Apples Don't Just Mean School [in process of rewriting]

The New York Times

You were the shadow to my light/Did you feel us?/Another star/You fade away ~ Alan Walker, Faded

Emily's POV

I fidgeted nervously in the hard plastic chair. A smart-looking secretary poked her head out of the glass-panelled room. "Miss Emily Sophie Fox?" she read out off a blue clipboard. "That's me," I replied, raising a tentative hand. "The editor wants to see you." She beamed at me, before stage-whispering, "He's in a good mood, so use that to your advantage..." I tried for a smile but settled for a soft chuckle. "Thanks," I murmured to her before going into the office. 

"Ms Fox, right?" The tall-backed, leather chair swivelled around, revealing a middle-aged man in thin, round spectacles in a suit. "Y-yes?" I stammered. "Sit down, sit down," he gesticulated, pointing at a chair in front of his table. I slid into the wooden seat, clearing my throat inconspicuously. "Well, your curriculum vitae is very good, you have experience in writing, and you teach? Good, good..." He mused for a while, leaving me shifting around anxiously. "We'll make you a news journalist for a while, to test you for a while. After that, we'll see." 

I had a feeling that I was dismissed and indeed, I was ushered out of the room by the same, helpful secretary. Before I was going to the news section, she grinned at me and handed me a piece of paper, with a phone number on it. "If you need any help, you can message me or call me," she directed, before pointing me in the direction of my new desk. Then, she whisked off. I stuffed the paper into my bag, then determinedly marched off. I hope I enjoy this. If not, I'll be stuck with a boring job for six months...

Matthew's POV

I found myself flooded with notes for Emily, and kids clinging onto me. "MH! MH! When will you be mailing Ms Emily the letter?" one asked. "What did you write to Ms Fox?" another begged. "Can you give us her address?" a third piped up. "Whoa, whoa, hold up!" I laughed. "Firstly, I'm mailing it to her today..." There were cheers. "Next, I'm not telling you what I wrote." Instead, I noticed some sly looks and giggles. "Hey! And finally, I'll tell you what's her address if she agrees to tell," I concluded.

"Awww!" I smirked at their pouty expressions. "Come on, 9R, let me go in peace," I complained good-naturedly. "No! WE HAVE HELD YOU CAPTIVE UNTIL YOU TELL US!" And almost ten of them leapt onto me, bringing me to the ground. "Get off..." I sighed. "Never!" The pupils burst out in a fit off the giggles and I got up slowly, straightening my shirt and gathering up all the papers in a swoop. "Anyway, you all should be in the cafeteria. Go on, shoo," I looked meaningfully at them. 

They trooped off, nudging each other and winking, glancing at me occasionally. What have the little monkeys planned now? Oh dear... I went into the Staff Room, depositing my bag on the floor and the notes for Emily on the table. Then, out of curiosity, I opened one of them. Dear Ms Fox, how's Manhatten? Is it cool? When will you be coming home to us again? Bring snacks back, okay? :) I smiled at the innocence and sincerity of the letter, then looked at the next one. Dear Ms Emily, come back to us soon! We miss you! Don't forget us...

Emily's POV

To my astonishment, my new office was hectic and full of people dashing about. "Oh, you're the new one, right? We've got a new story, a car crash. Can you get to the site? It's not major, you'll do fine," one of the flustered employees, probably a senior news journalist, screamed at me over the noise. "O-okay? But I just got here-" "No time! No time! Quick, go with Gwen, the one with a blue jacket!" He dashed off. I stood there, hugging my bag to me. 

Matthew had left his own treasured brown satchel at my front door before I left with a note, and I brought it to New York. It was just the right size for my laptop and a charger, with all my basic necessities. I was carrying it now, in fact. I picked my way through to the lady talking animatedly to the photographer. "Are you..." I hesitated. "Oh, wait, sorry, yes, I'm Gwendolyn, or Gwen, you're the new one right? We were looking for you, quick, the van is coming!" she rushed. "Oh, okay?"

I trailed after her, at a loss for words. I had honestly expected the new workplace to be... calmer. The rapid click of her high-heels drowned out my thoughts, and I concentrated on not getting lost in the maze of corridors. "So... How do we go about do this?" I asked. "Oh, it's simple. We just get there, poke around a bit and write notes, then come back to churn out a good article by afternoon. Then we send it off for proof-reading and the others will take care of it," she answered. I hastened to keep up with her.

Matthew's POV

I sealed up the fat envelope and popped it into the mail box outside of SCH. Finally. You took three whole days to mail that thing. Oh hush. I could have mailed it yesterday but the kids took a while. I hopped back into my car and reversed out of the lot. Now, where to for lunch? I was saved of that decision when I saw a group of my students troop out of school in the hot sun. Oh no, they could get heat stroke or something... I'd better offer to drive them.

I pulled up beside them and rolled down the window. "Hey, kids, do you all need a lift?" I yelled. The six of them looked at each other. "Okay," Victoria replied. I stopped the car and gestured for them to get in. They all squished into the back seat. Wow. I swear I'll get pulled over or something... "So, where to?" I asked. "Spring Mall..." I feigned a look of surprise. "Coincidence, I'm going there too!" Elizabetha stared at me. "Nope, you made that up on the spot."

"I didn't!" "Yeah, RIGHT." I sighed. "No one believes me," I lamented, before heading for the highway. Sheesh, 9R is taking over Em's personality. I fought back tears, thankful that no one was riding shotgun. I really miss her...

A/N: For jiaxuann_lee because she helped point out ten million typos... Thanks :) And nightbreeze_987 because she's writing a new fanfiction. Yay. Thanks for reading! <3