"So how was the rest of your day Em?" Ruby asks, sitting cross-legged on Emma's bed. Directly after school the two girls headed to Emma's house. Since they met each other the two girls have been taking turns going to the others house after school to gossip and hang out. Sometimes they talk, or watch movies and even take naps. Today though was strictly about first day gossip.
"It went surprisingly well actually. I didn't get yelled at. Which is awesome. Now if only I can keep it up for the rest of the year." Emma replies, laying down atop Ruby's lap facing the ceiling. The blonde begins to pick at Ruby's frayed jeans, pulling out the lose threads.
"Hey!" Ruby shouts, slapping Emma's hand away. "Stop that! How many times do I have to tell you not to pick at my clothes? Do you not remember the 'sweater incident'?" Ruby finishes eyeing Emma's hand to make sure she doesn't do it again.
"I just don't see how those don't bother you. Little strings hanging off my clothes is super annoying. And you know I didn't mean to do that to your sweater. It wasn't that bad anyways!" Emma huffs, moving her hands back to rest on her stomach.
"Well it doesn't bother me, I like it. And you unraveled my whole sweater Emma! You pulled one thread and fucked up my favorite sweater!" Ruby laughed. The brunette wasn't mad about it anymore but she loved to tease Emma about it. Huffing, Emma rolls her eyes at the giggling brunette.
"I said I was sorry." The blonde mumbles. Ruby lets out a bark of laughter and ruffles Emma's hair.
"Hey! Knock it off Rubes!" Emma squeaks, bringing her hands up to protect her hair. Ruby laughs again and starts ticking Emma. "S..s..stop Ruby!" Emma whines between gasps and giggles. Flipping around Emma pins Ruby to the bed and tickles her right back. The intense tickle session ends with both girls sprawled on the floor giggling and gasping for air.
"Emma!? What the hell is going on up there?!" A male voice says before the voice's owner walks into the room. He stares at the two girls on the floor and grimaces. "What have I told you about being loud? Children are supposed to be seen not heard. Now send your friend home. I'll deal with you once she leaves. Now!" Mark, Emma's current foster father, yells before storming out of her room. Mark and his wife Karen have had Emma for about three years now. Karen was super nice but Mark… well Mark was a drunk and when he was drinking, like right now apparently, he could get very mean. Mean and violent, and Karen was too afraid of him to help Emma. She didn't want him to hit her instead. So she just let the man be.
Ducking her head in embarrassment Emma looks at Ruby through her eyelashes, "I'm sorry Ruby." The blonde sighs. "You know how he is. You should leave before it gets worse."
"Are you going to be okay with him?" Ruby questions concern laced in her voice. The brunette wasn't an idiot. She knew Mark hit Emma, maybe even more, but she didn't know all of it because Emma wouldn't tell her. She tried to help Emma about two years ago when she found the bruises lining the blondes back while they were changing one day. The brunette had told her grandmother and she called Social Services about it, but when they came Emma told them she just fell. She told them he was the perfect father. The blonde had stopped speaking to Ruby for a month after that. The brunette was hurt and didn't know why Emma had lied, or why she was so mad at her. Soon though, Ruby found out Emma was so upset about it because she didn't want to go back into the system. Ruby didn't know what the system was like but she knew it must be bad if Emma wanted to stay here with this asshole instead of seeking help.
"Yeah Rubes, you know I'll be okay." Emma replies, standing up and opening the door for Ruby. "Now hurry before he gets even more upset. Please." Ruby looks back at Emma sympathetically before grabbing her bag and leaving.
The next day at school Emma is standing in front of her locker when Ruby hugs her from behind. Turning around to face the brunette Emma smiles weakly. "You okay Em?" Ruby questions, scanning the blondes exposed skin. She doesn't miss the fact that Emma is wearing a sweater today even though it's way too hot.
"I'm fine Rubes." Emma replies, turning back around to shut her locker door. "I'm going to be late for class Ruby, I should go." The blonde states already walking away from Ruby. Ruby runs up behind the blonde and hugs her once again.
"You'll tell me if you're not, right?" the brunette questions, pulling away and looking into Emma's eyes.
"Yes Ruby. I promise. I really need to go though." Emma replies, giving the brunette a smile. "I'll see you at lunch okay?" She finishes before walking away.
"Okay." Ruby whispers to Emma's retreating form. Sighing she walks in the direction of her first period class, worry etched on her face.
"So we never got to finish our gossip." Ruby says sliding into her seat next to Emma. The brunette sets her tray down and waggles her brows at the blonde.
"Oh yeah." The blonde replies, between bites of her hamburger.
"So besides not getting yelled at did anything else exciting happen? Don't you have that new teacher for creative writing? How is he?" Ruby asks.
"She. And I can't really tell. I've only been to her class once remember?" Emma says, smirking.
"Well duh. But what's she like? Does she seem nice?" Ruby sighs at Emma's antics.
"Well she is kind of strict from what I can tell, but she doesn't seem mean. The other kids don't like her though. I think they thought this would be an easy A class. I'll be surprised if most of them haven't dropped the class to be honest." Emma explains.
"Really? Drop her class? You got that from one day? God she must be awful." Ruby smirked, nudging Emma's shoulder. "You better be the best student ever Em."
"I don't think she is awful. She just doesn't want kids horsing around and honestly, what teacher does? I think since she is new she wants to make it clear she won't tolerate us acting like idiots you know?" Emma replies, defending her teacher.
"Yeah I guess I get that." The brunette answers, finishing her food and throwing her tray away. As soon as she sits back down the bell rings. "Man, I swear they cut lunch short this year." Ruby sighs. The two girls back up their bags and after quick goodbyes they head to their next classes.
Finally sliding into her seat in her creative writing class Emma sighs, glad that school is almost over for the day. The bell rings, signaling the beginning of class, and Emma looks around unsurprised to see that five seats were now unoccupied. I thought so. Emma thought to herself. Lazy kids just wanting easy classes. She shakes her head and turns her attention to the front of the class where Ms. Mills is beginning the lesson.
"Today I would like each of you to take one of these notebooks, write your name on the cover," Ms. Mills instructs, handing a notebook to each student as she walks around the room. "And every day for the first fifteen minutes of class I will give you a prompt to write about. After the fifteen minutes is up I will collect your notebooks and grade what you have written and return them to you the next day. As long as you follow the prompt you can write about whatever you like. For some prompts it can be true or not. However if I want it to be an actual event I will be sure to tell you in the prompt. It can be however long you want it to be as long as it fully satisfies the prompt. Does everyone understand?" She is now back at the front of the room, scanning the room as all heads begin to nod. "Very good. Now your first prompt I would like to be true. I would like you to write about why you chose to be in this class and what you want to get from it." Groans chorus around at the lame prompt. Emma just ducks her head and begins writing. "You have fifteen minutes. Do not waste it." Ms. Mills finishes, sitting back in her desk and pulling out a book.
This is so easy. Emma thinks. I'm so going to ace this one.
I've been writing stories since I learned how to write, and thinking them up in my head even before that. Making up people and their lives is so thrilling. I can make them do and be whoever I want them to. There are no restrictions on your stories because they are yours. That is what I love the most about writing. No one can tell me what I'm writing is wrong; its mine. That's why I chose this class, not because I need an easy A, but because I love it so much. I'm hoping to learn better writing styles and to enhance my creativity. I'm ultimately hoping to become an author and I feel this class will help me reach my goal.
Emma re-reads what she wrote and smiles. She looks at the clock and sees that she only has a minute left so she closes her notebook and looks towards her teacher expectantly. Noticing that most of her students have closed their notebooks Ms. Mills looks at the clock and stands up. "Alright class, your fifteen minutes have past so please pass your notebooks up so I can collect them." She instructs as everyone passes their notebooks up. Once she has all the notebooks Ms. Mills sets them on her desk and readdresses the class. "Alright, now were are going to read a few shorts stories from your textbooks. So if you will, please turn to page 346 and we will popcorn read until we have completed." The teacher finishes and waits for everyone to turn to the correct page.
Emma refrains from rolling her eyes. God popcorn reading? Really? She thinks, shaking her head. I hate this. Only like three kids can ever read correctly and no one ever pays attention to when it's their turn. Why can't we just read alone? She finishes her thought as a kid on the other side of the room starts to read in a shaky voice. See? She thinks. I knew it.