Emeral ran back in from recess, eager to get to the sanctity of the classroom. Ritzer was sort of out for her blood, but was kept at bay by Rini and her band. It was like a clash of the titans: Ritzer wouldn't dare do anything to Rini since she and Goren were pretty much red-hot, but haven't openly admitted it yet.
She giggled inwardly. So were she and Ket—at least he would be soon—and no one suspected.
"All right kids," Ms. Hupp said as the class took their seats, "Now, I know we're supposed to wait until the next six weeks before we swap desks but I feel it necessary for us to make that change sooner—so, everyone pull your books and supplies out and line up at the front of the room."
Of course, the urgency to do so was pushed since Gym class. Emeral sighed with mixed feelings. Now because of Ritzer's pestering, there was a chance she and Ket would be separated. Not that they were that close, but she'd come to like staring at the back of his head. Alas, all good things...
"Ritzer, you're over there."
"But tha'ss right nex'a yer desk!"
"The better to keep my eye on you, my dear," Ms. Hupp said almost like she'd rehearsed it.
The bully huffed as the class chuckled, marching toward his new cell.
Emeral smiled. One thing crossed off her list; now it was just the tests and...
"Ket, I'd like you to sit over there, by the blackboard. Emeral, you're sitting next to him—keep him awake would you, dear?"
Emeral flinched. "Huh?" She blinked a few times, then Ms. Hupp's words registered. "Oh uh...yeah. I mean, yes ma'am." She skipped to her new desk, which was only a few over from her old one. She glanced at Ket, who was also only a few desks misplaced. How quickly things were looking up!
"Lyza, you'll be behind them..."
Emeral heard a record scrape to a halt in her head. Maybe not... she thought, gritting her teeth. This was grating! She wouldn't have minded Lyza nearby her last Monday, but now? Now she'd have to be very careful.
Lyza was not as distracted as she made herself to be. Just like when she had overhead Ritzer talking about stealing the Udjat, she could listen in on conversations happening across the room. Could even pick up whispers from a few desks away, and would often share what heard with Emeral.
So, the tigress would have to be very mindful not to mutter anything. Ket probably wouldn't appreciate it if the anyone found out she had a crush on him.
Maybe they could learn Morse Code and talk to each other that way. Maybe Ket already knew it.
"All right, anyone have a problem with their seats? Speak now."
I do! I do! Say it aloud stupid, not in your head!
But she didn't have the heart. Lyza gave her a big smile when she turned around to look at her friend.
"All right then, this is where you will be for the next six-and-a-couple weeks. Now if everyone will pull out their class reading books we still have a lot of daytime to go!"
* * *
Emeral let the hallway crowd pass by her as she slowly walked. Ket was around, she knew, and it was coming time to try and talk to him openly. She'd become much more relaxed since morning.
He hadn't given her any signs that he was still upset, or given her the cold shoulder. His head was up the whole time, just propped up by his hand at his temple every now and again. He even thanked him when she passed him the stack of worksheets as they came around.
Still, she couldn't help but remind herself of the moment. Of the look on his face. Like she had said the nastiest thing about his mother, ever-ever.
She stood outside, near the car-lane. It took a little bit to convince mom she was more interested in walking home for a little while, to see if she wanted to do it more often. But of course it was another way to see a certain boy.
"Hey," she greeted her friend as Lyza caught up with her. "Kval here yet?"
"He should be...there he is!" She pointed along the street, a few cars away from the turn-in to the pickup lane. "He's almost here." She scratched her nose. "I dunno what I'm gonna do if he doesn't get off-period next semester. What about you? Isn't your mom usually here like first-thing?"
"She's...running late today. Or she said she might, her schedule got changed a bit."
"Oh. Being a nurse must be hard." She shivered. "All those sick people, and the blood..." She stuck her tongue out.
”I'm with ya on the sick people," the tigress replied, glancing back at Ket, who was standing by the wall, under the lee of the outdoor foyer of the school. "But blood doesn't really bother me."
"It makes me queasy just thinking about it." The chameleon-car honked. "Well, that's him. Laters Emmy!"
"Laters Lyz-Lyz."
For the next few minutes the buses began tooting and scuffing as they filed out one by one. Fewer and fewer kids were hanging around now, no one from their classroom especially.
Emeral read the time off the watch on the shoulder-strap, and then glanced in Ket's direction.
He was already starting to walk away.
She panicked for a second, but then decided it was okay. She waited, watching, until he was a little ways down. Then, she very casually began walking. But, when she was away from glancing eyes, she sprinted, trying to catch up to him before the crosswalk.
The yellow tiger's ears flicked, and he turned to his approaching friend.
She passed by a few a steps while slowing down. She leaned over a bit to catch her breath, resting her hands on her knees.
"Still a little worn out?" He asked, rhetorically.
With an intake of air she rose. "Can I—"
"C'mon," he said with initiative, hooking her hand into his, "I'll walk you home.”
She glanced down at their hands, and back up to his gaze. "Aren't you afraid someone will see us walking together?" She asked, to let him know she was still conscious of that notion.
"No one really goes this way after the crosswalks." He let go, but kept his paw close to hers.
The teacher at the cross-walk ushered them on, as the light had just turned, exchanging bids of good-afternoon.
Now she was spun around inside. She wanted to say something about Saturday, but couldn't yet. Her throat knotted. Their shoulders bumped a little.
"Kick-ass game'a dodge ball." He said, glancing at her.
She blushed, and scolded him, "Watch your mouth around a lady!"
"Sorry, just...dunno how else to put it."
A nervous giggle escaped her. "...Thanks." They crossed the second crosswalk.
So she did impress him.
"But really, I just had a...a lucky day..."
"Nah. I thought you were good ever since the first game."
Blush-level reaching near critical, she tried to focus on keeping her pace even. "Well... I uh... Wh-Why don't you play?"
"I'm not..." He glanced at the road as a few cars passed by. He moved to the outside.
"Don't think you're good at it, huh?"
"Well... I would play, but...” He shrugged. “It's not really my thing. Outside my comfort circle."
They crossed the street when it was safe. She became rather silent after his comment. It reminded her of Saturday, reminded her she still had to bring it to surface, if only for the sake of her own tense feelings. But she couldn't think of a way to bring it up, and all too soon the gate was beside them, and they'd come to a stop.
"Well, here we are—"
"Ket, I'm sorry!" She blurted, bringing her fists against her chest.
His lips closed, but his eyes were still calm and relaxed.
She took in a breath, and let it out. "I...screwed up bad the other day...didn't I?" Another car passed; she felt a shock. Any of them could be someone from school.
"It wasn't your fault, I—"
"Was too!" She shouted, curling her lip. "Just say 'yes.'"
He sighed. "You didn't mess up, okay?" He lifted his hand as she started to protest. "Look, I handled it all wrong. It just...it's a dumb thing but it just caught me off-guard."
"It's not dumb Ket. It... It had to do with... him, or something close, right?"
He paused, and nodded solemnly. "But... You didn't know."
"Well I should'a," she shot out lowly.
"No," he said placing a hand on her shoulder, "There's no way you could'a known."
"S'no excuse."
"First rule, Emeral." He waited as she quietly took another breath. "I have to apologize too. Next time...I won't do that again, I promise."
Now it was her turn. She fell onto him, embracing him. "It's all right." She said.
He smiled. "Did you think I didn't want to be your friend any more?" His arms closed around her.
She scraped her foot across the sidewalk, kicking a leaf aside. "Mm... A little, yeah." She felt a wave of warmth as he squeezed.
"I still do. I want to work hard...be a good friend. Then...maybe if you still like me..."
She used the moment, her lips leaping to his cheek. "Of course I'll still like you," and broke away, cheeks afire. She glanced back while entering the code into the keypad, and saw his were a bit red as well. "Do you wanna come in? ...I'd make you some Insta-Mac but...I guess you don't like it, huh?"
"No...I liked it," he replied.
"Then...why'd you leave it last time?"
"Cuz I...didn't want to get too used to it..."
Her eyebrows went askew, "Whaddaya mean, 'get used to it?'"
Another car passed, and she saw his nerves had given out. "Listen, I'll talk later okay? I've gotta get home."
"Go, go," she said with a smile, and watched him as he turned and jogged down the sidewalk, giving her a wave a few seconds later. The gate began to close, and she slithered past the threshold, heading toward her home.
Inside the door, she threw her backpack aside. The phone was chirping even as she entered, and the answering machine caught it. Her dad's charismatic voice echoed from the kitchen; "You've reached the Brillian residence, please leave your—" It cut out. Emeral made her way into the kitchen and picked up the phone off the little table.
"Why don't people leave messages anymore?" She asked aloud, and glanced at the screen. "Twelve missed calls?" She clicked the history button, and tiled back. Eleven of the numbers were all the same—Lyza's number. She was startled as the phone chirped alive in her hand. Right hand over her heart, she answered.
"Lyza?" A moment passed. There was no response. "Lyza?"
A gasp. A soft whimper, like someone was out of breath.
"Hello? Lyz?" She asked again, voice coated in urgency.
"Emmy..." The response was soft, wavering. A sniffle.
"Lyza, what's the matter?" The tigress took a step or two, began pacing. Something was wrong.
"It's Kval...Emmy...please, can you come over?" The voice was so sad, scratchy and tired.
"Sure," She replied, nodding "but please tell me, what's wrong?"
"Kval...mom...mom found drugs in his backpack..."
Emeral's tongue shriveled. She let out a heavy breath and sank backward against the wall, falling to a sit.
"Mom...mom's threatening to call the police. Kval's eighteen...he'll be..." Suddenly she erupted, whimpering and gasping over the phone.
Emeral closed her eyes and shook her head, fighting back her own tears. "I'll be right there, Lyz, don't worry!" She hung up and set the phone on the ground and stood. She took just a second to calm her nerves, and then bolted toward the door, snagging her backpack on the way out.
