The Contest

Chapter 29

Once my door closed, I sat down on my bed.
"Finally back." Someone said. I swirled around to see Harmonia, sitting on my balcony.
"Monie!" I cried. She stood and hugged me.
"Ams are you okay?" She asked.
"No. Not at all." I admitted.
"Oh no what's wrong?" She asked.
"I'm leaving and Archer hates me and-"
"Archer hates you? How?" She asked.
"Because he found out about my engagement to Evander." I said.
"Y-you're engaged?" She asked.
"Not anymore." I said.
"Tell me what happened." She requested.
"Well...Evander proposed to me after he found out Archer eliminated me. Then I decided I wanted to go home, so we broke it off." I said.
"Lots of engagements today." She said.
"What do you mean?" I asked. She held up her hand and showed me the shiny ring on her finger.
"Jaxon.." I started. She nodded, a smile on her face. I wrapped her up in another hug. "Congratulations Harmonia!" I exclaimed. She giggled.
"Thanks Amberlyn." She said. "So you're going home?" She asked.
"I have to. I can't stay here. I love him, and I can't watch him fall in love with someone else. Not Taylor, not Evangeline, not even Tink." I said.
"I don't think there's any way he could fall in love with any of those girls even with you gone." Harmonia told me. I shook my head.
"Taylor...she was telling me so many things. She's the real villain in all of this." I said.
"What did she tell you?" Harmonia asked.
"She said-" the door crashed open.
"Amberlyn! It's Mom, come quick!" Ana said, her face tear stained and her once curled hair was in a messy ponytail. I shared a glance with Harmonia and the two of us ran down the hall. We sprinted past the dining room.
"Amberlyn?" Someone called. I ignored the speaker, running as fast as my legs could take me. They began to burn but I took no mind.
"Amberlyn wait up!" Harmonia called. I didn't listen. My mom was the only constant in my life. Without her...I couldn't go on. I turned the corner running past a group of girls.
"Amberlyn!?" One called. I sprinted past, and Harmonia stopped to explain to the group what was going on. I ran into the hospital wing and saw my mom laying in a bed. Nurses surrounded her, and my three sisters huddled together in the corner. I ran to my mom, kneeling down by her bed.
"Momma?" I said, hoping she'd respond. Needing her to respond.
"Honey you need to back away." One of the nurses said.
"No! I just lost my father, I'm not loosing my mother!" I yelled at her.
"Amberlyn, it's no use. I already tried. We just have to-" I interrupted Ana.
"I'm not standing idly by while my mother is dying!" I screamed. The nurses looked at each other and then back at me.
"Your mother had a heart attack and is in critical condition." A blonde nurse told me. "We can't have anyone near her except for doctors. We aren't sure if she's going to survive." A nurse told me. My eyes overflowed. Ana pulled me over, and I sat on the ground against the wall. Addie sat in my lap, her eyes wide in fear. She didn't know what was going on. Abby took my hand, her face slightly wet. Ana was holding it together but she was near a breaking point.
"Ammy?" Addie said looking at me. I hugged her tightly, holding her as I sobbed. My other sisters hugged me. I couldn't hear anything over my own heart in my ears. I closed my eyes, trying to stop the tears. Time passed. My sisters fell asleep. I stayed awake but the pain in my chest didn't dull.
"I expected nothing less." I heard a nurses voice say. I kept my eyes closed, figuring they thought I was asleep. "After what happened with her father, being sent home, and now this. It's also four in the morning. I don't know what everyone is still doing up." She said. I heard a tired mumble, and a few other agreements. I felt the weight of Addie's body being lifted out of my lap. I heard a few female voices.
"They are all in the same room right?" I didn't hear a reply, but someone must have nodded.
"Okay. I'll take her." Another female voice said. My other two sisters were picked up. That's when I felt a strong body wrap under my arms, and lift me up. I was carried through the halls of the castle. I heard a door open, and I was gently placed on my bed. I shifted to make myself comfortable, and heard a low gasp. I door quickly closed. I was alone in my room.

~~~

I woke up late the next morning. The sun shone blindingly through the curtains hanging in the windows. I sat up and looked in the mirror across the room. My makeup was smeared down my face and in the creases under my puffy eyes. My hair was messed up, and I was still in my casual dress from last night. I looked at the clock on the wall. It was noon. I sighed heavily and got out of my bed. I filled the bath and washed my hair, cleaning the makeup off my face. I pulled my hair into a bun afterwards, and slipped on a pair of pants and a top. I didn't want to be fancy today. Someone knocked on my door.
"Come in." I said. Ana opened my door. I gestured for her to come in. She closed the door and walked over to my bed. She looked at me, her blue eyes shimmering. I pulled her into a hug, and she began to cry.
"I-I can't loose Mom. Sh-she can't go." She sobbed, her entire body shuddering.
"I know." I said, stroking her hair. The only reason I wasn't crying was because I had nothing left. I let her cry into me, her body sunk in my arms. The door opened. It was Emma.
"I-I'm sorry, I'll come back later." She said.
"No Emma it's fine." I said, gesturing for her to close the door. She nodded and came into my room. Ana wiped her face, and sniffed. Emma handed her a handkerchief.
"I see you all found your way back to your rooms." She said, beginning to dust.
"I'm not sure who brought me back." I said.
"I'm sure it was the nurses. They weren't going to let you sleep on the floor." She said, pulling a book off of a side table. I glanced at it.
"Ana, stay here. I'll be back." I said, and left the room. Going down the hallway, I looked around. I spotted a guard patrolling.
"Excuse me, do you know where I could find Evander?" I asked. The guard turned around.
"I have no clue." Evander said, a grin lighting up his face. I glared at him playfully. "Sleep well?" He asked. I shook my head. "Why not my love?" He asked. My heart felt pinched as I heard the name.
"My Mom had a heart attack last night. They don't know if she will survive." I said. Evander pulled me into his arms. No matter what happens between us I will always feel safe in his arms. I sighed, my heart wanting to cry, but my body not having enough effort to do it.
"It's gonna be okay Ber. No matter what happens. I'm here for you." He said. I wrapped my arms around his body, letting his warmth calm me.
"Evander...if you had no idea about my mom, you weren't the one who brought me back to my room last night were you?" I asked.
"No, I didn't see you after we decided we weren't getting married yet." He said. I nodded.
"I don't know who did. It was a man. I know that." I said.
"Are you sure?" Evander asked, releasing me and crossing his arms.
"Don't be jealous, I don't even know who it was. For all I know it was a male nurse. My sisters were all taken to their room as well." I said. "We were out late." 
"I see." He said. Footsteps sounded further down the hallway. I jumped.
"Go." I said, shooing Evander off. He ran and turned the corner. I looked behind me, and saw Tink enter the hall.
"Oh. Hey." She said. I smiled.
"Tink-"
"I'm sorry. I'm kinda an idiot." She blurted. I giggled.
"You're not." I said.
"Are you okay? I...heard." She said.
"Last night was rough. I'm still hurting." I said. "She's still alive, so there's that." I said. She nodded.
"I'm hoping everything will be okay. Your mom was a good woman, I could tell." She said.
"You barely knew her." I giggled.
"She gave me a pretzel at lunch yesterday. She's pretty cool." Tink shrugged. I laughed.
"I still haven't met your parents." I said.
"Parent. Just Mom." She said.
"But when we met...you talked about your dad." I said.
"He...died about a month before we got here. I guess I just kind of forgot." She said.
"I'm so sorry Tink." I said.
"You've had enough sad. Do you want to meet my mom?" She asked. I nodded. "Come on then." She said, and we went to the guest rooms. She burst through the door.
"Moooooom!" She called, her voice in a sing-song tone.
"Good Lord!" Her mother exclaimed, looking up from her book. "Tink you've been gone so long I forgot about that little habit of yours." A woman with red hair as dark as Tink's said.
"I only do it for you mother." Tink said, giving her mom a large fake smile. Her mom gave one back.
"Who's your friend Tink?" She asked.
"This is Amberlyn. She's probably leaving soon, so I thought I would introduce her to you before she left." Tink told her mom. I reached out my hand to greet Mrs. Starre.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Tiffany, and please feel free to call me that. Why are you leaving soon?" She asked.
"I was eliminated last night." I answered.
"Im sorry." She said.
"It's no big deal. I'm just not the one, right? Tink is doing a fantastic job thought." I said. Tink grinned.
"Yeah, Princey doesn't even know what's coming." She said. I laughed, and her mom chuckled.
"Tink has always been a feisty girl. Got it from her Father. The only time I've seen her less than this is when her Father passed away. That was a sad time for all of us though." Her mother said. I nodded. Tink looked down at her feet.
"So, tell me," Tink's Mom said, breaking the silence. "Your family? If I do recall, you're the one with five siblings, correct?" She asked. I smiled and nodded.
"Three of them are here right now actually." I said.
"Your parents decided to take along a few stragglers?" She asked.
"Not really stragglers. I love my siblings so much. We are always there for each other, especially in difficult situations." I said. The effect of what I was saying hit me hard. Ana was still in my room. I hadn't seen Abby or Addie at all today. I didn't know how my mom was doing. Amethyst and Ashton had no idea of what had happened with my dad last night, and my mother even later after. Everything was landing in my lap now. I was the only one who could really take care of everyone. Amethyst had a husband, and would soon have a child. My dad was gone, and if my Mom...
"I'm sorry I have to go." I said, and left. I quickly walked down the hallway back to my room. Ana was on my bed, and Emma was sitting on the couch. They had been talking, but as soon as I opened the door, Emma jumped up and pretended to dust the large picture above the couch.
"Emma relax. It's just me." I said.
"Yes, but-"
"You don't have to clean just cause I came in." I said. She nodded.
"Wanna go see Mom?" I asked. Ana nodded. "Emma will you come with us? For...comfort sake?" I asked.
"Of course Miss!" She said, and put her feather duster in her belt.
"Let's go then." I said. We made our way to the hospital wing. As we walked in the nurses recognized us.
"You must be here to see your mother." One of the women said, approaching us. I nodded. "Right this way. She still hasn't woken up, though. I'm very sorry." She said, opening the curtain to my mom's section. The three of us went in. I saw my mom laying on a cot. A heart monitor beeped quietly.
"Mommy..." Ana said, and walked over to the cot. She took mothers hand, and squeezed it gently. "Please wake up. I don't know what we would do without you." She said. This was effecting Ana more than I had realized. She was growing up. Without a mother...it would be hard for her to keep going.
"Ana, everything is going to be okay. Even if a miracle can't be achieved, you have me. You have me and Amethyst. Also Ashton, Abby, and Addie. We are all here for each other, right?" I asked.
"I-I guess." She said, but I could tell she didn't want to listen.
"Have you had lunch yet, An?" I asked. She shook her head. "Emma, will you take her to get some food please?" I asked.
"Of course." She replied, and the two left. I sat in a chair and took my mothers hand. I sighed.
"Mom, you don't know how hard this is. I-I'm not prepared to live without you. I thought I was going to grow up with you, and you would meet my children. They would say "Grandma, tell me stories about mommy!" And you would tell them things." I said. I chuckled as a thought came into my head.
"Remember that day when you gave my a glass of milk at dinner, and I was pushing it around on the table. You said, "Now Amberlyn, don't spill your milk." And I looked you dead in the eyes and poured my milk on the floor?" I asked. I smiled, laughing to myself. "You were so mad. You sent me to my room and I drew on the wall. When you realized what I had done, you asked me why I had drew on the wall and all I had to say was "I'm mad." Remember that?" I asked, beginning to tear up.
"Remember when you came into the living room to find baby Ana on the floor screaming her head off. You asked me what happened and I told you I bit her finger because I wanted to see what would happen." I said, and a tear ran down my face.
"Then there was the time that Grandma came over when I was probably four years old and we were laying on the bed together trying to take a nap and she went to the bathroom, and because she didn't want to wake me up, she decided she would wash her hands later. When she got back I sat up and said "you didn't wash your hands." I was a little firecracker wasn't I? I was really safe." I said, and one of the tears on my face fell onto my moms hand.
"Its interesting hearing stories about you as a kid. Makes me realize that your were always like this." I turned around, and Archer was in the doorway.
"I didn't think you would ever want to see me again." I said, turning to face my mom.
"You're kind of right. I tell a girl I loved her, and then I find out two hours later that she's engaged to someone else. Kinda felt like an idiot."
"Well you expect me to be happy? You eliminated me and then you were with another girl less than two hours after you told me you loved me." I said.
"Yeah. I screwed up. I admit that. But you know I would have liked to know that you loved me too." He said.
"You didn't give me a chance to tell you! You left to go be with Taylor!" I exclaimed.
"You could have come after me, you could have told me when you saw me with her!" He said.
"I was with someone who thought I loved him!" I told him.
"I wonder if you actually do love him. After all you have told me, he sounds like the perfect guy!" Archer said.
"It's always been you Archer, you know that!" I yelled.
"How do I know that Amberlyn? How can I know if you're always with him? All you have been doing since you got here is telling me you want to go home. Is that cause he's there? How can I know that you choose me if you're always telling me you want to go home?" He yelled back.
"Because I love you, you idiot!" I screamed. He looked at me, shocked. "I love you since I kicked your stupid perfect shin on the night we met. I loved the way you smile at me from across the dinner table when we are all eating together. I love the way you stood up for Harmonia and Jaxon when they were being whipped. I love it when you planned an entire event for our parents to come see us, all for me." The effect of my last sentence hit me. Tears came down my face.
"Amberlyn?" He asked. I kept crying, and he pulled me out of my chair to hug me. He didn't keep me standing, but instead we sank to the floor, and I fell in his lap, crying.
"I don't know what to do, Archer. I don't think I can raise my siblings at home by myself. If my mom-"
"You won't be at home. I-I'm gonna let you stay. You and your sisters can stay at the castle, and your brother can come here too. Also...you can stay in the Contest." He said.
"A-are you sure?" I asked. He nodded. I flung my arms around his neck. "Thank you." I said.
"After everything...you deserve something good." He said. I smiled weakly, but I was interrupted by my stomach growling. "Have you eaten today?" He asked me. I shook my head.
"Let's go make something." He said, helping me up.
"Make something? Like together?" I asked. He handed me a tissue.
"Yeah, why not? Teach me how to cook." He said. I smiled.
"Might take me a while." I said, cleaning my face with the tissue.
"Anything that distracts you." He said. I nodded.
"Let's go."

~~~

We walked into the kitchen and the chefs greeted us.
"I'm here to be taught by this lovely lady. What do you need to cook Amberlyn?" Archer asked me. I looked around.
"Eight russet potatoes, half a red onion, two tablespoons of flour, four cups of water or chicken broth, which would be even better, two cups of cheese, any kind really, I don't really have a specific kind. Usually whatever I could afford at home is what I used. Also half a cup of milk. That should be it!" I said. The chefs scrambled around to get the ingredients for me.
"What do you need to cook with? Pots or pans?"
"A big pot, a deep pan, potato peeler, knife, and a big spoon of some sort." I said. Everyone gave me the ingredients and I put Archer to work.
"Peel these potatoes and put them in this pot. Let me know when you're done." I said. He nodded, and looked at the potato peeler. "D-do you know how to use it?" I asked. He bit his lip.
"N-no." He admitted. I giggled, and took it from him.
"Like this." I said, and began to peel the potato. He nodded and took it back, continuing to peel. "I'm gonna get started on everything else." I told him and did so. I started by cutting the onions and browning them, pouring in the flour, and then the chicken broth after.
"I'm done!" Archer said, putting the last cut potato in the pot.
"Good! Fill it with water and put in on the stove." I told him. He did as I told him, and I finished the rest of the base. The potatoes boiled and I added everything together, finishing up the soup. I ladled some into bowls.
"We are this a lot at my house. Potatoes are cheap and onions are too. Everything else is basically something we always have around the house." I told Archer. He came up behind me and looked over my shoulder. "Want a taste?" I asked. He nodded, and I gave him a spoonful.
"Could use a little salt. Maybe pepper?" He suggested. I nodded.
"Where is it?" I asked, and looked around. He picked it up, reaching under my elbow, and wrapped his arms around me to sprinkle a little salt in each bowl. I felt shivers up my spin, as his front touched my back.
"Sorry." He said, pulling away from behind me and going to my side.
"It's fine." I muttered. I took a bite. "Reminds me of home." I said, smiling. Archer took a bite.
"It's delicious my love." He said. I smiled. "You have some on your nose." He said, and wiped it off with his pinky finger. I giggled, and dipped my finger in my bowl, smearing the soup on his cheek.
"Lynnie!" He exclaimed, laughing. I let out a loud laugh, the most genuine laugh I had given in heaven knows how long. He smeared a line of soup down my forehead. I crossed my eyes trying to get a look at my forehead, and Archer laughed at me.
"You're so cute." He said through his laughing. I giggled, and curtsied.
"Why thank you sir!" I said. I took another bite of soup. "You know this stuff is good for eating too. Not just painting faces." I said, pointing my spoon at him. Archer chuckled and took a bite.
"Happy?" He asked, after swallowing.
"Why yes, yes I am."