Page 4 of Breaking Emilee

Most people see us as mother and son instead of aunt and nephew. She’s eighteen years older than me but the only parent I’ve had most of my life. My mom dropped me off on her doorstep when I was five. She didn’t have to take me in and raise me as her own, but she did. Her love is how parents should be, unconditional and never-ending. Her most said statement is, “I love you just as much as you love me but a hundred times more.”

My mom never really wanted children, but she kept me hoping that my dad would come back around. When she finally came to terms with the fact that he was never coming back, she wanted to live without a toddler on her arm. She showed up on Luna’s doorstep, saying, “I can’t do this anymore,” and left. Luna was only twenty-three at the time, but she jumped into motherhood and never looked back.

Luna dropped out of college and started working as an emergency room patient registrar at the local hospital while I went to school. We didn’t have much, but she tried her best to make every day magical, and our small apartment always feel like home. She never misses a school event and always gives me the last piece of cake, even though her sweet tooth is worse than mine. She scraped up enough money when I turned sixteen to buy me my first motorcycle. She hates the damn thing but knew I always wanted one, so she bought me a used 1985 Honda Shadow. Luna is the best thing to happen to me.

That’s why I couldn’t find it in myself to be mad at her when she told me a month ago that we would be moving out of Cape Girardeau and to a small town in the middle of nowhere. I’ll start a different school in the middle of the school year, but I don’t mind if that means she’s getting her happily ever after. She deserves the best in the world and will finally get it with her new fiancé Larry Williams. They met a year ago when he walked into the hospital; it was love at first sight.

When Larry got offered a teaching job at his alma mater, he couldn’t turn it down and wanted us to move with him. I’ve only been down here a few times over the summer. He started bringing his niece with him when he came to see Luna. On the occasions that Luna would come down, I was too busy hanging out with my friends. So, therefore, the only person I know here is Vanessa, his niece.

Since the first time we met, she has been trying to get into my pants and become my girlfriend. I’m no stranger to hooking up with random girls, and I almost hooked up with her once when she came to spend the night with Luna. She and Luna hit it off, instantly becoming close friends despite the age difference. When my buddy Zak said he was having a party, Luna made me take her with me. I got pretty buzzed that night and thought she was hot. That all changed when one of our female friends accidentally spilled her drink on Vanessa. You would have thought the world was coming to an end by the way she reacted. It made my semi-hard dick go soft in point five seconds. I don’t think she has a nice bone in her body; while most guys can overlook that for a wet pussy and smoking body, I can’t.

Last night I overheard Larry telling Luna that Vanessa would show me where my classes were and help me make friends, not if I have anything to say about it. I intended to let Luna know about the party and how I felt toward Vanessa, but I didn’t. Aunt Luna was finally happy, and I didn’t want to rock the boat, so when Luna asked me to promise to give Vanessa a chance and be nice, I agreed. I wasn’t surprised that she picked up on my disdain for Vanessa. I always leave when I know she’s coming around. I also don’t speak to her when I see her. I would rather wreck my bike going sixty miles per hour without my helmet than hang out with her.

“Ms. West, here is your son’s schedule,” the lovely elderly secretary holds out a paper. No one at the school knows that Luna isn’t my mom, not even Vanessa. I’m okay with that. I let people believe what they want to. I want to bring up calling her mom and maybe even getting adopted by her, but I’m too damn nervous for some reason.

“Oh please, Luna is fine.”

“Well, okay, Luna. On top of the paper, you will find his locker number. He’s with the rest of the seniors. When you go out the door, take a left, then a right down the hallway toward the cafeteria; his locker is in the last set on the right. Great for him. His first-hour class is straight across the hall from there. English four with Mrs. Crawford.”

“Thank you so much for your help,” turning Luna puts the paper in my hands.

“Well, you heard her, or do I need to hold your hand while you make your way down the hall.” She giggles.

“No, thank you,” I grimace. I know Luna’s kidding, but she would also do everything she said. Embarrassing me is her favorite pastime. I bend down because I stand at six foot two while Luna is only five foot four and give her a quick peck on the cheek. As I straighten, I pull my hair into a ponytail and head out the door. The last time I was the new kid in school was starting kindergarten.

As I turn right, just as the secretary said, the hallway is semi-crowded. And immediately, I spot some of the stereotypical cliques. I don’t see one person that looks like the guys from shop class I hung out with at my old school. You know, the ones that wear black like it’s an actual color on the color wheel and has permanent grease stains on our jeans. Who spend their free time fixing and riding their bikes after school.

When I reach my locker, I spot the one person I wish I could avoid, Vanessa. She’s leaning against the wall opposite of me and next to my first class. No one would argue that she’s good-looking. She has long blonde hair, green eyes, and a tiny waist that goes to a medium-sized ass. But none of that makes her personality pleasant, so therefore she’s ugly to me. Standing next to her is a boy, he looks like he has a little Native American in him, and he can’t be taller than five foot seven. You can tell he works out as the tight shirt he has on hugs his chest and arms. The way he holds himself makes me instantly dislike him. There is an arrogant vibe rolling off of him.

At my old school, I wasn’t someone who tended to make friends with someone who didn’t have the same interest. I never had a problem getting along with others. It’s okay not to want to be friends with everyone, but it’s not okay for someone to believe they are better than others. My immediate impression is that he thinks he is better than anyone, and his shit doesn’t stink. Turning my back on them, facing my locker, I pull open the door in front of me and sit my helmet inside.

“I didn’t know you were starting today, or I would have waited for you by the office. I told Uncle Larry; I would show you around,” the high-pitched voice sounds behind me as I feel her fingers in my hair. Shivering, not the good kind, I spin around to face her while plastering on a fake smile.

“Yeah, I couldn’t take one more day unpacking the boxes.” I keep my voice as natural as possible, remembering my promise this morning. I’m physically fighting from bouncing my leg as my body screams to get away from here. I’m so uncomfortable with her being this close to me, but just as I’m trying to formulate my escape, the arrogant guy speaks up, coming to stand beside her.

“Hey man, you must be Parker. I’ve heard so much about you. I must say you look just as good as Van described. I’m Christian, Van’s best friend,” holding his hand out and waiting for me to shake it. He’ll be waiting for a while; I have a bad feeling about him. So, I nod at him and lean against the lockers, propping my foot up behind me. She looks me up and down, licking her bright pink lips like I’m a meal and she’s starving.Not in this lifetime.

Vanessa peers over my shoulder. I turn my head to see what has gotten her attention off of me, but all I could see was my locker, number eleven. “If I were you, I would see if the principal could give you a different locker.” Christian finally stops staring at me long enough to look behind me. A nasty grin spreads across his face as he looks sideways at her.

“Yeah, man, I would not want to be next to locker thirteen.” I look at the locker next to mine, wondering what is so bad about it. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see him turn and look into the open doorway behind him. Following his gaze, I see an empty classroom beside an individual sitting at a table. They have their hoodie pulled up and head down, facing the wall. They don’t pay any attention to the conversation going on out here. It seems they can’t hear it, although it’s hard not to hear, considering he isn’t keeping his voice down. They both notice where I’m looking, and Christian is the first to speak up.

“Yeah, that’s your neighbor, Emilee, but no one calls her that. It’s normally loser Emilee, fat ass Emilee, or they just don’t call her anything. Sometimes people put shit in her locker, which can cause a mess. One time, someone put a fish inside with a note that said, “This is what you smell like to the rest of the school.”

What the actual fuck.I kick off the wall, stand up to my full height, cross my arms across my chest, and ball my hands into a fist. I’m no saint. Believe me, there have been times that I push the random nerd out of the way or repeat a rumor I heard about someone but what he just describes takes it to a whole new level. My eyes seek out the girl they’re talking about. Why would someone be so mean to her? What the hell did she do?

Pulling my gaze from the girl, I glance around the hallway and notice that no one is paying any attention to this conversation. Students are standing around in groups, and teachers are posted along the hallway, but no one speaks up. Some turn to stare at us, but they seem to be choosing to ignore it. I have never seen anything like this, and I can’t help but get more pissed off.

“Yeah, plus you would have to wait for her to move her fat ass out of your way so you can open your locker,” he continues. They both laugh as my vision goes red. My jaw tenses and all I can hear is the thump of my heart beating in my ears. Christian takes my silence as his cue to continue speaking. In reality, it would be best for him to shut his mouth. The rage coursing through my body makes my hands shake, and I can no longer hear the venom coming from his mouth.

Pulling in a few deep breaths, I calm myself down enough to mumble, “Na, I think I’m good where I am,” interrupting whatever he was fucking saying. I go to stalk off and into the classroom when Vanessa stops me with a hand on my arm. I can see a couple of teachers standing a few feet away. How could they stand there listening to what they just said and not say something about it?

“Hey, I thought I was going to show you around?” I pull my shoulder back so her hand drops and shake my head no. I will give her credit. She doesn’t let it bother her but just keeps openly appraising me. I want to tell her to fuck off, but I don’t know if she will run back to Luna tattling. Vanessa steps back when she sees I’m not going to answer her. “Well, I’ll meet you by your locker after class, and don’t worry about lunch. We can all eat together.” She winks, but I turn around before I snap and say something I’ll regret.

I’m curious if I could get in trouble for being in the classroom when the teacher is not there, but Emilee is here, so I assume it’s okay. I’m about to pull out the closest chair to me when a woman who looks like she just stepped out of the land of Harry Potter walks into the class. She looks like that funny teacher, the one who made the prophecy. She straightens her round brown glasses and her clearly handmade shawl as she looks me over. She doesn’t seem to notice Emilee sitting here.

“Excuse me, but I’m sure I’ve never seen you before. Can I help you?” I hand her my schedule. Before I can speak, she’s already talking. “Oh, you must be Larry’s new stepson. He told us you would be starting but said it would be a couple of days before that happens. What a surprise. I’m so glad to meet you.”

“I’m not his stepson yet,” not that I’m ashamed of him marrying my aunt, but it’s a sore subject because I’m not even Luan’s son.

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