Mastery

Cops?

Amanda

I felt physically better but i was a wreck mentally. After i'd finally convinced my parents i had no idea what had happened to me in that bathroom, i went upstairs and cried myself to sleep. I had never felt so alone before. I could always go to one of my friends or my mother to talk about anything and now the only person i could talk to was shutting me out.

I was woken up the next morning by a soft knock on my door.

"Amanda sweetheart how are you feeling?"

My mother came into my room with a mug of tea. I turned to face her and grunted. I didn't want to go to school. My friends probably already thought i was a freak because of how i was acting lately and i didn't want to lie to them about how i got the scrape on my forehead or the bandages around my legs. My mother put the mug on my nightstand, sat on the side of the bed and grabbed the ointment.

"You're lucky this didn't need stitches"

She probably thought i got it along with the burns on my legs.
I tried to smile but the ointment stung and my mother laughed at the face i made. She put the tube back on the nightstand and brushed my hair with the palm of her hands. I looked at her eyes and i could see she wasn't satisfied with my answer from the night before. I sighed and turned my face towards the wall.

"I'm sorry Amanda but i just can't understand how the water got so hot"

"Me neither okay? Stop thinking i do and leave me alone!"

I never snapped at my mom like that but i was still pissed at Rory and scared about what had happened in the bathroom. She planted a kiss on the side of my face and whispered that she was sorry. When i didn't say anything back, she got up and left.

I woke from a deep sleep and my stomach let me know it was empty so i got up to get something to eat. My tea had become cold and i hadn't even taken a sip from it. I pulled the covers off and was reminded of the bandages around my legs. Maybe if i saw what my legs looked like, i'd get an image of what had happened. I slowly unraveled the bandage from my upper thigh to my toes. My legs were a little red and sensitive but i managed. I put both my feet on the ground and carefully leaned forward. The skin under my feet felt uncomfortable and fragile so i tiptoed over to my drawer and took out a pair of socks. I grabbed my laptop and carefully headed downstairs. I poured myself some cereal and milk and started scrolling through my Tumblr feed. Suddenly there was a knock on the front door. My parents were both working and my brother and sister were in school so who knew i was at home? I tiptoed towards the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's Mia"

I let out a sigh of relief and unlocked the door. I had forgotten that Mia said she'd come over. I never got visitors when i was alone at home. I opened the door.

"Thank goodness you're okay! I have so much to tell and ask you"

It was freezing outside and i was just wearing pajama shorts and a tank top so when i pulled the door open and a breeze hit me, i felt my bones freeze. My legs felt like there were a million needles sticking in and out of them.

"Oh my God Amanda"

Mia pulled me away from the hall towards the living room and laid me on the couch. I was shivering uncontrollably. She ran back to close the door and pulled a blanket over me. I felt warmer immediately.

"I'm so sorry"

I smiled to let her know i was okay. She set tea in the kitchen and when i could finally move my jaw again my voice came out hoarse.

"Wh..what happened today?"

Mia walked back into the livingroom and set two mugs on the table in front of us.

"There were cops at school! And men in black suits with sunglasses, pretty creepy."

"Cops? What for?"

Were the men in suits from a special department? Why were they there? She sat down and pulled her legs under her. Her big brown curls fitted perfectly in the scenery. Perfect light fell upon them from behind and the green drapes and the brown recliner finished the picture.

"... Max saw it that night and thinks it was Rory... Did you see anything?"

I had drifted off and Rory's name caught my attention. She looked at me questioningly and i knew she was waiting for an answer i didn't have. Max thinks it was Rory. Cops at school. Had Rory vandalized something?

"The red door to the lockerroom Amanda, the one you chased Rory through."

"Oh yeah... uhm"

I though about my answer carefully. If i said yes, the whole school could know about Rory by tomorrow and he'd be arrested. If i said no, i was lying again and if they would find out the truth later... i'd be screwed.

"I don't really remember much about that night. We were really drunk."

That was partly true...
She seemed to find this a good enough answer and quickly moved on to the next subject as her eyes lit up.

"Guess you don't remember kissing anyone either ha?"

My cheeks blushed bright red and i reached out to grab my cup so she wouldn't notice. Too late.

"Aha! I knew it. I was pretty gone myself but it was all Dave talked about today and you had to see his face glow when he mentioned your name!"

'Shit' i thought to myself. He was in pretty deep. How was i going to reject him without hurting him or have him think it was because of Rory? I put down my tea and laid on my back, staring at the ceiling.

"I don't like him back and it's not fair to him... what am i going to do?"

I turned my head to look at Mia but she was frowning at a piece of my thigh that wasn't covered.

"What happened to you?"

How was i going to get out of this one?

"I... i... I went to take a bath but i set the water too hot and kind of burned myself"

The truth for once.

"Oh Amanda... and your forehead?"

My hand automatically went to the scrape and my mind went to Rory and how insecure he looked after he had hurt me.

"I climbed out of the bath and must've hit my head on the floor when i slipped and fell"

"Oh God"

We both grabbed our tea and sipped in silence. It was good to finally talk to someone. Then my phone rang... it was Benjamin.