The Promised School

One last try

~Time skip [One week]~

İt was that moment that Norman realized it really  was over. 

That day. 

Friday. İt was evening, with the lower half of the sky still holding on to the rays of the setting sun, and the other dark blue and purple, with a light scattering of stars. He was walking from the library to his room, where Ray was too.

Ray had been spending a lot of time on his own. Poor Ray, alone and using his days to sit and gaze at the sky under the tree. Reading books about horror and death. Poor, poor-

Oh. Wait. The last time Norman had spoken to anyone without being asked twice to was last week. At least Ray spoke to the teachers and most of the students. At least Ray could still glare at Emma. Norman couldn't even look at her now. 

Now he yawned. Life... Life went on until it didn't. He could cry until he couldn't. He could dream until he woke up. He could pretend until reality almost killed him. He could feel bad until...

Yeah, he always could feel bad. 

He turned a corner, and suddenley Emma was there, carrying Carol and humming. İt was weird to see her there. He blinked, but she didn't disapear like she usually did. 

"Oh, hello! We'd best hurry don't we have a class or something?" She looked more responsible. İt was disturbing. 

How could somebody who muttered about turning into a baloon and flying away in their sleep seem responsible? How could somebody who he had done handstands with in the rain seem different than before? How could someone who had annoyed Ray by doing bunny ears on his head seem responsible? How could he not know her any more?

"Nevermind. We'll be off, won't we Carol. Bye..." She squinted. "Hmmm... Uhm... Oh yeah, Rossi. Bye."

Norman gaped. Emma had forgotten his name. Or she had pretended to. He didn't know which was worse.

By the time he managed to get control of his growing anger and disapointment and hurt, Emma had turned and was walking away.

"W...Wait. Emma! Wait!" İt was time to put a stop to this. He would make her see. He would drag Ray out of his room and make him say sorry to her. He would. 

"EMMA!" 

She turned, a looking a little bored. But she had a fake smile. That was the worst thing ever, Emma faking a smile

"I... I want to stop this. We had a plan. Hear us out, okay? We miss you. I know Ray was harsh, but I don't understand why you have to make such a big deal. Ray... He isn't talking to me. He's ignoring me. You know how hard it is, being ignored by somebody you love? I don't think you do, because I never ignored you, and neither did Ray. Well, maybe for a joke. But it's up to you to tell me I'm wrong. Am I wrong? İs it easy, ignoring me? Do you think we hate you, Emma? İs that what you think?"

Emma stared at him, fake smile gone and her eyes wide. İt was hard to meet her eye. 

 "Come on, I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to Emma. The real Emma, not you. You're not Emma. I want you to reply, Emma. I want the three of us to be friends again. Please. İt doesn't feel like you're our family any more. İt doesn't feel like we're friends. İt feels like you hate us. Please, I hate to lose my family. And I know you do, too."

Emma froze, and Carol started crying loudly. She stayed like that, frozen, looking over her shoulder. 

And then. 

And then she smiled, and Norman was about to smile too, when he realized...

it was another fake smile.

"Oh, well I'm friends with everybody! Don't worry, I look out for my family! Anyway, see you, Norman."

And Norman watched her walk away in a responsible way, not even looking back. Carols crying went quiet, and then he slowly knelt on the ground. İt was then he realized Emma wasn't the same, she was different. He couldn't cry, though. 

The feeling just stayed inside him and he couldn't get it out.