I. Heart Of Gold (Uneditied) ✔️ ORIGINAL

Ten - The First of Many Car Rides

Emmi's POV:

Monday morning came and I did my usual routine, covering up my scars and the large cut on the inside of my left arm. I didn't bother to put make-up on and I threw my hair in a messy bun. I really didn't care how I looked today. I didn't need to. I threw on a sweatshirt and jeans, along with my favorite worn out black converse and headed downstairs for breakfast.

Mom cooked today, which was a little unusual, but not completely. She cared a lot about Brooks and I, just sometimes she got so caught up in her work and dealing with dad that we had to fend for ourselves on occasion. "Hey mom," I greeted.

"Hey pumpkin. I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for the game Friday. Work go so busy and then your dad and I were trying to figure out holiday stuff. Time just slipped away from us. You know we will be there for state right? We wouldn't miss it." My mom smiled, setting a plate down on the island. Her dirty blonde hair was up today and her brown eyes were complimented with her circular shaped glasses.

"Of course, mom. I know you didn't mean to. And I know you'll be with me in two weeks. You're a busy woman who runs her own million dollar company. I get it." I said, munching on some bacon. "I've been meaning to tell you something, but it's been kind of hard since I really didn't see you all weekend."

She turned to me and set down the other plate for my brother. "What is it dear?" I had her full attention, she knew this was important.

"Well um...Zach and I split..." I lowered my gaze to my food.

I felt my mom wrap her arms around me, soothing me with her famous back rubs. "Sweetheart, why didn't you tell me sooner? I'm sorry it didn't work out with him."

I shrugged, "It's okay, mom. He wasn't a nice person anyway. Too bad I didn't know any better."

My mom took my face into her hands and made me look at her, "Honey, we all make mistakes and we learn from them. Zach might have not been a nice person, or treated you well, but now you know what you don't want. You know to stay away from the Zach's of the world." She sighed. "Can I be honest with you?"

"Of course, mom."

"It hurt me seeing you so unhappy when you came home from a date or an outing with him. It always looked like your light was drained from you. It scared me."

I looked at her, shocked. I must have not hid everything as well as I thought I did.

"And don't get me started on those marks on your arms and legs. They didn't look like normal things for you. I was so worried about you, you dad and I were going to forbid you from seeing him."

I choked on my orange juice, "You were gonna do what?"

"I know it wasn't a reasonable idea, but we didn't know what else to do, sweetheart." She said with tears in her eyes. "We didn't want to lose you too."

I hugged her tightly, "Thank you, mom. Though, if you would have forbidden it, everything would have gotten worse."

She looked at me with raised brows, "What?"

I lowered my head and took a deep breath in, frightened to tell her what really happened when she wasn't home and I was with Zach. "He um..." I gulped. This was gonna be harder than I thought.

"He made those marks, didn't he." My mother answered for me. Her voice was low and I could tell she was staring at me. I nodded slowly, ashamed of not being able to tell my own mother, but I could tell my girls. I had a feeling she had put a few other things together, because she wrapped her arms around me tightly and I felt tears hit my sweatshirt. And then I started crying.