13 Chapter 13 (1/2)

Wyatt and Emma go to class in the morning, like usual. Everyone but Jackson arrived early, and Jackson barely made it to class before Refus entered the room. ”Couldn't sleep?” Aeris asks.

”No” Jackson says, ”thanks to a couple people I know...”.

”Oh come on” Jessica says, ”you're overreacting. It's a date, not a forced marriage. If it's really as bad as you think it'll be, all you guys have to do is agree to cease dating. And honestly, doesn't seem like it'll be that hard of a thing to do in YOUR position...”.

”Good morning!” Refus says as he enters the room, ”thank goodness it's Friday, right everybody?”. A few students nearly cheered to the idea of having a weekend off, as plenty other students began murmuring about going to the festival after school. ”Calm down, we still have work to do. I promise I'm still going to go easy on you guys today. Also, I realize this is strange timing, but I'd like to introduce a new student today!”. A girl walks into the class with a new school uniform on. She had short, bright red hair, white eyes, wore glasses and seemed to stand at an average height. ”Her name is Emily Bernnigan” Refus says. ”She was set to start school here at the same time as the rest of you, but her family had some... complications. However, Principal Schafold allowed them to remain enrolled, as her family took the time to meet the proper conditions for sending her to this school. Do you want to tell the class anything about yourself?”.

”Not... really” Emily says.

”That's fine” Refus says, ”you don't have to. Find a seat, and try to get comfortable. Sit anywhere you like”.

Emily finds a seat in the back row, but refuses to sit next to any of the other students, including The Rejects. ”Aw man” Jessica complains, ”why can't the new student be a cute boy or something?”.

”Is... is that what you're focused on?” Aeris asks. ”I wonder if the class will start talking about her, for sitting in the back, as if she's already a Reject by nature...”.

”Should we... try helping her?” Emma asks. ”We could invite her to hang out with us during lunch. Maybe she'll need some friends”.

After the next few classes, as lunch break was beginning, Emma and Wyatt asked Emily if she wanted to join them on the roof. ”No” Emily said. ”I just need somewhere quiet to eat...”.

”Are you sure?” Emma asks. ”I think the roof is a pretty comfortable spot to be. You can stay around us, and maybe we can all be friends”.

”I don't need friends” Emily says as she stands up and walks away.

”Is she... okay?” Wyatt asks.

”I don't know...” Emma replies, ”but... I think I understand how she feels at least. At some point, I was the same way”.

When Emma and Wyatt meet with the rest on the roof, Jackson asks ”So it's a no go? I'm assuming she would already be here if she didn't decline”.

Emma shakes her head and says ”I think she's just having a rough patch. She says she doesn't want friends, and all that”.

”Maybe she's just a nervous laibah” Jessica says. ”She might not be used to life in the city yet...”.

”Probably” Jackson says.

”Oh right, I've been thinking” Aeris says, ”and I think I've come up with a good plan!”.

”A plan to help the new student already?” Jackson asks.

”What?... no...” Aeris says, ”I've been thinking about our date”.

”Oh no...” Jackson responds.

”I was thinking” Aeris says, ”if Wyatt and Emma are up for it, why don't we try a double date?”.

”A double date?” Wyatt asks, ”that sounds a little... awkward”.

”You're always awkward...” Jackson says.

Aeris pulls out her notebook and marks down another tally. ”It's no big deal” Aeris says, ”we can just go on a normal date, but like... as a group. That way, Jackson feels less uncomfortable with the idea of a date”.

”Are you kidding!?” Jackson asks, ”that sounds more uncomfortable!”.

”The more, the merrier” Aeris says.

”You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?” Jackson asks.

”I dunno...” Emma says as she thinks, ”it could be fun...”.

Aeris leans in, as if to prepare to whisper, as she says in a voice that's not even remotely a whisper ”I could also give you guys tips on dating. It'll help you guys out too!”.

”Do you even know what a date is!?” Jackson asks. ”Because I feel like you're going to use this as an excuse to beat me half to death!”.

Emma's eyes nearly lit up with a flame. ”I'll do it!” She says. ”T-that is... if Wyatt wants to also”.

”Sure, I guess...” Wyatt says. ”If you want to, then I'll go for it”.

”How about tomorrow?” Aeris asks.

”How about never?” Jackson asks.

Aeris marks down another tally and says ”It's Saturday tomorrow, so we don't have to worry about school the next day. Does that work?”.

”No!” Jackson says.

”Yeah” Emma says.

”No!!” Jackson complains.

Meanwhile, Refus had run into Emily in the hallways during lunch. She was eating alone in the hallway, and Refus offered to let her stay in the classroom with him. He couldn't take her to the teacher's lounge, so he sat in class with her. ”Are you finding this school to be okay?” Refus asks. ”Have you made any friends yet, or are you doing well with any classmates?”. Emily refused to answer. ”Look, I know about your situation... I've heard about it from the principal”.

”You know nothing...” Emily replies.

Refus sighs and says ”I know you came from a laibah family”. Emily looks up as Refus continues, ”and I know you're not a laibah”.

Emily's face grows from an expressionless posture, to a frown that looked as if it were trying to hold back tears. ”You don't know what it was like...”.

”Do you hate your parents?” Refus asks. ”I know you're adopted, but that's not a reason to-”.

”I LOVE MY MOM AND DAD!” Emily shouts. ”YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!”.

”If that's true...” Refus says, ”then why did you refuse to come to Harrison for so long?”.

”Because...” Emily says as she holds back tears, ”they had to send me away... just to go... here”.

”They wanted what's best for you” Refus says, ”that much should be clear”.

”I don't care about what's best for me!” Emily yells, ”... I just wanted to stay with them... to make sure they were happy. They given me the world, regardless of me being human... they deserve the world back. But instead, I'm here, away from them! I don't care about getting a good job!”.

A few tears managed to escape Emily's eyes. Refus walked over and sat in a desk next to Emily and tried to comfort her. ”I know it's hard” he says. ”There's times when young adults like yourself have to make a hard choice... and there's times where parents have to make the hardest choice. I don't know your parents, but if I had to guess... I'd say it was a very hard thing for them to do, and they probably didn't want to see you go either. Just know that they did it out of love”. Emily couldn't respond, as she began to break out in tears, crying out loud. ”If I can...” Refus says, ”I'll see if I can arrange a way for your parents to come visit you, at least once. I know it's hard, but at least try to get comfortable with the house you're staying at. I know you're staying with someone else in the city that your parents once knew, and it's probably unfamiliar to you, but try to make your parents proud. For their sake... it's what will make them even happier in the long run”.

After school, Wyatt goes to work as Emma stays in the dorm and works on clothing. The night passes, Wyatt returns from work and the two go to sleep. When the next day arrives, Emma prepares the clothing she had made, to be sold at Savvy Threads. As the couple begins to leave the school grounds, they meet with Aeris and Jackson at the gate. ”I didn't know it was already time...” Wyatt says.

”We didn't exactly decide on a time...” Emma says, ”now that I think about it”.

”I got bored” Aeris says, ”so I came out for some fresh air. I guess Jackson is more excited about this date than he would like to show, because he came runnin' out not long after that”.

”I WAS gonna go for a walk to clear my mind...” Jackson says as he crosses his arms. ”I guess that's too much to ask”.

”Right... whatever you say” Aeris replies. ”By the way, Emma and Wyatt, if you weren't coming out to join us, then why are you already out together?”.

”Ah, uh...” Emma says as she takes her backpack off of her arms. Emma opens up her backpack and shows them the clothes she was about to sell. ”I was taking these down to Savvy Threads”.

”And Wyatt is just coming with you for THAT?” Jackson asks. ”Do you guys go everywhere together?”.

”I-I mean...” Emma says, ”I guess... we do”.

”Why shouldn't we?” Wyatt asks, sounding confused.