Summer 010

Chapter 17: Better days

Day 15

"I can't believe you made me walk seven miles," Noah mumbles under his breath as our houses come into sight. We're almost there.

"Again, for the tenth time, I didn't make you do anything. It was your choice."

"A choice that I wouldn't have had to make if you agreed to get in the car in the first place, which by the way, I left on an unnamed road in the middle of nowhere."

"Well, you should have thought about that before taking me to the hospital."

He stops, his glares digging holes into my back. "I'm sorry, was I supposed to leave you bleed to death while I thought about the ways you could make my life hell afterward?"

"Finally!" I exclaim as I move towards my house. "Honestly, I can't handle another second of your whining."

Yes, we spent the last three hours bickering as we walked. I haven't slept in two days, I'm hungry, cranky, and the pain killers have made me numb. I literally can't feel my legs.

Before I can open the door, I spot Logan with Jade.

Oh no, Logan.

We still haven't talked about the guest list thing.

I reluctantly move back towards his house. Noah is standing at the front door as well, with his hands crossed.

The house looks trashed. There are empty bottles of beer and plastic cups on the floor.

"This is going to be a long day," Noah mutters before going inside.

"I trusted you! I thought you were responsible enough to handle being alone in the house without causing any troubles!" Jade's shouts become more audible.

"Morning, everyone." Noah places a kiss on Jade's cheek.

It is no secret that Noah was Jade and Arthur's favorite child. Ever since the accident, they have treated him differently.

At first, they were anxious about him. He was always alone, didn't talk much, and they were scared that they'd lose him too.

"Hi, sweetie." She kisses Noah and turns to me.

"Amy! What a nice surprise! Did Logan call you to save him from my grounding?" Jade's tone shifts automatically.

 Her Lebanese manners forbid her from discussing family problems in front of strangers. Logan knew that very well and abused it.

"Because if he did, then it's not going to work! You're one of us, Amy. I can and will continue to get some sense into that brain of his. Even if you're here."

Logan raises his hands defensively, but Noah intervenes quickly, "No, mom, he didn't call her. Amelia injured her shoulder yesterday, so we went to the hospital."

She gasps when she sees the cast on my shoulder. "Oh my! What happened?"

"I'm fine, don't worry."

"Wait, did you two know about Logan's party?" Arthur asks.

"Mom, Dad, I threw that party for him. He had no idea about it. It's his eighteenth birthday, it's a special day. I'm sorry, I didn't think it would get out of control so fast." 

That wasn't technically a lie; Logan didn't know about his party. Okay, yes, he knew about it, but he still didn't throw it; Mar did.

"Amelia, were you on it too?"

"No."

"Yes."

Noah and I say at the same time.