The Book of Emma Brown

Chapter 3

Emma hated every class except for English, which was at the end of the day. She recalled the embarrassment that had happened earlier in history on her way to lunch. At least the day's almost over. Just another period closer to English.

Emma sat down at the empty table bench outside. With no Janet, she was forced to eat her lunch alone. The bag of chips in her hand popped open and she began munching away. Her tongue curled happily at the salty snack. The warm summer's breeze blew her thin, ginger red hair around her pale face. She really did love summer. Her thoughts began to wander to summer on other planets and what that might be like.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a thin but tall boy that had sat down right in front of her. It took Emma some time to realize he was there. She really did have a daydreaming problem.

"Can I help you?" Emma swallowed her chips and stared at the boy. He looked to be about her age, with curly black hair that fluffed up like a tuft of cloud on his head. He had light skin like Emma but his face was a bit rounder and his lips were thinner. Behind the black rims of the glasses he wore, hid two hazel eyes. Well, they weren't hazel if you looked close enough. The outer color of the pools was a bright blue, and the inner pupil was a forest green. Almost like a galaxy. Emma feared that if she looked for too long, she would fall in or get stuck in a trance.

The boy stared at her wide eyed with his eyebrows raised, then spoke. "You're Emma Brown!"

Emma felt a slight shock. Who did this kid think she was? Someone famous perhaps?

"Um, yeah. That's my name." Emma continued to eat her chips.

"Boy, am I glad to see you! But, I don't think you understand, " the boy looked at her and leaned forward in enthusiasm and a hint of fear. "You're the Emma Brown."

Emma didn't know what to say. The boy just gawked at her, waiting for a response.

"Yeah..." she remarked really slowly. "Who are you?"

"My name is Alex Porter," there was a pause. "I...need your help."

Emma was good at helping others. Maybe some student just recommended Alex to her for English help.

"Ok, what can I do you for?" Emma feigned a western accent and leaned forward to hear his response.

"I need you to help me get home." Alex moved his hands along the table as he spoke, and Emma followed them in her periphery vision.

"Ok, where do you live?"

"Well...you see, it's not that simple." Alex looked away from Emma's gaze.

"What do you mean?" Emma gave a light laugh. She realized a second later it was out of fear. Alex didn't reply. He opened and closed his mouth, trying to find the right words. Then he pinched the bridge of his nose just below his glasses, squeezed his eyes shut and sighed in deep thought.

"How do I answer this?" He mumbled to himself and looked around Emma as if to find the answer in the clouds or on the cracked cement ground.

When Emma thought he finally summoned enough courage to say the answer, another body slid in next to her. Emma turned to see Janet smiling gleefully at her.

Emma instantly forgot about the boy in front of her; ecstatic to see her friend in the uncomfortable situation, "Hey! I thought you had a doctor's appointment."

Janet grabbed the chips out of Emma's hand and took a bite out of one before replying. "Got out early." Janet turned to look at Alex, who was staring astonishingly at the blue-haired girl. "Who's the nerd?" She nodded to him across the table.

Emma looked back at Alex. She could see why Janet would call him a nerd. He was wearing dark jeans, a graphic tee, and an ugly plaid flannel over it. His hair could be defined as a mess and his oddly shaped glasses just added to the effect even more.

"Janet!" The boy identified and pointed like a toddler to the teen.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Janet questioned.

Alex put his hand down and shook his head and laughed a bit. "Uh, no."

Janet proceeded to look him up and down. Her face turned disgusted and she replied with a harsh tone, "Then get lost!"

Alex looked slightly taken aback, but then raised his hands in defeat and began to walk away. He twirled around and looked at Emma sitting there. His blue-green eyes met hers for a second. "I'll find you after class." and Alex walked away. Emma didn't think his remark was meant to be creepy, or stalker-like, but more in desperation.

"What was that?" Janet looked back to Emma. She glanced back to her friend, who had finished the bag of chips.

"That was Alex."