We are really getting into the knitty gritty of this story. Hope you like this chapter! You might hate me a bit at the end, but I could be persuaded to update a bit quicker with some reviews (hint hint.) Thank you for reading!Enjoy!

Chapter 12: Just Another Number

"Love, if you stare at that paper any harder, you are going to burn a hole through it."

Emma was positive that the glare she was giving him would burn a hole right through his head. "I'm working."

"More like staring. Working would involve actually writing something down." He smirked, sitting across from her at the kitchen table..

"I'm thinking. It would be a lot easier if you were not bugging me." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. He pretended to be hurt and she rolled her eyes. "This paper needs to be perfect, okay?"

"Swan, it's not due for another three weeks."

"Two and a half." She corrected him. "I just...I want it to be good. It's my first paper in the honors class."

"It will be brilliant, love." He assured her. "Don't worry yourself about it."

"I don't even have a topic yet." Emma sighed, dramatically placing her head in her hands.

"What are the perimeters?" Killian asked her.

"Definition paper. And I know it's not a hard topic but-"

"Relax, Swan." He cut her off. "You want to rise to the occasion. 'Tis only natural."

"If only you could write my paper. You speak all fancy." Emma huffed again, leaning back in her chair.

"Aye, my speech may be eloquent, but my writing skills are lacking."

"You are just being humble. Everything you touch turns to gold." She teased. Her long blonde hair was hanging over the side of the chair as she leaned farther back.

"If you say so, love. I, alas, must go do my own work." He stood. "Best of luck with your paper, love. I hope you find a word that is very-Swan." He flashed her a smile before leaving the room.

A word that was very Swan. There were many words that summarized her, but none that she liked. Orphan. Foster child. Broken. Hurting. The list went on. None of those were topics she particularly wanted to hash out.

The past five months with Mrs. Abernathy and Killian had been wonderful, but they did not change what she was. She would always be an orphan-that could not change. Maybe one day she would stop hurting, but that day was not today. The two of them took away a lot of the pain, but did not erase it all.

Memories of the past few months flooded in and she smiled. This was by far her favorite home. It was the closest thing to a family she would ever get. Mrs. Abernathy was a doll and Killian was her best friend. Dare she say it, she actually liked it her. She might go as far to say she loved it.

Emma thought about how far she had come. Her hurt had healed a bit, she was a little less broken, and she was on the road to loving and being loved. She sat up, her head buzzing with new ideas. Then, inspiration struck.

"Emma, I'd like to talk to you about your paper." Mrs. Villa called out to her as she was leaving. She must have been a slow walker, because it was not the second time this had happened with a teacher. First, when Mrs. Lyd wanted to change her classroom and now.

A knot formed in Emma's stomach. Mrs. Villa was an older woman who dressed like she was young and rich. She considered herself a fancy woman, but acted like an outright snob. Her black and white fur attire earned her the nickname De Vil among the students.

"Yes?" Emma asked, hesitating.

"Your paper was exquisite,Emma." She whimsically said. Mrs. Villa always tried to use big words to sound as fancy as possible. If it were not for the fact that she was an English teacher, Emma would think that she was just guessing at what the vocabulary meant.

"Thank you." Emma said, a bit bolder than before.

"I was wondering if you would like to read it in front of the class. Show them what a real paper looks like. Maybe then I can actually get some decent papers." The woman muttered.

Emma had never been asked to read something that she had written aloud. Most of her teachers had barely known she had existed. She was not in their class long enough for them to notice. But now, she had been in this school for close to six months. Teachers knew her, she had several friends. It was almost like she had a normal life.

"Sure." Emma said before her brain could convince her otherwise.

"Splendid. Next Tuesday sound good?"

"Yeah. Sounds great." Emma left the room, turning the corner, and before she could collect her thoughts, slamming into another body. She looked up to see Killian with that dopey smirk he always had.

"Good job with the paper, Swan." He said as she brushed herself off.

"Were you eavesdropping?" Emma readjusted her bag.

"I came to get you so we could walk to lunch together and I overheard part of the conversation."

"Since when do you walk me to lunch?" Emma questioned.

"Since you were not at your locker. I had to make sure De Vil didn't kill you or something."

"Well,I am fine. Hungry, but fine." She smiled.

"Well, why don't we fix the hunger, shall we?"

Emma rolled her eyes. She did not know why she encouraged this. Because he was her best friend, that was why.

"A wise man once said, 'Once you label me, you negate me.' A label is a word or phrase used to describe someone's identity." Emma slowly stated. Public speaking was not her thing, but here she was, standing in front of her entire class, reading her paper. There truly was a first time for everything.

"Society tells people what label they must conform to and expects them to fit into that mold. Some are born with their label, such as an orphan, and others assume their status, such as an athlete. Culture uses these labels to control how individuals act, feel and live. People are told they can never escape their label. Society boils them down to a single word."

"Labels are an inaccurate way of describing an individual. People are too complex to ever be simplified to just one word. They are ever changing and developing, becoming new things and outgrowing labels that were once true of them. Labels nullify people of what they are truly capable. These words tell a person they are incapable of changing and becoming better. This, however, is false. No one fits into the tiny box society tells them is normal."

"Someone believed to be smart can also love sports. A girl can be strong and sensitive all at the same time." Emma's breath caught before her next sentence. "Even the most broken of people can become whole. No one word holds defines someone. It only holds them back from their true potential. The labels are lies fed to people, telling them they will never amount to more than that label. The label gives no opportunity for betterment and no chance at becoming well-rounded. These stereotypes break any chance at a real future that someone might have."

Emma started her next word, but was interrupted by a knock at the door. "One second, Emma." Mrs. Villa whispered. "Come in!" She yelled to the person on the other side of the wall.

The door opened, revealing the principal, an apologetic look on his face. "I'm sorry, but could I borrow Emma Swan?"

Mrs. Villa shot Emma a look, knowing she was almost done with giving her speech, but she could not just tell the principal no. "Sure. Emma, you can finish your paper tomorrow." Emma just nodded, frozen in the moment.

"Miss Swan, if you will grab your things and come with me." The principal instructed. She did as he said and followed out the room, shutting the door behind her. In the hallway, besides the principal, was Killian.

Emma waited a few seconds until the man was in front of them before leaning over and whispering. "What is going on?"

"I don't know." Killian responded softly into her ear. "But it does not look good."