Saving Neba

𝐗𝐋𝐈: This place called love

A/N: I have a feeling this may be a touchy chapter for some people. Backstories are necessary to understand why people act or behave the way they do. Remember these are all Emery's thoughts and do not directly reflect what I, the author, stand for or against.✨
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"Uh. . .Your mum's asleep," Giada replied, jumping her words. "Is everything alright where you are?"

The phone was still between the constrictions of my palm and my ear but my attention was on Dad who still hadn't said anything, other than the hands in his pocket which I wanted to remove so badly. Who did he think he was being confident for? Then, he brought out his left hand and spared his gold, expensive wristwatch a glance then gave a long sigh.

"Well?" I inquired, peering at him.

"Well, honey, it'd be rather inconvenient to wake her up," Giada mumbled from the other side. Angrily, I cut the call. Couldn't she perceive I hadn't been referring to her?

"Dad!"

"Emerald, can I come in?"

"You can," I replied curtly and gave him room to walk in. When he did, I walked out and closed the door.

Was going to break out into a run when his deep authoritative voice called out, "You have never walked out on your dad and it won't start today." I stood there like a sad toddler, wishing, like times before, he would come and raise me high up into the air and twirl and twirl and twirl...

A tear slid through my eyes. Why didn't the beautiful things last as long as we wanted them to?

"I was just about to leave, really." I ignored the croak in my voice but kept my eyes fixed on the porch.

"Look at me."

Turning, he was standing beside the door, his hand on the handle to keep it open. He gestured for me to come in and I groaned as I stuffed my phone in my purse and made my way inside. I made sure to walk past Dad without sparing him a glance, then I crossed my arms. Leaning on one leg, I watched him walk towards me. "I'm looking at you."

"Sit down," he ordered.

"Talk to me."

"Emery, please--"

"You're not the one who's found out your entire family was a lie, so you either talk to me or go." My throat heated up.

Dad gave a long sigh. "Your mum must have told you about my offer to switch you to another school. . ."

My throat heated up. "Look, if this is what this is about, count me out."

"Emerald Scother!"

"If you're hungry, there's frozen yogurt in the refrigerator, minus the frozen. Thanks for this chat." I grabbed my purse and walked past him, making sure to hit him with my shoulder.

I pulled down the zip of my body warmer as I headed to the door. "If you won't do this for anything, Emery, at least do it for Nora. She misses you a whole lot, wishes you were always there." I stopped dead in my tracks.

Norah Scother. My bubbly, innocent beautiful person. There to bounce on my bed and demand chunk brownies. I never even got to make those with her one last time before Dad came carrying her into his new home to stay with them, permanently. Life really is unpredictable. . .and unfair.

Quinn, Dad, and I looked so alike. I hated to think about this; I hated that Dad was making me think about this. How, why, did he have to come now, now that the last thing I wanted to think about was all the Earthian problems that came with leaving Neba and coming back here? If, oh, if I could stay in Neba permanently.