His Mission

Little Girl.

A spot of retail therapy can fix any bad situation. I'm browsing through the clothing racks with Trish by my side. It's one of the first times we're able to hang out as best friends without the thought of Trevor causing me dread. "This is cute," Trish says before holding up a pink cami shirt with spaghetti strap sleeves. She holds it against herself and I nod in agreement. "Super cute. It's perfect for you," I tell her. She grins at me before dropping the shirt into her basket. Her eyes rake through the rail before she glances up at me.

"How are things with you and Jake?" A smile spreads across my lips at the mention of him. A pink tint covers my cheeks and I shrug to act like it's no big deal. It's a huge deal. It's a massive deal. I'm in love with Jake Melvin and things are going better than I ever could have imagined. "Great," I tell her. Trish stops browsing before releasing a light laugh. "Just great? You're dating one of the hottest guys at school, and things are just great?"

"Okay, things are...exciting." I correct myself. Images of Jake's hands, lips and eyes roaming all over my body fill my mind. My cheeks burn brighter and I feel warmth settle between my legs. Trish's eyes linger on my face. "I know that look. You're thinking dirty thoughts," Trish grins knowingly. I bite down on my lip to suppress the laugh I want to release. "Yeah, maybe. Can you blame me?" I ask her with a playful tone. A lingering smile plays on Trish's face before she appears to fall into deep thought.

"I wish I could find that. Real love. I have no idea what loving someone feels like," she says quietly. I blink in surprise because Trish has never spoken about wanting to find love with someone. She always seemed content with hooking up and leaving with a great story to tell. "Do you want a relationship?" I question her. She chews on her pink glossy lips before nodding her head. "Yeah, I'd like to experience it. The closest I've gotten is a two week fling that ended with me kissing his best friend," Trish laughs before grimacing. Her eyes drop to the floor in shame.

"I haven't always made the best of decisions," she says quietly. My brows knit together at the sound of her beating herself up. "You never committed to anyone, Trish. You're allowed to have fun and you're allowed to make mistakes. There's nothing wrong with playing the field," I tell her before giving the top of her arm a gentle squeeze. My words appear to lift the weight resting on her shoulders and she smiles up at me. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks Em," she smiles. She gestures in the direction of the changing room before holding up her overflowing shopping basket. "I'm going to try things on. Are you coming?"

"Go ahead, I'll be right behind you." I tell her. She heads in the direction of the changing room and I continue to search through the racks for cute outfits. Most of my clothes were left behind at Mom's house, and the clothes I bought with me are beginning to grow snug around my body. I'm embracing the changes day by day and I feel a thrill at the thought of me finally getting healthy. My phone pings several times in my pocket so I pull it out to inspect the screen. I expect it to be Jake, but it's not. My breathing catches in the back of my throat as I read through the series of text messages.

Did you think you could scare me away? I'm not going anywhere.

Answer me when I message you, little girl. All I want is a friendly conversation.

It's DC Jones. My eyes squeeze shut and I feel pressure build in the centre of my chest. I thought things with him had come to an end. I thought Jake digging into his appearance in my life would scare him away. It seems like his absence was only temporary. My phone pings again with an incoming message.

Your Mother finally told you the truth about your father. She's kept so many lies from you, Emily. Are you ready to hear them?

When I don't respond, he sends another text almost instantly.