Falling for Em

Getting home (N)

POV Natasha

"FUCK". I get back outside and she is gone. She ran away, again. Why is she always avoiding me. I don't get it. Doesn't she want to get help? Maybe she's scared. I am not sure what to do now. Would she come back? Should I stay and wait? She probably isn't coming back right now. She was drinking.. Maybe I should find her. She could get in trouble. I want her to be safe. I can't leave my students wander the streets at night. If something bad happens, I would never forgive myself.

I get in my car and drive off. Not sure where to start. I turn right and keep on driving. She can't be far now... I drive past a small park which gets my attention. In the distance, something is moving on one of the benches.

I stop, put my car in reverse and pull over. I get out an approach the bench. As I'm getting closer I see some knees rising above the backrest. It must be Emma. Either she's laying down on this bench or I could't get murdered by some random person. Let's hope for the best now... I get a bit closer and whisper her name "Emma?". No response. Of course not, even if she heard me she isn't the talking type.

I stop and take a deep breath. Am I sure I want to risk this? I raise my voice a bit "Emma?!". The knees go down and a beautiful head pops up. Emma. A sense of relief goes through my body. She looks shocked. She gets up and moves over. I get a seat next to her.

"I guess you don't want to talk to me, but I am not leaving without you. I'll not let you sleep outside, in a park on a bench alone" we sit here quietly, staring in the distance. At least she took out her AirPods. She still holds them in her hands tho. "What are you listening to?" I ask her "just some music" "What kind of music?" "At the moment, pop rock. Music helps me cope with my feelings." "So whatever song is playing, kind of reflects how you're feeling?" "Maybe..." she answers in doubt. "Can I listen with you?"

She gives me one of her AirPods and I put it in my ear. *Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface, I don't know what you're expecting of me put under the pressure of walking in your shoes* I look over at her and see her face changing. She's showing emotions. I can see she tries to suppress them, but the music clearly touches some nerves.

*I've become so numb, I can't feel you there. Become so tired

So much more aware. I'm becoming this ; All I want to do; Is be more like me; And be less like you; And I know; I may end up failing too; But I know; You were just like me with someone disappointed in you"

I don't know what to think about this. Is she really feeling like this? I take out the AirPod and look at her. She is ignoring me. The tension is rising, she knows I am going to ask her something and is already getting nervous about it. I decide to not ask anything. It's the first time she said something real to me, I don't want to ruin this.

"So, you think sleeping on this bench is more comfortable than sleeping in a nice bed?" She looks at me and gives me a poor smile. "probably not... but this bench will leave me alone and doesn't want anything in return... I don't want to own anybody anything" "Is that why you don't stay over at friends?" She nods.

"It is getting colder, let me take you to your home." She shakes her head. "Why?" "Because this bench isn't the right place for you, because you could get hurt or killed by anyone passing here. Because as your teacher I cannot ignore this and leave you to your fate. So if you're not ready to go now, I'll stay with you until you are. Either way, you are going home and to be sure, I am taking you"

"If i agree, and I say if, will you back off and leave me alone?" "Are you planning to sleep at home from now on? And getting to school everyday?" I answer her question. She looks at her shoes and mumbles "Maybe" "well Emma... maybe" I bump into her shoulder a bit. She nods and get's up. I give back her AirPods and accompany her to my car.

She's not saying anything sitting next to me. "You know, my car has bluetooth. You can connect your phone and put on some music if you want" she smiles, takes out her phone and connects it to my car. I can't wait to see the song she chooses to play.

*Uh-huh, life's like this. Uh-huh, uh-huh, that's the way it is. 'Cause life's like this. Uh-huh, uh-huh, that's the way it is. Chill out, what you yelling for? Lay back, it's all been done before And if you could only let it be You would see I like you the way you are When w'e're driving in your car And you're talking to me, one on one  But you've become Somebody else 'round everyone else You're watching your back like you can't relax You're trying to be cool You look like a fool to me Tell me Why do you have to go and make things so complicated?*

"Avril Lavigne huh?" I can't stop wondering if she wants me to get a message out of this song, or if she's just in the mood for this type of music right now. She nods. "Isn't she like old-fashioned for you? I would've expected LiL Nas X or something like that" "I'm not mainstream. I like music because of the lyrics or the sound of the meanings. Not because everybody else likes it." We don't talk for a while, but listening to the songs she chooses to play. I'm under the impression she's enjoying it.

Once in a while I try to get her attention by looking at her, but she keeps staring out of the window. The only times she stops is to choose the next song on her phone. She has a good taste of music, I can give her that.

"You can pull over there" she says pointing at a giant driveway leading up to this beautiful modern mansion. "You live here?" I ask. I didn't want it to sound so wonderingly. Her face is turning. My question is obviously getting to her. "Sorry I didn't mean to sound so..." she interrupts me "never mind" "I'm sorry, but it can't be that bad? This looks like a house full of presidential suites." She turns to me "money isn't everything you know..." "I do know...aren't you getting in?" She sighs.

"Are you going to wait for me to enter?" "I can't leave without knowing you got in safe. For all i know you could leave before entering and ending up on the street again." She mutters something, gets out and walks to the front door. I can see her raise her hand, her fingers are touching something and suddenly a giant door opens. She gets in, looks at me and closes the door.

finally , she's safe. I can go home. I hope she isn't getting in trouble for arriving so late. I have to find out Monday I guess.