Fairy Tale

Chapter 4: Coffee

After her detention Emily was fuming. She felt her blood boiling. Her face was flushed, and she was breathing heavily. The anger and the humiliation of what happened still fresh in her mind. She didn't See anyone around her in the halls. School was already over and extra curricular activities hadn't started. She did see a few guys hanging on the football field as she stormed down the steps to the bike rack.

She rode as fast as she could to the gym. It took didn't take her that long. She parked her bike and stormed into the gym. She was so angry she threw her back behind the counter and stormed to her locker and grabbed her stuff.

"That good of a day hey, Ma Hija?" Jorge leaned on the counter, his arms crossed.

"Did Alby fill you in?" Emily asked, slamming her locker door closed.

He just nodded.

"Well, then you know exactly what happened."

"Millie, ma Hija, come here." Jorge said gently. Jorge was the only one after dad passed away who could call her Millie and get away with it.

She hung her head and came over. He pulled her into a hug. She finally sighed. She missed Jorge. Jorge gave the best hugs. Alby gave great ones too, but there was something about a grown up who cared about you. She wrapped her arms around him and he squeezed her hard. Blinking hard, keeping her tears inside.

"Ma Hija, you did the right thing. If someone touches you, you have my full permission to hit them. And if you need bail money, I will be there."

"Same here!" A loud voice boomed.

"Well Jorge, ya might need bail money for two!"

Jorge chuckled and pulled away. He cupped her face. "Now go, I know you need to go let off some steam. Once your calmed, we will talk about the rest of your day." He pulled her face and kissed the top of her head.

Emily ran to the change room, changed out of her street clothes, and quickly pulled her hair up into a pony. The gym had a few other guys and trainers milling about, and all nodded at Emily and Alby.

"You all warmed up?"

Emily nodded. Alby swept his arm towards the ring and Jorge appeared ready to ref and give pointers. The two faced off and went at it. Either Emily's anger fuiled her or Alby was going easy, but she won each round.

"Stop pulling your punches!" Emily yelled.

They went a few more rounds. Emily was covered in sweat, and she was exhausted. She finally flipped to the ground laying spread egal panting and heaving.

"Huh. Put you in detention more often and you'd be first place!"

"Ha!"

"You got extra money kicken' around?" Emily groaned peeking an eye open at Alby.

"I'm in University. I'm brok, kid! I'm on a scholarship right now...." He rolled his eyes, "do I have money?!" He scoffed.

"Me either. And I got school equipment to buy!"

"Dang. Come on." He held out a hand and pulled her up. "Take a break and we'll hit the bags."

~•~

Emily was sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter at home making notes and colour coordination her agenda when the back door opened. Teresa came skipping in.

"Your home late. It's 10pm!" Emily didn't even look up from her work.

"What are you my mother?" Teresa rolled her eyes.