It wasn't until lunch that they met up in one of the corners of the courtyard to eat.

"I can't believe that they're already giving us an essay," Elizabeth complained as she pulled out her lunch box. Kage pulled out his sack lunch, and Emma pulled hers out too.

"I've learned about essays." She admitted. "But I've never had to do one on something that was assigned to me before. Papa always let me choose what I wanted to write about. Said that I should learn how to research, just in case."

"I-I'm good with words, but o-only in a creative way," Kage admitted, opening up the brown paper bag and reaching inside for some food. "Mother's tried to help m-me before, but I always fail at it."

"Some people just aren't compatible with some of the things that they teach in school." Elizabeth shrugged. "Once you learn that, it's not a big deal."

"Have you written any songs?" Emma asked, looking over Kage's shoulder and at his guitar, which he seemed to bring with him everywhere.

"Uh, yeah." Kage nodded, blushing as he scratched the back of his neck. "I've come u-up with a few songs, b-but they're not any good."

"We'll never know, cause you'll never share them." Elizabeth scoffed before biting into an apple. Emma swallowed part of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich that she was eating to look up at him.

"You don't share your music?"

"I-It's not ready to be heard yet." He admitted with a blush, ducking his head. "None of them are."

"Well, when they are, could you sing some to us?" Emma asked, tilting her head to the side and smiling up at him cutely.

"S-Sure!" He said, his entire face going red. "I-I'd love to show it to you!"

"Oi, dork, she's talking about me too." Elizabeth pointed out, smirking. Emma giggled as Kage instantly began to apologize.

Her friends were amazing.

Suddenly Layla ran up to them, slightly out of breath.

"Amy… follow you… trying to get… blackmail…" Was all she managed to get out while she panted.

"And she's already on the move." Elizabeth sighed. She looked up at the sky and seemed to mouth 'why', much to the befuddlement of those around her. They chose to ignore it.

"Don't worry- the paparazzi are always doing something like that," Emma admitted. "I just have to let Papa know after school and he and mama will help me take care of it."

"If… you're sure." Layla sighed, having mostly caught her breath. "Amy's limo took her to her house- do you mind if I eat with you guys?"

"Not at all!" Emma picked up her stuff and scooted over so that Layla could sit with them. Layla blinked, a little shocked, before sitting down to eat with them. Emma's smile grew as she dug into her lunch.

Real friends.

She always liked the sound of that.

But now… now it was a reality.

She wouldn't trade anything out for this.

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"You want to be on the basketball team?" Adrien asked, and Emma nodded. Her tail swished behind her almost nervously while she picked at the food on her plate and hesitantly looked up. Her father's ears were at complete attention, and his tail was tense- a sign that he was either against the idea or unsure on his opinion.

"Yes," Emma affirmed. "Eliza mentioned trying out for the team as well, and that it would be nice to have a friend there with her. I know how you guys feel about it, but I figured if I asked we could maybe… I don't know, talk about it?"

Her father seemed to scowl at himself, and Gabriel watched it all from the other end of the table while Marinette placed a hand over her husband's. Hugo and Louis were sharing a look and whispering to each other across from Emma.

She just wished that they'd shut up for once while she was trying to have a serious conversation with her father.

"We'll think about it." Marinette finally spoke, giving her daughter a supportive smile.

Emma knew that that was code for her mother trying to convince her father that it was definitely a good/bad idea. She couldn't tell which side her mother was on though- she was always the harder one to read. From the look on her grandfather's face, he'd be apart of the conversation/argument too.

"Uh, sign-ups are next Friday." She added. "Or, at least the sign-ups for the tryouts. Eliza said that Coach is easy to talk to and compromise with. Then again, she also said that the coach was her mother, so…"

"What's her name?" Adrien asked.

"Alix Le Chien, I think," Emma replied, and her parents shared a look. "What? Do you know her?"

"We'll… talk about it." Was all that her father answered with, and Emma scowled.

She hated being left in the dark.

"Okay."