Chapter Two: Strong Enough to Break

Sitting down at her desk, Emma couldn't believe it. It was the first day of school post-winter break and she had appointments up the wazoo. There was nothing she loved more than her job. Being the school guidance counsoler made her feel like she was helping herself by helping other people and there was nothing to frown upon when it came to that honesty. She had just settled into everything when there was a knock on her door.

"Come in." Her voice rang as sweet as it was known for.

The door creaked slightly while opening. The noise from the halls pushed inside her office with one foreword motion. A girl with an estimated height of 5'2" was standing in the crack.

"Come on in." Emma looked up and smiled. She knew who this girl was, she'd seen he rin the halls and taught her in a few health classes. The girl cautiously walked in and quickly closed the door behind her. "Have a seat." Emma nodded towards the four leather chairs sitting in her office. The girl chose the one closet to the window and Emma relocated herself to one closet to the door. She'd been trained to give a client their space when they need it and this girl definitly needed it. Since Emma had gotten closer to the girl she noticed more about her physical appearance. She didn't look like she was a bone rack but she didn't look like a balloon, either. She wasn't average, either. The girl was dressed in a man's sweatshirt and jeans, so it wasn't easy to tell what her shape was exactly. It was hard to pin her down. Her complexion was an unhealthy pale color that made her already copper eyes appear even darker. She had her hair up in a teeny pony tail and wasn't wearing very much make-up, either.

Finally, the sophmore peeled her eyes away from the sun forcing itself on the snow outside and looked over at Emma, who was going over her files on the student.

"So, you called me down here?" She asked in a bored tone.

"Yes, Penelope Cameron, I haven't talked to you since, I don't know, third grade, maybe?"

"I heard you talk about World Aids day in September." Penny shrugged her shoulders, limply.

"I meant in private."

"You're busy." Penny made an excuse for Emma which wasn't unreasonable at all.

"That's true but I've always got time for you, you know, if you want to girl-talk."

"Is that what you called me down for? To talk about eyeshadow colors and what happened on last night's episode of Veronica Mars?"

Emma had to laugh at his girls stubborn streak, it was exactly like Sean Cameron's.

"So, how are things going for you at home?"

"Can we just cut to the chase? I don't mean to be rude, but, it's the first day back, I don't want to miss anything."

"I admire your persitance when it comes to your academics, Penelope, I promise you won't fall behind in any way. I've gotten a lot of e-mails from teachers, they're all extremely concerned for you."

"They really shouldn't be." All of Penny's body tightened, she hoped they didn't know more about her then she wanted to expose.

"They say your behavior's changing, drastically. They say you rarely speak in class anymore which was uncommon before, you're distant, you often fall asleep in class, they think you might be mal-nourished," Emma read off her list. "You're more disoreinted."

"I'm a teenager, I'm allowed to be a little discumbobulated."

"I totally agree, Penelope, but they're teachers, they're allowed to be a little concerned." Emma had got Penelope there. "Look, I used to be really good friends with your father -"

"That's the understatement of the century."

"So, you're aware that your father and I dated years ago?"

"I've heard about the highlights and such."

"That doesn't make this uncomfortable for you?"

"Not more than it already is." Penny had Emma there.

"Alright. Look, I go to the PTA meetings, I hear all the mom's gossiping, divorce is extremely tough. But, it's rate is increasing at an unbelievable rate, you're not alone."

"I'm not upset that my parents are getting a divorce, Miss Nelson."

"Call me Emma. So, it doesn't bug you at all?"

"Not really." She shook her head and slid her feet onto the chair. "My mom was always picking on my dad, just nagging and well, you know Sean." Emma scoffed, she knew Sean very well. Though, they hadn't really had a conversation in years, she felt like he was still a part of her life. "Plus, my brothers both add so much stress into their lives, I probably do, too. Anyways, I think they just grew sick of each other and I'd rather them not be together then be together but be unhappy."

"You think you stress your parents out?"

"It's not a secret."

"How have things changed for you since the divorce?"

"They aren't divorced yet. It's still just a seperation, they'll be offically divorced in a matter of weeks."

"Sorry, but have things changed?"

"Some things, I guess." She shrugged her shoulders again.

"How so?"

"Zac -"

"Your oldest brother?"

"Yeah, he's at home even less and school, too. Not that he ever showed up a lot, but now it's even less. Cody's kind of becoming more distant, too."

"Your other brother?"

"Yeah. I guess, I've been busier at home. My dad doesn't know how to cook, well he does, just not very well. So, I cook all the meals and buy the groceries. I try to keep the place clean and do the laundry but, it's tough. I just don't want my dad to have a heart attack, you know." Emma smiled at everything this little girl was saying. She obviously cared immensely for her father. Emma could relate, she knew first hand how it feels to adore Sean Cameron. "Between his business, my angst obbsessed brothers and the divorce, I think he's really on edge. Well, I know he is."

"You know, it's not your job to take over and put everything on your shoulders, Penelope. You have to still be a kid."

"I am. I've just got more responsibilty now."

"Does that bug you?"

"Not really." Penelope didn't have to think about it. She didn't care, either way.

"You remind me a lot of your dad, you know?"

"People have said I have everything but his temper." She giggled.

"You should be very grateful for that. Sean is a man with a lot of charm but his angry streak isn't one of them."

"I agree."

"I'm going to get right down to the core of this, Penelope. Teachers are worried about your eating. They think with all the stress that the divorce and your home life are giving you, that maybe you've stopped eating."

"I'm not starving myself, if that's what you're trying to get to."

"Are you eating less or skipping lunches? Breakfast?"

"Sure, sometimes, I don't have time to eat all three meals but I grab a snack here and there."

"Do you feel like you're losing all control, Penelope?"

This whole thing was getting more and more uncomfortable at a rapid pace. The last thing Penny wanted to do was cry.

"Can I just go, please?" Penny asked. "I really don't want to miss my classes today."

Reluctantly, Emma agreed. She sighed because she could see where this girl was headed. She saw herself inside this crumbling sophmore but, she didn't want to overwhelm her either. She asked to schedule another appointment for a week later at the same time. Penelope then was excused.

The cafeteria was filled with laughing and hormone filled teenagers. It was hard to recognize one from another. Emma strolled through the rows of tables and sea of children. She finally found her next "victim" as she jokingly called them.

Sydney was sitting at a table with Colleen, Giselle and the other girls who wouldn't walk outside without their hair volumized to it's limit. However, she wasn't in her usual position, indulging in the conversation and gossiping with the girls till the lunch bell. She was biting into a pear and flipping through a Seventeen magainze mindlessly. She didn't care about it's contents, she just wanted to look occupied.

"Hi girls." Emma smiled as she approached the end of their table. All at once, their conversation over boys came to a crashing hault and all of their sparkling eyes stared up at Emma. Emma reminded herself that she never wanted to repear high school. "I was wondering if I could speak to you, Sydney." She slid past their eyes and kept her focus on Sydney Mason. Sydney didn't look up but was now looking away from the magazine. "Sydney?" Emma persted on.

"Hold on." Sydney mumbled. She slipped the magazine into her backpack and then threw it over her shoulders.

"Thanks." Emma led her away from the group. "See you, girls." She grinned and was satisfied with the knowledge that she was now their conversation topic. Emma noticed that Sydney was wearing skinny jeans and just a plain tee shirt with a graphic of Rainbow Brite character on the front. Usually, Sydney would wear skin tight jeans and a shirt that didn't leave so much to the imagination. Also, her sandy blonde locks were flatter and her make up was less glamorus, just low key. Emma liked the change, even though it provoked thought and worry.

Emma led them both into her office and set the appointment up the same way she did with Penelope Cameron. They both seaten themseleves on a leather chair and sat in a silence for a brief second.

"Do you want a candy or anything? I've got skittles in my desk."

"No, thanks." Sydney shook her head.

"Alright. So I guess you're wondering why I pulled you in here, eh? You're thinking, it's the first day, what did I do wrong?" Softly, Emma smiled and illuminated her whole face. Sydney had seen pictures of Emma in her dad's old yearbooks, it really didn't surprise her that she was beautiful at all.

"No. I know why you called me in here." Sydney was surprisingly normal. Emma was a little surprised, not that she pegged Sydney Mason for clueless or anything. "You want to make sure I'm alright since my mom passed away. You want to tell me that the funeral service was beautiful and that you're here for me."

"Well, more or less." Emma couldn't argue.

"Well, honestly, I'm not alright and I thought the service was just how my mom would've wanted it just with more tears. And I'm well aware that you're here for me but, I don't know if I'm ready to just deal with everything right now."

Emma was really impressed with Sydney. She'd never really spoken with her before but she couldn't believe that Spinner Mason had raised such an independent and strong young woman.

"That is justifiable, Sydney, without a doubt. We don't have to resolve this all right now, we don't have to resolve anything at all. I just wanted to make sure you know that when you do want to figure out pieces of it, there is a whole school of people here who are more than happy to help you."

"Cool." Sydney nodded and then pulled her attention to the kids playing outside in the snow. Then quickly she returned her attention back at Emma. "I mean, I knew that but it's still nice to hear."

Both blonde girls just sat there content and pondering about what the next step was in complete silence.

Unfortuantly, their comfortable silence was interuppted when the door flew open and the principal of Degrassi flew open the office door.

"I'm with a client right now." Emma informed the principal.

"Come quick, there's a fight." He darted away down the hallway. Both Sydney and Emma stood up and immeaditly headed out to check it out.

Read and Review, please.

I know it's a slow moving story but, I have a lot of ideas to put into it and I want it to be more realistic not just one of those "They met, fell in love, fought a lot, and made love" stories. I want it to have character development and all sorts of different scenarios. Also, as it moves on, their will be more focus on the Degrassi characters not just the kids.

Strong Enough To Break - Hanson