F | I'll stand by you (One Chicago)

Chapter Thirteen

  'Hello Emily.' They smirk. It's the headmaster from her previous school. Mark Lowe.

'How'd you find out where I live?' Emily challenges. 'I don't go to your school anymore, so with all due respect, fuck off.' 

'David said you were feisty.' Mark smiles walking in. 

'I did say you could come- wait. David Shakespeare?' Emily asks as she shuts the door and Mark nods. 'How the hell do you know him?' 

'We're cousins.' Mark replies. 

'What are you even doing here?' Emily asks. 

'I wanted to tell you something.' Mark tells her. 'I wanted to tell you that Maddison killed herself.' 

'I am so sorry, but you can't blame me for it.'

'In her suicide note, she mentioned how she feels guilty. Guilty for making people feel bad about themselves. According to her friends, you're the one that told her that if she carries on being a bitch, she won't have any friends.' Mark explains. 'So yeah, I can blame you for it.' 

'I just said what everyone was thinking. You were thinking it too.' Emily raises an eyebrow. 'Look, I am truly sorry for your loss but,  what my therapist told me, it's not going to help blaming other people. I barely knew your daughter. I attended your school for a day, not even that. So it can't just be me.' She adds. 'Why are you really here? You didn't come to tell me that.' Mark doesn't say anything. He just walks towards her, puts his hands on her hips, brings her closer and starts t kiss her. Emily slaps him around his face and he steps back. 'What the hell are you doing?!' She exclaims. 

'There's chemistry between us. I feel it. You feel it. We-' Mark smiles.

'I certainly don't feel it.' Emily says, angrily. 'You need to leave. Now.' Emily tells him. She goes to turn around but Mark grabs her, restrains her, walks to the sofa and throws her down. He holds her down with one hand whilst he takes his trousers and underwear down and then Emily's. He climbs on top of her and starts kissing her. Emily tries to fight him off but he's too strong. Tears start to roll down her cheeks. She starts to get paralysed with fear. Then, it happens again. Mark inserts himself into her holds his hand over her mouth to stop her screaming for help. 

~

Emily wakes up in her bed. She figures that Mark put her there before leaving, she can't remember much apart from what he did to her. She trusted him. She opened up to him. He threw it back in her face. She gets out of bed, showers and gets ready for school. She gets changed into a red chequered shirt, black jeans and black flats. She puts her hair into a messy bun and does a simple makeup look. She picks up her bag, puts her phone in her back pocket and leaves for school. She skips breakfast. Something that she hasn't done in a while. 

When Emily arrives at the school, she meets Nikki who takes her to a music room where the rest of the Little Shop of Horrors cast are rehearsing the first song, 'Downtown'. Nikki cuts them off by stopping the music. 'Listen up guys, we have a new student joining us today, this is Emily,  and she's also joining our cast as Audrey. I heard her sing yesterday and I think she is perfect for the role.' Nikki tells them. 'Do you know the lyrics?' Nikki asks Emily.

'Off by heart.' Emily nods. 

'Great.' Nikki smiles. 'Let's start by having a quick run through Downtown.' She then plays the music again and they start.

Just as they finish a teacher walks in and whispers in Nikki's ear. 'Right, we'll finish there for this morning. Emily, our next rehearsal is tomorrow after school if you'd like to take part.' Nikki tells Emily.

'I'll have to check with Kelly but yeah.' Emily nods.

'Great.' Nikki smiles. 'I've got to go do something. You're more than welcome to stay in here and get to know these wonderful people.' She then leaves and Emily perches herself on the edge of the table.

'So, where were you before here?' One of the students, Ryan, asks. 

'CCA then some other school, I was only there for a day. I rather not talk about what happened.' Emily responds. 

'Your voice is wonderful, where'd you learn to sing like that?' Another student, Sophia, asks.

'Just practise.' Emily smiles.

'Why'd you shut me out?' An extremely familiar voice asks. Emily looks around the room and sees Leigha. 'I'm your best friend, or at least I was.'

'Things happened, Leigha.' Emily sighs, upset. 'Things I didn't want to drag you into.'

'Then talk to me.' Leigha replies. Emily smiles and just as she is about to respond, the bell goes, signalling the first lesson.