Here it is. I fixed the no anonymous reviews thing. If I get enough response, I'll post more tomorrow.
------------
JT and Emma moved to take the seats nearest to the desk at the head of the circle of chairs. Before they were completely seated Ms. Suave swept into the room. She crossed the room swiftly and sat down at the desk on Emma's left.
Ms. Suave cleared her throat. "Well, I think everyone here knows each other. We'll start by having everyone share their knowledge and experience with Rick. Toby, if you'll start?"
JT listened as the others told their stories. Mostly of the teasing they now felt bad for, but Toby and Jimmy had different stories. Toby talked of being friends with Rick and what kind of person he was. Jimmy's tale started out like the others. It branched from there to include his attempt to make good on what he had done to Rick, and ended with the betrayal that left a bad taste in many people's mouths.
When Jimmy told his story, Emma had reached out for his hand. They were still clasped now. He waited apprehensively as Hazel finished her story not knowing that Paige and Craig were in the same boat. None of them had ever gotten Emma to talk about it. What if she didn't now? More importantly, what if she did?
"I didn't know Rick before he left. I'd heard of him, but I'd never met him," Emma began. "When he came back, I started the No Violence campaign. I didn't want him here. Then we had that TV show team. I actually got to know him a little and began to feel bad. I started to feel sorry for him. I started to be nicer to him because I felt partly to blame. When the prank happened, I went after him to try and comfort him. He tried to kiss me." Here Emma paused and gave a strangled kind of laugh. JT squeezed her hand in encouragement.
"I freaked out. First of all, I didn't even like him like that at all. I barely even considered him a true friend at this point. And second, all I could think of was what had happened before with Terri. What if he hadn't really changed? Would I be next? I couldn't handle that. So I yelled. I said...a lot of things I didn't mean and some things that while true shouldn't have been said. I didn't know he'd go get a gun. I was in the hallway with Toby when we heard the gun go off. I turned the corner and he was there with the gun. It was like everything had turned into slow motion." Emma took a second to breathe before continuing not knowing that she had everyone (except maybe Hazel) spellbound.
"I don't remember a lot after that. Just that Sean tried to talk him out of it and got between me and him. When that didn't work they fought. There was a shot and then blood. So much blood..." Emma stopped. Her eyes were haunted. They all knew she was back in the moment.
"Ahem...Okay, thank you. Next, I think we should begin talking about how we feel about it now that it is over. How about-" she was interrupted by a school secretary announcing she had a phone call. "I have to take this. Just relax for a few minutes. I'll be back in no time."
"Thank God. It's not like we even want to do this. I don't even know why I'm here," Jay said. Emma turned to him with fire in her eyes, but before she could say anything Hazel joined in.
"I know why some of us are here, but others are making mountains out of mole hills," she said, glaring at Emma. Paige glared back. This was exactly why their friendship ended. Hazel refused to acknowledge that Emma had gone through just as much as Jimmy.
"Suave is. I didn't even do anything," Jay confirmed his residence in denial.
This time Emma was prepared. "Didn't do anything? Do you know what it's like to have someone hate you so much they actively try to kill you? I do. Has someone ever pointed a gun at you? Have you ever seen your ex step in between you in a gun? I have. Have you ever seen someone's life blood pool around their cooling body? I have. Do you know what it's like to see the life flee somebody's eyes as they die? I do. Do you have any idea what it's like to not be able to find the will to eat? When everything tastes like ash? I do. Do you know what it's like when you die in your dreams only to wake up and be disappointed? I do." Emma's voice ended in a whisper as tears began to escape their confines.
"All of that is because you tricked a bullied boy into thinking there was one more betrayal to add to the list. All of that is because you had to pull an immature prank that you can't even claim responsibility for. All of that is because of you." She punctuated the end of her statements with a hard slap across Jay's cheek before turning to seek refuge in JT's arms. She was finally actually crying.
Hazel was still glaring at Emma and opened her mouth to most likely make a scathing comment. Jimmy beat her to the punch. "Haze, Emma has gone through things as bad as, if not worse than, I have. This isn't all about me. Yeah, I got shot. Yeah, it sucks, but Rick was gonna kill her too. Stop giving her a hard time."
"But Jimmy-"
"No, Hazel. She is in all likelihood the only one who knows what I feel like right now. I suggest you treat her with respect."
JT nodded at Jimmy who returned the gesture. Jay was still holding his reddened cheek as Paige and Craig looked worriedly at Emma and then at each other. As Emma's shivering and sniffling began to subside, JT allowed his lips to gently brush her hair in a further gesture of comfort.
------------
R&R
