ethereal ✧ emmett cullen [ 1 ]

𝐗𝐈𝐈. acceptance

      THE ENTIRE DRIVE HOME I tried to ease my mind. Emmett seemed to be just as distracted.

Surprisingly, I wasn't too scared to sit next to him - not yet, at least. I kept glancing at him through the corners of my eyes. I hated the way my heart would skip a beat each time I did.

He was still so devastatingly gorgeous, even with a scowl on his face. I realized at that moment that no matter how inhuman Emmett seemed, it was his smile that gave him such warmth. It was the smile of a boy who climbed trees and wrestled with his brothers or helped his mom with the cooking.

     Eventually, we were pulling up to my pale blue home. I felt a wave of relief wash over me as he turned off his headlights. The last thing I needed was for Daylin to wake up. Glancing at the clock in the car, I was shocked to see just how late it was.

     12:03 AM

     Damn. Had I been at Quil's that long? It was hard to tell, I'd never checked my phone. I was too busy being stoned.

     In the silence of Emmett's car, I felt my bottom lip tremble as I stared into my lap. I twiddled my thumbs, unable to make eye contact with him. I prayed that he'd speak up first.

  My prayers were answered.

    "What were you doing there?"

     His voice was gruff and colder than usual, but I could hear the protective undertone in his words.

     "I... I was just hanging out with Embry and-"

     "Don't lie. I can smell it on you,"

     "Why does it even matter?" I whispered. I felt like I was in trouble, and I hated it.

     "You could've gotten hurt, and there would've been nothin' I could do. I can't- I can't protect you if you're-" He cut himself off, and I heard him sigh.

     "...Emmett."

     He finally looked over at me. He was nervous, I could see it etched onto his face.

     "How did you even know I was there? I didn't tell anyone I was going,"

     "I can't tell you."

     It was my turn to clench my fists. I was irritated, high, and beyond tired. Sick of the secrets, I decided to shove aside my fears. It was time to ask the burning question that had been on my mind since the beginning of the night.

     "Emmett. I need you to be honest with me. Okay? I can't... I can't keep doing this. T-The mystery, the secrets, I'm over it,"

     He nodded, staring at the steering wheel.

     "...you can ask. But you already know the answer."

     The hairs on my arm stand up. This wasn't happening, this wasn't real.