Guardian ✓

pebble

EMMA'S TUTOR STARED AT HER IN UTTER SHOCK.

Mr Calvin had come in early today so Noah and Mathias were still having breakfast. Her tutor never really had to shout at Emma because she went above and beyond to do everything that was asked of her and more.

Except, it seemed like Mr Calvin was not pleased with how she'd done her Easter homework. It made her heart beat like a hammer against her chest.

Was he going to hit her?

"Emma – what the fuck, and I cannot stress this enough, is wrong with you?"

She scooted away from him as surreptitiously as she possibly could but the man noticed and pulled her closer by the ear. Surprisingly, it wasn't painful.

"I am sorry – I don't even know what I did wrong–" she curled into herself, sniffling to keep the tears at bay.

The situation was embarrassing enough as it was.

"Emma, I told you to attempt – fucking have a go – at some electricity and magnetism questions. Physics C is fucking hard–"

"Please – I'm sorry–"

"And you decided to complete the whole workbook?!" He more or less shouted, face red.

Emma cried pathetically, curling into herself even more. She really, really didn't think this through–

"I was just having so much fun–"

"Okay, shut up." Mr Calvin interrupted. "Fine. Do the mechanics past paper while I make you an electricity and magnetism one. It's test time."

Emma uncurled, pressing fingers to her lips so Mr Calvin won't see her smile. She loved tests. He wouldn't get mad. No. Emma had actually never felt as comfortable as she did with him. Being taught and doing homework were actually her favorite times of the day.

Mr Calvin...he was not like the other men. He was not hurtful and unkind like Kevin. He was not intimidating and unapproachable and...scary like her brother and Mathias. He was not mean like Meghan.

In fact, she'd never met a nice person until Mr Calvin. He was so very intelligent and had so much knowledge. It was truly mind blowing. She wanted to be just like him. She wanted to be smart so her brother would like her.

But the thought that Mr Calvin would become someone else...someone evil...was always at the back of her mind. People in her life always did.

Ergo she tried her hardest. If she made sure he was always happy with her, surely he won't hurt her then. Right?

"Done?" He asked her when she placed her worksheet booklet in front of him.

She sat on the rug while her tutor sat on the sofa. Emma was still unsure if she'd be allowed on the furniture. And the rug was actually comfortable. Her tutor, too, if he noticed her weird antics, never mentioned anything.

"You know I already got paid so much in advance for tutoring you that I'd be able to feed myself and my pet hedgehog for the next five years. Comfortably. So if this is some sort of trick to kick me out early, it's not going to work–"

"Calvin," Noah interrupted, looking annoyed, "give her a break. She just did 20 worksheets of mechanics. I think that's enough for today. Give her the test tomorrow."

Did Mathias look amused?

Her brother's tone left no room for argument. Normally, Emma got sad when her tutor had to leave but today she was okay.

"Did you have breakfast?" Noah asked gruffly when Mr Calvin left.

Emma looked up, surprised that her brother had spoken to her. It had been two weeks since he'd said a word to her. She thought he was mad at her.

"No," she replied, elaborating when he kept staring at her with a strange look on his face, "I'll have it now."

For some reason, even though Emma ate so many blueberries, they never finished. She'd practically been having them for dinner everyday ever since Noah said she was free to eat whatever.

Still she didn't want to seem greedy and finish all the food in the house so she only had dinner. Consisting of blueberries.

However, it seemed like she was going to have breakfast today. Did that mean no dinner? Either way, it was okay because Noah was speaking to her.

"I've only seen you eat blueberries – is that all you eat?"

Emma flushed, putting them back in the basket.

"I'm sorry–"

"Stop apologising," Noah sighed, getting up from his seat. "For being able to cook Blanquette de Veau, you really don't give yourself a lot of options." He opened the pantry, getting out flour. "Ever heard of blueberry pancakes?"

"Eh, yes? I had a pancake once."

Emma shuffled from one foot to the other, sneaking glances at Noah and Mathias. Didn't they have work?

"Great." Was that sarcasm? "Let's relive those memories."

What?

Emma's face paled. She unconsciously backed away from the kitchen, feeling bile rise in her throat.

Relive those memories?

"Verdammter Idiot! Sieh was du gemacht hast!"

[Translation: Fucking idiot! Look at what you've done!]

Noah turned around abruptly and started walking towards Emma.

"Is it because of today? Because I finished my workbook early? I – I am sorry. I am so sorry – I already said I'll pay you back. No wait – I'm sorry. It's my fault but please don't send me back–"

"Emma, stop!" Noah interrupted her before she could have a panic attack. "I didn't mean anything by that. It's my fault. I should have worded what I was saying better. You're not going anywhere, sweet–" he cleared his throat, backing away a little "–no one is going to hurt you. Trust me, okay?"

Emma looked up, slowly sticking out her pinky.

"If you could please promise..."

Mathias snorted when he saw Noah's expression before coughing when he got glared at.

Noah locked his pinky with Emma's. His pinky alone was the size of her two fingers. His lips twitched when he noticed, looking down at her.

"You're permanent, Emma."

She blinked, looking up at him. The height surprisingly did not intimidate her as much as Kevin's did. Even though he was taller. Perhaps because Noah was a safety net whilst Kevin was a web, entrapping her and blocking all exits.

"Now let me make you some breakfast. We're not having lunch today because we have a dinner to go to. My mother wants to meet you."

For the first time, she felt like happiness was overcrowding the sorrow she always felt as she watched her brother cook. It scared her. She had only dreamed of this emotion because her reality was unkind to her.

Was she dreaming again?

Perhaps it was because permanency had never felt so safe.

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Note: Hi! I just wanted to say a massive thank you for the 2k reads. I am so beyond grateful. Also, please excuse my German. I just copy and paste from Google!

With love,

Maya x