A/N: We all know A Walk To Remember, right? As I was watching it, I felt inspired. Given that that was the very first story and very first film that made me fall in love with love. And introduced me to Nicholas Sparks' novels. I thought to myself, why on earth hasn't anyone done this into a SQ version? So- here it is! Of course, you all know, my version of it will include some changes that I shall announce along the way, but I will stay as close to the film as possible. Yes, unfortunately there is a major character death, because I think (as sad as it is) the story is beautifully written the way it is. But, don't fret! I will go easy on you, and will deliver such a romantic feeling equal to or even better than Nicholas Sparks. Here is the first chapter. Happy reading! :)
Review if you want more and remember, keep it positive.
The stereo was on, blasting rock music to a decent volume level, after an authoritative voice from the first floor shouted to turn it down for the fourth time in a row tonight. Metallica being tonight's choice of music. Piece by piece, clothes flew out of a closet as Emma was rummaging through it, in search of her red leather jacket.
Not in the closet. Damn closet was too small, and that jacket was so red, she would have spotted it by now if it had been in there.
Dressed in jeans and a long sleeve black shirt, Emma made her way out of her closet, crossed over her bed to the other side of her bedroom in search of it in her bathroom.
"Shit!" She muttered to herself as she stopped to look down at the time on her wrist watch. 9:00pm. She was going to be late! She rolled her eyes, releasing an annoyed sigh as she allowed her feet to fly down the stairs with heavy thumps. "Mom!" She walked straight into the living room, where her mother was curled up on the couch with a book along her lap. "Have you seen my jacket?"
"Where are you going?" Her mother looked over her shoulder at her daughter, not at all amused.
Emma hesitated but entered the living room to stand in front of her mother. An innocent look along her face as her hands tucked along her jean pockets. "Just out."
"Just out?" Mom removed her black framed glasses, her eyes never leaving Emma. "On a school night?"
"Come on, mom," Another eye roll. "I'm just meeting up with Graham, Killian and his girlfriend."
"And Lily?" Mom's brow lifted, knowingly. She brought up the earpiece of her glasses up to her lips and chewed.
Emma's shoulders slumped. "No. Lily and I broke up a month ago, remember?"
Right. Mom remembered that break-up well. What she thought would be a tough break-up for Emma, turned out to be the best choice Emma had made in a long time. Lily and her had had their fun- boy did they- Emma could remember the late night's out with Lily, driving around until hours of the night, after having enjoyed a few drinks. Sometimes with their group of friends, sometimes without. Emma could remember all those nights Lily would sneak into her bedroom, through her open window and they would have quiet hours of late night fun.
Once in the janitor's closet at school.
She could remember that look of lust in Lily's eye after driving her home, and giving out innocent pieces of information that her parents were out of town and they could have the entire house to themselves. Emma's mom hated those nights. She wouldn't see Emma until the next morning, dressed in the same clothes she had previously left the house in.
But that was over.
Mom knew her daughter Emma wasn't a saint. She was far from it. And Emma knew it. And she was okay with it.
Would Emma like nothing more but be better? For her mother, more than for herself. Of course she did. But she didn't think she could ever be better. She was only seventeen years old, but as far as Emma was concerned- she was a lost cause. And she owed that to her no good for nothing/cheating father. She didn't exactly know which direction her life was heading. Why try to find out? Emma had no interest in applying for colleges or even going to college. She knew nothing would make her mother happy to see her do better. Possibly forgive her father- which was something that was never happening.
"Where will you be?" Mom asked, placing her book aside.
"I don't know. Around." Emma shrugged. "We're just going over some last minute homework for tomorrow."
"Homework?" Mom chuckled, obviously not believing a word of Emma's lie. She could see right through her daughter a mile away.
Homework? Emma rolled her eyes mentally, knowing perfectly well her mother did not buy into her bullshit lie. Emma didn't care for homework. It wasn't that she wasn't smart enough. She was. Not that her friends would ever know that about her.
"Fine. But I want you home by ten. No later." Mom lifted up a finger in warning. Whatever God decided to come down and open the heavens for her, Emma was thankful.
A grin split Emma's lips. "Eleven."
"Ten- Emma." Mom gave a glare.
"Eleven." Emma fought, determined to win.
"Ten-thirty and that's my final offer and you will take it." Mom knew better. But she strongly wanted to believe in her daughter. Even if Emma always lets her down time and time again.
Before her final offer could abruptly expire, or mom could change her mind, Emma's mother reached one of the pillows of the couch and pulled out her daughter's jacket. As she tossed it at her, Emma was quick to catch it in mid-air. A surprised look lingering along her features.
"You hid it?" Emma glared playfully as she placed her jacket on one sleeve at a time. "You know, you using my jacket to hold me here is getting pretty old, mom."
"Just like me, but you don't see me complaining. Now, get it out of here before I change my mind." There was a ghost of a smirk resting along the corner of mom's lip.
Emma grinned, rushing over to her mother and placing a kiss along her temple. "I'll see you later."
"Ten-thirty, Emma!" Mom shouted, hearing her daughter's footsteps rush toward the door, followed by the door opening. "A second late and I will ground you!"
"Ten-thirty!" Emma's voice echoed before the door shut.
Mom sighed, shaking her head as she placed her thick-framed glasses over her eyes and returned to her one of many romance novels. Emma never understood those sappy, swoony novels. Hell, she wasn't much of a reader. But as long as they kept her mother out of her hair, she more than welcomed any romantic filled novel that wanted to crawl its way through her front door.
Emma's keys jingled as she placed the main key into the ignition of her yellow Volkswagen beetle. It was an old piece of junk as her friends liked to say. But it was her piece of junk. She loved this car, and had no intention in getting rid of it. Once upon a time, that very car belonged to her mother when she was about her age, and it had been passed down to Emma since the first day she had received her permit.
She owed a lot to her mother. Putting up with her father's cheating was one thing. Having him leave her for a younger woman was another. Emma never admired anyone in her life, but she did admire her mother. Not that she would be caught dead telling her that.
Mary Margaret was a hard working woman. A teacher for pre-schoolers, which Emma didn't know how she ever had the strength to do. But all the more reason to admire her. After her father walked out of their lives, Emma's mother raised her on her own, and has ever since. She only wished that someday, she could be a woman like her mother. Although that idea was far from reach at this point.
But, she never knew.
Emma didn't exactly believe in miracles, either.
Her engine roared to life as well as loud music, blasting through the rolled down windows of her car. Switching the gear, Emma slowly backed out of the driveway to her house and drove off into the night. She was already going to be late enough as it was meeting up with Killian and Graham. Her mother should have given her since eleven.
Greenfield wasn't the biggest town in the world. By the age of nine, Emma already knew every corner of it like the back of her hand. It was called Greenfield because of its many trees and lands. Everywhere you looked there was nothing but green, along with buildings, and horizons of waterfronts that went on for miles.
It was a beautiful town. Although to be honest, Emma had seen every inch of it, she wouldn't mind moving to a new city.
Instead of going straight, which would lead her the long way into the direction of Greenfield High School, Emma turned at a stop sign, entering another neighborhood. Her head bopping to the music that played loudly through her open windows. Not caring at all that the majority of the people in this neighborhood were sleeping by this time. In fact that encouraged her to turn it up louder, twisting the volume knob more to the right.
This neighborhood was what her and her friends referred to as the sacred neighborhood. A wicked grin stretching along the corners of her lips.
The yellow Volkswagen could be seen right at the corner stop sign. Music heard for miles. Regina's eyes tore away from the pages of her book as she heard the all too familiar music blast away as the familiar yellow beetle drove slowly past her house.
Emma wasn't expecting to see anyone sitting out along their front porch. But, of course Regina Mills would be sitting at her front porch, reading. Probably past her bedtime. For whatever reason, Emma's eyes couldn't look away as she noticed that Regina's eyes were looking right at her. She could see a very faint smile pull upward at the corner of Regina's lip as the brunette turned her attention back to whatever she was reading.
Regina Mills. She was a strange one, if Emma had ever met anyone more stranger than her. An enigma.
Emma's foot pressed down on the accelerator, speeding through, her tires burning rubber along the pavement as soon as Mr. Mills exited the comfort of his house. A pipe stationed at the corner of his mouth. Reading glasses perched along the tip of his nose as a bushy-eyebrowed glare led into the direction of Emma's car as it sped away.
Mr. Mills allows a cloud of smoke to escape past his lips as he pulls out his pipe. A bible held along his left hand. "Every time." His head shakes in disapproval, no doubt. "One of these days I'm going to show up to that girl's house and have a serious talk with her mother."
This time, the corner of Regina's lip tilted upward into a smirk directed at her father. "I don't think you showing up unannounced will fix anything, daddy." She said.
"Well, someone has to put a stop to her nonsense." Mr. Mills glares at the ant-size headlights beaming in the distance, before his attention is given entirely to his daughter.
"She's only hurting herself, daddy. That's punishment enough." Said Regina.
Mr. Mills hums a disapproving hum, glaring in the direction where the yellow bug drove on before turning back to his daughter. "Why don't you come inside? It's getting chilly."
"In a minute. I'm almost done with my book. And I have my sweater." Regina smiles up at her father, shrugging her shoulders as if that would show off her white sweater.
"Alright, then," Mr. Mills smiled kindly. "But, not too late, Regina. School tomorrow."
"I know."
Mr. Mills leaned down, placing a kiss along his daughter's temple before stepping inside the once again, silent comfort of his home. He thanked God everyday for his daughter. Especially after his wife's sudden passing a few years back.
Regina opened her book, going back to her reading, breathing in the crisp, cool air that settled around her with such feverish contempt.
Greenfield High School. Emma loved breaking the rules as much as the next person. And to that, her friends and her had decided that they would share a couple of cold ones just outside school grounds. The parking lot, but it was school grounds. They would wait for the new student to arrive, and from there they would have him follow them into their next destination where they would welcome into their inner circle properly.
"Are you sure she's coming?" Lily asked her best friend Mia, eager to see Emma again.
Lily wasn't even sure about joining anymore, until Mia spilled the beans that Emma would be included tonight in their plans.
"Yes," Mia rolled her eyes in annoyance. "For the sixth time- relax. She'll show up- oh, look- there she is." She nodded to the direction of the yellow bug, parking alongside Graham's red jeep.
"Shit," Emma muttered to herself, her eyes never leaving Lily as she bored a hopeful, almost shy smile to her. Lily was always hoping Emma would take her back.
The door to the driver's side of Emma's bug creaked loudly as she pushed it open, making her way out of the car. Her fist knocked along the roof of her car. "What's a girl gotta do to get a beer around here, huh?" She beamed, receiving a pat along her shoulder from Graham in greeting.
"I'll tell you what you do in my mind, Em." Killian smirks.
"Ew…" Mia scoffed, shoving Killian away from her as his arms were wrapped tightly around her waist.
"Yeah, in your dreams, Killian." Emma rolled her eyes, a playful smirk stretching across her lips. She could be straight as an arrow and Killian would never be her type.
Graham reaches inside his jeep, parting open a cooler and reaching for a beer. "Think fast!" He tosses it to Emma who catches it in mid-air.
Emma flicks the tab, hearing it spray in response as she takes a long swig.
"Tough crowd. Can't anyone around here take a joke, huh? Besides, I know Lily would rather much take you up on that offer. Isn't that right, Lily?" Killian's eyes dart over to Lily, his smirk growing wider.
"Shut up, Killian!" Mia smacked him along the arm.
While Lily's eyes were focused on Emma, Emma decided to take another swig of her beer in silence before changing the conversation. "So, where is Jefferson, huh? He's late."
"Pussy. I don't even think he's going to show." Killian laughed, hearing Mia laugh along with him.
"He has to show. He seemed pretty excited when I talked to him." Said Graham, sounding as eager as everyone else.
Emma shared a knowing smirk with Graham as she took another sip of her beer. Sure she was drinking too fast, but what the hell. One beer.
"Hey, Em, are you going to be at the dance after school tomorrow or what?" Graham asked.
"Me? Pfft! I'd rather die." Emma shakes her head as laughter echoes around her. "Besides, Gold already has it in for me after spiking that punch last year." Laugher grows as Emma joins in on the fun at the memory of last year's dance.
"That was pretty good. Only you, Em, would have the balls to spike the punch when the dance hadn't even reached halfway through the night." Killian laughed, his arm pulling Emma into a one-arm hug.
A hug, Emma immediately pulled herself away from, hiding her discomfort with a grin. She loved Killian. He was a good way, just a little misguided sometimes.
"I'll go with you, Em." Said Lily, taking a brave step toward Emma. "I can teach you how to dance. If you change your mind."
"You know I don't dance." Emma glared in Lily's direction, brushing her off as she stood next to Graham again. She tossed the can toward the direction of the school building, reaching for another beer off of Graham's jeep. Taking an immediate swig.
Okay, two beers.
It was true. Emma couldn't find a single ounce of rhythm in her feet to save her life. She never bothered trying something she knew she wasn't good at.
Why bother, really?
Before Lily could protest, or try harder- Emma was thankful- that a pair of headlights caught their attention. Headlights that belonged to a blue mini cooper, parking itself beside Killian's black mustang. It was Jefferson.
"Alright, let's get this party started." Killian grinned wickedly as he neared Jefferson's car.
"He's probably riding mommy's car." Graham whispered along Emma's ear, snickering.
Emma grinned wickedly, but deep down she thought, so what if it was his mom's car? Her car belonged to her mother, but it wasn't a mini cooper. So she supposed she could see the humor.
"Hey, guys, sorry I'm-" Jefferson is immediately cut off by Killian.
"You're late." Killian glances down at his own watch, pulling back his sleeve. "I thought I said be here by ten."
"Y- yeah, sorry." Jefferson frowned, wanting desperately to fit in. "I had to help my mom. She's been sick and-"
"Look, man, we don't care if you break a leg, okay? You want to fit in here," Killian gestures at everyone standing behind him. "You want to be one of us. Next time I say ten, you show up at ten, okay?"
Jefferson lowers his head and nods. He looked so pathetic, Emma almost felt sorry for him.
"Hey, lay off, Killian." Emma clapped Killian's back. "Let's just go, huh?"
Killian stood still as a statue, eyes glaring right through Jefferson. Appearing as intimidating as Emma knew he failed to be. But to someone like Jefferson, he could be.
"Everyone mount up! Let's go!" Killian whooped, climbing into his car and lecturing his girlfriend Mia to not jump over the door, fearful that she would scratch the leather of his seats.
Graham climbed into his jeep, while Lily climbed in with Killian and Mia.
"Don't worry about him." Emma clapped Jefferson along the back, seeing him jerk a little. "He's all bark but no bite. Trust me." She winks at him, seeing a shy smile erupt from the corner of his lip. "Come on, mount your car, let's go." She chugged the rest of her beer and tossed the can toward the building, hearing it clank in the distance.
"Hey… Emma, right?" Jefferson followed Emma toward her car, seeing her nod as she pulled the driver's door open and halting. "W- w- where exactly are we going?"
"It's all part of the surprise, Jeff!" Emma grinned. "But trust me, you'll love it."
Jefferson hoped so. Because right now, whatever feeling was settling in the pit of his stomach was like red flags going off in alarm.
A/N: Should I continue? Review if you want more! :)