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Growing Pains Higher Learning - part 1
(Ten years ago, 2.39 p.m.)
Emma Frost is a pupil at the Snow Valley School for Girls in Snow Valley, Massachusetts, a beautiful red stone building surrounded by acres of greenery. A classic Rolls Royce waits outside the front doors. In the classroom, the form teacher, Mr. Ian Kendall is handing out grades to his pupils. Sherry Howard and Nicole Jordan receive good grades whilst Dolores Donovan has done especially well in English. Emma receives a “Not bad, not bad at all,” from her teacher. She looks unhappy, sat behind her desk wearing her school uniform, a red top over a white shirt, black tie and black skirt. Her hair is straight, brown and tied back away from her face. She looks at her grades and thinks to herself who she is; Emma Frost, everybody’s favourite nobody. She sits alone by the window while her fellow pupils chat amongst themselves.
Mr. Kendall calls out Matilda Brant’s name. She is a confident blonde prize pupil who asks him “Are you going to say that I did fabulously Mr. Kendall? Or may I call you Ian?” He replies that she may not and hands her the grade sheet. She has A’s in English, Math, History, Science and Phys Ed and A+ in Art and Spanish. She turns to her fellow pupils and says, “Well, what do you know? A’s, in every subject, guess I made the honor roll again.” Mr. Kendall says that they’re well aware of that as Emma reads her report. She has B’s in all subjects apart from Math and Art in which she receives B+. This is an improvement on her last report card, but nowhere near perfect. The bell rings for the end of class and Mr. Kendall tells them he’ll see them tomorrow but reminds them that this is only the second trimester and if their grades were less than stellar this time round, they still have plenty of chances to improve them.
As Emma wanders slowly out of the classroom, Matilda Brant and some of her friends are in the corridor and watch her, calling her a poor little rich girl, ‘Enema Frost’ and a weirdo behind her back. As she approaches them, Matilda holds out her hand and tells Emma that they noticed she didn’t seem too pleased after she got her report card. Emma reminds herself to stay cool, seemingly not very confident in dealing with someone like Matilda. She replies that it’s nothing really, it’s just that she didn’t do as well as she’d hoped. Matilda places her arm around Emma’s shoulder and tells her that she aced every subject, saying that maybe she could help her, maybe tutor her. Emma perks up a little, asking, “Really? That would be nice.”
Matilda reads the grades and in front of everyone dismisses them, saying, “Can these grades scream ‘mediocrity’ any louder?” Emma can offer no reply. Matilda tosses the piece of paper to the floor and says she’s sorry but she’s way beyond her help, but then that’s what she has ‘Daddy’ for isn’t it? She continues to bitch that everybody knows the reason she was accepted here is because he is the second richest man in the state so does she truly expect them to feel sorry for her because she’s flat-chested and doesn’t test very well? Get real, she adds, saying she doesn’t even have to board there like the rest of them. She has a mansion with her own bedroom, complete with digital tv, access to gourmet foods and a personal chauffeur who drives her to school every day. Emma thinks that this isn’t true but remains silent as Matilda and her friends turn their backs and leave the building, Matilda asking Margo what she’s wearing to the dance. Emma feels that they don’t understand.
Suddenly, she clutches her head in pain, watched from around the corner by Mr. Kendall. She walks out of the front doors and is greeted by Bryce, her chauffeur, a respectable grey haired man in uniform who opens the door to the Rolls Royce. He asks if everything is okay and she replies that it’s just a slight headache. She thinks to herself that she’s been having so many lately, and thinks her brain’s about to explode.
She is driven back to Frost House, home of the Frost family in Boston which is equally as impressive as the school and which also has acres of greenery surrounding it. Horses roam in a paddock next to a wooden bridge that crosses a stream leading to the winding driveway. Emma enters through large imposing wooden doors still reading her report card and thinks ‘Who cares what Matilda thinks of my report card anyway? She’s not the one I have to impress; it’s them, my family.’ The family are having dinner. Present are Hazel and Winston Frost, Emma’s parents who sit at opposite ends of the large dining table. Emma sits next to her bubble-blowing sister Cordelia and opposite her other sister, Adrienne who is making arrangements on her phone. Diagonally opposite sits Christian, Emma’s brother. Christian is tall and slim, athletic looking and wears his hair short. Several staff serve them as Hazel asks how everyone’s day was.
Winston tells her that her son nearly revealed one of their trade strategies to a major competitor. Christian turns to him and asks how many times he has to apologize. “Until I get tired of hearing your apology Christian,” Winston replies. Christian says that he gives up and won’t even try and defend himself. His father retorts there’s nothing to defend and calls him an idiot. Hazel breaks the tension a little by asking Adrienne to cut short her phone call as they’re trying to have dinner. The more glamorous of the sisters apologizes, telling her mother that she was speaking with a rep from a modelling agency downtown which is looking to turn her into the next Cindy Crawford. She says she was humoring him of course and intends to work with daddy once she finishes her masters.
Her mother is pleased and turns to Emma, asking how her day was. Emma lies. “It was great; I’ve made so many friends I’ve lost count. As a matter of fact, that dance I mentioned a few months back is coming up, and they’ll be really disappointed if I don’t go.” Hazel asks her husband if she can go. He replies that it is entirely up to Emma. She perks up, almost optimistic upon hearing his reply but her father continues to say that she knows the agreement they had concerning her grades. Emma eagerly stands, knowing he would say that and feels prepared to respond. She tells him that she got her report card back today and passes it to him. She stands expectantly at his side as he opens the report while Adrienne takes another phone call.
After reading the grades, her father tells Emma that they are simply unacceptable and she cannot go. Emma is shocked, reminding her father that he said she could go if she got B’s. He accepts that but says that they are not A’s and a Frost should strive to be better. A frustrated Emma runs from the room as Christian defends his sister, telling his father that it’s bad enough he won’t let her live at the dorms with the other students, but does he have to deny her the simple pleasures of adolescence as well? He is a stubborn man, and says that if she puts no effort into earning these “simple pleasures” then yes, absolutely. Christian replies, saying Emma should live at Snow Valley. If she did then maybe she’d have more time to study instead of driving back and forth every day. Winston says she can study during the ride and Christian realizes that nothing he can say is going to penetrate his father’s stubbornness and he stands, excusing himself. Adrienne concludes her phone call and asks Cordelia what she’s missed. “Dinner fell apart before anyone could ask how my day went. Hail Satan,” she replies, her bubble-gum bubble bursting.
Later, Christian joins Emma in her bedroom and does his best to be a big brother to her. The room is all pink, very feminine. A copy of Vogue rests on the duvet and a pink bunny rabbit toy sits atop the television stand. He lets her know that her grades really are better this trimester, even if Winston is oblivious to it and tells her that he is proud of her. Emma sits cross-legged on the bed in her night clothes and thanks him, but asks why it has to be so unfair. It ticks her off. She clutches her head as she says that she could have scored all A’s, she really could have but she hasn’t been feeling too well lately. He asks what’s wrong and she says that for weeks she has been having really intense headaches. He asks why she hasn’t told Winston or Hazel and tenderly holds her under her chin. She smiles but asks him not to mention anything to them. She isn’t ready yet and doesn’t want them starting in on her, adding that it’s probably nothing. As he leaves her room, he concedes that some things are better kept secret but asks her to promise to visit the school doctor which she agrees to.
(Three days later)
Emma is back at school. She and her fellow students are dressed in white fencing outfits for a class taken by Ms. Grizette. They stand around her as she asks for a volunteer to demonstrate circular parries four through eight in today’s first match. Emma somehow knows who she’s going to pick and her feelings are correct as Ms. Grizette chooses her and Matilda Brant. She tells them to select their rapiers and don their masks. Why bother, thinks Emma, she already knows who’s going to win.
Matilda calls, “En garde!” and they begin fencing. After just a few clashes, as Emma thinks about how Matilda is a superior athlete, is popular and is going to the dance, she finds herself being caught by Matilda’s rapier in the chest and blood quickly oozes from the wound. Emma collapses to the floor as a shocked Matilda stands back, removes her mask and insists it was just a tap. Ms. Grizette rushes over, removes Emma’s mask and finds blood coming from her nose too. She tells her pupils to send for Dr. Davenport.
Soon after, Emma is seated on a bed in Dr. Davenport’s room. Dr. Davenport also sports a school top under her white coat and she talks to Emma, asking her about the nosebleed. It’s the first one she’s had since she was really little and Dr. Davenport asks if she has any thoughts on why she passed out. The gymnasium was spinning, thinks Emma but replies that she guesses the blood made her a bit squeamish. Nothing too out of the ordinary she tells Emma, asking if there’s anything else she should know about. Emma has to admit that she’s been having really bad headaches and the doctor says that they’re probably nothing more than migraines caused by tension but still, she’d like to see Emma in two weeks for a follow-up examination. In the meantime, she provides her with some pain-relievers, reminding her not to exceed the recommended daily dosage. She takes them and replies that she won’t, thanking her inwardly probably for helping her, and for being so nice about it.
(The following day)
Mr. Kendall's class is ending and he reminds his pupils not to forget that the midterm is only three weeks away. He’ll see them on Monday. The girls depart and Matilda and her friends discuss the dance that evening, Matilda mentioning that a lot of cute boys from Pemberton will be attending including Josh Nixon. Her friend says he’s so fine. Mr. Kendall asks Emma if he can have a word. Clutching her books, she asks if it’s about her grades but he says no, he is just concerned about her in general. He says that he knows it hasn’t been easy for her, not being here at the dorms with the other girls, plus, he heard about the incident in fencing class yesterday and wants her to know that if there’s any way he can help, he’s here for her. He adds that he could even tutor her. As they stand facing each other, Emma thinks that she’s never noticed how his eyes are the same color as the ocean. “That, that’s handsome – I mean, lovely. It would be lovely. Can you start today?” she replies. He says that would be tough as he has to chaperone the dance tonight. “Aren’t you going?” he asks. Emma lies. Of course she is.
That evening at frost House, Emma has put on a beautiful long white ball gown. Christian tells her it looks dynamite but she tells him to keep it down in case father hears. Christian is also dressed stylishly and tells her he’ll try, adding that white is definitely her color. Emma can’t believe she’s actually doing this, or that Christian is actually helping her. He pulls a seat up for her and has her face the dressing table mirror. He removes the grips from her hair which allows it to fall naturally. He tells her they are entering the final phase; hair and make-up. Emma picks up a tub and a bottle, asking if blush, mascara, lipstick and eyeliner aren’t a bit much. She doesn’t even have a stretched canvas. Very funny, he replies as he gently applies blusher to her cheek. After applying eyeliner, Emma looks amazing and Christian is pleased with his efforts.
Emma tells him it’s a nice job, but asks how they’re going to leave the estate without mother and daddy finding out. He says that there’s no problem on that front, he does it all the time. If there’s anyone to worry about it’s Cordelia. She’s always sticking her pierced little nose where it doesn’t belong and she’s not above blackmail. Minutes later, Christian is driving Emma in his Mercedes towards Snow Valley and she can’t believe how easy that was. Christian tells her that no-one ever pays attention to the servants' exit. He drops her off outside the school and tells her he has his own appointment to keep but he’ll be back in a few hours to pick her up. “Have fun,” she tells him. “You too.”
Inside the school hall, the students are dressed to the nines and the place is adorned with drapes and balloons hanging from the ceiling. Josh Nixon is talking with Matilda about his dad loaning him his timeshare but before he can finish his sentence, he notices Emma wandering through the entrance, looking sleek and elegant in the white gown. Even Mr. Kendall barely recognizes her as everyone in the hall turns to look at her. Mr. Kendall introduces Emma to a fellow teacher, Ms. Morrissey who knows her as being one of Winston Frost’s daughters. As he speaks, Josh Nixon walks up behind Emma and says hey, introducing himself as Josh. She smiles. “Hi Josh, I’m Emma.” Josh touches her hair, asking if anyone ever tells her that her hair smells like jasmine mixed with honeysuckle. She coyly replies no and he says that he just did, he likes it and asks if she wants to dance. Matilda stands behind them, arms folded and giving Emma daggers.
As they head for the dance floor, she reaches out and says, “Not so fast.” Emma realizes that it’s Matilda but before she can do or say anything, Matilda grabs her gown by the shoulder and rips it, allowing the front to fall. “Oops! Guess I ruined your brand new Gaultier!” Matilda says. Emma turns and aggressively says that at least it isn’t borrowed like hers. She adds that maybe she should spend a little less time worrying about her and a little more time figuring out what she’s going to do once her family declares bankruptcy next month. “Bitch!” yells Matilda who pounces on Emma, knocking them both to the floor. As they grapple, she asks who told her about that but Emma thinks to herself almost the same thing, how did she know that?
Mr. Kendall spots them and as he approaches, Matilda pulls more of her fragile dress apart, revealing her bra and naked flesh. Matilda stands over her, holding the torn fragments of her expensive gown. “Riches to rags Frost. That’s different right?” she says. As she sits, clutching what’s left of her gown over her body, Matilda laughs, as does Josh Nixon and many other students. Mr. Kendall angrily grabs the ripped cloth from Matilda’s hand as Emma flees towards the exit. As she runs, her high-heeled shoe heel snaps off sending her tumbling to the floor once again. Everyone laughs even more as Emma holds herself up, her nose bleeding again, dripping on the floor.
Sometime later, Emma is back safely in the Mercedes with Christian who asks her what happened back there. She remains tight-lipped and turns her head away from him, embarrassed more than anything. She thinks to herself that she must have been out of her mind, wondering how she is ever going to show her face at school again. They’ll never let her live it down. She walks up the stairs to the Frost House’s front door only to find her father pull them open with a furious look on his face. He damns her to hell. He says he strictly forbade her from attending that insipid dance and not only did she disobey his order not to go, she chose to add insult to injury by engaging in some lawless catfight while there - and lost.
Emma struggles with her response, asking how he knew, and is about to mention that Christian said Cordelia would say something. Her father points his finger at her, asking what Christian has to do with this. Emma says nothing; it was all her idea, no matter what Cordelia told him. He replies that he didn’t find out from her sister. Her teacher, Mr. Kendall called and told him everything.
(Monday afternoon)
At the Snow Valley School for Girls, Emma sits alone behind a desk as Mr. Kendall asks what happened Friday night. Emma is still upset about it. “Tell you?” she says, “As if you don’t already know!” She says that what Matilda did was horrible enough, but her father didn’t have to find out she was at the stupid dance. She tells him that she thought she could trust him. He thinks about this and realizes his error. He apologizes to her, telling her he hadn’t realized she’d snuck out against her father’s wishes. Emma sits forlornly, thinking how could he have known? She’s the one that should be apologizing. “I hate my life, I just want to die,” she whispers. Mr. Kendall walks over to her and tells her to just stop and think about all the people she would hurt if that were to happen. She asks him to name one. He takes her hand and tells her, “There’s me, Emma, there’s me.” He leads her to the window where the sun’s rays bathe them in a warm glow.
They stand there, looking outside and he tells her that he thinks she has a great deal of potential and when that potential is finally realized, when she blooms, it’ll be up to her and her alone to choose what happens next. He adds that she’ll probably look back on this one day and wonder. He tells her not to look back, look forward. The future is bright so she shouldn’t forget her sunglasses. He spots the Rolls Royce on the driveway and asks, “Same time tomorrow?” She says she wouldn’t miss it and asks, “Can I call you Ian?” He says sure, but it’s time to head home now.
Emma leaves his classroom, but when she gets into the corridor she feels kind of funny and steadies herself against the wall. Matilda and the other girls are ahead of her and along with Mr. Kendall, notice her looking unsteady. “What’s the matter with her?” one girl asks just as Emma’s nose begins to bleed once again. Suddenly, a barrage of random thoughts enter her mind from everyone around her and she drops to the ground, wanting someone to make the voices stop. Mr. Kendall rushes over to her as she screams, “Make them stop!” With that, Mr. Kendall shouts her name as she passes out in his arms as her fellow students look on, shocked.


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[Assistant]
Higher Learning - part 2
After collapsing in Mr. Kendall’s arms at the Snow Valley School for Girls, Emma slowly regains consciousness and wakes to see two blurred figures, which gradually become Ms. Cruikshank, the school’s headmistress and Dr. Davenport. Ms. Cruikshank asks the doctor what happened to her but she doesn’t exactly know. The smelling salts do their job as Emma sits up in the bed, wearing a green gown and appearing a little dazed by the experience. The headmistress is relieved to see her recover, as Emma looks around, surprised to find herself back in the infirmary. She asks if she did something wrong but Dr. Davenport asks her to relax and Ms. Cruikshank informs her that she fainted in the hall.
The doctor asks Emma what the last thing is she recalls before blacking out. Emma rubs her forehead and replies that she was taking to Mr. Kendall, getting ready to take the midterm and then she found herself in the infirmary. Dr. Davenport tells her that she was unconscious for several minutes and asks how her head feels but Emma tells her she’s fine. The doctor then asks about the migraines she’s been having but Emma assures her that there’s nothing to worry about; she did something moronic and, like an idiot, she skipped breakfast. She says she must have got light-headed and passed out but she’s fine now and asks if she can take her midterm. Ms. Cruikshank tells her that it’s been rescheduled for the following day. Emma is surprised at this but Ms. Cruikshank points out that as headmistress of the school and, in light of her mishap, she thought it was the best decision. The other girls are still very shaken.
Sometime later, now dressed in her school uniform, Emma wanders into a corridor to see the other girls celebrating the postponement. ‘Right; absolutely traumatized’ thinks Emma as she walks past them. “Well, look who’s out of her self-induced coma,” says Matilda Brant, the bane of Emma’s existence. She stands before a group of her friends in order to mock Emma, telling her she managed to postpone the midterm with her MTV Movie Award-level performance of ‘Teacher, I’m not feeling so well.’ She adds that it was a pitifully desperate stunt, even for Emma and says that she must have really needed the extra day to study. As she walks away she says with a smirk that some of them didn’t, though, leaving Emma feeling more embarrassed and isolated than ever.
Later, in Mr. Kendall’s classroom, she tells him what happened but he is incredulous at her excuse that she simply skipped breakfast. He leans over the desk where she sits and tells her that he saw her cry out, fall to her knees gripping her skull in pain. “There was blood for god’s sake. What aren’t you telling me?” he asks. Just about everything, she thinks, but it’s not because she doesn’t want to; it’s because she can’t. The voices inside her head, the nosebleeds, the headaches; if she told him anything about them he’d think she was a total freak. She stands and clutches her books to her chest, telling Mr. Kendall she has to go as her chauffeur’s waiting. As she departs, he tells her that he wants her to know that he’s more than just a teacher; he’s a friend and she can trust him with any secret, no matter how big or small. He is on her side. She says that she knows and he watches her leave, picked up by Bryce in the Rolls Royce.
That evening at sunset, after Emma has returned to Frost House, she meets her parents after changing from her school clothes. Feilcia, the maid, pours some tea while Winston pours over the newspaper. Hazel asks Emma how her test went but Winston replies that it’s been postponed until tomorrow. Emma asks how he knows and he grimaces as he informs her that he postponed it after her headmistress told him about her accident that morning. “Accident? Emma, what accident?” enquires her mother. Emma replies that it isn’t really a big deal but her father interjects, telling his wife that she skipped breakfast and collapsed in the hallway outside of class, in front of everyone. Her mother looks furious as Winston turns to Felicia and tells her she’s fired, effective immediately. She tries to protest but he says that he doesn’t intend to keep anyone on his staff who can’t make sure his children are fed before school. “It’s not radial keratotomy, you know. Now get out, don’t dally,” he adds.
As Felicia scuttles out of the room, Emma tries to stop this from happening but Hazel tells her not to interrupt her father when he’s chastising the servants as it undermines his authority. She also reminds her to remember to eat. Emma continues to point out that Felicia didn’t do anything wrong but Winston dismisses her protestations and asks her to leave them.
She leaves the room and discovers her brother, Christian, is sitting at the foot of the staircase. He asks why she didn’t tell them about the headaches and the voices. He places one arm on her shoulder and she looks down as she tells him she’s okay. He knows that she isn’t and tells her that he’s glad Ms. Cruikshank told the ‘old man’ what happened. Something’s not right with her and he tells her that the symptoms may be the result of something more serious, something they can’t ignore. Christian heads towards the arched doorway saying that he’s going to tell them, before it’s too late.
Emma can’t allow this to happen and uses her burgeoning telepathic powers to scan his mind quickly. She asks him if he isn’t supposed to be somewhere this evening? Dinner at Spago’s, eight-ish if she’s not mistaken? That’s why he had the car waxed, right? She says that she can see the suit he’s picked out; Hugo Boss, single breasted, four button, taupe (brownish-grey), with matching stretch wool slacks. “Very natty,” she adds. Emma continues with his fragrance, saying he should go with the Acqua Di Gio, as it’s more understated than the Escada. It seems he’s trying awfully hard to impress somebody; the question is who? Christian is shocked by her knowledge but Emma now has him where she wants him. She tells him that they all have secrets they don’t want anyone finding out about. He concedes that she has made her point, “But if I see you as much as swoon…”
The next day at Snow Valley, Mr. Kendall hands out the test papers to Emma’s class. There will be twenty true or false, twenty multiple choice, three short essays and five extra credit questions to complete and he wishes them good luck. Emma stares at her paper, thinking that she’s going to need it. She swears she knew all the answers yesterday but now she’s drawing a complete blank. She’s so dead if she doesn’t pass this, she thinks. She looks at Matilda and wonders why every subject is a breeze for her. She checks her paper and sees a question asking for eight categories of Modern Art, describing each briefly. Emma thinks of Realism but struggles to think of a second, let alone another seven. Suddenly, two more, Impressionism and Post-Impressionism pop into her head and she realizes a voice seemed to tell her the answers. Symbolism, Art Nouveau and Estheticism follow and she determines that it is Ian’s voice she can hear. Her mind wanders around the room and she gets Abstract from Francine, Primitivism from Matilda and Expressionism from Joon. Emma doesn’t understand how or why she can do this but she just closes her eyes and goes with it.
The following week, Mr. Kendall hands out the results. Matilda has done excellent as usual but Emma’s result has put him in a state of utter shock. It’s an A-Plus. Emma says the words before she even reads the card. Mr. Kendall tells her it’s the highest mark in the class and he’s pleased. Matilda glances behind her giving Emma the daggers.
It’s time for fencing class with Ms. Grizette and the girls don their white fencing outfits and stand waiting for instructions as the teacher tells them to be attentive. Matilda stands right behind Emma and whispers into her ear that there’s no way she could have aced the midterm. She says she cheated and she’s going to prove it one way or another. Emma turns and tells Matilda that she’s just bent out of shape because she got a better score than her. “Maybe you’re the one who needed a few extra days to study,” she adds. Ms. Grizette points at the pair of them and tells them that since their hearing appears to be quite impaired, she’ll have to test their fencing skills instead.
“En garde!” says Ms. Grizette as the two girls face each other. Emma, without even trying, reads Matilda’s thoughts as she inwardly promises to kick Emma’s scrawny butt. As they take their first strikes, Matilda thinks about how she should have got the highest grade and how she can’t let Emma beat her at this too. Emma blocks a shot and wonders what’s happening to her. She can hear what Matilda’s thinking. More strikes follow as she hears Matilda thinking about how she doesn’t know how Emma knew about her folks being bankrupt either. Emma now knows she was right about her as Matilda continues to think about how she told the other students she was a liar, but when she eventually has to leave school they’ll know she was telling the truth. Matilda thinks that maybe they could have been friends if she’d have given her a chance in spite of their differences.
Emma is surprised about the reference to being friends but continues to read Matilda’s thoughts as she thinks about how she doesn’t really like Emma; she scares the hell out of her, not that she’d ever find out. Emma attacks quickly to get the fight over with and not only knocks Matilda’s rapier from her hand, but puts on her behind too. Emma then whips off her facemask and shouts, “Enough!” Suddenly, though, she bends over and Ms. Grizette grabs her before she collapses. Emma whispers that she needs air.
Back at Frost House, Emma gets ready for bed. After her bath, she continues to think about the changes that are happening. She now knows that it wasn’t her imagination. She knew exactly what Matilda was thinking and feeling and sensed her vulnerability. She couldn’t have won the match otherwise. She brushes her hair, telling herself once again that she can’t tell her father. It’s too much to believe and he would lock her away in a mental institution for the next sixty years. She has to keep this to herself, no matter what.
Later, back at the Snow Valley High School for Girls, Emma finds herself seated before Ms. Cruikshank with Mr. Kendall standing beside her. Ms. Cruikshank tells Emma that she hates to be the bearer of bad news, but she’s afraid that Emma will have to take the midterm all over again. Emma doesn’t understand, as she got the highest grade, but Ms. Cruikshank replies that she’s well aware of that. However, given her prior academic standing, some parents are questioning the validity of her score. Emma insists she took it fair and square and Mr. Kendall assures her that he can attest to the amount of studying she did in preparation for the examination. Ms. Cruikshank points out that a fellow student claims that Emma knew the results of her test before it was returned, which is highly suspect. She says that they won’t waste any more time and asks Mr. Kendall to find an empty room for Emma.
Soon, Emma is sat alone in a room and sits with the test again, watched by Mr. Kendall. When her time is up, she waits with him while Ms. Cruikshank scores the paper. While they wait, he assures her she shouldn’t have anything to worry about but Emma is more concerned that Matilda would go as far as having her parents fight her battles for her. Mr. Kendall figures she is probably more than a little upset by Emma’s grade than anything else. Emma says that she feels she’s not the only one, asking Mr. Kendall if he isn’t wondering how she pulled it off and if he thinks she’s a cheater too. He replies that nothing could be further from the truth but he is baffled by the ease with which she answered the extra credit questions, all of them, despite not having reviewed the material in class.
Emma says that she is baffled too and tells him that a part of her feels like she doesn’t deserve that first score. He asks what she’s talking about and her instincts are to trust him and tell him the truth. She tells him that when he handed out the midterm, she didn’t remember any of the answers, completely freezing. Then, she heard a voice…  Her confession is halted by Ms. Cruikshank, who appears in the doorway and says, “Congratulations, another perfect score.” Mr. Kendall smiles but Emma is a little taken aback. As the headmistress leaves the room, Mr. Kendall places his hands on her shoulders and tells her she did it but Emma backs off and lowers her head. She tells him there’s no way she could have. She purposely left some of the questions blank this time. Mr. Kendall is shocked and storms into Ms. Cruikshank’s office, demanding to see the exam. When asked why, he replies that she left some questions blank and couldn’t possibly have gotten the same grade as before. “What difference does it make?” says Ms. Cruikshank, “As long as it makes her father happy.”
Mr. Kendall suddenly realizes the truth as Ms. Cruikshank continues to tell him that Winston Frost contacted her a short while ago and found out what was going on. She never got to finish grading Emma’s exam and its remains are in the shredder. As far as she is concerned, it doesn’t matter whether she cheated or not. Her family’s donations to this institution make her more than willing to look the other way on this.  She suggests Mr. Kendall does the same, otherwise he’s just asking for trouble. Just outside the door, Emma overhears everything that the headmistress says and tears begin to stream down her cheek.


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[Assistant]
Higher Learning - part 3
(March 27th)
Emma sits at the rear of the classroom and, for once, is finally content. No one can accuse her of cheating again, neither Matilda nor her parents, after she scored straight A’s this trimester. Something happened inside her head, which she cannot explain, something scary. But now, for the first time in her young life, she is in control and is beginning to fit in. Does it matter to her that she hardly needs to study anymore? It’s not her fault that she can somehow ‘hear’ the other kids thinking the correct answers. She looks at her latest scorecard. A+; another one bites the dust.
The snow falls as a yellow cab pulls up outside the school. Joon leans over to Emma and asks her if Ginseng is the reason her grades have improved. Her father says it is mental stimulant and swears by it, but she never pays him any mind. Emma’s gone from a B student to getting A’s in every subject. Asked what her secret is, Emma simply replies, “Brainpower I guess.” Ms. Cruikshank appears at the door and informs Mr. Kendall that the taxi is waiting at the door. She looks at Matilda Brant and tells her it’s time.
Emma peers through the window as Matilda makes her way to the waiting cab. She always thought that she’d have to wait until graduation before she’d be free of Matilda, but the wait is over sooner than she expected. Her family cannot afford to keep sending her to Snow Valley as they have gone bankrupt, so she’s leaving for good. Emma won’t be sending her a postcard anytime soon. She’s bullied Emma since her freshman year and now she’s leaving, she’ll miss her about as much as she misses the nosebleeds and migraines. Poor, poor Matilda.
(One month later)
Mr. Kendall is showing his class around the impressive Boston Museum of Fine Arts and stands in front of Gustav Klimt’s ‘The Kiss.’ He explains the painting to them, how it is an iconic testament to romance and how the image itself appears deceptively simple in terms of content. They listen intently as he talks but everyone is surprised when Emma suddenly picks up his sentence and finishes it for him. She rambles through the explanation that Mr. Kendall had prepared in his thoughts; her eyes wide open as she blurts out the sentence subconsciously without even thinking about what she is saying. As she continues the speech, she suddenly feels faint and holds her head as her knees give way. Mr. Kendall reaches to support her as Emma whispers that she just needs to grab a bite.
Later, in the Museum’s cafeteria, a large room with overly large pictures on each wall, Emma sits opposite Mr. Kendall as they grab a sandwich. He tells her that it was uncanny; it was like she took the words right out of his mouth. “You didn’t peek at my notes did you?” Emma says that she didn’t; she just knew. Mr. Kendall swears she must be psychic as Emma sits there, hoping that he’ll change the subject. He does and asks her whether she has considered his offer of joining Snow Valley’s Peer Tutor Program (PTP). Her face lights up at the suggestion and asks if he’s sure about that. Very, he replies. She asks if he’ll be there and he replies that he will, for hours on end. ‘I’m in,’ thinks Emma, a picture of a champagne cork being popped nearby being symbolic of her feelings, not only of the prospect of tutoring but also of spending more time with Mr. Kendall.
That evening at Frost House, Emma and her siblings sit down to tea with their parents. Her father, Winston tells Cordelia that Coach Fleisman says that the girl’s locker room reeked of marijuana and she and her friends were the only ones there. She says that it so wasn’t them and the way she sees it, “If that fat lesbo didn’t see me toking on a spliff, I’m pretty much innocent ‘till proven guilty.” ‘What a crock,’ Emma thinks as her sister sits confidently, thinking she’s got one over on her father. Emma’s mother, Hazel tells Adrienne that they’re having a serious family discussion and asks how many times she has to tell her about making phone calls at the dinner table. Adrienne clutches the phone to her chest; “Just once mother.”
Winston looks at Cordelia and tells her that he guesses a drug test will either exonerate or implicate her. Cordelia’s face morphs from smugness to horror in an instant. She stands up, grabs a knife and rams it into the table through the tablecloth. She says to hell with it, she isn’t about to whiz in a cup for him or anyone and leaves the room, pushing a maid out of the way as she storms out. Winston calmly sips at his wine. Emma tries to lighten the mood and tells him that she got an A in her science quiz. Instead of offering praise, he slams his glass down and snarls at her, asking her what of it. Should he be awed because she’s not strung out on dope? Just because she’s getting good grades like she’s supposed to? He tells her not to hold her breath.
Emma bows her head as Christian, opposite her, remains silent, arms folded. Adrienne is too preoccupied to notice her father’s rant as she’s in the phone still, talking to Leo. Her shallowness knows no end as she tells him that she doesn’t care how many Cambodians have to work in a sweatshop as long as the clothes on her look good.
(Two weeks later)
Now on the PTP, Emma sits on a desk as a few of the girls including Joon and Margo listen to her talking about art. They seem enthusiastic and Mr. Kendall smiles as he sees his protégé getting into the groove. Ms. Cruikshank also watches, but appears more intent on Mr. Kendal’s actions than Emma’s. After her class is over, she waves to Ian and says she’ll see him tomorrow but he asks her to wait up. He grabs his briefcase and walks out with her.
As they stroll down the corridors, he asks her what her plans are for the future. She says that she hasn’t any yet and asks why. He tells her that he’s been watching her interact with the other girls and thinks she has a natural talent for instructing students. He knows of some colleges with excellent educational programs. “A teacher…You think I’d make a good teacher?” she asks. “Or headmistress,” he replies. Emma appears excited by the idea, and tells Mr. Kendall that she never thought she’d ever hear herself say this, but speaking in front of a group actually makes her feel relaxed, more confident. ‘Sexy,’ Mr. Kendall thinks. Emma turns and asks him what he said. He replies that he didn’t say anything.
The following morning in the gardens of Frost House, the sun shines as a stableman leads a horse to the stables. Inside, Emma goes into her father’s office and tells him, slightly nervously that she thinks she might be interested in pursuing a teaching career. He tells her he’s busy as he looks at his laptop and asks her to come back when she intends to have a serious conversation; one that won’t make him soil himself from sheer laughter. She places her hands on the edge of his desk and says that it is a serious conversation and can he please hear her out. Winston erupts in anger, hurling his laptop away as he shouts, “I said NO, damn it!” Now, he leans over the desk and asks her if she thinks that because she helped some pimple-faced prep-schoolers squeeze a few extra credit points, she’s suddenly qualified to be some college professor? “Give me a break.”
Emma is unfazed by his attitude and stands her ground. She is no longer the naïve pushover he once knew and asks him to give her a break. She tells him that she has done everything he asked; increased her test scores, raised her grade point average and is even being considered for valedictorian! She says she has proven herself but no, he wouldn’t dare trust her, not like Mr. Kendal trusts her. Winston frowns and thinks, ‘The teacher, he’s behind this?” Emma reads his thoughts and tells him that yes, it was Ian who encouraged her. He believes in her, told her she was special. He cares about her, unlike her father. Winston stands, but Emma turns and leaves his office, stubbornly telling him that she is going to be a teacher and he can’t stop her.
Sometime later, Emma is dressed in her equestrian outfit; black hat, coat and boots with white jodhpurs. Carrying a horsewhip, she walks toward the stables where two horses are being fed by the stableman. Christian approaches her and, after she mounts her steed, tells them to go on; they’ll catch up. Soon, Emma and Christian are riding the horses through the fields, leaping over wooden fences, enjoying themselves for a change. They come to a halt at the side of a lake where Christian tells Emma that he heard her blow-up with the old man. He isn’t sure she’s doing the right thing. “Don’t tell me you’re taking his side?” Emma says. He tells her that of course he isn’t as he places his hand on her arm; he thinks it’s great that she’s decided to become a schoolteacher. It’s just that he’s not certain Winston needed to know about her decision. She says she is sorry, but had no choice; she can’t hide who she is anymore.
(Three weeks later)
Emma is back at school and is evidently establishing a reputation as one of the more popular girls. Matilda’s absence appears to have increased her confidence and allowed the other girls to warm more to her. A group of them wave goodbye as she heads for the exit where Bryce, her chauffer waits with an umbrella to protect her from the raging storm outside. As the Rolls Royce heads out of the school grounds, lightning strikes in the distance which makes her actually look forward to getting home.
Before long, the car begins to coast and Emma asks Bryce why the car’s slowing down. He replies that the engine’s dead and he can’t get it to turn over. Reaching for the phone, he tells her not to panic, as he’ll just make a quick call to the mechanic. He picks it up and tells her that there’s no dial tone; the lines must be down because of the storm so he’ll have to take a look at the engine himself. He grabs his umbrella and opens the hood but soon speaks to Emma through the open window and says that he can’t fix her. He is heading back to Snow Valley to use a phone there. She asks what she can do to help but he tells her to just sit tight. The Rolls is warm and dry and he’ll be back in a jiffy. She watches as he disappears into the heavy rain.
Before long, a pair of headlights approaches and the car pulls up alongside. The window is wound down and Mr. Kendall waves at her, asking what she’s doing out here all by herself. She tells him the car broke down and Bryce went back to town to get help. Instead of leaving her there all alone, he offers her a ride. That’s so gallant, thinks Emma. She is a little reluctant; wondering what happens if Bryce returns to find her gone but Mr. Kendall says that her parents can have someone get in touch with him once she’s safe at home. This convinces her and he covers them both with a coat as they dash to his car.
Before long, Emma sits with her eyes shut as Mr. Kendall thinks that he didn’t expect her to fall asleep so soon. Emma opens a surreptitious eye as he continues to think that he hopes he didn’t bore her, going on about the time he got Keith Haring’s autograph. He glances at her and thinks to himself, ‘Look at you, so smart, so beautiful. Who are you Emma Frost? And why exactly weren’t there any girls like you back when I was in high school. Or college even.’
His car enters the grounds of Frost House and, when he comes to a stop, he shakes Emma to wake her from her slumber. As soon as he says, “We’re here,” Emma grabs his face and kisses him intently. Mr. Kendall pulls back in shock, asking what in god’s sake she’s doing. She tells him that it’s okay; she knows how he feels about her and she feels the same way too. “How I feel?” asks Mr. Kendall. Emma tells him that on the inside, she knows that he thinks she’s sexy. As he straightens his glasses, Mr. Kendall’s mind runs riot as he considers the implications of her actions. He asks what she’s talking about. He’s her teacher and she is his student; it’s nothing more than that. “But you want it to be!” she says but all he can says is, “No Emma, I’m sorry.” He hastily drives towards the gates as from the terrace, Emma watches him drive away thinking, ‘But I heard you; I heard you.’ Her father watches from inside the house.
(The following morning)
Back at Snow Valley High School for Girls, before she enters class, she thinks that she must remember to apologize profusely and tell him that she doesn’t know what came over her. Her eyes suddenly widen in shock as she enters the class, finding in Mr. Kendall’s place a rather large woman telling her that she’s late. She asks where Mr. Kendall is and she tells her that she’s afraid Mr. Kendall won’t be coming back. She is Mrs. Hancock, his replacement. Tears stream down her face as she asks why he had to leave. Behind her, Ms. Cruikshank informs her that it was because she was forced to dismiss him, after a parent alleged lewd misconduct between Mr. Kendall and one of his students. As it turns out, that same parent was able to back up the allegation with evidence.
Later, at Frost House, Emma immediately storms into her father’s office and asks him why he did it. He calmly replies that he is listed among Forbes’ twenty-five most successful business leaders. He can do anything. She pleads with him to give Mr. Kendall his job back but he tells her that it’s too late. He’s out, permanently. She crosses her arms and stands in front of his desk. She says that this just fuels her desire to be a teacher even more. She won’t let him control her life, no matter what he does. “Won’t you?” he replies as he turns his laptop computer to face her. He says that she should take a look at what the mansion’s video surveillance camera caught when she was dropped off yesterday. “Creepy,” he adds. Onscreen is a perfect shot of Emma and Mr. Kendall kissing.
Emma’s father proceeds to inform her that nothing was actually wrong with the Rolls. It was all a setup to get the two of them alone in Kendall’s car. He figured that would be sufficient incrimination, never factoring on her raging hormones. At the end of the day, she answers to him and he doesn’t intend to destroy another expensive piece of hardware to prove his point. All her talk of becoming a teacher ends right now, or he’ll use the recording to make sure Mr. Kendall never teaches anywhere ever again. He leaves his office as Emma crunches her fists into her face. No, this can’t be happening, she thinks. Winston remarks that he’s sorry, but she never stood a chance against him, A’s or no A’s.


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[Assistant]
Higher Learning - part 4
(Boston, Massachusetts - June)
Bryce, the Frost’s family butler, has pulled up outside a brownstone townhouse and Emma stands looking at it. She loves her older brother, Christian, dearly, but right now she feels envy, well, about
forty percent envy, sixty percent love because he resides there, away from the family estate. Even though her father technically owns the house, it’s still enabled him some freedoms Emma doesn’t have. She climbs the steps and stands at the door, which suddenly opens. A young man leaves the house, clearly angry at something Christian has said or done. As he passes Emma, his shoulder brushes hers and she suddenly becomes lost in the man’s memories.
(Dante’s memories)
He is born and is named Dante. As he grows up, his mother becomes ill and her illness is terminal, eventually leaving Dante alone. He drifts into a world of drug abuse and finds himself arrested. One more strike on his record and he’ll be sent down for a long time. Fortunately, he meets Christian and the pair are immediately attracted to one another, soon becoming more than just friends. They spend time with each other and appear happy in their relationship, despite their concerns over being caught.
(Reality)
Emma realizes that her brother is gay but, before she has time to dwell on this revelation, Christian appears at the door and she almost screams his name in surprise, maybe feeling a little guilty at what she has discovered. He asks her if she’s okay, as she looks a little flushed, but she replies that she’s fine, despite knowing that she probably just experienced another person’s memories. As Dante walks hurriedly away from the house, Emma asks Christian who he is but he tells her he is nobody, looking to the floor as he speaks. He tells Bryce that his luggage is in the foyer as Emma stands there, feeling a little betrayed that Christian has kept this from her. She thought they were closer than that.
Two hours later, the whole family is aboard an airplane, heading for Nice on the French Riviera. Winston taps away on his laptop, Cordelia and Adrienne chat, whilst Christian stands by himself, drinking. It’s either a charter flight or the Frost’s own craft as they appear to have it to themselves. The summer vacation has officially begun, but Emma is so over the Riviera, and so over high school. She leafs through her high school yearbook and finds a picture of her on a successful graduation day. It was three weeks ago but it feels like three years. Mr. Kendall is in another photo. He would have been so proud to see her, she thinks, but he couldn’t. She glances over at her preoccupied father, knowing he made sure of that. She can’t bring herself to hate him just yet though, but she’s getting closer every day.
(The French Riviera)
On a typically beautiful summer’s day in Nice, a man with a bald head and grey beard looks out into the harbor at the sail boats and yachts that frequent this port. The three Frost daughters recline on their sun beds, taking in the rays. The statuesque Adrienne is wearing the skimpiest of flowery bikinis, Emma wears a white one-piece and reads ‘Memoirs of a dutiful daughter,’ while Cordelia sticks to her black vest, shorts and boots. She stands up and walks to the balcony. “And where are you going, Cordelia, you little hellion?” asks Adrienne. She replies that she’s hot but Adrienne says that wearing black in eighty-five degree weather certainly doesn’t help, not to mention that it’ll do squat for her tan.
Adrienne looks over at her other sister, telling Emma that Cordelia doesn’t need enemies; she’s her own worst. Emma asks what she means and she replies that Cordelia takes the whole ‘rebel without a clue’ act way too far, well, for Winston anyway. When her drug test came back positive, it was her final slam-dance. He won’t be priming her to take over the family business any time soon. She almost appears gleeful at the fact and snaps her fingers to get the attention of the bald man standing nearby. She tells Emma that, when daddy kicks, you know it’s going to go down and it won’t be Christian either. She leans over to her and says, “I think we both know why.” Emma looks away, wondering if Adrienne knows about Christian and Dante. Her older sister is a mystery to her, the only one in the family whose mind she cannot read. Her words are all she has to go on.
Adrienne rolls over onto her front to allow the man to rub in some suntan lotion, unfastening her bikini top as he pours. She continues, telling Emma that daddy won’t choose her either, not after she voiced some masochistic desire to be a schoolmarm. How utterly middle class is that? “And wasn’t there some Lolita-esque lip-locking between you and your art teacher?” she continues, “And here I thought Cordelia was the one on drugs.” Emma stands and tosses her book aside, telling Adrienne to go to hell but she smiles and says she’s already here and loving it. Emma heads inside as Cordelia spits her gum out, probably at some unsuspecting passer-by.
Once Emma has changed into casuals, she heads into town to do some shopping and forget about Adrienne. Walking along Le Promenade Des Anglais, she bumps shoulders with an evil looking man and her head throbs as she receives another mental image or maybe even a memory. A man’s head on a plate, apple in mouth and skull sliced off, revealing his brain, sickens Emma to her core and she falls to the ground, throwing up. She looks at the man, who offers a disdainful glance back at her, and wonders if the image was real or not. A middle-aged woman helps her up. She asks, in French, how Emma’s feeling and if she needs a doctor. Emma is unsteady on her feet but replies that she doesn’t. The woman shows her to a park bench and asks her to rest as she’s perspiring. Emma is shaken by the experience, the image really frightening her. She thinks however that it’s funny. Not long ago her French was so-so but now, she not only understands what the woman is saying, but she speaks the language fluently. She recovers a little and asks the woman if she can keep the magazine she carries. She can, and is very surprised to see what’s on the front cover.
Later that evening, at the Frost villa, Christian plays the piano as Emma tries to engage him on conversation. Regarding the magazine cover, she asks him why she wouldn’t tell anyone but Christian replies that maybe she wanted to keep it her own little secret, asking if that’s so wrong. He takes a sip of his drink and Emma tells him that he’s hammered and is drinking because of the guy back in Boston. She asks why he won’t tell her anything about him. He stands up and tells her in no uncertain terms hat it’s none of her business. When she asked him to back off about her migraines and the voices she was imagining, he did, and asks why the hell she can’t do the same. He storms out.
That night, Emma has changed clothes again as she wanders through the town with shopping bags full of goodies, including Coco Chanel. Nothing chases away the blues quite like Coco but a shopping buzz only lasts so long. She has to get through to Christian and, if it means revealing her own secret, then so be it. She stops in her tracks, as a door opens to her left and she sees her father leaving the Hotel Chatillon, accompanied by a young woman, glamorous and wearing a short red dress. She has a demure look about her and isn’t much older than Adrienne. Emma is shocked to see her father’s hand all over the woman’s butt. ‘The pig! Daddy you are so busted,’ she thinks as she grabs her digital camera from her purse. Her father used blackmail to force her to do what he wanted; well, two can play at that game.
She follows them to a nightclub and, not having nearly enough pictures, decides to follow them in. Unfortunately, a large doorman stops her and asks for I.D. She telepathically discovers he is called Robert and speaks English…barely. She tells him that she thinks she left her passport back at the villa but she is eighteen and belongs to one of the wealthiest families in the United States. He replies that everyone is wealthy in Nice. The club’s going nowhere and will be here when she gets back. Ah, Emma thinks, but daddy and his mistress might not. She has only one option, and that isn’t to play fair.
“Robert. May I call you Robert? Gregoire doesn’t know you’ve been sleeping with Colette does he? Otherwise he would have fired you when the affair started. Am I warm? She smiles at the ease she can do this. Robert stutters his words. “I’d say I’m burning up,” she continues. He asks how she knows and she tells him the same way she knows that he doesn’t want his boss to find out he’s been making love to his wife every Tuesday for the last six months.
One minute later, Emma is inside the club, frequented by a well turned-out clientele. She feels a little sorry for Robert. Poor guy didn’t deserve to be threatened, even if he is a total sleaze. He was just doing his job, but then so was Ian and that’s why she has to go through with this. If she gets some dirt on her father, she can force him to get Ian rehired. She stands well back from the dance floor, watching her father and his mistress dancing cheek to cheek. As she prepares to take some more photographs, she spots her brother Christian and he’s chatting with the sicko she bumped into earlier. She can’t see his thought, though, only sensing that he’s hungry. Suddenly, Christian begins to feel poorly and Emma realizes that his drink has been spiked. The man grins as he suggests they get him some fresh air.
Emma rushes down the staircase, trying to read Christian’s thoughts but they are confused and muddled. He’s in trouble and needs her help. As she makes her way through the crowd, she bumps into several people and starts being overwhelmed by myriad thoughts all around her. There are too many; she has to shut them out. Suddenly, she thinks about shutting them up and the people around her reel in agony, as they are mentally assaulted. Winston wonders what the big commotion is and spots Emma rushing through the exit door into the alley behind the club.
Once outside, she follows Christian’s trail and finds the man holding Christian from behind. She telepathically warns him to let him go and the man clutches his head in pain. Suddenly, from behind her, her father calls her name, her full name which implies he isn’t very happy. She turns and sees him standing imposingly before her, his mistress watching from the doorway. Emma sees the sicko getting into his car, leaving Christian behind. ‘Yeah, he’d better!’ She rushes to Christian’s aid as her father approaches, asking what in God’s name is going on here. She informs him that Christian has been drugged but the guy who did it has gotten away. They have to call the police. Winston isn’t impressed, replying that her brother has been acting like a backpacker since boarding the jet to France. If he’s drugged, he adds, then he probably did it to himself. He’s calling the chauffeur to take the both of them home.
The next day, sunshine flows through the villa’s window, as Emma tries to get some information about the assailant from Christian, who can’t even remember the guy’s name. He was pretty plastered to begin with. “Yeah,” says Emma, “You were thick with the non-charm.” He apologizes before Emma asks him to tell her what happened in Boston. He sighs, but decides to trust her with it. He tells her that the guy’s name was Dante and they were lovers; we’re lovers. “Y-You’re gay?” she asks, hoping her exclamation was convincing enough. “That’s generally the way it works when two men are a couple, Em,” he replies. She asks what he meant when he said they we’re lovers and he tells her that it’s over. She asks if that’s the reason he left in such a huff but Christian says that it wasn’t; it was just the result. Dante wanted to come with him to the Riviera; wanted them to be open about their relationship but he just couldn’t do it, he wasn’t ready, and so they broke up. She puts her hand on his shoulder to comfort him, while Adrienne secretly records their conversation.
Soon, the recording is in the possession of Mr. Frost and he plays it back to the pair of them. He tells them it all makes perfect sense now; his poor leadership skills, his affinity for Cole Porter; the way he holds a Martini glass. They both realize he must have got the tape recorder from Adrienne, who appears right on cue, admitting it was she who did it. Christian turns to her and asks what gives her the right to invade his privacy. She replies that she gave it to herself. “There shouldn’t be secrets in the family Christian,” she adds. Cordelia then joins the conversation and her father is horrified with a tattoo she has had done around her navel piercing. He yells at her, asking what the hell is wrong with her. She tells him it’s a statement and he can like it or lump it. He tells her he’ll have it laser removed. Emma decides to play her own card now, showing her father the magazine she got from the woman earlier. Adrienne’s face drops a mile when she sees it. Her father takes the magazine which has Adrienne posing on the front cover. “You posed for a magazine without my knowing?!”
He turns his back, telling them he’s disappointed in all of them. None of them are to set foot outside the compound for the rest of the vacation. Emma tells him that’s all good and fine, but what about him? He ended up spending the night with a French tart. “Shouldn’t a married man be punished for committing adultery?” she asks. He replies that the so-called tart was a ‘business associate’ and she shouldn’t make ridiculous accusations, or at the very least ones she can’t prove. Unfortunately for him, Hazel Frost appears holding Emma’s digital camera, providing all the proof she needs. ‘Busted,’ thinks Emma.


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[Assistant]
Higher Learning - part 5
(Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts, 11.26pm)
The Frost family vacation is over; a bona fide disaster, according to Emma. As the family waits for their bags to be brought to them, Christian announces that he is leaving, but his father, Winston, tells him that he will not return to ‘the lifestyle’ on his watch; he will return home with them where he belongs. Christian makes an impassioned speech, declining his father’s request. This is the life he has chosen and he has only one life to live, so no amount of strong-arming is going to change either of those facts. He says good night and departs, with Emma looking on with admiration.
(Frost House, Boston, Massachusetts, 2.14am)
Dressed in her nightgown, Emma wanders downstairs and finds her mother reading; unable to sleep and looking over the old family album. Emma ponders over her words before letting her mother know that she never meant for her camera, or the pictures of her father and his mistress, to be found. Hazel says she has too vivid an imagination and the photographs don’t prove anything, other than the fact that Winston was entertaining a business contact. Emma becomes annoyed and they become involved in an argument over just what the photographs show. Hazel says that the alleged fondling photograph was cropped at the wrist and Emma asks if she is the type who shoots pictures of random men’s hands on French women’s butts.
Hazel stands up, not appreciating Emma’s language, and tells her that she came down there to be alone but Emma isn’t finished yet, claiming that maybe she should be honest, a rare commodity around here. Hazel tells Emma she has heard enough and doesn’t have to listen to her accusations. Emma believes she was only trying to help but Hazel asks if she hasn’t ‘helped’ enough already. Emma wonders why she’s taking Winston’s side and making her out to be the bad guy here. She has to make her see the truth and she reaches out to her mother’s shoulder to try and stop her leaving, but this has wholly unexpected results.
As her hand makes contact, her mother is shocked by a flood of images coming directly from Emma’s mind of the night she followed her father and the French woman, with every detail as clear as day. She stumbles to the floor and blood begins to seep from her mouth. “I…I can see him…her, together. Please make it stop…” Emma looks around and calls for help, wondering what she did. Winston, Adrienne and Cordelia appear at the doorway and Winston asks what’s wrong with her but Emma replies that she doesn’t know. The photo album lies on the floor nearby, the page opened at Hazel and Winston’s wedding day.
(5.02am)
As the three daughters wait for news on their mother’s condition, Emma thinks about what happened. When she touched her, instead of experiencing her mother’s memories, she accidentally made Hazel experience hers. Now she could be seriously hurt and it’s all her fault. She’s dangerous, she thinks; maybe she should tell someone. Suddenly, the door opens and Winston steps out with Dr. Upjohn, reassuring his daughters that there is no cause for alarm. Dr. Upjohn informs them that Hazel suffered a mild seizure but hospitalization won’t be necessary. However, it has left her in a state of temporary shock and he asks Emma is she has any idea what led to her collapse. No, Emma replies, she found her that way. Dr. Upjohn is led away by Winston and informs him that if his wife’s condition doesn’t improve, he might consider contacting a specialist. Adrienne gives Emma a peculiar look.
(The next morning)
Emma appears to have slept beside her mother and is woken by the maid, Violet, who hands her a telephone. On the other end is Christian, who has some bad news; his father has fired him. Emma says she’s so sorry; it must have been humiliating. He asks her to come over but she says that their mother is ill. It appears Christian hasn’t been informed of this, so Emma tells him that she’ll have Bryce drive her over, but she can’t stay very long.
Soon, she arrives at Christian’s townhouse and finds him sitting on the steps. She asks him what he’s doing and he replies that Winston has gone ultra-Machiavellian. He’s had the locks to the house changed while simultaneously freezing his bank accounts. Now he has no money, no job and no place to live. He asks about their mother and Emma informs him that the doctor isn’t sure what really happened, and with everything that’s going on, maybe he should come back with her to the mansion. Christian is reluctant, however, as it would mean Winston has won again and Emma realizes he’s right, and there’s no way she’ll let him back down now. She has an idea.
(Frost Technologies, later)
Emma storms into a meeting, which Winston is chairing, and, in a resigned manner, he adjourns the meeting for five minutes while he talks with his daughter. She orders him to leave Christian alone. He should have guessed. It was too much to expect her to be dropping by to pay the old man a cordial visit. He asks how she got past security and she replies, “Hot air balloon.” Fabulous, he replies, and asks her to leave. She says she’s serious about Christian but her replies that so is he, and insists he is not her enemy; they are on the same side. He only wants what’s best for her brother but he knew he’d never come home unless circumstances forced him to do so. He just wants him to learn some traditional family values. He puts his arm on her shoulder and asks where Christian is right now. “At Frost House,” Emma replies. He smiles and tells her that he made the right decision. She fixes him a sideways glance, and tells him that he just doesn’t get it. Christian is only there visiting his mother. He’s found someplace else to stay.
(That evening)
Emma sits cross-legged on her bed, speaking with Christian on the phone. She regales him with the story of her encounter with their father and he wishes she’d brought her camera for that Kodak moment. As Dante prepares a meal for them, Christian asks her about their mother and Emma tells him that Dr. Upjohn is with her now and she’ll update him when she comes by Dante’s. As she ends the call, Violet appears and tells her that her mother is awake, so she heads for her bedroom where she finds the rest of the family and Dr. Upjohn standing beside her bed. The doctor asks if she remembers anything about last night; anything out of the ordinary. She rubs her forehead as the images return. “Not a thing,” she replies. Emma looks on in a resigned manner, knowing her mother remembers everything.
(Boston’s Somerville, one week later)
The Rolls Royce is parked up and Emma, wearing casuals, goes over to speak with a young girl sitting on the steps of her house. She asks what her name is, but then says she’ll guess. A quick mind scan later and she tells her it’s Kelly. The girl is impressed. Emma asks if Mr. Kendall lives here and Kelly replies that he’s gone. He built her a snowman once, and showed her the big dipper but then he moved away in the spring. She misses him. Emma departs.
(Boston’s Roxbury)
Despite already reading the answer from Dante’s mind, Emma asks him where he and Christian first met. Her telepathy appears to be almost second nature now and she doesn’t question its use as much as she once did. “At this little jazz bar on the south side. Butter on your popcorn Emma?” Dante replies. “Saturate me,” is her response. As Christian checks out a video tape, Emma senses trouble outside and, as she looks over to the door, it is kicked off its hinges and three heavily armed officers storm into the room, ordering the three of them up against the wall.
(Precinct 7, five hours later)
Emma clutches the bars of their cell as her father arrives, looking more than a little smug. “Why am I not surprised to see you here?” she asks rhetorically. He says that he came as soon as he got the call and tells Christian that it’s a good thing his name wasn’t on that apartment’s lease, otherwise he would have been charged with illegal firearms and narcotics possession, like his drug dealer pal. Christian snarls that Dante isn’t a drug dealer, but his father replies that it’s funny, because the police say otherwise. They claim to have found enough heroin in his sock drawer to charge him with intent to distribute. “That’s a lie,” Christian says.
“A half truth at best,” adds Emma. She says her father set Dante up; paid some dirty cops to plant the so-called evidence. Her father dismisses her allegation, asking if she’s going to scapegoat him with every bad thing that happens on the eastern seaboard. Emma uses her telepathy, figuring the whole story out. Dante has several prior drug convictions and that’s why Winston did it. A simple background check revealed Dante was on probation. He knew that if he got one more conviction then that would be it. “If what’s it?” asks Christian. Emma continues to inform him that Dante is from Cuba. The police gave him the choice of confessing to the charges or being deported, so he chose Cuba instead of prison, “Right daddy?” Winston looks shocked at the amount of knowledge Emma has in her possession and leaves without replying. Christian puts his head in his hands, clearly upset.
(Two weeks later)
Emma wanders through Frost House with something to eat and Violet asks her how Christian is doing. She replies that he’s still barely eating. Adrienne then appears and asks if Dante’s inferno has cooled off. She tells Emma that it’s such a tragedy, but with a loving sister like her holding his hand, she’s sure he’ll pull through. She adds that it’s a shame about his boyfriend though. He was one hot tamale. Emma wonders how Adrienne knows what Dante looks like; they’ve never met as far as she knows. She wonders if Adrienne can read thoughts too. She can’t read hers but she always seems to hint at knowing more that she actually lets on.
Emma realizes that Adrienne must have had something to do with it and asks if that’s the case. Adrienne tells her she had darn near everything to do with it. She got the ball rolling when she told daddy where Dante lived. Emma asks how she found out but Adrienne won’t offer her an answer. “Should I even bother asking why?” says Emma. Adrienne says that maybe she wanted to prove her loyalty to her daddy but Emma replies that she’s only loyal to her own interests. “Consider it payback for derailing my modelling career,” Adrienne adds. Emma enters her bedroom, unable to stand much more of this. She feels so alone and tired. As she slips into unconsciousness, she has a dream.
(Emma’s dream)
Christian is facing away from her in a park, playing the piano. Emma asks him what he’s doing and why he is out here by himself. She places her hand on his shoulder and asks why he won’t answer. Suddenly, Christian turns to reveal himself to be almost skeletal.
(Reality)
Emma wakes with a start and rushes to Christian’s room, telling herself it was just a dream; just a dream. She flings open Christian’s door, only to find him hanging from the ceiling with a chair beneath him kicked to the floor.


[User]
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[Assistant]
Higher Learning - part 6
(New England Hospital, Boston, 12.07am)
Following Christian’s suicide attempt, Hazel Frost and her three daughters eagerly await news on his condition. Emma is worried about him. Her older sister, Adrienne, makes an attempt at an apology for causing this and, although Emma doesn’t know if she’s lying, as she is unable to read her thoughts, she doesn’t care either. Their father arrives and asks who found him, to which Emma replies that she did. “Called 911?” asks her father. That would be Emma too. “And did you phone Geraldo while you were at it, Emma?!”
Through the doorway comes Dr. Raines, who informs Mr. and Mrs. Frost that their son is in a stable condition. Winston says he needs to speak with his chief of staff, now, but the doctor hasn’t finished. Winston doesn’t want to listen to what the doctor has to say; Christian brought this upon himself and he is more concerned with Emma’s actions in making all of this public. He wants the doctor’s boss on the phone before it ends up on the front page of tomorrow’s Herald. Hazel asks if they could see Christian in the meantime, but Winston refuses her request. Emma says it was a free country last she checked and she can see her brother if she wants to. Winston grabs her by the arm and orders Bryce to remove her, by force if he has to. Emma struggles as Bryce apologizes for his duty. As she is carried away, Emma shouts back at her father how it’s his fault that Christian hurt himself, his fault he tried to commit suicide. He did this, yet he feels no remorse whatsoever. “I hate you!”
(Frost House, the following Tuesday)
Christian lies in a hospital bed, watching Surreal TV on television. They are showing video footage taken by an amateur of a group of bizarrely uniformed teens exhibiting fantastic powers. An elaborately staged hoax perpetrated by FX wizardry? Or the real deal? The youths on television are the X-Men, a new group of teenaged super-heroes. Emma pops her head into Christian’s room and asks if she can come in. She’s been to the bookstore and picked up the latest by a Tibetan author he likes. He clicks off the television and asks her to put it down anywhere. His neck has a rope burn all the way round and he looks tired. He asks if Winston is finally allowing him to have any visitors, as he thinks his father is past the point of actually caring. Emma replies that he is more concerned with some ridiculous party he’s hosting in a couple of weeks. She asks Christian if he came to see him. “No. Must be some bash,” Christian replies. There is a pause, as Emma can’t thinks of an appropriate response.
Christian tells Emma that the doctor told him it was she who found him and says he’s sorry she had to see him like that. Tears well up in Emma’s eyes and she tells him not to apologize. She’s just glad she found him, but she asks why he did it. She needs his words to make more sense than what she’s hearing in his thoughts. He replies that he just wanted to be in control of his life, just once. In his thoughts, he adds that she should have let him die; they’d all have been better off. Emma turns as Christian rolls onto his side and runs from his room, passing Cordelia on the way. He really believed what he said, thinks Emma.
(Two weeks later)
A party planner called Janice is arranging the furniture and has two removal men bring in a Rosler grand piano, which will bring the perfect Old World aesthetic to play off her sitting room’s colonial ambiance. Europe is in. Adrienne relishes in giving the men orders as Emma appears, more concerned with her mother’s health than the room’s aesthetics. She asks her how she is, as she looks exhausted, and offers to help in any way. Hazel heads for the couch and asks if she and her sister could deal with a delivery from the florist out back, while she takes a break.
The two sisters wander through the house towards the rear and chat on the way. Adrienne asks Emma what she’s up to and why she’s so hot to help with daddy’s soiree all of a sudden. Emma won’t tell her, but says that her sister’s probably thinking whether this is an attempt to get back in daddy’s good graces. That’s Adrienne’s reason for helping out, isn’t it? Adrienne says so what if it is. She’s made her fair share of mistakes but she knows it’s not too late to repair the damage. She says that Emma shouldn’t envy her because she’s on better terms with their father and that, by trying to show her loyalty this late in the game, isn’t going to help. Maybe, she adds, if Emma wasn’t fighting back and opposing his every decision, she’d stand something resembling a chance. Emma insists that she doesn’t give a whisker about daddy; she’s just trying to help her mother.
Adrienne makes a remark about her mother’s medicinal intake and so Emma heads upstairs to see what’s in her medicine cabinet. The bathroom is private and she doesn’t really need to add snooping to her rap sheet, but she has to know. She opens the cabinet and finds that it resembles a miniature pharmacy, with a variety of pill bottles on every shelf.
(The next day)
Emma enters Christian’s bedroom and is surprised at his condition, finding him looking dazed and inarticulate, and she asks him if he’s high. He gets to his feet but stumbles, as he asks why she would think that? As he walks uncertainly towards her, in his mind she sees a spoon, a hypodermic needle and the drugs he has taken. “Because you sound funny and you can’t walk,” she replies. He points his finger at her and smiles, saying she was always the perceptive one in the family. She’s got him and there’ll be no more secrets between them. “I confess.” Emma looks horrified. Not you too, she thinks. He falls backwards onto the bed, as Emma reaches out to him. She asks him who gave it to him. He couldn’t have gotten it himself, as daddy’s taken away his car and everything stockpiled in mom’s cabinet is prescribed. She suddenly realizes who the culprit is.
Elsewhere in the house, Cordelia is listening to music on her headphones. Emma walks into her room and turns the volume up sharply. “What is your mental trauma, Emma?” she asks. She replies that she is just trying to get rid of the inch-thick layer of earwax that prevents all sense from penetrating her brain. They argue about why she gave Christian the drugs and she tells Emma that the only reason she did it is because he wouldn’t stop hounding her. Even she isn’t crazy enough to do that stuff and, if it’s such a problem, why not tell daddy? Emma knows she’s actually telling the truth but also that she can’t tell daddy.
(The following evening)
Winston’s party is in full swing. Emma is present but looks like she’d rather be anywhere else. Cordelia has shaved her hair and is wearing her faux punk outfit to attract attention, while Adrienne impresses the gentlemen in the crowd without making much effort at all. Christian is suited up and wearing a beret, out of it on the couch while, around him, serving staff offer drinks to the guests. Emma wanders over to Christian and asks if she can have a word. She wants to speak with him in private but he is wasted and doesn’t take the hint. She asks him if he’s out of his mind; what if daddy finds out? He replies by asking if she’s worried about her big bro tarnishing the family image, again, but she doesn’t care about that. She only cares about Christian, and she tells him that she loves him. He leans forward and puts his arms around her. “I love you too Em,” but he stands and adds, “But you are one serious buzz-kill! So skip the after-school special-style intervention ‘cause I’m good.” He doesn’t need her help. As he walks away, Emma is worried that she can’t reach him; he’s slipping away.
She turns to her father and tells him that she needs him. After a brief explanation, Winston stands with his hands in his pockets and speaks to Emma as an adult for a change, probably saying more than he has in a long time. He is pleased that she has decided to trust him. He knows that they haven’t always seen eye to eye but, recently, Emma has managed to see through so many of his lies. “Here I was, thinking you were just the spineless one in the middle,” he continues, but he actually respects her for her recent actions, such as photographing he and Vivienne in France, or hiding Christian out at his lover’s apartment. The fact that he saw through her novice-like schemes makes no difference; she reminds him of himself when he was her age. Emma is amazed to discover, through reading his mind, that he actually means every word. She asks about Christian and he tells her that, though they’re far from perfect, they are still a family and he will see to it that he receives immediate care. He then asks her to go wait in the sitting room with the rest of the family. Tonight’s festivities have put him in a good mood and he as an important announcement to make.
(Soon)
Winston stands before his gathered family. The party guests have departed and he begins his speech. He starts by announcing that he knows that he is wasting his time with Christian, so he’ll see how the remaining heirs to the throne live up to his expectations. Which of them can he trust to steer their fortunes safely into the future? Will it be Cordelia? he asks. Should he pass his kingdom into her subtle, dark and devious hands? Should it be Adrienne? Heartless, brilliant Adrienne, who seems the obvious choice. But then, there’s Emma, little rebellious Emma. He holds his hand out and repeats her name. “Emma, yes.” Emma can’t believe he is actually choosing her.
The moment is disturbed by three men, who enter the room and ask Winston to sign some waivers. As he takes the forms, Emma asks who they are and he replies that they’re from the Snow Valley Pavilion for the Mentally Disturbed, making a pick-up. Emma stands as the two assistants take hold of Christian. “No,” cries Emma, “I thought you were going to send Christian to rehab, not a mental institution!” Her father looks at her, stone-faced, and says that he has changed his mind. As Christian is led away, he looks up in his weary state and asks Emma why she did this, why? Emma turns her head and thinks that it’s because she’s an idiot who should have known better. Never again.  She turns on her father, telling Winston that she wants no part of the family fortune. She’ll make her own way. She throws on a coat, leaves Frost House and heads to Boston. ‘Think I can’t….Try me!’


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[Assistant]
Mind Games - part 1
(nine years ago, 5:15 PM)
Emma has left the family home. When her father placed her beloved brother, Christian, in a mental institution, it was the last straw and Emma decided to go it alone, free of the expectations and restrictions family life placed upon her. Now, she has taken a job working as a sales assistant in an upscale clothing boutique in Boston called DeBlois, in order to pay the rent.
She calls the name of a customer named Ms. Throckmorton, whose poodle, Nugget, has urinated on the boutique floor, and informs her of the deed. Ms. Throckmorton replies with a certain amount of disdain that Emma should get a rag and mop it up, and asks why on Earth she’s talking to her. Emma says it’s because she ignored her when she told her about the store’s ‘no pets’ policy. Ms. Throckmorton turns to Emma and tells her that she’s ignoring it now; she uses her credit card often enough in the store to not be harassed when she is there.
Emma’s supervisor, Elaine, appears and asks Ms. Throckmorton if there’s a problem. Emma tells her about her poodle going to the bathroom on the floor, and Elaine tells her to take care of it and not to make her tell her twice. Emma doesn’t take kindly to being ordered around, especially under these circumstances, and she informs Elaine in no uncertain terms where she can stick her job. Moments later, Emma is outside and unemployed, as Elaine and a smirking Ms. Throckmorton watch her depart. Nugget urinates against the shop front, oblivious to the trouble she’s caused. This is the third job Emma has been fired from in the past two weeks.
(later)
Emma strolls through the city and back to her hotel, wondering what she’s going to do for cash now. She is greeted by the hotel’s clerk, Lou, a guy so slimy the word that comes to Emma’s mind is ‘Ick!’ He informs her that she can’t stay there free of charge, that’s why it’s called a hotel, “so either you can cough up the bread for the past three nights, or…” Emma reaches into her purse and pulls out her first paycheck, which she hasn’t had a chance to cash yet. Lou snatches it from her and tells her that she won’t have to, as long as she signs it over to him. Emma tells him that’s all the money she’s got. Lou looks at the paycheck and replies that it’ll cover what she owes, but it ain’t enough to pay for another night. He’s through playing the good Samaritan, and tells her to pack her bags.
Emma tries to reason with him, saying she won’t be able to get another job unless she provides a place of residence. Lou gives a smile. “So you lost another one, huh? Well I got a job for you, sweet cheeks, one that’ll definitely take care o’ your housin’ problem.” He places his arms either side of Emma’s head, almost pinning her to the wall. ‘Back off perv!’ she thinks, and Lou immediately removes his glasses and reaches for his forehead, thinking he’s got a brain freeze, though he is just another unsuspecting victim of Emma’s telepathy. She says she’s going out and will have the money when she gets back.
Soon, she rest on a newsstand and browses the ad columns in the paper. She’s hungry and the job listings aren’t helping the situation. It looks like you need a college degree in order to get a decent paying job. The newspaper seller tells her that this isn’t a library, so she can either buy a paper or skedaddle. She fumbles for change in her pocket but only manages to produce a penny, but she wonders why it can’t be a quarter, just this once. The newspaper seller says that’s more like it, and takes the coin off her. Emma is amazed that he thinks it’s a quarter, just because she wanted it to be, and this gives her an idea.
She finds a restaurant called Manok Mandoks, and orders a meal. Soon, she relaxes after the best meal she’s had since leaving home last month. The waitress, Roxie, brings over her tab and Emma tells herself to just keep smiling like she has a thousand dollars in her pocketbook. This is the moment of truth; or dishonesty depending on which way you look at it. She knows she has to be confident, and to focus. She takes a strip of newspaper and smiles as she hands it to Roxie, who, instead of seeing the newspaper, sees a hundred dollar bill. She asks Emma if she’d like change, as her bill only comes to $49.45, but Emma tells her to keep it. Unfortunately, Emma doesn’t plan on an eagle-eyed maitre d’ called Vincent, who witnesses the exchange and calls Roxie over. After a ticking off, Roxie is told to return to work, while Vincent thinks of a suitable punishment for Emma.
Before long, Emma is in the kitchen and wearing an apron, washing the dishes in the time honored fashion for non-payers. Scrubbing a dish and wearing a pair of rubber gloves, she thinks that at least he didn’t call the cops but, still, forcing her to do the dishes to pay her tab? She’s never washed a plate in her life. Suddenly, a plate slips from her grasp and smashes on the floor. A guy behind her leans against the wall, arms folded and tells her she’ll never work off her debt if she keeps breaking dishes like that. She asks who the heck he is and he breaks into a wide smile; “The dishwasher.”
Emma tells him not to thank her for giving him the night off. The night off? He’s pretty happy about this and begins to remove his apron but Emma asks him to wait, saying she’s never had to wash dishes; she doesn’t know how. The servants always did them. “Servants?” he replies. Emma tells him that she comes from a rich family and he asks; if she comes from a rich family, how come she can’t afford dinner. She tells him she never said she had money, only that she came from a rich family. She offers her hand and they shake. Emma introduces himself and he does likewise; Troy Killkelly. “So, how rich are they?” he asks.
(4:03am)
The early morning sky is clear and it’s warm in Boston. Emma and Troy sit on his fire escape, getting to know one another. Their conversation turns to his family. His mom ran off with one of his dad’s buddies when Troy was nine, and his dad became a hopeless drunk after that. Every time he got hammered, the sight of Troy would make him depressed; said he reminded him of his mom too much. Pretty soon, he started to hammer him instead and, so, Troy ran away when he was fourteen. Emma sympathizes, saying people can be so cruel, especially parents. He tells her that it’s no biggie and, anyway, his dad sounds like the Pope, compared to her dad. He’s not surprised she left home; better to be penniless. Well, she replies, she is penniless, and bets that Lou has thrown her clothes out into the street by now.
Troy says that his place is no great shakes, but he’s willing to put her up for as long as she needs a roof; no strings attached. He even offers to use the sleeping bag he has in the closet. Emma looks at him and smiles, her eyes betraying the fact that she’s suddenly developed a new crush.
(later that morning)
Emma and Troy collect her belongings from the hotel and she says goodbye to Lou, who sits silently reading the paper. Soon, they are back in Troy’s building with Troy carrying her suitcases and Emma insists that she’s only crashing with him until she finds a job, so he shouldn’t expect to be repaid with anything but broken dishes. He replies that he’s nothing but a perfect gentleman. Emma knows he’s telling the truth and shoves an apple into his mouth, telling him she can’t have him doing all this empty lifting on an empty stomach.
As Troy begins to unlock his door, Emma can sense nearby thoughts. They begin to enter and, although Emma realizes they’re hostile, it’s too late and Troy finds himself the victim of a right cross, which drops him to the floor. Emma is shocked to find two burly men in the apartment. “Hiya, Troy,” says Milo, the owner of the right cross. Troy wipes his mouth and asks him how he got in. Fire escape, he replies and prompts his partner, Stu, to grab Emma, who struggles against the much larger man. Milo grabs Troy by the collar. “Well… I said well?”
He lifts Troy off the floor with his arm twisted around his back, as Stu throws Emma to the floor instead. Troy insists he doesn’t have it and Emma asks what. Ten thousand dollars, replies Troy, as Stu places a small knife inches away from his face. Stu tells him that’s too bad, as their boss won’t be happy to hear that, unless they tell him he was real sorry. To protect Troy, Emma uses her telepathic strength to immobilize Stu, who finds himself unable to cut Troy, despite Milo’s insistence that he does so. As he tries to move, Emma’s nose begins to bleed and she finds herself struggling to maintain control over him. Despite her best efforts, she is inexperienced and loses her grip, allowing the knife to be released.
(Boston Medical Center, 10:32 PM)
As Emma waits for Troy to return from being treated for his injuries, she is annoyed with herself for being unable to control her stupid mental powers unless she remains calm. As Troy appears with his nose bandaged, she leaps from her seat and hugs him, telling him she’s glad he’s okay. He jokes that he won’t be snorkelling anytime soon but at least he’s still breathing, barely. As they leave the Medical Center, she asks, “Troy, you owe this money to a guy named Lucien?” Yeah, he replies, a guy called Lucien Goff, a local lowlife loan shark, but he asks how she knew. She doesn’t answer and, instead, asks why he needed a loan. He replies that not everyone’s born with a silver spoon in their mouth.
Soon, they are back at Troy’s place and wondering how to come up with ten grand. He says it’s impossible, not in the time given and definitely not on his salary. He’s toast. Emma says there must be something they can do, but he remains pessimistic, pointing out that he doesn’t see her as the hustler type. Yesterday was the first time she’d ever washed dishes. He says it’s his bag and she’s known him for less than forty-eight hours. She should get out while she’s sill ahead. “Get out? And go where? This was my sanctuary, Troy!” she replies. He is about to apologize when, suddenly, a thought pops into his head. Emma doesn’t like what he’s thinking.
Before long, the pair of them head to Boston’s waterfront and to a floating casino moored just offshore. Emma thinks that it’s not like they have any alternatives and, sure, there’s a risk involved, but so is playing the stock market, right? Troy and Emma descend the stairs and head towards the black jack tables. She wears a white dress and has blonde hair, while he wears a suit; his hair is slicked back, his nose looking perfectly normal.