Emery asked as we made our way to the parking lot.

"Mr. Bob seized my phone," I told her. "When you sent the text, my ringtone disrupted the entire class..."

She turned to me with clasped hands. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

"Stop blaming yourself for no reason Em. It's my fault." I wrinkled my nose. "I forgot to change the song."

"We should hang out at your place today," she said when we reached my car. "I mean if it's not a hassle?"

"You're welcome whenever." I smiled.

Jogging over to her car, she started it up and drove behind me as I exited the parking lot. She hadn't been to my house before, except that one time after Cole's party, and it was at night, so I didn't expect her to know the way.

When we arrived, I dragged my bag out of the passenger's seat, before turning off the ignition and walking out.

"Your house is beautiful," Emery complimented. "I didn't see it well the last time I came."

My house wasn't as big as Emery's but it wasn't small either. Mother was a flight attendant, and they paid her pretty well, but we didn't see the need of buying a large house for the both of us—well, me.

Picking my key from under the flowerpot, I thanked her as I opened the door.

Emery traced her fingers on the walls in the living room before turning to me. "These colors are just so... so perfect."

"Says the girl whose house looks like it came out of a magazine." I laughed, dropping my bag on the couch.

She snorted. "Oh please, my mother is too much," she said. "She does things like she's paid to do them."

I nodded. "Do you want anything to eat or drink?" I asked awkwardly.

I couldn't remember the last time I'd invited somebody over, and even when I was younger, Mother had been the one to entertain my classmates if they did come over.

"Just water," she replied.

Emery was holding a picture frame when I returned from the kitchen. "Your mum is so pretty, and you guys look alike."

"Yeah." What do people say when they complement their parents?

"Where are your parents?" she asked. "You never talk about them, and your house is uh well... how do I say this?"

"Lonely?"

She shrugged. "If you use that word, then yeah."

"Mother is at work, and Father isn't here," I said. My chest clenched painfully at the thought.

"Oh." When I saw the look on her face, I knew she understood what I meant. "Does your mum work here or is she on a trip?"

I shook my head. "She's a flight attendant, so she's rarely at home."

"Then who do you stay with?"

I forced out a laugh. "It's just me."

"Alone?" She looked surprised, and I didn't blame her. I was so used to staying alone that I didn't find it surprising. It got lonely most times, but it wasn't anything new.

"Yeah." I shrugged. "I'm already used to it, so it's not a big deal."

"Wow," she said. "I can't imagine how that makes you feel."

"Um... So how about you?" I asked. "I somehow figured you and Caelum aren't related." Cue the not-so-subtle subject change. Thank God she got the message to drop it.

"We are actually blood-related," she said. "We don't just look alike."

"Oh."

"Yeah," she said, sitting. "We have different mothers, but the same father. I love Caelum a lot, y'know?"

When she saw the way my eyebrows shot up, she started laughing, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Ew, I would never."

She giggled for a bit before continuing. "I know Caelum doesn't exactly like me because of my mother, but it's fine. My mother married Dad because of his money, and I hate her too. It's like she decided to finally destroy what was left of his family. But sometimes, I try to see things from her perspective. If she hadn't gotten married to Dad, I would've grown up without a father."

That sentence spiked my curiosity, and I wanted to ask about Caelum's mother, but it seemed Emery read my thoughts because she shook her head. "That's not my story to tell."

I understood what she meant. She had already said too much, and if Caelum wanted me to know, he'd tell me. Caelum would never tell me. That was something I was sure of.

"You hungry now?" I asked her to which she nodded. I went back to the kitchen and arrived with four packs of chips and two bottles of apple drink.

"Thank you," she said.

"You know, I'm always there if you need me?" I asked, and she nodded. I noticed that one-fourth of our conversation today involved nodding, and I snickered inwardly at the thought. "And I'm not going anywhere. Well, unless you want me to."

"I'm not going anywhere either," she concluded.

I groaned when I realized I still hadn't asked Caelum to be my tutor.

"Em?" she turned to look at me, a chip hanging off the sides of her mouth. "Can you ask Caelum to become my Calculus tutor?"

She smiled like she knew something. "What's going on between you two?"

Frowning, I tore the packet of my chips open. "Nothing."

She nodded, still smiling. "Hmm"

"Geez, Em! I find him attractive—because he is," I said, munching my Doritos. "But I don't like him that way. He's rude and obnoxious."

She laughed loudly like I said something funny while I stared at her blankly. I didn't lie to her, so why was she laughing? Sure, Caelum was attractive, but every time we talked, he left me feeling more annoyed or angry.

"Can you just ask him?"

"Sure, sure," she said, wiggling her almost perfectly drawn brows, and I glared at her.

"And tell him it's important he accepts my request," I added, and she nodded.

It was already past six, so I told her to pick something to watch. I loved Grey's Anatomy, but I wasn't able to focus. A lot of questions were running through my mind. Where was Caelum's mum and how did Emery's mum destroy what was left of his family?