Not alone anymore

Chapter 2

My alarm goes off at 6am making my head pound. Shit how much did we drink last night?  I sit up in bed and I feel like shit. My eye is swollen, my head and hand are killing me. I put my head back on my pillow. I so don't want to go to school today. Especially if I have to deal will Ms. Mills. I know she's going to give me a hard  time for not finishing my homework, but is that really all my fault. She wouldn't repeat what she said and God forbid someone would offer that information to me. Screw it. I only have 3 classes today. I'll just go and get it over with. I stand up and I'm a little dizzy. Oh man it's gonna be a long day. I take a shower and get dressed. I make sure all my homework is in my bag, I toss a few snacks in and grab my keys and I'm out the door. I was very careful driving. I didn't want to hurt anyone because of my hangover and my swollen eye. I get to school and have just enough time to go to my locker and head to my first class. I get there just as the bell rings and then in walks Ms. Mills. She goes to her desk and tosses her bags on it. She doesn't seem like herself today, and when I say that I mean she looks crankier than usual. "Ok everyone take out your homework and pass it forward". Of course she would start out with that. I take the pages out of my notebook and hand it forward. She walks to each row and collects them and walks back to her desk. "Today I'd like you all to spend some time reading the next chapter on the after affects of the Boston Tea Party". She sits down behind her desk and starts looking through the papers. It looks like she looking for one and when she finds it she pulls it out of the pile. She grabs her red pen and looks over at me. There is no expression on her face as she begins grading. I just start to read the chapter. I'm really not in the mood for any type of shit today but I know it's coming. The bell rings and the class is over. We all gather our things as Ms. Mills says. "Ok class I'll see you tomorrow. Miss Swan, may I have a moment please?"  Oh here we go. I wait till everyone leaves and walk up to her desk. "Yes Ms. Mills".   "Your homework is incomplete Miss Swan".  "Yes. I believe it is".  "Can you tell me why you didn't do all the homework I assigned yesterday?"   "Well if you remember I did ask you to repeat the last thing that you wanted us to do and you didn't tell me. So I had to just go with what I had".  "This is completely unacceptable Miss Swan. I've had you in my classes since your freshman year so I know you've had some trouble throughout the years as far as your attitude and class work. I'm surprised you even made it to senior year".  "Excuse me. What the hell does that mean?"  "That means Emma, that you don't apply yourself hard enough. It's like you just do whatever it takes to get by. How do you expect to get anywhere in life just doing the bare minimum?"   "Oh you know what?  I don't need this shit". She stands up quickly. "You will watch you language in my class Miss Swan".  "Oh please kiss my ass. I'm done. I know I'm not the best student in this school but at least I try and it's not like I get any help. I asked you, and you basically blew me off. What was so important you had to rush off yesterday?  Another quick fuck with the principal".  "Miss Swan how dare you".  I walk away and grab my bag off my desk. I take all my textbooks out and slam them on her desk. "Here these are school property. I also have a few more in my locker. Goodbye Ms. Mills". I take my bag and walk out of the classroom. I hear heels clicking after me. "Miss Swan. Where the hell do you think you are going". Her voice is loud and angry and it's such a turn on. I can feel myself getting hard. I stop walking and turn around. "I quit. I'm not going to make it in life anyway right?  Isn't that what you said to me?"  She's standing right in front of me and I can tell shes pissed off. No one as probably ever stood up to her. "So you are just going to quit and do what?"   "Why did you care?  You've always been a bitch to me. I don't need that in my life anymore. I so sick of hearing what a loser I am and how I'll never be anything".  "Miss Swan. I suggest you rethink about what you are doing".   "I've been thinking about this my whole life. I was always afraid to ask for help and yesterday you proved to me why I never ask. Your a fucking teacher your supposed to help us out but you didn't you just walked away and for what to go fuck Locksley?  What the hell do you see in that creep?"  "Miss Swan I won't be talked to like this".  "It doesn't matter I'm leaving anyway".  I start to walk away but she grabs my arm. "I'm warning you if you walk out of here I'll call the  truancy police and they'll drag you back".  I just laugh. "Go call them Mills. I'm over 18. There is nothing they can do and I have no parents so I guess I'll see you around". I pull my arm away and walk out of the school and right to my car. I drive over to Granny's because where else am I going to go?  I walk in and sit at the counter. Ruby comes out of the kitchen looking a little under the weather. "Ems what are you doing here so early?"  "Can I have a hot chocolate please".  "Sure". She turns around to get it ready then places it in front of me. "Thank you".  "Your welcome. So why are you here so early?"  "I quit".  "You quit what?"   "School".  "Emma no. Why did you do that? Your almost done".  "Mills was busting my balls Ruby and I'm sick of it. I'm sick of it from everyone. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up some extra shifts here".  "Emma you have to fix this. Granny is gonna flip. She told you when you came to live here that you could stay as long as you need to but you had to stay in school".  "Then I guess I need to find a new place then". I take a few dollars out of my pocket and leave it on the counter for the hot chocolate and walk away. "Emma where are you going?"  "Up to my room. I should probably start packing if I'm going to be asked to leave".  "Ems just stop and think about everything". I just shrug and give her a sad smile then make my way up to my room. I sit on the bed and try not to cry. I should have expected this coming eventually. I've lived here for almost 5 years and even though I'm not related Granny and Ruby have always treated me like family. I get up and start throwing my things in one of the duffel bags I have. A little while later I hear a knock at the door. I look at the clock and I've only been here an hour. I guess Granny don't mess around. I open the door and I'm completely surprised at whose standing there. "Mills. What are you doing here?"  "I wanted to talk to you. May I came in please?"   I step back and she walks in. I close the door and motion to the chair. "Have a seat". She does and says thank you. She looks around the room and sees my clothes on the bed and my bags. "Are you leaving Emma?"  "Yeah I guess. When I first started living here Granny said I could stay as long as I stayed in school. That's all changed now. I'm sure she's gonna want me out".  "Where are you going?"   "I don't know I'll figure something out. So why are you here?"  "I came to apologize to you. I never should have acted the way I did to you yesterday or today. I was completely out of line. I should have stayed and answered you but my mother who is the mayor here in town needed to see me in the office and she hates to be kept waiting. I was taking my frustrations out on you and I'm sorry. You should come back to school. Don't let what I did or said make you quit. You are a good student Emma and you deserved a better teacher than I have been".   "It's to late now. I missed my classes today and I'll probably get detention or suspended for skipping or walking out. I can't get detention because I come straight to work here every night. I'll get fired for not making my shifts. It doesn't matter anyway I'll probably be fired because I quit".  "I'll talk to the school and tell them you were sick and went home and I forgot to tell them and I'll even talk to Granny".  "Thanks but no. It's never a good thing when someone wants to help me. I usually just get burned in the end. Sometimes literally". I say that last part quietly but I think Mills heard it anyway. "What do you mean Emma?"  "It's nothing. Thanks for stopping by. I should apologize to you also. I never should have said those things about you and Locksley   Your personal life is none of my business".  "Thank you, and I'm not sleeping with him. He's a nice guy but definitely not my type". She says with a smile. "What is your type Mills?"  "I like my dates with a lot less body hair". She gives another smile. She's been my teacher for 4 years and I've never seen her smile this much. She stands up. "Emma please think about what I said. Don't leave school. You are almost done".  "I'll think about it. Thanks again for stopping by". I open the door for her. Before she walks away she reaches into her purse. "If you want to talk or text here is my number. You can use it at anytime". She hands me small business card. "Ok. Thanks".  She walks away and I close the door. "What the hell was that all about?"