Emerald's Awakening

Chapter Two

3 days later

The December wind blows against my cheek as I walk to school. "God, it's cold," I mutter under my breath. "Hey, Soph!" Emmett calls out from the other side of the street. Sophia, my name. You can tell who got the more interesting name in the family. Emmett jogs over to catch up with me. Emmett has been my friend for as long as I can remember. He's my best friend. I've never really had a "best girl friend" before. It's always just been me and Emmett. Okay, let me be honest, Emmett was hot. Like, Sahara desert hot. But he wasn't my boyfriend. Just my friend, pretty much my only friend, and I think I was his only friend too. Neither of us really like talking to people or people in general. It's just us.

"You okay? You seem a little off."

"Yeah, I'm just kind of worried about Emmy is all. She's been having nightmares the last few nights and just seems a little scared all of a sudden."

"Does she say anything."

"No. Not in the mornings after at least. I just assumed she didn't want to talk about it or simply forgot."

Emmett wraps an arm around me as we walk. He does this sometimes because even though we're not together, we both know there's something going on here. And it just comforts me.

-----

I always get home before Emmy. I'm cooking dinner everyday when she gets home. She pops through the front door bouncing with that excitedness only a six year old can attain. Today she comes through the door and jumps into my arms. I pick her up and hug her. "Hey, pretty thing." I say. She giggles in my ear. Mom looks over at us, sighs, then looks back at her sewing. She's not really involved with either of our lives. She's a good mom and all, but...it's complicated. We both were "accidents." She didn't really want us. Sometimes I think we were flaws in her life that now she has to deal with. So I'm like Emmy's mom. I take care of her. One time we were walking to the grocery store and an old man glared at me like I was some kind of slut because Emmy looked like my daughter. Yes, sir, I'm a 17 year old girl with a kid by my side. That doesn't make me a teen mom so back off.

Later, Emmy comes back from our room, changed out of her uniform, and into her play clothes. She sits down at the dinner table and I serve up supper. I like cooking. It's like a little side hobby for me to do in my down time.

When we are finished, Emmett and I take Emmy to the park around the corner like we do sometimes. Emmett is like a brother to Emmy. He gives her piggy-back rides, throws her around his shoulders in that potato sack style, pushes her on the swings too. I love how she has him. I would trust him with her life.

Emmy starts to play hide and seek with some of the other kids and Emmett and I sit on a bench. He's genuinely concerned about Emmy's nightmares.

"Has something like this happened ever before?" he says.

"No, not really," I answer, "I mean she's had the occasional 'monster-under-the-bed' dream before, but this seems...different."

"She'll be fine, you know that."

"Yeah. I hope so.

-----

8:00 pm. Emmy and I are climbing into our beds for the night.

"Night you girls. I love you," Mom says standing in the doorway.

"Love you too," Emmy and I say in unison.

Mom turns out the lights and I roll over on my side. That's when Emmy's tiny voice peeps out from beneath me.

"Sophia?" she says.

"Yeah, Em?" I answer back.

"Can I sleep with you up there tonight?"

"Yeah, yeah of course."

She makes her way up the ladder, hanging onto Raffy. I move one of my extra pillows to the other side and she lies facing me, Raffy in between us.

"I love you, with all my heart."

"I love you too."

Then I start to fall asleep. I sleep better than ever that night. With the warmth of Emmy's body next to mine. The comfort of knowing she's safe with me. I just hope she doesn't have any nightmares tonight.

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Hi, guys! Dang, almost 40 reads in one day! That's incredible! Thanks, you guys. I hope you're enjoying it! *kisses*