What a girl needs

Chapter 9

Amelia's POV

I nearly tripped about 7 times walking up the stairs; tears blinding my vision. I don't care thought, I just need to get in the comfort of my room, then I can cry as much as I want to. Until my parents tell me to stop, of course. Memories of my mother trying to 'comfort' me spring to my mind.

As I heard the door close, I raised my head, only to see my mother approaching with a bored expression on her face.

"Amelia, stop with this nonsense, you know your father doesn't like it when you cry without any reason."

"I know that mother, b-but-"

"No buts. Now, sit up straight, wipe your tears, and smile." 

I wanted to sigh, but I kept it in.

Again.

So I do as I'm told, with yet another fake smile painted on my face. Huh, I'm getting better at them.

I don't want to just 'sit up, wipe my tears and smile' anymore though, I just want to stay here and cry, until I have no more tears left.

They sold me. It's as simple as that.

It doesn't matter if they got money or not, it doesn't hurt any less. Because they gave my life away. Just like that.

A knock sounds at the door, and when there is no response from me, whoever it is comes in any way, though it can't be my mother. You can smell her perfume from Jupiter.

"Hey..."

James.

I should've expected it; if there was one person in this family who would try to comfort me, it would be him. My parents don't really care about my emotional state just my image, and my sister... she doesn't bother.

"Can you please just go, I really don't have it in me to talk right now, I-I-I... I need some time to comprehend all this, you know? I mean, it's not everyday I find out that my life has been given away." A humorless laugh escaped my lips.

"Milly, I-"

"Please James just-"

"I knew about it, okay?!" 

Well, he looked frustrated.

Wait, what?

I stilled.

"Y-you... knew?" 

The only person in this family who I thought I trusted fully. Seems like I was mistaken yet again.

"Let me explain first, okay?" his gentle voice soothed my anger and hurt.

I nodded through my tears.

"O-okay, I don't want to be like those girls in the movie where they just jump to conclusions, and the whole thing ends up being a heap of misunderstandings."

The fact that only a small smile, so small that if he wasn't directly in front of me I wouldn't have noticed, told me that this was a bit more than just a misunderstanding. But I listened anyway. That's what I do.

"...I, uh, it's a bit hard to explain." he sighed heavily," Milly, do you remember that night two years ago, in the kitchen?"

Oookkkaay.

"...Yeeaah, um , James, what does that have to do with this?" 

"Just tell me, you remember everything?" he persisted.

"How could I forget? It's not exactly everyday that you find the great James Wilson crying."

He rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't... crying, I just... I was just a bit upset." Men and their ego. "Anyway, you... you remember I told you it's because I was going to break up with Claudia, right?"

I nodded slowly, still unsure of where this was going.

"Well... I wasn't only... crying... because of that."

Wait a minute... no.

It can't be.

Is he saying what I think he's saying?

"That's the night I found out. That... that he's- they're selling you. That night, I lost some of my respect for them. Not respect for them as my parents, but respect for them as people. How could someone do that to their child? I was in the living room, on my phone, then they came in, both of them. I don't think they realised I was there, though. They started... talking. Mom... she was saying how it's too early. Dad, he was saying that it doesn't matter. I didn't know what they were talking about, until he said that you only have 2 years left. I-I got so worried, I thought you were going to die or something, you know, when the doctor says you only have some time left before dying, well yeah. Anyway, I got so scared, that I asked them. I asked them what's going on, told them there's no point in hiding anything when I know so much, and they told me. They told me how- how they're going to sell you, but they never told me why. I realised that night, that I was gonna lose you, and- and I couldn't bear it. I'd been nothing but mean to you, but that didn't mean I didn't love you, little sis. And when I realised that, I just- just broke down." 

I was unaware of the tears streaming down my cheeks. Not as I realised something.

"That night, you- you told me. I remember it exactly. You said "I'm going to lose one of the most important things in my life. And I'm afraid that once I lose it... I won't ever be able to take it back." That- it had a double meaning, didn't it? From that day, you started being... nicer to me. That's why."

"Amelia, I know I never really told you this, showed you, yeah, but... I never told you that I really am sorry, for everything. As your brother, I should've realised that what you were going through was not right... but I wanted to make dad proud of me, and I let my selfishness get in the way. So I'm sorry little sis, and I love you. Oh, and don't you think I don't know that they still abuse you, you can't hide that from me. But, hopefully, I'm going to make it right. Come here."

He opened his arms, letting me hug him tightly.