My Emerald

Charlotte was gazing out of her classroom window. It was a typical day in England, grey skies and constant overcast. Her 18th birthday was two weeks away and her mood matched the weather. She had yet to hear back from her Dad if he could make it, their communications were becoming less and less since her parents divorce. “Char, class is over, you coming?” her best friend Nancy nudged her. She smiled softly “yeah, sorry zoned out, did I miss anything?” Charlotte asked as she gathered her things into her bag. “Yeah, we have a 15 page report due on Romeo and juliet in one week”, Nancy says as she pretends to vomit “why does it always have to be old english writers? We’re English and I cannot understand a word, I feel bad for the American students.” She chuckles to herself. Nancy was your typical English beauty, anyone who did not know her would think she was of noble blood at first glance. Charlotte was a book worm and preferred her cozy clothes to high fashion, but she grew up with Nancy and knew there was more to her than looks – but not English class. Charlotte had already read Shakespeare's complete works so the assignment was not a concern, but knew her friend would need some help. Nancy continued complaining about the assignment as they walked to their maths class across the campus. Secondary school was coming to an end and both girls were thinking about what they wanted to do. Nancy loved maths and science and wanted to go into product research and development, but was torn between her love of fashion and choosing a business route. Charlotte had only ever wanted to do one thing, read, she didn’t care if that was at a second-hand shop, as a teacher or a curator in a library. As long as she could smell the pages of a book, wrapped up in her favorite jumper with a hot coffee, she would be happy. After school Charlotte agreed to help Nancy make an outline for her paper, so she climbed into the passenger seat of her car and went back to their old flat. Charlotte moved back home after her parents divorced to keep her mom from being alone. This also meant she could cut back from her two jobs and focus more on school. Nancy’s parents paid the other half of the girls' rent, assuming a few months would pass before Char would want to move back in. 6 months went by before Nancy set out to find a new roommate. The girls posted fliers around campus and at the coffee shop where Charlotte worked and it didn’t take long to find someone. Nancy thought she was perfect. Becca was older and already at university, so her schedule would vary and she worked 3-4 nights a week, barely coming home. “Staying at Nancy’s tonight, don’t wait up. Love you!” Charlotte tossed her phone back into her purse, not waiting for a reply. She knew her mom was working tonight. Becca had ordered pizza and the girls got to work. “Seriously, this girl sounds like too much trouble, no guy would go through all this for her and their deaths have to be sooo dramatic!” Nancy exclaimed as she threw herself back onto the couch. “I agree it’s a bit much but people were bored when shakespeare wrote this and they didn’t have the advancements we have now, I think the underlying story is beautiful. To be loved so much by someone, I mean its in wedding vows also…Till death do us part…” Charlotte was rambling at this point and Nancy had heard it all before. “I’m done, let's watch a movie” she grabbed the remote flicking on a comedy and was back to her normal carefree self in no time. “Alright, I’m over this, you are both off tomorrow, so lets go out!” Nancy shreeked a few hours later. Charlotte knew it was pointless to argue with her, but Becca still tried. “I'm waiting for Josh to get back with me, we may have plans.” She stated flatly. “Ph no we do not wait for maybe plans, its 8:30 if you haven’t heard from him we’re going out, we’re going to look hot and plaster it on your social media accounts, I bet Josh will be blowing your phone up tomorrow!” Nancy exclaimed as she pulled Becca towards her room. Char had already gotten into the shower and was thinking about her earlier conversation. Growing up she thought her parents had true love, but as she got older she saw through all the fake smiles from her mom, and could understand the constant digs her dad was making at both of them. Charlotte's mother, Heather, was a nurse and, since the divorce, had been taking all the extra shifts she could get at the hospital. She wanted to prove to her ex-husband, Gerald, she did not need him or his money, like he threw in her face over the years of their marriage. Gerald was a successful businessman and, during the last couple years, had opened a firm in London, 45 minutes from their home, and was spending more and more time there. Heather had accused him of leaving them and starting a new family with this move, but a few months later found out that was exactly what he had done. One of his business associates was shocked at Gerald's young age and success and wanted to make a partnership with him, which he did by offering a marriage alliance to his daughter. Charlotte's soon-to-be stepmother was only 4 years older than her and the two times she had met her, the woman seemed to think she was competition. Whining about Gerald spending so much money on a dirty girl and doting his attention to a useless bookworm. Apparently, Gerald was starting to believe her, or just gave into what she wanted. Gerald had stopped paying her tuition and was not going to pay for her university unless she agreed to study business. Heather had hid this from Charlotte, trying not to harm her daughter's relationship with her father, but Charlotte found the letter in the bin one morning. She confronted her father about it and has not heard from him since. She had left a message with his secretary about her birthday and that is when she found out about her father's new engagement. She had not tried to reach back out since then, he had hidden an engagement from her, pulled her tuition and not called to ask about birthday plans. The way she saw it the ball was in his court now.