Chapter 1

Emma Pilsbury lied on her bedroom floor, wondering what she did wrong. It hadn't been that bad tonight. He wasn't drunk this time. Her cheek hurt, and she raised a hand to it, and tears formed in her eyes from the slight brush, though it had stung like nothing she had felt before. She pulled herself up, and glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand, while straightening her skirt. 5:17, the clock read. She groaned inwardly, she only had 3 minutes until she had to take her morning shower, then make breakfast at 5:27, then drive to school at 5:34.

She pulled herself of the floor, and reminded herself that she woulod have to dust under the bed when she got home.

At least she would be safe at school, with the students around, and the other teachers and...

Will.

She smiled as she thought his name. Everything about him made her smile. His eyes, his hair, his smile... his lips.

He would always be there to catch her when she fell.

Unlike Carl.

She touched her cheek, thinking of what he had done to her.

She hadn't asked for this.

It wasn't what she wanted.

But what did she want?

At school that day, everyone stared at her cheek.

"Oh, I fell," she said over and over again.

She had managed to avoid Will all day.

"Wotcha do to your face, Pallsberry?" said a rude and mocking voice behind her in the teachers lounge.

She sighed inwardly. Sue.

"I'm not in the mood Sue," she snapped, turning around to face the cheerleading coach.

"Alright, chill," Sue said, raising her hands just wondering. She turned, but turned back again, and pushed Emma's soda, spraying all over her new white shirt. "You have something on your shirt too." With that acomplished, Sue turned around for good, and sat down at a table and began her lunch.

Emma blinked tears out of her eyes. Does everyone hate me?

She turned, and headed back the way she came, into the near empty hallway.

"Emma, hey, EMMA wait up." She heard Will's voice from down the hallway, and knew she would fully loose it if she saw him. Instead,, she sped up, hoping he would get the message. Of course he didn't. She heard him before she saw him.

"Hey, wait," he said finally catching up to her. "Didn't you hear me calling you?"