When They Met

Chapter 6

Trigger warning: Abuse

Emma walked into the house, already knowing she was going to get in trouble. She couldn't believe she had lost track of time. Who knew playing Mario Kart with Killian would be so much fun, and so distracting all at the same time.

As soon as she shut the door, she was thrown onto the ground forcefully. She groaned and tried to get up, but it all happened so fast as punch after punch hit her chest, arms, and stomach. Along with the punches were kicks over and over to a place on her side. But, even through all the pain, she refused to cry. Even as bad as it hurt, and as much as she wanted to.

"Enough." Brynn said, and everything stopped. "Get up to your room. Now."

Emma scrambled up off the floor and grabbed her bag and ran up the stairs. She shut the door and slid down in, now letting the tears fall. With each sob that wracked her body, it brought more pain. She looked down to her arms through the tears to see red marks. She was sure bruises were going to form in those spots. She got up off the bed and looked in the mirror. Blood was dripping down from several cuts on her face and upper arms. She winced as she raised her shirt to see a dark bruise that had already formed from the kicking to her ribs.

Her phone chirped and she had tears in her eyes as she lowered the shirt. She grabbed her phone and saw Killian's name on the screen.

'You left your jacket.'

'Just give it to me tomorrow.'

She sighed and threw her phone down and cried. She didn't bother to check her phone again when it chirped again, and instead fell into a light sleep.

The sound of the alarm went off sooner than she expected. She groaned and gasped in pain as she sat up. She winced as she worked to get her old clothes off her body and trade them with clean ones. Her stomach rumbled, and she was suddenly reminded that she hadn't eaten dinner last night.

She finished getting ready then went downstairs to find that she was alone in the house. She looked out the window and her foster parent's car was gone, meaning they had left for work early. She smiled to herself and swiped a pop tart package from the cupboard and tore into the wrapper and stuffed it in her mouth. She walked to school and didn't think of anything until she realized that she didn't have her jacket.

The jacket that was used to hide the nasty marks left behind by Brynn and Shawn. But, no one seemed to pay her a second glance as she walked in and sat down at the table in the cafeteria. Killian furrowed his eyebrows when he saw her. She sat down next to him and sighed.

"W-what hap-happened t-to you?" He asked.

"Did you bring my jacket?"

He held it up for her, but kept it out of her reach. "T-tell m-me what h-ha-happened and th-then I'll give y-you the j-jacket." Emma stopped reaching for it and her head fell to his shoulder and she started to cry. Killian instantly wrapped his arms around her and ran his hand over her hair. "H-hey, d-don't cry."

"It's bad, Killian. It's really really bad. I can't get away from them without leaving you and I don't want to leave, but I can't stay with them any longer. It's only been a week, but it hurts so much." She said in between sobs. The tears had stopped, but she couldn't catch her breath.

"What?"

"I'm an orphan." She sniffed. Killian wiped the tear streaks from her cheeks and gave her a small smile, urging her to continue talking. "Brynn and Shawn adopted me a week ago. But, any time I do something wrong, they beat me for it. They gave me the black eye. They did this."

He suddenly sat up straighter. "T-that's why y-you ha-had to l-leave."

She nodded. "I can't do anything about it or else I get taken away and put into a new home."

"L-Liam can ad-adopt you. I-I won't be a-able to make i-i-it without you. D-don't leave m-me."

She could hear the begging tone in his voice, and her heart broke. She cupped his cheek and his head fell into her hand. "I won't if you won't."

He nodded. "C-can I k-kiss you?"

She laughed. "You don't have to ask."

Killian didn't waste any time and he pressed his lips to Emma's. She responded immediately and he groaned on her lips. She was the first to pull away when someone sat down in front of them. She looked over to find Regina with a smirk on her face. Emma rolled her eyes and gave one last peck to Killian's lips before pulling away entirely. She snatched her jacket from his hands and slipped it on. His hand found hers under the table and she squeezed it. He looked over to her and smiled and she returned it.

Once the bell rang, Emma and Killian walked to class together. They sat in their normal seats, and waited for the teacher to come in. Both of them only thinking about one thing.

The kiss.

Once their lips had touched, they both instantly felt the sparks. Where Killian's hands had been placed, brought a burning and tingling sensation to her skin. But, it was far from being bad. She wondered what he thought. And if this was going to change their friendship. She asked herself how she should act around him now. If she should acknowledge the kiss, or if she should pretend it didn't happen at all.

She risked a glance over to Killian, and he was already looking at her. When her eyes met his, he quickly looked down to his binder.

'We are so screwed.'