WITHOUT YOU

CHAPTER 6

"Have you met the rest?” I ask Elle after a long second of silence and she nods.

“Haven’t met Jay though, Paige told me that he lives in an apartment off-campus.”

According to Jus, Jay doesn't get along with anyone and I think it's a good thing that he doesn't live here.

“Who is Paige?"

"She is the last born, and she is super curious to meet you."

I smile briefly.

Seems like everyone is as curious to meet me as I am to meet them and I really hope they are all as nice as Jus, I want to get along with all of them.

"What is she like?" I ask curiously.

“You'll see, she is seventeen and a freshman too." She smiles sheepishly as she says this.

"Oh."

"How old are you by the way?" Elle asks as she turns towards me.

"I turned eighteen last month," I say excitedly with a grin on my face.

Actually, it's three weeks ago and I was really excited. I didn't have a party, but Grams made me some chocolate cupcakes for us and that's how we celebrated my big day, that's how I always celebrate my birthday, only with Grams.

"I am five months older than you." She tells me and a smug smirk pulls on her lips.

"I knew we are agemates," I say excitedly and she shakes her head stoutly at me.

"We are not agemates, Emmy, I am older than you." She tells me, stressing the word 'older', and I roll my eyes at her.

God, you'd think she is five years older than me.

"You are only four months older and that makes us age mates."

She smirks at me.

"It's five and I don't care, I am older."

"Okay, sis," I say with an eye roll and she chuckles lightly. "How are they like though?"

"They are all very down to earth and so f*****g nice.” I was hoping for such an answer.

"So it's just, Jus, Jay, and Paige?"

I know, too many questions. But I am just curious and really anxious.

"No there is Charlotte and she has a doll for a daughter."

"Aww, I love kids."

"She is so adorable, I can take you to her room if you want." She offers.

"I need to take a shower first," I say while I stand up.

"I am coming with you," She tells me and I snap my head towards her.

"To the shower?" I ask, zeroing my eyes at her, completely confused.

"No silly, to your room."

"Oh," I say laughing lightly as we walk out of Sara's room.

In my room, I grab my towel, body lotion, and my favorite gray sweatsuit and I catch Elle staring weirdly at me as I walk to the bathroom.

"What?" I ask, raising my eyebrow at her and she shifts her gaze at the sweatsuit in my hands.

"Do you usually carry clothes and lotion to the bathroom?" She sounds surprised and of course, I wasn't going to strip in front of her.

"Nope, but you are here..." I answer honestly and her eyebrows shoot up.

"Wait, you can't change in front of a girl?"

"I can't change in front of anyone for that matter."

"Okay, I will just look away then." She tells me, laughing as she turns her head in the opposite direction and I inwardly thank her.

I quickly get out of my clothes, toss them in the laundry basket and I wrap a towel around myself.

"You can look now," I tell her and she shakes her head as she turns towards me.

"Okay, that was weird."

"Was it?"

"I have never met a girl who can't undress in front of other girls."

"You have now," I say and smirk at her.

"I went to a boarding school and-"

"You went to boarding school?" I ask rhetorically.

"Yeah, an all-girls boarding school since fourth grade."

"That's sad, I hated boarding school," I say as I strut to the bathroom.

"Me too, didn't have much of a choice though."

***

"You girls wanted to help?" Mom asks us when we walk to the kitchen twenty minutes later.

"I was gonna take Emmy to see Samara," Elle answers quickly.

"But if you need any help..." I start to say and Elle discreetly shakes her head at me, signaling me to stop. "...we would be happy to help." I grin when she glares at me.

"You can make the salad and set the table," Sara tells us, and she ignores her niece's frown.

"That won't be a problem, right, Elle." I taunt her and I laugh lightly when she makes a face at me as I walk further into the kitchen.

Mom hands me two chopping boards and two knives and I give Elle hers and then I take the fruits and I start to carefully dice them.

"That's a sharp one, Emmy, be careful," Mom warns me, and then she turns to Elle. "Get busy too, Ari."

She groans in a playful manner as she walks towards me, but I know deep down she is bored to the bone.

We get busy and by exactly six, we are already done setting the table.

"You can go to Sam as we wait for the rest," mom tells us.

"I will help you clean the kitchen first." I offer and she smiles sweetly at me.

"You have done enough work for the day, sweety."

"Mom, I can do more than just making salads and setting the table. I am a grown girl now."

"I know, hun, I don't want to overwork you."

"You have no idea of what I am capable of," I tell her, and a sad expression forms on her beautiful face. "I didn't mean it like that." I am quick to explain.

"I know, sweety, I just wish I was part of your life when you were growing up."

I cross the distance between us and I take her hand and smile at her.

"You did what you had to do, mom, and I will always appreciate the sacrifice."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, and I just want to spend more time with you now that I have the chance so please don't deny me that."

"Oh, my baby, you have no idea how happy I am to have you here with me." She cups my face and I smile back at her.

"Me too, mom."

"Nanny, is that Emmy?" Someone asks excitedly, interrupting our mother-daughter moment and I curiously whip my head towards her and she grins at me.

I don't need anyone to tell me that she is Justin's sister, they have a striking resemblance. Identical facial features, same eye color, same hair color and she has Justin's beautiful smile too.

"You must be Paige," I say smiling back at her and I stretch my hand to shake hers.

She rudely swats my hand away and I gasp, but I am taken by surprise when she hugs me instead.

"I wasn't waiting all this time to get just a handshake." She tells me when we break apart and we both chuckle.

"Come, I will introduce you to my parents," she says taking my hand and before I can respond, she excitedly walk out, pulling me with her. "They are both so eager to meet you." She tells me as we walk down the hallway just as Mr. and Mrs. Anderson walks in the house holding hands.

"Mom, Dad, look who I found."

"Emily?" Mrs. Anderson calls as they walk towards us, a wide grin pulled on her lips.

"Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, it's a pleasure to finally meet you," I say casually as I shake hands with them.

"The pleasure is all ours, Emily." Mr. Anderson says, flashing me a tiny friendly smile that I sweetly reciprocate.

"She is so pretty. Right, hun." Mrs. Anderson says and her husband nods in agreement.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Please call me Amanda."

"I really want to thank you both for giving me a chance to join college, I will forever be grateful."

"You are welcome, dear, it's the least we could do. Your mom is practically family."

"I can't thank you enough, I don't know how."

"I know how." Mr. Anderson tells me and I shift my eyes towards him. "By doing your best."

"I promise I won't let you down."

"We have seen your grades and we both have so much faith in you." Mrs. Anderson tells me.

"Thanks for believing in me."

"Anytime. Have you met the rest of the family?" Mrs. Anderson asks me and I shake my head.

"Only Jus,"

"Charlotte is probably upstairs with Sam, and Jay..."

"You will see him on Monday, and just a little heads up...he is the sexiest man alive."

"Paige-"

"Sorry, dad." She smiles at him and turns to me. "For real though, my brother is a s*x god."

"Paige Anderson!" Her mom scolds her and she laughs as she walks away, dragging me with her.