I expected a lot of things when Emma first recognized me. I expected her to just stare at me in shock and maybe stutter out a response. I expected her to get even more angry then she already was. I expected her to snap at me and say how I didn't remember her either. I however did not expect her face to split into a smile and come out from around the corner and wrap me in a tight embrace almost knocking me off the chair as she did so. But then again Emma never was one to do what was expected. She pulled away from me with a large smile.
"I can't believe you came all the way out here from Boston," she laughed. "How did you wind up here?"
"I have a job in Phoenix," I smiled back. "How bout you? How did you get here?"
"I was looking for...someone," she looked to the ground. "Anyway it turned out to be false trail. And after I spent all my money trying to get here I didn't have enough money to go anywhere so...here I am."
I knew what she meant when she said that she looking for someone. I narrowed my eyes and stood from my seat so that I towered the girl.
"Are you still looking for them Emma?" I asked. "I told you Emma they are not worth it."
She met my glare with an intense one of her own.
"They are to me!" she snapped.
"Well they shouldn't be," I yelled. "When did they ever give a damn to pay money for you? Why the hell should you waste your money and time on them?"
"Austin," she hissed. "I'm not a kid anymore, I don't need your lectures."
Her words were sharp like a double edged sword but when she said them it made me think. How old was she? Last time I saw her she was only 12. And that was only 5 years ago. She should be 17 right now.
"Wait," I muttered. "Your only 17 years old right now. How did you get out of the foster system?"
Emma's shoulders tense and her hands clench at her sides. She tilts her head to the ground and her golden curls cover her eyes.
"I wasn't going to stay there any longer," she mumbled. "I was old enough to be on my own anyway."
My eyes narrow and my face twists into a snarl. "No you're not," I sneer. "You are still a minor and yet you're living by yourself and working in this crappy 24-hour diner at 3 am in the morning."
Emma rolled her eyes "We just met after 5 years without seeing each other and you're already lecturing me," she snapped. "I swear Austin you never change."
"How did you get out?" I asked as I raise a suspicious eyebrow.
"I took some money from my last foster parent," Emma stated softly. "She hid her money under the mattress. I managed to get a bus ticket to Pheonix."
"What made you think you found your parents?" I asked curiously. I really did wonder how she was able to find them considering there was a lack of clues left.
"I found some footage of a car stopping on the side of the highway where I was found," she replied. "I saw the license plate and used it to track down the person that owned that car. It lead me here but of course when I got here I found out it was a false lead."
I nodded. It was hard to believe she was searching this hard for her parents. People who abandoned her on the side of the room. She had more reason for hating her parents then he did. Yet she searched so hard. It was probably because she wanted to know who they were. I knew exactly who my father was, I knew exactly why he let me go, which was why I refused to search for a way back to my world.
"So what are you planning on doing now?" I asked softly.
"Right now I'm trying to take whatever I can get to pay my rent," she shrugged. "After that I'm not sure. I really thought I had them last time."
"Maybe they don't want to be found Emma," I said softly.
"I can't just give up," she pressed. "I won't just stop after all of this."
I sighed deeply. Stubborn as always.
There was the sound of the door opening and a plump middle aged women walked in wearing the same uniform that Emma wore.
"Alright," She sighed in aggravation. "That's your shift kid."
"Thanks Ruth," she answered as she went behind the counter and grabbed her bag. She walked towards the exit. She looked back at me and smiled. "It was great seeing you again Austin."
She turned and left the building without another word. I knew that this meeting was nothing special. It was just a reunion of two people who knew each other a long time ago. I should just let her leave and go on with my life. Part of me wonders if I should have just let her leave and never see her again. But my feet carried me out the door as I bolted after her, so I guess I'll never know.
"Emma!" I yelled as I saw her walking on the side of the road. She turned around and stopped walking. She cocked an eyebrow in question.
"How far away do you live?" I asked as I ran up to her.
"Few miles," she shrugged. "Why?"
"Do you have to walk?" I questioned as I stopped in front of her. She nodded silently. "Do you want a ride?"
"No," she shook her head with a small smile. "I'm fine."
"Like hell you are," I smirked. "Come on Emma it's 3 am. You must be exhausted."
"Austin I've done this plenty of times before," she laughed. "I don't need your help."
I grabbed her wrist and pulled her over to my car. "I can't just let a young woman wonder the streets at night." I declared. "What kind of hero would do that?"
"And since when are you a hero?" Emma mocked.
I put my hand to my heart in mock hurt. "That was hurtful Emma," I stated. I laughed as I opened the door for her. "Your chariot awaits miss."
I offered her my hand and did a low bow. As if I was a knight offering help to a princess. In a different world I suppose I would be in a similar situation, if I managed to survive the ogre wars. Emma was hardly the damsel in distress type, but there was something about her that reminded me of a tragic princess. There was something about her that reminded me of home. I didn't belong there anymore though. I wasn't even close to being considered a war hero, or any other hero for that matter.
She took my hand with a smirk. "Why thank you sir," she curtsied and the stepped into the car. I shut the door and walked over to the drivers side. I climbed into the car and saw Emma looking around in amazement.
"This is a really expensive car," she whispered softly. "How on earth could you afford this?"
"I make good money," I shrugged.
"I'll say," Emma crossed her arms. "What the hell do you do?"
I looked at her and smirked. I wasn't exactly proud of the fact that I was a con artist. Nor was I willing to share that little fact with Emma. At least not right now. But I might as well play around with her a bit.
"I am a dragon slayer," I stated proudly.
Emma gave me a dead pan stare and pushed me lightly on the shoulder. "Come on," she urged. "Be serious Austin."
"I am being serious," I laughed. "I slay a dragon for a 5 grand."
"5 grand?" she yelled. "Thats a pretty high price."
"Well yeah," I answered. "It's really difficult to slay a dragon."
"Oh really?" she smiled.
"Yes," I persisted. "Have you ever killed a dragon?"
"Oh yeah," she smirked. "Easily."
I laughed as I watched the empty road in front of me.
"I'm really a lawyer," I lied. It wasn't exactly a lie. I acted as a lawyer once for a scam.
"Your lying," she stated as she looked at me seriously. "You do remember my ability right?"
"Oh," I sighed. "So the little lie detector still lives."
Emma pursed her lips in annoyance. "I hate that nickname," she grumbled. "Anyway, what is it you really do?"
"I herd sheep," I replied. I could go all night naming off ridiculous occupations. Eventually she's going to get sick of it and just stop trying. But then again Emma isn't exactly known for giving up easily.
"Where would you herd sheep in Pheonix?" she laughed.
"What?" I asked. "You've never seen shepherds in down town? We are pretty common."
"Austin," she sighed in exasperation. "Please just tell me. I really want to know."
I'm not sure what would be the most believable lie I could come up with.
"I'm training to be a fireman," I lied softly. I put on my most believable face. I needed to act natural. She was pretty good at spotting lies. But I was very good at telling them. "This isn't actually my car. It's my freind, Mike's." I'm not sure if it's a very good idea to mention Mike. But if I tell to many lies she will get suspicious.
I analyzed her reaction, seeing if she would be able to tell if what I was saying was true. She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips for a moment. Then just as my heart started pounding a little faster her eyes softened and her lips twitched into a light smile.
"A fireman?" she asked softly as she leaned back. "So you want to make a living rescuing kittens from trees? Have to say, not what I expected from you. Actually the lawyer thing made more sense."
I didn't know if that meant she knew it was a lie or if she actually bought it. "Though you do seem like the hero type." she mumbled. "You always did."
I almost have a heart attack and steer the car off the road.
Another chapter. Hurray! Sorry sorry sorry sorry. I take so long. Sorry. I really want to finish this before the next season starts. I went away on vacation to a place with no Internet. I hope I can get a lot done before I go back to school
