Senior Year

Chapter 17

(Emma's POV)

It's Thursday which is one of the only day's Killian doesn't supervise detention, which means we can hang out for longer, and still make it back by my curfew. Thursday's are great in that way.

We had an assembly during first period, and had a fire drill during second. I guess they are just getting everything out of the way in one day, which is fine by me. Its lunch, and I still haven't done a single piece of work.

During History Mr. J is going on and on about something, I haven't been listening for a while when the classroom phone rings . The phone breaks me out of my trance, and I notice I wasn't the only one is a sleepy state.

"Emma," I hear Mr. J call my name. I look up to him. "You're needed down at the office," he says and hangs up the phone. I think for a minute why I would be called down to the office, and I can't think of anything.

"ohhhh," was voiced across the classroom, as if it was 5th grade. I get up.

"Ok," I say and leave the class. I get a text from Ruby asking what this is all about, and I respond with the truth which is that I don't know.

When I get to the office, I'm pointed to Mr. Gold's office. He's sitting at his desk.

"Close the door behind you Emma," he tells, me and I do. "Have a seat," I do.

"Am I in trouble?" I ask, unsure about what's going on.

"No, we just have a lot to discuss dearie,"

"Ok..."

"I believe you know my son," he says. Why would I know his son? Is he in my grade or something?

"I didn't even know you had a son," I answer. This is the pressing issue we had to talk about?

"His name is Neal," he reveals to me. My mouth drops, and a pit forms in my stomach at the sound of his name. Neal? This is Neal's father? How is that even possible? "I believe you two were in a relationship about a year ago."

"11 months ago," I correct him, not able to look at him anymore, instead I look down at my hands. I know how long it's been since Neal and I broke up, since it happened. It's been 11 months since we last saw each other. "How do you even know about us? He told me his father abandoned him," I hiss.

"It's complicated, and I know he felt as if I abandoned him, but there is more to the story Emma," he justifies. It hit's me why he's been so nice to me, why he was so interested in my name. He's using me to get to Neal, and I won't let that happen. Neal didn't want anything to do with his father, and I won't let Mr. Gold being my principle change that.

"It wasn't complicated! You're a coward, Neal told me that all time. You abandoned your son, and I won't lead you back to him, I don't care if you're my principal," I say firmly. Mr. Gold pounds the desk with his hand in anger at what told him, but quickly calms himself. "I won't do that to Neal," I say strongly, showing that his outburst didn't scare me. I've seen worse than that Gold, don't test me on this.

"I don't need you to lead me to him, being in juvie was help enough," he tells me. He found him! Dammit Neal never wanted to be stuck under his dad's custody. My anger towards Mr. Gold only gets worse the more I think about the countless conversations Neal and I had about his father, and now he's here, right in front of me. I should punch him in the face for how much he hurt Neal. Abandoning your own child, who does that?!

"He doesn't want anything to do with you," I sneer.

"We've been talking for months now Emma, and I realize that things are difficult between us, but I didn't ask you here for your opinion on the matter."