Amy's Story (A Paramore Fanfiction)

Chapter 5: A Changing Of Seasons

-February 1st, 2007. Thursday. 4:18 P.M-

Josh closed the door behind him with a sigh and a small smile on his lips. His daughter really was special. Everything about her. And good God is she smart. Sharp as a whip. It took her only an hour or two to have his and Gwyneth's excuse picked apart and exposed.

Though he couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. He knew he shouldn't have asked about her being adopted. But that whole scene at the restaurant got to him. How could anyone be so cruel to another human being? Her mother may have a clue. Her birth mother...

Nevermind that Amy is his daughter, he would've been disgusted even if he didn't have a personal connection to the situation. As much as he wanted to intervene, he knew better. Amy herself had made that clear yesterday and he was afraid he would make things worse with her. Or blow his cover somehow.

Nonetheless he was beyond amazed how Amy stayed so in control. While he was impressed, it did tug at his heart a bit how emotionless she became. So many things were wrong in that moment. That the other girl could openly bully Amy without anyone so much as lifting a finger or glancing in their direction. That Amy can become almost lifeless when she has to.

Josh's head was still a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. He could barely keep up his act. Pretending he's nothing to the seven year old. And he can't help but believe this would all be so much easier on not only himself, but Amy to finally be honest with her. That's what she wants from him anyways, right?

As much as he wants it to be, it's not that simple. Amy doesn't like him. She's incredibly closed off. While that tears Josh apart from the inside out, it leaves the possibility that Amy won't respond well to hearing she really is adopted. And that the guy she seems to be so irked by is her actual father.

Then again, she does hate her adoptive father...

Josh sighs loudly and walks quietly to the kitchen. His sneakers thumping lightly against the hardwood. Reminding himself to return that phone call later. But as his eyes settle on the older woman washing what appears to be the last dish in her sink, he knows he has to talk to her first. So he can tell Hayley who was right and who was wrong after that argument two days ago.

Gwyn picks her head up and smiles politely, setting the dripping plate in her dish drain before grabbing a towel to dry her hands. "How'd it go? Was Amy happy?" A hint of eagerness to her tone. Taking slow steps closer.

Josh couldn't help but smile a little. Grateful that Gwyneth Meyers was being so helpful and encouraging while also appreciating the memory of how quickly and happily the seven year old devoured that burger. "It went... well. There was a girl around her age there. I think she called her Tiffany?" This was all Josh had to say to cause the face of the older woman to twist into both an angry glare and a disappointed frown.

She sighs loudly and shakes her head, looking away as she does. "The poor girl can't catch a break..." muttering softly to herself. Loud enough that Josh could hear her though. Assuming she's referring to Amy. "Tiffany is another one of those kids who picks on Amy. But she won't physically hurt her. Tiffany's tongue is her strongest weapon. Amy is still tougher though." As she sets the towel down on the table and looks around her kitchen. Clearly in thought. "That doesn't make Tiffany any better than those boys that jump her coming home from school though. In fact, I think it makes her worse."

Josh listened intently. Wanting to understand every little part of Amy's life. To try and be present in it. To make it better. To make what he and Hayley did right.

Looking back he feels like such a failure. He wasn't even grown, not even a man nevermind knew where babies came from. That was his and Hayley's stupid fault for trusting what they now knew were shady friends giving them ideas of things to do alone.