most relaxing thing that Emma could do. After her father attacked there wasn't a safe surface in her house. Emma scrubbed everything that she could. Emma decided that if she could force herself to remain calm and in control, she could convince her grandmother that she didn't need to go back to Dr. Lawrence. It was in truth wishful thinking on Emma's part, but she figured it was well worth the effort.
While she was cleaning, her Blackberry buzzed in her pocket, alerting her to a new message. She pulled her phone out and pulled up her message box. She had a Facebook notification for a new event.
"An End of Summer Party," Emma read aloud, to end the silence in the room. "At the Hidden Rocks Community Church's youth center starting at eight in the evening. Hosted by Mollie Reynolds and Maddie Kingsly." Emma stopped and took a deep breath and let it out slowly to calm down. She wasn't going to allow herself to get upset. Scrolling down to the end of the page to see if anyone left a comment about it. At the very bottom buried between RSVPs there was this message.
"Thanks for all your help Maddie! It's going to be a great party. There's no way I could have pulled it all together without your help. Your BFF Mollie."
"Son of a bitch!" Emma yelled. "I am your BFF, Mollie! Me! Not that two-faced whore!"
Emma picked up the first thing she could get a hold of and chucked it across the room. She then started to throw Cohen's socks around the room. She was so mad and hurt that she couldn't explain why she was so mad. She could not even process a rational thought as to the meaning of the simple three letter catchphrase. Cohen came into the room in the middle of Emma's temper tantrum. He almost got nailed by his boots.
"Whoa! Emma! Emma chill!" Cohen shouted. "What the hell is going on?!"
Emma couldn't speak but only pointed to her phone, laying discarded on Cohen's bed. He picked up the phone and saw Mollie's message. He wasn't sure what the problem was. He was only a boy after all and rather unfamiliar with the very girl phrase of "BFF".
"Emma could you tell me what's going on before you trash all my stuff?" Cohen asked, not trying to be funny, but trying to get through to his girlfriend.
"Maddie has finally succeeded in stealing my best friend," Emma snapped.
"Babe, Mollie is friends with everyone. Why is this such a big deal?" Cohen asked, trying to understand.
"Maddie's number one goal in life is to make my life as miserable as possible. Making buddy-buddy with Mollie is just a step in succeeding in that goal."
"How about instead of freaking out like this you just call Mollie and talk to her? This is just me thinking aloud but I think you're overreacting just slightly. Might help a bit."
"If Mollie ever speaks to me again after what I said yesterday it will be a bloody miracle."
"From what I know about Mollie Reynolds, all will be forgiven in a day or two or already has been." Cohen gathered Emma into his arms holding her close to him. They may have started as a no strings attached, friends with benefits relationship but now that Cohen had Emma, he wasn't about to share her with anyone else. Cohen Atwood, bad boy personified had fallen for Emma. "We don't have to go to Mollie's party tonight. We could do something else."
"I have to be there. People will talk if I'm not there. I should go home first though. Nanna's probably worried by now."
"I'll meet you at the center," Cohen said. "It will be ok, Em. You'll see."
The pair shared a kiss before Emma left. She drove back into town and pulled into her driveway. Neither of her grandparents' cars were in the driveway so Emma assumed that she had the house to herself. She had made the choice to talk to Mollie before the party and try and get their friendship back on track. As it turned out she wouldn't have to wait that long.
Maddie had kicked Mollie out of the youth center about an hour ago. She had come home and wanted to talk to Emma. She had been sitting on the front steps of the Ross' house for almost an hour. She had just said that she would give Emma five more minutes before she would leave. Seeing Emma pull up to the house, she gathered her thoughts and walked over to the car.
"Hi Emma," Mollie said. "How are you?"
"I'd be great if it wasn't for the knife you stabbed me in the back with," Emma snapped.
"What are you talking about?" Mollie questioned.
"Do the words 'Couldn't have pulled it together without you? Your BFF, Mollie' ring any bells?"
"Emma, it's just a phrase," Mollie began. "You know what, no! No! I am not going to defend myself here! You, you are the one who pulled away from me. Emma, you don't get to be the one to be angry and put out. I don't even know who you even are anymore!"
"I'm the same person I have always been! It's been a hard few months. Cut me some slack here will you? I'm doing the best I can."
"We could all hang ourselves with all the slack we have been cutting you. We can't do it anymore!" Mollie shouted.
"We as in you and Maddie?"
"We as in Casper, Jo, Becca, Halle, Marc and Matt. We want to help you! You just have to make the effort to reach out. You want hard times, I'll give you hard times! I am watching my mother waste away in front of my eyes. My father has to go back to Virginia for three months. My brothers are scattered across the country. I'm hurting and you couldn't care less!"
"Where were you when my father attacked?" Emma countered. "Oh that's right, you were with Maddie!"
"Not this again! Why are you so threatened by her? Who I spend my time with is none of your business. Emma, you are so afraid that you are going to be alone that you'll do anything or be anything to keep people around you. But nothing and no one is ever good enough for you."
"That's not true!"
"It is Emma. Jesse was the best thing to happen to you in a long time and you threw it away to be with Cohen Atwood!"
"It's not what you think Mollie. It's just a fling. Just meaningless sex."
"You can't be serious, Emma. How can you have sex with someone you barely know or care anything about?"
"Don't preach at me Mollie. I can stop whenever I want. It's nothing."
"If it was nothing you wouldn't be getting so defensive. What is going on with you? Will just talk to me without all the drama?"
"What do you want to know? That I still hear him in my head? That the only time I have ever felt safe in the last few weeks has been when I have been with Cohen."
Mollie paused before she began to speak again. "Emma, I can't make the voices in your head go away. I can't bring back your mother or erase the things your father has done. I can only be your friend. But you have to stop pushing me away. Emma you are the best friend I have ever had. I don't want us to lose what we have over this. So please can we get over this?"
"I won't share you with Maddie. You're going to have to choose."
"You can't put that on me Emma. I will not be a pawn in your little game with Maddie. Maddie is a nice girl who, like you has been dealt some crappy hands when it comes to her family. If you wanted to, you and Maddie could end up being really good friends."
"Hell would have to freeze over first and monkeys would have to fly before that would happen."
"Fine," Mollie conceded. "I don't want to fight with you about this anymore. In fact, if you can't get past the fact that Maddie and I are now friends, then we don't have to be anything more than neighbors."
Not letting Emma get the last word, Mollie ran for her house. Proud of herself that she stood up to Emma for the first time in a long time, Mollie was looking forward to this party more and more. She got dressed and left to meet Maddie and the others. She would have liked to have gone with Casper but he had to close up at the lodge and wouldn't be there until later in the evening.
Once inside her house, Emma began digging around in her grandparents room for the key to her grandfather's liquor cabinet. The fight with Mollie was so fresh in her mind that all she wanted to do was drown it out. Finally finding the right key, Emma opened the doors and pulled out the first bottle she could find. Not even taking the time to pour the whiskey into a glass she began to drink it directly from the bottle. The liquid burned down her throat. Within the hour Emma had polished off the entire bottle of Crown Royal and was starting on the Jack Daniels.
Mollie placed herself at the door of the youth center welcoming everyone who came in. She greeted them with a warm and welcoming smile. She pointed them in the direction of the food and drinks and reminded everyone to be respectful of everything there. She stayed at the door until Casper arrived. After that the pair walked hand in hand mingling with everyone until coming to a stop by the soda table.
"It's a really great turnout," Casper said, slipping his arm around Mollie's waist, pulling her closer to him. "And you were worried no one was going to come because of the location."
"This is really taking my mind off the Emma drama. Do you think I did the right thing?" Mollie asked, looking up at her boyfriend.
"I think that distancing yourself from Emma will do you both some good," Casper said.
"Whose that with Jesse?" Mollie asked, pointing over to the pool table.
"That's Kate Derlagen," Casper replied. "She's the exchange student the McGill's are hosting."
"He looks happy," Mollie observed. "Let's go say hi."
Mollie and Casper maneuvered over the pool table where Marc, Jo, Becca and Matt were hanging out also. Mollie greeted everyone and introduced herself to Kate. The eight teens chatted together until Frankie and Maddie came up to them. Odette and Leah, like Emma, couldn't understand the new found friendship between Mollie and Maddie. They figured that it was a plan that Maddie was forming and would let them in on it in her own time. They stared coldly from the corner of the room.
"Is it just me or did this summer just fly by?" Becca asked.
"Well it did for me," Mollie said. "What with Dad coming home, going to New York for a month and all the other stuff that has happened. Nothing is the way it was when school let out."
"I know what you mean," Jesse said. "Beginning of the summer I was still with Emma and my sister didn't lose her mind and runway and get married."
"You do have to admit that Halle and Ty's elopement was rather romantic," Jo said.
"Yet with everything that's changed, some things never do," Casper sighed, turning his attention to the door.
Emma had arrived. Cohen was right behind her. To everyone else it looked as if Cohen was holding Emma up. She was stumbling and she was talking much louder than she needed to. It was plain to everyone that Emma was drunk. Another ploy for attention. Mollie sighed and went over to deal with the situation.
"Hi Cohen," Mollie said politely. "Emma? Why don't I take you to Scott's office and you can lay down for a little while?"
"Oh I'm fine," Emma slurred. "I don't need to lie down, Dollie."
"How much has she had?" Mollie asked Cohen.
"I have no idea," Cohen replied. "I found her like this. I tried to talk her into staying home but she insisted on coming and driving herself."
"Could you please not talk about me like I'm not here?" Emma snapped. "Come on Cohen. Let's dance."
"Emma, you need to go home," Mollie said gently. "You can't be here in this state. I want you to go home and get sober. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Please, Emma?"
"Why do you care? We're just next door neighbors remember. You're not my best friend anymore."
"Emma you can't be in the youth center drunk. You need to go home."
Matt was watching from the pool table as Mollie tired to reason with a drunk Emma. He excused himself from the group and tried to make his way through the crowd of students over to Mollie. Emma had stalked off from Mollie and Cohen and made her way over to Jesse. She walked up to Jesse.
"Hi Jesse," Emma laughed. She looked over at Kate. "You must be the new girl. I'm Emma, Jesse's bitchy ex-girlfriend. If you're looking to get laid, Jesse is not the guy for you."
"Don't listen to her Kate," Jesse said. "Emma's just drunk and looking for attention. Why don't you just go home before you really embarrass yourself, Emma?"
"Embarrass myself?" Emma asked, shocked. "Or are you really worried that I'll embarrass you?"
Matt grabbed a hold of Emma's upper arms and started leading her to the door. "Jesse Valmont is still a virgin!" Emma shouted over the noise of the party. As Matt pulled her past Mollie she fought to get out of his grasp. "When Maddie ruins your life don't come crying to me Mollie. All I will say is that I told you so!"
"All right Emma! That's enough," Matt said sternly. "Where are your keys?"
"I'm not telling you," Emma whined. "I'm fine. I can drive myself home."
Emma pulled herself, yet again, out of Matt's grasp. She stumbled towards the door with Matt on her heels. She dug in her jeans pocket and produced her keys. Mollie and Cohen were blocking the door. They were trying desperately to keep Emma in one location.
"Emma! Stop!" Matt yelled. "Stop and think about what you're about to do."
Emma pushed past her boyfriend and best friend and out into the parking lot. Her head was pounding. She got to her car and started to open the door. Just as she got it open Matt shoved it shut.
"I will not let you drive Emma," Matt said. "You're not going anywhere."
"Back off, Matt!" Emma shouted. "Mollie hates me. Jesse hates me. Might as well make everyone else hate me too."
"Emma, no one hates you. We're all worried about you. This stuff with your dad really messed you up, didn't it, huh? So let us, your friends, help you. Stay here."
"Damn it! I don't want your help! I don't need yours or anyone else's' help! I am just FINE!"
"No you're not. If you were fine, you wouldn't have cheated on Jesse, alienated your best friend or shown up drunk to her party. You are so far from fine that I don't even have a word for what you are."
"Screw you, Matt! Screw all you nosy, nitpicking bastards! It's my life and I am going to do what I like! I am so sick of doing everything that everyone thinks I should do. I can't please everyone all the time." She started to walk to her car. Matt stepped into her path. "Get the hell out of my way, Montgomery!"
"I am not going to let you drive drunk Emma," Matt said, softly. "Please give me your keys."
"No. Get the hell out of my way." Emma tried to shove past Matt.
"Give me your keys Emma. You're not leaving like this," Matt said again, holding her back from her car.
Emma slammed her heel down on Matt's instep and rushed around him. She started her car and zoomed away. Matt ran for his truck and followed her. At first Emma did well. She wasn't speeding or drifting from lane to lane. Matt was going to follow her home, to make sure she got there in one piece.
The Hidden Rocks Community Church's Youth Center was on the even side of town and both Emma and Matt lived on the odd side, a good twelve or so miles away. About a quarter way around the lake, Emma noticed that Matt was following her. Emma began to speed up to try to out run him. Matt matched her RPM for RPM. His big truck caught up with her and stayed right by her side. More concerned about Matt behind and beside her than she was with what is front of her, she didn't see the deer hop out in front of her.
Emma slammed on her breaks, turning the wheel hard to the right, in effort to miss the deer. She hit the poor creature and slammed into the side of Matt's truck, sending him towards the ditch. Her Mustang spun out of control and slammed into a tree. Matt's truck rolled down the ditch and landed on it's top at the bottom of the hill, just feet from the water's edge.
Stunned and in pain, Matt managed to crawl out of the cab of his truck and make the 911 call. He let them know that there were two people hurt and their location before he collapsed. Within minutes two ambulances and most of the Hidden Rocks sheriff's office had arrived on scene. Emma and Matt passed in and out of consciousness throughout the race to the ER. It was apparent that Emma had been drinking but there hadn't been time for a field sobriety test for her. She had blood drawn in the ambulance for the blood alcohol count upon arrival at the ER.
Matt was in worse shape than anyone could have realized. Initial rush X-Rays found that he had a few broken ribs and both his legs were broken. They put in a chest tube to help re-inflate his lungs but there was damage done that they couldn't see until the doctors could get him into surgery.
At the party, things were starting to wind down. Many of the teens had made their way home, but called back and told them not to take the east side of the Lakerose as there had been an accident. Upon hearing this, both Becca and Mollie had a very bad feeling hit them right in their gut. No one had gotten a call from Matt to say that he and Emma had made it home. Casper had tried called Matt five times since the report of the accident had come in.
"Something's wrong," Becca said. "Matt should have been back by now."
"Montgomery, call me," Casper said into his phone. He hung up and looked over at Becca. "I'm with Becca. Matt would have answered by now. Something's wrong."
Ty had gone outside to get some air. He had been talking to Justin Green. Justin had a scanner in his truck and had heard the dispatch call. He didn't have much information, other than that it was a two car accident on the east side of Lakerose. Justin turned his scanner up when they were giving a description of the two cars. A late model silver Mustang and a red F250 Super Duty.
"Oh no!" Ty gasped. "Those are Matt and Emma's cars. Oh my God!" Ty flew into the youth center. "You guys we gotta go! I just heard on Justin's police scanner that the cars involved in the accident were a silver Mustang and an F250 Super Duty."
All eyes fell onto Becca. She blinked once and was out the door. At this moment in time no one cared who rode with who, just as long as they were getting to the hospital. It was a quiet, rushed ride to the Hidden Rocks Memorial Hospital. Clinging tightly to Casper's hand was Mollie who was praying as vehemently as she could.
Ty took control of the situation when they arrived at the ER. Becca was in tears, fearful for Matt. Mollie, Jo and Halle were around her trying to keep her calm, even though they were far from calm as possible. The guys were pacing. Ty walked up to the main desk of the ER and asked about Matt.
"Is there a Matthew Montgomery here? He was in a car accident," Ty asked, praying he wouldn't have to live through Kevin's death all over again.
"Are you family?" the nurse asked.
"He's my brother," Ty answered. "Please. Anything?"
"I'll get his doctor," the nurse said. Ty noticed that she was wiping a tear from her eye. She came back a few moments later with a tall man in green scrubs.
"I'm Dr. Pettigrew," he introduced.
"Tyler Montgomery. Is my brother all right?" Ty asked, trying to mask the fear he was feeling for everyone in the waiting room. He tried to stay as close to everyone as he could, so if the news be bad or good; Marc, Jesse, Casper, Sebastian, Mollie, Becca, Jo, Kate, and Halle could hear it also.
"We did the best we could but his injuries were too severe," Dr. Pettigrew began. "Your brother broke his ribs. We didn't know the full extent of his injuries until we got him into surgery. One of the shards of his rib, punctured his heart. There was nothing we could do. I'm sorry, son. Your brother died, five minutes ago."
"NO! NO! Don't tell me that!" Ty exclaimed. "No! Matt!"
Becca began to sob. Marc and Jesse held onto her as she screamed. Her heart just shattered into millions of tiny pieces. Mollie wasn't doing well either. Casper held her close as she sobbed into his shoulder. Ty thanked the doctor and turned to be with his friends.
"One of us needs to call Edward and Kim," Halle struggled to get out. "God! I can't believe he's gone."
Ty knelt down next to his wife and pulled her into his arms. There was no way this was happening. Stuff like this just doesn't happen. Jesse pulled away from the group. His best friend, his partner in crime, his brother, was gone. He wanted answers. He began to wander the halls of the ER and walked past a room with a cop standing outside it. Peering inside he saw Emma, handcuffed to the bed rail. Not caring about the cop standing right there he barged into Emma's room.
"You stupid, reckless, selfish bitch!" Jesse screamed. "Do you know what you did? Do you? Matt's dead! You killed him! You killed him you bitch! What the bloody, fucking hell is wrong with you?!"
"That's enough son," the cop said. "Leave her be."
"If I never see you or talk to you again for the rest of my life, that will be just fine with me! You can go to hell!"