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Chapter XI

Song: Ruelle - Carry You ft. Fleurie

Chapter 11

A m a n d a 

Glancing out the window, I can't help but watch cars and people go by. Something I've been doing these past 15 minutes ever since Brenda dropped me off. 

And one thing that pops in mind are stories. Everyone has them. However, we only see paragraphs or chapters of a persons life, but never the whole story that changes and keeps on being written until the end. Sitting here right now, I'm only getting a glimpse of sentences and paragraphs of these stories from people walking by, which is usually the part that others read and automatically define a person's life. In less words, judging a book by its cover.  

Such as the waiter by the counter who hasn't stopped smiling at everyone who glances his way. Most may think that it's because it's apart of his job, but in reality, this is his way of hiding the storm beneath him. The times I've glanced at him. His slightly red eyes look to the clock on the wall- to his phone, and when he takes an order. The forced smile is still there, but his figures slightly drum against the page, and his feet shift against the floor. Yet nobody seems to notice or ask whats truly bothering him. 

Or Luke, who many know him as being the funny and carefree type of guy. Those who know that sad part of his story believe hes moved on, but today. I've got a glimpse of a chapter he hides. He's still hurt, and he's still holding on to that guilt that was never suppose to be there. 

"Linda fell in love with Jacob and look what happened. I'm scared that if you fall for Derek, you could get hurt. Especially with Zoe and others around who want nothing more than to be his girl." Quickly, he places a hand on my knee.

"I failed them, I failed her, and I don't want to fail you too." 

"You didn't fail her, much less your family-" 

"I was suppose to take care of my sister " His hand on my knee tightens yet I don't move. "As for Linda, she'd be here ......and so would her."

I shake my head. It sucks to let him believe such a thing, about me- about her. I wonder if his parents know? Surly the would let him the opposite. They would claim it was never his fault but the drunk driver behind the wheel. 

However, I understand his pain. How could you not when he witnessed it all. He saw how a car raced down the street while his sister was running ahead, trying to beat her older brother in a race to see who would get home first. He saw how death had taken over and taken the light out of her hazel eyes on her birthday. The day she would turn eleven.

I never meet Ashley, but the way Luke spoke of her made it seem like I did, and it made me want to have a sister. Something my parents never could. She was his only sibling, a year or so younger than him, and he cared for her. She was the light in his dark tunnel as he would put it. 

He blamed himself than and still does after all these years. But everyone doesn't see that. We only go by the image we see and read first hand. 

-

"Mom," My eyes snap to voice, only to find a girl in a blue dress standing between her parents who wait for their drinks.

"Can we go... I wan't Ice cream."

"But honey, what about the chocolate in your hands? Ain't you going to finish that?"

"If I do can I get ice cream?" The women rolls her eyes but a smile appears on her painted lips as she glances down at the child.