Snake left early the next morning with Spike and Jack to the hospital. Emma crept upstairs wearing a long trench coat. Today was the day to make a statement. She didn't care if she got suspended. She already had detention with…ugh, Alex after school.
"All right, Em," she whispered to herself. "Here we go."
Jay was at his locker getting a death stare from Alex when Towers hit his shoulder and gestured for him to turn around and look. Jay did. What he saw was Emma Nelson, standing in the hallway in a trench coat.
What is she doing? He thought.
Then to his shock (and everyone else's), Emma threw the coat off and exposed herself wearing nothing but a bra and panties. All over her body she had written the words "SLUT", "TRAMP", and "WHORE". Then she started to walk down the hall with the guys cheering.
Then (also shocking himself and everyone around him), he pulled his coat off and ran over to Emma and forced it on her. He zipped it up and took her by the arm and pulled her into the nearest room.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jay asked.
"Making a statement," she said.
"Like what? For the Future Hookers of Canada?"
"No," she said. "That I'm a stupid slut who can't keep her pants zipped and legs together."
"You're not stupid!" Jay yelled. He realized that they were in the drama room and he threw open a wardrobe and started looking for Emma an outfit.
"Yes, I am!" Emma screamed. She sat down and started to bawl.
"No, you're not. I am."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because…I took you to the ravine," he told her. "I'm the stupid one. If I hadn't done that I'd still be with Alex and you'd still be…Emma."
She liked the way he said her name. Wait, what?
He tossed her a skirt. "I can't find a…" he stopped and then took his black shirt off and tossed it to her. He stood there in a muscle shirt. "Put that on."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Because I screwed up your life."
"No, I did. You didn't make me do what I did."
Jay stared out a window. "I turned to sex after what happened," he said. "I mean, with Psycho Boy and all."
"Rick?" Emma asked.
"It was my fault."
"How?" When she looked up she realized that he was crying.
