Innocent Emily Kim

Chapter 8: Back to Reality

Emily was glad that the party was on Friday. She didn't know if she could've gone to school after all that had happened. She hoped all the drama blew over by Monday. She had checked her social media earlier that day and saw postings all over. Some people even took pictures of her being dragged away by Aiden. One girl wrote, 'both the Armstrong boys?!' with an emoji that had smoke coming out of its ears.

She lay in her room the entire weekend, only coming out occasionally to make her mother more fat-full cookies.

Monday came all too quickly. She didn't wear a skirt today. After getting a ride from her father, she walked into school. She wished she could put her hoodie over her head, but it was strictly  against school rules. She could hear people whispering about her as she walked down the halls. Some even pointed. Her attempts at blending in failed miserably.

Emily felt an arm wrap around her shoulder.

"Hey, girlfriend."

She looked up and saw Axel staring at her, smiling. She wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Axel!"

She was excited to see him. He was coming to her rescue.

"Let's get to class, babe," he said, rather loudly.

They walked to class. They passed by Aiden, who had Penelope pressed against the lockers and was making out with her.

Emily felt Axel tense beside her. She squeezed his waist gently. He calmed down and looked at her. He gave her a light smile, but Emily could see the hurt in his eyes.

As they passed Aiden and Penelope, she looked back at them. Emily crossed gazes with Aiden. He had lifted his head from his make out session and was looking directly at her. His lips were red and a bit puffy. He smirked at her as Penelope pulled him back by the shirt with one hand and wrapped her fingers around his neck and through his dark brown hair with the other.

He focused back on Penelope and Emily turned back and held herself into Axel tighter.

Axel dropped her off in her first period class and she walked to her usual seat in the front. She sat down and looked out the window. She remembered what Axel said before he left.

"See you in second period."

Axel sat next to her today. He kept sending her little love notes during class adorned with doodles of baby hearts and stick people holding hands.

Emily felt the glares behind her intensify at each note she received. She was glad that Axel was protecting her from all the hate. She saw that he was given a note from someone in the back of the room. He looked at it, frowned, crumbled up the paper, and chucked it at the recycling bin.

The bell rung and Axel walked her out of second period. He silently walked with her as she headed to Nathan for lunch. He sat on the bench again today. She came up to him with Axel treading close behind.

"Do you mind if Axel joins us for lunch today?"

"S-sure."

Nathan moved his bag to the ground and Axel and Emily sat.

"So, how was your date?"

Axel and Emily glanced at each other.

"Interesting," they responded simultaneously.

As they laughed at their synchrony, Emily realized something. She didn't need to care about what other people thought of her. She had nothing to be guilty of and it was not their job to shame her. 

She looked at Axel with a different kind of appreciation. She'd spent more time with him this past week than she ever had before, and she was grateful for this time together.

Emily changed her mindset. She would ignore the hate, but she would no longer change her look or attitude to fit in. She would forever be uniquely her.

"Will you hang out with me at my house today?"

"Sure," Emily replied to Axel, who was acting nervous.

"Great! Aiden keeps inviting Penelope over and I can't stand watching them make out everywhere."

Emily frowned, thinking of them kissing around a heartbroken Axel.

"Oh Axel, of course I'll support you. I am your fake girlfriend after all."

"Thanks."

They walked hand-in-hand to his car and drove to his house.

Upon entering the house, Axel's mother walked by, then stopped when she saw Emily.

"Weren't you with Aiden on Friday?"

Emily blushed, eyes wide.

"H-hi, I'm Emily, Axel's girlfriend."

She frowned at Emily, confused, then shrugged and walked away.

Axel turned to her with questioning eyes.

"H-he helped me out after the party."

"He brought you here?"

"Y-yeah."

"Okay," he shrugged, not very concerned.

They came into the living room and Emily spotted exactly what Axel had described earlier.

Aiden was laying upright on couch with Penelope in between his legs, kissing her slowly and passionately.