Falling for Fallon (Oak Hill 2)

It wasn’t a big deal if they knew where I was, but I didn’t want to talk to them. I knew my mother. She’d try her hardest to drag me back home to talk some sense into me, but I wasn’t having it.

One day, in the future, I hoped to talk to my parents with a composed mindset, ready to tackle what they had to say, but I wasn’t ready. Not yet.

It took me an entire month to grow the balls to leave after my father had threatened Emmett. There was no way I was going back to do that all over again. I’d wondered what he thought when my mother told him I’d left. He probably said something along the lines of “good riddance.” I wasn’t really sure I cared. Okay, fine. That was a lie. I cared a little bit. Things were hard, and it was an unsettling feeling not knowing the future. I knew things would be hard, though, and I also knew that they were only going to get harder. But the one thing that kept me from going back home, to the comfort of the guesthouse, was Emmett. His words: I want you to choose you. That was what I was doing. He never said it would be easy.

I hadn’t left Becca’s once since I’d gotten there. I wasn’t sure what she was going to say when I had shown up a week ago. We’d only hung out a few times at Ships, and the only reason I had her address was because she’d invited me to a wine party a while back. It wasn’t like we were the best of friends and I stopped by her house all the time. In fact, I barely even knew her sober. But when she opened the door, she smiled genuinely at me. I smiled back and then very bluntly rambled my life story to her in a matter of five minutes and all but begged her to let me stay with her until I figured something else out. She did, and I was so thankful I could have cried right there on her doorstep.

I had nowhere else to go. I couldn’t go to Ivy’s; she was too close to Emmett. I couldn’t go to any of my friends in Chestnut Springs as they had probably known about me leaving and my father shutting me out within seconds of stepping foot into the club. I was sure they were already crossing my name off in their stupid address books.

And poor Derek. I sent him an embarrassing text before leaving the guesthouse. It said: “I’m sorry, Derek. I’m not marrying you. Have a nice life.” I still cringed, thinking about it. It may haunt me for the rest of my life.

After I’d explained a little more about the situation to Becca, I made her promise not to tell Emmett—or anyone, for that matter—because if my father saw that I had left home to be with him, I wasn’t sure what he’d do. I didn’t want to take the chance. I just needed somewhere to stay until I found a job and could get a shabby apartment. Becca understood, thankfully. I think she felt bad for me, and that was probably because I had cried onto her shoulder like a blubbering idiot. I barely knew the girl, and my snot had been all over her shirt.

We could add that embarrassing moment right under the text to Derek.

Later next week, I’d be attending two job interviews, and then I’d be able to start saving and move into my own apartment of some sort – or at least pay Becca some room and board, depending on if I got the job in Oak Hill or the other neighboring town.

It was a strange feeling being on my own. It was even stranger because I had actual worries for once. I was somewhat homeless; I had barely any money, no cell phone, nothing. Then the worry of my father going after Emmett just added on to all the stress. I was tempted to start meditating.

I was half-expecting my father to show up here today, since I wouldn’t talk to my mother yesterday. I was picturing him breaking down Becca’s door and dragging me out by my arm like I was a toddler.

Just as the thought filtered through my head, a knock sounded on the door.

I looked around the room with wide eyes. Oh, now come on! There’s no way…

Another knock sounded, and I jumped, causing my soapy hands to jerk in the sink. Relax, you can’t summon your father just by the mere thought of him.

Two more knocks and I let out all the trapped air inside my body. “It’s fine, Fallon. You’re an adult, act like one.” I nodded to myself sternly and then wiped my hands quickly.

I yelled from the hallway. “Who is it?”

I cringed, waiting for the dooming voice, but it never came. Instead, it was the most calming voice I’d ever heard.

“Open up, Fallon.” I almost yelped. Emmett?!

I quickly ran over to the door and reached up on my tiptoes. I was prepared to see my father standing there with a gun pointed to Emmett’s head, but my father was nowhere in sight. It was just Emmett.

I swung the door open, my heart in my throat. For one brief second, I felt actual happiness. His navy eyes peeked up at me, and a ghost of a smile was on his lips. But then his brow furrowed, and he shook his head as if he were clearing his thoughts.

That was when fear and worry weighed on my shoulders. “What did he do? Did he send someone to threaten you? Did he somehow dig up something and subpoena you? This is all my fault.”

“Fallon.”

I covered my face with my hands. “I should have freaking known that he wouldn’t listen. I’ve pissed him off, so now he’s doing everything he can to get me to come back! Agh! I knew this wouldn’t be easy. I should have warned you!”

“Fallon!”

I took my hands away and brought my attention back to Emmett’s. “I’m so sorry. What did he do? I’ll fix it. I will. Just tell me.”

Emmett’s eyes widened. “Fallon, stop!”

I paused, my breathing labored. I slammed my mouth shut as Emmett took a step toward me. “Wait, how did you even know I was here?” I asked, taking one step back.

He took another step toward me, and I gulped. Each gulp of air was becoming shorter as he continued to stalk toward me. When he was a few inches away from me, I peered up at him.

My heart sank.

I didn’t realize how much I’d missed him until he was standing right in front of me, breathing the same air as I was. I knew I missed him, but I was so focused on my worries that I’d forgotten how much it hurt.