Chapter 8

The next morning arrived, and Emma still has not told Wyatt about her being a laibah. She still fears that Wyatt would reject her feelings if he knew. The two of them come to class in the morning. The other students were talking about what they were going to do over the weekend, since the next day was Friday. When Refus came into the room, and after everyone took their seats, the room was unusually quiet. It seemed like less and less students were speaking up against having a laibah as a teacher as each day passes. At this point, no student was protesting Refus in the morning. At least, not out loud anymore. "Good morning, class" Refus says. "I hope you guys are extra awake today. Today we will be discussing a lot about economy, and I know how much most of you must hate this kind of thing".

Some students groaned as everyone was taking out binders and books. "I hope this won't be too long" a student complains.

"Don't worry" Refus says, "today we're dealing less with the mathematical side of economics, and more on the reason why it's important. After that, we'll be moving on to-".

As Refus was talking, Jessica leans in to ask Wyatt, Emma, Jackson and Aeris "You guys have any extra paper? I think I ran out already".

"Already?" Jackson whispers back. "It's only the second week of school".

"I know, I know!" Jessica whispers harshly. "I didn't come prepared, and it's my fault, I get it. Please, just this once?". Aeris hands a small stack of paper over to Jessica. "Thanks!" Jessica says, "you're a lifesaver!".

"I mean..." Aeris says in an unenthusiastic tone, "it's just... paper".

"She's just scared she won't remember anything with that racked up brain of hers" Jackson says.

"I'm not scared" Jessica says, "I KNOW I won't remember anything! I at least know my limits, Jack!".

"I feel like giving out nicknames should be left to me" Jackson says. "That was uncreative".

"Dingus was uncreative" Wyatt says as he looks over at Jackson.

"Silence, Dingus" Jackson says with a laugh.

Emma begins to laugh, but suddenly "Do you guys have something you wanted to share with the class?" Refus calls out from the front of the class.

"Shit..." Jackson says.

"Ah! Sorry, Mr. Maloney" Jessica says, "it was my fault. It started with me asking for supplies".

"Please don't continue disrupting the class" Refus says.

"Nice save" Aeris whispers to Jessica.

"You guys owe me" Jessica says.

"Didn't Aeris give you paper though?" Jackson asks. "I thought she was 'a lifesaver' or something".

Emma and Aeris begin giggling quietly, trying not to make a lot of noise so they won't get in trouble again. After the first class ended, Refus leaves the class feeling pretty motivated. This morning went by really well, compared to how it usually goes. The next teacher walks past Refus, bumping him in the shoulder on purpose. The next teacher, Jeff Hendricks, looks over at Refus and mumbles something to himself. Refus smiles back at Jeff, and Jeff enters the classroom, expecting the class to be out of control. However, when he gets in the classroom, everyone was composed and relatively calm. "Is everyone expecting something good to happen soon?" Jeff asks the class as he enters, "Or is everyone just having an unusually good day?". As Jeff speaks, he was smiling a little, as if pleasantly surprised by the state of the class.

"It's just... a normal day" one of the students speak up.

"That's unusual" Jeff says to himself. "Everyone is usually worked up about something. Perhaps that laibah is actually getting a grip. Well, I guess that's one burden off of my shoulders for now".

After another class, the lunch period began again. The Rejects came to their usual spot to eat. Once they sit down, they began talking. "Looks like the teachers are lightening up too" Jessica says. "Not only were the other students unusually bearable today, but Mr. Hendricks was also pretty relaxed today".

"It's almost like someone used anal bleach on the entire school" Jackson says.

"... what?" Wyatt asks, very confused.

"Because..." Jackson says as he prepares the punchline, "all these assholes were able to lighten up a bit!". Jackson, Aeris and Jessica laugh loudly, as Wyatt giggles. Emma however, seemed like she's had something on her mind all day.

After a little while of laughing, Wyatt looks over at Emma. "Is everything alright, Emma?" Wyatt asks.

"Huh?" Emma asks. "O-oh, yeah! Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry, I was just... thinking about some stuff".

"Like the festival again?" Wyatt asks.

"That's one of them..." Emma replies.

"Ooh!" Jessica speaks up, "Are you guys going to the festival together!?".

"Yeah" Emma says, "it's my first time ever going to an event like that".

"That's so cute, going together like that!" Jessica says.

"It's not..." Emma says as she slowly buried her face in her arms, as her face slowly turns red. "It's not like... cute and- mmf hm". Emma began mumbling inaudible words into her arms.

"I almost wanna go to the festival too" Jessica says, "but I'm not sure if I'll have the money to go".

"I would love to not go" Jackson says. "Too many people for me".

"As expected of Jackson, the Antisocial" Aeris says with a laugh.

"You're not wrong" Jackson says.

During lunch, Jeff and Refus meet in the teacher's lounge. "I expected a mess of a class this morning" Jeff says to Refus as he sits down at the table.

"Is it time already for this 'insult the laibah' show?" Refus asks sarcastically.

"No, no" Jeff says, "I must say, I only expected so little of you because of the students reaction of you. However, it looks like you're actually taking control now. Maybe you could work out as a teacher".

"Oh... really?" Refus asks. "I didn't think any of the other staff would come around like that".

"Look" Jeff says, "statistics are one thing... results, however, speak for themselves".

"And here I just thought everyone was simply taking Quincy's side" Refus says.

"Quincy is a coworker to me" Jeff says, "with a lot of good results. I trust him as a teacher, but that's it. This doesn't mean I trust you as a person though. I try not to converse with coworkers often, outside of work".

"Fair enough" Refus says. "I'll take what I can get". As Refus and Jeff begin to leave the teacher's lounge, Refus thinks to himself. "I guess Principal Schafold was right. Slowly, the other staff here will come around".

After lunch ended, and The Rejects make their way back to class, Emma pulled Aeris and Jackson to the side to speak with them privately. "I need to ask you guys for advice..." Emma says quietly.

"For the love of-" Jackson says as he turns around to look at Emma. "If you're going to ask him out, just ask him. I'm not a specialist here!".

"No, not that" Emma says. "I've been thinking... if I should tell Wyatt about me being... you know, a laibah?".

Jackson takes a stressful sigh and says "I'm. Not. A. Specialist... tell him, don't tell him, whatever. I still have my doubts".

"What are you talking about?" Aeris asks. "These two weirdos would probably go well together no matter what they knew about each other. You're just a pessimist".

"Whatever" Jackson says, "I still think humans, no matter how trusting they can be, will only go so far for a laibah".

"W-What do you mean?" Emma asks.

"I'm saying" Jackson says, "that he may be fine with being friends... but I doubt any human would be faithful to a laibah".

"You're giving her weird ideas, Jackson" Aeris says. "Look, Emma, it's up to you to tell him. Don't believe that what Jackson says is always true. You've gotta trust your gut on this one".

"My gut is an idiot" Emma says. "It just wants to ask him out, and nothing else".

"That's a riot, coming from the smartest student I know" Jackson says. "You've got book smarts, but deep down, you lack in most other areas".

"To be fair" Emma says, "that's how everyone is, in some sense. Like most people who have streets smarts lack in book smarts. Some people have both street smarts and book smarts, but lack social behavior, and so on, so forth".

"Yeah, thanks Copernicus" Jackson says. "Look, if you feel like you have to tell Wyatt, then tell him. If you're not sure if you can tell him, then don't. That's pretty much all I can do to help".

Emma sighs to herself and says "I'm not sure if I can tell him though".

"Then don't" Jackson says.

"But I need to be honest with him" Emma says.

"Then tell him" Aeris says.

Emma groans to herself and says "I guess I just need more time to think about it".

After school ended, Aeris and Jackson were leaving school together. "Why don't you try helping them out?" Aeris asks Jackson.

"How so?" Jackson asks.

"You know... be Wyatt's wingman?" Aeris says. "Help him ask Emma out. Like, it's so obvious the two want to be together that it's embarrassing that they haven't noticed it themselves. It's starting to make me cringe".

"No" Jackson complains, "you do it!".

"Why are you so opposed to this?" Aeris asks. "Do you still have your doubts about Wyatt?".

"I can only trust Wyatt as much as I could trust any human" Jackson says. "If the two of them went out, I can almost guarantee that it's because Wyatt thinks she's human. I still have my doubts about how much a human would go through for a laibah".

"Well, think of it like this" Aeris says, "would you go that far for a human if you liked them that much?".

"No I wouldn't" Jackson says, "that's why I wouldn't trust a human to work the opposite".

"You're always so negative" Aeris says. "Now you're the asshole that needs to lighten the hell up".

Jackson thinks for a minute. "... I guess you're right" Jackson says finally. "Don't get me wrong, I won't go out of my way to get between them. However, I still can't imagine it working out between them".

Later that night, when Wyatt came back from work, Wyatt sits on his bed and says "Tomorrow is Friday, which means it's almost the weekend again. Got anything in mind on what you might want to do during the weekend?".

"Not... really" Emma says. "I haven't been able to think about that lately".

"We don't have to do anything if you don't want to" Wyatt says. "Relaxing is a good choice too. But if you can think of something to do, let me know".

Emma nods her head and says "Okay!".

"By the way" Wyatt asks, "Are you stopping by Savvy Threads tomorrow?".

"Ah, that's right!" Emma says, "I haven't been keeping up with my sewing! I don't have anything to sell this week! What with getting sick and all, I haven't been able to work on it as much".

"What about the festival?" Wyatt asks. "Are you making something to wear to the festival? If you want something special to wear, I can help you buy something... that is, if you don't want to make one for yourself".

"Ah! That's right!" Emma says. Emma then begins mumbling to herself, saying "How have I not thought about that yet!? Oh no, there's not much time... and I still have to make something for Matilda! How am I going to be able to do both? I'm going to have to work even harder".

"Emma?" Wyatt asks. Emma kept mumbling to herself. "Emma?" Wyatt asks again, but Emma didn't respond. Wyatt stood up, next to Emma's bed and asks "Emma? Want me to help?".

"H-help with sewing?" Emma asks.

"W-well, I don't know anything about sewing" Wyatt says, "but I can buy you something for the festival if you want... unless you want me... to help with... stitching and stuff".

"The problem is" Emma says, "I don't think I could be a good enough teacher. However, I'm low on cloth, and I usually just take the... scraps left out... on the streets".

"I can buy clean cloth and materials" Wyatt says.

"Really!?" Emma asks. "B-but I couldn't ask you to do something like-".

"Don't worry so much" Wyatt says. "If it helps you, then it's fine. It shouldn't be too expensive. You need to not work yourself sick again".

"... Right" Emma says quietly. "Thanks, Wyatt".

"No problem" Wyatt says.

Emma began working on stitching for a little while. Eventually, the two of them sleep for the night. As the next day began, they woke up in the morning again and prepared for school. When class started that morning, all the student were excited about two things. Tomorrow was the last day of August, meaning The Autumn Festival was getting closer. Also, tomorrow was Saturday, meaning another weekend was already within reach. The first class went by quickly, but relatively less quiet than yesterday. There was less complaining, but more excitement amongst the students. Today seemed to pass by quickly, and before they knew it, lunch period began.

"I've been thinking" Jessica says. "We never really get to do anything together outside of class".

"There's lunch" Jackson says. "We do that together".

"It's true, I was there" Aeris says sarcastically, while elbowing Jackson in the side.

"Ow, come on!" Jackson complains. "I was just joking around!".

"Anyways" Jessica continues, "I was thinking. Why don't we hang out and do something this weekend? You know, together?".

"I'm not into that kind of stuff" Jackson says. Aeris elbows Jackson in the side again. "Ow!" He complains. "Kidding! Geez!".

"Sure" Aeris says, "we'd love to find something to do. Anything in mind?".

"Well, if everyone here is old enough, how about we go drinking together?" Jessica asks.

"I've never been out drinking before" Emma says, thinking to herself.

"Yeah, how about no?" Jackson says as he thinks "If Emma drinks, she'll lose control of her shapeshift, no doubt" to himself.

"How about hitting up the arcade?" Jessica asks. "Or maybe the park? Game of billiards, maybe?".

"Those all sound kind of fun" Wyatt says.

"I'd give it a shot" Emma says, "but what's billiards?".

"It's pool" Aeris says.

"Like... swimming?" Emma asks. Aeris, Jackson and Jessica look over at Emma with a worried expression on their face. "What?" Emma asks.

"... Aaaanyways" Jessica continues, "how about we meet up by the school gate tomorrow. We can think of what to do as we go".

"I'm down" Wyatt says.

"I'm up for the task" Emma says.

"I'm Jackson" Jackson says sarcastically. With a quick reflex, Jackson shields his side from Aeris's elbow. "Not this time, Aeris" He taunts.

"I'm going to start limiting you on bad jokes" Aeris says. "I'll keep a tally chart and everything, and start assaulting you once you've exceeded your limit". Jackson begins laughing nervously, until he eventually asks "What time is the meet up? Noon... or what?".

"Mid-day, if that works for everyone" Jessica says. "I do want to sleep in at least a little on the weekends".

"That's fine with me" Wyatt says.

"Yeah, that's cool" Aeris says.

After school ended, Emma stays up late working on stitching. When Wyatt comes back, she was nearly finished with her project. "At least I'll have one thing I can give Matilda this weekend" Emma says.

"Oh?" Wyatt asks. "You're already almost done with something?".

"Mm-Hmm!" Emma says as she nods her head slightly.

"You work so fast" Wyatt says. "You're not working yourself too much, are you?".

"Don't worry, I'm fine" Emma says.

"Alright, Alright" Wyatt says as he puts his hands in the air, as if to surrender. "Sorry I keep nagging you".

Emma thinks for a minute and says "You remind me a little bit of Matilda" then Emma giggles.

"Uh... thanks?" Wyatt says as he sits on his bed. "I'm exhausted, so I'm going to sleep soon. Do you want me to leave the light on for you?".

"Hm?" Emma says as she continues working on her project.

"If you want to stay up and finish your work" Wyatt says, "I'll leave the lights on for you".

"Oh, no! No, that's fine!" Emma says. "If you need sleep, you can-".

Wyatt laughs softly and says "It's fine. Your stitching is important to you. The light won't bother me".

"Oh..." Emma says, feeling bad because Wyatt is always trying to help and she feels like she hasn't done anything to deserve it. "Okay".

Emma thinks for a moment, then gets up and turns the lights off. "Is something wrong?" Wyatt asks.

"No, it's just..." Emma says as she thinks. "You're always trying to help, and then telling me not to worry... but I worry about you too, and I don't want to be that selfish. You need rest so you don't get sick too, so don't tell me 'it's okay' or 'don't worry'. At least let me help you too".

Emma sits down next to the window, and begins working under the moonlight. Wyatt was thinking of what to say. Eventually, Wyatt speaks up, saying "Sorry, I just always worry about people like that" with a laugh.

Emma laughs softly and says "That makes two of us!".