I woke up to the sunlight streaming through my window.

And with a pounding headache.

I have no memory of coming home last night, but my headache was too awful for me to try to figure it out.

I lied in bed for a few more minutes before venturing out into the hallway and then into the kitchen and living room.

The apartment was empty.

What was going on?

I pulled the orange juice out of the refrigerator and poured myself some, sipping on it as I went over to the other cabinets. I began to open them, still unsure of where everything was. But I was in some desperate need of Tylenol to kill this headache.

As I finally found the medicine cabinet, the door clicked open, and Parker came in, shirtless and an armband strapped around his arm.

"Where's Emmett?" I called out to him.

He didn't even spare me a glance, heading back to his bedroom.

Asshole.

I began to leaf through the medicine cabinet, searching for Tylenol.

I couldn't help but notice the increased amount of prescriptions on Emmett's name.

"What're you doing?" a voice behind me asked.

I turned to see Parker, still shirtless but now considerably less sweaty.

"Looking for Tylenol," I huffed.

"You won't find it in there."

"This is the medicine cabinet!"

He rolled his eyes, opening the refrigerator and pulling out the orange juice. "That's pretty much all Emmett's."

I stared into the cabinet. "You're joking."

He unscrewed the top off the orange juice carton and went to drink.

"Stop!" I screeched.

He dropped the carton on the floor in surprise, spilling orange juice everywhere.

"What the hell was that?" Parker demanded, clearly pissed off.

"You were going to drink from the carton," I pointed out, as he picked the now half-empty carton up off the floor.

"Yeah," he agreed, pressing the carton to his mouth and taking a swig before screwing the top back on.

I felt like I was going to puke.

A smirk spread across Parker's face. "You drank out of this?"

"You're a disgusting animal."

"Now is that anyway to talk to the only person in this apartment who knows where the Tylenol is?"

And now I was officially pissed off.

I tackled him to the ground, catching him by surprise and laying him flat out in a mess of orange juice.

"Where is it?" I asked, straddling his stomach.

"Now Emily," he said, with a half-smile. "If you wanted me, all you had to was-"

"What the hell is going on?" a third voice demanded.

Parker's smile widened and my heart sank.

I turned to see Emmett standing there, his running armband still strapped around his arm. And he was not happy.

"Parker won't tell me where the Tylenol is," I complained.

Emmett continued to stare at the two of us, so I used that time to stand up, folding my arms across my chest.

"You'll need to get a mop," Parker informed me, standing up as well. He shook out his orange juice soaked hair, running his fingers through it.

"I don't think so," I huffed. "I'm not the one that spilled the orange juice."

"Enough," Emmett ordered, coming back into the kitchen.

I hadn't even noticed him leave.

He handed me the mop.

"I don't think so."

"Go take a shower, you fucking stink," Emmett informed Parker.

Parker smirked at me before disappearing around the corner.

"You're crazy," I informed him, raising my eyebrows.

"Oh take responsibility for this one, would you?"

I stared at him for a few moments, taken off-guard by his hostile attitude.

"Sorry," he muttered. He took the mop from me. "This one time only, for being a douche." He reached up into a cabinet, handing me some Tylenol.

I kissed his cheek before popping the top off, taking a couple.

"So what's got your panties in a wad?" I asked, hopping up on the counter to avoid stepping in the orange juice mess.

He was silent as he mopped up the kitchen before turning to face me.

"What?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at him.

"I got a phone call this morning."

"Did you get a girl pregnant?"

His eyes widened. "What?"

"Just throwing it out there."

He rolled his eyes. "No. Shut up and listen, would you?"

I ran a zipper across my lips, smiling at him.

"It was from mom."

I rolled my eyes. "Not where I thought this was going."

"They were boarding their flight this morning," he continued, ignoring my remark.

"Where to today?" I asked.

Last time I'd heard they were in Florida, but I knew they were starting some big project in New York.

"Here."

My heart felt like it stopped beating. "What?"

"Mom and dad are headed here."

"Why?"

"Why do you think?"

I continued to stare at him, unsure of what he was trying to imply.

"To check on you."

"I'm fine."

He shrugged, hopping up on the adjoining counter. "They want to see it for themselves."

I groaned, shaking my head. "No."

"It's not actually an option." He checked his phone. "I have to leave here in 30 minutes to pick them up from the airport. Are you coming?"

"No."

He laughed. "Alright, well be here when we get back then?"

I shrugged.

"It's not that bad Em."

"It's not you they're coming to check up on, now is it?"

"They'll probably stay for a day, two at most. We can manage."

Emmett, always the optimist.

~*~

"What the hell are you watching?" Parker's voice asked behind me.

I ignored him, eating another cheeto and turning up the volume a bit.

And then Parker sat on the opposite end of the couch.

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"Waiting."

I stared at him for a few moments, having no idea what he was talking about.

"I know I'm sexy babe, but take a picture or something, it'll last longer."

I threw a pillow at his face before turning back to Wendell & Vinnie.

"Is that a sexual innuendo?" Parker asked, a few minutes later.

"I'd think you'd be good at those," I muttered.

He rolled his eyes. "Isn't this Nickelodeon?"

"It airs on Nick at Nite."

He stared at me. "It's like 10:00 in the morning."

"Well aren't you just the smartest guy in town?" I turned up the volume a little more. "It's recorded."

"That's still pretty dirty for Nick at Nite."

I went to turn up the volume again so I could hear Wendell over Parker's annoying voice, but then I heard a click in the door.

Parker immediately stood up, but I stayed rooted in place.

I had no interest in seeing my parents.

"Hello Parker," I heard my mom say, with earnest.

"Hello Mrs. Winston," he said.

"Parker," my dad greeted.

"Mr. Winston," he answered, and I could hear their hands connect as they shook.

"Would you stay for lunch dear?" mom asked.

"I actually have to run, but I just wanted to wait to say hello."

That son of a bitch.

I heard the front door close.

I let out a sigh before turning off the TV, standing up and turning around to face my parents.

"Hello dear," mom said, opening her arms.

I gave her a quick hug.

"You look healthy dear."

If she calls me dear one more time, I might lose my mind.

Dad was already observing the apartment.

"See this right here?" dad asked, pointing to the dishwasher.

Oh great.

"Yeah?" Emmett asked.

Why engage with him?

"This is the upgrade," dad pointed out, opening it up. "It's the newest one IKEA has on the market."

Mom rolled her eyes. "Phil, I'm sure that the kids don't want a rundown of the apartment."

"This refrigerator?" dad asked, ignoring mom. "Another upgrade."

"So you charge people more for this?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at him. "You make college kids, who can barely afford tuition as is, pay more for a working dishwasher and refrigerator?"

"Not now please," mom said, laying her hand on my arm. "We have reservations at a nice café down the street, are you ready to head for lunch?"

"The other dishwashers and refrigerators work," dad informed me, ignoring mom. "I'm just pointing out that you should be grateful for the upgrade."

"Oh, well thank you for putting me in your nicest apartment dad, I sure do appreciate it. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"We do appreciate it," Emmett said, slinging his arm around my shoulder.

When did he come over to stand next to me?

"So those reservations?" Emmett reminded mom, with a smile.

Emmett, always the peacemaker.

"Of course," she agreed, matching his smile.

The two of them were quite the pair.

Mom and dad left the apartment first, Emmett forcefully holding me back with the arm around my shoulders.

"One day," Emmett said, raising his eyebrows at me. "Behave for one day."

"Do you know how much this apartment costs?"

"I'm sure you looked it up." He shook his head at me. "This is not the time, got it?"

I rolled my eyes but nodded in agreement, and then he released his arm off my shoulders, allowing me to leave.

Mom and dad were waiting downstairs, dad examining the lobby.

"Ready?" mom asked.

Emmett nodded in agreement.

"See this?" dad asked, pointing to the painting on the wall.

I placed my hands on my hips, swiveling so I could see it.

"This is a real Picasso," he informed us.

"That's just amazing," I informed him.

"So the café you made reservations at," Emmett said to mom, leading us towards the lobby door. "How far is it?"

Too far if you ask me.

~*~

"And for you?" the waitress asked me.

I closed my menu, looking up at the waitress. "Fuji Apple Chicken Salad, hold the tomato?"

She nodded, taking my menu from me.

I crossed my right leg over my left under the table, resting my head in my palm.

"So have you been readjusting well?" mom asked, swirling her water around.

"I guess," I muttered, sipping on my own water. I swished it around, watching the lemon clunk around in the glass and the seeds float to the top of the glass.

"How's business dad?" Emmett asked.

Why?

Dad launched into his tale of their new apartment complexes in New York, and I leaned back in my seat, my eyes flickering around the café as I waited for this nightmare to end.

As dad's story wore out, I saw mom and dad exchange glances, like they wanted to say something but didn't know how.

"What?" I asked, taking another sip of my water.

"We just want to be sure that you're doing okay," mom said, reaching across the table to grasp my hand.

I didn't like where this conversation was going.

"I'm fine mom."

"Well there was a large selection on the menu," mom pointed out. "Why salad?"

"Are you serious?" I demanded.

"Emily-"

"Is this why you took us, well me, out to lunch? So you could analyze me?"

"We're just worried about you," mom said, watching me with careful eyes.

I stood up, tossing my napkin on the table. "Well analyze this, screw you."

And then I stormed out of the café.

I didn't make it far before I felt a pair of hands on my shoulders, and I was being whirled around to face Emmett.

He wordlessly wrapped me up into a tight hug, and that's when I realized I was crying.

"They're just worried about you," Emmett said, quietly.

And I just cried harder.

"And they went about it the wrong way," he continued, rubbing my back soothingly. "You know how they are."

"I want to go home."

"Okay," he agreed. "I'll call Parker to come pick us up."

***************************************************************************************************************

So what did you guys think about Emily & Parker's morning encounter? What was your first impression of Emily & Emmett's parents? What do you think of the scene at lunch?

The picture up there at the top was submitted by Emmylovesmapeeps. What do you think?

You guys have been sending me covers & banners for this story, which is awesome. Just don't forget to include your Wattpad username when you email me! My email is [email protected] for those of you that don't know.

Also, my like BIGGEST pet peeve is when people comment "update". I post in these Author's Notes what day I'm going to update, and I'm pretty good about sticking to it. So just a heads up, if you comment about an update, I might comment back my opinion.

Teaser: Emily starts back at Westchester High & tries to escape the rumors. And Parker questions her about what happened during lunch with her parents.

Update: Thursday