Chapter 5
Monday morning in the teachers' lounge Emma sat pensively. Lost in her thoughts she failed to see her friends approaching her.
"Emma?" Mary Margaret called out.
"Emma…" Elsa echoed.
"Hey. Sorry, I was distracted."
"Oh, we noticed. Mary Margaret, she has been like this since last week."
"Emma, sweetie are you having trouble with Graham. I know long distance relationships are hard but love is worth fighting for."
"I know Mary but something is missing."
"Missing?" Elsa looked at Emma with curiosity.
"Yes, Emma, what are you talking about?" Mary agreed with Elsa.
"I care for Graham and he is amazing but I just haven't
felt that thing with him."
"What thing?" Elsa and Mary said it at the same time.
Emma sighed. "The moment when you kiss someone and everything around you becomes hazy. The moment when the only thing in focus is you and this person, and you realize that that person is the only person that you're supposed to kiss for the rest of your life, and you feel so lucky that you found it but so scared that it'll go away, all at the same time."
Elsa and Mary Margaret looked at each other.
Elsa was the first to respond. "Is this just about Graham or does it have to do with whatever happened on Friday?"
"What did I miss?" Mary Margaret inquired.
The platinum blonde smiled. "Emma here was acting a little strangely. It was like she was waiting for something, but upon her previous comment perhaps it was a someone."
Mary Margaret gasped, "Emma, did you cheat on Graham?" Her friend shook her head in disapproval. "Are you going to tell him? Just remember that secrets always seem to keep us from the people we really care about."
Emma glared at Mary Margaret then at Elsa.
"Emma, ignore Mary Margaret for a brief second. Is it a guy that is making you doubt your relationship or did Graham do something to hurt you?"
"This thing with Graham has been coming for a while, and it does not help we are in a long distance relationship. I thought I had met someone, and no nothing happened, and nothing can ever possibly happen." The sadness of her statement didn't go unnoticed by her friends.
"He seems to be special, this guy. I just never figured you for a romantic."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Emma, it's just not how you come across."
"Maybe not. Not all of us are as lucky as you are MM. We don't all find our charming prince wearing a whistle. How was your lunch date on Friday? We missed you."
"I missed you," Elsa countered. "Emma was too busy pinning."
"I do not pine, besides, whatever it was, it's never gonna happen." Emma dismissed.
"So there was something?"
"It doesn't matter anymore. Just tell us about David," Emma said, trying to elude the subject.
Mary Margaret and Elsa shared a look of understanding. Their friend was unable to hide the disappointment at the loss of a possibility.
Out of nowhere, Emma groaned, "Damn it, I left my phone in the car, be right back." She got up and practically ran outside before they could respond.
Mary Margaret and Elsa just stared at the door.
Peter and Felix waited patiently outside the school. They leaned against the brick wall in front of the parking lot. Waiting for their prey to arrive.
The '71 Chevy finally approached the empty parking lot. Peter nudged Felix, "Get ready." They both approached Killian as soon as they saw him.
Killian stiffened as soon as he saw them coming.
"What no apple for teacher? Teacher's pet," Peter said as he closed in the distance. Felix pushed Killian.
Killian held his stance. "I'm not looking for any trouble, mate."
His comment went unacknowledged by both teenagers. Peter nodded to Felix, and Felix swiped his foot under Killian.
Killian fell to the pavement while Felix alternated between pounding on him and kicking him.
Some of the students walked by ignoring the whole situation..
No one was going to help him and Killian couldn't exactly fight back. That would attract attention he couldn't afford if he wanted to maintain his cover. He eased into the fetal position to protect himself. The assault stopped as hurried footsteps neared.
"Killian?" the soft voice urged as she tried to take a good look at him. "Who did this to you?"
He could feel soft hands trying to assess the damage, the voice sounded faintly familiar.
"Shit! Don't move, I'm going to go get help."
Her footsteps faded as she walked back toward the school. The ground was unforgiving as he tried to get to his feet. He gave up the battle to stand on his own when he heard voices approaching.
"Leroy, I thought the point of having security was so this wouldn't happen." Emma was furious at the grumpy guard.
"Miss Swan, I went on a break and Walter was on duty in my place."
"Walter, as in Sleepy? This is what happens when he is in charge!"she yelled at him while pointing at the kid on the floor.
The grouchy man was about to retort but noticed the kid on the floor.
"I'm sorry, Miss Swan, I wasn't gone long."
"You were gone long enough, now help me move him."
She kneeled to his level, "Killian, hey, can you look at me?" She gently tapped him on his shoulder.
He opened his eyes slowly, "Miss Swan, I'm okay, I don't want to be late to class."
"I'm afraid you will be late. Now, can you try to get up." She extended her hand for him to grab.
He sat slowly and reached for her hand. She pulled him up slowly towards her. He was feeling so much better, her soft hands healing him. She slowly put her arm around his waist and gently pulled him towards her so he could lean his weight on her. Emma turned to the other man, "Leroy, a little help. He's not as light as he looks."
Leroy lifted Killian's other arm and they were on their way to see Nurse Ratched.
Emma had stayed with him as long as possible but soon had to tend to her classroom. Wounds cleaned, Killian was escorted to the Principal's office by the school nurse. A kind man entered as Killian had been prompted to take a seat by his escort, the stern older woman. "Mr. Hopper, this is Killian Jones. Mr. Jones has been victim to a horrible assault." Her tone is indifferent to the situation.
"Oh dear, do we know who it was?" Principal Hopper asked as he made his way to the chair behind the desk.
"We don't know. Miss Swan found him." Nurse Ratched answered in an uncaring tone as she rose from her seat next to Killian. "I should get back to my office." She walked out, leaving the two alone.
Principal Hopper glanced at the file in front of him. "Mr. Jones can you tell me who did this to you?"
Killian winced as he looked at the man. "It happened so fast I couldn't see. I'm sorry." He fidgeted in his seat. He knew who it was but he had learned a long time ago that telling on a bully would only make things worse for him.
"Alright, I'm afraid I'm going to need to call your parents to come and pick you up." The Principal was looking for his parent's phone number.
"Sir, my parents are out of town on holiday. You can call my older brother Liam. I can give you his number." Killian was starting to freak out, the last thing he wanted was for his brother to see him hurt but he couldn't break his cover. So he opted to give the Principal his friend's phone number instead. It could be plausible to call Will, Liam for short. He only hoped Will went along with the story.
They sat in the office as they waited for Will to arrive. He hoped his brother never found out.