The Eccedentesiast

Chapter Ten

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Chapter Ten
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"Do you think the storm will pass any time soon?" Emma asked Brian as they both held a book in their hands that they were supposed to be reading.

"Maybe. Hope not."

"Same." Emma looked back out the window.

There was something she loved more than Takis or ice cream—rain. Rain to her was like sun to plants or water to plants. Maybe even oxygen to the lungs.

She examined the beautiful stormy gray that covered the sky. She always likes it gray and not blue. A blue, clear sky was not a good day. A dark, stormy, and rainy sky was what she called a good day. She liked how she felt so content and calm when she heard rainfall on the concrete outside or when it hit the window and made that pitter-patter sound that helped her sleep. She likes the sound of wind wailing and the thunder that roared down at the humans. The lightning was what made her jump at times but she would never choose clear and blue over dark and stormy.

"Miss Myers?" Emma snapped out of her small trance when she felt her teacher tap on her shoulder. "Miss Myers?"

Emma turned to look at him. He was whispering to her as he squatted beside her desk. "Mm?"

"You look like you've never seen rain before." He silently chuckled.

Emma flushed. "Oh."

Mr. B stood back up again. "Go back to reading that book, won't you?" He tapped the book on her desk that stayed open. He sent her a friendly smile and walked down the narrow row of desks.

𖨆

"I have to go home," Brian told Emma the bad news. "You'll be alone for third period."

"What? Why are you leaving?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"My dad got in an accident." He rubbed a hand down his face before absentmindedly pulling at his hair. "I-I-I n-need to le-leave," he stuttered. His eyes glossed over while his lips quivered, suddenly feeling colder than before.

"Oh, fuck," Emma breathed out. She felt a surge of panic inside her. "Is-Is he okay?"

"He's in the hospital. I haven't told the others yet, I'll send them a text when I'm there . . . Just--I'm sorry I have to leave."

"No!" Emma got on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck to bring him in for a comforting hug. Brian hugged her back with a lot of force, trying to hold in his emotions. "Go! I'll be fine." She let go of him, pushing him back so he would run.

"Okay." He gave her a sad smile. "Bye." He held her hands for a second before turning around and running down the empty hallway. They both hadn't noticed that the bell already rang until a teacher yelled for Emma to get to class.

Emma turned around when she stopped suddenly. A slap was delivered on her left cheek.

"I hate you," Olivia seethed. She looked down at Emma who had her hand over her red cheek and her head facing their feet. "You know why?" She stepped a little closer to Emma, causing her to press her back to the lockers. "They were my best friends in middle school," she whispered.