𝐒𝐄𝐗 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐌𝐘 𝐄𝐗, ˢᵃʳᵃʰ ᶜᵃᵐᵉʳᵒⁿ

xii. lucky compass

"NO, NO WAY." Emma shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest as her best friend stared down at her. "You shouldn't even be dragging JB out there. If he gets caught in the marsh after Peterkin specifically told us not to-"

"That won't happen. We'll get in and get out, nothing bad is gonna happen. Em, come on." JJ had been trying to convince her to come along with them but she was having no part in it.

"You get my little brother caught up with this shit..." Emma stood up so she could be closer to the boy's eye level. "I swear to God, I'll beat your ass, understood?" JJ simply nodded, then took a step back. He walked out of her room, running his hand through his hair. A heavy sigh left her lips, before she threw on her shoes and left her home, running into John B on the way out. "Hey, dumbass. Be careful, okay?"

"Yeah, I will." John B told her. "Wait, you're not coming?" He asked, grabbing her arm as she tried to walk away.

"No, you shouldn't go either." She pulled away from him and continued walking. With an address and a certain dark haired girl in her mind Emma made her way down the roads of The Cut, putting her sunglasses on and lighting up a joint that had been tucked behind her ear, she felt good. The sun kissed her skin and she basked in its warmth, taking in the quiet surroundings of the island she grew up on, trying to keep away the thoughts of ever having to leave this place place and her family behind.

She was almost where she was going when she was stopped by the sound of her name being called. "Hey!" The girl who the voice belonged to ran across the street to meet Emma.

"You're a bit far from home, aren't you?" Emma quipped, hitting her joint and looking down the street, seeing the house she had almost made it to.

"I was just on my way back home actually. Look, I'm really sorry about what happened at The Boneyard." Sarah apologized.

"Wasn't your fault, JJ told me what went down before the fight." Emma told her, rolling her eyes behind her sunglasses.

Sarah shook her head, taking in the girl's appearance. "You look good."

"Don't do that-"

"I miss you, Em. Please." Sarah took Emma's hand, pleading eyes staring at her. "I never wanted things to be like this."

"God, Sarah." Emma yanked her hand away. "I mean, why are you saying this shit to me right now? Where's Topper, huh? He know you're out on The Cut talking to, as your lovely boyfriend has put it multiple times, a faggot like me?" Emma wanted Sarah to feel her words, she wanted to hate Sarah, really hate her, to the point where she could go the rest of her life without seeing Sarah Cameron again and be fucking ecstatic with the fact.

"Em. You have no idea how I feel-"

"Oh? Really?" Emma scoffed, shaking her head. "I was so in love with you, Sarah Cameron. You have no fucking idea. When my dad went missing, you were there for me, and you cared. Maybe you were just being nice but I fell for you, hard. I thought you could love me back. I was wrong, I fell for the golden girl who has a spotless reputation to uphold. And imagine the town's shock if you ever could show your face with a girl kissing you instead of a boy, and a Pouge? Oh, the horror."

Sarah could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, she looked at the ground. "I'm sorry." Before even thinking about it Sarah wrapped her arms around the girl's torso, feeling Emma's body freeze at the touch. "Hug me back." Sarah told the girl.

Emma couldn't move, she stopped breathing and the joint fell from her fingers. "Sarah, let-"

"Hug me back."

"No-"

Sarah's voice cracked when she asked again and Emma felt sick to her stomach. "Please."

Emma knew she was crying, so she wrapped her arms around her shaking shoulders. "Woah, hey. Don't- Don't cry."