Chapter 25

As Wyatt runs into the forest, with a heavy heart, he tried to think of all the things he could say to Emma. However, when he finally reaches her, every word seems to slip his mind. As he approaches the clearing, he sees Emma crouched in front of two hand carved gravestones. There was her old house, or what's left of it, in the middle of the clearing, the pond now almost clear of flower petals for the flowers on the trees have finally all fallen for the winter, and Emma, sitting alone and silent. As Wyatt begins to take a step towards Emma to talk, Emma was the first one to speak up. "You must think I'm just a liar, don't you?" She asks.

"Emma, I-" Wyatt says.

"Well, it's true" Emma says. "I'm a liar... I'm a laibah, and I'm an idiot".

"Emma, you're not-" Wyatt says.

"Then what am I!?" Emma yells. Wyatt freezes for a moment. After a long pause, Emma says "I didn't want to tell you, because I knew... that it'd end up like-".

"Like what?" Wyatt asks. "Like this? Or was it just that you're afraid I'm just like the other humans in class?". Emma lowers her head in defeat, then slowly nods her head. "Look" Wyatt says as he slowly walks towards Emma, "I get it. I don't blame you, really. I should've let you know... let you know that... I already knew you were a laibah". Emma looks behind herself, at Wyatt, tears still in her eyes. "I wanted... to wait for you to be comfortable enough to talk to me about it" Wyatt says. "I realize now I should've spoken up sooner".

"How long...?" Emma asks.

"I... didn't know for very long" Wyatt says. "But regardless, do you really think I'd just leave you like that? Do you think I'd just... throw you out like that and leave you alone again?". Emma's bottom lip begins to twitch and tears started rolling down her face faster. Wyatt sits next to Emma and pulls out the photo he got from Matilda. "Look" he says, "some of us humans... we don't care about what the others think about laibah. Me, Matilda, all of our friends at school... we care about you because you're still you. You see that girl in the picture?". Emma sniffles as she nods her head. "That girl is important to someone" Wyatt says. "That someone even gave her a ring and a promise to never leave her side". Emma looks down at her own hand with the ring still on it, as Wyatt says "and that someone isn't going back on their word now".

"B-b-but what about-" Emma begins to say.

"What about it?" Wyatt asks. "Worse things have happened. I want to go back to days like we had when we took this picture together. Do you think you'd be alright doing that?".

Emma sniffles again and says "Why must I be so cursed that I can't even have the simple things in life? All I've ever wanted was to live a normal life, with a family and someone by my side... b-but I can't seem to even have that... D-do you think you could still say 'it' to me, even though I'm a laibah?".

"It?" Wyatt asks.

"Those same three words?" Emma asks.

"I want tacos?" Wyatt jokes.

"Now's not the time for being silly..." Emma says.

"Come back home?" Wyatt teases.

"I mean it" Emma says, her voice slowly changing from sad to angry.

"One more chance?" Wyatt teases.

"Argh- I mean it!" Emma says. "Can you, or can you not say it to me any-".

"See?" Wyatt says with a soft laugh, "there's a voice that's more comfortable to hear! You know I don't like hearing you sound sad".

"Wyatt!" Emma starts to pout.

"Emma..." Wyatt says.

"What...?" Emma says, looking away from Wyatt and crossing her arms.

"I love you" Wyatt says. "If I didn't, I wouldn't come after you. You know that". After a short pause, Wyatt asks "Think you can tell me your full story?". Wyatt looks around the clearing and says "I think I can piece together why you don't have a home... but I want to know what all happened".

"Why would you want to know about that...?" Emma says, burying her face into her knees.

"Because I'm an idiot and I care" Wyatt says. "Why else? I want you to know that no matter what, I'm not abandoning you".

Emma thinks for a couple minutes, then finally, tells Wyatt the story of how her house burned down. She explained how she found her father dead, and how her mother died in front of her. Emma spent hours trying to tell her story, trying to hold back tears but failing to prevent herself from stopping and crying every so often. After Emma finally finished her story, Wyatt was at a loss for words. When Wyatt finally noticed the world around him, he noticed the sun had already went down and it was night time. "Do you wanna go back home?" Wyatt asks.

"I always want to go back" Emma says. "But I don't have a home anymore".

"No, I-" Wyatt says then pauses. "I mean, you have a home, and I want you to come back... will you come back home with me?".

Emma looks up at Wyatt and asks "You don't hate me?".

"Of course I don't" Wyatt says. "Didn't I already tell you that? Come on, let's go back".

After Wyatt and Emma sneak back into the dorm, they both sat on Wyatt's bed. There was a long period of silence before Emma suddenly grabbed onto Wyatt. "A-are you alright?" Wyatt asks.

"I... I think I will be" Emma says. "Hey, Wyatt?" Emma asks.

"Yeah?" Wyatt says.

"Is this why you had Matilda take that awful photo of us?" Emma asks.

"Oh..." Wyatt says, "no. I was actually planning on putting the picture in a frame and giving it to you for your birthday. I thought it'd be a good present because it's a reminder of the good times... I-I mean you did say, after some point, that you already had the things in life that you wanted, so I thought-".

"Thank you" Emma says.

Suddenly the door to the dorm opens up. "Why are you hiding a girl in our room?" Jackson asks as he stands in the doorway.

"Jackson?" Wyatt asks.

Jackson looks down at Emma and says "So you came back after all...". Jackson walks over towards the two of them and sits down on the floor. "Look... I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have done... well, any of the things I did this week. So, Emma, I'm sorry I sold you out... and Wyatt, I'm sorry I was being kind of a dick to you".

"Y-Yeah" Wyatt says, "apology accepted... but... what do you mean by 'our' room?".

Jackson sighs and says "The whole school basically knows by now that I've admitted to being a laibah. The principal said he refuses to just kick me out of the school for something so stupid, but my previous roommate complained about sharing a room with a laibah... so he moved me here. I honestly didn't expect to be stuck with you, so I'm about as surprised as you are".

"D-does this mean Jackson is staying with us?" Emma asks, suddenly seeming shy and nervous again.

"Staying?" Jackson asks. "... wait, have you been living together this whole time?". Suddenly Jackson begins to laugh and says "I guess that makes sense. After all, Emma is homeless isn't she?".

"I don't... remember telling you that" Emma says.

"Aeris pretty much summed it all up" Jackson says.

"Speaking of Aeris" Wyatt says, "what were you guys talking about before? I know it seemed to really make you mad, and I'm sorry if I was intruding, but...".

"We broke up" Jackson says.

"Wait, really?" Wyatt asks.

"Yep" Jackson says. "So what about you two?".

Wyatt looks down at Emma and says "You still haven't given me a solid answer yet. Do you still want to-".

"Of course I do, you idiot" Emma interrupts.

"Well, all's well that ends well, I guess" Jackson says. "At least one of us had our shit together".

"Oh shit!" Wyatt says as he suddenly comes to a realization.

"What is it now?" Jackson says. "Can't you ever just let a moment die down?".

"I didn't show up to work!" Wyatt says. "Oh crap... I'm so fired".

"Oh... yeah that's a bad" Jackson says. "Guess I spoke too soon".

"T-they'll understand, won't they?" Emma asks.

"I doubt it" Wyatt says, "but here's to hoping".

"Yeah... anyways" Jackson says as he transforms into his half form. His brown fox ears stuck out suddenly and his brow tail stuck out from the top of his pants, only covered partially by his shirt. "I'm calling it a night" Jackson says, stretching out on the floor. "It has been a terrible day".

"Aren't you gonna use the bed?" Wyatt asks. "The floor isn't exactly comfortable".

"Isn't Emma using that bed?" Jackson asks. "Or are you guys sharing a bed now?". Emma and Wyatt remained silent, then Jackson says "Figured... Aeris has probably been giving you guys weird ideas". Jackson then jumps up to the top bunk bed and says "First come, first served".

"By the way, Emma" Wyatt asks, "is it uncomfortable for you to stay in your human form like that?".

"I'm used to it" Emma says.

"So it is uncomfortable..." Wyatt says.

"Come on" Jackson says, "he already knows, so who's gonna stop you? Who actually cares?".

"Is it... okay?" Emma asks. "I-I mean... would it be uncomfortable if I-".

"Emma" Wyatt interrupts, "I'm fine with it. It's not uncomfortable".

"A-are you sure?" Emma asks.

"Are we done with the stupid questions?" Jackson asks, "or are we gonna be keeping the light on all night?".

Emma eventually shifts into her half form as well. She had white ears and a white tail, both with light purple fur on the tips. After Emma and Wyatt lay back down, Emma rolls over to look at Wyatt and begins to asks "Wyatt...?".

Wyatt kissed Emma on the forehead and says "I love you, Emma".

"Mm" Emma says as she nods her head. "I love you too".

"OH MY GOD, GET A ROOM!" Jackson yells.

"But this is our room..." Wyatt says.

The next morning, The Rejects take their seats in the classroom. Aeris begins to sit on the other side of Emma and Wyatt, away from Jackson. "You're really going to be ignoring me like this now?" Jackson asks.

"Maybe when you stop being an asshole" Aeris says, "I'll change my mind".

Jackson sighs and Jessica speaks up with an awkward tone. "Sooo... I heard... something happened?".

"Congrats, you have ears" Jackson says. Aeris pulls out her notebook and writes down another tally. "We're seriously still doing that?".

"It'll be much easier to beat the shit out of you when I'm angry" Aeris says.

"I feel like I'm being ignored now..." Jessica says.

"We heard about what happened" Emily says to Emma. "Are you guys... alright?".

"Oh... yeah" Emma says.

"Oh wow, so I am being ignored" Jessica says. "Emma, we heard about the whole... laibah thing. Are you sure you're fine?".

"Y-Yeah" Emma says. "Everything will be okay, I think".

"I mean- I had no idea" Jessica says. "I didn't know you were a laibah too".

"Not so loud!" Emily says.

"So Wyatt isn't the only clueless one in the group" Jackson says. Aeris marks down another tally. "Seriously, stop it!" Jackson demands.

"At least it's the final week of the semester" Jessica says. "Nothing happened between you two, did it?".

"N-no!" Emma says.

"Nothing happened" Wyatt says. "I'm not going to abandon people like that".

"Nothing happened my ass!" Jackson says. "If I have to hear your sappy crap every night I swear-".

Aeris marks down yet another tally and says "Wow, three strike before the first class even began. This has gotta be a new record. Maybe I can start beating you by the time lunch begins".

"... Shit" Jackson says.

During lunch period, Rose showed up at the principal's office. "So I heard about the outburst in the first year's section" Rose says.

"The matter has been taken care of" Ryan says. "Don't worry".

"So we're not going to have to start expelling students?" Rose asks. "That's good, because I've also heard about how about ten percent of the student body is pulling out of this school because they don't feel comfortable with being around laibah. Care to explain that?".

"Ah yes" Ryan says, "they decided that this school isn't right for them. Who am I to stop them from moving on with their lives?".

Rose slams her hands on Ryan's desk and says "TEN PERCENT! Nearly three-hundred and ninety students are leaving this school! How can you be okay with this!?".

"Okay with what?" Refus asks as he slowly opens the door. Refus then knocks on the open door and asks "Am I interrupting something?".

"Yes!" Rose says.

"No, you're fine" Ryan says. "You may take part in this conversation".

"Oh... okay" Refus says as he walks into the room. "If you say so. Anyways, luckily the conflict seems to have resolved. Most of the students stand firm in their decision to leave, but the ones staying haven't continued the issue from yesterday at least. Also, I've heard about that club from one of my students, Jackson Lonny. Is that the one that reserved the rooftop?".

"Correct" Ryan says. "Which brings me to my next topic. Rose, I want you to be the sponsor for this club".

"I'm already sponsoring two other clubs!" Rose says.

"Then make it three" Ryan says.

"Why!?" Rose asks. "Why can't Refus do it?".

"Ah yes" Ryan says, "Because a laibah sponsoring a club held to be a safe spot for students to be comfortable and away from the other students won't raise any questions about playing favorites. Good point".

Rose releases a loud sigh of irritation and says "Fine! I get it!".

"And Refus" Ryan says, "I do want you helping if Rose needs any assistance. She does have a lot to handle, especially with having multiple clubs to look after. So when Rose calls for help, I want you to be there. Understood?".

"Yeah, no problem" Refus says. Refus turns to look at Rose and says "I look forward to working with-".

"Shut up" Rose says as she walks away.

Meanwhile, on the rooftop, The Rejects gathered for lunch. "You guys have been super quiet and awkward" Jessica says.

"Have you tried reading the atmosphere?" Jackson says.

"I'm not joking" Aeris says, "I will beat the shit out of you".

"... Yikes" Emily says. "Sooo... anything... else going on?".

"I have to go to my workplace and try explaining myself after school" Wyatt says. "Maybe I won't be fired...".

"I was hoping for good news" Emily says, "but at least it's a topic change".

"Anyways" Jessica says, "at least you two are still... together... aren't you, Wyatt and Emma?".

"Y-Yeah" Emma says.

"Hooray..." Jackson says sarcastically.

"I mean it!" Aeris says. "I'll make it look like a bloody accident too!".

Jessica sighs and says "Will this group ever be the same again?".

"Probably not" Jackson says.

"Well, I'd like to hope so" Wyatt says.

"I want to go back to just us having fun and stuff" Jessica says.

"It'll be fine" Emily says. "They'll work something out eventually".