Emily and Sonya sat down in their regular spots on the far side of the class. And she pulled out the computer her fairy godmother gifted her. She started clicking around, figuring out the computer.

"Pretty cool that someone got this for you! Still no idea who?" Sonya asked, leaning over.

Emily's stomach backfliped and her heart fluttered. But Emily shook her head. She really hoped her cheeks didn't turn pink. She felt them heating up, especially when Minho walked into the class. Unfortunately Teresa attached to him.

"Well, it's pretty cool." Sonya shrugged, pulling out her own laptop.

The teacher spent the first half of class going through the first chapter of their textbook, the class taking notes. The last half hour they were supposed to break into their project partners.

"Where'd you get that stuff?" A sharp voice from behind her asked.

Emily took a deep breath. It was going to come sooner or later...Teresa stepped in front of her desk, folding her arms and sticking a hip out.

"Her fairy godmother." Sonya rolled her eyes.

"Excuse me?" Her eyes snapped to Sonya and narrowed. Sonya didn't flinch, she leaned back in her chair, raising her chin, staring right back.

"I don't know Tes. They were in my locker this morning. An agenda, a few notebooks and this laptop- it's a basic model, it's nothing to get upset about."

"You're saying that someone actually spent money on you? Why?"

"Maybe 'cause they heard about her accident and wanted to help." A deep voice said quietly.

Emily felt Minho's presence behind her, and she tensed up, at the same time her cheeks went pick. She lowered her head. Minho had stepped closer to Teresa and pulled her close, kissed her cheek.

"By the looks of it's just a few notebooks, Babe."

"Oh yeah, just surprised that's all. My dear sister just doesn't usually go around looking for handouts from her peers, I don't even think she asked our mother." She said with a slight frown, the corners of her pouty mouth turned down at the corners, her blue eyes looked at Emily with a mix of concern, pitty and slight condisention, like she was scolding Emily. She patted Minho's chest and gave him such a fake smile it made Emily want to puke.

"I just don't want my sister to become someone who takes advantage of other people's generosity."

Minho hummed.

"Don't you have a project partner to go work with?" Sonya asked, standing up abruptly.

Teresa glared at her and finally turned and went to the desk where Thomas was waiting.

"Good luck Love." Sonya muttered as she got up. "Minho." Sonya nodded.

"Sonya." Minho smirked slightly and nodded back.

Minho took Sonya's empty chair.

"Hey Rocky. How ya doing today?" He asked quietly, as he pulled his own stuff out.

Emily shrugged. She knew now without a doubt that Minho and Newt had worked together to make this happen.

"Clinically alive. But very thankful for my fairy godmother."

Minho chuckled, "I haven't heard that one."

Emily kept her head down and gave a small smile.

"It's just been a long two weeks. Now let's get into this project."

Emily and Minho actually worked quite well together. They seemed to be on the same page and had very similar ideas. Emily typed furiously as Minho came up with all sorts of ideas and opportunities. The class was almost over when her phone buzzed. Reaching over she pulled it out.

SQUIRT!

Grinning slightly she waited whilst the three dots moved across the screen.

I have a last minute fight next week. Sat 7pm

Awesome! Where?

U of Denver.
...

I want you and Jorge in my corner. I'll have the University coaches, but I requested you 2.

Serious?!

Yes!
I want Fitz's Gym represented!

Al! That's awesome! I'll be there!

Awesome!
But means I won't be at the gym with you the next 2 weeks. Gotta prep. :(

Just make it up to me later. ;)

Deal!

Emily lay her phone on the desk with a smile.

"Who was that?" Minho asked, still typing out their next business plan.

"An old friend." Emily replied.

"Hey...Minho...?" Emily asked hesitantly, Minho looked up from his textbook and raised an eyebrow at her. Her face went pink. But an idea was forming in her head, a way to benefit their project and Newt. But her stomach was twisting in knots and her heart was slamming into her chest so hard she was surprised he didn't hear it.

"So, Jorge is going to be in the coach corner for an up coming fight, I might be too. If you want, you can tag along and shadow. See what the other side of running this kind of business is. Not just the office part of running the business. And I know Tes is gonna be all weird about it. So bring her, and Thomas...and I can bring Sonya and Newt...like make it a big group thing so there isn't any issues with you two..? You can... can make it a date...take her out after...or whatever.."

She felt like she was rambling, but her mouth was dry and it was hard to swallow, her cheeks flushed pink and she looked down at her nervously twisting fingers.

"But if it doesn't work that's fine. I'm going anyways, Newt and Sonya will probably come...but, yeah. Just an umm....an idea. It's probably extra work anyways."

Emily couldn't stop herself. It was like word vomit. It just kept coming.

"I think it's a shucken awesome idea!"

"Really?" Emily picked her head up.

"Yeah! I love the idea. Jorge seems like a cool guy who knows his craft, and how to run the place...it would be a really cool way to showcase a different perspective.."

"Great!" Emily smiled again.

"Just let me know the details and we'll work it out."

The bell rang and they all packed up and headed out the door. Emily of course waited until the end, making sure she kept her distance from Teresa and Brenda. Minho had grabbed Thomas and pulled him aside.

"So? How was it?" Sonya asked, looping her arm.

"Wasn't bad actually. When Crank isn't there...he's actually really nice. And we have so many ideas for the project!"

Sonya gave her a small smirk, but kept quiet.

"Oh! Hey speaking of! I got a text from Alby, he has a fight coming up next weekend. Minho and I are going to tag along with Jorge for a bit for the project. But so Crank can't get mad Minho is going to bring Thomas and her, would you and Newt want to come?"

"The answer is yes." Newt said coming up behind them, "but bloody come where?"

"Your hero, Alby, is fighting next week. Wanna take along?" Sonya asked.

"Bloody hell yes!" Newt nodded enthusiastically.

Emily smiled. "Awesome!"

~•~

Emily sat in the library on her free period, getting her agenda up to date, and rewriting everything that was lost. And snooping around the schools webpage. There was all sorts of things. What caught her attention was a page for creative writing. She was never very good at the creative writing part, but she enjoyed it. She scrolled through. Everything was anonymous, anyone could read the beginning part of all the different works; to finish reading and to comment or message the author you needed to make an account, and a user name.

She shrugged and made an account. There was one piece of work that caught her attention. When it came to user name she felt stuck. After trying a few and ending up deleting them all she finally smirked at herself, and then typed in her user name.

Paper Bag Princess

She scrolled through the different titles and found the one she was reading. By the end of the first page she had tears in her eyes. Her heart and soul felt seen, it felt understood, and yet it broke for this author, whether it was personal or just excellent writing.

It was beautifully written, about the struggle between expectations of everyone and everything around and being true to yourself. About having constant fear, but doing everything humanly possible to hold it inside

She clicked on the author's name.

Thank you for your words. They were beautiful and touching, my heart and soul needed to read this.

She went back to her agenda, copying Newt's dates and notes from the first week, that were ruined. Her computer dinged, a message was waiting for her.

Frowning she opened the message. It was from the writers app. The author had written her back.

Subject A7 The Leader:

Thank you! Not many people find my angsty written very fulfilling. Glad my pain could brighten your day. ;)

She chuckled. She enjoyed this author's sarcasm. She clicked reply.

Absolutely! It was dark broody, and emo with enough Disney princess angst to really hook me. I may just dramatically throw myself onto the nearest object and cry dramatically.

She clicked send. And waited for a moment, staring at the screen. Shaking her head she went to pick up her pen again when the message popped up.

Ahhh finally someone with a dark soul like mine! Wonderful!

Absolutely. :) black clothes, black bitter coffee, just like my soul.

...wait..I don't have one.

Ooo someone who seems to have a tragic backstory!

Ha.
Don't we all?

True. Mine...? I threw a boomerang six years ago. It never came back.

Did you hear that? That was just the sound of my heart breaking into thousands of tiny pieces. What an awful awful childhood! I absolutely see where the angst comes from.

Right? If more people in this shucked up school understood, I wouldn't have to write such heart wrenching dark papers!

Relatable.

But...do you? Actually like it?

Yes! I really honestly did. Honest truth, it was real and raw. I felt it. It was truthful, expressing hurt, frustration, confusion and a vulnerability most people aren't willing to explore in themselves.

Huh. Well thank you. Seems like you have your fair share of bitter resentment inside.

...yeah...

Emily wasn't sure what had gotten into her, she had spent her free period talking with someone she didn't know, she let herself get distracted. She needed to get back to work.  Shaking her head she sent one last message.

I need to get back to work. This homework isn't going to do itself.

Ah, too bad. I was enjoying our conversation about angst.

Me too. Don't usually talk about it. Always putting on the mask. Or the cloak of invisibility.

Talk to you again, Paper Bag Princess.

Emily smiled and closed the chat just as the bell rang. She sighed and packed up. There was a mass exit out of the library as new kids came in, and classes switched.

~•~

Emily spent the week avoiding Ben as much as possible. When ever she saw him in the hall, she would duck into a class and wait for him to pass or shrink down in the crowd, keeping her head down and eyes to the floor. She did the same with Teresa. She hadn't brought up next weekend yet, so maybe Minho hadn't mentioned it.

She had no idea what was going on with them. Teresa seemed to throw herself at him when people were looking, she would be glued to his side constantly, but he never looked...happy. He always had the same serious, intense stone look. Not that she watched him.

Friday came and Emily was actually really looking forward to the weekend. She was going to Sonya and Newt's for the weekend. Their dad somehow managed to convince Ava to let her spend the entire weekend there. She knew she would have a tone of chorse Sunday evening and Monday and the rest of the week. But she knew Teresa was going to be at Brenda's or Minho's, so it would only be Ava at the house. Which ment she would be at work.

Sonya pulled up to her and Newt's house. It was a big beautiful colonial looking house, with a big front portch and a swing. There was a golden retriever waiting on the steps for them.

Emily squealed and rushed to the dog. Newt came up behind chuckling.

"Meet Chuck."

"Aren't you a good boy!" Emily cooed. He wood playfully and jumped around wagging his tail, trying to lock her face.

"He can get kinda bloody annoying. But he's a good boy." Newt rolled his eyes.

Emily just smiled, feeling like some of the weeks anxieties melting away. She grabbed her school backpack and over night bag from the car and followed Sonya and Newt inside.

There was a lady in the kitchen with ginger hair pulled up, and an approx around her thin fram. She turned around and smiled kindly, she had the same warm brown eyes as Newt and Sonya. She wiped her hands on a dish cloth, and then held them out.

"You must be Miss Emily Fritz. I've heard so much about you!" She grabbed Emily's hands and gave them a squeeze.

"Come dear, it's been a long week of school, go dump your stuff in Sonya's room. I'm just pulling out cookies."

She shoed them off, and a chuckle. Sonya rolled her eyes, but motioned with her head and Emily followed. Up the stairs and into Sonya's room. A big queen sized bed, a big old wood desk, and a bookshelf, posters of old rock bands.

"Dump your stuff and make yourself at home, Love. Need anything, help yourself."

"Thank you."

Emily felt a little knife in her chest. This should have been hers. She should have had a mother and father. But some selfish slint head made a decision and it coated her her mother. And then the sick evil world took her father. Her father who was healthy, fit and strong. She felt a small little jealousy monster inside her chest try and rear it's ugly head.

She swallowed hard, blinked back a few tears, and nodded.

"You girls coming? Newt is going to eating all the cookies!" Mrs. Isaac called up the stairs.

Sonya raced out of the room, pulling Emily with her.

~•~

Emily sat curled up in her dad's blanket, her laptop open on her lap. It was late, but Emily couldn't sleep. She opened the school website and a notification poped up in her message box.

Clicking it she saw it was from Subject A7 The Leader. It was sent earlier today.

Princess! Hope you made it through the week without sucking anyones souls!

She clicked respond and typed a quick message.

Just barley. Me and the grim reaper were quite busy!

Almost immidiatly she saw the little notification up in the corner that said Subject A7 was typing.

Oh shuck! Remind me to be on my best behavior! ;)

Darn straight.
You're up late.

Oh you know...angsty life of a teenager. The shucken drama never ends.

:( I'm sorry. I can send the grim reaper after them?

Ha. Nah. Just...girl drama.

Ooo. The worst kind. Sorry my friend. I don't think I can be of much help.

No? You seem like the perfect person who would know what to do. Also..I'm 95% sure you're a girl, why are you all so shucken dramatic?

What gave away I'm a girl?

Well for starters your user name is Paper Bag Princess..unless you're like a 50 he old fat balding shank trying to catfish me...

Haha. Got me there. Yes I am indeed female. But, I'm no good at...friends or relationships. I don't have a lot of experience in relationships of any kind. So, not a good person to ask.

I'm sensing the whole dark angsty soul thing...

Ya...and let's not go there.

So...What about you, Princess. You're up late.

Feeling... melincoly and emotional. Don't really know how to describe it. Just a general sense of...sad.

:(

Have you ever felt so sad..so lost and lonely it physically hurts inside?

She waited. Watching the typing notification, it flashed on and then it was gone. Then it was there and then gone again. She felt guilty for having asked such a personal question. Emily wasn't sure what was going on with herself lately. She felt like her whole grade 12 year had been thrown off kilter, right from day one. Some for the good and some for the bad. She sighed and ran a hand through her long hair. It was late, and she needed to sleep. Her body was still sore and healing from her accident.

She saw the little typing notification.

Yes. Quiet recently actually.

I'm sorry.

Someone I know seems to be in an unhealthy situation. But I have no idea how to help or what to do. It's a complicated and messy situation from what I have been able to figure out.

Just...be there for them. If they want the help or not, if they want to talk or not...if they want a hug or shoulder to cry or a quiet presence...just be there. Remind them you're there.

I told you, Princess, your would know what to do. Thank you. <3

Anytime A7. We should probably get some sleep.

You're right. Good night Princess. Sweet dreams. :)

Good Night A7. Don't let the bedbugs bite.

Emily closed her computer and slid it back into her backpack. Getting up sheay back down on Sonya's bed. Chuck hoped up onto the bed and crawled over and lay down between the girls. Emily smiled, rolling over and snuggling into the big puppy. Her sore achey heart felt a little better.