20.3
Worm, Chapter 20.3 Summary:
“Yes,” Taylor admits, “I’m avoiding you because I have somewhere to be.”
Emma’s hurt, they used to be friends. Taylor remembers, but she’s not sure she wants to back down. The students who stayed in Brockton Bay during the chaos watch, cautious. Emma’s friends offer support, but Emma’s the instigator. The guards are backing Emma. If Taylor retaliates, they’ll stop her, and she’ll be delayed.
Emma mocks Taylor’s new look. Taylor says she’s not impressing anyone. Emma calls her hostile, reveling in the irony, oblivious to the tens of thousands of bugs Taylor’s holding back. Taylor could unleash them, imagining the horror on Emma’s face as they invade her airways. It’s tempting, especially now that Emma has less of a hold on her.
“Zoning out, Hebert?” Emma taunts.
Taylor admits she doesn’t think much of Emma anymore. She’s dealt with real threats, seen real desperation. Even after seeing the worst, she thinks less of Emma. Emma’s world is small, focused on high school and popularity, a fraction of the world’s reality. Yet, she’s trying to climb this tiny hill.
Emma points out Taylor’s beneath her on this hill. Taylor calls her a dropout, a failure. Taylor says she likes Emma’s approach, descending from subtlety to basic insults. Emma’s entourage speaks up, but Emma silences them. She’s actually angry. Taylor would’ve appreciated this months ago, but now she doesn’t care.
Emma accuses Taylor of wanting to look strong. Taylor just wants to have lunch with her dad. She’s still angry, wants to hurt Emma, but it feels out of proportion, monstrous. Emma’s getting to her, just not how she intended.
Emma tells Taylor to thank her. If Taylor had stood up for herself sooner, they’d still be friends. Taylor realizes Emma’s talking about Sophia, about Shadow Stalker. Taylor calls Sophia a sad basket case, worse than Emma. Emma was misguided to look up to her. Emma pushes a friend, and a guard calls out. Emma apologizes, but her friend’s unhappy.
Emma asks if Taylor wants to play hardball. Taylor repeats she wants to meet her dad. Emma’s been playing hardball for years. Emma says she can top using Taylor’s mom’s death to taunt her. She claims Taylor killed her mom. Taylor was supposed to call her mom, and she was dialing when the accident happened.
Taylor doesn’t buy it. Emma says Taylor’s dad blames her. He disconnected, stopped caring. Taylor remembers, it was a dark time. Her dad told Emma’s dad he blamed Taylor. He still has his daughter, but not his wife. Does he even like Taylor?
A hollowness settles in Taylor. It’s partly what Emma’s saying, partly memories, partly the dissonance she’s felt since arriving. People watch, neither helping nor joining in. Emma’s smug, waiting for a reaction. Taylor sees what Emma’s doing, like Tattletale, making guesses, claims hard to verify but devastating.
“Okay,” Taylor says, “Are you done?” The anger’s fading. If this is all Emma can do, Taylor doesn’t need to worry.
Emma says Taylor’s heartless. Taylor says she doesn’t believe her, and she’s dealt with worse people. Her phone vibrates. It could be anything. She answers. It’s her dad. He asks about work. She says it’s not, she’s at Arcadia. He’s at the boat graveyard, having problems. They agree to meet halfway.
Emma strides toward her. Taylor decides to let her hit her. Emma knocks the phone away, shoves her. She’s panting, trying to think of something to say. She pulls Taylor and slams her again. Taylor could laugh. Emma’s not strong. A guard pulls Emma off her.
The guard says they’ll see the principal. Taylor glares at him. They only step in when there’s a fight? He says it’s not his job to stop arguments. Taylor says she’s not a student. He says it’s her call, go or come to the office. Taylor picks up her phone. Her dad’s still there. She says Emma tried to start a fight. He asks if she needs him. She says no, they’ll meet tomorrow.
She hasn’t taken her eyes off Emma. The guard hauls Emma away. He tells three witnesses to come too. They head to the office. Principal Howell is on the phone. She points them to her office. Emma and Taylor sit, the guard and witnesses stand behind.
The principal doesn’t look like an authority figure, but her hard tone changes that. She asks Collins for a rundown. He says Emma started an argument, escalated to pushing. A witness agrees, calling Emma a bitch. Another says Emma didn’t do anything wrong, there’s history. The principal doesn’t care about history, she wants peace. There have been fights, weapons. Many students were in Brockton Bay during the crises, some were in gangs. Friction is inevitable, many have PTSD.
She’s willing to accept trouble, but won’t hold them to the same standards. Emma says it’s not fair. The principal calls her actions stupid and dangerous. She asks Terry if he brought a weapon, if he’s been in a fight. He says no, a few. She asks Sheila. She has a weapon, like brass knuckles. She tells her to hand it over or step outside. Sheila leaves.
She asks Taylor. Taylor admits she was armed. Collins says she handed over her knife. The principal asks if she would’ve used it. Taylor doesn’t know. She asks if Taylor’s used a knife. Taylor nods. The principal turns to Emma, saying they could’ve hurt her. Emma says it’s fine.
The principal starts putting them in the computer. Emma Barnes, Taylor Hebert. She pulls records, then reboots the slow computer. Silence. The screen comes back on. She murmurs, “Hm.” Collins asks what it is.
There are past incidents, emails from Winslow High about a bullying campaign against Taylor. Emma pales. A final ‘fuck-you’ from Sophia? The principal asks if Taylor wants to press charges. Taylor’s stunned. This is reality. This is what she wanted, to see Emma’s house of cards fall. To press charges?
“No,” Taylor says. Emma’s shocked. The principal asks why. Taylor says Emma’s not worth the trouble. The school can act without her consent. Taylor wants to be done with her. The principal says Emma will see her in September. Summer classes are a privilege. She won’t extend leniency to Emma.
Emma’s stunned. They’ll discuss if she’ll repeat tenth grade, and if it’ll be here. Given Taylor might attend, it might not be conscionable to let Emma attend. Emma says her dad’s a lawyer. The principal expects many discussions. Collins takes Emma away. The principal asks if it’s satisfactory. If Taylor was holding back about the Undersiders, she can be discreet.
Taylor doesn’t understand. The principal says it doesn’t matter, she got the impression Taylor didn’t want to be treated differently. Taylor asks who she is. The principal says she’s a vice principal in over her head. She’s felt the effects of the disasters. Her predecessor died after a fight. They worked together for seventeen years. She wants to keep the peace. Someone gave her a list of names, Taylor’s was on it.
It’s Tattletale. She arranged this. Taylor says she’s not confirming anything, but asks why. The principal says peace. It’s an ugly road, but she won’t lose anyone else. She had to tell Taylor? This is a perversion of justice, even if it’s in her favor.
Taylor says to treat her like anyone else. The principal agrees, but Taylor doesn’t believe her. She’s won, but this revelation has taken the justice out of it. Taylor says she’s going. The principal says she needs paperwork for Emma’s suspension. Taylor’s not a student, doesn’t intend to be. The principal will have her fill out a visitor form.
The phone rings. The principal tells Taylor to wait at the front. Emma’s there, Collins beside her. Taylor stands at the opposite end. She’s numb, disgusted. Her fingers are shaking. She has a lump in her throat, but she’s not sad. Is she happy? Scared? Relieved?
A secretary calls for her. She gets the paper. Her name, age, address are filled in. Address: 911 Incoming St. Alt Address: 9191 Escape Ave. The principal’s at the window, mouthing ‘Run’.
Someone knows she’s Skitter.
Taylor runs.