A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'll try to keep adding to my other stories, but don't expect too much, I've been stuck on them for awhile. If you have any ideas for them, review the story or PM me. It might help me have some inspiration for them. Anyway, hope you like this chapter, if I get a some reviews I'll try putting out another chapter either today or tomorrow.
Emma and Ella
Chapter 3: Never Good Enough
Three Weeks Later...
It was the week of conferences and Mary Margaret was meeting with David Nolan about his foster daughter, Emma.
"Good afternoon, David." Mary Margaret said with a smile. For the last three weeks, they had seen quite a bit of each other and the girls. Their families were hitting it off pretty well together. Ella and Emma were almost inseparable now.
"Good afternoon, Mary Margaret. How was your day?" David asked softly.
"It was good, but even better now." She said and David smiled big.
David sat down in chair across from her desk and waited patiently for her to begin.
"Emma is a very smart girl, but from all her moves she has gotten behind in her Reading. She is two grade levels below the other students, meaning she's reading at 4th grade level instead of her grade level."
"Oh I didn't realize she was so far behind." David said in worry.
"She is behind, but I'm confident that Emma, with a little extra work, can get up to her grade level. I would suggest that she read every night for an hour to practice reading. It would also be beneficial if you read to her as well."
"Oh we started that at the beginning of the year, we have been reading the Harry Potter books." David told her with a grin.
"Ah those are great books." Mary Margaret said. "I can give her a few books at her reading level to start with and then I will test her every two weeks to see where she's at. I doubt it will take long for her to jump up levels. She is a very smart girl."
"Indeed she is." David said with a proud smile.
They finished up their meeting while their girls were out in the hallway working on their homework.
Emma was nervous because she always was behind in her classes and now David would know that. She wanted him to be proud of her not disappointed in her. She really liked David and didn't want him to send her back.
"Hey don't be so worried. My mom could only say good things about you."
"I hope so." Emma said in worry.
David came out a few minutes later and told Emma he had to meet with one more of her teachers before they could go home. This was her math teacher and she wasn't very good at math.
"Why don't you stay here with Ella while I meet with your teacher? It shouldn't take too long."
Emma nodded, but was nervous at what he'd hear.
"I just have to know what that teacher is saying..." Emma said as she put her stuff in her bag and stood up.
"What are you going to do?" Ella asked in worry.
"I'm going to try to listen. I'll be back." Emma said as she started towards her math class.
"Emma, what if they catch you?" Ella asked in worry.
"I won't get caught." Emma said as she was half way down the hall.
Ella grimaced. She knew most adults didn't take to well to eavesdropping.
Emma sunk as close to the door as possible, thankfully it was open so she could hear her teacher's and David's voices.
"The fact is that Emma is behind and by a lot. She's going to need a tutor to help her if she is going to pass." Emma heard her math teacher telling her foster dad. She frowned, he wouldn't like hearing that she wasn't good at school, none of her foster families cared about her schooling and didn't like the teachers bugging them.
Emma continued to listen at the door, hoping that David wouldn't be mad at her. She didn't even realize it when it was over and she saw that David was about to leave the room. She would have moved, but she was frozen on the floor in fear of getting caught.
David stepped out and almost ran into his foster daughter. "Emma." David scolded in surprise as he saw his Emma sitting on the floor, looking at him in shock.
"Let's go." David said in a disappointed voice. He was a little worried about her schooling and even a bit frustrated at her not trying in math class. Her teacher had said that Emma hadn't been turning in her math assignments for a week and besides that she wasn't giving it much effort.
Emma grimaced as she stood up and felt David put his hand on her back to lead her back to her stuff so they could leave.
Ella grimaced as she saw Emma coming back with David meaning Emma got caught. David didn't look very happy either.
"Get your stuff. I have to ask Ms. Blanchard something." David said before heading into the classroom.
"How much trouble are you in?" Ella asked with wide eyes.
"I don't know..." Emma said nervously as she grabbed her stuff and got her coat from her locker.
"Well good luck." Ella said with a grimace.
"Thanks." Emma said nervously as she bit her lip.
"It will be okay." Ella tried to encourage her, but she was feeling nervous for her friend.
David came back out. "Let's go, Emma. Say goodbye to Ella." David said firmly.
"Bye Ella." Emma said quietly before feeling David's hand at the base of her neck, guiding her past Ella and to the front doors of the school.
The walk was quiet and tense as they made their way to the truck. Emma could tell she was in trouble by the way David was treating her and not talking to her.
He unlocked her door and she climbed in.
"Seatbelt." David said quietly, but firmly.
Emma buckled up quickly and David shut the door and went around to the other side to get in.
David turned on the truck and started for home.
Emma was not sure what to do, but what she felt like was running! But at the moment she was trapped in the moving truck with David.
It only took a ten minutes, but it felt like an eternity before they were pulling into their driveway. She had figured he would have said something by now, but he was just quiet. He seemed to be thinking about something, probably what to do with her.
They went inside even though Emma wanted to run rather than face David.
"We need to talk. Let's go sit in the living room." David said quietly.
Emma bit her lip as she walked to the living room and sat down on the couch.
David paced for a moment before coming and sitting on the coffee table in front of her.
"Emma, why haven't you been doing your math homework?" David asked.
Emma shrugged her shoulders.
"Is it too hard? Your teacher said that you are behind, but you aren't trying either." David said, just trying to figure out the problem.
"Does it matter?" Emma asked in a bored voice, even though she was nervous. She didn't really understand why he even cared about her grades.
"Of course it matters! I can't help you do better if I don't know what the problem is."
Emma looked down ashamed. "It's just hard, okay?" Emma said on the verge of sarcasm.
"So you just stopped trying? That doesn't sound like you." David said in concern.
"Why do you even care? And you don't know what sounds like me or not! You hardly even know me!" Emma yelled at him.
"Hey there's no need for yelling AND I do care about you. And yes, I may not know much about you yet, but I am getting to know you."
"I guess." Emma mumbled.
"Your teacher mentioned that I should get you a tutor..."
"I don't need a tutor!" Emma yelled.
"Do not yell at me, young lady." David scolded her.
Emma hadn't expected him to scold her that sternly and it shocked her.
"You do need a tutor and I already got one for you. Ms. Blanchard said that she could tutor you in math after school in her room on Tuesdays and Thursday's from 3:45 to 4:45."
"But what about the bus?"
"I will pick you up from school on those days."
"Ugh...this is dumb." Emma muttered.
"I'm sorry you feel that way, but you will go to these tutoring sessions. I want you to give them your best effort and I don't want to hear that you are giving Ms. Blanchard attitude either. Do you understand?"
"Yes." Emma mumbled.
"Good. Now there's another issue that we have to talk about. Your reading level isn't up to where it needs to be so Ms. Blanchard suggested that you read an hour every night to help get your reading level up. She'll get you books at your level and test you every couple of weeks."
"An hour?" Emma said with a frown.
"Yes. And you will do it."
Emma grunted. She wasn't happy with all these things he wanted her to do. She never had anyone that cared this much about her schooling. It wasn't sure if she liked it or not.
"One last thing we need to talk about and then you can go finish your homework. I don't appreciate you eavesdropping on your teacher and me. And I won't have you doing it again."
Emma grimaced. "Sorry." Emma said with a little attitude.
"Just don't do it again, got it?" David said firmly.
"Okay. Is that it?" Emma asked with attitude again.
"Almost. For the rest of this week and next week, you will be grounded" Emma eyes widened in surprise, "so that means no tv, no phone, no friends."
"Why?" Emma whined.
"For your attitude, your eavesdropping, but mostly because of not doing your math homework for a week. If you are really working hard at improving your grades by the end of next week then it can return back to normal besides that you will still be reading and going to tutoring. Emma, I just need you to take this seriously. I know you can get your grades up, but it's going to take some effort on your part. And it's up to me to make sure you succeed in school."
Emma rolled her eyes. Grounded?! This was terrible!
David knew she wasn't happy with him, but he was just trying to do what was best for her.
"Are we done yet?" Emma asked with attitude.
"Yes, but change your attitude please." David said firmly with his dad look he had learned quickly since she got there a month ago.
Emma looked away as he scolded her, but nodded anyway.
"Ok, go finish up your homework." David said softly, hoping that she really understood that he cared about her and wanted what was best.
Emma got up and went upstairs. She threw her backpack down and slammed her door shut.
Emma knew she couldn't do what he asked. She would just disappoint him. And why did he care about her?! No one else did and she didn't know how to handle someone actually caring! She wasn't good at being part of a real family and this was the closest foster home that felt like a family despite not having a foster mom. David though was great despite that she just got grounded.
She was just knew, deep down in her heart that she would never be good enough for him. He would send her back. She knew it.
All of sudden, she couldn't handle it anymore. She needed to get out!
She opened the window and climbed onto the roof below her window before climbing down the trellis on the side of the house. She jumped down and ran as fast as she could.