The next morning Emma quickly glided through the hallways on the way to her locker, ignoring the stares and whispers, in an attempt to completely cut out the chance of an encounter with Sean. If she could get her books and then head into homeroom, she could sit next to a seat that was already taken.
Emma was jamming books into her bag, barely even looking to make sure they were the right ones, when Sean came up beside her. Emma's shoulders sagged as she stopped shoveling books into her bag. She made a face as she turned to face Sean. "What do you want, Sean?"
Sean grabbed Emma's hand, holding it palm up in his own. Without a word he put a ball of wrinkled money and some loose change into her palm before closing her fingers around it in a fist.
Emma looked at her hand in confusion. "What's this?"
"Ten bucks, fifty-five cents." A sheepish smile tugged at his corners of his mouth. "Its not much but its all I can really give without going hungry for the rest of the week. It won't buy a laptop but I figure if I give you what I can every now and again, you maybe could buy Simpson a nice upgrade thing or whatever for that other laptop your mom got him."
"How do you know about that?"
"Your mom was showing it to me after you went to your room yesterday." Sean's gaze didn't meet Emma's own. "It is, um, nice. Not a nice as the other one, though."
Emma nodded. "I hope you felt super guilty."
"I did," Sean responded before turning and heading in the direction of their homeroom.
"Sean..." Emma began quietly, stopping him. Emma licked her lips, contemplating her words. "What are you doing?"
He looked at her over his shoulder, an enigmatic smile spreading across his face. "What you asked."
Emma frowned. "What I---"
"Proving it."
With that, Sean walked away from Emma with her eyes still burning into him. As he turned the corner and disappeared out of sight, Emma was left with nothing but the warring emotions enclosed inside of her heart.
xXx
Emma didn't say anything when Sean sat next to her in Media Immersion or any of her other classes that she had with him. She avoided Chris when he looked at her in question after seeing Sean sitting next to her in math. She didn't stop Sean when he sat down with her, Toby and JT at lunch. She even left him walk her to class without mumbling a single protest.
The truth was, she hadn't said a thing to him all day besides, "Sure," or, "Go ahead," since that morning. Emma wasn't trying to be rude, even though he probably thought she was. She was just too confused and lost in her own mind to really interact with anybody, including the very person that was causing her to do an internal inventory.
It felt like she was on a roller coaster that was climber higher and higher up an all too familiar steel hill, her hands clenched tightly on the bar in front of her. Sean was beside her, urging her to let go of the bar. But she didn't want to because the moment she did she knew they were both going flying down that big, deep slope. Even more frightening, she wasn't so sure anymore she didn't want to fall.
Her mind was centered on all of these thoughts while she was getting her books that she needed to take home when Chris came up behind her, tapping her lightly on the shoulder. She knew it was Chris this time, having suddenly gained some sixth Sean sense that had been driving her up a wall the entire day. "Hey Chris."
"Hey," Chris said as he leaned against the locker next to hers, smiling. "I see I finally found you without Sean."
"Yeah," Emma said with a shrug. "My shadow had shop class. He's probably still there." Emma laughed in amusement. "That is the only class Sean would spend extra time in."
"Cool." Chris went to say something else but just then out of the corner of her eye Emma saw Jay and Alex came walking by with some others Emma knew by face but not by name.
Emma saw Chris looking on in disgust at Jay and turned her head to look more closely. Her eyes traveled down Jay's form, stopping at his hands. The Media Center's DVD player, Emma thought in shock.
Jay stopped, glaring at Emma. "Something wrong, Nelson?"
Emma stuck her chin up defiantly. "That's not yours."
"Yeah, and what are you going to do?" Alex wrapped her arm around Jay with a a condescending smile on her face as he spoke to her. "You going to stop me."
"I could go tell Raditch."
Jay shrugged. "Go ahead. But what about Sean?"
Emma felt her stomach bottom out, her heart twisting inside of her.You said you were sorry, Emma thought brokenly. I thought that meant you...I thought...
Emma saw a quick flash of Sean each time he had said he was sorry. The accusation and guilt that would be washed over his face along with the consuming disappointment in himself and the regret that he had hurt her.
Emma felt anger swell up inside of her that she had come so close to...She stopped and wondered what she had come so close to and then her eyes widened.
Close to forgiving him, she finished silently.
Emma felt pain rush through her. A pain she swore she would not give Sean the chance to inflict upon her again, yet there is was. Harsh and cold, and just as biting as ever.
Jay must have mistaken her look for one of fear because he continued with a satisfied smirk. "That's right, sweetheart." The way Jay said 'sweetheart, it sounded like a curse word. "In about five minutes Sean is meeting me out front for a ride home. He's completely oblivious, this time around, but it won't matter. You take me down, I'll take him with me."
Emma's eyes widened with understanding, the tightening in her chest loosening. Sean doesn't know.
Jay smiled smugly. "See. We understand each other just fine." With one last sneer he turned around, DVD player in hand, and began walking toward the door again with Alex and his friends trailing behind him.
"We have to go tell Mr. Raditch," Chris said a moment later, breaking her out of her scattered thoughts.
Emma's face knotted with confusion. "What?"
"About them stealin' the DVD player." Chris grabbed her hand and started to pull her down the hall.
Emma yanked her hand back and shook her head, planting her feet firmly into the floor of the hallway. "No."
"No?" Chris didn't do well at hiding his surprise. "Emma, Jay and his crew of wannabe thugs are making off with the school's property."
"I know. But Sean's with them and I---"
"Sean's just as guilty."
"He's just with them. He's confused and I, I can't do that to him. He doesn't know what they're doing."
"You're kidding, right? Emma, Jay is stealing that DVD player. Just like he stole your stepfather's computer. And when we saw him he hardly even blinked about being caught. He thinks its a game." A brief flash of jealous showed on his face. "Sean doesn't care, either. So he doesn't know this one time. Big deal. He knew every other time. He's just like them."
She stared at Chris for a second, taking in the way he seemed to be pleading silently for her to go with him. He's just like them, the words echoed in Emma's mind. Was he? Emma saw a brief flash of Sean, his eyes a soft blue that was sparkling with laughter. Then she saw Jay, his eyes nearly black with seething condescension and a permanent gleam of malice.
No, Emma thought decisively. Sean has maybe done some sucky things but he is not like them. He's just...Sean.
"I'm not saying its right," Emma started, begging Chris with her eyes to understand. " Please, understand. I can't go with you, Chris. I'm sorry. I can't."
"What he and those guys are doing is wrong, Emma. And I'm goin' to tell Raditch. You're a fair person that believes in doin' the right thing. Come with me."
"You sure this is about doing the right thing?" Emma couldn't help but ask.
Chris' head snapped back in shot. "What?"
"You sure you aren't just jealous?" Emma pressed.
"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm jealous. I can admit that. But this isn't about that." Chris put his hands on the sides of her shoulders. "Now, are you comin'?"
Chris waited expectantly before throwing his hands up in the air and turning around, away from her.
Emma stood there frozen in place as Chris' form retreated down the hallway toward Mr. Raditch's office. She tried to stop the quelling of nervous energy flooding her body, all directed in concern for Sean.
Her head knew him and his barrage of wannabe gangsters deserved whatever it was they got for trying to make off with school property but another part of her was dredging up other feelings. Ones that were urging Emma to get as quickly as possible to the front of the school to warn Sean.
He stole Snake's computer, one part of her shouted. Her stepfather, father, who was right at this moment fighting for his life. And Sean had taken his computer to hurt her. Wasn't this justice, then?
But other images came to mind. Ones of Sean so softly stroking her back and kissing the top of her head. The sound of his voice, laced with gentleness and true concern. The way his words had said it was going to be okay and how, for a moment at least, she really thought it would be. And his eyes, painful orbs of sorrow and regret, begging for forgiveness for what he had done to her.
Ones of Sean, kneeling down at the hinges of her door as she watched from the stairs silently on the way down to her room. Praying he didn't see the way she watched intently how his face would be focused with complete concentration on what he was doing. Like he was in some type of zone or something. Ones of Sean that very morning putting all he could, down to the last cent, into her hand to try and make up for it all. To try and prove that he could change, had changed, but then again had never really changed at all.
He stole Snake's computer. So what if he just doesn't know this time, a voice whispered again but she shook it off.
Emma's eyes went wide in bone deep understanding, momentarily admitting the unabashed truth to herself. He stole my heart.
Without another second thought Emma raced down the hallway, hoping she could reach Sean in time.
xXx
Emma rushed down the stairs and over to where Sean was standing with Jay and the others. "Sean!"
"Oh, look. Its the ex-girlfriend. Here to pick up the litter on the ground?" Jay said, sending his friends into scathing laughs.
Emma hesitated a second, debating again whether it was a good idea or not.
Sean decided for her as he shot his "friends" a death glare. "Lay off, Jay. Now."
Jay and his friends quieted down but continued to look at her with disgust and contempt. Sean's eyes challenged them to even say one word against her.
Emma sprang back into action and grabbed Sean by the arms, panic flooding through her again. A part of her, the logical and reasonable part, was going 'wrong, wrong, wrong.' But another, deeper and more ingrained part was going 'right, right, right' quickly followed by 'Sean, Sean, Sean."
"Sean, you need to get the DVD player that Jay and them stole out of Jay's car. Now! Chris is in Raditch's office and we both saw Jay earlier but I didn't say anything. And he wanted me to go with him but I couldn't. And I know I should have and a few days ago maybe I would have. But you have to act now before the police get here or..."
"Emma!"
Emma stopped and blinked as Sean shook her shoulders lightly.
"Slow. Down."
Emma took a deep breath, forcing herself to be calm. "Raditch knows you've been taking things. Jay took a DVD player. Its in his trunk. And in a couple of minutes Raditch is going to be out here to see the evidence for himself. With the police not far behind."
Sean whipped his head toward Jay, his eyes narrowing together. "WHAT?"
Jay shrugged, laughing humorlessly. "So sue me!"
Alex looked at Emma, popping her gum while Towerz turned to Jay with questioning eyes.
Sean kept his eyes on Emma for a second more before turning back to the car, grabbing Jay's keys out his hand and opening the trunk up. Sean sighed in resignation as he spotted the DVD player packed into the back corner.
Instead of lashing out at Jay, Sean instead turned to Emma. "Emma, I didn't know. I swear."
"I know." Emma nodded, deciding not to add that it was Jay who had made her sure of that fact.
"Oh, please! Save the gag fest. We have a real problem here!" Jay said from where he was standing with Alex, suddenly losing his devil may care manner and replacing it with slight panic. He pulled Alex's arms from around him and came over to stand next to Sean. "So, what the hell are we going to do now?"
Sean shook his head. "You're the moron who took the DVD player." Sean shrugged helplessly. "I don't know what to do."
"You have to go!" Emma motioned with her hands anxiously.
"Well, princess, we can't," Jay said with a grimace, gesturing to the front of the car. Emma finally noticed that there were small streams of smoke coming up from the front. "The engine's overheated. It isn't going anywhere for at least an hour."
Emma looked back and forth from the DVD player to Sean, not even believing what she was contemplating. Then, "Hand it to me. I'll bring it back."
Sean's face filled with shock. "What?"
Alex laughed behind Jay but didn't say anything.
"Mr. Raditch'll come out here to meet the police," Emma said, surprised at how quickly the wheels in her head were turning. And that she was actually going along with them. "They'll check the car first before going to see where the DVD player was taken from." I hope, Emma added silently. "Give it to me. I'll take the back way in. If you stall Raditch and the police I can get it back to the Media Center before the police head there."
Sean shook his head forcefully. "No! No, no. No. Look, I did some things that I shouldn't have. And, I'm willing to accept whatever I got to because of that. But I'm not dragging you into this, Emma. I won't let you do it. "
Emma didn't back down. "You don't have a choice."
Emma had that determined glint to her eyes that Mr. Raditch had even flinched from. When she got something into her head there was no telling her differently. Sean looked away in frustration, kicking a rock hard so that it flew across the street.
Jay, not really caring what happened if Emma got caught, reached into the trunk and then handed the DVD player to Emma. "You are full of surprises," Jay said with a smirk. "Maybe you won't turn my boy into a Boy Scout after all."
Emma made a face. "Bite me." And then without looking back at Sean or the others Emma quickly walked around the corner with the DVD player in her hands, all the while thinking the students of Degrassi could be very oblivious.
Only a few minutes later Mr. Raditch, followed behind him by Chris Sharpe, came out of the door. Mr. Raditch looked at Jay and his crew in a disdainful way before stopping in front of Sean
"Mr. Cameron and Mr. Hogart, I have reason to believe you two have tried to make off with school property. Mr. Cameron, a student has reported that they saw you taking off with some equipment and that you placed it in Mr. Hogart's car."
I took it and put it in Jay's car? Sean thought incredulously. Sean's head whipped around to glare at Chris who was standing behind Mr. Raditch.
"You going to hang us on that? Sounds kind of circumstantial to me," Jay cut in, stepping up next to Sean.
"Well, that's why I'm here. Pop the trunk, Mr. Hogart ."
Sean shook his head, folding his arms in front of him. "We don't have to do anything."
"Mr. Cameron, I would encourage you to watch your tone."
Sean laughed derivatively. "Or what? You'll call my parents?"
Just then a police car pulled up to the curb and two police officers stepped out of the vehicle. Mr. Raditch walked over to meet up with them and the three talked in low whispers.
As students still lobbying around the school caught sight of the police car they began to gather around to see exact what was occurring, finally interested in a world outside of their own.
Mr. Raditch by their side, the two officers made their way to where Sean and Jay were standing in front of the car.
"We have reason to believe you have stolen material in your possession. Could you open up the trunk and step away, please," one of the officers, the name Davenport on his badge, said to Sean and Jay.
Jay looked at Sean but Sean shook his head, warning him not to open the trunk. The second they realized what they were looking for they were heading inside to check out where the equipment had been taken from. And possibly straight to Emma.
The other officer, Laskowski, moved forward. "Open up the trunk and step away from the vehicle."
Sean saw a flash of blond come out the door from the corner of his eye and looked up to see Emma making her way through the crowd of people. Emma nodded at Sean when she finally made it to the front, confirming the DVD player was back in the Media Immersion room.
Sean looked back at Mr. Raditch before giving a nod to Jay and moving aside.
Jay smiled. "You want to look? Be my guest."
When Jay opened the trunk Mr. Raditch and the two police officers stepped forward to look. Finding nothing visible they started moving things around. A frown marred Mr. Raditch's features as he looked at the trunk in consternation.
Davenport went to the front, opening up a door and search while Laskowski continued to look through the trunk.
A few more minutes later they still hadn't found anything and Mr. Raditch was becoming frustrated. "Keep looking, officers."
"What room was the DVD player taken from?" Laskowski asked as Davenport came back around to the back of the Jay's car.
"The Media Center." Mr. Raditch looked at the students that were clustered around until he found who he was looking for. "Sharpe, show him where the Media Center is and point out what was stolen."
Chris nodded and moved through the crowd and into the building with Laskowski following behind him. The other officer, Davenport, moved to the front to check the backseat again. Five minutes later Davenport was again searching the trunk when Chris and officer Laskowski came back outside.
"We have a slight problem, sir," Laskowski said, coming up next to Mr. Raditch. Davenport walked over to them and then the three moved to the side, talking again in quiet whispers.
Chris was standing to the side, watching Emma curiously.
"Its all there?" Mr. Raditch's confused voice shot through the air.
Emma bit back a smile.
Mr. Raditch talked to the officers for a few more moments before they headed back to Jay's car.
Alex handed Jay a piece of gum and he put it into his mouth, chewing the piece lewdly. The rest of Jay's friends sneered at the officers arrogantly.
"Will that be all, Mr. Raditch," Sean said, not even looking at the police officers.
Emma walked forward a bit, accidentally catching Mr. Raditch's eye. His face took on a calculating gleam that caused Emma to swallow nervously.
Mr. Raditch's face broke into a small grin of triumph. "Ms. Nelson, I was told you also saw Mr. Cameron and his friends taking off with the stolen property from the Media Center."
The officers looked at her with interest. Two students could build a possible case.
Emma's head was caught on one part, 'I was told you also saw Mr. Cameron...'
"Tell him Emma," Chris broke in.
Emma looked at Chris, shaking her head at him in disbelief. Turning back to Mr. Raditch, her eyes went deceptively wide and a blank look fell upon her face. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Mr. Raditch."
Chris' mouth dropped open an inch. "What?" Chris looked like he wanted to say more but held back for Emma's sake.
Davenport shook his head while Laskowski closed his notepad.
Mr. Raditch was not happy. "Oh, really?"
Emma smiled angelically at Mr. Raditch. "Really. I haven't seen anything."
Davenport and Laskowski looked at each other and nodded.
"We're sorry, Mr. Raditch, but we don't have enough to go on." Davenport shook his head. "There's no evidence in the car, the DVD player has been returned and there is only the word of one student to go on."
Laskowski smiled sympathetically. "We don't have enough. We're sorry."
The two officers walked off and got into their police car, driving away from the school.
Emma sighed in relief, feeling the sweat sliding down her neck.
Sean was watching Emma, an unreadable but soft expression on his face.
"You didn't see anything, Emma?" Mr. Raditch asked again.
Emma cocked her head to the side as if momentarily contemplating the question. "No. I didn't see anything, Mr. Raditch."
Mr. Raditch looked back and forth between Sean and Emma as understanding dawned across his face. "I see."
Sean tried to remain cool as Mr. Raditch scrutinized the situation, all the while his heart hammering in his chest at the knowledge that Emma had gone as far as she did to protect him.
"See, she didn't see anything," Jay said with a cocky grin.
Sean nodded, a cold mask over his face. "Are we done here?"
Mr. Raditch's eyes closed into predator-like slits and his mouth was clenched at a hard angle. "I'm watching you, Mr. Cameron."
"Yeah. Go ahead." Sean rolled his eyes, disrespect written all over his body.
Mr. Raditch's nostrils flared. "Watch very carefully where you step, Mr. Cameron."
Sean moved forward, his stance one of a snake ready to bite. "Oh, I am, Mr. Raditch."
Mr. Raditch's face blackened. "Mr. Cameron-"
"Am I done here?" Sean said, more forcefully than the last time.
"No," Mr. Raditch said, his face becoming cold. "Mr. Cameron, you've just landed yourself four weeks of Saturday detention."
Sean moved forward towards Mr. Raditch, only inches now separating them. "For what?"
Mr. Raditch smiled, very much looking like the cat that ate the canary. "Failing to cooperate properly and disrespectful behavior."
Sean's snapped his mouth shut, his jaw twitching from the effort of biting his tongue.
"Something you'd like to say, Mr. Cameron?"
"Yeah." Sean looked at Mr. Raditch with contempt, his anger getting the best of him. "You can go to hell!"
"Eight weeks of Saturday detention, Mr. Cameron. Would you like to go for twelve?"
Emma looked at Mr. Raditch, angry that the principle was purposefully bating Sean. She saw Sean go to open his mouth again. "Sean, stop!" she said desperately.
Mr. Raditch's face turned to rest on Emma who was looking at Sean anxiously
Emma turned when she felt her principle's heated gaze on her, taking a deep breath. "Mr. Raditch."
Mr. Raditch's eyebrows bunched together. "Don't think I missed your part in this, Ms. Nelson! You can join Mr. Cameron for his first Saturday of detention."
"What?" Sean said, coming over to stand next to Emma. "For what?"
"Disrespecting an authority figure."
"Disrespecting an...," Emma's face knotted up in confusion. She knew she had done something wrong today but that certainly wasn't it. "I didn't do that."
"Maybe not," Mr. Raditch said, leaning in closely to Emma. "But we both know you did something else." He cast a glance at Sean, whose own face was a tight wall of anger towards Mr. Raditch. "Why don't you be glad I don't pursue that."
With those last words Mr. Raditch turned around and headed into the school, leaving the crowd to gape and stare at the group huddled around Jay's car.
Jay, Alex and the rest of them started cackling like they had won the lottery. They high-fived each other and smiled arrogantly, but Sean simply stood there watching Emma.
"Hey, Nelson," Jay said, smiling in a way that was both condescending and a bit admiring. "There might be hope for you yet."
Emma felt her stomach began to churn and dropped her gaze to the pavement and away from Sean's searing blue eyes. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to find Chris' hard brown ones.
"Emma, how could you do that?" Chris' voice betrayed his hurt.
"How could I..." Emma looked at Chris incredulously. "You told Mr. Raditch that Sean stole the DVD player!"
"I didn't. Mr. Raditch assumed it was Sean. He knows Slim Shady's been taking things left and right. I tried to correct him but he didn't want to listen."
Emma snorted. "I don't believe you."
"That's because you don't want to, Emma. I did the right thing. You're the one that lied to Raditch. To save Sean even after all that he did to you."
Emma didn't know what to say so instead she choice not to say anything at all.
"Not cool, Emma." He shook his head, disappointment written across his face. "Not cool at all." With barely another glance Chris turned around and headed back into the school.
"Looks like Little Miss Muffet just lost her boy toy," Jay said in a mocking voice. "Sean, here's your chance to try and get her to open up those...eyes of hers."
Sean grabbed Jay by the collar, slamming his back against the civic door. Towerz came forward to help out Jay but something in the way Sean looked must have scared him because instead he stepped backward. Sean got close to Jay's face, his voice an angry hiss. "Shut the hell up, Jay!"
Jay looked a bit surprised and Sean couldn't really blame him. The remark itself wasn't anything new. Jay was crude and disrespectful towards everyone, especially the female popularity. Sean couldn't say he had really stopped to think twice about the words that would sometimes come out of Jay's mouth.
Emma ran forward, shaking her head at him. "Sean, Raditch could come back out at any minute! Put him down."
Sean held Jay against the car a second more, his eyes communicating certain death if Jay said one more disrespectful thing about Emma. Then, with a grunt, he let go of Jay's shirt. "You're not worth it."
Jay shook his shirt to get the newly formed wrinkle out, trying to look unfazed. Alex came over to put her arm around him but he shrugged her off. "We're done, Cameron!" He pointed a finger at him, his eyes blazing. "We're completely done!"
The two former friends stared at each other for a minute, something sort of finality passing between them. Then Sean shrugged. "Works for me." Sean picked his discarded backpack off of the ground and turned around to talk to Emma, but she was already gone.
xXx
Emma couldn't say why she was heading after Chris. She wasn't even sure that he hadn't tried to set up Sean. But the word 'safe' kept playing over and over in her mind. When she was with him, really with him and not just floating along in the recesses of her mind while her body was there with him, it wasn't like being with Sean. She felt in control, like she knew what she was doing.
What she had just done had been terrible, wrong, and very not in control. In order to protect Sean she had helped Jay and his friends get away with trying to steal the Media Center's DVD player. What had she been thinking? She was scared. Emma didn't want to fall back into that place where she threw dodge balls in frustration and had crying fits because the boyfriend she had broken up with was making out with another girl.
Sean could never give her control, instead always sending her emotions spiraling inside of her and outside of her until she wasn't even sure what direction she was going in anymore. She wanted control and she had a distinct feeling that was exactly what Chris could give her. A safe, controlled dating experience.
She ignored the voice that yelled, that's all he can give you.
"Chris!" Emma said as she came up next to him at his locker, gathering his things to go home.
"Emma," Chris responded in a monotone voice.
"Look, I'm sorry about that." Emma wasn't sure what to say. "But I couldn't...you have to understand that..."
"Yeah, I think I understand perfectly."
Emma nodded, shifting nervously. "So, um, my mom's doing this birthday thing for Snake. I was wondering if you would like to go. With me."
Chris looked at her in surprise. "What, Sean isn't going with you?"
"What?" Emma blinked, shaking her head. "No. Chris, I already told you. Me and Sean are totally over."
"Really? Cause it doesn't look like that to me."
"Chris---"
"You returned the DVD player and then you lied to Raditch, Emma." Chris' face tightened in disappointment. "I'm just gettin' in the middle of something I shouldn't be."
"No. Chris, you're not!"
"Yes, I am. You're tryin' to convince yourself that you're completely over him. But you're not. Not even a little." Chris closed his locker and readjusted his bag, shaking his head. "And I'm just wastin' my time."
Emma sighed as Chris headed out the doors of the school.
xXx
The party swirled around Emma with people that in one way or another were playing a part in keeping Snake alive. By their continued friendship, their reminders to keep living, they made sure Snake kept fighting to be with them. But there was no lingering of Snake's sickness tonight. People were there to celebrate his life and they were with quiet abandon. Even Snake seemed to have found a certain peace with his illness for at least a few hours and was talking and laughing like he used to before the doctors handed him a death sentence.
It was the first time in months that her house wasn't heavy with the feel of death and Emma smiled. This is nice, she thought as she sat amidst it all.
She was too busy reveling in the carefree atmosphere that she didn't even notice when Snake plopped down beside her until he spoke. "Hey, kid."
"Snake! The birthday...guy! Hey!" Emma smile widened as she took in the light expression on his face.
Snake smiled back, taking a sip of his drink. He bobbed his head to the music, looking at Emma with a goofy grin. "This is some...cool. music."
Emma rolled her eyes but gave a small laugh. "Yeah."
"Yeah." Snake waited a beat and then, "So, I'm wondering, when is this new guy of yours showing up?"
Emma shrugged. "He's not. Something about getting caught up in the crossfire and wasting his time."
"Oh. I see." Snake's eyes traveled around the room till they fell on Spike's form. Spike instinctively turned toward Snake's direction, smiling as she waved at him happily. Snake's smile brightened as he turned back to Emma. "You mind if I give you some advice?"
"Sure. As long as you don't get too after school special on me, I don't see why not. I mean, it can't mess things up more."
"Thanks...I think." Snake looked thoughtful for a moment, like he was trying to string he words together. "So, every now and then people do things that hurt us or upset us. Sometimes people that we really care about. But, if they're worth it, you'll find it in yourself to forgive them."
Emma was left with the distinct impression that he wasn't talking about Chris.
"Why?"
Snake laughed, standing up. "Because, Em, life is way too short to keep a score card."
Emma watched as Snake made his way to her mother, wrapping his arm around her and placing a small kiss on her forehead. Her mind flashed back to last Friday when Sean had delicately placed kisses on her head to try and offer her comfort.
Emma stood up and made her way to the counter that was scattered with various types of food. Not feeling particularly hungry she grabbed a cup of fruit punch. Then, with a determined gleam in her eyes she headed toward the room full of guests.
I will not think about Sean tonight, Emma thought willfully as she came up beside a group of people and joined in their conversation. But somewhere deep in her mind Emma had the distinct impression that it wasn't that simply, that night or any other night to come.
A/N: The next chapter will be based on the episode 'Accidents Will Happen' which is supposed to go between 'This Charming Man' and 'Take On Me'. The-n is skipping the episode but this chica ain't. Also, for those that might have not understood the reference Kim Matthers is Eminem's (Slim Shady's) sometimes wife, sometimes ex-wife depending on the time of the year, I think