A Never Event [Teacher/Student]

Chapter Twenty One - Cut It Out

Monday passed slowly for Killian. Ever since first class when he saw Emerys' seat vacant, his mind only fixated on her for the rest of the day.
It was especially difficult as all of Jake's teachers had been informed that he was in the hospital after a run in with 'a bunch of stoners'.
He couldn't help but wonder why Jake hadn't just told them about the teacher/student relationship going on right underneath the Principal and Sherriff's noses. Surely having Killian out of the way – in Jake's mind – would give him a better chance of getting Emerys back.

Meanwhile, Emerys laid on her bed, snuggling into the giant five foot teddy bear her dad had given her on her sixth birthday.
Usually, it sat in the corner of her room. But this day, like the last two days, was a 'snuggle up to Drop Dead Ted' kinda day.
Named after one of her all-time favourite movies, Drop Dead Ted quickly became rather tattered a worn after all the adventures he and an imaginative six year old Emerys had. Though pouring and entire bottle of green food colouring in her infant cousin's paddling pool just so she could dye Drop Dead Ted and thus, dying herself and her cousin in the process, was probably one of the more vexatious items on the list.

It got to around lunch time when Emerys received a call from Regina.
"Hey girl, where are you?"
"I'm at home..." Emerys sniffed.
"You sound awful, are you okay?" Regina asked.
"Yeah..." Emerys' voice quietened down to a whisper to stop her voice from cracking. "I'm fine."
Before any more could be said, she hung up, practically throwing her phone back onto the night stand after switching it to silent.

"James?" Killian knocked on his boss' door just after last class.
"Ah, Killian. What can I do for you?" He gave a warm smile, beckoning the English teacher into his office.
"I was wondering if Emerys was okay. She wasn't in class today." Killian frowned, fiddling with the papers in her hands. "But mostly, I was just here to give you these. It's the papers we worked on today. I was hoping you could pass them along to her for me."
"Thank you Killian. I'll make sure she gets these. She's fine, just feeling a little under the weather in her head. I value the mental health of my students, as you well know. Daughter or not."
"Of course. I've always thought that was very noble of you, James. I hope Miss Taylor will be feeling better soon." Killian nodded, trying his best to hide the fact that he knew this was all because of him.
As quickly as he'd entered, he left.
Killian lent against the wall just past James' office and gave a heavy sigh just as Regina and Zelena walked by.
"Hey Killian." Regina smiled, being sure to keep her voice down. "Where's Em been all day?"
"Her father's just told me she's taking some time off for her mental health..." He told her, sadly.
Regina and Zelena glanced at each other, confused.
"Is it all that Jake stuff? Did no one tell her he's in the hospital?" Zelena asked.
"No, but... About that..." Killian rubbed the back of his head, anxiously.
"What..." Regina scowled.
Killian sighed, beckoning the girls into the nearest empty classroom, discreetly.
"It wasn't a bunch of stoners that beat him into the hospital." He simply came out. "After everything Emerys had told me in New Orleans and then when he came here and was responsible for her injuries and amnesia, after I found out he'd came to Storybrooke High, I just lost it."
"Ha! You owe me ten bucks, 'Gina!" Zelena laughed, punching the air.
Killian looked immensely confused.
"I bet Zelena ten dollars that it was a bar fight and not an altercation with Jake that earned you the cuts on your hands and the remanence of that shiner on your eye. I was so sure that you wouldn't do anything so stupid. But here you go, Zee." Regina sighed, handing over the ten dollar bill.
"Wow... Thanks girls." He huffed, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"But none of this explains why Em is the way she currently is." Zelena pointed out.
"I told her not to come round at the weekend because I didn't want her to see me in the state I was in. But she came round anyway and I was half way through a bottle of rum and I lost control of my emotions. I said a lot of shit I didn't mean and that's why she's like this. She won't answer my phone calls and has only spoken to my brother since all this happened." He explained.
"Oh shit..." Regina's eyes widened. "You fucked up, dude. Em's always been really good at forgiveness. If she's ghosting you so bad that she's willing to risk her grades for it, you fucked up bad. Now. As her best friend, I am inclined to verbally beat your ass. But as your friend too, I would suggest you buck up and find a way to see her and apologise."
Killian rubbed his eyes, feeling awfully stressed out.
"You're right. I'll think of something. Thank you girls." He said. "And no more bets at my expense or there'll be detention for the both of you. Now go home."
Regina and Zelena giggled before their 'see ya's' and exits.

Killian sat in his car just around the corner from Emerys' house, able to look straight at her bedroom window.
He watched as the light from her dim bedside lamp was obstructed by her small frame as she passed the window, attempting to do something with her hair.
He attempted to call her.
Putting the phone up to his ear, he watched Emerys' attention go from her mirror to her vibrating phone. He watched as she picked it up, looked at it, sighed and then angrily threw it across the room, making a sound so loud that Killian could hear it from his car.
The dial tone went dead and he sighed heavily.
"Bloody hell, love..." He huffed, slapping the steering wheel in frustration.
It was midnight and Killian knew that her parents were in bed and most likely asleep, so he decided to do something stupid.

Emerys brushed through her soft, white beach waves when she heard some quiet but desperate tapping on her window.
She turned to looking, jumping and almost screaming when she saw Killian half-hanging from the back porch roof, motioning for her to open the door before his fingertips released him.
She rushed over, sliding the window up.
"Killian, what the fuck is your problem?" She whisper-yelled, moving aside to watch as he stumbled and fell onto her bedroom floor.
"I needed to speak to you and you're dodging my calls. So I had to improvise." He said as though it were obvious.
"I have nothing to say to you, hence the call dodging. Now leave before my mom wakes up and shoots you." She snapped.
"Not until I've said what I have to say." Killian shook his head. "I'm sorry, Em. I didn't mean to yell at you and I certainly didn't mean to say the things I said. I'd been drinking and I was angry – mostly at myself and fuck... I'm so sorry, I truly am."
He stepped forward, towards her, taking her hands, but Emerys instantly pulled them back.
"Why were you so beat up when I came round?" She asked, completely ignoring his apologies.
Killian hesitated on his answer.
"I confronted Jake..." He mumbled.
"You what?!" Emerys almost shouted, if it weren't for her parents down the hall, she would have.
"That's why he's in the hospital, not because he got mugged by stoners or whatever bullshit he's coming out with."
"If that was you... Why didn't he just tell everyone about you and about us?" Emerys frowned.
"I have no idea. But for now, we should be thankful." Killian replied. "But never mind that. Just please say you forgive me and all can be well again, love."
Emerys sighed, heavily.
"No."
Killian's eyes filled with tears.
"Emerys..." He whispered. "Love, come on. I need you. I love you."
"I'm sorry Killian, but what you said really hit deep. I need some time." She said. "You need to leave."
Emerys stepped away from the window, not making any effort to look him in the eye.
Killian let out a disappointed sigh and reluctantly left without another word.