After her detention Emily was fuming. She felt her blood boiling. Her face was flushed, and she was breathing heavily. The anger and the humiliation of what happened still fresh in her mind. She didn't See anyone around her in the halls. School was already over and extra curricular activities hadn't started. She did see a few guys hanging on the football field as she stormed down the steps to the bike rack.

She rode as fast as she could to the gym. It took didn't take her that long. She parked her bike and stormed into the gym. She was so angry she threw her back behind the counter and stormed to her locker and grabbed her stuff.

"That good of a day hey, Ma Hija?" Jorge leaned on the counter, his arms crossed.

"Did Alby fill you in?" Emily asked, slamming her locker door closed.

He just nodded.

"Well, then you know exactly what happened."

"Millie, ma Hija, come here." Jorge said gently. Jorge was the only one after dad passed away who could call her Millie and get away with it.

She hung her head and came over. He pulled her into a hug. She finally sighed. She missed Jorge. Jorge gave the best hugs. Alby gave great ones too, but there was something about a grown up who cared about you. She wrapped her arms around him and he squeezed her hard. Blinking hard, keeping her tears inside.

"Ma Hija, you did the right thing. If someone touches you, you have my full permission to hit them. And if you need bail money, I will be there."

"Same here!" A loud voice boomed.

"Well Jorge, ya might need bail money for two!"

Jorge chuckled and pulled away. He cupped her face. "Now go, I know you need to go let off some steam. Once your calmed, we will talk about the rest of your day." He pulled her face and kissed the top of her head.

Emily ran to the change room, changed out of her street clothes, and quickly pulled her hair up into a pony. The gym had a few other guys and trainers milling about, and all nodded at Emily and Alby.

"You all warmed up?"

Emily nodded. Alby swept his arm towards the ring and Jorge appeared ready to ref and give pointers. The two faced off and went at it. Either Emily's anger fuiled her or Alby was going easy, but she won each round.

"Stop pulling your punches!" Emily yelled.

They went a few more rounds. Emily was covered in sweat, and she was exhausted. She finally flipped to the ground laying spread egal panting and heaving.

"Huh. Put you in detention more often and you'd be first place!"

"Ha!"

"You got extra money kicken' around?" Emily groaned peeking an eye open at Alby.

"I'm in University. I'm brok, kid! I'm on a scholarship right now...." He rolled his eyes, "do I have money?!" He scoffed.

"Me either. And I got school equipment to buy!"

"Dang. Come on." He held out a hand and pulled her up. "Take a break and we'll hit the bags."

~•~

Emily was sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter at home making notes and colour coordination her agenda when the back door opened. Teresa came skipping in.

"Your home late. It's 10pm!" Emily didn't even look up from her work.

"What are you my mother?" Teresa rolled her eyes.

"Nope." She popped the p. "but I know how pissed she gets when your late, but she's working late. Supper is in the fridge, laundry is folded on your bed."

"I ate at Minho's."

Emily paused in her work.

"Oh. That's nice." She said stiffly. "then there's leftovers for tomorrow."

"I'll probably be at Bee's. But whatever." Teresa dumped her stuff on the table. "So...how was detention?" She asked in a sing song voice.

"Great. We sat in a circle and sang kumbia."

Teresa snorted. "Try dispelling those rumors now!"

"There wouldn't be any if you hadn't started them."

She shrugged and gave Emily a wicked grin.

"Aren't you gonna ask me about Minho?"

"Why would I do that?" Emily sighed, very annoyed with this conversation. Sure the guy was hot. But he was arrogant and cocky, did absolutely nothing when his friend was a really nasty piece of work.

"Because I've seen you stare at him all day and blush around him."

Emily sighed. "Tessa. You're making things up. You wanna date the puffed up QB? He's all yours."

Emily picked up her stuff, shoving it into her bag, and grabbed her mug of tea and got up. "I'm going to my room."

"It's Teresa! Or Tes!" She stomped her foot, "And too bad. I was gonna tell you how good a kisser he is."

"Great. Text me." Emily rolled her eyes.

Once up in her room she groaned. Banging her head on her desk as she sunk down into the chair. Her phone buzzed. Frowning she picked her head up. She didn't actually mean for Tes to text her. She only says that when she doesn't want to talk, because she knows Teresa will never text her.

She flipped her phone on, and of course it was a text from Teresa. And it was a picture. Of Minho and her mid making out.

Emily groaned and deleted the picture.

"Gross." She muttered.

But her heart had fluttered. What would it be like? She had only ever kissed one guy, but that was in grade 5...did it actually count? She had kept away from guys. She hardly had friends, never mind a boyfriend. If any guy showed any sort of interest in her, Teresa was there to swoop them away.

She picked up her phone again, found Sonya's name and sent her a quick text.

Uhg! Shoot me!

She went back to her books and notes.

Her phone buzzed.

Lay it on me girl! I'm all ears!

Just...today has been the longest first day of school.

I bloody Believe it.
....
How was detention?

🙄

Yeah...but it's not that bad with Coach.

You speak from experience?

Ha. Girl. I'm a mess with me and find out. I woulda done the same. Have done the same.

I can see it!

Ha. Don't mess with me and we're good!
...
Where did ya disappear after school?

To the gym.

Ahh, yes. The mystery gym.
...
Newt wants to know which gym.

My dad's gym.

??

Fitz Fighting Gym

Cool.

You have no idea, do you.

Nope, none. :)

My dad owned a kickboxing gym. My godfather runs it now. I go when I can.

Well that's totally badass! Can I come next time?

Sure. Wanna come tomorrow?

YES! Newt wants to know if he can tag along.

Fiiiiine. ;)
See ya tomorrow morning.

Oh! Hey, what's your address, I'll pick ya up.

250 Scorch Ave

I'll pick ya up at 8

👍

~•~

E

mily woke to her alarm going off again. With a groan she rolled out of bed. She had had a shower last night when she got home from the gym. So her hair was a wild mess. She braided it in two tight boxer braids.

Her phone buzzed.

Coming early. We'll swing for coffee. My treat.

Okay.

Nope. I bloody lied.

?

Newt's treat. His bike is in the shop, I'm giving him a lift. He's paying.

Ha. Alright.

With a smile on her face now, she pulled her black leggings on. One of her dad's old retro Fits Fighting Gym t shirts; it was big and sloppy, and she loved it. Throwing on her jean jacket, again her minimal make up glasses she was ready. She grabbed her bag and headed down the stairs.

She threw some coffee on for Teresa and Ava. She also quickly preped some breakfast. She knew they hardly ate, but if she didn't there would be hell to pay. So, she got it prepared. Teresa came floating into the kitchen, looking as immaculate as ever with her soft waves in her black hair.

"Where you off in a hurry?"

"Friends."

"Excuse me? You? The little gym rat book nerd has friends?"

"Believe it or not." Emily rolled her eyes.

"Whatever loser."

Emily's phone buzzed.

Newt:
Around the corner

Meet ya at the driveway.

Emily grabbed her bag, threw her sneakers on. "See ya at school."

Emily was out the door and at the end of the driveway when a car pulled up. Newt hoped out of the passenger side and held door open, and bowed her in. He closed the door and climbed into the back seat.

"Come on. You sure you don't wanna switch sides? You're the perfect gentleman!" Emily laughed as Sonya took off. She had twisted around to look at him.

"Sorry Love."

"Dammit Newt!"

He chuckled. Sonya turned up the volume on the song. It was an old school rock. They sang all the way to the coffee shop.

Pulling through the drive through Sonya leaned out, gave her and Newt's order, she turned to look at Emily.

"What'll it be?"

"Just coffee."

"Come on. Seriously. I heard that stomach growl. Newt's paying." Sonya winked.

Emily felt her face heat up. Sonya looked back out the window of the car and ordered the same thing as her. And pulled up.

"Girl. We know you live with the wicked witch of the north and her spawn. And in every fairy tale the Cinderella in the story gets the klunk end of the deal."

"She means we understand, Love." Newt rolled his eyes, "and it's a bloody coffee and bagel. It's not a buggen' steak dinner!"

Emily twisted the end of her braid, "Thanks guys. I...I just...never really had a friend."

"What? Seriously?" Sonya asked shocked. She had pulled the car up and Newt handed her the money.

"Well sure up until I was about 12. And Tessa was actually kind of nice...until my dad died and then...after that she started rumors and lies and all sorts of stuff. My friends left. And I focused instead on grades...and the gym. I had one friend who never left, but he was two years older and went to a different school."

"Ooo mysteries romance?" Sonya teased, handing Newt and Emily their coffees and food.

"Eww no. He's like a brother. Gross." Emily shivered.

"Okay fine. Is he good looking at least?" Sonya raised an eyebrow. She thanked the lady at the window and merged back onto the street and off to school.

"I don't know. I grew up with him." Emily wrinkled her nose. "here, lemme find a picture."

She pulled her phone out and scrolled through her pictures. The latest one was the two of them after Alby won his latest match. Jorge took it a few weeks ago. She held it up for Newt and Sonya to see.

"Hot damn he's fine!" Sonya grined.

"That's Alby The King Einstein!" Newt gasped.

"Uh yeah..?"

"Wait...you know Alby THE KING Einstein?!"

"Yes Newton. We established this already!" Emily rolled her eyes, but couldn't keep her smirk to herself.

"Shuck woman!"

"Get a grip on your self man! So he's the national champ of kickboxing." Sonya rolled her eyes, she leaned over, "someone is fangirling right now."

Emily couldn't help but giggle. She told them the story of Alby and her, how after the first year his parents couldn't afford lessons, but dad took him on for free and paid for his competitions and all the extra stuff. When he passed away, he had left money in his will for Alby's training.

"Wow. Emy, your dad must have been right bloody awesome." Newt wondered.

Emily nodded with a smile. "That he was."
She turned her phone to a locked screen and held it up for them. It was the last picture of the four of them before Ava and Tess ruined her life and before Dad had gotten sick.

"That's him. And me and Alby and my godfather, Jorge."

"Hey! That's the same bloody shirt you're wearing."

"Vintage! Nice!" Sonya grinned, "my kinda style!"

They pulled into the parking lot of the school and Emily groaned. Leaning her head back and closing her eyes.

"Problem, Love? It's not even first period!"

"Well my wonderful...step sister-"

"We need a code word for her." Sonya frowned.

"Well her and her QB boyfriend are literally trying to eat each other."

Sonya snorted, "crank! She can be The Crank."

"It's fighting. She's usually pretty cranky."

Newt snorted too. But looked out the window, and shuddered.

"Gross." Sonya wrinkled her nose.

"This is typical. Because I looked in his direction once, she has to try and claim her territory, I can't have anything. Even if she thinks I might like it. I sneeze in someone's direction and she's trying to claim it. She'll try come after you two."

"She can try. I've felt with twats like her before." Sonya shrugged.

What bugged Emily though was that this time, it bothered her. It bothered her that she was doing this to Minho. With Minho. Yeah he was puffed and egotistical, but for some reason it hurt her. She watched for a second longer than she should have.

Minho was leaning against a tree only a few feet from where they were parked. Teresa had her arms wrapped around his neck. He had one arm around her back pulling her close, her chest pressed to his. His other held a to go cup of coffee. Emily blinked and shook her head. Opening the car door she got out and grabbed her coffee and backpack. Sonya and Newt following. They closed the doors just as Jeff and Clint walked up.

"Hey guys!"

"Sup shanks!" Jeff called.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Minho pull away and look over at their group. She smiled when Jeff pulled her into a hug.

Sonya looped her arm with Emily's and guided her towards the front door as the bell rang. She felt Teresa and Minho's eyes on her the whole way across the lawn.

"Off to ELA, Love." Newt caught up to the girls. He threw his arm over Emily, so she was samwhiched between the twins.

"And then. It's off to business with me!" Sonya grinned.

"Oh goodie!" Emily rolled her eyes but was grinning from ear to ear.

~•~

ELA flew by. She sat with Newt and Nick, the school president, sat on his other side and they chatted like old friends. Emily met a kid who went by the nickname Frypan. He had plunked down beside her and just started talking like they knew each other.

Newt seemed to know him as well. Frypan apparently was in the trades program, business development and Culinary Arts program. But took AP English because he needed the credit and liked English.

Emily learned all of this before class attendance. Frypan was kind and warm, he was loud, but made Emily feel very comfortable and eased.

"Do you just know everyone?" She asked as they packed up their things.

"Don't really belong to any one group. Kinda float around." Newt shrugged, "I get ta know lots of people."

"Well they all seem like good people."

"I thought so." He shrugged again. They stopped at his locker so he could grab his music stuff.

"So...Newt?" She started awkwardly.

"Yes, Love?" He raised an eyebrow.

"How do ya know Minho? Yesterday you two seemed pretty close...or at least more than acquaintances."

Newt raised an eyebrow, and gave her a questioning look.

"Just curious." She shrugged, hoping the blush she felt on her face wasn't noticable.

"Well when Sonya and I first moved here from England, it was grade eight. I tried out for the buggen' track team. Me and him we co captains. He quit track and focused on Football. I stayed on the track team, still am. We stayed in touch."

"Oh. That's cool."

"He's a good guy. Just...yeah...a bit cocky, sassy...arrangent. He comes from a bloody wealthy family. His dad pushes him constantly to be some football star. Always off at camps and training. Dad's really pushy. Kinda harsh. Always looking for opportunities to get him a scholarship to university...His mom is sweet though."

Emily just hummed and nodded. Her eyes found the hug musical Asian, leaning on the locker, his arms folded, making his t shirt pull tight across his chest, he was laughing at something one of his friends said.

Newt leaned in, "he IS McDreamy." He whispered.

"Oh shut up ya British twat!" Emily rolled her eyes, going beat read.

Newt chuckled and closed his locker.

"Come on. I'll show you where your next class is. It's on the way to the music room."

~•~

• I had fun making this...her vintage T she wore- her dad's old gym t shirt. •

• Also...I hope these pictures and things don't get annoying and break up the story too much! I just love sharing my rediculous ideas! •