(REWRITING) The Skylar Experiment : Coveting

Chapter Nine p.1 - Disagreement about Miles

EMMA

I REJOINED RILEY on the sleepy field and we waited for the unending herd of the students to pass through, unclogging the doors. We still had fifteen minutes before classes.

"You look tired," I declared. "Detention got too rough?"

Her face twisted in a strange way, and she turned sideways from me. "God, it was awful. And all this snow... It's so cold."

She rubbed her hands and restlessly wiggled her legs like a fish out of water, complaining about the nipping weather. She wore a blue fleece jacket to contain her body's warmth. If she thought it was cold now, she was in for a treat during the next months.

"Surfer girl, this isn't California. This is considered a pleasant day in West Virginia."

All she gave was a distracted laugh while staring off into the morning fog. She had that look when she didn't sleep much where her skin was pale and taut. 

"Emma..." she began kindly. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, what?"

"Is there anything serious going on between you and Miles?"

I frowned. "He's cool. We talk sometimes, why?"

She pushed a wavy piece of hair the wind scattered across her face, and I had the impression she was about to criticize what I just said. "Listen, I don't think being around him is a good idea... His Dad..."

"He's nothing like him, Riley."

She seemed momentarily shocked at the way my voice rose. I didn't mean it to, but Miles and his father were two different people. I refused to steer clear of him just because of his family. He was the new guy with a reputation already, and he must feel self-conscious about it.

In fact, when I started talking to Lauren, way before I discovered her nature, Luc had scared me into leaving her alone. He'd humiliated me, treated me like a doormat and threatened to give me hell if I continued. 

Even afterwards, he'd been crude and dry on the rare occasions we talked. As close as they were, they were nothing alike. Jen and Adam weren't similar, either.

Luc stopped being prickly only after she died. Everyone got off my back. I just existed and carried their secret, a little reminder of her.

"His father is a hunter, Emma. He could be using you for his own gain." The urgency peaked in her voice at the word hunter. She must know as well, in that case. Did Luc tell her...? I thought mutants didn't know about them, but it wouldn't surprise me if they did. I felt miffed over it. For the years that I'd known them, it hadn't crossed their minds to fill me in on this. 

"What do you mean, for his own gain?"

She clutched her backpack, uncomfortable. "There are hunters just for Wanderers and people like Luc. It's possible he knows you're close to them and..."

I raised my free hand. "I get that you're worried, but Miles told me. He was honest about it, and he means well. They don't touch mutants. I wasn't pressured to say anything and you know better than to think I might sell out any of them."

I've been doing just that, keeping their little secrets. She didn't answer, but she didn't need to.

"I'm not a puppet, Riley. They're passing through because of the attack."

"You're playing with fire," she said, and her eyes matched the gloomy sky. "Miles can't be trusted, and you're in a vulnerable place right now and all..."

I'd had enough of this. I was not having this conversation about what happened at Homecoming. I couldn't do this right now or ever. Not once did Miles push to get the names of the mutants here because he wasn't interested in them. He didn't judge me or see me like a doll to be handled gently. I wasn't being taken advantage of. She just wasn't there when we talked.

Luc must have talked Riley into this or else she wouldn't be acting so judgemental.

"I can take care of myself, thank you very much." I distanced myself and walked toward the doors, leaving her behind. 

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