Emily sat in her room, her computer open in front of her. She had just finished copying her latest chemistry notes and math homework.

She had come home from Newt and Sonya's in a good mood. Teresa had come home in a raging mood. She came home screaming  about how Emily was stealing her boyfriend. She stormed up to Emily, who was waiting for the tea kettle to boil. Teresa had shoved her into the fridge, an iron grip on both her arms. Teresa held her so tight she was going to have little bruises on her biceps.

"You filthy little slut! Keep your hands to yourself!"

"What are you talking about?!" Emily asked bewildered, her eyes wide and dilated in fear.

"He was with you yesterday afternoon, he came to your stupid gym!"

"What? How...how's that my fault?" her voice was shaking.

"He went to you! And not me!" she screamed, her face was twisted in anger and her blue eyes were as cold as ice.

"Weren't you at cheer practice and then to Brenda's?" 

"That's not the point, Emily! He chose to go to you!"

"Okay...I still don't...understand how that's my fault? We worked on our project!" Emily tried to defend her self. Teresa interrupted her and slammed her into the fridge again.

"It's always the excuse! That project!" 

Emily clamped her eyes closed tight, turning her head away. She was so frustrated with this conversation. It didn't matter what she said, Emily would always be in the wrong. Always be blamed. It didn't matter if she wasn't even there, even if he showed up at the gym, it would be her fault because it was the thing she couldn't have.

"Because it's the truth! Please Tes, believe me! Please!"

Teresa just screamed, pushed her again and stomped away. Emily quickly gathered her things with tears in her eyes and retreated to her room. Where she now sat. Her phone said it was almost midnight. She knew she needed to sleep. But she just felt so empty. She didn't even have the energy to get up. She sat at her desk, staring blankly out the window.

Her computer dinged, a notification from Subject A7: The Leader 

Hey Princess, steal any souls this weekend?

Not this weekend

Too busy being angsty and awesome?

Sure. Something like that.

Uh oh. Not a good weekend?

It was actually good. For the most part- but something always has to ruin it :(
I'm sorry, I don't mean to be a Debby Downer.

You're aloud to have emotions. Don't always have to be happy. 

That's the problem...

What is? 

I don't feel happy most of the time. Most of the time I feel like I'm drowning and I've stopped calling for help, because no one cares. Or if a life line is thrown at me, someone is there to knock it away.

I'm sorry Princess. :( Anything I can do?

No...nothing you can do. Just feeling empty and exhausted.

Well it is the middle of the night. ;)

Would ya look at that!

So...lets see what do girls like to talk about? Oh, what are you wearing to school? Cuz on my shuck giiiiiirl...this new outfit is so fetch! Or...boys? Any teenage crushes? 

Okay, 1- no one says fetch. And I'm wearing clothes. 2- do fictional men count?

Fetch is totally gonna be a thing.  0_o

It's not.

Totally is!

Stop trying to make fetch a thing! It's not going to catch!

Okay Regena George *Eye roll* Also fictional men set a standard we as men can never obtain. (fetch is gonna be a thiiiiing)

Emily chuckled at the Mean Girls reference. This A7 was quite hilarious. Sassy and serious at the same time. She chuckled and decided to take a risk. This conversation was all general, with no specifics or names or details. So she decided to be honest.

Yes. That's the point. Also fiction men won't let you down. But yeah, I may kind of possibly...maybe like someone. 

OOOOOOhhh. 

Don't get so excited A7, they're unavailable.

Boo. Like emotionally unavailable or..?

Like they are in a current relationship.

Again, BOO.

:/ Story of my miserable life. Oh, how did that girl drama go? Did it sort itself out?

Now it's my turn :/ I don't think so. And I think I made it worse.

Well that wasn't very smart. And like I said...fictional men know where it's at.

Yeah. Big sigh.

Any way you can fix the damage?

I can try...but...I also don't really know what I did wrong.

Some girls just like to make a big deal out if nothing, because they need to feel in control. And it's what they are comfortable with, so any kind of healthy relationship is hard, so they self sabetage. Or she's just a bitch and you gotta break up.

Ha! Sometimes I see it. But other times not, and other times I..I don't know. Girls are weird.

That we are.

Okay, new subject. Do you have anything written for this app? Any creative writing? I've scrolled through and haven't seen anything posted from you. 

I have actually been working on something, but not sure if I want the world to see it.

Can I read it?

Umm...sure.

I'll just copy and past...

Here:

"Tonight I'm so alone. This sorrow takes a hold. Don't leave me, it's so cold. Never wanna be so cold. Your touch used to be so kind. Your touch used to give me life. I've waited all this time, I've wasted so much time. Don't leave me alone, cause I barely see at all. Don't leave me alone

I'm falling in the black, slipping through the cracks. Falling to the depths, can I ever go back? Dreaming of the way it used to be, can you hear me? Falling in the black, slipping through the cracks. Falling to the depths, can I ever go back? Falling inside the black. Falling inside, falling inside The black. 

You were my source of strength. I've traded everything that I love for this one thing. Stranded in the offering. Don't leave me here like this, can't hear me scream from the abyss? And now I wish for you, my desire. Don't leave me alone, cause I barely see at all! Don't leave me alone! 

I'm falling in the black, slipping through the cracks. Falling through the depths, can I ever go back? Dreaming of the way it used to be, can you hear me? Falling in the black, slipping through the cracks. Falling through the depths, can I ever go back? Falling inside the black, falling inside, falling inside The black...Black...Black...Black..." 

Emily waited nervously twisting her hair around her finger and chewing on her lip. She was nervous about someone else reading it. It was pretty dark. But her heart was feeling really heavy. She placed her forehead down in the desk and waited. Her computer dinged.

Holly shit. 
...

Like wholly shuck Princes. That's shucken fantastic! Absolutely you need to post that! Like that's more real and raw then like my lame Disney emo. That's deep and straight from a dark broken place. 

Yeah...well, told you I had a dark soul.

I think dark can be beautiful though. I think your trauma and made you stronger.

Emily sat at her desk, staring at the words. Rereading her writing and then what Subject A7 The Leader had written about her words, about her dark and broken place. Can dark be beautiful? It felt like her pain and trauma was breaking her, she felt so...broken. She couldn't even fully enjoy a weekend at her best friends because her trauma.

Doesn't feel like it.

One day you'll see it. Gotta walk through fire and hell, get squeezed by pressure, and you will come out sharp and hard and beautiful as a diamond.

You don't even know me...

Maybe I should.

Emily's stomach backfliped. She did wonder who this A7 was. But she was scared to know, at least this way it was anonymous and no one could actually fully judge her. Because if they saw who she really was, they wouldn't want to be friends.

Probably not a good idea.

Why's that?

Don't think you would like the rest of me.

I highly doubt that, Princess.

Her stomach fluttered with the wings of butterflies. There was something about this guy calling her princess. It was casually thrown in, it was her username. But it made her cheeks warm with a little blush.

Well, I should go to sleep.

Alright. <3 Good night Princess. I really enjoy talking to you. We should more often.

Same. Good night A7.

Emily logged off and closed her computer.

~•~

The weekend couldn't come fast enough. Minho had finally gotten around to bringing up the fight on Saturday with Teresa. He apparently did it during lunch, according to Jeff and Sonya who was walking past the big group. The two came scurrying over to their table and filled them in on the drama. Teresa had to play it cool apparently. But Sonya said she looked ready to explode.

"Well...great. I'll hear about it tonite." Emily sighed. Banging her head on the table.

"I doubt it. It seemed like it was his idea." Jeff frowned.

"It'll still be my fault." She groaned.

"Sorry Em." Clint frowned.

"You two coming too?" Newt asked, pointing at Jeff and Clint.

"I can't, already have my work schedule." Clint hung his head.

"I can come! Sorry Clint." Jeff said, and patted his friends shoulder.

"I'll text you the next few fight dates." Emily reasured him.

~•~

Emily had gotten a ride from Jorge to the area. She had left around lunchtime. She took her bike. When she got home on Sunday from Sonya's, her bike was propped up against the garage door, fix and good as knew. No explications, a small note taped to her handle bars

From your Fairy Godmother

Emily smiled. Her heart fluttering and her stomach backfliped.

She pulled her bike up to the gym and went to find Jorge. He was just packing up his bag. Emily went to help. She was filling out some paperwork when Minho showed up, wearing the vintage Fitz's Gym shirt.

Emily chuckled. Minho froze and pointed at her then at himself then back at her, his eyes wide in shock.

"You're wearing my shirt!" He gasped.

"You copied me!"

"No! You copied me!"

Emily chuckled, shaking her head. She had to rip her eyes from his chest and shoulders, the shirt was tight, and Emily could feel her cheeks becoming warm.

"What cha doing?" He asked coming over.

"Did you fill out this form?" She held up the waver.

"Oh, yeah Jorge emailed it, got my mom to sign it. Few more months and I can do it myself."

"Lucky."

"Aww, are you a baby still?" He teased.

"I'm going to be in shucken university and Imma have to ask the wicked witch to sign my wavers!"

"Wicked witch?" He raised his eyebrow.

Emily's eyes flew open and she clamped a hand over her mouth. She shook her head, her face flamed red. He didn't say anything, but watched her.

"Is she that bad?" He finally asked quietly.

Emily lowered her hand, hanging her head in shame, "I ...I don't want to talk about it. Please.... forget I said anything. And please don't tell Teresa."

Fear shot through her, making her feel hot and sweaty, and her heart slam into her chest. Minho looked at her for another moment, she could see his jaw clenching and unclenching. She saw he was internally wrestling with something. He let out a noise so where between a sigh and a growl.

"So when's your birthday?" He asked.

"November 20." She answered, still feeling awkward, she spoke to the ground.

"Em, I'm not laying on the ground."

His voice was so quiet and gentle. It was different from when he was yelling out plays or when he stepped in when Ben had picked on her. Again her stomach felt like there was a flock of butterflies trying to get out. She raised her head, hesitantly, her eyes flicked to his and then away, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Yours? I guess beginning of the year.."

"February 10"

Emily nodded, not really knowing what to do. Thankfully Jorge showed up.

"Alright Ma Hija, all packed. Hermano, glad you could make it." He shook Minho's hand.

"Did you have our passes?" Emily asked.

"Yep. I have them right here." He pulled out two lanyards from inside his jacket. Emily's pass was an all access coach's corner; Minho's was an all access, security clearance.

"All right, Minho are you coming with us or your own vehicle?" Jorge asked, handing the passes out.

"I'll bring my own, if that's okay. If there was nothing after I was going to take Tes out for supper."

"All fine. Just follow us, and I'll let the security you're with us."

Emily followed Jorge to his car and with an awkward wave to Minho she climbed in.esning her head back she closed her eyes and groaned as Jorge started the car.

"You need to relax around him, Millie."

"I can't."

"When you fight or train you relax. Last weekend you were fine, no?"

"Yeah and then Tes flipped and left bruises and threaded to distroy me. And-" she cut herself off, looking out the window, trying to keep the tears in.

"Papi, I can fight opponents bigger than me in the ring. But she scares the klunk out of me! I get all shaky and panicked. My brain shuts down and I turn into that scared 13 year old girl, cowering in the corner while she screams and smash things around me. While Ava sits and watches."

He glanced at her with sadness in his eyes.

"And you like him."

Emily sighed, nodding slowly, "yeah." She whispered.

Jorge didn't say anything for a while.

"Tell me about him."

Emily spent the rest of the drive across town telling Jorge about Minho and what he did for her with the school supplies, and her bike and stopping Ben, how he seems different away from school. She also told Jorge about Subject A7 on the writing app, and their dark conversations, but how she feels better after talking to this annoynamus person who just seems to get it. Jorge was quiet, nodding along and asking a few questions; but he just let her talk, vent it out, for the most part.

She talked herself out just as they pulled up the the security window. Jorge handed over his pass and told them the truck behind was with them. The security waved them through. They parked and hoped out. Slipping their passes on, they grabbed a bag of equipment from Jorge's car and turned to follow Jorge.

"Ready?" Jorge asked.

"I'm so freakin' excit!" Minho grinned. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet, his eyes wide in wonder.

"Then lets go Hermano." Jorge grinned. "Millie, after you."

~•~

This is the actual song used as Emily's writing. Falling Inside the Black by Skillet.