Emerald wasn't expecting this.
The thief expected a lot of things: Ironwood going overboard with security, she and Mercury winning the doubles round, Nikos being in the singles round – that blonde bimbo actually breaking Mercury's leg during their match came out of left field, but only helped things along.
She made a mental note to pay the blonde a visit later – if there was a 'later'.
But what Emerald wasn't expecting, what she never thought she'd even be capable of, was guilt.
She shouldn't feel guilty. She hadn't felt guilty. She was worried about Mercury, but she knew whose fault that was.
But when she passed by her in Amity's halls while following the medics bringing Mercury to the infirmary, the look she saw on her face made something in Emerald hurt.
Gone was that annoying cheery disposition, the stupidly goofy grin, and the shine that seemed ever present in her eyes had dimmed.
In their place were worry, confusion, disbelief, and pain.
So much pain.
Leaning against the pristine wall in the infirmary and blocking out Mercury's pained whimpers, Emerald tried to her best to stop focusing on that face. That face that always greeted her with a friendly smile, spoke to her with an excited tone, and welcomed her into a small yet tight circle of friends.
Emerald had always dreaded having to seek her out, to put on the usual mask and pretend to like her, to praise her even though she was nowhere near Emerald's level, to treat her as if they were equals, to deal with that inexplicable and vomit-inducing happiness.
How can they be so happy?
She remembered voicing the question a couple of days ago – it seemed like weeks ago, now – and she still doesn't have an answer.
But she had seen Ruby Rose sad. Possibly the saddest she had ever been.
And Emerald knew – she knew – whose fault that was.