Hope for the Hopeless [Jemily]

Secret Admirer

TW! homophobia

Jennifer started to lean in closer to me, and was almost touching my lips, but a gasp was heard from my doorway. Our heads whipped around and there she stood. My mother.

I swallowed hard, "M-Mother."

She gritted through her teeth, "Emily, what is going on here!?"

"W-We were just—"

"I can see what you were 'just!' Who is this girl anyway?"

Jennifer blushed shyly so I answered for her, "This is Jennifer."

Mother turned to her and scolded, "Jennifer. This behavior is certainly subpar in my opinion. Does your mother know what you're doing right now?"

"No, ma'am." I embarrassingly put my head down.

Mother clenched her jaw and demanded, "Then I think it's best if you run along home now, young lady. And maybe it's wise to not come back."

Jennifer started to tear up as she stood to get her belongings, "Yes, ma'am."

I put my arm out and pleaded, "J-Jennifer wait!"

She wiped her tears away, "Sorry, Emily." She turned to my mother, "Sorry, Ambassador Prentiss." With that, she scurried off. I feared she'd never wanna see me again.

When I heard the front door shut with her absence I immediately stood up and started fuming, "What the hell, Mother!? Why the fuck would you do that!?"

"Emily! Do not speak to me that way!"

"No I think I will actually! Why do you insist on fucking up my life?!"

"You... mess up... your own life! With choices like this!" She motioned to the spot on my bed where Jennifer sat moments ago.

"Oh so that's the issue? Me liking girls!?"

"Come on, Emily, you know that's no way to live!"

"Fuck you!" I angrily stomped out and raced downstairs, not even hesitating to run out the front door.

"Emily Prentiss!" Mother yelled at me as I walked out but she was too slow to catch me. I anxiously speed walked down the street, hoping to catch Jennifer. I got pretty far down the block but there was no sign of her. No trace. I walked further west and then suddenly remembered she was staying at a hotel by the Eiffel Tower. I ran down there and started searching around. Jennifer's recollection of "Derby" was playing through my mind. My eyes suddenly landed on a building: Le Derby Alma. I knew that had to be it. I stumbled inside and walked to the front desk.

"Bonjour, puis-je laisser une note pour un invité qui séjourne ici?" I asked the guy standing at the front desk.

"Certainement." He handed me a notepad and pen to write something down on. I stepped a couple feet away and leaned against the counter as I jotted everything down. I handed it back to him and gave him Jennifer's information as well, so he'd be able to get it to her when she came by the desk. I started walking back home, crossing my fingers in the hopes that she'd get back to me. A car pulled up to me when I was about 10 minutes into my route back. I recognized the black detailing and knew it was Joseph.

He rolled his window down and sighed, "How are you, Emilia?"

I walked over to the window and gutted, "Well my day started off great. Then Mother decided to ruin it by being herself... I really liked her, Joey." He knew who I was talking about, and it wasn't my mother.

"I know you did, bella. Can I drive you home, please? Ms. Prentiss is worried about you."

"I'm shocked." I opened up the door and climbed in. "Why can't she just like me?"

"Emily, you know your mother loves you."

"I know she 'loves' me. I just wished she liked me." He gave me a reassuring pat on the leg in support. There was a short pause until I continued, "Hey can you... help me sneak out again tomorrow night? There's somewhere I have to go."

The next day
— JJ's POV
"Jenny, what's with you today? You're kinda being a sourpuss." My teammate, Jessie, approached me after breakfast today. She clearly knew something was up.

"Just not feeling great." Truth is I've been thinking about Emily ever since we met. If anything I'm thinking about her more now that her mother refuses to let her see me. My team just wrapped up breakfast in a restaurant down the street and we were on our way back to the hotel. All the other girls rushed inside and crowded the front desk, eager for the attendant to let them upstairs so they could pig out in our upscale rooms, but I slowly walked behind the group in sadness.

Greta was practically bouncing up and down at the desk, "Hi, we're the U15 Allegheny team here for the tournament."

The attendant perked his head up and said in a French accent, "You are the... football team, yes? From the... United States?" Greta nodded. He cleared his throat and said to us, "Do you have a um, J-Jenn-i-fer Jareau with you?"

I raised my hand, "Here?" He waved me over so I pushed my way to the front of the group.

He handed me a small note, "This was dropped off for you... from a strange girl."

Julia whistled, "Ooh Jenny has a secret admirer!" I blushed and hit her on the arm as I took a seat in the lobby.

"I'll catch up to you guys later, just give me a minute." They all scurried upstairs with an escort as I nervously unfolded the note. It read:

"Dear Jennifer,
I can't tell you how sorry I am about my mother. It wasn't fair for her to embarrass you like that. I really enjoyed my time with you today (or yesterday, I'm not sure when you'll be reading this), and I dread never seeing you again. I have to. Please see me tonight, in the garden where we met. Same spot. It will break me if you leave Paris without letting me give you a proper goodbye. I'll be there at 8:00, and I'll wait all night if I have to.
- Your Emily"

A tear fell down my cheek as I finished reading her heartfelt note. My mind was made up within seconds— I'm going to see her. I raced back over to the desk and requested an escort to bring me upstairs to my room. I opened up the door and was immediately met by three faces of three of my teammates. I anxiously asked them, "Can you guys help me get ready for a date tonight?"

Julia scrunched her brows, "A date? With who?"

"My secret admirer."