a hopeless romantic | r.s

Chapter Sixteen

No triggers that I know of. At least Anna, my rememberer, doesn't think so. But there is mentions of religion, and honestly, do I even have to put that? Like, of course, I want to keep everyone happy, but I feel like by doing this I'm making it look like I'm ashamed of my faith, which I'm most definitely not. And as far as I know, all my readers as of now are Christian, so what's the point? Anyway, you guys let me know what you think. Sorry for sounding so aggressive lol. I'm kinda burnt out.

"I can't do this."

Romeo looked from her to her front door. "Why not? I mean, knockin's pretty easy."

"Because I'm mad," Amy replied, rolling her eyes.

Romeo was silent for a moment. "Shouldn't dat be even bett-ah? 'Cause den dere's more chance yer faddah will hear ya knockin'."

Amy glanced up at him with teary eyes. "When I'm mad, I start to cry."

Romeo seemed to be taking this into consideration, when Mush came jogging up to them then, not so much as panting when he finally stopped. "Hey. I've got some news 'bout Laura."

"Dis can't wait?" Romeo questioned disbelievingly.

"It's alright," Amy told him, before turning to Mush. "I know she didn't make it."

Mush stood straighter, slowly taking off his cap. By the looks of it, he was purposely holding it against his chest. "She said ta tell ya dat she was sorry."

Amy shuddered at the words, leaning against the door as fresh tears ran down her face. Poor Laura. Poor, poor Laura. Amy could hardly call herself a sister. She'd abandoned her when she needed her most. And still, it was Laura who was apologizing.

"She wanted us ta tell ya dat she was sorry, too," Mush said again, this time to Romeo who nodded solemnly.

"Why would she apologize to Romeo?" Amy questioned. "What did she ever do to him?"

"It don't matt-ah," Romeo said quietly.

"Right," said Mush, looking uncomfortable. "So, uh, apparently... she also had tha sweets fa Henry."

"What?" Amy vaguely recalled Henry's pale face before her and Romeo left. "That doesn't make sense. She... she loved Romeo..."

"Was dat all she said?" Romeo questioned, not looking all that surprised.

"I mean..." Mush paused. "She was cryin' a bit much..."

"You don't say," Amy snapped, turning away and bursting through the door, storming through the house to her father's office.

"Yellow!" she heard Romeo call. She could hear him tearing down the halls after her. "Amy!"

But she was far too irritated to listen, like a scab picked at again and again. She was sick of waiting.

"My mother," she said upon entering his office, not waiting for his greeting. "Why did it happen?"

Why. Not how. They both already knew how it had happened.

Her father slowly stood up from his seat. It took a moment for the confusion to clear from his expression. "How did you..."

"Laura just died from a gunshot wound and it happened to bring back a few memories," she snapped. There would be no more waiting. No beating around the bush.

"Amy?" They both turned to look towards the doorway where Romeo stood. "What memories?"

"I just remembered something about my mother's death," Amy told him. "That's it."