Emily woke up early. Her head was still pounding, and her body was stiff and sore. She dragged her self out of bed. She never did get around to her chores last night. She had to do them before school.

It would take her an hour. She had gotten pretty good at getting them done quickly. She also knew how to multitask. If she stayed on top of them, they weren't too bad. She was just finishing the moping when she heard footsteps behind her. She recognized the tread. She instantly tensed up. Ava was never out of her room this early.

"Why wasn't this done yesterday?" Her voice was sharp.

Emily turned with her head down. "I had a bike accident last night. I wasn't feeling well. I'm sorry Ava."

"Look at me."

Emily raised her head scared to see the look on her step mothers face. Her lips were pressed into a tight thin line, her eyes were cold as they took in her face.

"Stitches?"

"Jorge. I went back to Jorge. He did them."

She pursed her lips.

"Fine. But this is finished before you leave."

"Yes ma'am. Almost finished. Laundry is in the dryer, and I can fold it after school. Your shirts are hanging and drying. I'll also iron them after school."

"Fine." She snapped.

Emily nodded and scurried away, taking cleaning supplies with her, putting it all away and turning the coffee on, she jumped into the shower quickly.

Glancing at her face in the mirror she cringed. It looked awful. She was glad she had taken her glasses off, or those would have been smashed for sure. The road rash and bruise went from her cheek up the side of her face to her temple. The gash was red and angry, three black stitches stuck out and then Teresa's scratches on her other cheek.

She rewrapped her hand and took her sore body up the stairs. Her phone kept buzzing with texts from Sonya and Newt. She ignored them. She pulled on a pair of jeans a r shirt and hoodie. She felt her hair down, and grabbed her baseball hat, it could help cover the stitches and bruising. There was no way makeup was going to help, it would probably make it worse. She grabbed her ruined notebooks and laptop and headed back downstairs. She filled a travel mug of coffee. Left the muffins and fruit out of Ava and Teresa. Hoping that would be alright.

She slipped her boots on and had her hand on the door handle when there was another sharp voice behind her making her flinch and she hated that she did.

"Be careful today." Teresa whispered threateningly.

Emily didn't say anything. She left the house. And only realized her bike was still in the back of Minho's truck. She started the long trek to school on foot. She was a few blocks in when a car pulled up beside her.

"Get in, Looser! We're going for coffee." Sonya yelled from the car.

Emily kept her head tilted down, but looked over. Newt was leaning out the window, with his big goofy grin. But it slid off.

"Sonya stop the bloody car!"

Sonya slammed on the brakes. Newt was out of the car before it had come to a complete stop. He was in front of her so fast she hardly registered his movements. His hand gently tilted her chin up, so she was forced to look up at him and his gentle eyes went wide.

"What the bloody hell, Emy!"

Her eyes instantly filled with tears. Sonya had stopped the car and got out of the car, the car behind her didn't like that she pulled off and honked. Sonya just flipped him off and came over. Newt had pulled Emily into a hug.

Her damn broke. And she cried. She had cried after Minho left and it was just her and Jorge. But it broke again. She hated herself for crying she hated that she flinched when she heard Ava or Teresa's footsteps. She hated that she couldn't even afford a new agenda, never mind a laptop. She hated her home life so much. She hated life.

Newt just held her, Emily's face was turned away from them, keeping her head down, hiding behind her hair and baseball hat and hoodie hood. Sonya rubbed her back, frowning.

"Hey, babe, what's wrong?"

Emily pulled away and cautiously swooped the tears from her battered face. She hesitantly looked up.

"Who the bloody hell do I gotta hit? I don't even care if I need bail money!" Sonya snarled.

"Come on Love, into the car. Coffee. Did you eat? Did you take something?" Newt kept fussing.

"Yes, Mama Newt. I ate. Sorta. And I took something."

Sonya snickered. "Noodles? Mama Newt? These are great! Why have I never come up with these?"

Newt rolled his eyes. But ushered Emily into the car, he slid into the backseat with her.

"Sonya! Coffee! And step on it!"

"Aye aye captain!" Sonya saluted.

"You better bloody explain!" Newt rounded on Emily, he took her hand gently and looked at the wrapped up injury.

Emily told them about her day. She was surprised by how much detail she told them. She told them everything...including all the things and feelings about Minho. She could feel Sonya's eyes glancing at her in the rearview mirror.

Sonya ordered and paid, all while Emily explained about coming home to Teresa and Minho, and what happened after he left and this morning.

"That little shucked faced slint headed slutty little crank!" Sonya ragged.

"Bloody hell Emy!" Newt whispered.

Emily clutched the hot coffee, her eyes burning. Newt pulled her closer, and she cautiously laid her head on Newt's shoulder and they were quiet the rest of the way to school. They pulled up into the parking lot. And Emily took a deep breath.

Head down. Mouth closed and get through.

Her phone bussed.

Alby: Jorge told me what happened last night. WTH?!

I'm alright. Sore and bruised.

I don't care! WTH!

AL. Seriously. I'm okay. Someone helped me get to Jorge.

Ya. I heard. This Minho kid. QB. T's new boy toy. And your project partner.

Seriously! Is anything I say to J private?

No. And I'm glad it's not! You didn't even tell me!

🙄

😡

I'm okay. Lap top isn't. School notes aren't but I'm okay.

I know. You always are. But I hate that we can't do anything! That Witch needs to be stopped!

I know.

I need details on this Minho.

I gotta go to school. Later Al

You're not getting out of this that easily!

Bye Al!

Emily slid her phone into her pocket and hefted her backpack. She realized both Sonya and Newt had waited. And she felt guilty.

"Sorry. Alby was just checking in."

"All good, Love." Newt said, his thumbs were flying over his phone too, texting someone. He finally looked up, smiled and slid his phone into his pocket and laid an arm over her shoulders and together the three of them went up the steps of the school. She kept her head down, not bothering to look at anyone or where she was going. Sonya and Newt were guiding her.

She went to her locker dumped the extra stuff and grabbed her Biology textbook. They waved her good bye. She was almost at the science lab when something huge and solid appeared in front of her.

She stopped just before she walked into them.

"Hey Rocky."

Her panic flashed. She backed up, her eyes wide. Her chest rose and fell. Her head whipped around looking for Teresa.

"Hey, hey, what's the problem?" He asked.

Emily just shook her head.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. His eyes narrowed, and a frown tugged on his mouth. "Where the shuck did you get those scratches?"

"I got hit by a car Minho. I'm going to have scratches."

"Those weren't there yesterday!"

"I guess you just never noticed."

"They weren't!"

"I gotta go." She stepped around him and kept going down the hall. Her head down, holding her coffee like a life line.

"Emily!"

She ignored him and slipped into the class. She saw Miss Mary setting up.

"You're early Emily."

"Umm yeah..." She hesitated, "umm I had a bit if a bike accident in the rain last night. Is it possible to get the notes from last week? I'll copy them down and give them back."

"Oh, are you all right?" She had stopped what she was doing and came over.

"Yeah. Sore. Bruised. But I'll live. Nothing broke. Well...no bones broke. Annoying in my bag was soaked. Can't read nothing... everything was ruined..." She waved her hand. She was rambling. Emily cringed and clamped her mouth closed. Mary frowned. But didn't say anything.

"Yes, I have extra notes. No need to give them back." She went to her bag and pulled out a few printed pages ofast weeks notes.

"Thank you."

Emily took them and went to her seat. She started making her own notes and high lighting. Jeff and Clint came and plunked down on either side of her.

"Newt filled us in. The actual shuck?!" Jeff whispered. She could feel Clint's anger radiating off him.

"I'm okay. Just...please don't make a big deal about it. And don't leave alone in the halls."

Jeff and Clint nodded. "No one gets near you." Clint rumbled.

Emily gave a small smile. Clint was the quiet body guard. Minho and Thomas arrived a few minutes later. Teresa made a big deal about saying goodbye. The guys found their table at the back. Emily kept her head down and did her best to ignore the burning eyes on her back.

~•~

The morning went fine. Classes were starting to get into the meat of the material. However, her laptop decided to stop working half way through class. It turned on and then it glitched and the screen went black.

"Shuck." She muttered.

Newt frowned, "not working?"

"No. It won't turn back on! Dammit!" She was close to tears.

The rest of the afternoon was alright. Math was fine. Minho kept to the back of the class with Thomas, she sat in the far front corner, her head down and did her work silently. She felt his eyes on the back of her head again. She had felt him watching her all day. The bell rang for the end of class and the day.

Teresa was waiting at the door to their Math room. Emily's heart picked up it's pace and her palms went sweaty. She slowed her packing up. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Minho give her a quick glance and then over to Teresa who was glaring at Emily until she saw Minho was watching her. She smiled sweetie and wrapped her arms around him as soon as he was close enough. He placed an arm over her shoulders and they left. Emily let the breath she was holding out.

Jeff and her left together. She made it through the day, with minimal incident. Jeff walked her to her locker, Sonya was leaning on her locker waiting with a huge grin.

"There ya are!" She grinned, "So! Good news. Newt has track and is gonna get a ride home from someone else. So it's you and me!"

"I gotta get home..." She said quietly.

"Later guys!" Jeff called.

"Bye Jeff. And Thanks! I'll give your notes back tomorrow."

"No rush Emy!"

Emily grabbed her stuff and closed her locker. Her and Sonya started back down the hall. She kept her head down as they passed Minho and Thomas, Brenda and Teresa. Sonya kept her head up and glared at the group. She growled slightly. Emily speed up and only once they were down the stairs to the main floor did she slow down and she could breath easier. Sonya pushed the door of the school open and lead her down the stone stairs of the front grounds.

"You really gotta get home?"

Emily nodded, avoiding her eyes.

"Alright. Come on."

Sonya drove her home, pulled up into the driveway and turned the car off. And got out.

"What are you doing?" Emily asked confused.

"I'm assuming you're Evil Step Mother has you doing Cinderella klunk." She leaned on the side of the house, her arms folded. "I'll be your Guss!"

"My what?"

"Have you not seen the buggen' Cinderella movie? Cinderella had animal friends who help her! I'm your Guss, the fat little mouse!"

Emily stood gapping at her. Her head was spinning and it had nothing to do with the pounding headache. She had never in her life since Ava and Teresa started treating her like a maid and servant had someone step forward and offer to help. Alby had a few times, but Ava didn't like boys in the house if they weren't Teresa's friends. And she put a stop to that very fast. And Emily had actually begged Alby to stop coming by.

"Sonya...I can't let-"

"It's Guss, thank you! I would buggen' remind you who I am! And you didn't ask. I volunteered."

Emily shook her head and unlocked the door. Sonya whistled when they entered.

"Nice digs."

Emily gave her a quick tour of the main floor.

"Teresa's room. Spare room, the bathroom. There's a big basement with a workout room and laundry and whatever, down the stairs there. Ava's room at the end there."

"Uhhh, you sleep here too, right?"

Emily pointed to the attic stairs at the back of the hall. They were regular stairs with a fancy banister, but still stairs to the attic.

"You gotta be shucken kidding!" Sonya gasped. "The shucken bloody article?"

Emily shrugged and climbed the stairs, opened the door and led her first friend in years into her room. Sonya looked around quick.

"It's really cute and cozy! You did a great job with an attic!" Sonya grinned. "Ooo! Books!" She jumped towards the shelves and ran her fingers over the different books.

"Nice selection. Newt would be impressed." She stepped over to the big collage of pictures. She took her time looking around.

"You looked happy."

"I was."

"We gotta change that. I will change that."

"Are you allowed to leave the bloody house for the night?"

"Umm...I've never actually..."

"Hmm I'll figure it out. This weekend your coming to my place were gonna have a sleepover. Have you had one of those?"

Emily looked down and shook her head.

"Not...not since dad .."

"Well that's gonna buggen' change!"

Emily just opened and closed her mouth a few times. She had no idea what to say. She had never had a friend so adiment on helping her so determined to be her friend.

She asked a few questions about a few of the pictures of her and her dad and Jorge. A few with Alby in them. Emily smiled and told her a quick story of each picture.

"Okay. Miss Cinderella. Where does Cruella Deville keep her cleaning supplies?" She frowned and tapped her chin, "I guess if we messed with The Cranks stuff she would take it out on you?"

Emily nodded, her eyes wide and panic flashed in her.

"Okay okay. We'll leave her alone. For now." Sonya hooked Emily's arm and pulled her back down the stairs. Sonya turned up the music and Sonya helped with Emily's chores.

The door bell rang and before Emily could get there Sonya ran for the door. She swung it open and Newt stood there with a huge grin.

"What did I bloody miss?"

"What the shuck are you doing here?" Emily gasped.

"Well Guss here" he indicated to his twin sister, "She said you needed a Jaq!"

"The shuck you two?!" Emily sunk to the ground in tears. She was so overwhelmed with everything.

"Love!" Newt cried, "You do know who Jaq is?"

"Of course she knows who Cinderella's two mice friends are!"

"Guys...! I...I've never had..."

"Emy! We are your buggen' friends and we are here to help. We want to hang out with you!  No matter what it is we do!"

Newt help pull her up to her feet again. They helped her cook supper, even though Ava wouldn't be home until late and Teresa was probably at Minho's after Cheer. Emily actually ended up smiling and laughing with the two siblings. Sonya had a way of making things seem not so bad. She had a light hearted way in life. And Newt was so calm and gentle, but had a goofy side to him. She loved the Isaac twins! Newt and Sonya were her best friends, her first best friends she had ever had.

After supper was cooked and cleaned up. The three of them pulled out their notes and got down to studying. Emily made tea and pulled out some snacks and the three of them sat at the kitchen table and studied their own things. Emily copied out Jeff's notes. She felt like maybe...maybe things would be okay.