Circle of Trust
by L. Gabrielle
CHAPTER THREE
Emma walked into Degrassi with 15 minutes to spare till the bell. She barely got any sleep the previous night. Her mother called from the hospital two hours after she left that the doctor's diagnosis wasn't pretty. Emma expected to get full details once the two got home, but by the time they did, Emma became throughly more confused.
Snake looked shook up, and mumbled something about wanting to go back to bed. He went up stairs in a hurry. Spike's eyes looked red and watery, as if she'd been crying for a long while. Emma could read her mother's emotions unlike anyone else, she knew now wasn't the time to ask questions.
"Jack's asleep in the crib," she had said softly. Her mother forced out a smile, and out of nowhere grabbed her daughter close and held her there for a few seconds.
"Tomorrow. We have to have a little family meeting," Spike murmered into Emma's hair.
That thought wouldn't leave Emma's mind. She knew now that today was going to be the longest school day ever. When she arrived at her locker, she began unloading and loading her needed class materials.
"Em!"
Her head spun 360 at the sound of her name. It was Chris, her new friend/boyfriend/unsure what he was at the moment. All she did know was that when she was with him, life seemed less complicated.
"You never called me last night. What's up?" Chris was grinning his million dollar grin. Normally, Emma would make a sarcastic remark about his peppiness at such an early hour, but today she just didn't have the energy.
"Sorry, I had Jack to take care of."
"Again?"
"What do you expect? When Snake needs to be at the hospital, Mom needs to be there too."
Chris's grin was gone. He nodded. He knew that being inquizzitive just wasn't appropriate. Emma was obviously plauged by something, no point in trying to change the subject.
"You need to talk?"
"Like you wouldn't believe," Emma replied longingly. "But it wouldn't really be of much use seeing as I have no clue what's going on anymore."
"You. Me. Lunch. Let me hear what's on your mind."
"Thanks." Emma hugged Chris and watched him walk to his first class. She leaned back against her locker, lost in thought, but was snapped back to reality when she saw who was walking by.
Manny approached, wearing a form-fitting tube top and low cut short shorts with heels. Emma's eyes followed her as she walked past. Manny glanced over, and for a minute Emma thought she looked apologetic. Then she heard an older boy across the hall give a cat call in Manny's direction. Manny's head snapped to the boy with a weak grin. She walked past, trying to keep her head held high.
Emma grimaced and turned back to her locker and returned to her books.