"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...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Look at what you've done, you bitch," Veronica spat, shoving me with force.
I remained silent, the weight of Lucas's disappointment still haunting my thoughts. I didn't fight back because deep down, I knew she was right—I had behaved like a bitch.
A bitch who couldn't control her own emotions. A bitch torn between two people. A bitch who had told a terrible lie, hurting Lucas in the process.
As I stood up, ready to walk back home, Ethan reached out and took my hand.
"I'll walk back with you," he offered.
"No, Ethan. I need some time alone," I replied, my voice filled with a mixture of sadness and determination.
"Text me when you get home, alright?" he asked, concern etched on his face.
I nodded, unable to meet his eyes, and began running, trailing behind Lucas.
Lucas's figure grew smaller in the distance, but I was determined to catch up to him. I ran as if nothing else mattered because, in that moment, nothing else did. All I wanted was for him to be okay, especially since I was the one responsible for his pain.
Gradually, his figure grew larger as I noticed him taking out a cigarette from his pocket.
Does he smoke?
Finally catching up with him, I grabbed his shirt from behind, causing him to stop in his tracks.
"What do you want, Amelia?" he said coldly, turning around to face me.
No nickname, no tenderness. In all the time since I had moved here, he had never once used my real name. And now, for the first time, he did. But I wished he hadn't.
"I didn't mean it," I cried out, my breathing heavy from running.
"Oh, you didn't? Because I sure as hell heard you, and you didn't even hesitate when you said it," he retorted.
"I didn't know what was wrong with me. I meant to say 'you,' Lucas. I really didn't mean it," I pleaded, tears streaming down my face.
"The words that come out of your mouth don't lie. I'm not affected by you, so don't think so highly of yourself," he snapped, yanking his shirt away from my grasp.
His shirt slipped through my fingers as he left me there, standing alone amidst the smoke from his cigarette.
I tried to act like it wasn't a big deal, but it was breaking my heart. This heartbreak felt cold, like concrete hardening inside my chest.
I stood there for who knows how long, until I finally dragged my weary legs back home.
"Why didn't you answer your phone? I was so worried when you didn't come back, and you weren't at the house," Ethan exclaimed as he saw me.
"I got distracted by the sky, so I wanted to admire it a little longer," I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper.
"At least you're safe and sound," he said, pulling me close to him.
Yes, I was safe and sound, but I wasn't happy or well. I stood there in his embrace, feeling an awkwardness settle between us until he finally let me go.
"Amelia, can you come with me?" Haley asked, her voice filled with concern.
"Yeah, just give me a second," I replied, needing a moment to gather my thoughts.
We entered my room, and Haley positioned herself in a chair, facing me directly.
"I've noticed a few things, and I want to apologize in advance if what I'm about to say is harsh or rude," she began, her voice steady.
I nodded, indicating for her to continue.
"Tell me honestly, do you love Ethan?"
Did I love him? Or did I once love him?
"I... I honestly don't know right now. I'm a mess, Haley, and I can't give a clear answer," I confessed, my voice filled with confusion.
"I saw the way you looked at him earlier, Amelia. It wasn't just the gaze of a friend. You stared into his eyes for a little too long to not have feelings for him," Haley observed, her tone gentle yet perceptive.
"Do you know who I'm talking about?" she asked, a knowing look in her eyes.
I hesitated for a moment, then shook my head. "No..."
"If you truly have feelings for him, Amelia, then go and pursue him. I understand I have no right to intervene in your relationship, but leading Ethan on while your heart belongs elsewhere will only hurt him in the end," Haley advised, her words tinged with empathy.
"It's not fair to Ethan. He invests so much in the relationship, while you harbor feelings for someone else. My advice is to end things with him once you're clear about your true desires," she continued.
Who did I really want? Lucas's smile and laughter flashed before my eyes. That's what I wanted. I wanted to see that smile again.
Haley stood up, her gaze filled with compassion. "Amelia, this is your choice. I can't make the decision for you, but I'm telling you to follow your heart, no matter how difficult it may be."
Asking my heart, with only six months left, who it wanted was going to be the toughest decision of my life.
I lay on the soft silk sheets of my bed, my mind consumed by thoughts of him. Lucas had secluded himself in his room since I returned home, and there hadn't been a single sound from him.
I didn't want to fall in love. I didn't want to need someone. I didn't want anything. And then, he appeared, and suddenly, I found myself wanting everything.
I couldn't deny that every time my mind wandered, it always found its way back to him.
The boy who took my breath away with every gesture, every touch. Elijah had warned me that he was trouble.
He was trouble. But he wasn't nothing.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
𝑨𝑼𝑻𝑯𝑶𝑹'𝑺 𝑵𝑶𝑻𝑬:
it's been long, I'm so sorry for not updating because I have so much exams this week.
literally wrote this at 3 am because I realised how long I haven't update
