𝐒𝐄𝐗 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐌𝐘 𝐄𝐗, ˢᵃʳᵃʰ ᶜᵃᵐᵉʳᵒⁿ

ii. scars

EMMA AND JOHN B sat in a guidance counselor's office, being lectured about family, Department of Child Services
and safe living environments. This was the last place the siblings wanted to be, they were treading water just fine now this woman and her waves of bad news were trying to drown them with threats of foster care.

"John, Emma, you're both unemancipated minors living on your own." The woman, Cheryl, Emma thought she heard but wasn't paying much attention to the woman's introduction.

The blonde girl shook her head. "Hmm nope, that's fake news." John B scoffed also shaking his head. "Listen lady I have shit to do, so if we could wrap this up as quickly as possible that'd be fantastic."

"I need honesty to help you two."

"We're honest people." John B said.

The woman shook her head, displeased. "Okay, then when was the last time you spoke to your uncle?" She asked.

Uncle T, their supposed guardian if he hadn't fucked off to a different state months ago. John B lifted his wrist, checking an imaginary watch. "Uh... thirty four minutes ago." He nodded.

Emma leaned forward grabbing a stress ball of the desk. She tossed it up and caught it. "What he said."

A sigh fell from the other side of the desk. "When's the last time you saw him?"

Emma bit her lip pretending to think as she continued playing with the ball. "Two hours and... fourty three minutes ago." She stated.

John B smiled. "What she said."

"Emma, you're almost seventeen correct?" The woman questioned.

"Yep. Just give it a couple weeks lady. You gonna send me a card with some money in it?"

"Even if it's a simple one year difference you're under the state's custody until eighteen, both of you." The woman handed the girl a card, she had remembered correctly the lady's name was Cheryl. "We'll be coming out tomorrow to talk to your uncle." Emma's hand squeezed the ball tightly as her eyebrows raised. "If he's not there, we're gonna move forward with foster care. I want to assure you guys, we're gonna find you both a safe and loving home."

Emma stood and walked out of the office no longer wanting to hear anything coming put of Cheryl's mouth. She didn't want anything to do with foster care, her life was fine before her father went missing, shitty things happened to good people, that's something she learned early on in her life. She let her feet carry her where ever, Emma knew Outer Banks like the back of her hand, it's not like she would get lost.

She made it to the rich side of the island, Kook territory. Emma hated Kooks like all the pouges, however she knew that they weren't all terrible people. The house she was walking up to was intimidating, she hadn't been here since the night of a party a few months back. She rang the doorbell, hands trembling slighty as she waited. The door opened, a boy stood in the way, sunlight hitting his face and brightening his blue eyes. "Em? Hey." He looked down noticing her shaking hands. "You good?"

"I uh-" She pulled a ten dollar bill and held it up between her fingers. "Help an old friend out, would you?"

Rafe smirked taking the money from the girl and moving aside to let her in. "Haven't seen you in awhile, Em." He commented walking up the steps of the large home, leading Emma towards his bedroom. "How's life been treating you?" He asked opening the door of his room.

"Just swell." Emma shut the door behind them, waiting for Rafe to get her fix.

The boy walked across the room and opened the bottom drawer of his dresser, digging around through some clothes before pulling out a small baggie of exactly what Emma was looking for. "You're lucky ya'know." Rafe said with a low laugh. "I don't usually sell this shit so cheap." He made his way back to her, dangling the drugs in front of her.

"That's great, Rafe." She reached up to grab only for Rafe to pull it back, clicking his tounge. "Listen, I'm not in the mood to play games-"

"Neither am I. Sarah and Topper finally hit it off. They're together." He taunted watching as Emma's lip curled up in a snarl at the mention of the couple, specifically his sister.

"I didn't come here for you to be a little bitch." Emma snapped, grabbing the bag of drugs and shoving it in her pocket. She opened the door to see Sarah Cameron herself at the door listening. "Eavesdrop somewhere else, Sarah."

Emma pushed past the girl, her hands shaking even more. She made her steps quick, practically running by the time she reached the front door when a hand grabbed her wrist. "Emma, wait."

The older girl immediately yanked her hand back. "Don't fucking touch me." Emma's words were spat with laced venom as her eyes erupted in flames. But it was a lie, a mask for pain. She wanted Sarah to touch her, she wished she knew what it felt like to kiss her again. "Stay the hell away from me Sarah." Emma left but Sarah kept following her.

"Please. Em, you don't need what's in your pocket to be happy-"

"Don't call me that!" Emma shouted, turning around. "I had what made me happy, Sarah! And you know what? You left! So excuse me for taking something that makes me feel the way I felt with you, the way I felt before my life went to absolute and total shit!"

Sarah stood with tears welling in her eyes. "I never meant to hurt you." She whispered.

Emma scoffed, shaking her head. "Yeah right."

___

a/n

sooo what're we thinking so far?