Part 2
I stalked the diner girl after class
Caught up with her after the last bell. This girl, she reeks of cigarettes all the time, and I haven't seen her wear anything but short skirts since day one.
"Do you want to hang out?" I said, rushing down the sidewalk.
She kept walking, fast.
"Hello?" I said.
"I've got work."
"I don't mean now. I was thinking Friday."
No response.
"Hey!" I said. "I don't know anyone here."
Finally, she stopped. Looked me up and down. Sighed. "Regina hates you."
"So?"
"I don't want Regina to hate me."
"Seriously?"
"You don't get it."
She started walking again, but I kept after her.
"Explain it to me."
"Regina," she said, "owns this town."
"Okay?"
"She does."
"And if you hang out with me, she's going to, what, give you dirty looks?"
"You should leave," she said. "Go back wherever you came from."
I stopped walking. The girl turned around and gave me a sorry look.
"I meant you should leave before you get hurt."
I do not get this town
I should leave before I get hurt?
More awesome conversations with David
"David?"
A frozen pizza fell from his hands and went rolling across the floor. "Emma!"
It's weird. A grown man falling apart when you say his name.
He grabbed the pizza and got it in the oven, then leaned back against the counter with his arms crossed. "What's up?"
"Um, I was just wondering. Do you know anything about this girl in my class? Regina?"
"Regina Mills?"
"Yeah."
"Well, let's see. She's the mayor's daughter. Seems like a nice girl."
I choked.
"What? Is she not?"
"God, no."
"Is she…bothering you? Because I could talk to her mother—
"David. Jeez."
"Oh, right. Not cool." He looked at me in that memorizing way again. "Are you sure? If she's bothering you, I'm sure I could get Mayor Mills to talk to her—
"I would actually rather die."
Apparently the hot guys hang out in the woods
Another weekend without friends. Decided to go for a walk rather than soak in more television. Brain turning to soup.
Instead of heading for town, thought I'd go in the other direction. It was nice out, cloudy and gray and cold for September. Almost wished I'd pulled on jeans instead of shorts.
(Terrifying thought: Will have to go shopping at some point. Where the hell will I do that? Does Amazon even ship out here?)
After walking for an hour, came to some woods. There was a path, so I took it. Soon there were trees all around, and everything was quiet.
"Watch it!"
Something whizzed past my ear. It was an arrow, like an actual arrow.
"Holy shit!"
"Are you okay?" This guy comes running of the trees: brown hair, skinny, in tan cargo pants and a green vest. Covered in sweat and dirt.
"You almost killed me!"
"I'm so sorry." He breathed hard. "There's usually no one else out here."
"So you thought you'd just shoot some random arrows?"
"I'm really sorry. I was just messing around." He pulled the arrow out of the tree and stuck it in the quiver hanging off his shoulder. "Anyway, what were you doing out here?"
"It's a trail. I was walking on it."
"These are hunting grounds. You're not supposed to."
"Well, I'm new. I didn't know that. And you're still not off the hook for almost killing me, Katniss."
"Katniss?"
"Don't you watch movies?"
"No."
Then we were kissing.
I never said I was innocent
I don't have a problem doing what I feel like doing.
His name is Graham
"Your name is Emma, right?" he said after the kissing, while we both sat leaning against a tree trunk.
"Yeah."
"Your dad is the sheriff?"
"Uh huh."
"I've seen you in school. I'm in the class below you."
"What are there, twelve people in that class?"
"Thirteen, actually."
A bird cawed overhead.
"How do people survive in this town?" I said.
"What do you mean?"
"It's so…small."
"Are you from the city?"
"Boston."
He nodded, peeling bark off a stick with a pocketknife. "Why did you come here?"
I laughed. "Long, long, long story."
"I'm all ears."
I stood, brushing dirt off my knees. "David's going to be home soon. I should get back."
I walked off fast, leaving Graham sitting there.
David talked to Mary Margaret again
"I don't know when she'll want to see you, Mary Margaret." Pause. "I'm sure you can understand it's a very sensitive situation." He lowered his voice. "Look, if it's Annie you're wondering about, Emma hasn't said a word. I don't know any better than you what she's been doing all this time." He lowered his voice even more. "DUI. Eight months in prison. Mary Margaret, listen. They were living in an apartment without heat. Without food. I have no idea how to help her recover from that. I'm…I'm really lost here."
I don't want to be "helped."
I just want to be left alone.
I can take care of myself.
Graham found me before school.
"Emma!"
He caught me before I headed inside. He was wearing the same clothes as on Saturday, dirt stains and all, but his hair was wet and he smelled like soap.
"Hey," I said.
"You ran off the other day."
"Yeah. Sorry."
"Did I offend you?"
"No." I looked to the door. "We should go in. I don't want a detention."
He grabbed my sleeve. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out after school. Go to the diner or something."
He stared at me with those green eyes. Holy shit.
"No," I said, and went inside.
I don't need this.
I'm lonely, yes. I'll admit that.
But I want someone to kill time with, not someone who's going to get all attached.
I'm leaving on my 18th birthday. Leaving and not coming back.
Graham seems nice and I don't want to hurt him.
Regina continues to charm me.
"Stay away from Graham."
She glared at me in the hallway, after everyone else had left for the cafeteria. I don't get why Ruby (the diner girl) is afraid of this bitch. All she does is talk. What's the big deal?
"What's it to you?"
"He's not available."
"Seemed pretty available the other day."
Her face turned red, and she got in my space. "Stay away or there will be consequences."
"What is your deal? He doesn't belong to you."
"Actually, he does."
"What does that mean?"
"It means," she said, "that I refuse to let you ruin everything."
She turned on her expensive heel and walked off.
I am so damn confused.
Nightmares suck
Just had a terrible dream. Ugh.
I was back at the apartment in Boston, with Mom. She'd been drinking. She was lying on the floor and I couldn't wake her up.
I woke up screaming, and of course David was right there. Of course he was.
"Emma, are you alright?"
I was shaking and sweating and breathing hard. The problem is that happened, sometimes. Mom drinking herself into oblivion. My biggest fear was one day she wouldn't wake up.
"Yeah." I pushed the hair out of my face. "Just…nightmare."
David held up a finger. "Be right back."
He left and came back a second later.
"A candle?" I said, watching as he lit it and the flame flickered in his eyes.
We have the same exact eyes, you know. David and I. I might have Mom's chin but when it comes to hair and eyes I'm like David all the way.
"My mom used to do it for me," he said. "Light a candle to keep the nightmares away."
He set it on my bedside table and then stood up straight, looking at me.
"You were crying in your sleep," he murmured.
I swiped at my face and my hands came back wet. "It's fine."
"What were you dreaming about?"
"Mom."
There was silence. The candle's flame danced like something alive.
"Was she happy, when you knew her?" I said.
"Yes." He took a long breath. "Very."
"I don't think she was ever happy with me."
"Emma, I'm sure that's not true."
"No, it's okay. I accepted a long time ago I could never make her happy. I just want to know…what happened. What changed."
"So would I."
