"𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞," he whispered, leaning in further, his minty breath washing over my face.
Sliding an icy hand under my shirt, he rested it above my hips.
"I... I don't. Let go of me," I stuttered, shuddering...
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"What..." I slurred, my voice heavy with the lingering effects of alcohol.
"I'll take you home, Amelia," he offered, extending his hand to help.
"Who are you?" I asked, trying to distance myself from him.
"Amelia, I'm Elijah," he replied, lifting me up and carrying me toward his car.
"As much as I want to, I wouldn't, Amelia," he trailed off, his words barely audible.
He gently settled me into the car seat while my mind still swam in a hazy alcohol-induced blur.
As his car pulled up to the front porch, he carried me in a bridal style toward the front door.
"I doubt you'll be able to make it to school tomorrow," he commented.
He rang the doorbell, and to my surprise, Lucas stood there, his eyes bloodshot and filled with anger.
"What did you do to her?" Lucas shouted, snatching me from Elijah's grasp.
Elijah met Lucas's furious gaze and replied, "Nothing, she just had a few too many drinks."
"Do you think I'll believe you? I swear, if you've laid a finger on her, I'll kill you," Lucas threatened.
"I didn't do anything to her. Go ahead and ask her," Elijah said, glancing at me.
I couldn't help but laugh and say, "You guys are acting so immature."
"When she's sober," Elijah added.
"You know what? I'll ask her now. But first, get out of my house. I never want to see you here again," Lucas shouted.
"One wrong move, and you're in trouble, Elijah," Lucas warned.
Elijah left, not before uttering, "She's not your possession, so don't act like she is."
"Get out of here!" Lucas yelled, his entire body trembling with anger as he carried me inside.
"Did he do anything to you, Amelia?" he asked, carrying me up the stairs.
"Why do you care? I thought you didn't care," I shouted, pushing him away.
"Answer my question, damn it!" he yelled, gently placing me on the bed.
My eyelids grew heavy, and my head swayed slightly. Exhausted, I drifted off to sleep.
But just before I slipped into unconsciousness, I heard Lucas whisper, "You have no idea how much I care about you, princess."
☾
I woke up with a pounding headache, recalling the events of last night.
I couldn't believe I had mistaken Elijah for Lucas. There was a nagging feeling that I had forgotten something important from last night.
Dismissing the uncertainty, I stumbled out of my room, my legs unsteady, and my surroundings swirling. Just as I was about to tumble down the stairs, Lucas caught me, saving me from a fall.
"Thanks," I mumbled and tried to walk away.
"You're coming with me," he said, firmly grasping my hand and leading me to his room.
"Did Elijah touch you yesterday?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
"No, he only brought me home. Why do you care?" I retorted.
"Did anyone try to harm you?" he pressed, ignoring my question.
"Stop asking me! No, nobody touched me or tried anything! Sorry to disappoint you," I shouted in frustration.
"What? Do you think I enjoy this? Needing to know if you're safe? That you have the power to make me do things I've never done for anyone before?"
"Then don't! If I'm such a nuisance to you, then just stop! It doesn't benefit either of us," I exclaimed, my voice laced with emotion.
"I can't, Amelia. The fact that you even ask this shows how little you understand what I feel about you," Lucas confessed, his words filled with sincerity.
Before we could delve further into our conversation, Aunt Daphnie burst into Lucas's room, interrupting us.
"Oh my, I'm so sorry to intrude, but have either of you seen Ethan?" she asked with concern etched on her face.
Suddenly, it hit me. Ethan had mentioned waiting for me on the rooftop until I returned from the party. Could he still be waiting there?
Without wasting a moment, I sprinted towards the rooftop and discovered Ethan sound asleep under the scorching sun, lying on the rough edges.
I gently shook him awake and chastised him, "Are you crazy? Couldn't you have gone back to your room to sleep when I didn't arrive?"
"Oh, hey, Amelia! You're back from your party? I said I would wait until you returned, even if it meant staying here for a few days," Ethan explained with a hint of exhaustion in his voice.
"Are you ready to talk?" he asked, his eyes filled with anticipation.
I took a deep breath, contemplating whether it was the right time to address the issues between us. The conflicting emotions inside me mirrored the swirling chaos of my surroundings.
But in that moment, I knew it was necessary to confront the past and find closure.
"Yes, Ethan, let's talk," I responded, determined to face our shared history and the unresolved questions that had haunted me for far too long.
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𝑨𝑼𝑻𝑯𝑶𝑹'𝑺 𝑵𝑶𝑻𝑬:
can't believe I took 3 days just to write this chapter because I had writer's block *sighs*
