《Pregnant For My Bully》


 Amelia

    Mondays, for me, were like a restart of my routine, mind-numbing, perpetually dull life. It was an endless cycle of boredom, my life, beginning everyday with the rickety, old and faulty rm, which sat atop the nightstand beside my bed, waking me up at 6:30, thirty minutes too early.


    Then, it was in the bathroom till it clocked seven-not that I spent thirty minutes taking a shower, though. Sometimes, I fall asleep there.


    Next, after that, was to pull on a somewhat presentable cloth and brush my blonde hair till it shone, before going down to meet Nana, my grandma, for breakfast,municating through signnguage, because, well, she was deaf, kissing her goodbye and then leaving for school.


    School had its own individual cycle, just like waking up had it its. First off was to get off the bus, seeing as, at eighteen, I still trailed along with the freshmen in the school bus because the only car I had, grandma¡¯s old, vintage Chevy, decided to give up on me in my sophomore year.


    Right after getting to school would be the quacking, shoving and pushing by other students oblivious to my presence, until I got to my locker.


    Now, when I got to the said locker, two things could happen. One, I open my locker to a shower of glitter, or to a jack in the box straight to my face, nted by yours truly, Jason Shitface Asshat Davenport.


    If that didn¡¯t happen, I¡¯d most likely open my locker to just my stuff. The worst I could meet, buried under them,  would be a note saying I should stick my head in the toilet, or I should just kill myself. This time nted by Kimberly Bitch Thot Slut Adams.


    Luckily, today, I arrived at school to find my locker just the way I¡¯d left itst Friday. Apparently, both Jason and Kimberly seemed to have forgotten about my existence.


    Yeah, right. That could never happen. Not while we were still ssmates.


    So, after the locker episodes, up next were the sses. Of my nine sses every day, I had Jason in two, which was enough torment as it was, judging by the fact that he never failed to leave chewed gum both on and under my seat and desk, or shoot spitballs at me as lessons were going on-it was a wonder how the teachers never caught him. Probably, they did, but just didn¡¯t care.


    Next in the cycle was lunch period, where I got served the regr blob of something that was supposed to be ¡®food¡¯, an apple, which was my only savior, preventing me from dying of starvation, and a milk carton.


    The only different day was Tuesday, when the school decided to be so kind as to serve it¡¯s exhausted students a helping of pudding, since it couldn¡¯t afford tacos. They termed it ¡®Pudding Tuesday¡¯. Shudders, that was what I felt saying it.


    Right after lunch and the rest of the day¡¯s lessons would be meeting up with Jason at the sports field, as he instructed me to do everyday after school, to retrieve his homework from him, process, analyze, break it down, decipher, solve, just do whatever and return it to him the next day to be submitted. Note, I used the word ¡®retrieve¡¯ because, ording to him, his homework was my possession.


    After I¡¯d stashed his homework in my bag, I was to sit and watch him practice football-he was the team¡¯s midfielder-until it was over. I was to guard his stuff, hold his water, hand it to him whenever he needed it, while my head remained bowed, by the way, and hold his face towel, even when it was sweaty and dripping.


    asionally, and very intentionally, while I sat under the sun, watching something I had absolutely no interest in, the ball would fly out of nowhere straight for my face, most times my chest. Then Jason would run along to pick it up, while I remained on the bleachers, wincing at the pain from where the ball had hit me. As he jogged past me, the ball in his hands, he¡¯d yell something like ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t see no boobs there¡±, or ¡°My bad, didn¡¯t see you there¡±.


    After practice, by then the school bus had already gone, so I was left to walk home by myself. A fifteen minute distance, all alone. Jason said it was essential to help me lose weight. Note, I wasn¡¯t more than 40 kg.


    Sometimes, his friend, Adrian Goldfield, the football team¡¯s defender, would offer me a ride, which I never turned down-the inside of his blue Ford was heaven, I could assure you, with it¡¯s blue seats and air conditioned interior, not to mention it always smelled likevender, just like he did.


    Once I got home, I was then to do Jason¡¯s homework first before I did mine. Next in line was my night shower and dinner with Nana before I put her to bed by eight and then binge Netflix for the rest of the night. Sometimes, I¡¯d get a call, or a FaceTime, from my former best friend, Benson, but even that was rare now, ever since he started dating Katie Henshaw.


    So, there you have it, my endless, repetitive cycle of a life.


    Get a life, you might say, but here¡¯s a little secret. I had one. Before high-school, back when boys worshipped me, literally, and every girl wanted to be my friend. Back when everything was perfect, and I had mom and dad. Until the summer holiday before high-school, when my parents died in a car crash, and I was subjected to living with my grandma, the only rtive close enough.


    I retreated into my shell, like a snail when touched. Became an entirely different person than I used to be. Lost everything, my friends, although Benson stayed, my poprity, everything. And gained Jason Davenport¡¯s attention, a guy I so remember used to crush on me back in fifth grade.


    All that was by the way, though. At this point in my life, I was already used to it. As a senior, knowing I¡¯d soon be out of this shithole and out of Wayne¡¯s County, never to see any of the hateful faces anymore, it didn¡¯t bother me much. Not like it used to. All I needed to do was focus on my studies and getting a schrship. And that I did.


    Today, being today Tuesday, our test scores fromst week have been returned to us. I made an A+ in pretty much all five of them, as expected.


    It was currently lunch time. The queue had shortened considerably by the time I¡¯d gotten to the cafeteria. Without much waste of time, it got to my turn.


    I looked away, with a disgusted face, as the lunchdy pped the gooey stuff onto its corner, looked back with a smile when she ced an apple where it should be, the milk carton and, my personal favorite, a small bowl of chocte pudding.


    Offering her a smile, which of course, she didn¡¯t return, I turned away from her and began my journey to the ¡®losers table¡¯. No, no one termed it that, but everyone that sat at it was regarded as a loser so . . .Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    It was at the far end of the cafeteria, at the corner where nothing went noticed and you could eat like a pig, rubbing food all over your body, but still no one would care.


    Jason¡¯s table was kind of far from mine, a safe distance if you asked me, but asionally, I¡¯d look up from my food to see him staring daggers at me. When I maintained eye contact, he¡¯d look away, a tic present in his jaw.


    The only hassle getting to my table was the fact that I had to pass both his and Kimberly¡¯s table on the way, hers before his. It wasn¡¯t as easy as it sounded, trust me.


    I was approaching Jason¡¯s table now. As instructed by him, I was to keep my eyes the other way as I passed, lest he made eye contact with me. That I did as I got to the table, averting my gaze to the table beside his.


    I was almost past his table, the only thought on my mind being the chocte pudding my hungry hands were soon to devour, when, all of a sudden, I felt a shoe at the front base of my foot, and next thing I knew, I was falling forward, the tray of food flying out of my hands, an inaudible gasp escaping my wide open mouth.

 In Deep trouble

    A hushed silence fell over the cafeteria the moment I crashed to the floor on my hands and knees. Only then did it dawn on me what had just happened. I wasn¡¯t having any pudding. I wasn¡¯t going to have lunch at all. Not with my food scattered everywhere, the apple not too far from me and the glob of unidentifiable food lying a little to the right of the apple.


    Just as I was starting to wonder where the pudding went, a shriek pierced the air, hurting my eardrums, seeing as it came from beside me.


    At once, I whipped my head to my left to meet the shock of my life. The right half of Kimberly¡¯s face and neck was covered in chocte pudding.


    Oh, no. No, no, no, no.


    At once, I scrambled to my feet, ignoring the snickers that came from Jason¡¯s table, the loudest from him.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I began, holding my hands out, making sure to keep my distance too. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean-¡±


    I¡¯d barely gotten out thest word, ¡®to¡¯, when in a sh, Kimberly shot up from her seat, grabbed the nearest te of pudding and hauled it at me. I saw it a second toote to duck.


    A foreign pain exploded on my lower lip and jaw where the te of pudding had impacted, as I toppled backward, lost my footing and fell onto the floor.


    I sped a hand to my hurting jaw, tears pricking my eyes at the outburst ofughter that broke the silence from Jason¡¯s table. My jaw, neck and red nnel top were covered in chocte pudding.


    ¡°Sorry won¡¯t fix my hair, bitch!¡± Kimberly spat.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The first tear pooled in my right eye.


    Don¡¯t fall. Don¡¯t fall.


    When it could gather no more, it rolled down my cheek.


    Crap.


    ¡°Look what you did to my face!¡± Kimberly yelled. ¡°I should throw another at you for this.¡±


    My eyes cast to the floor, hand still on my throbbing jaw, I hurried to my feet.


    ¡°It was obviously a mistake, Kim,¡± someone from Jason¡¯s table said, as I turned away from the pairs of staring eyes, all hungry for more drama.


    ¡°Oh, shut up, Adrian,¡± Kimberly retorted. ¡°Of course, you¡¯d take her side.¡±


    ¡°No, you shut up.¡± Adrian shot back. ¡°I mean, you act like you have no fucking sense of reasoning. You could¡¯ve hurt her badly . . .¡±


    Speeding out the cafeteria, my head still down, the tears now falling in torrents, his words faded.


    On getting to the bathroom, I pushed the door open and walked in, shutting it behind me. I turned on the tap, put my hands under the cold water, scooped up some and sshed it on the pudding on my face. I repeated the action severally until all the pudding on my face and neck was gone.


    After that, I took a tissue and wiped down my top before removing some of the stain with water. Only after I was done did I then look up at my reflection.


    The tears had stopped as soon as I started cleaning off, but the sniffles hadn¡¯t. My grey eyes were red rimmed, nose pink and the lower side of my jaw bearing a simr pink hue, a bruise on the right side of my lower lip. The edge of my shoulder length blonde was damp and matted to my corbone. I flinged it out.


    Normally, I wouldn¡¯t cry, but hauling a freaking te at me? And the othersughing right after? That was more embarrassment than I could bear. And it¡¯d never been physical, Kimberly¡¯s aggression towards me, so why then did she, all of a sudden, throw a freaking te at me?


    Blinking away the tears that¡¯d pooled in my eyes once again, I blew out a breath through my lips.


    ¡°You¡¯re fine,¡± I said to myself, my daily mantra whenever I got bullied. ¡°Only two hundred days left, Mel. You¡¯re doing great.¡±


    Nodding at my words, I exhaled once more and left the cafeteria at the moment the warning bell. for lunch period to be over went off.


    Outside, on a bench not too far from the bathroom, I saw a denim jacket I hadn¡¯t noticed earlier, lying there with a note on top of it.


    At first, I wanted to leave it, just walk on, like I¡¯d never seen it, but the note drew me in.


    Walking over to the jacket, I picked up the note.


    Sorry about your lunch, it read. I¡¯m leaving my jacket. Maybe you could use it to cover up the pudding stain?


    Adrian.


    Folding the note, I picked up the jacket.


    It was a wonder how two close friends could be so different, with contrasting personalities.


    Jason and Adrian had been friends since middle school, their friendship extending into high-school. They weren¡¯t just opposite in character, Adrian being the nicer, sweeter one and Jason the rude, arrogant ¡®bad boy¡¯, but also in their looks. Adrian, a lot hotter than Jason, for me though, was towering to about six feet, had the body of an athlete and jet ck hair.


    His keen, observant, blue eyes and million dor smile pretty much pulled every girl in school, not that he was a yer though.


    Jason, on the other hand, had the same height and body as Adrian, only that he had light brown eyes and sandy hair.


    Sometimes, I wondered how Adrian still managed to remain friends with Jason, despite being so different. Despite Jason being such a douchebag.


    Slipping on the jacket and buttoning it up, I said a silent ¡®thank you¡¯ to Adrian in my head.

 Don’t mess with Jason

    Jason Davenport


    Leaning back against one of the upholding pirs behind the school, I stuck a hand into my jacket pocket, the fingers of my other hand holding, loosely, onto the burning stick of cigarette between them.


    Where the hell was she? I wondered, casting a brief gaze to the watch around my wrist. It was three o¡¯clock already. She knew she was to meet up with me immediately after sses, but here she was wasting my time, like waiting on her was all I had to do the entire day.


    She¡¯ll get it when she eventually shows up, that¡¯s for sure, I thought, with a frown, raising the cigarette to my lips.


    Taking a short drag, I dropped my hand and blew the smoke out in two, oddly shaped rings.


    I waited another minute, my mind nk, before taking another drag, this one longer than the previous. I held it in my mouth for a couple of seconds and then released it into the air. Right after, I really started to get pissed.


    Looking at the time on my watch, I scowled. 3:10pm.


    ¡°How the heck am I the one waiting for her?¡± I thought aloud. ¡°The bitch should be one fucking waiting for me.¡±


    Getting off the pir, I started forward, back to the front of the school when I heard footsteps approaching. Thinking it was a teacher, I stopped and quickly hid the cigarette behind my back, pulling out my phone, as well, and pretending to be going through it.


    I looked up from my phone when the footsteps stopped a few feet from me, it¡¯s owner not saying a word or doing anything but standing there, silent.


    My gaze fell on Amelia, staring at me, her face expressionless, although her grey eyes held an angry stare. At the stare, I smiled. Tripping her at lunch had had its desired effect, I could see. The knowledge of that alone made me happy and, even better, satisfied.


    ¡°Get over here,¡± I nodded towards me, my smile still present.


    At first, she hesitated, her hands stuck into a jacket I hadn¡¯t noticed she¡¯d been wearing when my eyes first fell on her.


    When she hesitated some more, I began to get pissed once again.


    ¡°Get the fuck over here before I make you,¡± I growled, staring daggers at her.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    With a sigh, she rolled her eyes and plodded over to me, stopping a few inches before me.


    ¡°Who the hell gave you that jacket?¡± I raised an eyebrow, noticing it looked like the denim jacket Adrian normally wore.


    She looked away. ¡°Someone better than you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, was that supposed to be for me?¡± I scowled.


    ¡°No,¡± she mumbled, her gaze still turned from me.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna let that slide,¡± I said, after a while of intense ring, ¡°midget.¡±


    She whipped her gaze back to me then. ¡°I¡¯m 5¡¯6¡å.¡±


    ¡°Meaning you¡¯re a fucking midget,¡± I retorted.


    She opened her mouth to speak when I stopped her.


    ¡°Enough of that,¡± I ordered. ¡°Now, whose jacket is that?¡±


    ¡°Adrian¡¯s,¡± she answered, boldly making eye contact with me.


    Getting some nerve, wasn¡¯t she? Not for long.


    ¡°Adrian, huh,¡± I nodded, her words confirming my thoughts. ¡°Alright. No problem.¡±


    ¡°There never was any,¡± she shrugged.


    Having had enough of her newfound feisty attitude, I reached out and grabbed her by the cor, yanking her forward. The look of fear in her eyes as I¡¯d reached for her was priceless, although I made sure to hide my emotions towards it, a huge frown the only feeling present on my face.


    ¡°Enough of that, Amelia,¡± I sneered. ¡°Any more and I¡¯ll give you something to keep you shut.¡±

 I’m not sorry mom

    Jason


    Letting go of the jacket, I pushed her backward and quickly wiped my hand on my jacket, as if I¡¯d just touched a ball of cow turd. Not that she was dirty, though. Just to make her more upset.


    ¡°What took you so long?¡± I asked, raising the cigarette to my lips once more. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to meet me immediately after school, like I¡¯d told you to.¡±


    ¡°You said we¡¯re to meet at the field everyday after school,¡± she muttered,  her gaze cast to her shoes. ¡°I went out to the field and didn¡¯t find you there. I was searching all over for you before someone told me you¡¯d be here.¡±


    Silent, I looked her over. Technically, she was right. We weren¡¯t supposed to meet behind the school.


    I took a deep drag and was blowing it out toward her when some smoke hitched in my throat, momentarily choking me. Doubled over, I coughed, wheezed and coughed some more, beating a hand to my chest.


    ¡°You know smoking reduces your lifespan by eleven minutes everyday you do it, right?¡± Amelia told me.


    ¡°Of course, only you would know that,¡± I sputtered, embarrassed by the situation. ¡°Shut the fuck up and look away.¡±


    She looked away then, and coughing some more, clearing my throat asionally, the cough reflex behind my throat began to die down until it stoppedpletely.


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been here, that would¡¯ve never happened,¡± I said, wiping the tears in my eyes.


    Slowly, she turned back to look at me. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one that told you to start up smoking.¡±


    One angry look from me and she lowered her gaze.


    ¡°I got a B in my history homework.¡± I went straight to the point, stubbing out the cigarette and slipping off my backpack.


    Flipping through the books in the bag, I pulled out a sheet from the middle of two notebooks. I flung the sheet toward her and then pulled out today¡¯s homework, zipped up my bag and slipped it back onto my right shoulder.


    The paper now in her hand, she stared at me.


    ¡°How the hell did I get a B?¡± I cocked an eyebrow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she answered simply.


    Annoyed by her smug reply, I reached forward and thumped her forehead.


    ¡°Ow,¡± she winced, stepping back, a hand to her forehead.


    ¡°Next time that happens, I¡¯ll do a lot more than just thump you, trust me.¡± I told her. ¡°So, for your sake, there better not be a next time.¡±


    There were tears brimming in her eyes. Ignoring them, I held today¡¯s homework out to her. ¡°Take it.¡±


    Seconds after, she was still staring at me, the tears shining brightly in her eyes. Knowing her, she stubbornly refused to let them fall.


    ¡°Is there something you¡¯d like to do to me, geek?¡± I said. ¡°You wanna thump me back? Punch me? What you wanna do?¡±


    She kept silent.


    ¡°Answer me!¡± I exploded, and, at once, she recoiled backwards.


    ¡°What do you wanna do to me, Amelia?¡± I spat in her face.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she said, the first streak of tears going down her face.


    ¡°You sure? ¡®Cause that¡¯s not what it seemed like a second ago.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do anything,¡± she muttered, sniffing.


    ¡°Good,¡± I said, stepping back from her. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡±


    Throwing the homework at her, I said, ¡°I don¡¯t wanna ever see a B on my homework paper again,¡± and walked away, back onto the field, not too far from where Amelia and I had just met, for practice.


    An hourter, I was pulling my Audi-hand-me-down, from dad-into the curved driveway of the mansion, stopping directly beside the dolphin fountain.


    Getting out of the car, I shut the door and tossed the key to the valet before heading on toward the huge, oak front door, which was always left wide open, except at night time.


    I walked past the threshold and into the wide and evenly spaced living room, with its plush couches, chandeliers and floor to ceiling tinted windows.


    I¡¯d barely taken three steps in when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted dad and Ashley at a corner of the room, standing before one of the windows. Dad was directly behind her, slipping something that looked like a gold ne around her neck.


    I watched, with contempt, as he hooked it behind her and adjusted it so it sat properly on her neck. Turning around with a smile, Ashley leaned in and gave him a kiss.


    I wanted to gag. Most especially when the kiss held on for much longer and dad¡¯s hands began to wander.


    To distract them and bring to their attention my presence, I dropped my backpack to the floor with a dull thud. At once, they broke the kiss and dad spun around in my direction.


    ¡°Jason, hey!¡± He smiled, as soon as he saw it was me, his face flushed. ¡°You¡¯re home early today. What, no practice?¡±


    ¡°Practice ended early,¡± I told him.


    ¡°Oh,¡± was all he said, Ashley slinking up to hold onto his arm.


    ¡°Hi, Jace,¡± she smiled at me.


    Returning her smile with a scowl, I said, ¡°It¡¯s Jason. I¡¯ve told you that for over a million times now.¡±


    ¡°Jason,¡± Dad said, ¡°speak to your mom with respect.¡±


    ¡°You mean my third mom,¡± I snorted. ¡°Who¡¯s barely older than me, by the way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m twenty seven,¡± Ashley defended.


    ¡°And I¡¯m eighteen,¡± I said, ¡°eleven years your younger brother.¡±


    ¡°Jason, stop that,¡± Dad stepped in.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just keep marrying every woman that flits your way, dad,¡± I frowned. ¡°You and me, we¡¯re just fine on our own. We don¡¯t need nobody else.¡±


    ¡°He called me ¡®every woman¡¯, honey,¡± Ashley pouted, clinging tighter onto dad¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Jason, Ashley is your mother now, and she¡¯s not going anywhere,¡± Dad said to me, ¡°the sooner you realize that, the better for you.¡±


    Bending down, I picked up my backpack from the floor. ¡°Ashley¡¯s not my mom and will never be. She¡¯s just your third wife, for the meantime, though. Not long now.¡±


    Turning away from them, I started up the windy, marbled staircase when dad¡¯s voice stopped me.


    ¡°You will call her mom, Jason, and not Ashley,¡± he ordered, now standing at the base of the stairs.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t,¡± I said.


    ¡°Then you leave me no choice than to seize your car, cut off your allowance and ground you for the rest of the school year. No parties in the house, no going to parties, no friends visiting and no visiting of friends. All your gadgets will be seized, as well.¡±


    I turned to look at him. ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t test me, Jason,¡± he said, in a low voice, one that signified he was getting to the wall.


    ¡°But she¡¯s not my fucking mother,¡± I yelled. ¡°I can¡¯t call her that.¡±


    Dad¡¯s tone rose. ¡°Mind yournguage, boy, before Ie over there and whoop your silly, arrogant ass!¡±


    ¡°Now, you will apologize to your mother right away,¡± he added.


    ¡°I can¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Right now, Jason!¡±


    Gritting my teeth, I fisted my hands.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I said, through clenched teeth.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like you¡¯re sorry to me,¡± Dad said.


    Looking away from him, so my gaze fell on Ashley, I stared. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mom.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Apology epted.¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I stared some more before looking back at dad. ¡°Happy now?¡±


    Turning away from him, I stomped the rest of the way up the stairs and straight to my room. I banged the door behind me as I walked in, throwing my backpack onto the floor.


    Maria, Jackie and now goddamn Ashley, I thought, heading over to my bed and plopping down on it. How many more moms toe. Five more? Ten?


    In the space of seven years, since mom died in a car crash, I¡¯d had three different moms already. I was done with that. I was sick and tired of the pretentious, gold digging sluts dad brought in as wives simply because they knew how to serve it right.


    All these, the women, the fact that I didn¡¯t have my mom with me, would¡¯ve been avoided if I hadn¡¯t convinced her to take me to David¡¯s party that Friday evening. If Amelia¡¯s parents hadn¡¯t been driving at 90 miles per hour. At least I¡¯d still have my mom now.


    Annoyed, I raked a hand through my hair. Being at school pissed me off,ing home did the same. I couldn¡¯t be anywhere and be happy. At school, I had to deal with the reminder of mom¡¯s death, Amelia, and at home, I had to stand Ashley.


    I didn¡¯t know for how long I could go on that way.

 How I hate the jerk

    Amelia Forbes


    Everyday, my hatred for Jason Davenport burned brighter. I had so many thoughts in my mind toward him. Thoughts, ideas, that were sure to inflict pain if gotten a chance to be carried out-m his head into a wall severally, kick him in the nuts as often as I could, but to mention a few. After all, it was only deserving.


    I mean, as if the humiliation I¡¯d passed through this morning in the cafeteria, because of him, was not enough, he went on to treat me like an absolute piece of worthless junk when we met up behind the school after sses, grabbing me by the cor of Adrian¡¯s jacket, as if I was some sort of guy he had issues with, and thumping my forehead because he got a B in his history homework, very much forgetting that I was human too and could make mistakes once in a while.


    Thereafter, he ordered me to sit at the bleachers, under the sun and guard his stuff. To make matters worse, I had a headache, stemming from the bowl Kimberly had thrown at me during lunch. I actually grew dizzy sitting under the sun with a pounding head. Luckily, the practice ended just before things could get out of hand.


    Adrian offered me a ride back. It was one of those days, I guess, when he wasn¡¯t rushing off to somewhere, like he normally did, after practice.


    I¡¯d been walking down the paved road outside the school, hoping to hail a taxi with the little change I had on me when his blue Ford rolled up beside me.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he said to me, as his window slid down.


    ¡°Hi,¡± I blushed, slightly embarrassed that I still had his jacket on, a favor from my mortal enemy¡¯s friend.


    ¡°You¡¯re on your way home, right?¡± He hooked an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll drop you off? If you want?¡± He shrugged.


    ¡°Um, okay, I guess,¡± I said. It wasn¡¯t like it was the first time he was offering me a ride, or I was getting into his heavenly car.


    Pressing a button so the door to the passenger seat unlocked-oddly enough, he preferred me sitting in the passenger seat-he gestured for me to climb in. That I did, without further hesitation, opening the door wider and slipping in. After I shut the door, my body already enveloped by the chilly atmosphere of the interior of his car, senses satiated with his familiarvender scent, Adrian resumed driving.


    He was a somewhat okay driver, that much I could say. He wasn¡¯t exactly bad, but neither was he great, in the sense that he could literally be texting with one hand and steering with the other, which I considered very unsafe. Asides from that, on asions, he¡¯d let go of the wheel to crack all ten knuckles, a habit of his I¡¯d noticed on the third day he offered me a ride. But, although he was faulty in the concentration aspect, he never really went above the speed limit. Not the way I¡¯d seen Jason do most times.


    As usual, we sat in silence, him focused on his driving-sometimes, he did pay attention throughout the drive-me thinking up things to say to him but never really saying it. I guess just because someone was nice didn¡¯t necessarily mean you guys became a dynamic duo all of a sudden.


    We were approaching downtown, a ten minute distance from my street, B-street, when, all of a sudden, he spoke to me.


    ¡°I saw you in the field today, during practice,¡± he said, his eyes not leaving the road ahead. ¡°I mean, I see you everytime, but today seemed kinda different. Like you were, um, not feeling too good or something.¡±


    All the while he spoke, I did nothing but watch him, drowning in the sweetness of his voice when low. I¡¯d never heard him speak, at least to me directly. I mean, of course, I¡¯d heard his voice before, just not towards me, and even that was not very often as he wasn¡¯t much of a talker. But now, now he was speaking to me, I couldn¡¯t help but admire how soothing his voice was, not too deep, but not squeaky or high pitched because of puberty either. It was just the right blend.


    ¡°So?¡± He nced at me.


    I blinked. Had he asked a question?


    ¡°I . . . sorry I didn¡¯t really get you,¡± I said, feeling highly embarrassed.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°I was asking if you¡¯re alright, because back in the field you looked kinda sick.¡± He told me.


    He¡¯d been watching me?


    ¡°Oh. Yeah, I¡¯m good,¡± I said.


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Why do you evene to the bleachers so often?¡± He asked. ¡°Like every single practice day I see you there. You like football that much?¡±


    So, he didn¡¯t know? About every order Jason gave me? Apparently, he wasn¡¯t aware.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I lied. ¡°I¡¯m a fan of football. My dad initiated me . . . kinda.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± He looked at me with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s really dope. So, what¡¯s your favorite club?¡±


    Oh, crap. Crap, I¡¯d put myself in a tight situation.


    ¡°Um, Barca?¡± I raised my eyebrows.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying it like you aren¡¯t so sure,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s understandable. There are more than one amazing clubs. My favorite is Manchester United.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so cool,¡± I said with faux enthusiasm.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded and secondster, we fell into silence once more.


    From the corner of my eye, I observed him drive. Watched his bodynguage. Liked how easygoing andid back he was. I admired every little detail about him, from his looks to his personality to his aura, he was just perfect, nondiscriminatory and cordial.


    Eventually, he pulled into my street, went past the first few houses before finally stopping at the driveway of grandma¡¯s.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, looking at him as he turned off the car, a hand on the door lock. ¡°For driving me. And for your jacket.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure,¡± he smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll return the jacket tomorrow unfailingly.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡± I unlocked the door and stepped out, shutting it behind me.

 Meet Nana

    Amelia Forbes


    I waved briefly before turning away from him and heading up the front porch. When I stopped to look back, his car was gone.


    I turned back toward the house and began my ascent up the stairs. Getting to the door, my feet standing on the old mat that said ¡®Wee!¡¯ in bold letters, I took out my key from my backpack and unlocked the door. I and my Nana had separate keys for the house. Whenever I was in and she wasn¡¯t, I was supposed to lock the door from inside. The same went for her whenever I wasn¡¯t in.


    I closed the door behind me and locked it, leaving the key in its hole.


    During my first months of living with Nana, whenever I came back from school, the first thing I¡¯d yell was, ¡°Nana, I¡¯m home!¡±, always forgetting that she was deaf and couldn¡¯t hear me. I began to adjust to her being deaf though, and now, I couldn¡¯t make that mistake again.


    She wasn¡¯t in the living room when I walked in, so I headed on into the kitchen, where she was most likely to be. On getting there, I saw her sitting at the edge of the kitchen table, kneading a dress, her favorite pastime.


    She looked up from the cloth in her hands as soon as I walked into the kitchen.


    Hi, Nana, Imunicated through signnguage, walking over to her to give her a kiss on her smooth, wrinkled forehead. Although Nana was already seventy, she was still very agile, which was pretty much the reason I was sent to live with her instead of being sent to some crappy foster home. Thankfully.


    Hi, sweetie, she gestured when I pulled back. How was your day?


    Stressful. I drew back the seat beside her and fell into it, holding my head in my hands. Jason was being an asshole again.


    Yeah, she knew about Jason. It was hard for her not to find out, judging by the fact that most times, I came home from his bullying with a tear stained face.


    What did he do this time? She wanted to know.


    Leaning back, I unbuttoned Adrian¡¯s jacket and faced her so she could see the stain on my shirt.


    He¡¯s basically the reason for this, Imunicated.


    I think I shoulde to your school one of these days. Give Jason a piece of my mind, she frowned.


    No, I shook my head. It¡¯s fine.


    So, whose jacket is that? She asked after a short while of silence. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s yours.


    No, it¡¯s not. A friend of Jason gave it to me to cover up the stain, I answered.


    A friend of Jason¡¯s, she raised her grey eyebrows.


    You don¡¯t have to worry. He¡¯s really nice and very different from Jason. He offers me a ride home on many asions.


    Okay, Nana shrugged. If you say so.


    Yeah, I nodded, pushing back my seat and standing up. I had Jason¡¯s homework to do and his previous history one to look through, like he¡¯d told me to just before he went home, and certify why he¡¯d gotten a B, saying, ¡°I can¡¯t have my machine malfunctioning now, can I?¡± as he walked away from me.


    I gave Nana one more kiss on her cheek, this time asking her what we were having for dinner-I was looking forward to one of her wholesome meals. Telling me we were having chicken casserole made my stomach rumble in anticipation.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Picking up my backpack, I headed upstairs to my room. I opened the door and stepped into the small space I owned to myself, with it¡¯s small bed, definitely not anything close to queen sized, small dresser and closet.


    I plopped down on the bed and pulled my backpack onto myp. Getting out Jason¡¯s current homework as well as his previous history paper, I stared at them. Many times, I¡¯d wanted to rip his homework all up and toss it into the trash can. Many times, I¡¯d wished so bad that I could, but, just like me wishing Jason would stop bullying me, it was a dumb wish.


    Sighing, I got out my own history homework, in which I¡¯d gotten an A, and beganparing his with mine, word for word, trying to figure out what went wrong.


    I noticed some errors on his paper. For one, I¡¯d written the wrong spelling of a word. Secondly, I saw a question where I¡¯d written an entirely offkey answer. I pped my forehead, just realizing why it was this way. I was literally asleep while I was doing Jason¡¯s history homework.


    Shaking my head at the mistake for which I was both thumped and regarded as a machine, I set his history homework aside.


    Let bygones be bygones, I said in my mind.


    Kicking off my shoes and shrugging off Adrian¡¯s jacket, I changed out of my school wear into arge t-shirt-it used to be my dad¡¯s-and denim shorts. Then I gathered my stained clothing and Adrian¡¯s jacket and went down to theundry room to wash them.


    I put them inside theundry machine, scented the water with somevender oil I found in Nana¡¯s room and then set the timer.


    All the while I waited for the clothes to be done, my mind worked on, much to my distaste, moving from one issue to another and finally settling on Jason. And Kimberly.


    How was I to avoid them if they kept bumping into me at school, or finding a way to do that. And, once again, Kimberly had thrown a bowl at me, knowing it could injure me badly. Things were starting to get physical the more I looked at it. Even the way Jason spoke to me today seemed as if he was just about to beat me up.


    I sighed. If things went on the way they did, I was most likely to end up in the clinic anytime soon.

 Adrian has a fine ass

    Amelia Forbes


    The next day, I arrived at school a lot earlier than I normally did, my new tactic at avoiding Jason, who was a chronicteer. As soon as I got to school, I geared right into the homeroom, making sure to keep my head down, so Kimberly didn¡¯t spot me, signed my name and took my seat at the far end beside the window.


    I was the only one present in the room-pretty much everyone had lives more exciting than I did-giving me thefort to do whatever I wanted. Like eating the sandwich Nana had made me this morning just before I left for school.


    Leaning back into my seat, I took a bite of the sandwich, my attention on the content of the phone in my hand. A text message from Benson popped up at the top as I scrolled through it. At once, I tapped the message.


    I¡¯m on my way to school, and I¡¯m not picking Katie up today, for once, phew. Want me to pick you up? It read.


    Tapping the keys on my keyboard, I replied, I¡¯m already at school :).


    What?? He sent, some minutester. But it¡¯s still like 7:15.


    I¡¯m trying to avoid Jason, I told him.


    Oh, he replied. Alright then.


    We talked some more before I left the chat for Instagram. By then, the sandwich was already long gone and more people had begun trooping into the homeroom. Amongst them was Kimberly and a minion of hers, Malia.


    At first, and much to my favor, they didn¡¯t notice me, chatting about some boy, from what I could get out of their not so subtle conversation. That was until Malia cast a fleeting gaze in my direction. Then, more carefully, she looked back and her neatly plucked eyebrows bunched together. All this, I made out from the corner of my eye.


    ¡°Hey, Kim, isn¡¯t that Miss Klutz?¡± She said, tapping Kimberly lightly to gain her attention.


    Kimberly looked up from her phone she had just begun pressing at me then, and, like it or not, my heart skipped a freaking beat. I guess after the cafeteria incident yesterday, I¡¯d unconsciously grown scared of her.


    ¡°Howe she¡¯s so early?¡± Malia tattled. ¡°Isn¡¯t she, like, always thest to arrive at ss?¡±


    It¡¯s none of your damn business! I screamed in my head, my attention still seemingly on my phone.


    All of a sudden, Kimberly straightened up from the desk she was seated on and began weaving her way around surrounding desks, up to me. Stopping directly beside me, she leaned her weight onto her right foot so her right hip protruded, and then she crossed her arms, Malia doing the same not too far behind her.


    ¡°Whose jacket were you wearing yesterday?¡± She rapped.


    Ignoring her, I scrolled on through my phone silently. I was ready to do that throughout the period she stood there, until, in a sh, she reached down and snatched my phone from my hands.


    ¡°Hey!¡± I yelled, jumping up from my seat, an unfamiliar burst of courage coursing through me. ¡°Give it back!¡±


    ¡°I asked you a question, mongrel,¡± Kimberly said in a cool voice, a smirk across her lips. ¡°You either answer it or you lose your phone. Your choice.¡±


    My angry gaze darted from her to Malia and then to the few members of the ss present. Seeing it was two against one, because clearly no-one present was going to be man enough to stand up to Kimberly for me, I tried to think rationally. Calmed myself into backing down.


    ¡°It was Adrian¡¯s,¡± I breathed, stepping back from Kimberly and crossing my arms like she¡¯d done. ¡°Adrian gave me the jacket. Do you have a problem with that?¡±


    ¡°I knew it,¡± Kimberly said, more to herself than me. ¡°That . . . ugh, that boy can never listen to me. For once!¡±


    Then she looked up at me once more. ¡°Don¡¯t let that get into your head. Adrian is just being nice because it¡¯s in his nature to be. It¡¯s natural. If you think, for a second, that it¡¯s something else, then you¡¯d be very foolish.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me the difference, Kimberly,¡± I stared. ¡°Knowing you already made it obvious.¡±


    ¡°Being snarky, aren¡¯t you?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Let¡¯s see for how long.¡±


    pping my phone into my chest, she turned around and walked back to her desk, just as Mrs Hopper, our homeroom teacher, walked in, all sweaty and uncoordinated, like she hadn¡¯t gotten up on time to prepare the kids for school and had to alternate making breakfast with dressing up for work.


    I retook my seat, upset that, yet again, I¡¯d been humiliated and treated like trash.


    199 days now. Only a hundred and ny nine to go, I chanted in my head, in a bid to calm myself down and take my mind off all that had just happened.


    It worked. It always did. Reminding myself that I didn¡¯t have too long to stay here. By the next minute, my mood was as airy and light as a bird.


    The rest of the lessons went by in not so much a blur but pretty quickly, and before I was sure what sses I had left, the period for thest one, Music, before lunch hade.


    Knowing I had this ss with Kimberly, like I¡¯d had History with her this morning, I was anything but enthused. Matter of fact, the thought of it alone brought down my mood by a notch, but I wasn¡¯t going to be fazed.


    Due to some drawback by my Trig teacher who had to ¡°quickly¡± tell me about apetition he¡¯d like me to participate in, I arrived at my Music ss a little behind schedule. By then, everyone was already seated and Mrs Griffin, our Scottish music teacher, was just about to stand up from her desk, a signal that the ss had begun and all gadgets should be put away.


    I slinked into the ss and took my seat, just beside the ssroom door.


    ¡°You¡¯re very lucky, Miss Forbes,¡± Mrs Griffin eyed me before moving her attention back to the ss in general.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I noticed Kimberly seating two seats beside me snickering. Looking up to affirm, I realized she was reallyughing. At me, to be precise.


    With a frown, I wondered why. Thinking it was probably Mrs Griffin¡¯sment that set her off, I looked away from her. It was just Kimberly being Kimberly anyway.


    During the course of the lesson, I did what I did best; I paid rapt attention, noting down key points where needed. Eventually, by 11:40, the lesson came to an end and Mrs Griffin, who didn¡¯t like to waste time, like some teachers so very much enjoyed-Mr Redmey, our English teacher, for example-rounded off with a homework assignment.


    Packing my stuff into my backpack, I stood up and slung it over my shoulder. To this move, I heard a gasp from the guy seated directly behind me, a nerdy geek with brains smarter than Einstein but social skills worse than Shrek¡¯s. When I turned back toward him with a puzzled look, he quickly averted his gaze from me, his face a pink hue.


    Looking away from him, I frowned. What the heck was wrong with him? Ignoring his expression, I headed on toward the door and blended into the crowd walking out too.


    Just as I was about to slip out of the ss, a brown skinned girl beside me chipped in, ¡°Girl, you gotta get cleaned up, real fast,¡± before walking on in the opposite direction.


    So as to prevent blocking the way from other students, I moved to a corner outside the ss before I could think properly about what she said.


    What was she talking about? What did she mean by get cleaned up? I wondered with a frown. Did I smell?


    Instinctively, I sniffed at my hair. It smelled like my shampoo. More subtly, I did the same to my pits. They had the scent of my deodorant. So, what exactly did she mean?


    Maybe it was a mistake? I thought. Maybe she wasn¡¯t really talking to me.


    Shrugging off my worries, I headed on toward the cafeteria, my stomach rumbling already.


    Just as I took a turn down the stairs that led to the cafeteria, I spotted Adrian at his locker pulling out something, and, immediately, I remembered his jacket.


    Turning away from the stairs, I headed over to him, noting quickly that he had on his varsity jacket over a ck t-shirt and faded blue jeans with matching blue sneakers.


    Adrian had a nice ass, I had to admit. Shamelessly, I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes off them as I walked up to him. At least, I knew he was distracted and wouldn¡¯t catch me staring.


    ¡°Hi,¡± I said, as soon as I got to him. Right then, he stepped back from his locker, a blue notebook in his hand.


    Was his favorite color blue?


    ¡°Hey, Amelia,¡± he smiled at once. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Uh.¡± I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. ¡°Can you, um, can you just call me Mel?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± he said, ¡°it¡¯s Mel? Not Amelia. My bad, sorry.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I mean, my name is Amelia, but pretty much everyone calls me Mel, so, I¡¯m kinda, like, more used to it now.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± He raised his eyebrows. ¡°Okay, I understand, Mel.¡±


    A warm feeling crept up to my cheeks. ¡°I just wanted to return your jacket,¡± I said, lowering my gaze from his piercing ones, a smile on my lips.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, the jacket,¡± he said. ¡°Totally forgot about that.¡±


    Slinging off my backpack, I unzipped it and got out his jacket from where I¡¯d neatly folded it into. Then I zipped it up once more and hung it onto my shoulders, holding the jacket out to him.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I told him. ¡°Again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal,¡± he smiled, collecting it from my outstretched hands.¡±Again.¡±


    After he¡¯d taken it and was unzipping his bag to put it in, I decided there was nothing left to say.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go now,¡± I said.


    He looked up from his bag and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Nodding too, I turned away from him and began walking away. I was almost at thending of the staircase when, all of a sudden, Adrian called my name, jerking me into a stop.


    Turning back to look at him, I said, ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I think, um,¡± he began, raising a hand to his eyebrows. He crossed the short distance between us. ¡°There¡¯s, um, something . . . on your skirt.¡±


    I wore a cream colored skirt that stopped slightly above my knees. At once, I looked down at it. Not spotting anything out of ce, I looked up, confused. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Behind your skirt, actually,¡± he said. ¡°Um, just . . . look at it. You¡¯ll see what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    Quickly, I held the edges of my skirt and turned it around to meet the worst sight of my life. On the lower area of my skirt was a huge, red stain, so wide it looked like I¡¯d made a mess on myself.


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± I whispered, feeling very embarrassed. I looked up at Adrian. ¡°It¡¯s not my . . . it¡¯s not what you think. This is . . . not real. Kimberly . . .¡±


    Only then did I start to realize why she was snickering back in ss and why the guy behind me had gasped and what the brown skinned girl had meant.


    ¡°It was Kimberly,¡± I said, more to myself than to Adrian. ¡°Kimberly put . . . ketchup on my seat. And all along, I didn¡¯t realize.¡±


    ¡°So . . . it¡¯s fake?¡± Adrian asked slowly.


    I nodded, my mind riding on a coaster of embarrassment.


    ¡°Here,¡± Adrian sighed, getting out his jacket once more. ¡°You can, um, use it to cover up. Later on, I¡¯ll talk to Kim about what she did.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Don¡¯t tell her anything please.¡±


    He frowned. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Please, just don¡¯t.¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he shrugged. ¡°But have the jacket anyway.¡±


    I obliged, seeing as it was my only option.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, as I took it from him. ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°You can keep it this time,¡± he said.


    ¡°What? No-¡± I began to protest when he cut in.


    ¡°Please, Mel.¡± He stopped me. ¡°I insist.¡±

 What the hell Jason?

    Jason Davenport


    Practice time. The only period I ever looked forward to at school, other than picking on Amelia, that is.


    sses were over now and the team was in the field doing basic warm ups before the main practice began.


    Amelia, as I¡¯d told her to, was seated on the bleachers, watching nkly, my stuff beside her. Just to make sure she was actually watching and not doing something else, like pressing her darned phone, I kept one eye on the field and the other on her. It wasn¡¯t as hard as it sounded.


    Shortly after the warm up, the main practice kicked off at the sound of Coach Hens¡¯s whistle.


    Okay, yes, I looked forward to practice, pretty much everyday at school, but on some days, some asions, like today, when it was devilishly hot, I might as well pass it up.


    We yed for over thirty minutes before Coach Hens decided to give us a break, which I was very much thankful for. At the sound of the whistle, I doubled over, hands on my knees, panting hard, lines of sweat dribbling down my face and jaw.


    Straightening up, I wiped sweat away from my eyes and forehead, squinting against the re of the sun. Then I remembered I had something I could use to mop up the sweat in my face-the bandanna inside my backpack Amelia was holding. I jogged up to the bleachers to get it.


    ¡°Short break?¡± She asked, squinting up at me, as soon as I got to the bleachers.


    Reaching down, I snatched my bag up from beside her.


    ¡°None of your business,¡± I muttered, unzipping the bag and getting out the bandanna. Tossing the bag at her, I used the towel to dry up the residual sweat on my brows and face and at the base of my hair.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking because I really have to go. The sun¡¯s too much and it¡¯s working my head up in an ache,¡± she frowned.


    ¡°Oh, so now you understand how I feel,¡± I said.


    ¡°Hey, I wasn¡¯t the one that told you to join the football team. If you weren¡¯t ready for the work then you could¡¯ve backed-¡± she was ranting when I passed her a deep scowl.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me like you know anything about me,¡± I red at her.


    I saw her jaw tic, her face set in an equal frown, grey eyes cold. Secondster, she moved her gaze from me.


    Grabbing my backpack from her arms, I dropped the bandanna back in, zipped it up and threw it back at her before heading back to the field to join others. They were doing basic passes now, Coach Hens at a corner talking to the twins of the team, Jake and Gabe.


    Not too long after I rejoined, someone kicked the ball toward me. Catching it at the sole of my foot, I stopped it from rolling. About to pass the ball back, I saw I was standing not too far from Amelia and directly opposite her.


    A smile curling my lips up, I stepped back two inches, moved forward and kicked the ball as hard as my right foot could. It whizzed in the air, headed straight for Amelia. A secondter, it collided with her cheek-she was looking in the other direction.


    Her head snapped sideways at the impact. A hand to the spot the ball had hit her, she fell forward and off the bleachers.


    ¡°What the hell, Jason?!¡± Was the next thing I heard.


    It was from Adrian, who was already running up to where Amelia sat-she¡¯d gotten up after she fell-a hand to her head. Two guys followed after Adrian.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± I yelled in defense, my hands up in the air.


    ¡°Yes, you did!¡± Adrian shouted, crouching down and taking Amelia¡¯s hand. Gently, he pulled her up.


    The bitch actually swayed, like she was dizzy or something. I rolled my eyes. I wasn¡¯t buying her bullshit.


    Adrian sat her on thest bleacher before turning to face me, a hard look on his face.


    ¡°I saw you,¡± he said, walking up to me, ¡°you could¡¯ve passed the ball to Fred, who was right beside you, but you shot at her instead.¡±


    ¡°Okay, fine, I did.¡± I held his gaze. ¡°So what? It was a mistake anyway. Anyone could¡¯ve done that.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Adrian looked surprised. ¡°Jason, you could¡¯ve hurt her. You could¡¯ve hurt someone.¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t.¡±


    His surprised expression morphed to an angry one in seconds. ¡°But you could. What the hell is wrong with you, man?¡±


    ¡°Alright, break it up, you guys,¡± Coach Hens said suddenly,ing to stand between us. ¡°I can¡¯t have two of my best yers and friends arguing weeks before the uing match.¡±


    ¡°Coach, he kicked the ball at someone,¡± Adrian reported.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It was an ident,¡± I said.


    ¡°One that¡¯s not happening the first time.¡± Coach Hens moved his gaze to me, crossing his arms. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you do it many other times before.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t-¡± I began when he cut in.


    ¡°To end this quickly, you go over to her and apologize. Meanwhile, this is thest time I ever want to see her at practice. If you¡¯re the one that kept her there then tell her to go. Now.¡±


    ¡°But, Coach-¡±


    ¡°No buts, Davenport.¡± He was already walking away. ¡°Just do as I said.¡±


    I stood at the spot for a full minute, ring at Adrian who red right back, if I might add, before, huffing, I looked away from him.


    Slowly, and rather reluctantly, I trudged up to Amelia still sitting at the bleachers.


    I noticed her eyes had a pinkish hue as soon as I got to her, as if she was on the verge of tears. The moment our gaze met, she looked away.


    Coach Hens wasn¡¯t right beside me to know if I told her sorry or not, so I didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Go,¡± I said instead. ¡°You can go.¡±


    She looked back at me then.


    ¡°And don¡¯te back. You¡¯re not gonna be sitting here at practice anymore. But you¡¯ll wait for me everyday after school. In the library. You can use that time to do my homework. Now, scurry off.¡±


    Slowly, she got up from the bleacher, grabbed her backpack and made to leave when, all of a sudden and much to my surprise, she swayed and fell sideways, into me.


    I caught her by the arms and pushed her off me before steadying her.


    ¡°Quit the act already,¡± I said and let go of her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not acting,¡± she said and brushed past me, walking off.


    ¡°Yeah, right.¡± I rolled my eyes.


    Practice ended a whileter. After that, I freshened up in the boys locker room and went out to the parking lot to meet Amelia standing by the gateway, staring out. Her ride, the school bus, had already left. Seeing that, I smiled. Serves her right.


    Just as I was about to get into my car, I spotted Adrian walking up to her. At that, I frowned. What was he telling her? Asking her, rather, from what it looked like.


    All of a sudden, they began heading towards his car? What the . . . Adrian was giving her a ride, yet again.


    I couldn¡¯t let that happen. Adrian might not have anything for her, and it might just be him being nice, but I wasn¡¯t buying. The more he gave her rides the more he made herfortable, fueled her ego or something, and the more chances there were that he might just fall for her because, as much as I hated to acknowledge the fact, Amelia was beautiful.


    Gingered by the thought of him falling for Amelia, I started towards them.


    ¡°Hey, Amelia!¡± I called, just as she was about to get into the passenger seat of Adrian¡¯s Ford.


    Her hand stopped at the door handle as she turned to look at me. The moment her gaze fell on me, she frowned.


    I ignored it. Normally, she knew I wouldn¡¯t, but because Adrian was there, I ate up her bullshit. Getting to her, I gave her a wide smile, one she didn¡¯t reciprocate, instead her annoyed expression turned to a confused one.


    ¡°I thought I told you I was gonna take you home after practice. To make up for identally kicking the ball at you,¡± I said.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°And now, all of a sudden, I see you with Adrian. You¡¯re notfortable with me or something?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know she was meant to go with you,¡± Adrian spoke up, looking at me. ¡°Or I wouldn¡¯t have asked.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± I said.


    Amelia was about to say something when I gave her a warning smile that literally said, ¡°You better y along. For your sake.¡±


    She understood. That I could tell from the look on her face.


    ¡°I actually forgot Jason offered me a ride,¡± she muttered, turning to look at Adrian.


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem. As long as you get a ride,¡± Adrian shrugged.


    ¡°Come on, Mel,¡± I said, reaching out and taking her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s getting prettyte.¡±


    She flinched at my touch. An encouraging act. One that told me she still feared me. Just like I wanted.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ll see you guys tomorrow?¡± Adrian called as we got to my Audi.


    ¡°Yeah, sure thing,¡± I answered for both of us.


    Letting go of Amelia¡¯s hand-trust me, that¡¯s all I¡¯d been wanting to do ever since I took it-I walked around the car to the driver¡¯s seat. I unlocked the door and pulled it open.


    Seeing Amelia was about to open the door to the back seat, I ordered, ¡°Passenger seat. You know that.¡±


    Reluctantly, she let go of the door handle and opened the door to the passenger seat instead. As soon as she got in, I locked all the doors and started the car.


    Slowly, I backed out until the car was out of the parking lot, then I did a reverse and sped forward.


    ¡°Jeez, Jason, take it easy!¡± Amelia yelped, as I took a sharp cut right.


    ¡°You don¡¯t tell me what to do,¡± I muttered, maintaining my speed level.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even ask for directions,¡± she frowned. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I smirked, looking over at her. ¡°Home, of course.¡±


    Right then, a look of fear shed in her eyes.


    ¡°Jason, stop the car,¡± she said, staring at me.


    ¡°But I¡¯m taking you home. Don¡¯t you want that?¡± I cocked an eyebrow.


    ¡°Jason, stop the car,¡± she repeated. ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Stop the fucking car!¡± She screamed suddenly, her eyes wild with fear. ¡°Stop the car or I swear when I get out, I¡¯ll call the cops on you.¡±


    Annoyed at her statement, I braked hard. Really hard, so she went jutting forward, her head missing the dashboard by an inch.


    ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you forget to put on your seat belt, Mel.¡± I looked at her. ¡°You have to be more careful. Not everyone looks out for you the way I do.¡±


    She remained silent, her shaky breath the only sounding from her.


    ¡°I could have died just now,¡± she said finally, moving her gaze to me. ¡°You could¡¯ve killed me.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye and good riddance then,¡± I shrugged with a smile.


    Her lips pulling down in a deep, hateful scowl, she turned away from me, flipped the lock open and grabbed the handle. Right at the moment she was about to open the door, I reached out and gripped her arm.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± she glowered, eyes fiery.


    ¡°Or what?¡± I matched her tone.


    ¡°Let go of-¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up and listen if you don¡¯t wanna go home with a bleeding lip,¡± I sneered.


    The threat pretty much pinned her lips shut, and the silence that followed was greatly weed. She talked too much.


    ¡°Now here¡¯s what¡¯s gonna happen,¡± I began, my gaze fixed on her. ¡°You don¡¯t talk to Adrian. Ever again. Whatever shit is going on between you two has gotta end. Today. If he offers you a ride you decline. If he offers you help, you decline too. Got it?¡±


    For moments, she did nothing but look at me fixedly before slowly she nodded.


    ¡°Any day I see you doing the contrary, I believe you already know what¡¯s gonnae next,¡± I added. ¡°Now, get out.¡±


    Letting go of her arm, I pushed her away. Secondster, she was out of the car, banging the door really hard behind her.


    I just shook my head, starting the car once more. I already got what I wanted anyway. Dumping her in the middle of nowhere, that is.

 You’re kidding right?

    Amelia Forbes


    Every day that I had to see Jason got me more and more upset than I could take. Pushed me further toward the wall. I didn¡¯t know if I could wait for the remainder of the hundred and ny days before I saw him no more. I wasn¡¯t sure if I could contain myself any longer. Eventually, sooner orter, I was going to snap and probably do something, most likely, not beneficial to me. But after the incident in his carst week, I think I wouldn¡¯t mind.


    Yes, I feared Jason, but there was a limit to everything. Even to my fear. After what he¡¯d done on Thursdayst week, after he¡¯d spoken and acted with so much hate and scorn, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there was something more to his bullying. If maybe, all along, it wasn¡¯t really bullying out of boredom or habit, but bullying borne out of pure hatred. And I couldn¡¯t help but fear for my life. My safety.


    So, I decided to steer clear of him, by all means. And even if I had to interact with him, it¡¯d be one sided or monotonous. All he asked me to do, I would without question, just so our conversation didn¡¯t carry on for too long. So far, it¡¯d been better that way; the bullying felt less than it normally did.


    Today was Friday, thest day of the second week in the third term of senior year and I was exhausted already. I¡¯d done a pretty good job at avoiding Jason, which was one of the reasons for my pent up stress. School was over and I could¡¯ve been home, having a proper sleep, but no, I was in the library, as Jason had instructed me to be after Coach Hens banned me from being in the field during practice, doing a project of his fromst week.


    Stressed, tired, drained by the week¡¯s truckload of school work, I felt like falling asleep right there in the library. Giving into the soft, lubic caress of sleep, I crossed my arms on the desk and dropped my head into them. I was at the far end of the library so, hopefully, Mrs McConnell wouldn¡¯t spot me any time soon-she hated sleeping in the library, so much so that she even printed a warning note about it and pasted it on the billboard outside the library.


    I was almost at the bar between reality and dreand when I felt a hand tap me gently. At first, I ignored it, so drowsy I almost barely felt it. Moments after, the hand shook me, this time with a little more effort. Then I reacted.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sleeping!¡± I eximed, jerking my head up at once. ¡°Mrs McConnell, I can exin-¡± I began, but stopped on realizing it wasn¡¯t Mrs McConnell who¡¯d shaken me, but . . . Jason. Sitting right across from me, his brown eyes like pools of melted caramel, holding mine.


    On instinct, and almost reflexively, my heart skipped a beat in fear, but I was quick to cover it up with a look of indifference.


    I kept silent, lowering my eyes from his to his project before me. Luckily, there was no drool on it, although there was a wet patch on the leg of my jeans.


    Moments passed and Jason did or said nothing. I began to feel ufortable and squeamish under his gaze. What was he doing here anyway? Wasn¡¯t he meant to be in the field practicing or something?


    Just when I couldn¡¯t bear the silence any longer, he exhaled, a possible sign that he was about to start speaking.


    And I was right. Secondster, he began talking.


    ¡°Can we, um, talk? Outside?¡±


    At his words, I moved my gaze up to him, not sure I heard right. Did Jason just . . . ask to talk with me politely?


    I blinked. Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong here. Growing wary, I inched back in my seat.


    ¡°Please, I need to talk with you. But not here, or else Mrs McConnell will be on her necks,¡± he went on.


    This time around, he¡¯d added ¡°please¡±. Jason Davenport, my mortal enemy, had just talked to me in the most polite of manners, with the meekest of voices, and he¡¯d added ¡°please¡±.


    What was happening. Let me rephrase that. WHAT WAS HAPPENING?? Had I fallen asleep and thought I was awake? Perhaps I was dreaming.


    Under the table, I pinched my wrist, just to be sure. It hurt. And I was aware it hurt. I wasn¡¯t dreaming. This was real. This was as real as the day that broke.


    ¡°You . . .¡± I began, my throat feeling rather parched. ¡°You want to talk to me?¡±


    He nodded at my question, brown eyes shades of eagerness.


    Around me, Jason always bore an annoyed expression, his face threatening, stance intimidating. His voice was almost always in a growl. Times when it wasn¡¯t, he was busy barking orders. But today, right now, his countenance was rxed and hopeful. And for the first time ever, I was seeing the beauty in Jason. Yes, beauty. Jason was . . . beautiful with a childish expression, when he wasn¡¯t scrunching up his face, that is. His thick dark eyebrows, which were raised, entuated the childish, hopeful look as he stared at me.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t . . . aren¡¯t you supposed to be at practice?¡± I swallowed, still unable to understand how, what exactly had changed.


    ¡°Coach Hens canceled today¡¯s practice.¡± He told me.


    The way he answered my question, without hesitation, anger, or without thinking me dumb . . .


    Was Jason sick? Maybe someone had . . . cast a spell on him. Absurd as it might seem, it looked like the only option at the moment. Jason had been hypnotized into treating me nicely. Like I was human too.


    ¡°So, can we talk?¡± He asked once more. ¡°Please? Outside.¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± I blinked. ¡°Okay?¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t have to do this anymore.¡± He reached forward and took his project from me. ¡°I¡¯ll finish it up myself.¡±


    Someone punch me. Jason was talking about doing his project himself. Wait a minute, did we move three generations forward while I was asleep? How long had I slept for?


    Slowly, my heart racing, I stood up, and Jason followed suit. I began walking toward the door, almost robot-like, Jason trailing behind me.


    It could be an act. It could all be an act. There was no way Jason Asshat Shitface Davenport could just change overnight.  Yes, I said overnight because, although I¡¯d failed to notice this until now, Jason hadn¡¯t bugged me throughout today.


    The two sses I had with him were stress-free, and during lunch, he¡¯d passed me no nces. After school when I waited for him in the field to give me his homework, he didn¡¯t show up, and after some minutes of waiting, I resorted to going to the library to finish up his project that was due next Wednesday.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    So, back to the main topic: it could all be an act. Pretense. For whatever reason.


    The thought that Jason was just faking his changed personality surfaced in my mind. Filling it up. And remaining there. As we walked past tired-eyed Mrs McConnell and till we got outside to the spot at the back of the cafeteria, I refused to let go of the thought.


    That is until Jason did something that shook it¡¯s grounds. He smiled at me. Not a toothy one, but one that certainly reached his brown eyes, crinkling them. His face a radiant structure, eyes lulling me to calm, I couldn¡¯t help but wish, dearly, that this wasn¡¯t an act.


    Sitting on one of the benches, he said, ¡°Sit. Please.¡±


    The word again. Who knew Jason could actually pronounce the word ¡®please¡¯.


    ¡°Are¨Care you sure?¡± I stuttered.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded. ¡°Of course, why not?¡±


    Gingerly, I sat down at the far end of the bench, my cautious side taking over.


    For moments, we sat in silence, my eyes low, cast to the grassy ground, asionally traveling from the grass to Jason¡¯s white converse sneakers to my scuffed ck ones and then to the grass once again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t . . .¡± Jason began with a sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t really know how to say this. How to . . . put it so you believe me.¡±


    I moved my gaze up from the floor then, settling them on his face. His eyes. Our gazes held. It was surprising, really, how just yesterday I¡¯d been unable to maintain eye contact with him for fear of him saying something hurtful, or worse, hitting me.


    He opened his mouth to speak. Paused. Took in a deep breath, and then lowered his gaze from mine, his rtively longsh casting a faint shadow below his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, his hand folded before him, eyes still cast to them. ¡°For the way I . . . treated you all this while. In the past. The things I said. Did. I¡¯ve realized . . . I was wrong. And I should never have done that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± Was the first thing I said after the silence that ensued at hisst word.


    He looked up at me then, brown eyes meeting mine once again.


    ¡°No, Amelia, I¡¯m not.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I know this is hard, and you don¡¯t believe me-¡±


    ¡°Hell, yes, I don¡¯t,¡± I cut in.


    ¡°I understand if you don¡¯t believe me, Mel,¡± he said slowly. ¡°Trust me, I do. It¡¯s normal. All I want to do, right now, is apologize and hopefully invite you, firsthand, to the party I¡¯m throwing two days from now, Friday night. But it¡¯s entirely your choice to . . . forgive me. And your choice to attend the party.¡±


    ¡°So, why the sudden change of heart?¡± I asked with spite in my tone. ¡°You only just realized I¡¯m a human being too?¡±


    ¡°You wanna know why I changed?¡± He raised his eyebrows. ¡°What made me realize what I was doing was wrong?¡±


    ¡°Please, by all means, tell me, Jason,¡± I shrugged, still not convinced by his words. ¡°I guess . . . scratch that, of course, I want to know.¡±


    Once more, he lowered his gaze.


    ¡°Yesterday,¡± he began, ¡°I had an encounter. With my dad¡¯s wife, and I saw how she treated me, even when all I¡¯ve been to her is mean. She looked past my facade, I guess, and saw, deep down, I was really hurting, and despite my attitude toward her, she took care of me.


    ¡°And, I don¡¯t know how, why, but I remembered you. At that moment, all I could think about was you. All I¡¯d done to you was bully you for . . . no apparent reason, when, in retrospect, I could just be nice to you, or in the very least, neutral towards you. And I felt really upset, with myself, for my behavior. Also really bad. And today, I decided I¡¯d apologize to you, as hard as it may be.¡±


    I had to admit, his words were pretty convincing. Everything about him was convincing, from his sudden meek nature, to the innocence and hope on his face to the calmness in his voice, it all pushed my doubt further to the background, such that all I could think of were his words and how genuine and heartfelt they sounded.


    ¡°And you really expect me to believe you, in the least. Or just . . . forgive you. After everything you¡¯ve done to me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t, really.¡± He looked back at me. ¡°I don¡¯t. I can only hope. But this I promise you. Never again will I bully you. Or say mean words. Or tell you to do my homework. You can go home after school. Whenever you want. You don¡¯t have to do anything for me. Ever again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Amelia,¡± he added. ¡°I really am. It¡¯s your choice to forgive me just as it¡¯s your choice to not. I can¡¯t force you, but at least, I know I apologized.¡±


    With a sigh, he rose from the bench.


    ¡°I have to go,¡± he said, looking down at me. ¡°I really do hope you ept my apology. At this point, honestly, I don¡¯t want anyone to hold a grudge against me. You most especially.¡±


    With that, he turned around and began walking away. My eyes remained on his retreating back until he walked back into the school.


    What just happened?

 Time to party… right

    Amelia Forbes


    I was soon to attend my first ever high school party, only for the sole reason of Jason inviting me himself. Handing me a flyer yesterday. And for him apologizing too, I guess.


    It was Friday night, the time set for the party, and I was starting to regret taking Jason¡¯s flyer. Agreeing to attend his party. I was getting cold feet, and I had my reasons.


    For one, although I¡¯d epted Jason¡¯s apology and had forgiven him, even when I didn¡¯t want to, even when I knew an apology couldn¡¯t just erase everything he¡¯d done to me, I still had this gut feeling that it wasn¡¯t genuine, his repentance. For some reason, I still felt it was all an act. Now, I wasn¡¯t one to act on my gut feelings, trust them, because, sometimes, they¡¯d let me down, so, as much as I didn¡¯t want to, I ignored them.


    Secondly, I was getting cold feet because I wasn¡¯t used to parties, and I had absolutely no idea what to wear. I had a lot of dresses. So many. Short, long, extra short, tight, loose, y, I had them all, with very few pants and jeans. And I didn¡¯t really think wearing a dress to a high-school party was advisable. It was okay, actually. Many people wear dresses to parties, I just didn¡¯t want to, so I settled for my jean jumpsuit from middle school. It was still presentable, in the least, faded a bit, but just the right size to make me look cute-for some reason, I was also interested in looking good. And blending in.


    Now that I thought about it, I realized the reason why. Jason was the one taking me to his party. Believe it or not, he said he¡¯d be picking me up and taking me to his house, where the party was set to hold, since I didn¡¯t know the way around, or his ce. To this arrangement, I¡¯d agreed, despite myst encounter in his car.


    On remembering the encounter, I clutched the jumpsuit tightly in my hands and plopped back on the bed behind me.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± I groaned into the jumpsuit. ¡°What was I thinking? This is bad. This is really, really bad. I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to this.¡±


    I guess it was the way he¡¯d told me. Not forcefully. Not authoritatively. Just a simple question. ¡°Do you want me to pick you up since, um, you¡¯ve never been to my ce before?¡±


    And just like that, I said yes. No hesitations. No second thoughts. I guess I was still not used to Jason being polite. To anyone, me most of all.


    Maybe I should call him, I thought. Tell him I feel sick or something. Just make up something, a reason to not go to his party. Yeah, that¡¯s what I should do.


    I reached for my phone lying a few inches from me on the bed. Going to my call log, I browsed through until I found his name.


    Jason.


    He¡¯d given me his number yesterday at school, so that was pretty much how I had it in my phone. It felt surreal, seeing his name on my phone. Having his number. . . I still couldn¡¯t grasp the idea.


    Just as I made to tap the call symbol, the phone buzzed in my palm. Speak of the devil. It was Jason.


    Ignoring the sudden dryness in my throat, I answered the call at once.


    ¡°Hey, Mel, what¡¯s up? You good? Only fifteen minutes till I gottae pick you up,¡± he rapped, as soon as I put the phone to my ear.


    Jason using my nickname, Mel, still felt knew to me. But nice. New but nice. Sweet. I like the way it sounded when he said it. Mel.


    I blinked. Where had that thoughte from?


    ¡°Hey, you still there?¡± His voice came back to me, pulling me away from my odd thoughts.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I blurted out. ¡°Yeah, I still am.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± he drawled. ¡°What you saying? You ready now? Or I wait the fifteen minutes before I pick you up?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no, I¡¯m not yet ready,¡± I told him. ¡°I still have some stuff to help my grandma out with.¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°In fifteen then?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Twenty?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he exhaled. ¡°Twenty it is.¡±


    Shortly after, the line went dead.


    Yes, I still had stuff to do for my grandma before I left, but I could do all that even under fifteen minutes. I only added an extra five minutes to the time to test Jason. See if he¡¯d snap and blow his cover, if he was actually pretending, that is. But he didn¡¯t even flinch. There had been nothing at all, just sheer amodation. And if that didn¡¯t convince me that Jason was beingpletely genuine, then I didn¡¯t know what would.


    Fifteen minutester, I was all dressed up and had put grandma to bed, although I knew she wasn¡¯t sleeping yet. She liked to stay up a little longer to sit by her window and knit, a habit of hers she¡¯d had even when I was a little girl.


    With the rest of my time, I did a little touch-up to my face, putting on some powder and glossy, clear lipstick. Very unlike me to care about my looks, at least to that extent, not that I didn¡¯t care at all, but I guess Jason was already taking a toll on me. In a good way. And growing on me too. I could get used to his newfound gentleman personality.


    He was two minuteste though. Trust me to check that. Not that I was upset or anything, but, apparently, my brain wanted to take note of what to rate his punctuality. It gave him a 98%, two points off foring two minutester.


    I knew he¡¯d arrived when I saw the headlights of his car momentarily wash over the house before going off. Then I literally began to get cold feet. And hands.


    This was Jason Oliver Davenport, in my house, here to pick me up, in his car, for his party. How true was that? Honestly, if anyone had told me, prior to this time, that such a thing would happen, I¡¯d never have believed. I¡¯d have thought the person a fool, but here I was, living the very same thing I¡¯d have abused someone for insinuating.


    The doorbell dinged suddenly, almost ripping my heart from it¡¯s cage in anxiety. I swallowed, staring at the door. On the old, wee mat stood Jason. I was very sure that was the spot in which he stood. Most visitors did. I could almost envision him, standing at the door, dressed in something simple but hot anyway, his handsome face and smothering lips . . .


    Smothering lips? Amelia, what the hell has gotten into you for crying out loud?! Get it together or I¡¯ll do that for you! The  reasonable side of me yelled. Since when did you develop an interest in Jason¡¯s lips?


    Just as the other, more unreasonable side was about to retort, the doorbell rang again. This time, I made no hesitations, heading straight for the door. I wrapped my hand around the cold, metal knob of the door and slowly pulled it open, the door creaking all the way. I didn¡¯t bother about waking grandma up with the sound. She was deaf anyway.


    As soon as there was room enough for me to step out, I did so, shutting the door behind me.


    Standing not more than two inches from me was Jason, a casual smile across his lips, his sandy hair done in a different style from its infamous one-gelled up. This time, he¡¯d gelled it slightly to the side, entuating the new haircut he¡¯d gotten. Jason looked hot. Breathtaking. Standing barely two inches from him, able to hear his breathing, feel it, looking straight into his brown eyes, all that did wonders on my emotions.


    Quickly, to dissuade the unreasonable thoughts stirring up, I stepped back from Jason.


    ¡°Oh, sorry, my bad.¡± He stepped back too. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to cause any . . . inconvenience.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head at once. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡±


    At my words, he just shrugged.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± He said, holding out his hand.


    I lowered my eyes to his hand before me, pale pink and two times bigger than mine. Did he mean for me to take it? Did Jason mean for me, Amelia, to put my hand in his?


    Surprised and confused, I looked back up at Jason.


    ¡°Come on,¡± he urged me. ¡°Take my hand. We¡¯re alreadyte.¡±


    Jason did want me to hold his hand. Whoa.


    Reaching out slowly, I wrapped my hand around his, which quickly enveloped mine in both its warmth and size. Turning around, he started down the steps. In a trancelike state, I followed in his wake, his hand still holding tightly onto mine.


    Getting to his Audi, he unlocked the door of the passenger seat first and held the door open for me. If I was surprised about him wanting to hold my hand, I was shocked that he held the door open for me. Slowly, still in a trance, I got in and he closed the door, jogging over to the driver¡¯s seat.


    Momentster, we were driving down the paved, brightly lit street, headed for his party.


    I sat still, as rigid as a rock. Not saying a word. Not doing a thing. In the silence of the car, all that could be heard was my breathing-very faintly-and the sound of him switching gears. That was how awkward the whole thing was.


    ¡°So,¡± Jason began all of a sudden, causing me to snap my gaze towards him. ¡°You ever been to a high-school party before?¡±


    While asking me, he cast a quick inquisitive nce my way. Despite how fleeting it was, I couldn¡¯t help but feel like a neophyte under it.


    ¡°N-no,¡± I said, shaking my head.


    ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded before smiling. ¡°Good thing you have me then, yeah?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± I muttered, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear.


    ¡°You look great, by the way,¡± he added as he took a turn. ¡°I mean, for someone who¡¯s never been to a party, you dressed just right. And I like what you did to your hair.¡±


    What I did to my hair . . .


    All I¡¯d done was let it loose from it¡¯s regr ponytail. But screw that. Did Jason justpliment me? I, Amelia Forbes,plimented by Jason Davenport. Oh boy. Oh boy.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, still stunned.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± he nodded. ¡°Trust me, you¡¯re gonna love my party. There¡¯s a pool if you wanna go skinny-dipping. There¡¯s a game room, drinks and so much more. Aside from the game room, we¡¯ll be yingmon party games because what¡¯s a party without them? So get ready!¡±


    None of Jason¡¯s words enthused me the way it did him. I wasn¡¯t too keen on swimming, neither was I on gaming. And drinks? Hell, no. I¡¯d never even had a taste of alcohol before. The games? I didn¡¯t even know what to think about them, just that they¡¯ll surely be freaky.


    ¡°You ever drank before?¡± Jason asked, casting me a sideways nce. ¡°Or been in a truth or dare game before?¡±


    Silently, I shook my head.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll be doing so today!¡± He eximed. Seeing the expression on my face, he mellowed his voice. ¡°If you want to, though. Totally your choice.¡±


    I looked down at my hands, sitting on myps. ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡±


    Some minutester, Jason pulled into the curved driveway of a mansion that stood almost 30 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Not that I knew this for sure, I was no architect, but I could certainly say this house was huge. And magnificent with its numerous bright lights, that cast a glow on the pool and dolphin fountain before it, and gold ted pirs. It had this vintage look to it but with a slight touch of modernity.


    And there were people. Lots of people whom I couldn¡¯t realize, milling about on the outside, some already in the pool.


    I began to get jittery hands and a thumping heart. There were so many people, I wasn¡¯t used to this.


    ¡°You like what you see?¡± Jason asked, breaking into my thoughts.


    Admittedly, his house was beautiful.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, trying to cover up my nervousness. ¡°Your house is amazing.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Shall we then?¡±


    I looked at him. ¡°You mean the party?¡±


    His smile growing wider, he said, ¡°Of course. What else?¡±

 Want to finish up our dare?

    Amelia Forbes


    It was official. Parties just weren¡¯t my thing.


    Jason¡¯s party was fun, actually, for people who liked parties, that is, but personally, I couldn¡¯t see the fun in loud noises, people screaming on top of their voices in the name of talking, dirty dancing, drinking too much alcohol and puking thereafter. It just wasn¡¯t my idea of fun.


    So, I was already preparing to leave without telling Jason. All I had as my biggest hurdle was sneaking out, which wasn¡¯t so much of a hurdle-seeing the huge crowd present at his party, it was easy to blend in or get lost.


    Finding my way home wasn¡¯t going to be much of a problem either-I was good with directions, sorta, and when I was in Jason¡¯s car, I¡¯d done well to note the way around.


    I was currently engaged in an uninteresting conversation with a me haired guy whom I wasn¡¯t sure of his name but was certain he was a senior too. He was hitting on me, and failing miserably at it, judging by his poor choice of pickup lines like, ¡°Are you a lizard? ¡®Cause ¡°agama¡± eyes on you.¡±


    It took all my willpower not to burst out inughter at the hrious pickup line, which by the way was viral on the inte, he¡¯d just used now. Instead ofughing, I just nodded with a smile, channeling my thoughts towards escaping from the party.


    Just when I¡¯d had enough of the guy, I broke in mid sentence and excused myself, saying I needed to use the bathroom, which, of course, I didn¡¯t want to use.


    On passing, I dropped the cup of beer the guy handed me on a nearby table and continued weaving around the throng of people inside the house, not knowing where in particr I was going. That was until, all of a sudden, someone grabbed my hand from behind, causing me to let out a surprised gasp. Stopping to whip around, I saw it was Jason.


    ¡°Jason,¡± I breathed. ¡°You scared me.¡±


    Across his lips was a small, handsome smile. His brown eyes looked a bit drowsy but just the right amount of alert for me to feelfortable.


    After I arrived at the party, Jason, who was supposed to at least help me out with some kind of introduction and getting around, was pulled away from my side by his friends. Of course, I minded but Adrian-very surprised to see me at the party-kept mepany until he too was pulled off. That was when I began my uninteresting conversation with Mr me Hair.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Jason said, dropping my hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I murmured.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So, um, some friends and I are ying a game in the sitting room. Not many are there and the room is soundproof. And I figured you¡¯d like something quieter, so . . .¡±


    ¡°You want me toe join the game?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he nodded. ¡°Can you please join us at the game?¡±


    ¡°Um, okay,¡± I said, unconsciously tucking my hair behind my ear.


    He smiled then and held out his hand to me. ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll take you to the sitting room.¡±


    Unlike earlier, when Jason came to my house to pick me up, I didn¡¯t hesitate to take his hand. Reaching out, I wrapped my hand around his at once, weing the feel of it, slightly rough, yes, but warm anyway.


    He led me past the crowd and down the stairs to a room I had crossed earlier on my way into his house. It was wide, like other rooms at the floor base, but unlike other rooms, it was a free space with nothing but bare walls, white drapes and a few bean bags scattered about.


    Every bean bag was upied except for two at the end of the circr gathering. Jason walked me over to them and took a seat on the first before gesturing the second to me.


    ¡°Wait a minute, what the hell is she doing here?¡±


    I knew that voice all too well to not recognize it instantly. My gaze flew to the middle of the gathering only for it to fall on Kimberly, her phone in her hand, staring daggers at me.


    ¡°She¡¯s with me,¡± Jason spoke up, staring at Kimberly. ¡°And she¡¯s staying?¡±


    Kimberly¡¯s mouth fell open. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what?!¡± Her friend, Malia, on the bean bag beside her, eximed.


    ¡°You heard me,¡± Jason said. ¡°She. Stays. And if you don¡¯t like that you can get the fuck out.¡±


    The rude side of Jason had surfaced, but for the first time ever, it wasn¡¯t toward me, but toward Kimberly.


    ¡°Is there anyone else who has a problem with Amelia being here?¡± Jason asked, in a much calm voice now.


    I passed a gaze around the small bunch. I could recognize all of them, from Kimberly and her friend Malia to Greg, the team¡¯s goalkeeper, Rory, the basketball team¡¯s captain, Aneeka, a member of the cheerleading squad, Dani, the school¡¯s tomboy and a sub at thecrosse team.


    These were all top notch people. High school celebrities. Realizing this, I began to feel rather awkward among them. What was I even doing here? How could I have let Jason Davenport cajole me to his party and then to a game with the popr click?


    Oh boy.


    ¡°Good, no one else,¡± Jason said. ¡°So, are we starting the game or . . .¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with a game of Would You Rather . . .¡± Dani piped up, dropping her phone beside her on the bean bag.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll go first!¡± Malia sat up straight.


    ¡°I brought up the idea, so I¡¯ll go first,¡± Dani countered.


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Just let her be, Malia,¡± Kimberly interrupted.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Malia mumbled, rxing back into the bag.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start with . . .¡± Dani began, looking around the group. ¡°Rory,¡± shepleted.


    Rory, a dark skinned guy with a mass of curly dark hair, dark, deep set eyes, sensual pink lips and a fine jawline with a budding goatee, looked up from the phone in his hand.


    ¡°Yay,¡± he intoned, waving his hand, obviously not interested in the game.


    ¡°Would you rather,¡± Dani went on, ¡°jerk off to me or to Kimberly.¡±


    At her words, I almost choked on my breath. I knew it. I just knew this would be the type of stuff discussed, but I was already neck deep in it to back out.


    ¡°Kimberly, of course,¡± Rory answered quickly. ¡°Can¡¯t be jerking off to my fellow man now, can I?¡±


    ¡°Ouuu,¡± went Greg and Jason, holding a fist to their mouth, snickering.


    Dani held up her middle fingers to Rory who just shrugged with a smile.


    ¡°Greg,¡± he began, ¡°would you rather bang Malia or eat pretty little Miss Amelia here.¡±


    Greg, unlike Rory, was Asian, with jet ck hair, ear piercings and a cute face. He moved his dark eyes to me at Rory¡¯s question. A smile creeping up his face, he moved his piercing gaze-thank goodness-from me to Malia.


    ¡°Malia¡¯s old meat,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°So, Amelia.¡±


    Embarrassed, I flushed, looking down at my hands.


    ¡°Fuck you, Greg,¡± Malia frowned. ¡°You¡¯re old meat too, you know.¡±


    Ignoring her statement, Greg went on to ask Aneeka if she¡¯d rather French kiss Dani or Jason-Aneeka was a bisexual.


    To his question, Aneeka asked, ¡°Where exactly?¡±


    ¡°Anywhere,¡± Greg replied.


    ¡°Dani.¡± She told us, passing a coy nce at Dani, who I think was bi too. ¡°Girls sometimes taste better.¡±


    The game went on with more bizarre questions until Jason called an end to it, saying it was getting boring and we¡¯d already used up the interesting questions.


    ¡°So, what do you want us to do?¡± Aneeka asked.


    ¡°Something else,¡± he shrugged.


    ¡°Truth or dare!¡± Greg eximed. ¡°Always save the best forst.¡±


    ¡°Truth or dare it is,¡± Jason concurred immediately.


    ¡°So, who goes first?¡± Kimberly asked, already piped up for the game, unlike during the Would You Rather . . .


    When no one came forth, she started. ¡°For this, because I know y¡¯all sneaky bastards, everyone has a minimum of five truths and five dares. And you have toplete all of them.¡±


    ¡°Get on with it already,¡± Rory said in his usual bored tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start with you.¡± Mika looked at him. ¡°Truth or dare.¡±


    Rory moved his gaze to her. ¡°Truth.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the first dirty thing you¡¯d do if you woke up as a girl?¡± Kimberly cocked an eyebrow.


    ¡°Why, fuck my own pussy,¡± Rory chuckled. ¡°I always been wondering what it¡¯s like for you girls to do that shit.¡±


    Kimberly rolled her eyes. ¡°Your turn, ask someone.¡±


    ¡°Aneeka, truth or dare,¡± Rory stated.


    ¡°Dare,¡± she replied.


    Rory¡¯s lips pulled up in a smirk. ¡°I dare you toe over here and stroke my dick.¡±


    ¡°Ohhh, hard-core,¡± Greg whooped.


    What? I gulped. Stroke his . . . what?


    ¡°I¡¯d rather drink,¡± Aneeka said, and reached for the bottle of beer I was only just noticing on the floor before us.


    She took a somewhat long swig before dropping it back on the floor.


    ¡°Your loss,¡± Rory chortled.


    ¡°Greg, truth or dare,¡± Aneeka said.


    ¡°Dare,¡± he told her.


    ¡°I dare you to take off ten things on your body, right now,¡± she smiled, crossing her arms.


    By the time Greg was done with his dare, he was left with just his drawers, which was pink by the way.


    ¡°All my other ones are in theundry,¡± was his defense.


    ¡°Kimberly,¡± he called after he was done dressing back. ¡°Truth or dare.¡±


    ¡°Truth,¡± she said.


    ¡°You ever been in a threesome?¡±


    ¡°You know the answer to that,¡± she stared at him.


    ¡°Do I, though?¡± He cocked his eyebrows, smirking.


    ¡°Yeah, I have,¡± she said uninterestedly, ¡°with your sorry ass and Thierry.¡±


    Thierry was on thecrosse team.


    Things were getting more and more intense. My palms began to sweat. What if Kimberly called me next?


    As if hearing my thoughts, Kimberly¡¯s gaze flew to me. Slowly, her plump lips stretched wider to form a creepy smile. At that moment, I knew I was done for.


    ¡°Jason,¡± she spoke up, still looking at me. My heart jolted. ¡°Truth or dare.¡±


    ¡°Dare,¡± Jason said, all too quickly.


    Leaning forward, Kimberly said. ¡°I dare you to grab Amelia, French kiss her and suck her titties afterwards.¡±


    I had to stifle the gasp that tended to escape my lips. I was shocked, and was in no way going to let Jason do that.


    ¡°No!¡± I blurted out, just as Jason turned in his bean bag.


    ¡°No?¡± He asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then you have to drink,¡± Kimberly spat.


    I wanted, more than anything, to stand up and run, but that would make me look so chicken, so I drank instead and during the game, I was dared a number of times and used in dares, all which I had to decline in exchange for a drink.


    Toward the end of the game, I began to feel very lightheaded, and oddly . . . gay. In my belly was an unsettled feeling.


    Excusing myself, I stood up and headed out of the room to the bathroom for which I¡¯d been directed to.


    Despite my dizziness, I spotted one of the bathrooms, after a few minutes of more directions. Opening the door, I stumbled in and shut it behind me. I stepped up to the mirror and stared at my reflection. My eyes seemed heavy.


    Raising my hands up to my face, I pped my cheeks, only just realizing that I couldn¡¯t feel them. Just as I was registering this fact, the bathroom door creaked open and secondster, closed with a light click.


    Jason was standing behind me.


    ¡°Oh,¡± he said as soon as our gazes met in the mirror. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know you were in this one.¡±


    At once, he turned to leave.


    The lingering feeling within me stemming from the moment Kimberly had dared Jason, pushed me to turn around and grab his arm just as he was turning away.


    I didn¡¯t know what it was, probably the beer in my system making me bolder and irrational, but the next thing I said was, ¡°Don¡¯t leave.¡±


    Jason stared at me for some seconds before with a smile, he said, ¡°Want us to finish up our dare?¡±


    My lips parted but no words escaped from them. To my surprise and in my drowsy mind, it was what I wanted. I wanted Jason to kiss me. I wanted to know what he tasted like, what his lips felt like, his hands on me. It was a newfound lust for Jason-he was smoking hot after all, and his sudden good nature only enhanced it-fueled on by alcohol.


    I guess Jason took my parted lips for a go-ahead, because next thing I knew, he¡¯d put his hands on my waist and pulled me forward, so our bodies were touching. Without hesitation, he covered up the distance between us, his lips pressing against mine, working up a jittery but sweet feeling in my belly. Absently, mind almostpletely numb, my hands found their way up to his face, resting on his cheeks.


    It was never a slow kiss. It¡¯d started off heated and was progressing into something more, our hands now roaming each other¡¯s bodies. All of a sudden, Jason grabbed my ass and, pushing the paper cup on the counter aside, lifted me onto the counter.


    The moment he kissed my neck, I felt an odd tinge in my core. I was a neck person. Clearly, I was because the more he trailed kisses down my cheek, the more I grew hotter, and more irrational. I¡¯d already thrown all caution to the window, wanting Jason to take me there and then.


    It was the alcohol. It was definitely the alcohol or I wouldn¡¯t be doing this.


    The next few minutes passed in intense kissing and roaming until I began to feel the chilly air on my skin. Only then did I realize that Jason had unstrapped my jumpsuit and had taken off the shirt underneath.


    It shocked me to know that I didn¡¯t care. It was what I wanted. All my body craved for.


    His hands caressed my breasts through mycy bra, sending tingles across my skin, a gasp escaping my lips at his touch. Then, before I realized it, my bra came loose and being a sleeveless one, fell to the floor in a second.


    ¡°Now, for the second part,¡± he murmured, cupping my breast.


    His fingers met my nipple, hard, taut and raw, and on the first tweak, I let out a gasp. Caressing my right breast, he cupped the other, leaning down to kiss its cleavage. Then slowly, his lips made their way to its nipple. He kissed it tenderly, blew a breath on it, which sent aroused spikes up my thighs, before flicking a tongue over it, his other hand all the while still caressing my right breast.


    At every flick of his tongue over my tight nipple, I let out a gasp, my body shaking with need.


    Thest thing I remembered from the night was Jason¡¯s fingers making their way down my jumpsuit to my already wet center.

 I got fingered

    Amelia Forbes


    I woke up, with a start, to the light filtering into my room through the half open curtain, a throbbing head and a parched throat.


    Squinting against the mild re of the sun, I propped myself up on the bed and pushed my hair out of my face, my sore eyes taking in the contents of the room.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I murmured to myself, little bits of the party fromst nighting back to me. ¡°How did I get back?¡±


    I tried to recall how I returned home but nothing came to mind. Thest I remembered was drinking to the dare they¡¯d given me, which I declined doing.


    Figuring I must¡¯ve gotten really drunk and Jason brought me back to my house, I sighed and swung my legs down from the bed.


    I needed an aspirin. Two aspirin. Fast. But first, some water, and then checking in on grandma. Knowing her, she would be up by now.


    Speaking of the time, what was the time actually? I twisted my body to look at the rm clock sitting on the nightstand at the other side of the bed.


    It read 9:30am. My rm clock was thirty minutes, so the time was actually ten o¡¯clock.


    ¡°What?!¡± I eximed, shooting up from the bed, which was a bad, very bad move.


    The room spun, my wobbly feet gave way and I crumpled to the ground in a heap, suddenly feeling very nauseous. The onught of vomit was not too far behind.


    sping a hand to my mouth I struggled to my feet with thest strength in me, ignoring the headache and the dizziness. Thest thing I wanted was to throw up in my room. That¡¯d make a huge mess because the floor was rugged.


    I yanked open the door and ran down the stairs, two at a time, straight to the bathroom, passing Nana-in the kitchen-on the way. Getting to the bathroom, I kicked the door open and stumbled to the sink. Then I threw up, retching, coughing and gagging until my stomach felt empty.


    Feeling very drained, tired and hungry, I washed my mouth and leaned back from the sink to look at my reflection. My face bore a ghostly look.


    ¡°Note to self,¡± I muttered. ¡°Do not ever, ever drink again.¡±


    Since I was already in the bathroom, I brushed my teeth right away, rinsed my face and dried it before heading out to meet Nana in the kitchen.


    ¡°Hey, Nana,¡± I said, walking up to her and hugging her from behind.


    We exchanged greetings in signnguage before I went over and took my usual spot at the far end of the table.


    Just a little more time, she gestured with her hands. I know you must be very hungry.


    It¡¯s fine. I shrugged with a smile.


    Five minutester, grandma and I were seated for a breakfast of pancakes and maple syrup, bacon and eggs, cornbread and sses of orange juice. For once, I was actually grateful for grandma¡¯s overcooking.


    I was halfway through the pancakes when grandma stopped eating to talk with me.


    A boy brought you back yesterday. She told me. By 12 in the morning.


    12? My eyes bulged.


    Yeah, 12. You were passed out.


    I¡¯m really sorry, grandma. That wasn¡¯t supposed to happen.


    It¡¯s fine, she shrugged. It was a different boy though. I saw the one who picked you up. It wasn¡¯t him. The one that brought you back had dark hair, blue eyes.


    What? I frowned. But . . .


    It was in that moment that all the memories from the party came flooding back to me in torrential shes, like the repeated clicking of a camera. The me haired guy that was trying to woo me. Jason inviting me to the games, the dares and the drinking.


    Everything up until then was clear before slowly things began to get hazy. Thin. I¡¯d felt weird after taking myst shot, so I went to the bathroom and . . . Jason came in shortly after.


    ¡°We kissed,¡± I gasped, a hand flying up to touch my lips. ¡°Jason and I . . . kissed.¡±


    But we didn¡¯t do just that. Jason touched me. My neck. My breasts.


    Remembering the feel of his hands as they caressed my breasts, I dropped the pancake in my hand, my eyes going wide in horror.


    And then I remembered thest bit, a memory almostpletely buried away but somehow rearing its disappointing head.


    Jason had fingered me.


    In shock and horror, I stood up from my seat, my heart racing.


    ¡°What have I done?¡± I whispered.


    Mel? What¡¯s wrong? Grandma stared at me.


    For her sake, I tried topose myself. Act like nothing had happened.


    With a small smile, I sat down once again.


    I just remembered who brought me back, that¡¯s all. I lied.


    Ok. Who?


    His name is Adrian.


    After breakfast, I took two aspirin and then stepped into the bathroom. Wondering how I¡¯ll face Jason in school now, I sank to my butt under the hot shower.


    How could I have been so loose? To let Jason kiss me. Touch me. I was better than that. Influence of alcohol or no influence, I could have done better, because I wasn¡¯t that way. I was always cautious about these things. And I was very picky.


    For almost twenty minutes, I remained in the bathroom, under the hot shower until my skin became too tender and pink, then, still unable to believe I¡¯d let myself be used for a brief, short lived moment of pleasure, I dried my body and stepped out of the bathroom.


    Times like these were when I needed someone I could actually talk with the most. Someone who understood the type of person I was and could rte with me on personal levels. Of course, Nana was there, but she couldn¡¯t hear a thing. And, I love her, but I was just not in the mood for signnguage.


    I dressed up in one of dad¡¯s old tees-we still had some of my parents belongings down in the basement. After their death when I was fourteen, I just couldn¡¯t ept they were . . . gone. So I took some of their stuff and ced them in my room, just so I could feel their presence whenever I needed it the most. Like now.


    Clutching mom¡¯s stress ball tighter, I called Benson. Twice. Only on the third ring did he pick. Good for him. I was just about to call till night fell.


    ¡°Hey, Mel, sorry I wasn¡¯t able to pick up on time,¡± he said as soon as he answered the call. ¡°I was out ying basketball with my neighbors and Jackie, who was sitting right beside the phone, couldn¡¯t be bothered about your call until the third time.¡±


    Jackie was his younger sister who was a freshman at Wayne¡¯s County High.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Are you busy right now?¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± he drawled. ¡°We¡¯re on a break here so technically no.¡±


    ¡°Can youe over?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Right now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said.


    ¡°Okay, sure. They have more yers anyway, and besides, it¡¯s been a while since I came by, or you came by.¡±


    ¡°School work, I guess,¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Nope. Katie. She¡¯s so clingy,¡± he sighed. ¡°But I love her anyway. I¡¯m on my way!¡±


    Ten minutester, Benson was in my room, sitting at the edge of the bed opposite me, his legs crossed on top of mine and mine on top of his, like old times.


    ¡°So, are we just gonna sit doing a staringpetition or you got something fun we can do?¡± He crossed his arms, hazel eyes trained on me. ¡°Or something fun you¡¯d like to tell me.¡± He wiggled his eyebrows then, smiling.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you with Adriantely,¡± he added. ¡°Anything going on between you and the jock?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a nice guy you know,¡± I said.


    ¡°Oh, so you like him then?¡± Benson¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°Just like every other girl in school. You know, Katie told me she once had a crush on him. Back in sophomore year.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t like Adrian, Ben. I only do as a friend. But there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Ouu, is it a secret?¡± Benson straightened up.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I nodded. ¡°Kinda.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said, assuming a more interested position. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°First of all, you have to promise not to judge me.¡± I fixed my gaze on him.


    ¡°Have I ever really?¡± He shrugged.


    I sighed. ¡°No, but, you might after I¡¯m done-¡±


    ¡°Amelia.¡± He called my name in full. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    Looking down at my hands, I sighed again. ¡°You know I went to Jason¡¯s partyst night?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Benson said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware. Howe you didn¡¯t tell me?¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s because all you think about is Katie.¡± I looked up at him.


    The cool expression on his face changed immediately.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I muttered. ¡°I¡¯m kind of in a foul mood.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± he said, ¡°you¡¯re right. Lately, I¡¯ve been neglecting you, and I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I offered him a small smile. ¡°We can always call a truce.¡±


    ¡°Truce?¡± He stretched out his hand to me.


    ¡°Truce.¡± I took his hand and shook it.


    ¡°So, you went to Jason¡¯s party, and?¡± He asked, dropping my hand.


    Remembering what had happened, my mood became sore once again.


    ¡°You promise not to tell anyone?¡± I asked, lowering my gaze to the throw pillow cradled on myps.


    ¡°Amelia,¡± he groaned. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me anymore? I promise.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± I began with a sigh, looking up at him. ¡°So, Jason apologized, that you know. Then he invited me to his party which I agreed to, for some reason. I guess because he was being so nice and polite, and I wanted him to remain that way towards me.¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s an act though?¡± Benson broke in. ¡°You do know there¡¯s an eighty percent chance that it¡¯s just an act. That he might have an ulterior motive.¡±


    ¡°I know. And I thought about it. Benson, I tested him. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s an act. I think he¡¯s for real.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°If you say so. But I think once a bully, always a bully. If you ask me, I¡¯d say the change was too sudden and personally I¡¯d be skeptical, but then again, what do I know?¡±


    Silently, I admitted he was right. I was too quick to believe Jason. Too quick to agree to attend his party. To let him touch me. As if that was all I ever craved for.


    ¡°So, I went to his party,¡± I continued, pushing my thoughts behind me. ¡°Yesterday. He was the one who picked me up. Took me to his house. And there was this game. He wanted me to join. y with his friends.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you agreed.¡± Benson stared at me.


    ¡°I did,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Oh.¡± He pped a hand to his forehead. ¡°You have to be shitting me, Mel. Okay, even if you did, don¡¯t tell me Kimberly was there.¡±


    ¡°She was,¡± I told him.


    ¡°You have queened yourself a royal screw-up,¡± he stated. ¡°A big, messy one.¡±


    ¡°What does that even mean?¡± I frowned. ¡°And besides, it was a truth or game-¡±


    ¡°Oh, boy. Even worse.¡±


    ¡°-which I took no part in.¡±


    ¡°But, lemme guess, you drank, since you didn¡¯t want to do your dares.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I did,¡± I affirmed. ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t have, but I didn¡¯t want to seem . . . chicken. I¡¯m almost eighteen, Benson. Sooner orter I¡¯ll have to do these things. I¡¯ll have to drink anyway.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± he nodded. ¡°Trust me, I do. Do you know I¡¯ve never gone down on Katie? I mean, she wants me to, and sooner orter I¡¯ll have to, but for now, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready yet. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll get it right.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said slowly, with a confused look, ¡°not that I asked about you and Katie¡¯s sexual life, but thanks for understanding.¡±


    ¡°So, I drank,¡± I went on. ¡°And I got drunk, because they dared me so much. I tried to use up all my truths, but Kimberly kept insisting I had to use up my dares first.¡±


    ¡°So, what happened?¡± He asked, after I paused and said nothing.


    ¡°I got fingered by Jason,¡± I rapped out, eager to get straight to the point.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± Benson blinked. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. I was drunk, he came into the bathroom and . . . we kissed and one thing led to another and-¡±


    ¡°You mean to tell me, right now, that you kissed Jason Davenport, that you both exchanged saliva, and then afterwards, he fingerfucked you?¡±


    ¡°I was drunk,¡± I defended. ¡°You know normally I would never do that. Hell, I couldn¡¯t even let Henry peck me in junior promst year, and now I let Jason fuck me? Do you think I¡¯ll do that in my right senses?¡±


    For minutes, Benson sat silently, his hazel eyes holding me in surprise before, with a small sigh, he looked away.


    ¡°So, what do you wanna do now?¡± He asked, looking back at me.


    He¡¯d kept his promise. He didn¡¯t judge me. Or me me. And that was why he¡¯ll always be a good confidant.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I whispered, feeling embarrassed already.


    ¡°Are you both like a thing now?¡± He asked.


    ¡°No,¡± I shook my head. ¡°We aren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Was he drunk too?¡±


    ¡°I guess?¡±


    ¡°Well, you just have to hope he doesn¡¯t go bbing it to his friends, because if Le gets news on this, oh man, I don¡¯t even wanna think about it.¡±


    Biting my lower lip, I looked away. That was my biggest problem. That Jason would tell.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

 A video of me naked?!

    Amelia Forbes


    It started during the first period after lunch, in math ss. The weird looks and knowing stares. At first, I shrugged it off, ignoring them and taking my regr seat, just beside the window that overlooked the football field. But as the sses rolled by, the stares kept getting worse and worse and I even heard someone make an odd remark, one I couldn¡¯t quite grasp.


    The blonde had said from behind me, just before our Physics teacher came in, ¡°And here I was thinking she was different.¡±


    I didn¡¯t understand. Was she talking about me? Figuring it was probably just a conversation between her and her friend, I shrugged and focused on the lesson at hand, the only thought on my mind being how to face Jason. And beg him, if I had to, not to tell anyone about what had happened with us.


    He hadn¡¯t been at the cafeteria today-pretty much the only period I had with him today being Monday-which I found odd and weird. And upsetting too. Jason had never missed lunch. It wasn¡¯t like he ate outside the school. Today, of all days, when I needed him to be around, to be in the cafeteria, he wasn¡¯t.


    It was, at the moment, in thest period of the day, and was already counting down the minutes to the end of ss. All I wanted to do, all that¡¯d been on mind, was bolting right out of the ss, searching for Jason and putting things right with him.


    The moment the bell went, I grabbed my stuff, shoved it into my backpack and shot up from my seat as though it had gone metal hot. I dashed out of the ss, headed for Jason¡¯s ss-History-which, for some reason, I knew he was in.


    I was on the steps, heading down to thest floor where his ss was located when, all of a sudden, a voice called me, stopping me in my tracks.


    ¡°Amelia!¡± The voice yelled, some feet behind me.


    Turning around, my eyes fell on Benson, walking up to me, a weird look on his face, his hair unusually tousled. Not to mention, he¡¯d called me by my full name.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, climbing back onto thending and moving to the side to give room for other people passing by.


    Grabbing me by the wrist, Benson pulled me further aside, to a corner far from the staircase where less students were.


    ¡°I told you you shouldn¡¯t have trusted Jason,¡± he started off, a worried look on his face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Ben. What¡¯s going on? What happened?¡± I asked, confused.


    ¡°Wait,¡± he frowned. ¡°You . . . you haven¡¯t heard? Seen?¡±


    ¡°Heard what? Seen what, Benson?¡± My voice rose, mind on a not-so-slow journey to panic.


    For a moment, Benson hesitated.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?!¡± I yelled then.


    ¡°You really haven¡¯t seen,¡± he muttered, lowering his gaze from me. Then he looked up again. ¡°The video, Amelia. You haven¡¯t seen the video? Or heard of it?¡±


    ¡°What video?¡± I stared at him.


    ¡°On Le¡¯s vlog. She posted it today during lunch, and it has almost five hundred views already. I can¡¯t believe you really haven¡¯t seen the video.¡±


    My eyebrows knitted. ¡°What has a video got to do with me?¡±


    ¡°It has everything to do with you!¡± He burst out immediately. ¡°Heck, the video is about you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± I muttered, trying to piece two and two together, and getting nothing.


    ¡°You need to see it.¡± Benson told me. ¡°You need to see the video, so you can understand what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    ¡°Well, then show me,¡± I snapped, sick of the suspense. ¡°Show me the goddamn video already.¡±


    Hesitantly, he sighed and reached into his pocket.


    ¡°I saved it,¡± he said. ¡°Just in case you haven¡¯t seen it.¡±


    Unlocking his phone, he tapped the video icon and thest video he watched popped up immediately, starting from the middle.


    ¡°Here.¡± He held out his phone to me, looking away as he did so.


    I took the phone from him, anticipation eating at my mind. I dragged the motion line to move the video back to the beginning and then I began watching.


    At first, I couldn¡¯t make out anything from the video because the room was sort of dark, then, as if the person behind the camera had moved a little, more light filtered into the room, and I quickly realized the room was actually a bathroom. With two people in it, who appeared to be making out.


    ¡°Okay, so it¡¯s a bathroom with kissing couples, so?¡± I frowned, still watching the video.


    ¡°Just,¡± Benson exhaled. ¡°Just keep watching the video, Mel.¡±


    I refocused my attention on the video and only then did things begin to make sense, starting from the moment I recognized the guy to be Jason. And the girl to be . . . me.


    On realizing this, I gasped, a hand flying to cover my mouth. My face, expressions, in the video was clear for everyone to see, while Jason had his back to the camera. Every sound, every moan I made, every pleasured look on my face was recorded. And the video didn¡¯t just stop there. It carried on to the moment Jason took off my shirt, kissed my breast-although the scene was blurred so you couldn¡¯t really see much there, but you knew that it was me. The video ended with a final gasp from me as Jason¡¯s hand slid down my jumpsuit.


    With the end of the video came a dawning. A new understanding of the looks I¡¯d gotten all the while today after lunch and the reason for Jason¡¯s absence.


    ¡°I told you not to trust Jason, Mel. I told you.¡± Benson¡¯s voice came to me as though from underwater. ¡°People like Jason, they never change. And even if they do, it takes more than just one night.¡±


    ¡°Why would he do this to me?¡± Was the first thing that fell through my lips, my mind racing, hands trembling. I had a sex tape now on the inte. Everyone in school had seen me, heard me, and it was all because of Jason. All because I was too trusting. Too foolish to believe that he could ever change.


    ¡°Why would he do this to me?¡± I repeated, tears welling up in my eyes.


    Slowly, Benson took his phone from my hand.


    ¡°Everyone has seen this,¡± I whispered, looking up at him. ¡°And their . . . perception of me . . .¡±


    All of a sudden, he stepped forward and took me in a hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mel. Honestly, it¡¯s not your fault, so don¡¯t me yourself.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I ripped away from his hug, suddenly infuriated. ¡°It is my fault, Benson. To think that Jason could ever change. To think I could be friends with the popr click. And now I have a sex tape out there for everyone to see. How could I be so stupid?! What was I thinking?!¡±


    ¡°Amelia, calm down,¡± Benson said, reaching out to hold me.


    ¡°Calm down?¡± I stared at him, teary-eyed. ¡°I¡¯ve been bullied, deceived, used, shamed, and now I should calm down?¡±


    I was yelling now. ¡°Look at the video, Ben. Jason¡¯s face was in no part. No fucking part! He used me, all for what? A goodugh?! Another means to torture me?¡±


    ¡°What we need to do now is report to Mrs Jenkins, so she can tell Le to take it down and then do something to Jason,¡± Benson suggested.


    ¡°And then what?¡± I stared at him, my jaw quivering. ¡°Jason gets off withmunity service? But the stigma still remains with me? How could I be so stupid.¡±


    My hands flying to my hair, I pulled. Pulled really hard. ¡°How could I be so fucking stupid?¡±


    ¡°Amelia, stop it!¡± Benson shouted, grabbing my hands. ¡°You¡¯re panicking. You have to try and calm down.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I screamed, yanking my hands out of his grip. I knew he was only trying to help, but right now, nothing was getting past my stunned mind.


    ¡°What I need to do,¡± I said through gritted teeth, ¡°is give Jason a fucking piece of my mind.¡±


    With that, I turned away from him and started down the steps, headed for the field.


    ¡°Jeez, Amelia,¡± Benson called. ¡°Wait a minute, just think about things first!¡±


    Getting to thest of the stairs, chest heaving, face wet with tears, I marched to the field where I knew Jason would be.


    I spotted him as soon as I got to the field, standing beside Coach Hens and talking coolly, like he¡¯d done nothing. Like he wasn¡¯t aware of the video.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Jason!¡± I shouted, stomping over to him.


    He whipped his gaze in my direction as soon as he heard his name. On spotting me, he lips curled into a smirk, knowing brown eyes going cold.


    If there was any thought left behind in my mind that he had no part in the recording of the video, it was quickly wiped from my mind by his smirk.


    ¡°How could you?¡± I spat, eyes, although blurry from tears, fixed on him.


    ¡°I take it you¡¯ve seen the video,¡± he smiled, cing his hands on his hips. ¡°You put up quite a show, you know that right?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what it was, probably the fact that I felt so betrayed and stupid and dumb, and couldn¡¯t control my anger toward myself, Jason and the world for taking my mom and dad away from me, but by the next moment, I¡¯d balled my hand into a fist and punched Jason square in his teeth.


    Following the outburst from his team members was Coach Hens¡¯s own.


    ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa, what¡¯s going on here?¡± He frowned,ing to stand between Jason and I.


    ¡°Did you just punch me?¡± Jason stared at me, a hand to mouth.


    ¡°You set me up!¡± I yelled. ¡°Bullying me, treating me like I¡¯m worth nothing wasn¡¯t enough for you, so you set me up. What have I ever done to you, Jason, that you have to treat me this way?¡±


    My voice broke at myst words, tears streaming down my face now.


    ¡°What is going on here?!¡± Coach Hens yelled this time.


    By now everyone present in the field had gathered around to get the gist of what was happening.


    ¡°Can someone tell me what the heck is going on here?¡± Coach Hens repeated.


    Unable to speak, my eyes remained on Jason, who had his eyes on me too, a deep, deep scowl on his face.


    ¡°He set her up, Coach,¡± Benson said all of a sudden from behind me.


    All attention, including mine and Jason¡¯s, flew to him.


    ¡°He invited her to his party,¡± Benson went on. ¡°Told her to a game and took advantage of her drunken state, made a video of her and then uploaded it for everyone to see.¡±


    I had never loved Benson more. When I needed him the most, he was there, standing up for me when I couldn¡¯t do it myself.


    There was an outburst from the silent crowd at the end of Benson¡¯s words.


    ¡°What?¡±


    It was from Adrian.


    Coach Hens turned to look at Jason.


    ¡°Did you really do that?¡± He asked.


    Jason remained silent, now staring daggers at Benson.


    ¡°Answer me before I fuck you up this moment!¡± Coach Hens exploded.


    Finally, Jason dropped his hand from his mouth and moved his gaze to Coach. As he spoke, I noticed a small cut on the inside of his lower lip. I had gotten him pretty good.


    ¡°I did,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Adrian scowled, reaching out and shoving Jason¡¯s arm. ¡°How the fuck could you do something like that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Goldfield.¡± Coach Hens stepped in. Then he turned to face Jason squarely.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you could, would do such a thing,¡± he said, ring at him. ¡°I thought you were mature, Jason. What kind of a ¡®man¡¯ would do that?¡±


    ¡°She de-¡± Jason began when Coach cut in.


    ¡°Get off my field,¡± he growled.


    ¡°What?¡± Jason blinked. ¡°You-you can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, I very much can,¡± Coach Hens nodded. ¡°Get the hell out and don¡¯te back until next week.¡±


    ¡°But, Coach-¡±


    ¡°Now!¡± He burst out.


    For moments, Jason hesitated before looking away from Coach Hens.


    ¡°And before you¡¯re able to return, you¡¯ll write an apology to her and read it out in the general assembly on Friday morning,¡± Coach added.


    Jason stopped abruptly and turned around. ¡°Nah. I¡¯m not doing that.¡±


    ¡°Then consider yourself off the team!¡± Coach yelled.


    I saw Jason¡¯s face harden and his jaw tic before he turned around and stalked off.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that boy,¡± Coach Hens said to me. ¡°My sincere apologies. I¡¯ll make sure to have the video taken down.¡±


    Nodding, I wiped my tears away. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Mel, let¡¯s go home,¡± Benson said, taking my hand and pulling me away from the gossip-hungry group.


    For the first time in a long while, I felt like someone had my back. And I cherished the feeling.

 My pull-out game is best

    Jason Davenport


    I was upset. Scratch that. I was beyond upset. I was furious. Murderous. If I got my hands on Amelia, only two things could happen: I beat the shit out of her, or I punish her so bad she wished I beat her up instead.


    She thought she¡¯d won this one, didn¡¯t she? In her mind, we were even, right?


    I scoffed. Till tomorrow. The bitch better not show up at school tomorrow, because by the time I¡¯m done with her, she¡¯ll be begging to write my apology letter herself. Which she will, by the way. I wasn¡¯t going to pick any goddamn pen and say I was writing an apology letter for her. That apology letter was going to be written by she herself.


    Who did she think was, punching me that way? Humiliating me in front of Coach Hens. And to think Coach took her side. And Adrian actually shoved me, for her.


    ¡°By the time I¡¯m done with you, Amelia,¡± I said through clenched teeth, my hand gripping the stic ball in it harder. So hard the veins in my arm bulged. ¡°By the time I¡¯m finished with you, you¡¯ll wish you¡¯d kept your fat mouth shut.¡±


    Unable to hold in the pent up anger anymore, I channeled it to the ball, throwing it toward the window opposite me. It hit the window frame and bounced right back at me. Catching it, I threw the the ball again. It bounced against the window this time, but deflected on returning to me, hitting me square in the nose instead before falling onto the bed beside me.


    Now enraged, as the action only reminded me of the punch Amelia had given me this afternoon, I grabbed the ball, picked up the pen lying on the nightstand beside my bed and stabbed the bloody thing until it deted, then I tossed it aside, along with the pen.


    Exasperated, I fell back onto the bed with a sigh, throwing a hand over my head.


    ¡°Why does Adrian always take her side, anyway?¡± I muttered, staring at the ceiling. ¡°He¡¯s never on my side. Not that I expect him to be on this one, but every other time he always has something to say when ites to her. And we¡¯re supposed to be buddies.¡±


    Exhaling, I ran a hand across my face, muttering, ¡°What if he has something for her? It could be the reason.¡±


    Then on a second thought, I changed my mind. ¡°Nah. It¡¯s not even possible. Amelia¡¯s not his type. In no way.¡±


    But the idea that he could actually be interested in Amelia kept nagging me. If that turned out to be the case . . . it better not be.


    I diverted my thought to the way Coach Hens had reacted earlier, on the field. That too was odd. I mean, I expected him to be mad, but not to that extent. Now that I thought about it, it felt like he took it too personal. Kicking me out of the field for the whole week? Asking me to write an apology letter to Amelia and then read it out to the whole school on Friday? That was too much.


    Maybe he¡¯d had a simr experience before?


    Speaking of reading an apology to Amelia before the school, how the hell was I going to do that? How was I going to read an ¡°apology¡± letter when in reality I felt no way apologetic, and which I wasn¡¯t going to write myself, by the way.


    Knowing I was going through all these because of Amelia, and Kimberly who gave me the dumb idea to pull off, my anger began to seep back in.


    I cracked my knuckles in a bid to direct the anger somewhere else. There was no point stressing over someone I¡¯d already plotted my revenge on. All I had to do now was wait till tomorrow. Till I was able to see her at school. Then she¡¯ll really get hers.


    Sighing, I sat up from the bed and, reaching out, picked up my phone from my dresser, where I¡¯d left it earlier. I wanted to text Adrian. Ask him if he¡¯d hang, because, to be exact, I was bored. I¡¯de home earlier since Coach Hens had told me off and since then I hadn¡¯t done anything else but loathe and loathe some more.


    Going onto Instagram, I went straight to his DM and sent him a ¡°hey, you wanna hang? y basketball or something?¡±


    Secondster, he replied. Is that seriously all you have to say right now?


    Frowning, I typed. What dyou mean?


    Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about. What the fuck was that back there at school?


    I sighed. The issue has passed, Adrian. Why are you still dragging it?


    Just because Coach reacted to it doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s passed. Wtf is going on with you? And Amelia. I mean, how could you do something like that? Honestly, I still can¡¯t believe you would do that.


    I rolled my eyes. Not like you¡¯re a saint, man, so chill.


    I would never do that, he sent some secondster.


    Why tthe heck are you even so interested in that girl. Do you like her or something? I typed with a scowl.


    It¡¯s not just about her. It¡¯s about how you act in general. To some people, like her. Which is very unfair.


    The question is, do you like Amelia or not?


    How¡¯s that important rn?


    Do you? Just answer the goddamn question already.


    A secondter, his reply came in. And what if I did? Then what?


    My eyebrows shot up at his statement. So you do?


    I don¡¯t. She¡¯s not even my type, but that¡¯s not the freaking point, Jace. What the hell is going on with you that you now vent your annoyance one everyone. They¡¯re people too, you know? With their own problems.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I don¡¯t vent my anger on anyone. Just Amelia, because her case is different.


    Whatchu mean?


    You won¡¯t understand, so forget it.


    And we¡¯re supposed to be friends ??


    Not knowing what to say, I sent a ¡°. . .¡± Alongside a shrugging emoji.


    Look, man, Adrian sent, a couple of secondster. I don¡¯t know what it is you¡¯re going thru but you gotta fix it up, before things get out of hand.


    I got you, I replied.


    Yeah, right.


    I gotta go now, he sent.


    Ok, cool.


    Secondster, I was left alone in the confines of my room, still bored out of my mind. I had virtually nothing to do. All my homework had already been done by Amelia beforehand, not that I was going to do it myself anyway, and I¡¯d yed videogames so much already that as of now they seemed mundane to me. Besides, I had no one to y with. It wasn¡¯t like Ashley downstairs knew how to. And even if she could, I still wouldn¡¯t y with her.


    Groaning, I tossed my phone aside on the bed and raked a hand through my hair, racking my brain on something to do. Go out to a friend¡¯s? y basketball at Rory¡¯s?


    Nah. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to hang out with any of those guys, especially after what happened in the field. And also knowing they were in on this too. It¡¯s just luck that their sorry asses and the part they yed, Kimberly most of all, weren¡¯t in the video too, and I wasn¡¯t one to snitch, so, even if I was asked who made the video, I¡¯d say nothing.


    Speaking of Kimberly, I wondered what she was doing now. Maybe she coulde keep mepany. After all, it was her fault.


    She was the one who¡¯de up with the darned idea while we were ying truth or dare at the party. We were already well into the game when she suggested I bring Amelia in the game, make sure she gets drunk and then video what happens next with her.


    And now I was in this mess because of her. Kimberly, I mean. So, she had every reason to share the boredom with me. Ease it up in whatever way she could.


    I called her. On the second ring, she picked up. I told her what I needed. Told her to drop by so we¡¯d have sex. I just couldn¡¯t wait. Ten minutester, she was walking in through the door of my room-she¡¯d never turned down a request to meet up with me, and she always arrived on time-dressed in a tight, sleeveless crop top that stopped just above her navel, a short skirt and sneakers.


    ¡°Was that your stepmom I saw on my way here, in the living room?¡± She asked as soon as she walked in, shutting the door behind her.


    ¡°Yay tall, blonde hair, skinny legs?¡± I asked, dropping my phone on the nightstand and scooting over on the bed so Kimberly had room to sit.


    ¡°She is not skinny.¡± Kimberly rolled her eyes. ¡°She looks like a fucking model.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡± I waved it off. ¡°Enough about her. Did you do what I asked you to?¡±


    Taking off her shoes, she raised her feet onto the bed, her green eyes trained on me.


    ¡°Well?¡± She smiled, cheeks dimpling. ¡°What does it look like?¡±


    My eyes trailed down her face, stopping at the tips of her breast. I could make out her nipples, pointy and round, pushing against the fabric of her top.


    Looking back up at her, I gave a smirk. Just a tiny one. Nothing to show I was satisfied. Yet.


    ¡°And your panties?¡± I asked. ¡°What color is it?¡±


    ¡°Nude,¡± she replied, her cat-like eyes never leaving mine.


    Only then did my smile widen. ¡°Good. What next?¡±


    Straightening up, she propped herself on her knees, before pushing me back onto the bed and climbing on top of me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have a condom,¡± she said, slowly, but sensually, rocking her hips against my crotch.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s finished, but my pull-out game is best,¡± I said, my hands reaching up to hold her waist.


    She rolled her eyes. A habit of hers. ¡°You¡¯re just lucky I¡¯m on birth control, so you can hit it raw.¡±


    The smile that spread across my lips at her words reached my eyes this time. ¡°You always seem to know what makes me happy.¡±


    Tightening my grip on her small waist, I held her and flipped her over so I was on top now and she was under.


    Without any further waste of time, I grabbed my shirt, yanked it off and tossed it aside, just as she did hers, her perky breasts bouncing as soon she took off her top.


    Cupping the right one with one hand, I leaned in and kissed her, hard and long, just the way I liked it, the fingers of my hand all the while fondling her breast, tweaking its tight nipple, squeezing.


    Her hands tugged at the fly of my jeans first before they grappled its way to the zipper.


    I broke the kiss, stopping her hand from pulling my zip down.


    ¡°Not the regr.¡± I told her.


    ¡°Handjob then?¡± She breathed, sitting up.


    With a nod from me, she pushed me so I fell back onto the bed, then she held the zipper of my jeans and unzipped the fly. Out sprung my cock, already fully aroused.


    Wrapping a hand around it, the motion sending tingles up my belly, she began moving slowly. Up and down. Up and down. Stroking. She stroked rhythmically from the tip to the base and back to the tip. She varied her speed nicely, and then, by the next minute she was moving faster. Quicker.


    In my belly was a built up tension, growing and growing as the minutes passed by until I couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer.


    My eyes shut, breathing ragged, I rasped out, ¡°I¡¯m about to.¡±


    The moment I spoke, she went faster, her hand moving up and down in swift motions until, unable to hold it in any longer, I climaxed. On a pillow she, out of nowhere, ced over me.


    ¡°You think I was gonna let youe on my hair?¡± She smiled devilishly as she moved away from me. ¡°I have other ces to be, you know.¡±


    Ignoring her remark, I held her by the arm and pulled her closer, turning her around so she knelt before me.


    ¡°Your turn,¡± I growled, pulling her in.


    Spreading her legs wider, I teased first, sliding the edge of my cock over her clit.


    ¡°You know how much-¡± stopping suddenly, she gasped the moment I slid it in fully.


    That pretty much hushed her, enabling me to concentrate on the thrusting. My motions as I pounded in and out. Her ass pped against the base of my belly, titties bounced to and fro. She moaned. Gripped the sheets of the rocking bed.


    Reaching for her boobs, I squeezed, pounding harder, her moans getting louder, breathing faster, head thrown back and eyes rolled back into their sockets until finally, I held her waists tighter and gave onest, deep thrust. With it came the ejaction, right at the moment the door to my room swung open.

 Pathetic you are, Amelia

    Amelia Forbes


    The video had been taken down. That I was certain of, because I¡¯d personally gone on Le¡¯s vlog in search of it, but couldn¡¯t find it. Coach Hens had kept his word, and for that I was grateful. And by the looks of it, it seemed like he was already enforcing the punishment he¡¯d meted out to Jason. This morning, after I arrived at school, I spotted Jason leaving the coach¡¯s office, a deep frown etched onto his face. He¡¯d probably gone to beg so he didn¡¯t have to write the letter but had been turned down.


    Good for him. That¡¯ll teach him.


    Aside from spotting him earlier, I¡¯d also had two sses with him today, Geometry and English, and all the while, there¡¯d been no spitballs or chewed gum. Throughout the sses, he¡¯d done nothing but sit crossed armed, staring at the teacher, obviously notprehending a word from the look on his face.


    What did Jason really think? That he could just do anything he liked to me and go scot free? That I was some sort of dumb kid who couldn¡¯t stand up for herself once in a while? Well, jokes on him.


    I was a hundred percent sure that I¡¯d shocked him out of his wits yesterday with my reaction, and I¡¯d do it again if I had to.


    At the moment, sses hade to an end. The second the bell went off for the end of ss, I grabbed my backpack, stuck my notebook under my arm and stood up, making my way out of the ss even before Miss Danielle, our AP Biology teacher, could finish reading out homework.


    I didn¡¯t want to be caught up in the rush as students tried to cram and force their way through one small space, knowing the stigma of yesterday¡¯s event still followed me around.


    It hadn¡¯t been all chill since I arrived at school. I still got odd stares, although a little bit less than yesterday¡¯s, and I still asionally heard people murmuring nasty things about me.


    I tried to ignore them, after all, in due time my scandal will pass. Scandals always did. But deep down, I just couldn¡¯t. The humiliation from yesterday was still hovering in my mind, drifting from one corner to the other, so much so that it¡¯d made me feel ufortable while I was having lunch today. I felt like everyone was watching. Watching me eat. Watching my every move. Judging me. I knew I was only being paranoid, but I just couldn¡¯t shrug off the feeling no matter how much I tried.


    And I was going through all these solely because of Jason. The hate I had for him kept festering, burning brighter and brighter, and with every prank, every bully done to me, more fuel was added to fire.


    I told myself one day I¡¯d eventually snap, and yesterday, I did. But that was only a bit. If he kept up with the act, I didn¡¯t know what next I¡¯d do, but one thing was for sure. It was going to be drastic.


    Getting to my locker, I quickly entered thebination, swung the door open and buried my face in the open space, not exactly in the mood to entertain any more weird nces.


    I ced the notebook under my arm in the locker and emptied my backpack of unneeded texts before taking out my earpieces, then I shut my locker and turned to go, only to m right into a sturdy chest borne by a six footer.


    Stepping back at once, I looked up, a peculiar jolt in my heart at the thought that it might be Jason.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I was standing in your way unannounced,¡± Adrian said, holding a hand to his chest where I¡¯d bumped into him.


    Releasing a sigh of relief, I shook my head. ¡°No, I¡¯m the sorry one. I didn¡¯t see you there.¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How are you feeling today?¡± He asked suddenly, throwing me off guard.


    Apart from Benson, no-one else had cared to know. Bothered to ask how I felt after being used and victimized, but here was Adrian, concerned, non judgemental and sensitive, wanting to know about my wellbeing even after seeing the video.


    I couldn¡¯t admire him any less for being friends with an arrogant bully but still having such a wonderful personality.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I smiled mildly, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Look,¡± he sighed, touching a hand to his neck. ¡°I just wanted to apologize on behalf of Jason. What he did was wrong, so wrong, I admit. And I¡¯m sorry that he did that. Hell, I can¡¯t even believe he did it, but Jason can be too much. Sometimes. I mean, he¡¯s angry and stuff, although that doesn¡¯t make it right to bully others, but, deep down, he¡¯s really a nice guy. He just has to ovee all that anger. And hate.¡±


    Sometimes? Jason can be too much sometimes? Jason was always too much! And I understood Adrian trying to paint Jason in a new, better light, after all they were friends, but Jason was well aware of his actions while carrying them out. No way in hell was I ever going to pity him for his unstable family situation or fall for him again, for his lies and deceit. Hell would freeze over before that ever happened.


    ¡°So, all I¡¯m saying is, don¡¯t take it too personal. Don¡¯t hate him. He¡¯s going through a hard time,¡± Adrian concluded.


    ¡°And I¡¯m not?¡± I looked up at him. ¡°Jason¡¯s going through a hard time, and I¡¯m not? Three years ago I lost my parents. Watched through the window of the hospital door as they struggled for their lives but eventually gave up. Watched them die, right before me, but you don¡¯t see me venting my anger on anyone. Why does Jason get to have a pass? And why does it have to be me?¡±


    ¡°I heard about your parents,¡± Adrian said, after a short while of silence. ¡°I mean it¡¯s a kinda small town, so I did, and I¡¯m sorry about what happened, but that wasn¡¯t what I meant.¡±


    Then what exactly did you mean?


    In order not to drag the conversation too far, seeing as it was already pissing me off, because clearly, Adrian had no idea about the other stuff Jason had been doing to me, I said, ¡°OK, I get you now. Thanks for your concern, once again, but I gotta be at the library.¡±


    Turning away from him, I took a step towards leaving when he held my arm.


    ¡°Hey, wait a minute,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I upset you.¡±


    I looked at him. ¡°No. You didn¡¯t.¡±


    He dropped my arm then. ¡°Sorry once again, about Jason.¡±


    I offered him a brief smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    And then I turned and left, heading down to the library to finish up my assignment before going home.


    Just as I got to the base of the staircase, someone grabbed me roughly by the arm and yanked me to the side before shoving me into the janitor¡¯s closet at the corner of the stairs, shutting the door behind him with a subtle click.


    Scared out of my mind and unable to see in the dark room, I groped around for a couple of seconds, my lips trembling, until I found the light switch. Without hesitation, I flipped it on.


    Right before me, standing with his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans, his face in a hard frown, was Jason.


    My heart skipped not one but two beats, palms suddenly going sweaty.


    Yes, I was scared of Jason. I mean, it was one thing to stand up to him, and be ready to do it again, but to be in a confined space with him alone? With no one else around? It went without saying that I was frightened. His presence, especially when angry, which was almost always, was intimidating. It freaked the shit out of me.


    I quickly covered up my fear, locking eyes with him and holding my head up high. It¡¯ll only fuel his ego if he notices any sign of fear.


    ¡°What did you think?¡± He cocked an eyebrow, the shadow cast on his face by the single, overhead bulb giving his face a sinister look. ¡°That you could punch me, humiliate me in front of not just my coach and mentor but my team too and get away with it?¡±


    ¡°You started it when you lied to me, got me drunk, made that video and posted it, thereby humiliating me too. So, I guess we¡¯re even now,¡± I said in a steady, calm voice.


    The next sound that came from him was a low rumble in his throat. Laughter. ¡°We¡¯re even? Oh, yes we are, actually. But I¡¯m about to change that, Amelia. Just a few adjustments here and there.¡±


    In a sh, he crossed over to me at the end of the room, grabbed the cor of my shirt and shoved me backward into the wall. My back hit the wall hard, sending a pounding sensation up my head. I winced at the sudden throb in my head.


    As if pushing me was not enough, Jason reached out and held my jaw, so tight his fingernails dug into the skin of my face. I grabbed his hand, trying to push it off but his grip was strong.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± I said, my voiceing out muffled.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re so badass now, huh?¡± He stared at me. ¡°You think now you can stand up to me?¡±


    Pushing my face to the side, he dropped his hand.


    ¡°Psyche! You¡¯re not. You¡¯re just a worthless piece of ugly trash,¡± he spat. ¡°No one wants you, midget. No one ever would. Hell, even your own parents couldn¡¯t stand you so they fucking died on you. Your grandma got so bored of your senseless babble she got deaf on you. And Adrian who you think is being nice to you actually just pities you.


    ¡°You¡¯re pathetic, Amelia. Useless and unworthy of love. You don¡¯t deserve any of it and that¡¯s why all you ever get is hate, hate and more hate. Why do you think no one talks to you? Why do you think you have no friends? Fuck, don¡¯t you get it? No one fucking cares to associate with someone as unlucky as you, so go jump off a bridge or something. Just put yourself out of your goddamn misery already. Save some of us the stress of having to see you every day.¡±


    With every hateful word Jason spoke, every spiteful sentence he made, my resolve deted, getting smaller and smaller until it was nothing but a speck. I recoiled into the wall, my hands to my ears, trying to ward off the voices telling me he was right. Adrian did only pitied me. Who was I to think he felt any other thing but pity for me. And he was right about my parents. I¡¯m pretty sure mom got tired of the fights we always had.


    ¡°So, next time you go feeling important, do well to remember all I just told you,¡± Jason continued. ¡°Just to recap them. You¡¯re worthless, useless, pathetic and unwanted, Amelia. Always remember that. No one cares for you and no one ever will, especially now they¡¯ve seen your true colors. You¡¯re nothing but a slut. A hypocritical one at that.¡±


    ¡°Please, stop,¡± I whispered, tears already streaming down my cheeks. ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°Why, midget?¡± Jason sneered. ¡°Can¡¯t ept the fact that I¡¯m right? That your daddy and mommy left you because they couldn¡¯t stand you? That your parents are murderers who snatched my mom from me?¡±


    Shutting my eyes tight, I tried to block out his words.


    ¡°Go away. Go away. Go away,¡± I muttered over and over, my hands pressing hard against my ears.


    ¡°That¡¯ll teach you,¡± I heard Jason say, as he stepped back from me.


    ¡°Lower your hands,¡± he ordered.


    For a minute, I did nothing of that sort, still shaken by his words, until he yelled, ¡°I said, lower your fucking hands!¡±


    A yelp escaping my lips, I did as he said.


    ¡°Now wipe your tears,¡± he said.


    Slowly, I wiped away the tears on my face.


    ¡°Look at me.¡±


    I did as he said.


    ¡°Good. Now that stupid move you pulled yesterday should never ever repeat itself again. Is that clear?¡±


    I nodded, his words still echoing in my head.


    I was worthless. Useless and dumb. And it was true. I really was all that and more. Or else I wouldn¡¯t have fallen so easily for Jason¡¯s prank.


    ¡°And you continue to do my homework everyday after school in the library, starting from when I resume practice. Speaking of practice, that apology letter, you¡¯re gonna write yourself.¡±


    On hearing hisst statement, I looked at him.


    ¡°Yeah, you heard me. You¡¯re going to write my apology letter and hand it to me by Thursday for proofreading. You got that?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. My mind was cold and numb.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you did. Oh, that¡¯s right, you do know there¡¯s a testing up tomorrow. Physics, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Chemistry,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Yeah, Chemistry. And what are you supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°Read for both of us.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°I¡¯m d you remember all these. It¡¯d have cost you extra if I had to start listing them off once again. But there is one more added to the list. Stay the fuck away from Adrian. Give him negative vibes so heys off. Did you get that, Amelia?¡±


    I nodded, my eyes cast to my old shoes.


    ¡°Do I have to list them off for you again?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°Good.¡± He tossed something at me. It hit my chest and fell at my feet.


    Stooping, I picked it up. It was his homework.


    ¡°Bring that in first thing tomorrow morning. If I have to remind you, it won¡¯t be an easy reminder.¡±


    He stepped to the side then, leaning the path to the door open. ¡°Believing you¡¯ve heard all I said, you can get out. Leave.¡±


    Holding his homework in my hand, my self esteem sitting alone in a dark corner, I trudged past him over to the door, grabbed its handle, twisted and pulled. Then I stepped out, back into the outside world full of people that didn¡¯t give a damn if I lived or died.

 Bad day, I guess

    Jason Davenport


    ¡°Dear Amelia. An apology letter written on behalf of my offenses. Please ept my sincere apologies for the scandal created in your name, solely caused by me. I eptplete responsibility for my actions and shorings and the inconveniences it has caused you by far. I am truly sorry for them andpletely understand your disappointment in me.


    ¡°I cannot defend my actions, and if I could reverse them, I would, but I can not. However, I can personally assure you that no such mistake would be made in my name again. Once again, please ept my sincerest apologies. Sincerely, Jason Davenport.¡±


    At thest word, I heaved a ¡°remorseful¡± sigh and looked up with hope in my eyes, folding the letter in my hands. The crowd of students was in a mild disarray from the letter I¡¯d just read, clearly the ones doing the forgiving for Amelia, who on the other hand, sat at a corner of the bleachers, somewhat isted from the others, her head hung low and her hands folded on herp.


    My words from Tuesday still had an effect on her. Seeing that alone brought a queer satisfaction to me. At least now I was assured that next time, she wouldn¡¯t go messing around.


    The moment I made to look away from her, she raised her head, slowly, and her gaze fell on me. There were tears in her eyes, a few having gone down her cheeks already.


    ¡°You did an excellent job on the letter,¡± I mouthed with a smile before looking away from her and descending the podium.


    I walked over to Coach Hens sitting at a corner with principal Jenkins and handed him the letter. Then I handed its duplicate to principal Jenkins.


    ¡°I hope what you did never repeats itself again,¡± Coach Hens said sternly as he took the letter from me.


    ¡°If it does, you will lose your football schrship, so be very careful Jason,¡± principal Jenkins added.


    ¡°I understand,¡± I nodded somberly.


    I didn¡¯t need a schrship. My dad could pay for it. But I had one already anyway and losing it was the least thing on my mind, especially if I was losing it because of Amelia.


    Speaking of which, I was really impressed by the apology letter she¡¯d given to me after school yesterday. So heartfelt. Touchy. Just the right amount of pity-inducing words. Apparently, she¡¯d done her homework well. Yeah, there were a few ces she needed to adjust, but in general, the letter was great.


    I looked over at her once more. Her friend, I guess, the one that¡¯d also stood up to me in the field, was beside her, his arm around her while she wiped her face.


    Rolling my eyes, I looked away. She was such a crybaby. Crybabies pissed me off real bad. But then again, what else could she do but cry. After all, that was the only thing weaklings were good at.


    ¡ã¡ã¡ã¡ã


    ¡°Today feels like a great day, don¡¯t you think so, people?¡± Mrs Sandra, our Biology teacher remarked, her brown eyes roving around the ss, with a smile on her lips. ¡°I mean, Friday always feels like a great day, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    The reply from the members of the ss didn¡¯t exactly reflect her odd enthusiasm. Matter of fact, everyone seemed bored, some slouched over their desks, others reclining into the chairs, arms crossed. I fell into thetter category while Amelia, who I had Biology with every Friday, fell into none.


    She sat at the front, just beside the window, which I found a great distraction seeing as almost every minute she was looking out through it, like she was doing now. But then, what did I care? As long as she aced her grades and mine, she might as well learn from the outside of the ssroom for all I cared.


    ¡°Well, if it doesn¡¯t feel like one to you, it does so to me,¡± Mrs Sandra smiled. ¡°Which is why, today, I¡¯ll be pairing each and everyone of you with someone for the uing Biology project, which, of course, you¡¯ll be told about at the end of the ss.¡±


    At this particr statement, the ss let   out a loud groan of disagreement.


    ¡°But we¡¯ve already had like two projects  now,¡± someone from the ss said.


    ¡°Which is why you¡¯re seniors, Aliyah. More projects will keep rolling in in order to prepare you for the bigger picture ahead. College. So quit whining and prep yourselves to receive your partners.¡±


    I cast a nce toward Amelia, just to see her reaction. She seemed unfazed. Inattentive even, still staring out the window. If that girl fails one darned test because of herck of attention, I swear she¡¯s gonna leave that seat.


    Just so I don¡¯t get upset, I looked away from her.


    ¡°Now, here¡¯s how we¡¯ll do this pairing,¡± Mrs Sandra continued, walking back to her table. She picked up a sheet before turning back to the ss and leaning against her desk.


    ¡°I call your name and youe up here and pick out a female name from the, well, ballot papers on the table, as you can see. This sheet I¡¯m holding now bears only male names, as I¡¯m trying to make this a mixed pairing. Luckily, you all happen to have partners of the opposite gender. No one is left out, so do not fret.¡±


    Still, the ss fretted. No one was interested in doing any project-me most of all-, or in being put in any such pairs.


    ¡°Mind you, no amount of wailing can reverse your being paired,¡± Mrs Sandra waved and then looked back at the sheet in her hands. ¡°Here we go. The first one of you is, in no special order, Aaron Mcdonald.¡±


    A ginger haired guy at the middle row stood up and trudged over to Mrs Sandra¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Pick a paper.¡± Mrs Sandra told him.


    He picked up a folded paper amongst the rest and turned to the ss.


    Unfolding it, he looked up from his hand and said, ¡°Yvonne Mayweather.¡±


    The ss let out a whoop and a cheer, as if the two of them were bing a couple or something.


    ¡°Great!¡± Mrs Sandra smiled, writing down Yvonne¡¯s name beside his.


    ¡°Next, Grant Edwards,¡± she called.


    Grant was dark haired and a member of thecrosse team. That much I knew about him. He stood up from his seat in the second row and walked over to the front of the ss.


    Picking up a paper, he unfolded it, hesitated for a moment before looking up. ¡°Uh, Tracy Anton?¡±


    I almostughed at his expression. He clearly didn¡¯t know who he was being paired with. Tracy might as well be a ghost for all he knew.


    ¡°That¡¯s me!¡± A girl with dark hair like his raised her hand at the back of the ss.


    ¡°Oh,¡± he said, then raised his hand in a thumbs up, dropping the paper back onto the desk.


    ¡°Going forward,¡± Mrs Sandra continued. ¡°Jason Davenport.¡±


    I blinked, having been taken by surprise. Too soon?


    Slowly, I stood up and walked to the front of the ss.


    ¡°Pick a paper.¡± Mrs Sandra smiled at me.


    Looking away from her, I scanned the group of folded papers for a second then reached forward and picked up one from the middle.


    I turned back to the ss and began unfolding it until I¡¯dpletely done so.


    At the name on the paper, a smile stretched across my lips. Well, what did we have here?


    ¡°Well?¡± Mrs Sandra asked.


    I looked up from the letter then, my eyes on the ss.


    With a smile, a rather satisfied one, I said, ¡°Amelia Forbes.¡±


    The ss erupted in an outburst of cheers, whoops and asional ¡®aw¡¯s¡¯.


    Only when I called her name did Amelia look away from the window, her eyes wide, mouth hung open.


    Ah, the desired reaction.


    Turning back, I dropped the paper on Mrs Sandra¡¯s desk and walked back to my seat. Then I looked at Amelia. She was still staring at the now empty space in which I once stood, apparently still in shock.


    I chuckled. I guess we were just meant to be together. There was no avoiding me, and vice versa. Either way, I was d. Now I didn¡¯t have to do anything at all. All that was left to do was wait for the project and then watch Amelia do all the work.


    Perfect.


    ¡ã¡ã¡ã¡ã


    ¡°Don¡¯t you find it such a coincidence that you got paired with Amelia today for the Biology project?¡± Noah, who I also had Biology with,mented, picking out a fry from Kelly¡¯s full tray beside his.


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Kimberly, who happened to be eating with us today, started from Noah to me and back to Noah. ¡°You got paired with Amelia?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± I muttered, taking up my apple and leaning back into my seat before having a bite.


    ¡°I mean it¡¯s weird,¡± I shrugged, swallowing the bite in my mouth. ¡°There was no cheating, all the papers were neatly folded. And Mrs Sandra hadn¡¯t assigned partners. We had to choose our partners, and I picked up a paper from the rest and it turned out to be  her.¡±


    ¡°Bummer,¡± Kimberly said.


    ¡°Nah, not really. At least I don¡¯t get to do any of the work.¡±


    ¡°Speak of the devil,¡± Frank, another one of my friends muttered, looking straight ahead. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Amelia? Coming up to us?¡±


    I looked up from the apple in my hand, my gaze following Frank¡¯s line of sight to fall on Amelia walking up to us, like he said, her head up but eyes red rimmed.


    Had she been crying? I scoffed. So what if she¡¯d been? It wasn¡¯t like I gave a damn.


    Finally, she got to our table, lowering her eyes on approaching us.


    ¡°Well, look who¡¯s here,¡± Kimberly piped up. ¡°Just in time. Care to join us in our conversation, Amelia?¡±


    Ignoring Kimberly¡¯sment, she looked up then, g?ey eyes falling on me.


    ¡°Can youe with me?¡± She asked in a low voice.


    I cocked an eyebrow. ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Frank chuckled. ¡°Another makeout sesh.¡±


    ¡°Please, Jason. Come with me. Mrs Sandra wants to see you,¡± Amelia said.


    ¡°And what if I decline?¡± I crossed my arms.


    ¡°She said to bring you now.¡±


    ¡°Just go, man,¡± Noah nudged me. ¡°It¡¯s a teacher.¡±


    Sighing, I dropped my apple on the table and stood up.


    I was going to go anyway. I was just pulling Amelia¡¯s legs.


    Turning away from the table, she began walking away, her steps somewhere in the middle of quick and slow.


    ¡°Walk faster or get out of my way,¡± I told her. ¡°Quit acting like your grandma died or something.¡±


    At my words, her steps quickened until we walked out of the cafeteria. It might be good to mention here the awkward stares we¡¯d received as we walked past the rows of tables cramped with hungry students.


    The moment we stepped out of the cafeteria, Amelia stopped abruptly, so I almost bumped into her, and turned to face me.


    ¡°I have a favor to ask,¡± she said, staring up at me.


    My eyebrows shot up. ¡°You have to be kidding me,¡± I scoffed.


    ¡°Please, Jason.¡± She reached out and ced her hand on my right bicep.


    At that, my eyebrows bunched together, eyes lowering to her hand on my arm.


    ¡°Please,¡± she repeated.


    ¡°Can you not touch me?¡± I stared at her.


    As if realizing what she¡¯d just done, she took her hand off my arm at once as though my arm was burning coal.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She looked away from me.


    Crossing my arms, I fixed my gaze on her. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    She looked back at me then. ¡°When Mrs Sandra asks if you want to be my partner, please say no.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I raised my eyebrows, a smile spreading across. ¡°Is that what this is about? Youined about me being your partner.¡±


    ¡°I had to,¡± she said. ¡°Just, please, do what I asked. Please.¡±


    ¡°Not like I want to be your partner either,¡± I said. ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡°For real?¡± She stared at me, a new light in her eyes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with,¡± I muttered, turning away from her just in time to hide the smirk that spread across my lips.


    No way in hell was I agreeing to that. Amelia would be stupid to think I¡¯d agree to that.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Eventually, we got to Mrs Sandra¡¯s ss and met her sitting at her table, her reading sses on.


    ¡°Ah, Jason,¡± she beamed, taking off her sses.


    ¡°Mrs Sandra,¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Amelia brought aint to me that she doesn¡¯t want to be partners with you. That, matter of fact, you both don¡¯t want to be partners. Is that the same way you feel, Jason?¡±


    I frowned. ¡°No. No, Mrs Sandra.  Actually I really like Amelia as a partner and want to be partners with her.¡±


    Amelia gasped. ¡°Jason, no, stop it, please.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure, Jason?¡± Mrs Sandra stared at me. ¡°Because that¡¯s not the way Amelia made it seem.¡±


    ¡°A hundred percent, Mrs Sandra.¡± I told her.


    Mrs Sandra then looked at Amelia, who had a broken, hurtful expression on her face.


    ¡°Then why did you tell me all that, Amelia?¡±


    Without a word, Amelia turned away from Mrs Sandra and fled from the ssroom, hitting my shoulder as she went.


    Mrs Sandra¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°What in the world is wrong with her?¡±


    ¡°I dunno,¡± I shrugged with a smile. ¡°Bad day, I guess.¡±

 You suck

    Amelia Forbes


    182 days left, I reminded myself, simultaneously trying to calm my breathing. Realizing I was griping at my newly changed bedsheets, I slowly released my fingers.


    I wiped the furious tears that had started to form in my eyes, watching a single tear fall and sink gracefully on the fresh sheets.


    ¡°Why do I keep falling for Jason¡¯s pranks?¡± I queried myself aloud.


    By now I should be used to this. To everything. Used to him pulling my legs and making fun of me, used to hearing how worthless I truly was.


    Then why?


    Why do I keep believing every darn word thates out of his mouth? Was I really that stupid to think that he would tell Mrs Sandra he didn¡¯t want to be partnered with me?


    Of course he wouldn¡¯t.


    It was a great opportunity for him to keep making my life a living hell-not that he wasn¡¯t doing that already-so why not?


    Right?


    I guess I really was stupid like he always said.


    Swallowing with difficulty, I trudged down the stairs and into the kitchen to meet Nana sitting at her usual knitting spot.


    She looked up as I walked in, her white eyebrows puckered in a frown. She dropped the cardigan she was knitting and observed me.


    Gesturing in signnguage she asked, what¡¯s wrong?


    I cocked an eyebrow in surprise.


    How could she tell?


    Yes I can tell, silly, she said smiling. You¡¯re my baby girl.


    Smiling again, she asked. Now what¡¯s wrong?


    Defeatedly, I slumped into one of the kitchen chairs and buried my head in my hands.


    I was paired with Jason for a Biology project, I signed.


    Thinking about it brought a fresh wave of subdued pain.


    My n from the very beginning was to focus on my studies and pass good enough to get a schrship. How would that work when I was partnered with Jason Shitface Asshat Davenport.


    Nana frowned. Him again? Can¡¯t you request for a different partner, maybe put in aint


    My head shot up in rm. That was literally begging for it. It would be a disaster.


    I signed quickly, No Nana, I can¡¯t do that. I tried, desperately trying to wave her attention away from the idea.


    Thest thing I needed right now was another episode with Jason.


    Seeing she wasn¡¯t convinced I tried again. It¡¯s no big deal, just a tad annoying. I¡¯ll deal with it don¡¯t worry.


    Smiling for effect, I walked up to her squeezing her in a tight hug. Rx, Nana, it¡¯s fine.


    Promise me you¡¯ll be okay, she signed, doubt still lurking in her eyes.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I nodded.


    Sumbing, she returned my hug, patting my back lightly.


    Forcing a smile I asked, So. . . what¡¯s for dinner?


    Her features rxed as she smiled. It¡¯s a surprise.


    Iughed lightly. I¡¯m prepared to be wowed, I signed as I walked up the stairs back to my room.


    I ignored the lump in my throat and repeated my mantra in my head. You¡¯re okay. You¡¯re. . . just fine. You¡¯re doing great.


    All I had to do was get through the project and count down the days. Seeing as I would be doing all the work-obviously, the great Jason Davenport would never lift a finger to help-I would make sure to round up as soon as possible and get it over with.


    Just 182 days left.


    Jason Davenport


    I took a long hard drag at my cigarette as I sat in therge beanbag chair right beside the window in my room-to ward off the smoke in case dad got home from work early-watching dad¡¯s gold digging third wife strike pose after pose as her personal photographer took shots of her bathed in the sun.


    I hissed in contempt as she shouted orders from the reclining chair shey in, pausing asionally to apply some more oil to her skin.


    Fake bitch.


    If dad wasn¡¯t so fucking blind he¡¯d see that his beloved Ashley was nothing but a whore out to get his money.


    I was starting to get pissed now. If only mom was alive. . .


    Taking a sharp drag of my cigarette I raked my fingers through my hair. Everything always boiled down to Amanda fucking Forbes. Everything was her fault.


    My frown deepened, hate coursing through me.


    Hissing, I flung the remaining of the stubbed cigarette out the window and plunked down heavily on my bed.


    As I whipped out my phone-nning to call Adrian over for a video game-I noticed two notifications; one from Kimberly and another from. . . Amelia?


    What the fuck was she texting me for? So she¡¯s bold enough to text me now?


    I hissed. Guess I¡¯ll have to correct that impression. Can¡¯t have her feeling bold enough to do that now can we?


    Not bothering to go through it, I tapped on Kim¡¯s message instead.


    A sharp breath escaped my lips.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    A short video of Kimberly in nothing but a sexy red G-string, twerking her thick well-oiled ass, cheeks pping against each other, increasing the tempo from fast to slow.


    My lips fell open, stimted by the pping that sounded like two people fucking. asionally she would slide a finger in her clit, moaning deliciously every time she touched the right spot.


    Unintentionally I let out a moan, feeling my already hard cock struggling to break free from my pants.


    Scrolling, I paused as the next video came into view.


    Her round nipple stood hard, firm and red and she pped her boobs repeatedly, teasing, squeezing, jerking.


    My cock throbbed, pushing harder against the thick fabric.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    I dialed her number. She picked on the first ring.


    ¡°Did you like my little. . . gift?¡± She breathed from the phone.


    My breathing was ragged. ¡°Be here in 10 minutes.¡±


    ¡°On my way.¡±


    Some minutester she walked in. I scanned her slowly. She was dressed in a pink jumpsuit, so thin her taut nipples looked like they would pierce through them.


    ¡°So?¡± She asked seductively.


    I smirked. ¡°You look alright.¡±


    ¡°Alright?¡± She raised an eyebrow, rolling her eyes.


    I shrugged, not letting her see the effect that jumpsuit was having on me.


    I grabbed her butt, squeezing it a little. ¡°Clothes off, Kim,¡± I said huskily.


    She rolled her eyes again, unzipping the jumpsuit from the front and letting her boobs fall free.


    She smirked, falling to the bed and propping her knees in her favourite position.


    I grinned, pping her butt and leaning in to kiss her. ¡°You just know how to satisfy me don¡¯t you?¡±


    Without waiting for a reply I savagely tore my shirt off while Kimberly fumbled with my zipper.


    I moaned in pleasure as she grabbed my pulsating cock and thrust it between her lips. As she made a fist round it and began to stroke, my bedroom door burst open.


    Kimberly let out a yelp and tried to cover herself up as Dad walked in bristling mad.


    ¡°What the hell is going on here, boy!¡± His strong voice echoed through the room.


    I quickly zipped up my jeans.


    ¡°Dad I can-¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth and answer the question!¡±


    Shooting Kimberly a death re he fired, ¡°Grab everything that belongs to you this instant and get the hell out of my house!¡±


    Dad¡¯s hand trembled in anger and he returned his attention to me. ¡°I can see that you think that you¡¯re some sort of big shot now. You think you can misbehave and do whatever the hell you feel like?¡± His nose red in rage.


    ¡°Not in this house, boy!¡±


    ¡°Dad she¡¯s here because we have homework together-¡±


    ¡°Homework?¡± Like thest time?!¡± He boomed. ¡°Yes I saw you two thest time. Homework my foot!¡±


    Turning to Kimberly he said, ¡°What are you still doing here?¡±


    Kimberly shot me a bitter look before grabbing her purse and speeding out the door.


    ¡°And if I ever, ever, see you here again, I¡¯ll break both your legs!¡±


    ¡°And as for you,¡± He turned to me. ¡°I¡¯m cutting off your allowance for 6 months. No phone, noputer, no video games-¡±


    My eyebrows shot up in disbelief.


    ¡°Dad-¡±


    ¡°-if you need to make a call you can use thendline. I¡¯m seizing your car and all your gadgets and cutting off all your activities-¡±


    Angry now, I screamed, ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡±


    ¡°-except ser. And that¡¯s final!


    With that he spun round and walked out, banging the door loudly.


    I cursed loudly. What was I supposed to do grounded? I¡¯d lose my fucking mind.


    Groaning in frustration, I knocked down the ss vase on my bedside table and buried my head in my pillow.

 Why mad?

    Jason Davenport


    I woke up angry. Reaching for my phone to see what time I was, I remembered I didn¡¯t have one anymore.


    Just great.


    Dad had finally found a way to take my life away from me. Maybe now he¡¯d have the chance to enjoy life with his fucking underage mistress.


    I¡¯m sure Ashley would love that.


    A knock interrupted my thoughts, irritating me further.


    ¡°Who the fuck is that?¡± I barked.


    One of the many servants who worked for us walked briskly inside, leaving the door half closed.


    ¡°Mr Davenport demands that youe down for dinner.¡± He said curtly.


    ¡°Tell him to go fuck himself,¡± I snarled.


    He made no sign to show he heard me. Instead he only said, ¡°Mr Davenport insists.¡±


    I¡¯ve never wanted so desperately to smash someone¡¯s head against the wall-well, except Amelia-as I did at that moment.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I contemted on punching him, maybe take out some teeth, as I clenched my fists. But I knew there would be consequences.


    ¡°Get out,¡± I barked.


    After a moment I added gruffly, ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a moment.¡±


    The servant gave a short stiff bow and walked out the door.


    Going towards my closet, I grabbed the first shirt my fingers touched and pulled it on. I raked a finger through my messy hair.


    Not like I give a fuck if I look presentable or not.


    Trudging down the stairs and into the dining room, the scent of potatoes and fried chicken wafted in the air, making my stomach rumble.


    I hadn¡¯t realized I was hungry.


    The sight of Dad and Ashley exchanging mouth fluids in a heated kiss nearly made me lose my appetite.


    I coughed loudly and plopped down on the nearest chair.


    Dad looked up, face flushed. ¡°Ah, Jason, you¡¯re here. We can start dinner now.¡±


    Scoffing, I grabbed a drumstick and bit generously into it.


    No way was I talking to him after that shit that happened. If he thought we were cool then he had another thinging.


    ¡°Hi, Jace,¡± Ashley piped up. The sound of her obviously fake ent was enough to tick me off.


    ¡°For thest time, it¡¯s Jason,¡± I said angrily.


    ¡°Jason, don¡¯t start,¡± Dadmanded.


    Biting down hard on my lips to keep myself from retorting, I concentrated on my pudding instead.


    After a few moments of silence, with only the annoying sound of spoons hitting against tes, Dad spoke again.


    ¡°So. . . Jason, your mother came to speak to me on your behalf regarding the ruckus you caused this afternoon,¡± He said, biting into a piece of celery. Pausing, he looked at his wife. ¡°Ashley?¡±


    I tried not to scowl at him using the word ¡®mother¡¯.


    Ashley wiped her lips with a napkin and put on one of her stic smiles.


    ¡°Yes, Jace. I must say I¡¯m truly disappointed in you-¡±


    ¡°Am I supposed to give a fuck about that?¡± I cut in.


    I was starting to get pissed. Who the fuck did this bitch think she was acting like my mother.


    She frowned, ncing at Dad. ¡°Babe I¡¯m trying to be supportive here aren¡¯t I?¡± She pouted.


    Disgust ran through me.


    ¡°Can you drop the act, Ashley?¡± I said, pissed.


    ¡°Jason!¡± Dad warned.


    ¡°But dad, can¡¯t you see-¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth, boy!¡± He bristled.


    ¡°Now. You will sit quietly, finish your dinner and treat your mother with the respect she well deserves.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s. Not. My. Mom.¡± I spoke through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Is that clear?¡±


    I exhaled furiously for a few moments. Seeing Ashley smile through the corner of my eye didn¡¯t help either.


    ¡°Yes dad.¡± I said bitterly.


    Dad smiled and reached for Ashley¡¯s hand across the table. ¡°Baby, you were saying?¡±


    I almost gagged at the pet name.


    ¡°As I was saying,¡± Ashley continued, smiling brightly.


    ¡°I am disappointed in you Jace. I expected better.¡±


    If she wasn¡¯t dad¡¯s wife I would¡¯ve smacked her across the face. Instead I stuffed more chicken in my mouth.


    ¡°But. . .¡± She continued, ¡°I think the punishment is a little bit severe. So. . . I convinced your dad to let you have your phone back at least.¡±


    I huffed, acting like I wasn¡¯t interested. Getting my phone back would be a huge relief.


    I looked at Dad without saying a word.


    ¡°Yes,¡± He confirmed.


    I managed to mutter a ¡®thanks¡¯ in reply.


    ¡°Good. Now finish your dinner,¡± Dad said and plunged into an animated convo with Ashley.


    I held back a scowl and stabbed my fork into my potato sd.


    Amelia Forbes


    My mind wandered as I scrolled through Instagram. It had been hours since I¡¯d texted Jason, asking when he was free to start the project.


    I was hellbent on plunging quickly into the project. I had even started the work already-not like that would be a problem, because I would be doing all the work already.


    Did he really have to make everything hard for me? What¡¯s the big deal in replying a text?


    Gulping, I tried to stop thinking of the very obvious fact that I was in trouble.


    I wasn¡¯t supposed to contact him unless he contacted me. He¡¯d probably think I was feeling spiteful all of a sudden.


    But what was I supposed to do? It¡¯s not like he was going to reach out. I mean, God forbid the untouchable Jason sends me a text.


    I sighed.


    With Jason Shitface Asshat Davenport you could never win.


    Sighing again, I continued scrolling through my phone. I stopped as I came across a photo of Kimberly in a matching red bikini, uploaded hours ago.


    My eyes widened and I almost dropped my phone.


    The bikini was. . . well, revealing, to say the least.


    And as much as I wanted to slut shame her, I desisted from such.


    But I couldn¡¯t deny the fact that she was gorgeous; from her tiny waist down to her bellybutton, which was adorned by a tiny piece of jewelry.


    Ugh. Weren¡¯t those painful to get?


    Taking my mind away from Kimberly¡¯s piercing I scrolled down to see the reactions to the post.


    There were likes and worshipfulments from a bunch of our ssmates.


    I rolled my eyes.


    A like from Jason.


    Duh. No surprise there.


    And one from. . . Adrian?


    I felt something stab into my chest.


    He didn¡¯tment, he just liked the post.


    But why did it hurt so much?


    Adrian was sweet and kind and easygoing-the only person at school that seemed to really care. Perfect guys like that shouldn¡¯t like posts of girls like Kimberly.


    Wait, what? Did I just call him perfect?


    Where did thate from?


    Groaning, I shook my head hard. As if that would take the image of Adrian¡¯s very nice ass out of my head.


    ¡°Oh God, Mel. Take a chill pill,¡± I pped my forehead.


    Scrolling back up to Kimberly¡¯s photo-I almost felt like she could see right through me,ughing at me, nning a stupid new prank to y on me-her stare pierced through me, and I wished with all my heart that she would forget about my existence and stop trying to make my life hell, every single time.


    I scoffed. Like that would ever happen. It was probably the best part of her day.


    Sighing, I exited the Instagram app just as a notification from Jason popped up.

 F**king midget!

    Jason Davenport


    Iy on my bed feeling full, and grateful that I had my phone back.


    That bitch Ashley had been useful for once. That doesn¡¯t mean we were buddies now.


    I scoffed.


    If this was her way of trying to get me to warm up to her, then she was in for a hell of a surprise.


    Dad was obviously whipped. He was so wrong if he thought any of these sleazy women he kept tying the knot with were ever, ever going to be good enough to rece Mom.


    And now he obviously believed Ashley was doing well as a sweet, considerate mother.


    Bullshit.


    He had decided that he was going to be blind to the whore¡¯s tactics.


    Hissing, I swiped my hand over my hair.


    It would eventually bite him in the ass, I decided.


    Whipping out my phone from my jeans pocket, I tapped on the Instagram app and went straight to my dms.


    Messages from a bunch of people asking if I was down to hang out.


    I hissed. Well, I can¡¯t now can I?


    Thanks Dad.


    Angrily, I scrolled down quicker until a dm from Amelia came into view.


    Of course. I¡¯d forgotten that the bitch had the guts to message me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach her to message me,¡± I said aloud as I tapped on the chat.


    ¡®When will you be avable to start working on the project?¡¯ That¡¯s what the message said.


    I frowned.


    Stupid nerd. Of course she couldn¡¯t wait to start working. That¡¯s all she knew, after all.


    ¡®I know you didn¡¯t just message me, bitch¡¯, I typed and pressed send.


    I frowned after a few minutes had passed and she still hadn¡¯t responded.


    I could see she was online, so why wasn¡¯t she replying.


    Oh, this bitch was gonna get it tomorrow, I thought, shaking my head.


    So she was brave enough now to message me and still replyte to my messages?


    Angrily, I shook my head, about to exit the app, when I received a new message from her.


    ¡®It was the only way to reach you,¡¯ she replied.


    I hissed.


    ¡®I can see you¡¯re feeling all important now, midget,¡¯ I typed.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Jason, but I didn¡¯t know how else to reach you,¡¯ she responded.


    ¡®Shut your fucking mouth, bitch.¡¯


    I was getting pissed now.


    ¡®Meet me in the library after school tomorrow,¡¯ I said.


    ¡®Ok,¡¯ She replied simply.


    Scowling, I exited her DM and searched for Adrian¡¯s DM. Finding it, I texted, ¡®Issues came up with dad. Wanna hang out after school tomorrow?¡¯


    After a few minutes he replied, ¡®But we don¡¯t have practice tomorrow.¡¯


    I rolled my eyes.


    ¡®Yes I¡¯ll tell dad we do so we can hang out,¡¯ I replied.


    ¡®Sure.¡¯


    As soon as he replied, the green dot that showed he was online disappeared.


    I raked my fingers through my hair. The following months were going to be the worst in my entire life.


    A notification popped up, showing that Amelia had sent a new message.


    Wow, this bitch was really on a roll today wasn¡¯t she? What the fuck did she want now, I wondered.


    Amelia Forbes


    My palms were sweaty as I dared to send Jason another message.


    It had caught me a little by surprise when he replied my first message. I hadn¡¯t expected him to.


    In surprise, I had hesitated for some minutes before replying the message.


    As usual, he had started the ¡®conversation¡¯ with an insult and ordered me to meet him in the library tomorrow.


    I knew I was in trouble, and that texting him again would only put make my punishment worse. But he hadn¡¯t answered me properly yet.


    I needed to know where we would be meeting for the project so I could fix my ns and schedule properly.


    If he decided he didn¡¯t feel like it, and ordered me toplete the project on my own, that would even be better.


    I would concentrate and finish the project before the week runs out, and everything would be just fine.


    I silently prayed everything would work out.


    Hands trembling, I typed, ¡®When and where do we start the project?¡¯


    I read it again, hoping it sounded polite, then pressed send.


    My heart skipped a beat as it showed that he had read the message.


    I knew it¡¯d be hell at school tomorrow but I just wanted to get it over with.


    ¡®At my house, of course. You¡¯re being extra dumb today, bitch,¡¯ He replied.


    The pain I felt from the insult was dulled by the sudden rm I felt.


    His house?


    No way.


    Jason already had a pure burning hatred for me. He could poison me for all I knew.


    Not like anyone would notice I was gone though.


    I mentally cursed, wondering why I had to be paired with Jason of all people?


    Shaking my head, I replied, ¡®I was thinking school instead. . . maybe the library?¡¯


    Knowing he would see me giving a suggestion as a bold move, I tugged on the end of my shirt and awaited his reply.


    Jason Davenport


    I cocked an eyebrow as I read Amelia¡¯s message.


    ¡®Why would I want to stay in school for two hours extra except for practice,¡¯ I typed.


    I could tell she was struggling to text back, trying to beat the fear.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    I can¡¯t have that now. She was supposed to fear me.


    Fear me to the extent that she wouldn¡¯t speak unless I told her to.


    But here she was, literally having a conversation with me.


    I cracked my knuckles.


    I guess I¡¯ll have to beat this new-found boldness out of her then.


    ¡®Well, it¡¯s for the project. We can¡¯t do my house so I think meeting at amon spot is better, hence the library suggestion.¡¯


    As I read her reply, I felt rage bubbling through me.


    Was she being sassy?


    Hell no.


    I decided yet again to let it slide.


    I typed, ¡®And I said no. My house.¡¯


    She left my message on read for a few minutes so I added, ¡®And why the fuck do you think I¡¯d want to go to a house that¡¯s probably cramped and stuffy that smells of dead parents, a klutz and a deaf granny?¡¯


    I could see that she had read the message.


    After a few minutes, the green dot disappeared, and I knew she had gone offline. Probably to cry. That¡¯s all she knew how to do.


    Smirking, I exited the app and put my phone down.


    ¡°Poor Mel,¡± Iughed aloud. ¡°Where did all the guts go now?¡±


    Fucking midget.

 When yoou have good friends

    Amelia Forbes


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel really jumpy at school today. I ducked at the sight of every six feet male figure, feeling incredibly foolish when I realized it wasn¡¯t Jason.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Okay. It wasn¡¯t my fault. He had literally threatened mest night so. . .


    I checked my timetable. We only had once ss together today.


    Not that it would prevent the threats from happening. But it¡¯d be nice to not have to see him tillter.


    A tall, sandy haired figure came into view and I let out a small yelp and attempted to hide my head in my locker.


    After a few uneventful moments, I carefully inched my head out just in time to see the sandy haired guy-who was definitely shorter than Jason and had a pair of sses on-give me a strange wondering look as he walked past.


    I restrained from pping my forehead as that would only make me look worse, and confirm the fact that I had gone nuts.


    Instead, I grabbed my books and fled to find an empty space to hide.


    Yes, I¡¯m scared of Jason.


    It was hard not to be.


    I had gotten to the base of the staircase leading to the back of the school when someone grabbed my arm from behind.


    I let out a small scream and struggled to break free.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey. Rx, Mel,¡± I heard someone say from behind me. I looked up to see Benson. ¡°It¡¯s just me.¡±


    I have never felt such relief as I did in that moment.


    I almost wanted to hug him for not being Jason. But well, that didn¡¯t. . . make any sense.


    Slowly, I began to rx and willed my heart rate to return back to normal.


    Benson features contorted in to a frown as he watched me carefully, eyes narrowed.


    I tried to fix my expression so he wouldn¡¯t suspect it had anything to do with Jason.


    ¡°What is up with you, Mel?¡± He asked, still studying me.


    I tried toe up with some reasonable exnation that wouldn¡¯t give me away.


    ¡°Well, I, um, I feel a little, um, sick. . .?¡±


    He red at me suspiciously. ¡°Sick? Since when?¡±


    ¡°Well, it was, um, yesterst night, I mean.¡±


    I intertwined my fingers behind me cursing internally.


    I¡¯d never been a good liar. But thest thing I wanted was for Benson to worry about me. Surely, he had more important things to do than worry about a lost cause.


    Benson folded his arms across his chest. ¡°So, being sick makes you jump outta your skin when someone touches you?¡±


    I tried tough.


    ¡°Well, you know me,¡± I said, hoping the giggle sounded believable.


    ¡°Cut the crap, Mel.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°And don¡¯t lie to me this time. Everyone knows you¡¯re terrible at that.¡±


    My shoulders slumped as I gave up. Ben was my best friend. It was no use lying.


    As I recounted the events of the past few days, Benson listened with rapt attention.


    When I told him I was partnered with Jason for the project, his mouth fell open.


    ¡°Oh. My. God. Jason as in Jason Davenport?¡± He asked, his mouth forming an ¡®o¡¯ in surprise.


    ¡°Yep.¡± I confirmed.


    ¡°Woah,¡± He said, looking just as mortified as I felt.


    Suddenly frowning he said, ¡± I¡¯m starting to think this school is out to get you.¡±


    Despite myself Iughed out loud.


    Ben red at me for a few seconds and then joined in.


    And then we spent the next few minutes snickering like idiots.


    I felt a little weight lift off my chest and I realized I missed this.


    I missed theughing, happy me. I missed moments like this with Ben. It felt good to not feel like a burden for once.


    For the first time in a long time tears pooled at the corner of my eye, but this time, they weren¡¯t tears of sadness.


    Benson pulled me into a hug, stillughing.


    ¡°Please be careful, okay?¡± He said. ¡°Just. . . try to stay out of his way as best as you can.¡±


    I nodded vigorously.


    ¡°Thanks, Ben,¡± I muttered, feeling eternally grateful.


    For the first time since he started dating Katie Henshaw, I finally felt like we were on the road to bing best friends again, and that thought made me feel warm and happy inside.


    ¡°Tell you what?¡± Benson said suddenly.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked,ughing. His excitement was contagious.


    ¡°How about Ie over this weekend? Like old times?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± I said. ¡°You can get the snacks. I¡¯ll get the drinks.¡±


    ¡°And. . . maybe I¡¯ll let you beat me in cards,¡± I smirked.


    ¡°Let me beat you?¡± Benson cocked an eyebrow andughed. ¡°In your dreams, Mel,¡± He said in a singsong voice.


    Giving me a pat on the back, he said, ¡°Gotta go, Mel. I have a ss soon.¡±


    I¡¯d almost forgotten I had sses too.


    ¡°Sure okay. See youter.¡±


    I watched as he walked off, the smile never leaving my face.


    For the first time in months, we¡¯d had a conversation and he didn¡¯t bring up Katie.


    I smiled and walked back up the stairs to ss,pletely forgetting about Jason Davenport.

 What right do you have to be happy?

    Jason Davenport


    My eyes narrowed as I saw Amelia emerge from the stairs leading to the back of the school.


    What the fuck?


    She looked. . . happy.


    I hadn¡¯t seen her all day and I was starting to think that she was avoiding me because she was scared-which was good, of course.


    But here she was.


    The bitch was smiling like she just won the fucking lottery.


    Seeing her look so calm and rxed pierced at something in my chest, rage beginning to bubble through me.


    What right did this bitch have to happy?


    It¡¯s her fault that mom isn¡¯t with me today. So what right did she have to look so happy.


    She was destined to be lonely and miserable for the rest of her fucking pathetic life. And I was going to make sure of that.


    Jason Davenport


    My hands formed a fist in pocket as I leaned against a desk in the library. I checked my watch.


    I¡¯d been here for 15 minutes?


    This bitch was making me wait for her. Again. Didn¡¯t she learn her lesson from thest time? I wondered.


    Irritated, I nted my feet-which were initially resting on a desk but quickly brought down whenever the librarian came into view-back on the floor, checking the time again.


    As I looked up from my watch, my gaze fell on Amelia. She looked breathless, as if she had run all the way here, but she still had the rxed air from before.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Not for long now.


    She stared at me without a word, probably waiting for me to say something.


    After a few moments she spoke up, ¡°The music teacher requested me to help with cing the instruments back into ce.¡±


    I regarded her coolly, my jaw beginning to tic.


    She didn¡¯t sound rude. But she didn¡¯t sound scared either.


    What the fuck was going on?


    Fuming, I stood up in a sh, gripping her left arm and dragging her out of the library.


    I saw her flinch in pain at the force I was applying on her arm.


    Good.


    I dragged her down the stairs, heading for the back of the school-the most secluded part of the school.


    Getting there, I mmed her hard against the brick wall, smiling with satisfaction when she shut her eyes tight from the impact, a stream of tears falling from her eyes.


    Not giving her time to recover from that, I grabbed her by the cor, grappling her neck in my fist.


    ¡°What the fuck was that shit you pulled yesterday?¡± I demanded.


    Her fingers rose to her neck tapping weakly against mine.


    Smiling I squeezed tighter.


    ¡°Answer me, damn it!¡± I shouted.


    ¡°Not so brave now, are we?¡± I sneered, keeping my grip on her neck firm.


    ¡°Ple-please. . .¡± She managed to choke out, squirming in my grip.


    I leaned towards her. ¡°Now, listen to me carefully. Don¡¯t you ever, ever, think you¡¯ll ever be anything more than a pathetic, dumb bitch.¡±


    ¡°Remember that next time you start feeling important, like you¡¯re worth something. Because you¡¯re not. And you¡¯ll never be. No matter how hard you try, you¡¯ll always be the girl that everyone pities.¡±


    ¡°You think you have friends?¡± Iughed heartily. ¡°Your dumb friend Benjamin what¡¯s his name? Adrian?¡± Iughed again.


    ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a charity case, Mel.¡± I said with contempt. ¡°Nobody really cares about you. They just feel sorry for you.¡±


    She had stopped struggling now. The glint in her eyes slowly disappeared until it waspletely gone. Her shoulders slumped and her head drooped, teardrops falling in torrents on my hand.


    Good.


    We were back on the same page.


    Slowly, I released her neck, watching her double over to cough painfully and move her hands up to caress her neck.


    I grabbed her roughly and nted her upright on her feet.


    ¡°Do we understand each other?¡± I asked threateningly.


    She cowered at the sound of my voice and mumbled a ¡°yes¡± in reply.


    ¡°Wipe your face,¡± I ordered.


    She slowly ran the edge of her sleeve over her tear stained face, avoiding my gaze the whole time.


    I smirked, satisfied that she¡¯d remembered her ce.


    After a few moments of watching her struggle to stop her tears, a broken expression on her face, I asked, ¡°The project is due to start today right?¡±


    She nodded weakly, avoiding my gaze.


    ¡°Good. You start ours tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°My house,¡± I added.


    She looked up like she was about to protest but lowered her gaze at my cold expression.


    ¡°Okay,¡± She muttered.


    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you.¡±


    She looked up again with a tired fed up expression. ¡°I said, okay.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now get out of my sight.¡±


    She quickly scrambled away from me-desperate to escape-bumping into an approaching Adrian in the process.


    The expression on his face melted into one of concern as he sighted her.


    ¡°Hey Amelia, you okay?¡± He asked, cing a hand on her shoulder to steady her.


    Luckily she wasn¡¯t crying anymore, although her eyes were red rimmed. I immediately shot her a death re. A sign to keep her mouth shut.


    Sniffing a little, she cleared her throat, ¡°Yeah I¡¯m fine. How-how are you?¡± She said faking a smile.


    I rolled my eyes.


    Could this bitch be any more dramatic?


    Adrian narrowed his eyes, a bit confused. ¡°Um, I¡¯m fine too, Mel.¡±


    Annoyed I cut in. ¡°Yo, Adrian, buddy, I¡¯ve been waiting for you. Can we go now?¡±


    Adrian looked from me to the bitch. ¡°Are you sure everything is okay?¡± He looked at her.


    ¡°She said she¡¯s fine Adrian,¡± I told him.


    ¡°I met her like this too and I asked her. She said she¡¯s okay.¡± I added, coating my voice with fake concern.


    Her head shot up immediately. She stared at me, her eyes full of hate.


    I smirked at her, crossing my arms in front of my chest.


    Bitterly, she turned to Adrian. ¡°I have to go now. My grandma will be home soon.¡±


    Adrian looked like he wanted to say more, but instead he just ced a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Take care of yourself, Mel.¡±


    Why did he care so much about this bitch? What was it about her?


    He was always so concerned about the bitch and it pissed me off.


    She nodded and scurried away and out of sight.


    Adrian looked on after she was gone, concern still written clearly on his face.


    Annoyed, I thumped him on the back. ¡°Come on, man. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Yeah sure,¡± He said, snapping out of it. ¡°Video games at my house?¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah,¡± I smiled.


    I hadn¡¯t yed video games in two days and it was killing me.


    I scowled as the thought of being grounded resurfaced.


    Fuck that shit, anyway. I¡¯d enjoy the moment as much as I could then.

 Party, party, party!

    Jason Davenport


    Assorted bottles of alcohol lined up in the center of Adrian¡¯s huge living room as the gang sat in an uneven circle, exchanging thetest juicy gossip and snickering heartily.


    We had all agreed to hang out at Adrian¡¯s today as I¡¯d told them I wouldn¡¯t be avable to do so for a while as I was helping my dad on an important project he was working on.


    No way was I telling them I was grounded.


    That was embarrassing.


    The only person who knew was Adrian of course, although I didn¡¯t tell him why.


    As Greg plunged into a story of the best blowjob he¡¯d ever received- everyoneughing and chipping in at intervals-I noticed that the only odd ones out were Kimberly and Adrian.


    Kimberly sat in the center of arge sofa-Malia and Aneeka on either side of her-joining in the conversation once in a while, but mostly staring daggers at me everytime our eyes met.


    We hadn¡¯t talked since the shit that went down at my house. I pretended not to notice her scowling at me, and instead just joined in the animated conversation.


    ¡°Y¡¯all remember the girl in my geometry ss? The one I told y¡¯all about?¡± Rory was saying.


    Greg¡¯s eyes widened in mischief and he patted Rory¡¯s back, beginning tough.


    Rory¡¯s lips curled into a wicked grin as he said, ¡°Well, we finally fucked.¡±


    There were ¡®whoops¡¯ and ¡®ahhs¡¯ as everyone cheered him on.


    Greg, who was even more excited for some weird reason,ughed long and hard.


    ¡°And that¡¯s not all,¡± Rory continued.


    ¡°There¡¯s more?¡± Malia put in, sarcasm evident in her voice. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what we like to do on a hot Monday afternoon-listen to you gloat about your sexual escapades.¡±


    The girls ¡®ooh¡¯ed¡¯ while Rory only rolled his eyes saying, ¡°Shut up, Malia. The only reason you¡¯re mad is ¡¯cause you never get any action.¡±


    This time it was the guys¡¯ turn to ¡®ooh¡¯.


    ¡°Please Rory,¡± Dani said, rolling her eyes. ¡°We all know Geometry girl was the first you¡¯ve gotten in six months.¡±


    She smirked as everyone started tough, while Rory pulled his tongue out at her, causing even moreughter.


    At that moment Kimberly made eye contact with me.


    Warding it off, I said, ¡°Ok, ok, break it up guys. We¡¯re here to hang out and have fun.¡±


    Scowling, Malia poured herself a shot, and the conversation carried on as usual-everyoneughing at Rory¡¯s stupid antics.


    Everyone except Adrian.


    I cocked an eyebrow as I looked over.


    He was on his phone?


    And sure enough he was. Scrolling through something and looking bored.


    He wasn¡¯t looking in my direction but I red at him.


    He¡¯d been acting weird since he bumped into Amelia at school today.


    He was that worried?


    Was he seriously still feeling sorry for that silly excuse of a girl?


    I didn¡¯t want to bring it up because I knew it¡¯d only end up in an argument, but it still ticked me off.


    Holding back a frown, I resolved to give Amelia a second warning when I saw her. To stay the fuck away from my best friend.


    Looking up, I saw Kimberly ring at me for the one millionth time today.


    Wouldn¡¯t she give it up already? I wondered, getting annoyed.


    Making up my mind, I motioned to her and asked, ¡°Can I talk to you for a minute, Kim?¡±


    She rolled her eyes, but still got up to follow me outside.


    The gang was too deep in conversation to notice us leave.


    Getting outside, Kimberly nted her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes, waiting for me to say something.


    ¡°What the fuck is your problem?¡± I demanded. ¡°Why do you keep staring at me like that?¡±


    She took her hands off her hips and ced them underneath her boobs, pushing them higher up; a motion that made it difficult to keep my gaze on her face and not her very exposed cleavage.


    ¡°Oh, no problem at all,¡± She spat. ¡°Just how big of a pussy you actually are.¡±


    I felt my jaw tic. ¡°What the fuck did you just say?¡±


    How dare she talk to me that way?


    She moved closer, no trace of fear in her eyes. ¡°You heard me.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t try to scare me, Jason,¡± She added. ¡°I¡¯m not your silly Miss Klutz that you can push around like a fucking puppet. Remember that.¡±


    Annoyed, I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°What was I supposed to do then?¡± I asked feeling embarrassed about the whole thing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± She retorted. ¡°You¡¯re the one who invited me over.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    I didn¡¯t know what to say to that so I red at her instead.


    ¡°So I take it that¡¯s the end of our little. . . rendezvous?¡± Sheughed.


    She¡¯s obviously enjoying this.


    ¡°Well, well, no problem for me, anyways,¡± She stated. ¡°I know how and where to get dick whenever, wherever I want.¡±


    Then she moved closer, our lips a breath apart, and ced one small hand on the fly of my jeans, stopping when she located my cock. Then squeezed. Stroking. Teasing.


    I squirmed in shock and pleasure this action taking me by surprise but not unweed.


    She smirked, taking her hand off as soon as she felt my cock began to throb, fully aroused.


    Satisfied, she whispered, ¡°Well it¡¯s your loss.¡±


    Laughing, she winked and fixed me with a look that made me want to take her there and then.


    As if she¡¯d heard my thoughts, she inserted a finger underneath her top and teased her nipple.


    Watching as her nipples went from rxed to taut and pointy, enhanced by the thin material of her shirt, I swallowed, a moan threatening to escape my lips.


    Seeing she¡¯d gotten the desired effect, she took out her finger and straightened her top.


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry though,¡± She continued. ¡°We¡¯re cool.¡±


    Giving me onest wink, she stalked off-deliberately swaying her hips from side to side in a sensual motion-leaving me with a not-so-subtle hard-on.

 Nana Cares

    Amelia Forbes


    My hands shook as I struggled with the lock.


    Nana wasn¡¯t home yet so I had to let myself in with my key.


    Tears brimmed in my eyes, blurring my vision.


    Trying to wipe them away only made me cry even harder.


    Honestly speaking, I felt stupid for crying.


    How could I be so dumb? Why did for one second believe that today was going so well. That nothing would wreck the tiny confidence and happiness I had felt after talking with Ben.


    Jason was right. There really was something wrong with me.


    Finally managing to get the door open, I fled up the stairs and into my room.


    As I plopped down, the small, rickety bed groaned in disapproval. I gave a bitterugh, ¡°Of course, everything in my life is against me.¡± I said aloud, covering my head with a pillow.


    Realizing now that I waspletely exhausted, I felt my eyes begin to droop.


    Just a few minutes of rest, I decided.


    A few minutes, I reminded myself, already feeling my eyes droop a second time as I drifted off to sleep.


    A few hourster, I was awakened my the sound of Nana working in the kitchen.


    I got up and stared at myself in the mirror, trying to put on a smile as best as I could. Thest thing I wanted now was to get Nana worried over nothing.


    But as much as I tried, my lips refused to cooperate. Refused to curl into a smile. Giving up, I trudged slowly down the stairs, stopping as I got to the kitchen.


    I watched Nana for some time before I walked in-the beautiful smile on her face as she worked, checking on the pie in the oven, her shoulder length white hair wrapped in a low bun-trying to mentally prepare myself before seeing her.


    As if she could sense my presence, she turned, her face breaking into a smile as she saw me.


    Smiling back as best as I could, I signed, When did you get back?


    She paused to throw a cup of diced carrots into the simmering pot. Looking back up, shemunicated, Maybe an hour ago. I was going to wake you but you looked really tired.


    I tried to keep a straight face while signing a reply. Yeah just school, I shrugged.


    Okay then, you can go shower thene down for dinner, she signed, offering me another smile.


    As I walked up the stairs back to my room, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she really did like having me around, or if she just felt obligated to do so.


    Amelia ForbesCopyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    An hourter after I had showered ande down for dinner, I twisted my fork in Nana¡¯s special spaghetti delicacy, although I really didn¡¯t feel like eating today.


    Nana bit into a meatball, watching me carefully.


    When it looked like she couldn¡¯t take it anymore, she dropped her fork loudly on her te, getting my attention.


    What¡¯s the problem, she signed.


    The worry on her face should have convinced me, but Jason¡¯s words still rang loud and clear in my head.


    Was she just patronising me? I wondered.


    As the thought came in, I quickly waved it off, mentally scolding myself for thinking like that.


    But still. . .


    I decided to y dumb-ha, like I needed to act for that-so I asked, Yes, why?


    Her eyebrows bunched together in confusion as she signed, You¡¯re acting strange. Did something happen?


    Yes something happened, I thought. Something always happens doesn¡¯t it?


    Instead, I signed, No, I¡¯m fine.


    It was clear to see that she didn¡¯t believe me. But in order not to push it, she busied herself with trying to finish her te of spaghetti, looking up to nce at me every few minutes.


    Slowly, I forced myself to eat my spaghetti, pushing the meatballs aside as I wasn¡¯t in the mood to chew meat.


    Every swallow felt like punishment. But this was important to wave Nana¡¯s suspicion away.


    As I scraped thest bits of spaghetti sauce off my te, Nana motioned me to follow her to the kitchen.


    I obliged, clearing the table and carrying the tes with me.


    Help me with the dishes, baby, Shemunicated, motioning to the sink.


    I nodded, rolling up my sleeves and adding a few drops of washing liquid into the clear water.


    We worked in silence for a while, Nana rinsing and drying as I washed.


    Suddenly filled with a burst of something I didn¡¯t understand, I waved to get her attention, and signed, Do you really care about me?


    For some reason I was starting to feel annoyed and defensive.


    Ignoring the look on her face as the te she was drying fell back into the sink, I signed, You just feel sorry for me, right? Well don¡¯t. I¡¯m not your charity case.


    I could feel fresh tears beginning to form in my eyes.


    Furiously, I wiped them away with my right elbow, focusing instead on scraping away thest bits of sauce in the pot I was currently washing.


    After a while, I felt Nana ce a cold hand on mine, forcing me to look at her.


    I did. Only to see her eyes shining with tears too.


    Why was she crying?


    Shit. What have I done?


    I cursed myself. Why was I always saying the wrong things. Doing the wrong things.


    As I turned to apologize, she started to sign, Darling, I love having you around. The best part of my day ising back home to meet you.


    A single tear dropped from my eye and into the sink.


    Nana continued, I know you¡¯ve been having a hard time ever since your parents died. But I want you to know that it¡¯s okay to feel lost and afraid and unloved. But just remember that I¡¯ll always be here, taking care of you, no matter how many times you try to push me away, because I love you and I always will. You are not a charity case. You¡¯re my baby girl, and the best thing that¡¯s ever happened to me.


    Unable to hold the tears back, I leaned toward the sink for support, my body racking with sobs.


    She did love me.


    Nana cared about me.


    It wasn¡¯t an act.


    Jason was wrong this time.


    So wrong.


    As Nana engulfed me in a hug, parting my back at intervals, while I let out all the pain in my tears, I knew in that moment that no matter who despised me, deserted me, gave up on me, Nana never would.


    And that was the most calming feeling in the world right now.

 Dramatic bitch

    Jason Davenport


    I shaded my eyes with my hands as the sunlight peeked through the huge, open window right across my bed.


    Squinting, I tried to adjust my eyes to the bright light.


    The wall clock opposite my bed showed that it was 6:50am.


    I scowled.


    I hade intest night and I hadn¡¯t even gotten enough rest. Now I have to go to school.


    Fuck school.


    After stalling for a few minutes, I stalked to the bathroom where a servant had already prepared my bath, as per usual.


    Still feeling sleepy, I rxed and let the hot water soothe and rx my muscles.


    As a thought crossed my mind I said out loud, ¡°I hope that midget remembers that the Chemistry homework is due today.¡±


    She better not. Or she¡¯d get it.


    It took me approximately forty five minutes to get ready. With one final look in the mirror, I grabbed my backpack and headed for the living room, propelled by the delicious scent of bacon and fried eggs.


    I frowned as I caught a glimpse of Ashley. She was bent over the dining table-giving her personal photographer instructions on how to angle the camera-as he took pictures of the neatly arranged set of tes filled with bacon and eggs.


    Probably for her Instagram page.


    I rolled my eyes.


    Jobless bitch.


    Suddenly she pped her hands looking satisfied.


    ¡°Great!¡± She squealed. Then motioned the photographer to leave.


    Spotting me, she smiled. ¡°Oh hey, Jace. How are you doing?¡±


    I frowned, taking a seat and digging into my food without a word. If I stood talking with her for much longer, I would lose my appetite.


    Undeterred, she took the seat across from me asking, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to wait for your dad?¡±


    I rolled my eyes, determined to ignore her.


    She sighed. ¡°Why are you always in a bad mood, Jace?¡±


    I looked up. ¡°Why are you such a whore, Ash?¡± I retorted, in a salty tone.


    Her face reddened and she rubbed her temple, looking like she was going to be sick.


    Dramatic bitch.


    Dad walked in then, increasing his pace as he saw her.


    He ced a hand on her back as he got to the table. ¡°Baby, you okay?¡±


    I rolled my eyes in disgust.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to have breakfast here,¡± I said, scowling.


    Ashley threw me a dirty look. I replied with a shrug and a smirk.


    Dad fixed me with a look full of disappointment. ¡°Look Jason, I know you¡¯re still trying to adjust to having a stepmom,¡± He stated.


    I decided not to point out the fact this was my third time having a stepmom.


    ¡°But,¡± He continued. ¡°You should treat your mother with respect and care about her wellbeing.


    ¡°She¡¯s not my mother,¡± I said, folding my arms and my fork fell to my te.


    ¡°Jason.¡± Dad said sternly.


    ¡°But she¡¯s not!¡± My voice rose an octave. I was sick and tired of him trying to force me to pretend that we were one big, happy family.


    Dad rose from his seat, a reddish hue to his face. ¡°Let this be thest time you disrespect your mother. Ever again?¡±


    I looked on, breathing hard.


    ¡°Is that clear?!¡± Dad repeated.


    ¡°Yes.¡±I murmured.


    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you! And I¡¯m pretty sure your mother can¡¯t either.¡±


    I was breathing hard in rage.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mother,¡± I managed to blurt out.


    At that, Dad retook his seat.


    ¡°Good. Now finish your breakfast quickly. The school bus arrives at 8:30.¡±


    My eyebrows bunched together in confusion.


    School bus?


    Dad looked pointedly at me. ¡°Yes. The school bus. It¡¯s part of your punishment.¡±


    No. Hell no.


    I jumped up in protest. ¡°There¡¯s no fucking way I¡¯m riding the school bus.¡±


    ¡°Language, boy.¡± Dad said, giving me a death stare. ¡°Now. The school bus will be your ride to school for the remainder of the school year. Whether you like it, or not. So next time you think of doing something silly you¡¯d think of the consequences.¡±


    I stared on, knowing that arguing would be useless.


    Getting up from my chair I murmured ¡°I lost my appetite¡± and stormed off.


    Getting downstairs, I dialed Adrian¡¯s phone number. Asked him to drive over and pick me up.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I was so pissed with Dad.


    There was no fucking way I would ever ride the school bus.


    With Amelia fucking Forbes. So she¡¯d start to think we were equals?


    No fucking way.


    Amelia Forbes


    Today was going, well. . . horribly to say the least.


    Early this morning I¡¯d been greeted with a spray of gum coated glitter- which you would imagine, took almost an hour to wipe off every trace of-as I opened my locker. Courtesy of the queen bitch Kimberly, of course.


    Then, I¡¯d realized that our Chemistry assignment was due today and I¡¯dpletely forgotten.


    So I had to run all the way to the library and solve both mine and his. I really didn¡¯t feel like dealing with him today.


    I managed to finish the assignment within a few minutes.


    Hurrying out of the library, I bumped into a tall figure, my eyes widening in horror as I realized it was Jason.


    He red at me, grabbing me roughly by the cor and shoving me aside.


    ¡°Out of my fucking way, midget.¡±


    In annoyance and without thinking, I shouted. ¡°Hey!¡±


    He stopped mid-stride and retraced his steps.


    ¡°What the fuck did you just say?¡± He asked, cracking his knuckles.


    I swallowed, trying toe up with a reasonable exnation.


    I wanted to scream and tear at my hair. The whole n for today was topletely avoid Jason, talking to him only when necessary.


    But no. I just had to open my big mouth.


    Thinking quickly, I held out his homework in an outstretched, shaky hand. ¡°You-you¡¯re homework,¡± I said, trying to keep an innocent face.


    He shot me another one of his signature death res and snatched the paper out of my hand.


    He gave me onest push before stalking off.


    God. We were starting the project today. And I already knew it was going to be hell.


    Jason Davenport


    I nced sideways at Amelia as I drove back home.


    I would¡¯ve preferred it if she had to find her own way there, preferably on foot, but Adrian had suggested I take his car instead to make it easier for us.


    His partner lived 3 minutes away from school so he had no issues getting there.


    Apparently he was still very concerned about this bitch.


    I shot her another icy re.


    She lowered her eyes at my gaze, fumbling with the hem of her shirt, shaky fingers intertwined in herp.


    So she was scared.


    Good.


    I killed the engine as I got to the house, hoping I wouldn¡¯t bump into Miss Gold-digger. She was thest person I wanted to see right now.


    Passing through the entrance, I noticed that Amelia wasn¡¯t behind me.


    Where the hell was she?


    I looked back to see her still cowering in the passenger seat.


    Rolling my eyes, I shouted, ¡°Bitch you need an invitation?! Get the fuck out of the car.¡±


    Irritation ran through me as I wondered how one person could be so many versions of stupid.


    She slowly inched her way out of the car, gripping a pile of books in front of her like a shield.


    Running out of patience, I thumped towards her and grabbed her roughly, pushing her in front of me.


    ¡°Walk!¡± Imanded.


    All of a sudden, she broke free. Standing her ground, red at me, hate ring in her eyes.


    I cocked one eyebrow observing her.


    ¡°What are you gonna do, Mel?¡± I asked tauntingly.


    My lips curved into a smile. ¡°You¡¯re gonna hit me? Beat me up?¡± I let out a loudugh.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a joker, Mel.¡±


    She swallowed, still breathing hard. ¡°You don¡¯t have to push me like that. I know how to walk.¡±


    I didn¡¯t let it show that I was shocked at her impudence.


    How the fuck does she go from meek and scared to angry and fiery in a space of two minutes?


    Instead I gripped her by the neck and squeezed.


    ¡°What was that you were saying, Mel?¡±


    She choked, struggling to breathe. I squeezed harder. Harder. Till the defiance in her eyes began to dissipate. Till only fear remained.


    She was sobbing now.


    Fucking crybaby.


    ¡°Stop that,¡± Imanded.


    She did as I instructed.


    Good.


    Satisfied, I regained my hold on her arm and dragged her up the stairs.

 That’s why I’m having crazy thoughts

    Amelia Forbes


    I tried to stay quiet as Jason dragged me up the stairs.


    I had to jump, sometimes two steps at a time, to avoid getting injured. He obviously wouldn¡¯t slow down to let me adjust.


    I hadn¡¯t been here for over ten minutes and he¡¯d already tried to choke me to death.


    A tear escaped my eyes and I quickly wiped it off with my free hand. He¡¯d ordered me to stop crying, and disobeying him would just attract more punishment.


    Just 178 days left.


    You¡¯re doing great, Mel. I reminded myself, repeating my mantra in my head.


    Just don¡¯t try to be brave. Focus on the project and get it done. You¡¯ll be okay.


    Seeding in steadying my breathing, I decided to stick to my resolution.


    Desperate to distract myself, my eyes scanned the mansion.


    I had thought it was beautiful the night of the party. But this right here was. . . magnificent. It was even more exquisite in the day, even.


    My eyes scanned the chandeliers, the marble floors, the Victorian-like staircase, the walls and floors so shiny I was scared of stepping on them or touching them.


    This was the Dream Home. Straight out of a magazine.


    A vicious tug on my left arm from Jason jolted me out of my admiration trance.


    I winced in pain at the impact on my left shoulder which nearly brought tears to my eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re staring like an idiot.¡± He stated. ¡°Not like you aren¡¯t one or anything,¡± He continued, smirking.


    I forced my mouth shut.


    Let him have his fun.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try to steal anything,¡± He said, clearly not finished. ¡°I know, I know, you¡¯re not used to such luxury.  But. . .  try to control yourself. We don¡¯t want to kill your grandma off finally by telling her you¡¯re a thief as well, do we?¡±


    I felt my temple throb as he mentioned Nana. Determined not to fall victim a second time today to his bait, I tried to block out his words.


    ¡°Not that she¡¯din anyway, right? I mean anything to get away from you.¡± He let out a loudugh.


    I still kept quiet, concentrated instead on not letting the tears that had begun to pool in my eyes fall.


    No matter how much I tried not to let things get to me, they always did.


    Always.


    Maybe it¡¯s because everything he said was true.


    I knew Nana truly loved me. But what about everybody else?


    What about Mom and Dad? Did they get tired of me too?


    Why do I feel like such a burden to everybody?


    It¡¯s because I am. No matter how much I tried to deny it.


    Jason finally stopped as we came to a part of the house that looked like the living room.


    He shoved me aside, rolling his eyes when he saw me wiping my face.


    ¡°Jeez. You¡¯re such a fucking crybaby. Can¡¯t you do something else with your time?¡±


    He dumped the pile of books he had taken from me when he¡¯d been dragging me up the stairs on the table and plopped down on a sofa.


    I wasn¡¯t sure I was allowed to sit so I stood awkwardly, waiting.


    He looked up from his phone he¡¯d already begun to scroll through and gestured toward a chair in the middle of the living room.


    ¡°Well. . . the fuck are you waiting for?¡± He said. ¡°Quit staring like a moron and do your work, midget.¡± He sneered, a look of disgust on his face.


    I slowly made my way toward the chair, selecting the books I needed for research and reference.


    Trying to make myself asfortable as anyone could be around Jason Davenport, I bent my head over the books and started working.


    Jason Davenport


    I was slowly starting to get bored. Instagram lost its charm at some point, and I wasn¡¯t in the mood to text anyone or engage in any form of chatting.


    I would¡¯ve been ying video games right now if Dad hadn¡¯t insisted on seizing everything.


    Now, my life had officially be ten times boring.


    Maybe I can sneak out and hang with the gang, I thought.


    I quickly brushed the idea off. That would never work.


    I had barely gotten away with using practice as an excuse thest time. Dad hade back from work five minutes after I snuck in through my bedroom window.


    I scowled.


    All this was because of Ashley. She was changing him.


    Dad would have never seized my gadgets leaving me bored and with nothing to do.


    She was trying to take him away from me so she¡¯d have him all to herself.


    And dad was falling for it.


    Like he always did.


    Every single time.


    I shook my head, trying not to think too much about it.


    Soon.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Soon she¡¯d leave. After attempting to steal a huge amount of money from dad¡¯s bank ount. Just like the other two before her.


    And dad would see that I¡¯d been right all along.


    And then. . . he¡¯d apologize for all the things he said to me.


    I looked around the living room, wondering what to do with my time.


    Maybe I should take a nap up in my room.


    No. What if dad got home early? I¡¯d have to answer a ton of questions. I shook my head.


    Slowly, my gaze drifted to Amelia.


    It was obvious to see that she was struggling to befortable on the ¡®too small¡¯ chair I had purposely ordered her to sit in.


    She used her left leg as leverage to hold up the pile of books she was using, while she sat at the very edge of the chair because it was the only way to prevent the books from falling.


    I could see her left leg shaking as she struggled to not let it fall. I had told her I didn¡¯t want her filthy books staining the floors of my house, so she couldn¡¯t ce them on the floor.


    Nevertheless, she worked on. Eyebrows puckered in concentration, eyes rapidly scanning her materials.


    I could see that she was in her zone. Fingers rapidly sweeping through pages of books upon books. At intervals, she would jot down something on the piece of paper that was clutched in her left hand.


    Her face was calm but searching, her fingers sometimes reaching up to tuck stubborn hair strands behind her ears.


    In this state, I realized that she looked. . . pretty.


    What? I caught myself, realizing what I¡¯d just been thinking.


    What the fuck is up with me?


    Was I actually sitting right here and thinking about how pretty Amelia fucking Forbes was?


    I shook my head.


    I¡¯m frustrated and tired. A lot has been going on. That¡¯s why I¡¯m having crazy thoughts, I said to myself.


    It was Amelia after all.


    And Amelia Forbes was nothing but a clumsy waste of space.

 Forever a jerk he is

    Amelia ForbesCopyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    I could feel my legs about to give way any second as I tried to bnce four Harry Potter sized books on my leg.


    Jason had made it clear that everything I touched automatically became filthy. So he didn¡¯t want filth in his house.


    I wasn¡¯t even allowed to touch the armrest of the chair.


    Trying to take my mind off my leg, I focused on the project. So far, I¡¯d gone considerably far in my work.


    The fact that I¡¯d started beforehand really helped. At this rate I might even finish before the week runs out.


    I¡¯d calcted that I¡¯d be done in a week but at the rate I was going it¡¯d probably be done in 4 to 5 days.


    I screamed in joy.


    In my head, of course.


    Lest Jason find another reason to torment me.


    A few minutester, I was at thest page of the first chapter I¡¯d been studying-which brought day one of my work to a close. I rounded up quickly and began to fill the pages of Jason¡¯s project manual.


    I¡¯d do mine when I got home. I didn¡¯t need himining about anything now.


    My leg still hurt like a bitch so I paused, transferring the books to my other leg.


    At this point I wasn¡¯t even sure I could feel my legs. Plus every time I bent forward to write, the books hit my abdomen. This happened so many times I started to feel nauseous.


    Damn Jason. Treating me like a ve.


    I mean, there were about six veryfortable chairs in the living room. And a table I could¡¯ve used.


    This is just another one of his ways of punishing me, I guess.


    Closing the manual after I was done filling the first section, I wiped sweat off my eyebrows.


    My throat was parched and I realized how hungry I was.


    He hadn¡¯t even offered me water.


    Asshole.


    As if on cue, I noticed him looking at me. Staring actually.


    I suddenly started to feelfortable.


    Why was he staring like that?


    Did I do something I wasn¡¯t supposed to?


    He suddenly scowled and looked away.


    I raised an eyebrow.


    He¡¯s probably thinking up another prank to y on me. Would he slump if he just decided to leave me alone?


    Tired, I looked away, standing up and bncing the books in my hand.


    I walked towards him, extending my arm to hand over his project manual.


    ¡°Your manual,¡± I muttered, arm still extended.


    He faced me, looking me up and down and sneering.


    ¡°What the hell am I supposed to do with it? Chew it?¡±


    ¡°No-no. . . it¡¯s one of the-the things we have to submit after the project.¡± I stammered.


    His scowl deepened.


    ¡°Well keep it till you¡¯re done.¡± He said tly. ¡°Stop being moronic.¡±


    I exhaled as he hissed and plugged his eyes back to his phone.


    Jason Davenport


    I watched Amelia¡¯s face turn a bright shade of red as she held my manual in her hand.


    After a few moments, she walked back to the chair she had been sitting in and packed all the books in her school bag.


    Suddenly she stopped, looking unsure. Slowly she made her way back to me.


    ¡°Do I leave the books here or just go back with them?¡± She asked meekly, looking down the whole time.


    As I stared at her without a word, she chewed on her bottom lip, running her tongue over to moisten it.


    I swallowed with difficulty.


    My eyes, trailed her face, down to her lips.


    Her lips looked smooth and nice. Probably soft too. I couldn¡¯t help but imagine how good they would fit right on the tip of my. . .


    Fuck.


    My groin stirred.


    Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. This is Amelia we¡¯re talking about here. Get yourself together Jason, I reprimanded myself.


    Immediately, I jumped up, grabbing her by the arm and shoving her school bag in her chest.


    ¡°Get out,¡± I ordered. ¡°Now.¡±


    Her eyes widened. ¡°Oh, um, ok. But. . . how do I get home?¡±


    I frowned. ¡°What? You developed amnesia in thest two hours?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± She countered. ¡°My house is pretty far from here. . . and. . . it¡¯s getting prettyte. . .


    She paused, ncing at me.


    I chuckled. ¡°And how the fuck is that my problem? Look, midget. I don¡¯t give a fuck how you get home. You can even walk if you feel like it. It¡¯s none of my business. Now get out.¡± I stretched one hand toward the staircase.


    Her expression started to lean towards a re and she looked like she was about to say something. Instead she grabbed her school bag, shot me a look and practically ran down the stairs.


    I headed to my room with Kimberly on dial. Kimberly was what I needed right now.

 He’s not worth it.

    Amelia Forbes


    He¡¯s not worth it. Jason Davenport is not worth it. He¡¯s not worth it. I refuse to react. I refuse to give him another reason to pick on me.


    I repeated this in my head as I walked through the gates and out of his mansion.


    Two hours.


    Two hours working on OUR project. All on my own. And he didn¡¯t even offer me a single drop of water.


    I knew he was an asshole. But this. . . it was inhumane.


    I didn¡¯t expect him to be nice to me or anything. But this was something else.


    And I was famished, I felt like I would drop anytime soon.


    Just 4 days and it¡¯ll all be over, I reminded myself. I just need to finish on time.


    I checked my phone. 4pm. Nana would be worried.


    With that thought spurring me on, I walked faster.


    As I got to a street sign-from there a 15 minute walk to my house-I heard someone call out my name.


    Huh? That¡¯s weird. I don¡¯t really know anyone around here.


    I¡¯m probably just hearing things, I concluded, pping a hand to my forehead.


    I doubled my pace. Desperate to get home, I ignored the sharp pain in my knee every time I took a step.


    ¡°Mel!¡±


    This time it was loud and clear.


    I paused in my tracks, turning to catch a glimpse of whoever it was.


    My eyesnded on the tall approaching figure of Adrian.


    His smile faltered as he approached me.


    ¡°Mel. What¡¯s the matter? And why are you walking alone?¡±


    Oh no.


    Jason had warned me before to stay away from his best friend.


    But somehow, Adrian was the one who kept finding me.


    ¡°Mel, I asked  a question,¡± He repeated. ¡°Why are you walking alone? What about Jason?¡±


    I swallowed. I had toe up with a reasonable exnation.


    ¡°Well, uh, we finished early. But I-I felt like walking home. To clear my head, you know?¡±


    His face rxed and it looked like he believed me.


    Slowly I let out a breath of relief.


    ¡°Oh, uh, ok. I¡¯m walking home too. You know, because Jason has my car?¡±


    He smiled.


    How could one person be so adorable?


    ¡°So, uhh, do you needpany?¡± He asked, touching the back of his head.


    Was he asking to walk with me?


    Without hesitation, I nodded vigorously. I hated walking alone, anyways. Plus it was gettingte. I really could use somepany.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I said, giving out my first real smile in days.


    As we walked side by side, chatting about everything from school to food to hobbies to football.


    Yep. Football.


    Remember that time I lied and told him my favorite team was Barca?


    Yeah I may or may not have cleared him on that.


    As he spoke-cracking his knuckles every few minutes-I watched him, marvelling again at how someone as good as him could be best friends with an asshole like Jason Davenport.


    It was beyond me.


    The more I thought about it, the more confused I got.


    Shaking my head, I concentrated on my conversation with Adrian instead.


    After walking for a while, Nana¡¯s house came into view.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± I announced, halting the conversation.


    ¡°Oh, um, right.¡± He gave a smallugh, touching the back of his head.


    That, I noticed, was another habit of his.


    ¡°Okay then,¡± I stated, still standing awkwardly.


    I¡¯d had such a good time walking with him. Not like I would tell him that. . .


    ¡°Um, yeah.¡± He turned away.


    ¡°Wait!¡± I called out.


    His beautiful blue eyes looked at me, waiting.


    ¡°Would you, um, like toe inside?¡± I asked.


    Did I just invite Adrian Goldfield into my home?


    I swallowed, waiting for his response.


    He smiled. ¡°I¡¯d love to. But it¡¯s getting prettyte. I should head home.¡±


    Goodness. I wasn¡¯t even considering that. Why am I so dumb?


    ¡°Right. Of course. I¡¯m so sorry. You should go.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± He smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter?¡±


    I knew I wasn¡¯t supposed to but I said, ¡°Yes, sure.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Cool.¡±


    Still standing at my door, I watched his nice butt as he retreated into the distance.


    Jason Davenport


    Desire ran through me as I dialed Kimberly¡¯s number. I hadn¡¯t been able to leave the house in days, and I desperately needed her.


    Finally she picked up.


    ¡°Hey Kim,¡± I said, my voice raspy and heavy.


    I could almost see her rolling her eyes through the phone.


    ¡°Well, well, well. Look who called.¡± She said,ughing a little.


    I went straight to the point.


    ¡°Can youe over?¡±


    ¡°Are you fucking kidding me?¡± She eximed.


    ¡°Wait. Wait.¡± I stated, trying to exin. ¡°Dad isn¡¯t home. And we¡¯ll be quick. . . okay?¡±


    She was silent for a while, then, ¡°You¡¯ve lost your damn mind, Jason. You lost your chance, now your paying for it. That¡¯s none of my business.¡±


    I cursed silently.


    ¡°Go take care of your boner sweetheart. Lots of porn and lots of lotion should do the trick,¡± Sheughed.


    And then the line went dead.


    ¡°Shit!¡± I shouted, throwing my phone on my bed and kicking my shoes off.


    Fuck Kimberly.


    Who needs her anyway?


    Taking her advice, I stormed to the bathroom and proceeded to wank the desire away.


    Amelia Forbes


    As I got to school today, I unconsciously did two things as I walked through the hallway-trying to avoid Jason and searching for Adrian.


    As I realized that they¡¯d probably be together, I pped my forehead.


    Gosh, I could be so stupid sometimes.


    As if on cue, they both burst through the front doors, with nearly the entire ser team trailing them.


    Jason had one arm on Adrian¡¯s shoulder, saying something to him as they bothughed.


    There had never been such clear opposites in the history of man, I was sure. And they were friends.


    As they sighted me, I immediately wished I could crawl into my locker and disappear.


    Jason scowled, a look of irritation on his face, as if I¡¯d just ruined his perfect morning.


    Adrian¡¯s face broke into a smile and he raised his right hand to give me a small wave.


    Oh no. No, no, no.


    Jason cocked an eyebrow, looking from Adrian to me. His face clouded and he threw me a look that clearly said he¡¯d deal with meter.


    Half the girls who stood in the hallway, stared at me, mouth agape.


    Oh no.


    Literally every girl at Wayne County High had a huge crush on Adrian. But of course, he never gave them the time of day.


    Now here he was, waving at a nobody in the middle of the very public hallway.


    I honestly hated all the attention.


    Quickly I spun around and headed for for my first ss.


    As I sat, I realized that I didn¡¯t wave back at Adrian.


    What if he felt bad? Or felt like I ignored him?


    I didn¡¯t want him to think that I was stuck up. Or proud.


    But no. Jason was there. Jason wouldn¡¯t have taken it lightly.


    Me, a worthless nobody, exchanging pleasantries with his best friend.


    I shuddered at the thought of what he would do.


    Deciding that I would just apologize to Adrianter, I concentrated on ss instead.


    Halfway through ss, I noticed Kimberly and her minions ring at me from the back.


    Huh? When did they get in?


    I tried to pretend that I didn¡¯t see them. They probably saw what happened in the hallway with Adrian.


    I shut my eyes tightly. Why couldn¡¯t these people just leave me the heck alone.


    I breathed deeply. Ok, Mel. Pull yourself together. Just try to avoid them as much as possible today and go home quickly. You¡¯ll be okay.


    Some hourster after I had attended my first three sses, I jumped up, escaping to the bathroom.


    At intervals I¡¯d look behind, checking to make sure no one was following me.


    As I got to the bathroom, I let out a breath I didn¡¯t know I was holding. Looking in the mirror, I wiped the beads of sweat that had started to form on my forehead.


    Just two more sses for today and I¡¯d be free.


    I stalled in the bathroom for a while to make sure it was safe to leave.


    Satisfied, I threw the door open, looking left and right before walking out.


    As I congratted myself on my sess, a strong arm grabbed me from behind and shoved me into an empty ssroom.


    Jason Davenport


    I sighted the bitch as she walked out of the girls¡¯ bathroom.


    So she thought she could escape me today. Not even in her dreams.


    I quickly covered the distance between us, grabbing her arm and pushing her into an empty ss.


    As she started to let out a squeal, I pped a hand over her mouth and shook my head.


    She nodded, fear visible in her eyes.


    I slowly released my hand, ring at her. As she opened her mouth to say something, I gave her a heavy whack on the forehead.


    She whimpered, holding her hand to her head.


    ¡°What did I tell you about Adrian?¡± I growled.


    She recoiled at the sound of my voice, tears beginning to form in her eyes.


    ¡°What the fuck did I tell you about Adrian!¡± I shouted. Louder this time.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°To-to stay away from him,¡± She murmured almost inaudibly.


    ¡°Good. So what the hell was that shit in the hallway,¡± I asked, feeling my temple throb.


    As a response, she hung her head, tears spilling on her cheeks.


    Could she do any better than this? She was always crying like some moron. And it was more irritating than anything else.


    I tightened my hold on her neck.


    ¡°This is thest time I¡¯m gonna say this. Stay the fuck away from Adrian. Next time, if I catch you having any form of contact with my best friend, I promise you¡¯ll regret your existence.¡±


    As I let go, I heard her murmur something like ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t regret it already¡±.


    ¡°What was that?¡± I growled, regaining my hold on her neck.


    She coughed violently, her face reddening. ¡°No-nothing,¡± She managed to squeak out.


    ¡°Yeah, I thought so,¡± I said.


    Letting go, I scowled and walked out to the sound of her whimpering.

 The pain is too much to bear

    Amelia Forbes


    It seemed like my bad luck was on a roll today because, I soon as I walked out of the ssroom door-wiping the remaining tears on my face and still massaging my neck-Kimberly and three of her minions waid me.


    They backed me into a corner and forcefully led me into the girls¡¯ bathroom.


    As we got in, Aneeka secured the door and took her position directly behind Kimberly.


    Kimberly looked at me, one hand on her waist and her right hip protruding in her favorite pose.


    ¡°What the fuck is going on between you and Adrian?¡± She spat, shooting me a re.


    I swallowed.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, trying to buy time.


    Malia rolled her eyes saying, ¡°Bitch, don¡¯t act dumb.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I repeated, crossing my hands in front of my chest.


    Kimberly walked up to me. Out of nowhere she grabbed a fistful of my hair and dragged on it. I let out a sharp yelp, shoving her backwards with all the strength I could muster.


    Malia and Aneeka stared at me in shock, mouth agape.


    ¡°You little bitch!¡± Malia eximed, just about the same time Kimberly recovered, walking up to me and pping me hard on my left cheek.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever put your hands on me, bitch!¡± She screamed. ¡°You fucking ruined my top!¡±


    My cheek stung. And I could tell that the rings Kimberly always wore would definitely leave a mark.


    Clearly not done, Kimberly grabbed me by the jaw, her artificial nails digging into my skin. Forcing me to look at her she said, ¡°You¡¯re a nobody, Amelia. Stop forgetting that. Adrian doesn¡¯t give a shit about you. Stay the fuck away from him.¡±


    I struggled to release myself from her grip but Aneeka and Malia held me down, holding my arms on either sides.


    ¡°I see what you¡¯re trying to do, Amelia. ying the good girl so Adrian would fall for you? You¡¯re trying to be part of the cool crowd now, huh? You pathetic piece of shit.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s NOT what I¡¯m doing,¡± I screamed out in protest.


    I would never do that. What the heck did I need poprity for anyway?


    Kimberly shushed me saying, ¡°There¡¯s no need to deny it Amelia. I see you. I see what a pretentious bitch you are. All you want is to be on top right?¡±


    Sheughed. ¡°Go home, Mel. Go throw some roses on mommy and daddy¡¯s grave, will you?¡±


    Kimberly saw that she had hit home. She smiled, cing a hand on my shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s right, loser. Go on. I mean, they obviously can¡¯t stand you either. But. . . they¡¯re dead so it wouldn¡¯t matter of course.¡±


    A tear began to pool in my eyes.


    Malia noticed. She cackled as if seeing me cry was the funniest thing in the world.


    As the three of them surrounded me,ughing and sneering at my misery. I felt like nothing more than a mere cockroach for everyone to step on.


    And, not for the first time, I wished I was in the backseat of that car the day of my parents¡¯ death.


    Amelia Forbes


    I sped from the bathroom, tears still dripping my eyes.


    This was the second time I was crying in less than 30 minutes.


    I grabbed Nana¡¯s house keys from my locker and headed for the exit. I needed to go home. I needed to sleep. I needed all this pain to stop.


    It was raining heavily and the sky was dark. Just like state of my life right now. Dark and gloomy.


    Nevertheless, I walked into the rain. I had already decided I was going home right now, and not even the rain could stop me. Besides it was perfect for hiding the tears streaming down my face.


    Nana wasn¡¯t home when I got back. I unlocked the door and walked in, my clothes and shoes leaving pools of water on the floor.


    I put a hand to my forehead, sliding slowly to the floor.


    A sob escaped me as I recalled the events of today. When would the daye where I would go to school and not have any one insult me, throw something at me, or hit me.


    Was it too much to ask to just live a normal life. Why couldn¡¯t they just leave me alone.


    I don¡¯t want to be here. I don¡¯t want to be here. I repeated this over and over as if repeating it would make ite true.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°All I want to do is feel normal!¡± I yelled to the empty house. ¡°I want to be left alone. Just leave me alone.¡±


    Tears spilled down my cheeks. I wanted to throw something. Hit something. me someone. But I knew.


    I knew it was my fault. Everything. I realized that the only crime I hadmitted was. . . existing.


    Living. Breathing.


    Slowly, I walked up to my room and copsed on my bed.


    I woke up to Nana shaking me awake, rm visible in her eyes.


    I realized that I was still in my wet clothes.


    Seeing me awake, Nana signed, Are you okay, dear?


    My lips parted to reply but no sound came out. My throat was sore from crying and I found it hard to breathe.


    I could see that Nana was panicking. I wanted to reassure her. Tell her I was okay. Tell her nothing was wrong with me. But all I could hear was the pounding of my chest in my ears.


    My lungs felt like there were weights resting on them. It was getting harder to stay awake by the second. Nana pped my cheek lightly, probably in a bid to keep me awake.


    She ced the back of her palm on her forehead. The speed at which she snatched her hand off was enough to show me that I was running a temperature.


    Stay awake, baby, Nana signed. She rushed out, returning with a bowl of water and a cloth.


    Thest thing I remembered was copsing in her arms.


    Jason Davenport


    ¡°We¡¯re going on a vacation.¡± Dad announced as we sat at the dining table for breakfast.


    We rarely had breakfast together. Dad was either on a business trip or rushing to work. So this was kinda rare.


    I considered his statement, raising an eyebrow. ¡°But school is still in session, Dad. And will be for like two more months,¡± I said, confused.


    Dad¡¯s face faltered. ¡°Oh, um, I meant your mother and I. Your mother and I are going on a vacation.¡±


    I felt my face begin to heat up.


    ¡°You¡¯re taking this-her? You¡¯re taking her on a vacation?¡±


    He didn¡¯t have time to talk to me or take me anywhere because he was always so damn busy, but he wasn¡¯t too busy to go on vacation?


    That was rich. I shook my head, anger surfacing.


    Was itpulsory for dad and his gold digging wife to infuriate me every fucking day?


    Ashley let out a squeal, obviously not hearing what I had just said. ¡°Oh my gosh, babe!¡± She raced to dad¡¯s side of the table and enveloped him in a hug, kissing both his cheeks in turn.


    Dad smiled, obviously pleased with himself.


    ¡°But dad!¡± I attempted onest time. ¡± We¡¯re supposed to go on vacation. As a family. We haven¡¯t done that since mom. . .¡± I trailed off.


    Ashley nced at me with a pitiful look on her face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, baby. We¡¯ll go after your final exams. As a family, so don¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever call me that. Ever again in your fucking life!¡± I bellowed.


    Was this bitch crazy or something, I wondered.


    ¡°Jason!¡± Dad countered.


    I ignored him and faced Ashley. ¡°Stop fucking trying to be my mother and concentrate instead on being his whore. After all that¡¯s why you¡¯re here-¡±


    I hadn¡¯t finished my statement when all of a sudden Dad swung a hand across his side of the table, giving me a resounding p.


    I ced a hand to my cheek in shock.


    Dad had neverid a finger on me. Never.


    ¡°Because of her, right?¡± I screamed at Dad. ¡°You never hit me. Can¡¯t you see what she¡¯s doing?! To you! To us!¡±


    Dad red at me. ¡°What is wrong with you, Jason. Don¡¯t you see how disrespectful you¡¯re being. Ashley may not be your birth mother. But she¡¯s older than you, and she¡¯s trying. Give her that respect. She sure as hell deserves it!¡±


    I looked from dad to Ashley-who sat quietly, one arm linked to dad¡¯s-and I could see it clearly. He was choosing her over me.


    He wasn¡¯t thinking of mom, or me. The only thing he cared about was Ashley.


    Swallowing, I stood as if stung by a bee. ¡°Have fun wherever the fuck you two are headed.¡±


    With those words I stormed off, heading out to get some fresh air.


    Amelia Forbes


    My eyelids were extremely heavy as I struggled to open my eyes. My head ached and it seemed like the world was spinning.


    I didn¡¯t know how long I¡¯d been lying here. Everything was a blur. I only recalled a few things. Like Nana bathing me in a tub full of hot water, Nana feeding me some strange kind of  soup.


    I think I recalled a nurse giving me some injections and writing down a list of things in a scrap of paper which sheter handed to Nana.


    I saw mom and dad too. But they kept disappearing.


    Parting my lips, I tried to say something but my voice was really low and scratchy.


    So in conclusion, I felt like crap.


    Right then, Nana walked in with a tray of soup. Seeing that I was awake, she hurriedly put the tray down and rushed to my side.


    Finally you¡¯re awake; how are you feeling baby? She signed.


    My hand felt heavy but I signed nheless, I feel really sick. How long has it been?


    Nana first enveloped me in a hug and I could tell that she was struggling to hold back tears.


    Afterwards she sat at my beside, feeding me while we talked.


    I thought you were leaving me, Nana signed, tears in her eyes.


    I suddenly felt guilty for being such a burden to her. I felt bad for falling sick. Why did I have to walk under the rain?


    I remembered seeing mom and dad. And then it hit me. The reason why I kept on seeing them was because. . . I wanted to join them. I wanted to be with them.


    As I looked at Nana, I saw the fear in her eyes. The fear of losing me. Just like I¡¯d lost my parents.


    And I remembered how unfair it all felt. And how broken I was.


    And I realized that Nana would have felt the same way if anything happened to me.


    I held Nana¡¯s hand, trying tomunicate without signing. Telling her how sorry I was.


    And I wept like a baby. Because the pain was too much to bear.

 …And it was nice

    Amelia Forbes


    From everything Nana had told me, I gathered that I had caught a really bad cold walking under the rain and I¡¯d been unconscious for days.


    Realizing what that meant, I panicked. That means I¡¯ve missed school, homework, maybe even tests.


    Nana noticed this andmunicated to me that the school was aware, so any tests or homework would still be made avable to me when I was feeling strong enough.


    Relieved, I settled down and resumed my conversation with Nana.


    I also found out that a guy hade to see me. And from Nana¡¯s description, it was no other than Adrian Goldfield.


    I had mixed feelings about the whole thing.


    Jason had already warned me about associating with his best friend. And he wouldn¡¯t take it lightly if he found out Adrian had been to my house. But on the other hand, Adrian was the only one who cared to check up on me when I missed school.


    I couldn¡¯t just ignore that.


    He¡¯d gotten the drugs prescribed for me, and he got fruits for me as well.


    I had to thank him, at least.


    Okay, I decided. I¡¯d thank him and that¡¯d be it. Yes, he was nice to me. But associating with him would only make the bullying worse. And that¡¯s thest thing I needed right now.


    Jason Davenport


    Iy on my bed still seething. What I needed right now was alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol.


    I was fed up with dad. This was the height of it all. Well, fuck dad and fuck Ashley. Fuck this shithole and all these fucking servants.


    I checked the time. It was 8pm. I needed to get out of here. I couldn¡¯t stand being in the same house with those two.


    Frankly speaking, I hated being around here ever since mom died. Everything in this house was irritating to me. Dad had only made it worse when he started to bring in all these women.


    I thought of where to go. There was a a party at Greg¡¯s tonight. I could go for that. There¡¯d be pot, alcohol and lots of girls. Just what I needed.


    Making up my mind, I flung out a t-shirt, a leather jacket and a pair of jeans to wear out of my closet. Grabbing a pair ofbat boots out off my shoe rack, I ced them on the floor, close to my bed.


    My mind wandered as finallynded on Amelia Forbes. It¡¯d been almost a week since I¡¯d seen her in school.


    Maybe she had finally taken my advice and decided to jump off a cliff. I smiled at that thought.


    The only annoying thing about it was that it put the project on hold. And I couldn¡¯t afford to fail that. It carried a lot of marks.


    I frowned. She better reappear from wherever she ran off to. My grades were at stake here. The bitch just had to add to all the problems I already had.


    Hissing, I got up to jump into the shower when my bedroom door opened.


    Dad walked in, stopping at the door and observing me.


    I felt my blood begin to boil, and I decided that the best thing to do was ignore him. I slipped my phone out of my pocket, and began to scroll through Instagram.


    Dad approached me, taking a seat on the free side of my bed.


    ¡°Jason,¡± He called out gently.


    I stuck to what I had resolved to do. Ignore him.


    ¡°Look, I know you¡¯re mad at me. And you have every right to be. I¡¯m sorry for hitting you. I should never have done that. It was very low of me. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I pretended not to hear him, still scrolling through my phone.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He repeated. ¡°I know you miss your mom. I do-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± I yelled. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk about mom. You have no right to do that.¡±


    ¡°Jason-¡±


    ¡°No! You¡¯ve already desecrated her memory in this house by bringing all these women in here. So don¡¯t act like you give a shit about mom or me!¡±


    His eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Jason, why would you say that.¡±


    There was so much hurt in his voice. But I didn¡¯t care. He deserved it. Besides, everything I said was true. He had his new woman now. So fuck me. Right?


    Getting up forcefully I said, ¡°You know what, dad? I gotta go. And you have work tomorrow. You should go to bed.¡±


    I started to walk away when he grabbed my arm.


    ¡°Jason. I know everything is confusing right now. I understand that. Just. . . please give me a chance to exin. A chance to prove you wrong. I do care about you, Jason.¡±


    He squeezed my arm. ¡°I know you miss your mother. But please-¡±


    I snatched my arm away. ¡°You know nothing about me! Nothing. Now please leave.¡±


    I was breathing hard, staring daggers at him.


    Dad sighed, watching me. Then slowly, he spun round and walked out of my room, shutting the door with a click.


    Amelia Forbes


    I was feeling better today. My chest still felt heavy, but the headache was gone and my eyes didn¡¯t hurt anymore.


    Nana sat on a reclining sofa close to my bed, signing to me and rting to me how the week had been going.


    Iughed at intervals, simultaneously eating the chicken soup she had prepared for me.


    She had emailed the school, so my homework was brought over to the house by one of the teachers.


    A pile of my homework, all solved, was arranged atop my study table. Suddenly I thought of Jason. We had a lot of homework. I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯d be mad when he realized I hadn¡¯t been in school.


    Not like he cared about that. Even if I was dying, he wouldn¡¯t care. The only important thing were his grades.


    Come to think of it, it was kind of impressive how much he cared about his grades. But sometimes I wondered if he really cared about his grades, or if he just enjoyed putting me through the torture.


    Unlike me, his life didn¡¯t depend on his good grades, or a schrship. His father could pay or buy his way into school. So, it was obviously the second reason. He probably just enjoyed torturing me.


    Now, that I¡¯d gotten it straight that I could have my assignments delivered to me, and also take my own tests as long as a teacher was present here, I was really d that I wasn¡¯t going to school.


    Yes it was weird missing school. But it was nice too. I didn¡¯t have to deal with Jason and Kimberly, and pretty much the entire poption of Wayne County High.


    It felt nice. No shoving, no hitting, no bullying, no insults. I felt like I could finally breathe.


    Secretly, I wished it could be like this till my final exams.


    But every good thing had toe to end sometime right?


    Even though I was miles ahead in the curriculum, I still had to attend sses. That thought was depressing so I tried not to think about it.


    The sound of the doorbell jolted me from my thoughts.


    Still surprised, I quickly recovered and signed to Nana, telling her that someone was at the door.


    She quickly stood up to go answer.


    A few momentster, she walked in. Adrian stood behind her, all smiles, a bouquet of flowers in one hand, and a box of choctes in the other.


    Amelia Forbes


    My jaw fell open as I sighted Adrian. The smile on his face was the most heartwarming thing I¡¯d seen in a while.


    How could someone like Adrian be so happy to see. . . me.


    Amelia Forbes.


    Who was bullied daily by his best friend. Me. A nobody.


    ¡°Hey. You feeling better?¡± He asked cheerily, still smiling.


    ¡°Well, I, um. . .¡± I blurted out like an idiot.


    Nana wiggled her eyebrows at me, smiling mischievously. I gasped when she signed, So this is the boy you¡¯ve been crushing on.


    Adrian looked at me confused. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Um, yes,¡± I said, still flustered. To make the lie believable, I tried to disguise the gasp as a cough.


    Nana hid a smile behind her hand. I narrowed my eyes at her. She was clearly enjoying this.


    She winked at me and then signed so that Adrian would see, I¡¯ll go get you both something to drink.


    Adrian rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, I don¡¯t have any experience with signnguage so. . .¡± He trailed off.


    ¡°Oh that¡¯s fine, really.¡± I assured him.


    I tranted to Nana what he had said. She smiled at him and shook her head, showing that it was fine.


    He smiled back at her, his eyes tinkling.


    Damn he was fine.


    My eyes widened as I realized what I¡¯d just been thinking.


    Seriously Mel? That¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking about right now?


    I resisted the urge to p my forehead, lest Nana and Adrian think I¡¯d finally lost my mind.


    I looked up just as Adrian handed Nana the bouquet, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand.


    He opened his mouth to address Nana, then as if he suddenly remembered, he pped a hand over his mouth and turned to me.


    ¡°I, um, these are for your grandma,¡± He said, looking embarrassed.


    Oh boy. This was going to be awkward if Adrian kept feeling like he was offending Nana by not knowing signnguage.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I said to him. ¡°It¡¯spletely fine. You don¡¯t have to feel bad or weird. You¡¯re not used to being around someone who¡¯s hearing-impaired. It¡¯ll take some getting used to.¡±


    I smiled at Nana who understood all I was saying, as I was signing and talking simultaneously.


    ¡°You know, in the first few months of living with my Nana, I¡¯d always forget that she couldn¡¯t hear me,¡± Iughed a little.


    ¡°And I¡¯de home bawling ¡®Nana I¡¯m home!''¡± Iughed again at the memory, Adrian joining in this time. ¡°So. It¡¯s fine. You get used to it. Anything you need to say to Nana, say it. I¡¯ll just interpret.¡±


    I finished with a smile. My chest felt kinda strained from talking for too long. But apart from that I was fine.


    Adrian gave me a grateful look. ¡°Thanks, Mel. I feel so much better now. And I guess you¡¯re right too.¡±


    Did I mention I liked the way he said my name?


    Fine. I¡¯ll stop now.


    I tried to concentrate on the words he was saying instead of the way they sounded.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Adrian turned to Nana. ¡°Would you like me to put these in water?¡± He asked, gesturing to the flowers.


    I tranted to Nana as he spoke. Nana smiled back at him signing, Don¡¯t worry, kiddo. I got this.


    Adrianughed out loud as I tranted to him. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± He said raising both hands up as an act of surrender.


    Nana smiled widely. She could lip read a little, so she understood him without me having to trante.


    I smiled at them getting along, and from what I could tell, Nana liked him.


    I mean who wouldn¡¯t. . .


    Oh my goodness.


    What the hell was wrong with me today.


    Adrian saved me from berating myself by handing me the box of choctes he¡¯d been holding on to.


    ¡°Um, I wasn¡¯t sure what you¡¯d like so I got you choctes,¡± He grinned, holding them out to me.


    ¡°I love chocte,¡± I responded. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    He nodded, taking a seat next to my bed. ¡°So. . . are you gonna tell me what happened?¡± He gestured at me on the sick bed.


    Oh. He wanted to know how I fell sick.


    I swallowed. ¡°Well, I was feeling adventurous. So I thought it¡¯d be a good idea to walk in the rain.¡± I tried to make it believable byughing.


    ¡°Ohh,¡± Adrian stated in an exaggerated manner which made meugh because I¡¯ve never seen him act so goofy. ¡°So miss, do you get these bouts of adventurous moments often?¡±


    ¡°Why, yes,¡± Iughed, ying along.


    He nodded, pretending to write down something on an invisible piece of paper.


    Iughed so much my chest started to hurt.


    ¡°Do you wanna talk about it?¡± He asked softly, suddenly back to his usual self.


    I considered it for a moment. But I decided I didn¡¯t want to. Maybe someday. But not. . . right now.


    So I shook my head in reply.


    He gave me a small nod to show that he understood.


    And we carried on the conversation. Knowing that we had an understanding.


    And it was nice.

 Sobbing on the floor

    Jason Davenport


    I didn¡¯t have to sneak out because dad already knew I was going out. Not like he could stop me anyway.


    But the way downstairs was so long. I didn¡¯t feel like it right now.


    So I just climbed out my bedroom window, using the spaces in the walls as support.


    As I was almost at ground level, I heard someone moving below, close to the trees.


    Shit.


    I wasn¡¯t sneaking out, yes. But I didn¡¯t want dad to find out that I had been using my bedroom as an escape route. He¡¯d probably switch rooms for me. And that¡¯d be shit.


    I descended slowly, trying to be quiet. Thank God it was dark. Else it wouldn¡¯t have ended well.


    I just needed to get the fuck out this house.


    I stopped my descent when I heard Ashley¡¯s voice.


    Was she arguing with someone?


    I looked down to check, and sure enough she was alone. But I could see the dim light from her iPhone, so I figured she was on a call.


    Why did she have toe outside for the call though?


    Straining, I leaned in to listen in.


    ¡°Look, we have to be careful. These things can go wrong. . .¡± She was saying to the person on the other line.


    ¡°Um. . . yeah okay, that might work. I¡¯m going on vacation with him soon-¡±


    I caught these little bits of the conversation, although I couldn¡¯t hear the person on the other side.


    But they didn¡¯t make sense.


    Suddenly she stated in a hurry, ¡°Ok, ok I gotta go now. He¡¯ll be wondering where I¡¯ve been.¡±


    A pause. Then,


    ¡°Okay I send you the details. . . Yeah. . . Okay. Bye.¡±


    She hung up the phone.


    For a moment, she stood making sure no one was around. Then she walked out from behind the bushes and made her way back upstairs.


    I frowned.


    What was this bitch nning, I wondered.


    All I could tell right now was that it had something to do with Dad.


    Well, whatever it was, I was going to find out.


    Amelia Forbes


    As I walked through the hallway and to my locker, I desperately hoped that Jason and Kimberly had forgotten about me in the past few days that I had been absent.


    I knew that wouldn¡¯t happen though.


    But still, fingers crossed. Right?


    As I got to my locker and started taking out the notes and textbooks I would need, my mind wandered to Adrian.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Unintentionally, a smile crossed my face.


    Having him over was the nicest thing that¡¯d happened in a while.


    We had talked about stuff while eating the chocte he¡¯d gifted me. After a while we¡¯d walked to the kitchen still talking, where he had offered to make dinner.


    Yes, Adrian was an excellent cook. Which surprised me, to be honest. He didn¡¯t seem like the type that¡¯d know how to even turn on the cooker.


    But yeah, at the the end, the spicy spaghetti and chicken hade out surprisingly well.


    He even made a small portion of chicken soup-to help my cold.


    Apparently, Nana had liked hispany so much she invited him over for dinner this weekend.


    But what if. . . she was just trying to set us up.


    I wouldn¡¯t put it past her.


    But as for me. . . I wasn¡¯t sure I felt THAT way for Adrian.


    I mean, he was nice and sweet and cute. Not to mention his very nice butt. . .


    That¡¯s not the point, Mel, I chided myself, putting a hand to my forehead.


    What the hell was I doing? I caught myself, realizing the reality of the situation.


    I was supposed to be staying away from Adrian. Completely avoiding him, even.


    But no. Here I was.


    In less than a day, he hade over to my house, gotten me a gift, and cooked for me.


    I tugged at the ends of my hair. Jason wouldn¡¯t take it lightly if he found it.


    I needed to be careful, I decided. It was probably best to not see Adrian anymore.


    Yes. That¡¯s the best thing to do.


    Sighing inaudibly, I trudged a the way to my first ss. Which, of course I had with both Kimberly and Jason.


    As I walked in, I noticed Kimberly and her minions sitting at a corner in the back of the ss.


    I quickly tried to find my way to my seat, hoping they wouldn¡¯t notice me.


    But we all know that¡¯s never gonna happen.


    Aneeka noticed me trying to stay out of sight, and tapped Kimberly. Almost immediately, she whipped around and fixed me with a dirty re.


    ¡°Argh, no.¡± She said, rolling a lollipop in her mouth. ¡°When we all thought she was dead.¡±


    Malia and Aneeka burst into a round of cackling.


    I tried to keep my face calm, hoping they would just leave me alone.


    Kimberly¡¯s outburst made almost everyone in the ss notice me. I hated the stares, the res, the sneering. I tried to actively block them out as I found a seat and put my things down.


    ¡°Girl in the rain!¡± Someone shouted from the back, egged on by the cheers andughter from my ssmates.


    I knew it was Aneeka. Her stupid tinkly voice. . .


    ¡°Aquawoman.¡± Someone sitting right beside me said, sniggering.


    I did a double take. I didn¡¯t even know this girl. Now people I didn¡¯t even know had joined in the bullying.


    Tears of pain and shame threatened to fall. But I knew that was what they wanted.


    Out of nowhere, someone threw a crumpled piece of paper at me, attracting moreughs from my ssmates.


    Soon everyone started to join in.


    The tears hung on the edge of my eyes.


    Please don¡¯t fall. Please don¡¯t fall.


    A single tear rolled from my eyes and down to the front of my shirt.


    I tried again to block out the taunts. Theughing.


    I looked around, the tears partially blurring my vision.


    Everyone here wasughing at me.


    Everyone.


    I was that much of a joke. Just a piece of trash in the wrong ce.


    I grabbed my books, tears still flowing, and fled to the bathroom.


    Jason Davenport


    I watched Amelia leave ss crying.


    Finally the bitch was back. We had limited time to finish up the project. Plus I had homework that was due today.


    I knew she was going to the bathroom to cry. So I followed her and waited at the nearby ss.


    After what seemed like hours, she trudged out, looking like the world hade to an end.


    Irritated, I grabbed her by the shoulders, turning her to face me.


    ¡°Where the fuck have you been?¡± I spat.


    Her eye widened in fear as she looked down at her feet murmuring, ¡°I¡¯ve been sick.¡±


    I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°Who the fuck cares about that?¡±


    Hissing I threw the four homework assignments I had at her feet.


    ¡°That¡¯s my homework. Take care of it,¡± I ordered.


    She slowly bent down to pick them up, nodding.


    ¡°And as for the project, we continue today.¡±


    She looked up, her eyes widening. ¡°I can¡¯t do today. I still don¡¯t feel well.¡±


    I moved forward and grabbed her arm, squeezing.


    ¡°Whether you feel good or bad, it¡¯s none of my fucking business. You¡¯re not the first person in the world to fall sick.¡±


    She stared at me, something that resembled anger beginning to spark.


    I smirked. ¡°You wanna hit me, Mel?¡± I asked, gripping her arm tighter.


    She squirmed in my grip, tears of anger visible in her eyes. In defiance she didn¡¯t let them fall.


    ¡°Huh? What you gonna do, Mel? Hit me?¡± I taunted her, enjoying the look helplessness in her eyes.


    ¡°Well?¡± I asked again, my grip tighter than ever.


    She let out a broken cry in pain.


    Good.


    Motivated, I squeezed harder. She let out another cry.


    Finally she let the tears fall.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± She sobbed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for falling sick, I¡¯m sorry for being such a waste of space.¡± She slumped to the floor, letting the books fall.


    ¡°I¡¯m. . . sorry. I¡¯ll do the homework right now. Please. . . stop.¡±


    Her eyes were red and swollen from all the crying as she sat on the floor begging.


    Why was this bitch always so dramatic?


    The things she does just for a little sympathy from others.


    Sighing, I realized I needed a smoke. So I walked away from her still sobbing on the floor.

 So she had nice legs…

    Amelia Forbes


    I sat in the library all day solving Jason¡¯s homework assignments. It was easy because I had done mine already, so I remembered most of the answers.


    My chest was heavy and my eyes hurt. I was simply exhausted. I wondered again why I couldn¡¯t just stay home and take all my tests and exams there.


    School was the most exhausting ce to be, for me. Topped up with the constant bullying.


    I needed to get out of here.


    Just 170 days left, Mel. You¡¯re doing great. You¡¯re doing great. Just. . . hold on.


    All I had to do was stay out of their way. Jason and Kimberly. And avoid Adrian. I¡¯d be okay.


    I felt a second round of tearsing up but I shook it off and continued my work.


    Almost as if Adrian had heard me mentioning him in my head, he walked into the library.


    I said a silent prayer, hoping he wouldn¡¯t notice me.


    But he did, obviously. When had my prayers ever been answered.


    He waved at me from the door and proceeded to where I was sitting.


    My brain turned in circles as I contemted on what to do. I wasn¡¯t supposed to be talking to him. And I didn¡¯t want to get into more trouble with Jason.


    He got to where I was sitting and ced a hand on the free chair across me, asking, ¡°May I sit here?¡±


    I shrugged, trying to look busy.


    ¡°Um, okay.¡± He sounded unsure but still he took a seat.


    After a moment of silence, he asked. ¡°How are you doing today, Mel? And how¡¯s your Nana.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re both good, thanks,¡± I replied quietly.


    ¡°Okay cool,¡± He said. Still sounding unsure. ¡°Wanna hitch a ride home?¡± He offered, giving me his signature smile.


    ¡°No I¡¯m good, thanks.¡± I replied.


    He studied me from across the desk. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡±


    I looked up from the books, fixing him with a nk stare.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± He continued. ¡°You¡¯re acting weird.¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong, Adrian,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m just really tired.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    I gestured as the books. ¡°And busy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Okay then.¡±


    He stood with a small smile and gave me a small nod.


    Tears threatened to wash down my face as I watched him leave.


    I¡¯d finally made a friend who cared about my wellbeing. And all I could do was push him away. Because I was too scared to stand up to an asshole who hated me for no reason.


    I caught the tears in my palm before they would stain Jason¡¯s books.


    Wiping them with my free hand, I concentrated on the work in front of me.


    Amelia Forbes


    I was sitting on a chair at the back of the school.


    I should¡¯ve been on my way to Jason¡¯s house for the project but I waspletely exhausted. My chest hurt and I knew I needed to rest.


    But I couldn¡¯t tell Jason that, of course. I¡¯ll just sit here and rest awhile, I decided.


    I ced a hand on my forehead feeling weak just as a very flushed looking Benson came into view.


    He was making out with Katie as they inched their way to the back of the school.


    A strange anger pumped through me as I saw Ben.


    Did he even remember I existed?


    After a few minutes of making out and roaming hands around body parts not worth mentioning, they finally noticed me.


    With a yelp they tore apart, blushing furiously.


    Katie Henshaw smoothened out her hair and offered me a wave. After a few awkward moments she kissed Benson on the cheek and whispered something into his ear before walking away.


    Benson stood unsure for a while before walking up to me.


    ¡°Um, h-hey Mel. What¡¯s up?¡± He asked awkwardly.


    I had a lot to say but I decided it was best to keep quiet. So I just nodded.


    He rubbed the back of his neck.


    I don¡¯t know what it was. Maybe it was the gesture that reminded me of Adrian. Or the frustration at everything that had happened to me. But I exploded.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I gave a hollowugh. ¡°What¡¯s up is that the person who¡¯s supposed to be my best friend didn¡¯t even notice I was gone for days with a terrible cold that could¡¯ve killed me. What¡¯s up is that you gave me hope. You acted like you actually cared. You knew everything that was happening, with Jason, with Adrian, with everything. And you left me, Ben.¡±


    I felt like I was choking. And I could feel the tears streaming down.


    ¡°What¡¯s up is that you made me believe that I had someone, even if it was just one person, that someone could really care about me. Really love me.¡±


    He shook his head repeatedly.


    ¡°No, no, Ben. We were supposed to have our bestie timest weekend. You didn¡¯t even remember, right?¡±


    Iughed again as a look of realization materialized on his face.


    ¡°Mel, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± His voice shook. ¡°Katie and I-¡±


    ¡°Katie,¡± I repeated. ¡°Everything is about Katie now. I understand that since you¡¯re dating her you won¡¯t have as much time for me anymore. But it was just one day. One day, Ben. You knew I was having a hard time.¡±


    I sniffled, wiping my running nose with my sleeves.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even call to cancel. You just left me there. Waiting like an idiot. It hurt, Ben. It really hurt.¡±


    His eyes were watering now. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m so sorry,¡± He kept on repeating.


    I wiped my burning eyes with both hands, nodding.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little toote for that now.¡± I smiled bitterly.


    ¡°I can see now that I¡¯m nothing but a joke to you. I¡¯m not that important. And it¡¯s okay. It-it¡¯s okay,¡± I whimpered.


    Wiping my tears away for the fifth time today, I stood.


    ¡°I have somewhere to be.¡±


    He held onto my sleeve. ¡°Mel, please. I can fix this.¡±


    I gently extricated myself from his hold.


    ¡°Take care, Ben.¡±


    With that, I walked away to find a taxi to Jason¡¯s house.


    Jason Davenport


    I sat out on the porch smoking. I wasn¡¯t worried about getting caught because Dad wasn¡¯t home.


    It¡¯d been nearly an hour since I left school. Amelia hadn¡¯t arrived yet.


    Adrian had dropped me off. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t offer to take her with us.


    Good. He was probably learning that she wasn¡¯t worth it. And that¡¯s exactly how it should be.


    She had to find her way here. But I didn¡¯t care. She was wasting my fucking time.


    It was almost baffling how someone could be so dumb. You¡¯d think by now she¡¯d learned her lesson and consequences of keeping me waiting.


    Feeling my temple throb and trying to get rid of the irritation, I scrolled through my phone.


    My eyes narrowed as I sighted a message from Kimberly. I tapped on it and a pic of her in a revealing dress popped up. I swallowed and put my phone on sleep.


    Bitch. She was doing this on purpose. Teasing me. Because she knew I couldn¡¯t have her.


    cing my phone down I checked the time. 3. 15pm.


    As I was about to say something, a small figure emerged from the gates.


    Took her long enough.


    She took her time walking from the gates to the porch.


    I stood as she got to the porch. ¡°Traffic,¡± She mumbled, wiping a drop of sweat from her face.


    I cocked an eyebrow, observing her. Deciding to let it go, I shoved her towards the stairs.


    ¡°You know the way to the living room don¡¯t you?¡± I barked at her.


    She nodded and proceeded up the stairs.


    As we got past the second flight of stairs, Amelia nearly bumped into Ashley who wasing from the opposite direction.


    I shut my eyes, starting to fume. Thest thing I needed now was these two dumbass bitches in one room.


    I would fucking lose it.


    ¡°Sorry!¡± They both said at the same time.


    I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Grabbing Amelia, I prodded her toward the stairs.


    ¡°We have work to do, Mel,¡± I said, giving her a look she very well understood.


    Ashley wouldn¡¯t let us, of course. ¡°Who¡¯s your pretty friend, Jace?¡± Ashley asked sweetly.


    My face reddened as she used the nickname she knew I despised. But right now, I was wasn¡¯t in the mood for Ashley¡¯s drama. So I swallowed the anger and answered straight. ¡°She¡¯s a girl from my ss. We¡¯re paired for the project.¡±


    Ashley¡¯s face froze in surprise. This was the first time I¡¯d answered her clearly and with no trace of contempt. Most times I just ignored her.


    She recovered quickly, offering me arge grin. ¡°Well she¡¯s so pretty,¡± Ashley squealed in glee.


    Amelia looked on, giving a polite smile at intervals.


    I tried to control myself. My patience was running out.


    ¡°Would you like anything to drink?¡± Ashley was asking Amelia. Amelia stood helpless, looking at me.


    I sighed inaudibly. ¡°Water,¡± I answered for her. ¡°She¡¯ll take water.¡±


    Ashley smiled and pped both hands together. ¡°Would you like to stay over for dinner. . .¡± She trailed off.


    ¡°Amelia. Everyone calls me Mel,¡± Amelia answered for her.


    ¡°Oh my gosh. That is such a pretty name.¡±


    Amelia gave another polite smile. ¡°And. . . thanks for the offer but I¡¯m having dinner with my grandma.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Ashley¡¯s face fell. ¡°Okay maybe, next time?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Amelia smiled.


    Her smile didn¡¯t look so forced this time. Actually it looked kinda warm.


    Was this bitch having fun? I frowned.


    ¡°Well I¡¯ll leave you two to it,¡± Ashley said smiling even harder. If that was possible.


    Finally.


    Ashley gave Amelia a side hug as she walked past us, while Amelia looked on in horror.


    If I wasn¡¯t so angry I might haveughed.


    I dragged Amelia up the remaining stairs. As we got to the living room, I backed her in a corner.


    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± I demanded.


    She stared at me, looking confused. ¡°I don¡¯t understand-¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡± I spat. ¡°So now you think you can carry on conversations with anyone you meet here?¡±


    She cowered murmuring. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me not to talk to your cousin.¡±


    My hand froze in the air.


    My cousin.


    The reality of it all was so annoying. Anyone would even take her for my sister.


    But no. She was my stepmother. That word always left a bitter taste in my mouth.


    In anger, I grabbed Amelia. ¡°You¡¯re not here to make small talk. You¡¯re here to work. Understood?¡±


    She nodded weakly.


    ¡°Good. Now sit,¡± I ordered.


    She walked to the tiny chair she¡¯d sat in thest time.


    ¡°Not there,¡± I barked. ¡°I gestured to therger chair and table. ¡°Sit there.¡±


    Ashley had seen her already. It¡¯d look odd if she happened to see her sitting there. And it would attract a lot of questions.


    To keep up appearances, I abandoned the couch Iy in and took a seat three chairs from the one in which she was sitting.


    Her eyes widened in surprise and she wasted no time to getfortable on the chair, obviously grateful for it.


    I watched her take her time to getfortable on the chair.


    She took off her school bag and ced it in front of her, pausing halfway to make sure I¡¯d actually told her to sit.


    As she did her skirt rode up a little exposing one clear, creamy thigh.


    I swallowed involuntarily, forcing my eyes off her and gluing them on my phone screen.


    After a while, my eyes wandered back of their own ord. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her thighs.


    So she had nice legs. . .


    Shit. I stopped myself. The only time I¡¯d ever gotten close to Amelia was the night of the party when I yed that prank on her.


    And it was nothing exciting. It was merely to teach her a lesson.


    Giving up, I tore my eyes off her legs and focused on her face instead.


    She tucked her hair behind her ear, chewing on the end of the pencil she held. She flipped through one page of the textbook on the table, using her index finger to trace the words.


    I sucked in a sharp breath. I¡¯ve never found Amelia attractive.


    So why?


    In anger I banged the table and stood. ¡°Finish up and get out. I have stuff to do.¡±


    She looked up questioningly but didn¡¯tin.


    I spun round and walked out fast enough to conceal my erection.

 Jason’s mom

    Jason Davenport


    Iy on my bed exhausted. I¡¯d just gotten home from school after a 3 hour long practice.


    Coach was getting us ready for a game against St John¡¯s High; the current state champions. So we¡¯ve been training hard for it.


    I guess this was good in some way, as I usually got homete as a result of the training. And as soon as I had dinner, I went straight to bed.


    This actually helped me forget that I was grounded. Well, except on the weekends when I had absolutely nothing to do.


    Well, Dad was leaving soon. And obviously the guilt of leaving me behind would prompt him to lift the ban. And voil¨¤, I¡¯m not grounded anymore.


    I just hoped he would let me have my car back as well.


    I stopped running my fingers through my hair as I thought of Ashley. Ever since I¡¯d seen her that night underneath the tree talking to someone on the phone, I¡¯d been suspicious.


    Was she nning to rob him?


    Hurt him?


    My heart skipped a beat at that thought. But. . . she needed him for his money so why would she do that?


    One part of me wanted to let it go, let her do her thing. So that when she¡¯d steal from Dad, he¡¯d see that I¡¯d been right about her all along. And then maybe he¡¯d learn to listen to me. Trust me.


    I smirked, ying it out in my head and liking that I¡¯d had enough sense to see through Ashley¡¯s facade. The satisfaction I would gain was worth it.


    But another part of me just couldn¡¯t shake it off. If she was nning to do something stupid, which I knew she was, I wanted to be the one to catch her in the act.


    Gold digging bitch. tion pumped through me as I thought about it.


    Making up my mind to monitor her even more closely from now on, I jumped into the shower to freshen up.


    Two hourster I sat at the dining table with Dad and Ashley gulping down generous portions of potato porridge while dad discussed something with Ashley.


    At intervals, Ashley would look up from her food to offer me a warm smile.


    It took all I had in me not to scoff. She¡¯d been acting like this since the day she met Amelia. Did she really think we were buddies now because I answered her question politely.


    Bitch. She was trying to warm up to me slowly. Because she knew that as soon as she trapped me in her web of deceit with her fake kindness, she would secure her ce in the house as dad¡¯s wife, then use that opportunity to get anything she wanted.


    I ignored her smiles and focused on my food. I wasn¡¯t falling for her crap.


    But for now, I would keep calm, keep my cool. So she wouldn¡¯t think I suspected anything.


    Then when she was least expecting it, I would expose her for who she truly was.


    Amelia Forbes


    It was Saturday. And I was exhausted. Yeah sure, I¡¯m always exhausted, but this was different.


    I needed to go out. Get some fresh air. Breathe. The week had been hard on me, as though all forces were against me.


    What I needed right now was a generous serving of frozen yogurt and I was going out to get some. The only problem was that Matty¡¯s-where you¡¯d find the best frozen yogurt in the whole of Wayne County-was the most popr hangout for teenagers, especially on the weekends.


    God forbid I should bump into Kimberly or Jason around there. They were already doing a good job of ruining my weekdays-and hence my life-but I was adamant about enjoying my weekends at least.


    An hourter after I¡¯d managed to get myself into a faded pair of joggers and a sleeveless top, I sat in a bench outside Sally¡¯s-where I¡¯d finally decided to go and get not-so-great yogurt-shaded by a huge umbre.


    It wasn¡¯t much, but it was yogurt. Good enough for me.


    As I dipped my spoon into the half eaten yogurt, I saw a very familiar looking girl walk out the shop, a huge cup of yogurt in one hand.


    She looked some years older than me. Her luscious blonde curls with light pink highlights in them looked amazing in the sun and she looked like she¡¯d just walked out of a Vogue magazine.


    As I tried to recall where I¡¯d seen her before while also trying not to gawk like an idiot, I noticed she¡¯d seen me already.


    A look of recognition surfaced on her face, and when she smiled I remembered. She was Jason¡¯s cousin.


    ¡°Hey,¡± She said as she got to where I was sitting. ¡°Can I sit here?¡± She asked sweetly.


    I almost stuttered. ¡°I, um, yes.¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Don¡¯t me me. I¡¯m not used to having this much perfection around.


    As she grinned in reply, pulling out a chair, I decided that her teeth definitely couldn¡¯t be real.


    She¡¯s a freaking goddess.


    I tried topose myself although I was freaking out internally.


    Please, for once in your life Mel, don¡¯t embarrass yourself.


    ¡°You¡¯re Mel. Jason¡¯s friend right?¡± She asked, eating a spoonful of yogurt.


    ¡°Shit. This stuff is terrible,¡± Sheughed after swallowing. Her expression was funny so I couldn¡¯t help butugh too.


    ¡°Yeah I am,¡± I answered. ¡°And you¡¯re his cousin right?¡±


    Realizing something, I said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t get your name though.¡±


    She gave a heartyugh. ¡°Oh my gosh, so sorry. I¡¯m Ashley.¡± She extended her arm for a handshake. ¡°And. . . I¡¯m Jason¡¯s stepmom.¡±


    I nearly choked on my yogurt. His stepmom? No freaking way.


    I knew Jason¡¯s mom had died in an ident years ago, but I didn¡¯t know his dad had remarried. I looked at Ashley again in disbelief.


    She didn¡¯t look a year above twenty one. She looked so. . . young.


    Was that why Jason was so angry?


    I remembered the look on his face when I¡¯d called her his cousin. The hesitation. The resentment.


    Well, crap.


    I guess any one would be embarrassed and angry too, especially since Ashley wasn¡¯t much older than him.


    I swallowed, contemting on how to react. I knew I was terrible at disguising my emotions.


    Sheughed at my expression. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s cool. I get that look a lot. Yeah, it¡¯s difficult. But we¡¯re making it work.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s cool,¡± I replied, not sure what to say.


    ¡°Anyways. . .¡± She said, reaching out to touch my hair. ¡°You are one hell of a beauty. Ahhh, the things I could do to your hair. We just need to touch it up a little and you¡¯d look even more glorious,¡± She squealed.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Her excitement was contagious.


    ¡°Well what do you say?¡± She asked, still smiling. ¡°We should do it sometime.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± I blurted out without thinking. ¡°That¡¯d be nice.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± She pped her hands together.


    Iughed at her excitement.


    After a while of talking about random stuff she threw her yogurt in the trash and stood.


    ¡°Gotta go, Mels. I have somewhere to be.¡±


    Mels. It was new. But I decided I liked it.


    ¡°Okay sure.¡± I replied, getting up and wiping my hands with a napkin.


    I realized I was enjoying herpany. I don¡¯t remember thest time a female, aside from Nana, was nice to me.


    She gave me one of her side hugs and fled to her car which was parked right outside Sally¡¯s.


    All I thought of was how much better she¡¯d made my day as I watched the car zoom off.

 Adrian again

    Amelia Forbes


    It had been nearly two hours since I met Ashley at Sally¡¯s. And although the yogurt had been terrible and what I needed was to sleep it away, I didn¡¯t go home.


    Nana had volunteer work on Saturdays so she wasn¡¯t home. And no way was I going home right now to sit there all alone. I would think to a very unhealthy point and probably end up crying and feeling sorry for myself.


    So I just walked. I walked round Wayne County. Well, it was a small town so it wasn¡¯t so difficult.


    From Sally¡¯s I walked past Matty¡¯s, carefully of course, to avoid being seen.


    As I looked through the ss windows at Matty¡¯s, I could see people, guys and girls in groups, talking,ughing, having fun.


    That was me once, I thought.


    Feeling the sadnessing, I walked past as quickly as I could to shake it off. It wasn¡¯t the time for it.


    After a tour round Wayne County, the only ce I hadn¡¯t been to was the park. It¡¯d been years since I¡¯d been to the park.


    Thest time was with mom and dad. . .


    I swallowed back tears. I was determined not to cry today. And I was nning to stick to that.


    Finally I got to the park. There was a free bench so I sat, clutching the hotdog buns I had gotten in one hand.


    I watched kids ying while their parents watched, couples holding hands and kissing, people getting on rides with their friends.


    The whole scene made me feel sad and nostalgic. I always tried not to think about mom and dad so much.


    But it was so hard. This scene just made it ten times worse. As I watched parents with their kids, I wished I could take back all the wrong things I ever said to mom and dad.


    The first tear that dropped on my hotdog reminded me that I had to go.


    I dumped the hotdog in the trash and stood. It was time to go.


    As I wiped my eyes with sleeve, I bumped into someone.


    I raised my head in rm and embarrassment, ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t see you-¡±


    I paused as I saw that it was actually a couple. Benson and Katie.


    Their arms were linked tightly together and they each held a stick of cotton candy. By the flushed look on their faces, I could tell that they¡¯d just ridden the roller coaster.


    Some kind of pain tugged in my heart. They were having fun. It was great actually for Benson. For them both, I guess.


    Benson¡¯s eyes widened as he saw me, and I could see the guilt and pain in them. As he opened his mouth to say something, I beat him to it.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t see you guys there,¡± I mustered a fake smile and walked off. Quickly, so they wouldn¡¯t see that I was crying.


    When I got home, I knew Nana was back already because the door wasn¡¯t locked.


    I walked to her room to find her, and engulfed her in a hug when I did.


    She was a bit startled by the gesture. But she waited till I¡¯d calmed down. After she¡¯d let me sob like a baby for a few minutes she gently raised my head to face her.


    Are you okay, baby? She signed.


    I could see the worry in her eyes, and I immediately felt bad for being a burden to her.


    Fresh tears filled my eyes as I signed, I just really miss them.


    She gave me a tight hug and signed, Me too.


    I let myself go. Sobbing until I felt better. It was sad realizing that the only person I had right now was Nana.


    Amelia Forbes


    I didn¡¯t remember falling asleep or getting into my bedst night. Everything was a blur.


    I felt like I was having a hangover, although I didn¡¯t drink yesterday.


    Sighing, I got up from my bed and jumped into the shower. After going through my morning routine-except getting ready for school, because it was Sunday-the smell of waffles prompted me to go downstairs for breakfast.


    As I sat on a chair in the kitchen after signing good morning to Nana, she eyed me, nodded and continued her work.


    What? Imunicated.


    She poured another batch of batter in the waffle maker and wiped the countertop, throwing the utensils in the sink.


    Adrian emailed to cancel for today, She signed, watching me carefully.


    Right. He¡¯d gotten Nana¡¯s email address thest time he came-in case he needed to reach her, and to check up on her.


    I felt a stab of guilt in my chest. I hadn¡¯t even given him an exnation for my behavior thest time. Maybe he¡¯d decided to give me space. Or who knows, he might even hate me now. Like everyone else.


    But it was for the best, I decided. Best to avoid shing with Jason.


    Oh, I signed to Nana, trying to look clueless.


    She eyed me again, squeezing arge amount of liquid soap on the dishes.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    What did you do? She signed.


    I gasped in disbelief. Why do you think I did something, I asked.


    Nana shook her head. Adrian is a sweet boy, She signed. He wouldn¡¯t just cancel, unless something happened.


    I folded my arms across my chest and signed, Well maybe he cancelled because he didn¡¯t feel likeing over anymore.


    Nana shot me a re as she turned off the waffle maker. Shaking her head again, she took out two tes to dish out the waffles. She cut it into four portions, topping it off with three drops of butter and maple syrup. Just the way I liked it.


    Passing mine to me, she signed, Adrian is a good boy, the one friend I know you¡¯ve got apart from Ben. Don¡¯t lose him because you¡¯re scared he¡¯ll turn out just like everyone else.


    With that, she smiled and patted my head.


    Now eat, She signed again, going back to continue her washing and leaving me in a state of deep thought.

 We’re gonna miss our flight

    Jason Davenport


    I pretended not to know that Dad walked into my room. It was 6am. I would soon have to get up and get ready for school.


    But for now, I really didn¡¯t feel like seeing him or talking to him. So I pretended to be asleep.


    He stood at the side of my bed watching me. Sighing when he saw that I was asleep, he gently sat on my bed and buried his head in his hands.


    He looked tired and stressed out. Maybe he really was having a hard time. I wondered if maybe I was being too hard on him. . .


    But I banished that thought as quickly as it came. He deserved it. He was the one trying to rece Mom and change everything. We were great on our own before Ashley showed up.


    And still, he was too blind to see that the only thing she was doing was ruining our lives and our rtionship with each other.


    It¡¯de back to bite him in the ass. And for sure he¡¯d regret ever trying to rece my mother. Like he always did.


    The thought of letting Ashley rob him came to my mind, and for a moment I considered it. It¡¯d be the best way to show him what kind of person she truly was. And he¡¯d learn his lesson too.


    But no.


    I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she might harm him. And as much as I hated to admit it, that thought was frightening.


    I¡¯d already lost one parent. I wasn¡¯t about to lose the other.


    Maybe I should stop him.


    But I knew he wouldn¡¯t listen to me. He¡¯d think I was only trying to ruin it because I hated Ashley.


    Not that I didn¡¯t. Because I did. I really did.


    I watched him sit there for minutes with his head in his hands. After a while, I decided that I¡¯d pretended for long enough.


    So I acted like I was just waking up, surprised to see him sitting there.


    ¡°Hey, buddy,¡± He said as he saw me getting up. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you to get up.¡±


    ¡°Morning Dad,¡± I murmured, getting up and walking to the bathroom.


    ¡°Your mom and I are leaving today,¡± He said after a while.


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡± I wasn¡¯t really interested in what he had to say. I knew he was feeling guilty. And I was going to use it to my advantage.


    ¡°You gonna be okay?¡± He asked. I could hear the desperation in his voice.


    I deliberately wasted a lot of time to respond. ¡°No,¡± I answered gravely.


    ¡°I¡¯m grounded till graduation, I can¡¯t y video games, see my friends, or even have my car. And now I¡¯m going to spend two weeks alone in this huge house. Because this doesn¡¯t feel like a home.¡±


    For effect, I trudged into the shower and shut the door. I took my time showering, knowing that the more time I spent in the bathroom, the more time he had to feel bad. Ample time for the guilt to really seep in.


    After showering, I walked back into the room and started to change into my alreadyid out outfit for the day.


    Dad grabbed my arm as I proceeded to walk downstairs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He stated. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard for you, being all alone here. I promise that after your exams, we¡¯ll take a trip. Just the two of us.¡± He smiled, and I wondered if he really meant it. I hoped he did.


    ¡°You can have your car back,¡± He continued.


    Yes! I let out a breath I didn¡¯t know I was holding. Finally.


    ¡°And your video games too. But. . . you¡¯re still grounded.¡±


    I gave him a look.


    He shook his head. ¡°No, no. I mean it. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re spending time with the right people. I¡¯m trying to protect you.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± I said giving up.


    No point arguing.


    It¡¯s not like he¡¯d be here to monitor my movements anyway.


    He gave me a warm smile. ¡°We better go downstairs. Your mom is waiting.¡±


    As we got downstairs and sat down for breakfast, Dad tossed me the keys to my car.


    I would¡¯ve kissed the keys if I wasn¡¯t so determined to not show any emotions.


    So I only nodded-a gesture that showed I was grateful.


    Ashley grinned at me as I ate a spoonful of baked beans.


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna miss you, Jace,¡± She said, pouting.


    I nodded, trying to hide my scowl. No point causing drama today. After all, I wouldn¡¯t have to see her for two weeks. What more could I ask?


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry we¡¯ll be back before you know it!¡± She clung onto dad¡¯s arm. ¡°Right babe?¡±


    Please, not the pet names. I was this close to gagging.


    Dad nodded in affirmation, smiling and looking from me to Ashley.


    What was that?


    Did he think we were finally getting along? It was almostughable.


    I was only doing this because I needed Ashley to think I was warming up to her.


    And then she¡¯d make the mistake of letting her guard down. And I would catch her right where I should.


    So she better enjoy the peace. For now.


    ¡°Do you want anything from Paris?¡± Dad asked.


    I shrugged. I¡¯d been to Paris with Mom and Dad some years back. So there wasn¡¯t really anything special I could think of.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Video games maybe?¡± I said, wanting the conversation to end.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Dad nodded.


    Ashley giggled. ¡°Look at us, having breakfast together peacefully for once,¡± She said.


    Dadughed and kissed her hand, reaching out for mine.


    I pretended to cough so I could remove my hand from his hold.


    After a while of eating in silence, Dad checked his watch.


    ¡°Shoot! Baby we have to go. We¡¯re gonna miss our flight.¡±


    Ashley let out a yelp, running round to grab her stuff as though the world wereing to an end.


    As they raced through the door, Dad called out. ¡°No parties, Jason!¡±


    Thest thing I heard was the echoingughter of Ashley as they raced down the stairs.

 I’m tired man

    Amelia Forbes


    I was determined to make everything go right today. Maybe not perfect. But just right.


    Hopefully, good enough to not get into trouble with anyone; Kimberly or Jason.


    I didn¡¯t think I could take any insults or bullying right now. I was weak; physically, mentally, emotionally. You name it. I needed a break from it all.


    Which was why I¡¯d rounded up the remainder of the project over the weekend. All that was left to do now was fill out Jason¡¯s project manual, as I had filled out mine already, and give him a summary of everything I¡¯d done in case we were required to present it in ss.


    As I walked through the hallway with the homework fromst week-we were asked to write an essay-I searched for Jason to hand his to him.


    Easiest way to stay safe from trouble with Jason? Find him before he found you.


    If he asked me for it first, it¡¯d only be another opportunity to pick on me. And that¡¯s exactly what I was trying to prevent.


    I checked all the ces he could be; the bleachers, empty ssrooms. Finally I found him in a stairwell, discussing with Adrian.


    I took in a sharp breath as I sighted Adrian. I hadn¡¯t talked to him since that day in the library. A part of me felt like I should apologize, especially after what Nana had said to me.


    But. . . it was best to stay this way as I didn¡¯t want any issues with Adrian.


    Breathing deeply, I approached them. Jason rolled his eyes and let out a sharp hiss as he saw me.


    Adrian, on the other hand, didn¡¯t betray any emotions he may have been feeling. His expression remained nk.


    I tried to control my beating heart as I handed Jason his homework. He scowled and snatched it from me.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± He muttered, forcing a smile.


    I froze for a second. Did Jason Davenport just thank me? I wondered in amazement. My eyes widened as I stared at him not believing it. What was he ying at?


    He red at me and nced at Adrian.


    Oh. I understood.


    He was trying to keep up appearances because Adrian was here.


    Of course, I thought, feeling stupid. His best friend didn¡¯t know that he made me do all his homework. I restrained from pping my forehead.


    Why would Jason thank me?


    Gosh Mel, you¡¯re so stupid.


    I nodded, avoiding Adrian¡¯s eyes as I turned around and walked away.


    Jason Davenport


    I hid my surprise as Amelia walked away after handing me my homework. I¡¯d almost forgotten that it was due today.


    I wondered what was up. Amelia handing me my homework before I¡¯d asked for it? It was strange, yes.


    But what I¡¯d found even more interesting was the fact that Adrian hadn¡¯t said a word to her. He was usually always all smiles to see her. And he never forgot to say hi or ask how she was doing every time he saw her.


    Trouble in paradise? I almostughed, observing him carefully.


    I could see that Amelia was doing just as I¡¯d told her to; staying far away from Adrian and avoiding any form of conversation with him.


    Good. At least the bitch was learning how to obey orders.


    But Adrian? He was always on Amelia¡¯s side every single time something rted to her came up. So I found it weird that he suddenly decided to ignore her existence; hadn¡¯t even said one word to her.


    Trying to phrase it as casually as possible, I asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    He cocked an eyebrow, confused. ¡°With what?¡±


    ¡°You and Amelia,¡± I said, scrolling through my phone to avoid looking so interested.


    ¡°Nothing. Why?¡± He answered in the same tone.


    Why was he lying to me? It was obvious something was going on. And I wanted to know what it was.


    ¡°Well she was just here, and you didn¡¯t even say a word to her. It¡¯s weird that¡¯s all,¡± I shrugged, peeking at him from the corner of my eye to see his reaction.


    He onlyughed.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong, man. Why are you so interested anyway? I thought my friendship with her bothered you.¡±


    I hid a grin. I saw what he was doing. Posing a question to avoid answering mine.


    I could guess that Amelia had followed my orders, staying away from him as I¡¯d asked her to. And he probably felt slighted by it.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I shrugged to avoid his question. ¡°If you say so, no issues,¡± Iughed, patting his back.


    He¡¯d get over it, I thought. And he¡¯d see that Amelia wasn¡¯t worth it. As a matter of fact, she wasn¡¯t worth anyone¡¯s time.


    And when Adrian realized that, he¡¯d be okay.


    I smiled at him and resumed our conversation saying, ¡°We should go look for the gang.¡±


    Adrian shrugged, not looking so keen.


    ¡°Come on,¡± I insisted, cing one arm on his shoulder and jogging down the stairs.


    Amelia Forbes


    The day had gone tolerably well. Well except for when Kimberly had dipped the ends of my hair in ck paint during art ss. By mistake, she imed.


    Well now, I had temporary highlights thanks to her. I should¡¯ve known that I couldn¡¯t escape Kimberly. She¡¯d always find a way to ruin my day.


    And I knew that the only reason why I¡¯d escaped Jason today was because he had spent nearly the entire day with Adrian by his side.


    Thank goodness for that. So I guess I could say that this was the most tolerable day I¡¯d had in a very long time.


    We¡¯d been given homework today. And as soon as I had free time, I¡¯d raced to the library and done Jason¡¯s, handing it to him as soon as I saw him and liking the confused expression on his face.


    He couldn¡¯t hurt me or do anything because I hadn¡¯t done anything wrong.


    If I could carry on like this for the remaining 165 days, I coulde out okay.


    I grabbed the books I would need for the project today.


    This might be thest day of the project because I¡¯d rounded up already.


    If I could get it all done today, I, wouldn¡¯t have to go to Jason¡¯s house anymore.


    And that sweet relief would be worth all the stress I was going through right now.

 She’s real eye-candy

    Jason Davenport


    Iy on a sofa in the living room. It¡¯d been a while since I¡¯ve had this much freedom. And it was nice.


    I¡¯d left school an hour ago, getting home a full hourter because I¡¯d decided to take my car for a spin.


    God, I missed this. Car, video games, leaving schoolte. . .


    And to top it all off, I didn¡¯t have to see Ashley¡¯s face for two whole weeks. What more could a guy ask for?


    All I needed now was alcohol and a good hard fuck.


    I started to n the party I was going to throw tomorrow, making a mental list of all the girls that¡¯d grovel if I asked them to my room.


    Girls that¡¯d be up for a good fuck without batting an eyelid.


    I felt my cock begin to harden in anticipation, and I wondered if it was toote to throw the party tonight instead.


    Reaching for my phone, I slid into Rory¡¯s DM, asking if it¡¯d be possible to throw a party tonight and still have lots of girls attend.


    As I was about to put my phone down, the doorbell rang.


    I was taken by surprise as I opened the door to a timid-looking Amelia and well, I found myself staring.


    And as much as I tried to do it as subtlety as I could, it¡¯d been a while since I had sex. My hormones were raging, and inasmuch as I¡¯d tried not to picture Amelia in that way, all I could picture as I stared at her was peeling off the thick fabric of the sleeveless dress she wore.


    I was jolted from my thoughts by Amelia saying my name repeatedly and waving a hand in my face, a confused expression on her face.


    ¡°Can Ie in?¡± She asked, unsure.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    My eyes traveled to her bare arms and I swallowed involuntarily.


    In reply, I opened the door wider to let her in.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time we were walking up the stairs, but it was the first time I noticed just how smooth and sexy her bare legs were.


    As we got to the living room, she stopped abruptly, almost bumping into the fly of my jeans.


    Almost. . .


    She stared wide-eyed from me to the chair, as if waiting for permission to sit. I only nodded as I was too busy trying to conceal the fact that I was staring.


    As she took her seat, I couldn¡¯t help but notice things. Her full thighs, small waistline, voluptuous hips. The perfect posture for a bouncing cowgirl position.


    I took the seat next to her, her strawberry scent attacking my senses and my arousal pushing against my jeans in protest.


    I watched her work, eyes glued to her books, contemting on whether it was a good idea to take her upstairs.


    Surely she¡¯s smart enough to figure out why I¡¯m taking her upstairs.


    Making my decision, I said, ¡°The gardener¡¯swn mowing is making a hell lot of noise. Let¡¯s go to my room.¡±


    She paused in the middle of her writing, looking up at me with a distrustful look in her eyes. But I only found the way her eyebrows puckered in curiousity sexy as hell.


    I swallowed deeply as she got up, books in hand, and began to walk up the stairs.

 Numb

    WARNING!!! TRIGGERING CHAPTER AHEAD!!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!


    Amelia Forbes


    Jason had been acting weird. I noticed it as soon as he opened the door for me earlier, but I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on what it was exactly.


    Like in the living room just now, he¡¯d suddenly decided that the sound of thewn mower was distracting, and asked that we move to his room instead.


    As we walked up the stairs to the room, Jason giving me directions, I noticed in the shadow that he cast behind me that he¡¯d stopped walking and I could feel him staring.


    What was he nning now? Another prank?


    That was honestly thest thing I needed right now.


    As we got to his semi messy bedroom, my eyes roamed for a good ce to sit.


    Jason motioned to the bed. ¡°Just sit there.¡±


    My suspicion grew and I began to feel very ufortable.


    My dress rode up my thigh a little as I lowered myself onto the bed, and the strange look in Jason¡¯s eyes made me wish I¡¯d worn jeans today.


    As he lowered himself next to me on the bed, I hurriedly began to fill out his manual. Thankfully I¡¯d gone halfway before I¡¯d gotten here.


    He moved closer. Too close forfort.


    I remembered the night of the party. Is that what he was trying to repeat? y another prank?


    Soon, I got to thest page of the manual, filled it out and thrust it into his hand.


    As I picked up my books and made to leave, he grabbed my hand stopping me.


    ¡°Calm down for a second, Mel,¡± Heughed. ¡°All work and no y makes Jason a dull boy.¡±


    I sharply withdrew my hand from his hold, irritation beginning to rise within me.


    ¡°What kind of prank do you wanna y now? I¡¯m not in the mood for your expensive jokes, Jason and I¡¯m not falling for it.¡±


    Jason only let out a lowugh, walking to the door and shutting it.


    ¡°No one¡¯s around, Mel. Let¡¯s have fun.¡±


    As I heard the door click shut and saw Jason drop the key into his pocket, I felt bile begin to rise in the back of my throat.


    He picked up a small remote and pressed a button, sting loud music from the home theater speakers.


    No, no. God, please no. This can¡¯t be happening.


    He moved towards me, spanning my waist and leaned in to kiss me. Cold panic ran through me and I blocked his lips from mine with my open palm, my fingers wing at his face.


    Catching him off guard, I rushed to the window, feeling like I was about to throw up. I knocked heavily, desperately, willing someone to look up and see me.


    As Jason recovered,ing up behind me and pping a hand over my mouth to stop my screaming, I felt my eyes well up with tears of horror.


    This couldn¡¯t be happening to me. It couldn¡¯t be. Please no.


    He tore my fingers from the window sill and grabbed my neck, squeezing tightly and then shoving me on the bed.


    The sound of his belt popping open brought with it a terrible revtion. Jason was about to have his way with me. He was about to rape me.


    Screaming in horror as loud as I could, I raced for the door again.


    ¡°Help me!¡± I yelled at the top of my voice, beating my fists against the door with all the strength I could muster.


    But the only thing I could hear was the blood rushing through my ears as the music overshadowed my cries for help.


    I felt Jason walking towards me. His undone belt had loosened his jeans around the waist and now he stood in nothing but his boxers, fully aroused.


    ¡°It¡¯s no use. No one can hear you.¡±


    As I opened my mouth to scream again, he pped one hand over my mouth and drew me closer to him. And I could feel his erection poking against my butt.


    Roughly, he shoved me onto the bed, making me lie on my face. Still cupping his palm over my mouth, he knelt in between my legs, splitting them wider.


    I could feel myself hyperventting, struggling, tears and sweat running down my forehead and into my mouth as I begged.


    ¡°P-please Jason!¡± I sobbed. ¡°Whatever I did to you, I¡¯m rea-really sorry. Please don¡¯t do-¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I screamed out in pain as he pulled up my dress to my stomach, ripping my panties brutally.


    I couldn¡¯t breathe.


    He intertwined our fingers forcefully on the bed and began to thrust into me.


    I let out a sharp cry in pain struggling as hard as I could. But I was no match for him.


    He cursed loudly, muttering something about virgins being so tight. Then bracing himself, he took a second thrust.


    I opened my mouth to scream, but I wasn¡¯t sure if any sounds wereing out.


    Pain like liquid fire rushed through me. Every part of me was hurting.


    He moved my head to the side, deeper into the sheets, as he increased his pace, panting, moaning.


    My tears soon stained the sheets and I sought for some kind of distraction. Anything that would take my mind from the assault of my body.


    Ignoring the huge drops of tears in my eyes, I realized how warm the sheets felt against my cheek. And how the white appearance of everything in the room-white sheets, white curtains, white furniture-made me feel nauseous.


    And slowly I began to block it all out until it faded away. Completely.


    After a while, he let out a loud moan like a wounded animal and finally rolled off me.


    The only pain I was aware of was the burning soreness in between my thighs. So Iy there, unmoving. Confused.


    After Jason zipped up his jeans, he thumped me on the back. ¡°Time to go. Get up,¡± He barked.


    Seeing that I wasn¡¯t cooperating he grabbed my arm and forced me upright.


    I let out a cry, realizing how hard it was to stand upright. I was sore all over.


    Jason rolled his eyes. ¡°Stop being so fucking dramatic. You knew this was going to happen so stop pretending like you didn¡¯t.¡±


    He busied himself with changing his outfit and then continued,¡±Don¡¯t you dare tell anyone about this. Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± He threatened. ¡°After all it¡¯s your fault for being such a slut.¡±


    Fresh tears formed in my eyes as I realized I couldn¡¯t speak because I¡¯d lost my voice.


    As I stared at him, looking but not seeing, my eyes traveled to the sheets. I let out a gasp as I saw that blood had stained nearly half the bed.


    Blood on the sheets. Blood on Jason¡¯s t-shirt.


    Dried blood in between my legs.


    Jason had stolen my virginity. Taken it like it was nothing.


    My hands shook uncontrobly as I slumped to the floor. He had already taken my life. The insults, the bullying.


    But the one thing that was mine to give. He had stolen it from me. And he med me for it.


    Tears of confusion and helplessness ran down my cheeks.


    Jason let out a hiss, tapping my shoulder. ¡°Get yourself cleaned up and get out. I¡¯ve got a party to n.¡±


    With those words, he walked out the door, banging it loudly behind him and leaving me in the dark to battle my newfound demons.

 Who cares?

    Jason Davenport


    As I banged the door behind me, I rested my back against it. My palms were very sweaty and I was breathing hard.


    Shit.


    What did I just do?


    There was a shitload of blood on the  sheets.


    I swallowed.


    What if something had happened to her? What if I¡¯d killed her?


    I¡¯d be in a lot of trouble if anyone found out. . .


    Guilt poked me hard in my chest. But I hurriedly brushed it aside, shaking my head vigorously.


    This was Amelia Forbes here. Whatever happens to her, she deserves it. After all it¡¯s her fault that my mother wasn¡¯t here today.


    So who the fuck cares if she dies anyway?


    Brushing my fingers through my hair, I smoothened it out. I was only overthinking all of this.


    I just needed a smoke to calm myself down. Then rx and enjoy the party. Amelia would take care of herself. After all this was her mess.


    Casting the unnecessary guilt aside, I got into my car, heading to Rory¡¯s to discuss the party.


    Amelia Forbes


    My head was spinning as I sat in the cab I had hailed. I remembered blubbering out the address to the driver. But I wasn¡¯t sure whether he¡¯d heard me or not.


    My tears had dried on my cheeks but now I was even more aware of the hole forming in my chest.


    My mind wandered to different things all at once until I began to feel dizzy. Only then did I realize that the taxi had stopped, and the driver was reaching into the open backseat, shaking me back to reality.


    I let out a scream, withdrawing sharply from his touch.


    I began to feel suffocated, banging on the left window for help.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey, calm down,¡± He said, a look of rm on his face. ¡°You asked me to drop you off here, remember? Home?¡±


    ¡°Move away from the door please,¡± I blurted, feeling suffocated and ufortable. After making sure he¡¯d moved a good distance away from the door, I looked around to survey the environment.


    And Nana¡¯s small home stood right there, like it always had. The taxi was parked right next to it.


    I had nked out.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Tears stung my eyes as I nced at the horrified looking taxi driver.


    ¡°I¡¯m-I¡¯m really sorry,¡± I whimpered as I handed him money and jumped out of the taxi.


    My hands shook as I struggled with the lock. Finally getting it open, I rushed it and secured the lock behind me.


    I didn¡¯t know what I was doing, what I was feeling. But I knew I needed to take off this dress.


    I walked to the bathroom and shut the door. Taking my dress off, I was suddenly aware that I didn¡¯t have any panties on. Anguish enveloped me as I remembered that Jason had. . .


    Breathing in sharply, I stared at my reflection in the mirror, ashamed of myself for what I saw.


    Tear stains, puffy eyes and a red nose. I sshed my face with cold water from the tap.


    I felt filthy, vited. Like trash; useless and forgotten.


    I shook my head as I stared at myself. This couldn¡¯t have happened to me. Maybe if I shut my eyes tightly enough, I¡¯d wake up. And realize it had all been a dream.


    I clutched the sides of the sink, willing myself to wake up from this nightmare.


    Wake up, Mel. Wake up. Please. It¡¯s just a dream.


    It¡¯s not real. It¡¯s not real. It¡¯s not-it can¡¯t be. . .


    ¡°Please,¡± I whispered, my voiceing out as a croak. My throat was sore. Sore because I¡¯d been screaming.


    I¡¯d been screaming less than an hour ago. It had all been real. All of it.


    Shaking, I sted the shower open, letting out lukewarm water. I grabbed my sponge,thering until it was soapy enough.


    And I scrubbed. My face, my arms, my thighs. Desperate to erase the marks, the memories, the feeling of Jason¡¯s hands on me.


    The thought of having to live with this for the rest of my life flooded my head.


    No. No. No.


    I scrubbed harder. I needed to remove every trace. Wash them away.


    A burning pain in my thigh prompted me to look down, and I saw that I¡¯d scrubbed so vigorously I¡¯d started bleeding.


    Good. Yes, I¡¯ll scrub all of it away. Till I feel clean. Till it¡¯s all gone.


    I clutched my sponge tighter, squeezing more soap into it. I scrubbed my arms, meticulously washing away the memory of him grabbing my arms. Pushing me onto the bed.


    A feeling of helplessness attacked me once more and I slumped to the floor, still scrubbing.


    Tears blurred my vision as I reached out tother on more soap. Pain bubbled in my chest as I let out a cry.


    I raised my head sharply, renewed energy bursting through me. ¡°Go away!¡± I screamed as I scrubbed harder. From my head down to my toes.


    By the time I walked out of the shower, I was red and bruised all over. But I didn¡¯t feel any pain. I was just. . . numb.


    I slowly changed into a long sleeved hoodie and joggers.


    Sleeves. I should¡¯ve worn long sleeves today. Maybe this wouldn¡¯t have happened. Maybe.


    I copsed onto my bed, burying myself deep into the duvet. I shut my eyes, willing sleep toe as an escape. But all I could see was white sheets stained with blood.


    I shut them tighter, sping my hands over my ears to block out the screaming that wouldn¡¯t stop ringing in my head.


    Then the tears came. Wetting my face and the sheets. Iy in a foetal position, hands on my ankles, rocking back and forth to a rhythm that contrasted to the beating of my heart. Hoping the irregr motion would distract me.


    I forced my eyes open, trying to remember what date it was. What day, what month, but nothing came. I shook my head, trying again.


    Giving up, I continued my back and forth motion, unaware of the time, till I finally cried myself to sleep.

 Who did she think she was?

    Jason Davenport


    My mind wandered as I leaned on a wall in the hallway.


    Rory and I had finally decided to throw the party at his ce instead, and it had been exactly what I needed. Yes, I¡¯d felt uneasy in the beginning, but after I¡¯d gone home and disposed of the bloodied sheets, I felt better.


    Better and ready to party. And so far, apart from a terrible hangover, everything was going really great.


    The project was due today, and we were each supposed to submit a written report about our experience working together.


    Of course Amelia would be writing for the both of us. But I hadn¡¯t seen the bitch today.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    I frowned, hoping she wasn¡¯t still sulking about the other day. God, that girl had to be the most dramatic one I¡¯d ever met in my entire life.


    And she better not have told anyone shit. What would she say anyway? I wondered, smiling. No one would believe her.


    As if she had been hiding in the corners waiting for me to think of her, she emerged from the hallway. She hadn¡¯t seen me yet, I could tell.


    Trudging to her locker, she took out two notes from her school bag before dumping it in the locker.


    She looked. . . tired, stressed, and so pale you¡¯d think she was dying. I resisted the urge to hiss. Must she seriously take it to heart? This bad?


    This was why I found girls annoying. Acting like they didn¡¯t enjoy the sex when obviously you know they did. It¡¯s not like she wouldn¡¯t fuck other guys anyway.


    Plus it was her first time. Everyone enjoys their first time. But of course, Amelia had to make it a big deal.


    Dramatic bitch.


    Heading towards ss, she finally sighted me. To my dismay and surprise, she didn¡¯t falter. As a matter of fact, she kept walking towards me, like I was invisible.


    Standing two steps away from me, she took out a leaflet from one of the notes she held in her right hand and handed it to me without a word.


    I snatched it from her, observing her curiously, a frown beginning to manifest on my face. I moved closer to her menacingly.


    ¡°Bitch, what did I tell you about making me wait?¡± I asked cracking my knuckles.


    She didn¡¯t cower in fear or re at me in defiance or anger. She just stood there. Looking in my direction but not at me. Like I wasn¡¯t even there.


    I cocked an eyebrow in disbelief. ¡°Answer me when I¡¯m talking to you. What the fuck is wrong with you?¡± I muttered under my breath, not wanting to cause a scene in the hallway.


    She didn¡¯t say a word, just kept staring into space. Her eyes were droopy and tired but expressionless. Without a word she walked away, leaving me staring after her in shock and simmering anger.


    Amelia Forbes


    I couldn¡¯t exin how I was feeling because I wasn¡¯t really sure.


    Yes, I felt tired. But I also felt like someone had punched my heart out. It was like I was in this emotional phase where I was just. . . nk. Not happy, not sad, just existing. Letting life take me wherever it deemed fit.


    I could count the amount of words that hade out of my mouth since that day. I was simply too tired to talk, too tired to be scared, too tired to care.


    When I¡¯d met Jason this morning, I thought I¡¯d be even more scared of him than I was before. But I guess I underestimated just how numb I felt. It didn¡¯t really matter if he bullied me or called me names or beat me up.


    What was there to be scared of when the worst had already happened?


    I didn¡¯t expect him to feel any remorse. I mean this was the same person that had med me for him raping me. But he acted like nothing had happened, and I could clearly see that the same event that traumatized me daily, was to him just another normal day.


    And as he¡¯d already forgotten about it, I¡¯d carry it with me for the rest of my life.


    So what did I have to be scared of?


    Nothing. Absolutely nothing.


    That terrible reality dawning on me for the second time in three days, I shook my head and opened my locker,  shoving the books I didn¡¯t need inside and grabbing the ones I needed for my next ss.


    As I was about to shut my locker, a figure approached me from the left. For sometime now, whenever someone approached me all of a sudden, a strange fear rumbles in my stomach, and I always feel like they¡¯re about to harm me.


    But I bit back a gasp-not wanting to cause a scene in school-and turned around, recognizing the figure as Benson.


    I slowly released the breath I¡¯d been holding. Okay, it¡¯s just Benson.


    Breathe, Mel. Breathe.


    ¡°Um, hey,¡± Benson said, ncing at me and then at his scruffy shoes.


    I honestly didn¡¯t have the energy to socialize. All I wanted was for everyone to just. . . leave me alone. I didn¡¯t feel like talking to anyone. I didn¡¯t feel like doing anything. I just wanted to sleep. . .


    ¡°You okay?¡± Benson asked, after I hadn¡¯t replied for a while.


    I only nodded, shutting my locker and hoping he¡¯d see that as a sign to leave.


    ¡°Are you sure? You look so pale. . .¡± He ced a hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± I didn¡¯t mean to yell. But it just came out that way.


    Luckily the hallway was nearly empty and no one was paying attention to us.


    ¡°Jeez, I¡¯m sorry Mel,¡± Benson whispered, a pained look on his face. ¡°I just wanted to know how you were doing. You look so pale and tired, I just-¡±


    ¡°Stop, please.¡± I didn¡¯t want to hear anymore. No one cared about me.


    ¡°Just stop, Ben. It¡¯s no use pretending like you care now. I told you it¡¯s toote for that now. Stop lying to me just to soothe your guilty heart. It¡¯s not fair.¡±


    This was the longest I¡¯d spoken in a while, and it was tiring me out.


    I nced up as Benson just as his eyes zed over. His lower lip shook as he muttered, ¡°I really am sorry.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to hear anymore, so I grabbed my books and walked away.

 In my feelings

    Jason Davenport


    I sat in my room staring at the ceiling. I was bored. And there was nowhere to go.


    I¡¯d yed every video game I had over and over again, I didn¡¯t have ser practice today, and I¡¯d been to Rory¡¯s and Greg¡¯s twice in thest few days.


    On top of all that, Dad wasn¡¯t back yet. Not that it¡¯d be anyfort if he was because he¡¯d probably be at work by now.


    Contrary to my better judgement, I texted Dad everyday to make sure he was still alive. To make sure he was okay. And so far, it looked like they were having fun.


    I frowned.


    Of course they were having fun. It was obvious from Ashley¡¯s Instagram page-she literally uploaded every minute, from their bedroom view to every meal they were having to PDA.


    It was actually starting to get annoying. I was out here worrying about dad getting hurt, and he was somewhere in Paris having fun.


    Was he even worth it? I wondered. It was a pretty selfish thing he did-abandoning me like this. But I wasn¡¯t so worried. When I exposed Ashley he¡¯d begin to see me, really see me.


    Sighing, I turned off my phone. Maybe I should visit Adrian. We could y basketball or something. Maybe just go out and have fun.


    I opened my phone, leaving him a text, then scrolled through my unread messages. My eyebrow shot up as I saw that I had one from Kimberly.


    ¡°What a surprise,¡± Iughed. Is this her crawling back? I wondered. Not that it¡¯d be such a surprise though. Had she finally realized that no one could fuck her as good as I could? Probably.


    I¡¯d make sure to ignore her at Rory¡¯s party thest time. She¡¯d showed up in a strappy, slutty dress, making her the center of attention, of course. But I¡¯d pretended not to notice her, wanting to walk all over her ego.


    It was obvious she was bothered by it as she¡¯d made subtle passes at me all night. But I¡¯d centered all my attention on Mika instead, even choosing to French kiss her instead of Kim when we yed truth or dare.


    So it was obvious she felt slighted. But I hadn¡¯t expected her to text me, though. Full of curiousity, I clicked on the message.


    ¡®U home?¡¯ The message said.


    I let out a loudugh in disbelief. Finally bringing Queen Kim to her knees, were we?


    I smirked. Well now, it¡¯s my time to y hard to get.


    ¡®Nahh why?¡¯ Iughed as I pressed send. That¡¯ll teach her.


    I saw that she was online as she¡¯d already started to type out a reply.


    ¡®Seriously?¡¯


    ¡®What dyou mean :(¡® I asked, adding the sad face for emphasis. I knew it would only irritate her.


    ¡®Ur such a dick Jason.¡¯Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®At your service.¡¯ I typed, loving that I was in control now.


    ¡®We both know you¡¯lle running back,¡¯ She replied, before sending me a smirking emoji and going offline.


    I chuckled, exiting Instagram after seeing a notification that showed me that Adrian had agreed to hang out.


    Amelia Forbes


    I was snuggled under the covers in bed. I was almost always in bed all the time now. My phone sat lifeless on the dresser right beside my bed. I hadn¡¯t used it for a while.


    Frankly, I was too tired to engage in any form of socialization. So Iy in bed, day in day out, waiting for everything to finally be over.


    The sound of my door pushing open increased my heart rate by a notch and I clung to my sheets, programming my brain to remember that the only people in this house were me and Nana, and that no one was going to burst through the doors and hurt me.


    The reality of my life right now was so sad I could¡¯ve cried. But I was way too tired for that. . .


    Nana peeked in, her head sticking out. Seeing that she¡¯d gotten my attention, she signed, Can Ie in?


    I nodded, too tired to sign.


    She walked in with a te of food bnced carefully on a tray. She paused and stared in dismay when she saw that the chicken soup she¡¯d brought in for me this morning sat on the table, untouched.


    Worry clouding her eyes, she put down the tray and moved to my side, sitting and holding my shoulders gently.


    Are you okay, baby? She asked, her eyes roaming my face for any signs of illness.


    Her hold on my shoulders was gentle, but I couldn¡¯t help but flinch. She let go of my shoulders, her frown deepening.


    What¡¯s wrong? She asked again.


    I wanted to raise my hands, sign and tell her I was okay. But my hands wouldn¡¯t cooperate. They felt heavy. Way too heavy to carry.


    So I sat there. Either nodding or shaking my head in dissent. Burying myself deeper into the sheets when the image of bloodied sheets shed through my mind.


    Nana smoothened out my hair.


    Are you sure you¡¯re okay? She asked again, cing a hand on my forehead to determine my temperature.


    I nodded. Then managing to raise my hands I signed, I¡¯m just really tired and I need to sleep.


    As I put my hands down, I reflected on how exhausting that motion was. Everything was exhausting. . .


    Nana examined my face for a few moments, her white eyebrows drooping.


    Let me know if you need anything, okay? She signed, getting up and kissing my forehead.


    I didn¡¯t have the energy to nod so I didn¡¯t. She lurked for a few more minutes before moving to the table and taking away the cold chicken soup.


    I sat up, looking down at the tray she¡¯d brought in. Potato wedges, eggs and bacon that¡¯d usually have made my mouth water as I looked at them only made me feel nauseous.


    I took a sip of hot chocte, liking the pain I felt when it burned the tip of my tongue.


    The potato and bacon were tasteless in my mouth so I carefully moved the tray away and retreated under the covers once more, shutting my eyes as tightly as I could.

 Adrian likes me?

    Jason Davenport


    A knock interrupted me as I was about to start breakfast. Since Dad wasn¡¯t home I¡¯d started the habit of taking my food upstairs to my room. And I was really starting to like it.


    I could lie downzily on a chair, or even on my bed, my food in a tray, eating at my own pace and leisure.


    Dad would never had allowed me to do that. We always ate proper. Always on a dining table.


    But as I was alone, I¡¯d started to indulge in little things I¡¯d never done before.


    ¡°Come in!¡± I ordered, throwing a potato fry in my mouth.


    A servant walked in swiftly. ¡°Mr and Mrs Davenport are on their way from the airport. Mr Davenport said to inform you.¡±


    Oh. They were back. Finally.


    I breathed out slowly. Dad was okay. Nothing went wrong.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I responded, waving her away.


    She gave a short nod and walked out, clicking the door shut.


    I quickly downed the rest of my breakfast and jumped into the shower. I¡¯d also resorted to showering and eating whenever I felt like.


    As I turned on the shower, my mind raced. I needed to start nning as quickly as possible. Ashley might strike any time now. And I needed to prepare.


    First things first, find out what she¡¯s nning, follow her when she leaves the house at odd hours, or answers weird calls.


    I would get to the bottom of this if it¡¯s thest thing I do.


    Amelia Forbes


    I settled down on the cold, hard pavement a few metres from the bleachers.


    It was 5pm. I¡¯de back to school after sses were over. By then, sports teams and study groups were done with their sessions for today. And I could sit here all alone, letting my mind wander, and feeling the cool evening breeze on my face.


    This was exactly what I needed. Peace.


    I¡¯d sat enjoying the scenery for a while when I heard the footsteps of someone approaching. I was suddenly on guard, wondering who would be in school by this time. Well except security and the janitor.


    I narrowed my eyes, watching as Adrian came into view. He was too busy wiping sweat off his forehead to notice me.


    What was he doing in school, I wondered. There was no practice today.


    A few feet to where I sat, he sighted me.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    A look of surprise came over his face as he strolled towards me. I couldn¡¯t help but feel ufortable as I recited to myself.


    Rx, Mel. Breathe. He¡¯s not Jason. You¡¯re doing just fine.


    My fingers dug into concrete as he finally approached.


    ¡°Hey,¡± He murmured as he stood watching me. ¡°Can I sit here?¡±


    My heart pounded. Rx, Mel. Breathe.


    ¡°Yeah sure,¡± I whispered, scooting to the side.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    He gestured to himself. ¡°Well, I¡¯m really sweaty, I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    I didn¡¯t, really. So I shook my head.


    We sat like that for a while. No conversation. Just two people, each lost in their own thoughts. For a second, I wondered what demons Adrian had. Because as soon as he¡¯d sat, it was like he¡¯d been transported to another universe. He just sat there, gazing.


    ¡°What are you doing in school?¡± I asked, suddenly suspicious.


    He turned to me. ¡°Oh. I knew no one would be here, that¡¯s why I came. To y basketball and stuff. It helps me clear my head.¡±


    Oh. I suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. He was only here for the same reasons I was. And here I was, all up in his case.


    I turned away from him.


    ¡°Oh okay,¡± I replied, not knowing what else to say.


    ¡°Are you okay, Mel?¡± He asked, gently, carefully. As if he knew he might hit a nerve.


    I felt my jaw tic. ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m not?¡± I said, carelessly.


    Why couldn¡¯t everyone just leave me alone. . .


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you weren¡¯t. I just want to make sure. You¡¯ve been looking pretty tiredtely. . .¡± He trailed off.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Adrian,¡± I said suddenly feeling angry. I don¡¯t know why I felt angry, as I knew there was no reason to. But the anger came notwithstanding. ¡°I don¡¯t need you or anyone else to y babysitter.¡±


    ¡°Mel,¡± He called gently. I refused to look him in the eyes.


    ¡°Mel, look at me,¡± He repeated.


    The assurance in his voice prompted me to face him, and when I did I could see the sadness in his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to y babysitter.¡±


    He reached for my hand. ¡°I really care about you, Mel.¡±


    My breath caught in my throat. And from the initial fear of him holding my hand to the warmth of his hand against mine, my eyes widened as I realized what he meant.


    Adrian Goldfield just admitted he liked me.


    Seeing the confusion in my eyes, he continued. ¡°Hey, I know it¡¯s a lot to take in, and it¡¯s kinda weird that I chose this moment to say this. But. . . I really do like you.¡±


    He paused.


    ¡°You¡¯re smart, funny, weird sometimes,¡± Heughed a little. ¡°But it¡¯s the most adorable thing about you. Your kindness. . . the way you are, it makes me strive to be a better person. And I know that we haven¡¯t spent a lot of time together but, I feel more like myself with you. I feel like. . . I can discuss anything, be who I really am, and not be scared of you judging me. And it¡¯s the most beautiful feeling.¡±


    He smiled at me, his eyes shining brightly. I felt something wet on my cheeks and I realized I¡¯d been crying.


    ¡°If you give me a chance, Mel, I¡¯d-¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± I whispered. ¡°Please. . .¡±


    I felt like I was choking.


    Gently, I took my hand away from his. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Adrian. I-I can¡¯t do this.¡±


    My hand shook and I tucked it away safely in my hoodie. I looked up to see the hurt in Adrian¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I just-I have a lot going on-¡± I took a moment to calm down.


    ¡°I respect you, Adrian. I really do. And I respect our friendship.¡± My voice shook. ¡°But I-I¡¯m not sure I feel the same way.¡±


    I refused to let the broken look in his eyes stop me.


    ¡°Yes, I admire you. And I admit I kinda liked you, at least I thought I did. But now it¡¯s out there. . . I just realize that I like having you around. We flow in conversation more than I ever did with anyone. You¡¯re nice to me, and you don¡¯t bully me like the rest of your friends. And it¡¯s. . . great. But I don¡¯t think about you. . . in that way.¡±


    I swallowed, willing myself to continue.


    ¡°If I dated you now, it¡¯d only be because I¡¯m grateful to you, not because I like you. I mean, I do like you. But not. . . like that.¡± I added.


    Yes, that was part of the reason. I also didn¡¯t feel like I was ready to be in any rtionship with anyone. Not after what happened. I wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it.


    I still flinched every time someone came twenty feet to me. I couldn¡¯t handle a rtionship.


    ¡°And it doesn¡¯t seem like the right reason to date you. . .¡± I trailed off. I felt like I¡¯d said enough.


    The pain in his eyes said all that he wasn¡¯t willing to. And so, I made up my mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably best we stay away from each other,¡± I said, getting to my feet and nting my hands deeper into my hoodie.


    ¡°Mel.¡± He said, surprise coating the pain in his voice.


    ¡°No,¡± I stopped him. ¡°It¡¯s my decision. You don¡¯t have a say in it-¡±


    ¡°Amelia you don¡¯t have to-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I stated, wiping the tears on my face furiously. ¡°Stay away from me, Adrian,¡± I said finally, turning away from him and walking away as quickly as I could.

 Something fishy going on…

    Jason Davenport


    Ashley was all smiles as she burst through the doors, clutching a huge pink shopping bag in one hand, and an oversize purse in the other.


    Dad walked in behind her, looking flushed. He shouted orders to the servants about the luggage in the limo.


    I examined Dad carefully to see if he showed any strange signs. Satisfied, I tore my gaze away and concentrated on my phone.


    ¡°Hey, Jason,¡± Dad said loudly, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡± He asked.


    Despite myself, I felt a warmth spreading through my chest. As much as I hated to admit it, I kinda missed him.


    ¡°Fine, dad. How was your trip?¡±


    He grinned a second time, handing me a huge box. From the weight I could tell it was video games. Tearing the box open, I procured video games and thetest yStation.


    My eyes widened in shock.


    My head shot up. ¡°Dad!¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°I knew you¡¯d like it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much.¡± I engulfed him in a hug.


    ¡°A,¡± Ashley cooed from behind Dad, bringing me back to reality.


    I cleared my throat, moving away from dad. Yes, it was a great gift. But I wasn¡¯t about to get carried away. It doesn¡¯t mean I forgive him.


    It was best to let him have that in mind.


    Dad sighed loudly. ¡°I¡¯m famished.¡± He turned to Ashley. ¡°Honey, you said you were hungry too right?¡±


    I turned to Ashley, observing her. She was too busy replying a text to hear dad calling out to her. I craned my neck, trying to catch a glimpse of what was on her phone.


    ¡°Honey?¡± Dad repeated.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    She looked up in surprise, stashing her phone safely in her purse. ¡°Yes, yes, of course.¡±


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s eat.¡± Dad said, washing his hands in the tap and settling down on a chair.


    Her smile faltered. ¡°You go ahead. I have to go somewhere.¡±


    My ears prickled. But I pretended not to be interested. This was a great opportunity to find out what she was up to.


    Dad¡¯s eyebrows scrunched up together. ¡°We just got here. Where are you going?¡±


    Ashley dropped the shopping bag on a sofa and adjusted her dress. ¡°I got Marisa something from Paris. But she¡¯s leaving for the weekend and I really wanna give it to her before she leaves,¡± She pouted, for effect.


    Marisa. I¡¯ve never heard of her before, but she was probably one of Ashley¡¯s friends.


    Dad nodded, obviously whipped. ¡°Just be quick, okay?¡±


    Ashley let out a yelp and blew him a kiss, racing out the door.


    My mind ran fast. I should follow her. This is the first chance I¡¯ve had and I should make good use of it. Luckily, I was dressed to go out so I had a reasonable excuse.


    ¡°Gotta go, Dad. I¡¯m hanging out with Adrian.¡±


    He only nodded, concentrating more on the food in front of him.


    Quickly, I jumped into my car, driving at a reasonable distance from Ashley. I wondered where she could be headed. Was she really going to meet this Marisa person?


    I doubted it. Something fishy was going on. I looked down to make sure my phone was there. Seeing it lying there, I picked it up, clicking it open and setting my camera at the ready. In case I needed to take pictures for proof.


    Ashley drove, cutting through the Wayne County Park and finally arriving at Sally¡¯s.


    My eyebrows scrunched in confusion. What was she doing at Sally¡¯s? Literally no one goes to Sally¡¯s. It was the worst pastry shop in the whole of Wayne County.


    My eyes narrowed. For Ashley to be here, in this almost rundown shop, it was obvious she was here for funny business.


    She finally killed the engine of her car-parking a few blocks away from Sally¡¯s-and got out, walking into the shop.


    I made a detour, searching for a good ce to park my car. I finally found parking space across the road and proceeded to the shop, my phone clutched in my hand.


    Getting to the entrance, I pulled on the cap and sunsses I¡¯d brought along and walked inside as casually as I could.


    I sighted Ashley engaged in animated conversation with two people-a woman her age and an older looking guy.


    They looked familiar enough with each other and they were deep in conversation,ughing aloud at intervals.


    I suddenly felt foolish. Was this just a friendly meet with her friends? And I stood here like an idiot searching for nonexistent proof to incriminate her.


    I felt my jaw tic and I suddenly had the urge to break something. I shook my head. I wouldn¡¯t leave here empty handed.


    I refused to believe that Ashley was innocent after all. She couldn¡¯t be. She was a homewrecker, and I was going to prove it.


    I discreetly took a snapshot of the three of them sitting at the table. In case I needed to recall their faces.


    In anger, I moved to the counter and ordered a cup of ice cream. I needed to buy something so I wouldn¡¯t look suspicious.


    The face of the attendant at the counter lit up as I approached. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Obviously they wouldn¡¯t have any customers. Their pastries were terrible. And don¡¯t even get me started on the yogurt.


    I could almost throw up thinking about it.


    Trying to keep my face nk, I ordered chocte peanut butter ice cream.


    He chuckled a little as he scratched the back of his neck. ¡°Um, we don¡¯t have that vor, sir. Maybe banana instead?¡± He asked hopefully.


    Chocte peanut butter and banana weren¡¯t even close. The only thing that helped me control my temper was the thought of smashing his head into a wall.


    I forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll take the banana then.¡±


    His face brightened as he packaged it to go. I slipped a twenty dor bill across the counter.


    ¡°Keep the change.¡±


    Not waiting to hear his words of thanks, I walked away, giving Ashley and her friends onest look.


    As I got outside, disappointment washed over me as I dumped the ice cream in the trash.


    Ashley just got lucky this time, I thought. I wasn¡¯t giving up. Never.


    One of these days she¡¯d slip. And I¡¯d be right there to catch her.

 Not in the mood

    Amelia Forbes


    I sat outside the principal¡¯s office waiting for my turn to go in. I¡¯d only ever been here once in my entire life. And that was when I¡¯d been summoned to inform me of a schrship I was eligible for.


    And now I was here again. Summoned my Mr Redmey-my English teacher. I didn¡¯t know what to expect so I waited.


    I just wanted everything to move by quickly so I could go. I let out a breath, slumping deeper into the very ufortable lobby chair.


    After a while of waiting, the office assistant walked out the door, her eyes roaming. There were about six students here-including me.


    She paused to put on her sses. ¡°Amelia Forbes?¡± She asked, twirling a pen in her hand.


    Slowly, I got to my feet. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± I said, desperate for everything to be all over. This was not where I wanted to spend the rest of my day.


    A curious look came over my face as I walked into the office. The principal, Mr Redmey, Mrs Sandra, and basically all my teachers sat in a circle discussing.


    What have I done now?


    ¡°Oh Amelia,e in and have a seat,¡± Mr Redmey said as he sighted me. Wanting to be as far away from them as possible, I picked thest chair and lowered myself into it, waiting.


    The principal shut the files he was buried in and spoke up.


    ¡°Forbes, to go straight to the point, we¡¯re worried about you.¡± He gestured to the other teachers. ¡°All of us.¡±


    I had nothing to say so I kept quiet.


    Mr Redmey picked up from there. ¡°You¡¯re an exceptional student, Amelia. Buttely, your grades have been falling. So fast, it¡¯s very worrying.¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Mrs Sandra nodded in agreement. ¡°You¡¯re a great student, Amelia. This isn¡¯t like you.¡± She paused to let it sink in.


    ¡°So we wanted to know, if there¡¯s anything wrong.¡±


    My ears burned as I stared at a spot on the table. I¡¯d began to underperform. My grades were dropping.


    My grades.


    The reason why I was still in school.


    I tried to remember thest topic I¡¯d learned in Mr Redmey¡¯s ss. I couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Your report from your project was badly written and you didn¡¯t even submit thest three homework assignments you were given.¡± The principal said, peering at me through his tiny sses.


    Homework? We had homework? I had no idea.


    I tried to recall being in ss for the past two weeks, but everything was a blur. All I remember was seeing blood stained sheets and panicking when a group of guys walked past me.


    I was failing.


    It suddenly felt like weights were resting on my chest and I found it difficult to breathe.


    I wanted to say something useful but I concentrated instead on controlling my breathing.


    ¡°Do you think extra sses would help?¡± Mr Redmey asked.


    I shot him a re. I¡¯m not a freaking dummy.


    But you¡¯re bing one, my mind said, poking me.


    You¡¯re bing a dummy, Mel.


    No. All of this. . . it¡¯ll pass. I¡¯m not dumb. . .


    Seeing the expression on my face, Miss Sarah, the guidance counselor, said, ¡°Or. . . if it¡¯s an emotional issue, something you¡¯re dealing with, you could always drop by my office and we could talk about it.¡±


    I shook my head vigorously. Thest thing I needed now was for someone to try and psycho evaluate me.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with me,¡± I muttered, not even believing myself.


    ¡°If you say so, Forbes. But you gotta sit up because if this goes on for much longer, we¡¯re gonna have to involve your grandmother.¡±


    Tears bubbled in my throat. It¡¯s not like she wasn¡¯t disappointed in me already.


    I only nodded. ¡°Can I go now?¡±


    The principal nodded.


    Slowly I got up, walking away from the tense atmosphere and the look of worry on their faces. Although it was obvious that the only thing they were worried about was losing the recognition they would gain if a straight A student from their school won the schrship.


    I didn¡¯t know where else to go as I walked out the office, so I retook my seat in the lobby slumping deeper this time.


    I shut my eyes, waiting for time to pass by. Right now, I was too drained to go to ss. I wasn¡¯t sure if I could handle it.


    ¡°Bad grades, huh?¡± Someone said from beside me.


    I gripped the sides of my chair in rm-rxing when I realized it was a girl-and looked up to see Dani Ryanne observing me curiously.


    Wasn¡¯t she in Kimberly¡¯s gang? Yeah she was the famous school tomboy. I remembered seeing her at that party.


    My eyebrows furrowed together. Please. Thest thing I needed right now was Kimberly trying to y a prank on me.


    I didn¡¯t respond and instead slumped deeper into the chair.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you use to be like really smart or something?¡± She asked again, obviously not getting the sign I was throwing.


    ¡°How¡¯s that any of your business?¡± I shot back. What was her problem?


    She grimaced, raising her hands in surrender, showing the tattoos on her wrist. ¡°Hey, hey, I¡¯m not trying to poke into your business or anything. I¡¯ve got bad grades too.¡±


    I refrained from pping my forehead and instead breathed deeply.


    After I rxed a little, I faced her. ¡°Look. I know how this works. You overhear something bad about me, then pretend to be interested, feel sorry for me, make me believe that you truly care or that I¡¯m making a new friend. Then you invite me to a party, or invite me to sit with you at lunch, where obviously it¡¯s going to blow up in my face. You and your friends already have a great prank nned out for me. So when I get there you all pretend to be nice to me. . . then boom.¡±


    I stared at her.


    ¡°So thanks, but I¡¯m good. I¡¯ve had enough pranks yed on me to know this. I¡¯m not in the mood.¡±


    Feeling even more drained than when I first got here, I pulled myself to my feet and stalked off.

 Not you too

    Jason Davenport


    I was still pissed as I scrolled through Ashley¡¯s instagram, as it reminded me of the failure I¡¯de to thest time I¡¯d followed her.


    Sighing, I clicked my phone off and shoved it on the sofa. I let out a sharp breath, wondering where Rory was.


    I was at his house. His parents were on vacation so the house was free. Which was why we always chose Rory¡¯s house whenever we wanted to hang out, or throw a party. His parents were almost always gone.


    Rory had stepped out to get the pot and alcohol while we waited for the guys to arrive. I¡¯d texted Adrian an hour ago and he¡¯d said he was on his way.


    I groaned in agony. I hated waiting. And I really needed a cigarette right now. After a while, the sound of approaching guys talking andughing let me know that they were here already.


    Finally.


    Adrian walked in first, deep in conversation with Greg about something I honestly didn¡¯t care about.


    ¡°Where are the cigarettes?¡± I groaned.


    Rory tossed me a box which I gratefully caught, moaning in joy when I smelled the weed. Quickly, I lit one and began to smoke.


    ¡°Yo, man,¡± Adrian greeted me, settling down in the chair beside me. ¡°I¡¯m a littlete because I had stuff to take care of at home.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°It¡¯s cool man.¡±


    Greg groaned loudly, shaking his head like he always did when he wanted us to ask him what was wrong. As usual we indulged him.


    He took a drag of the cigarette, blowing out smoke dramatically.


    ¡°I fucked someone.¡±


    The confused silence that followed was broken by sudden roaringughter from everyone.


    ¡°Like you always do. Is that supposed to be some kind of revtion?¡± Adrian said, still chuckling.


    ¡°Bro why you making it sound like you just lost your virginity?¡± I asked, baffled like the rest of them.


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Greg stated dramatically, blowing out smoke. ¡°It¡¯s different this time because of who I fucked.¡±


    Rory eyes widened. ¡°The girl from Matty¡¯s?¡± He asked, eyes twinkling.


    The boys ¡®ooh¡¯ed¡¯.


    Gregughed. ¡°Nahh. Someone we know.¡±


    My ears shot up. ¡°You finally hit Aneeka?¡±


    Greg had always had a thing for Aneeka since fifth grade. So I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they finally hit it off.


    He grimaced. ¡°Nah, man. Mika.¡±


    Rory gasped. ¡°No. Freaking. Way.¡±


    Greg made the peace sign, biting on his lower lip. ¡°Better believe it, boy. I told you I¡¯m the man,¡± Heughed, obviously loving the look of disbelief on our faces.


    I had to admit, I was kinda jealous. I¡¯d been trying to score Mika at one point too.


    This girl was fiery hot. Tall, cute smile, and curves in the right ces. Yeah, she was on the list of girls I¡¯d like to fuck.


    Raising my hands in surrender, I reached out to give him a handshake. ¡°You hit the jackpot bro. The real jackpot.¡±


    ¡°How was the sex?¡± Rory wiggled his eyebrows, attracting moreughter from the rest of us.


    Greg ced two fingers on his tongue then whipped them out, making pping motions in the air.


    Boisterousughter filled the air and Adrian nearly choked on his drink. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot,¡± Heughed, wiping the stain off his denim jacket.


    Before we knew it, an hour had passed. We¡¯d gone from trading anecdotes to ying video games to some kind of drinking game that was simr to truth or dare-just without the dares.


    As we listened to Greg vividly describe how he¡¯d gotten high once and nearly gotten into a fight with his dad, a beep sounded from my phone.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    I picked it up and swiped to open when I saw it was from Instagram.


    ¡®thereshleyy started a live video¡¯ shed through my phone and an irritated hiss escaped me, garnering the attention of the group.


    ¡°Yo,¡± Adrian was the first to speak up. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Did your dog die?¡± Greg asked, cackling.


    ¡°It¡¯s just my annoying stepmom,¡± I said still irritated.


    ¡°Ahh the evil stepmother,¡± Rory said in an overly dramatic voice, attractingughter from the guys.


    ¡°What¡¯d she do now?¡± Adrian asked, watching me carefully.


    I took a drag from my cigarette. ¡°She¡¯s obviously out to render my dad bankrupt. But he¡¯s too blind to see it, so I¡¯m keeping track of her movements to catch her red-handed.¡±


    Greg gave me a confused look. ¡°How are you so sure she¡¯s out plotting something? You just hate her that¡¯s all. Don¡¯t let it get to you, bro.¡± He gave me a pat on the shoulder.


    I felt my chest bubbling. ¡°No I¡¯m certain she is. I heard her talking on the phone the other day. . . something about my dad.


    Adrian frowned. ¡°You sure?¡±


    ¡°Certain.¡±


    The group was silent for a few moments.


    ¡°Okay then. If there¡¯s any way we can help. Anything you want us to do, we¡¯re here.¡±


    Adrian and Rory nodded in agreement.


    I smiled. ¡°Okay so thest time, she was at Sally¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°Who the fuck goes to Sally¡¯s?¡± Rory burst outughing. ¡°Okay now I¡¯m starting to believe she¡¯s nning something.¡±


    I nodded vigorously. ¡°You see? So. . . if any of you pass through the area, maybe see her involved in something fishy, just let me know.¡±


    They all nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s see a pic of her. So we can recognize her if we see her,¡± Rory suggested.


    I nodded, clicking on Instagram and going to her profile. Getting there, I handed my phone over to them.


    ¡°Holy fuck!¡± Greg eximed.


    ¡°This is your stepmother?!¡± Rory screamed. ¡°She¡¯s fucking hot! Is she a model or something?¡± He asked, nearly drooling.


    I rolled my eyes. Of course. Was there anyone who didn¡¯t think Ashley was the hottest woman alive?


    ¡°Dude,¡± Adrian whispered in awe. ¡°She looks like a blonde Megan Fox.¡±


    I whipped around in surprise. ¡°You too?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°I mean. . . look at her.¡±


    I did. And I still didn¡¯t see anything worth looking at.


    Greg tapped my shoulder. ¡°Boy why aren¡¯t you hitting that ass?¡± He asked, a pained look on his face.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± I blurted in disbelief.


    ¡°I know right?¡± Rory shook his head sadly. ¡°She looks like that pornstar from Little Kittens. Imagine how good she¡¯d be in bed.¡± He looked like he would cry any minute now.


    Handing my phone back to me, he clicked on a pic of her in a bikini. ¡°Look at her ass. Glorious, man.¡±


    I sighed, snatching my phone away from him while they burst outughing at my expression.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll recognize that ass anywhere,¡± Rory promised, earning augh from everyone including me.


    Shaking my head, I turned my phone off and took another drag from my cigarette.

 Hello, stranger

    Amelia Forbes


    I¡¯d resorted to going out more often, as it was the only way to clear my head. I could feel myself give up more and more as the days went by, although I didn¡¯t want to.


    The school had emailed Nana about my grades and Nana and I had had a long talk about it. Her trying to find out if anything was wrong with me, me trying to concentrate on her words and not the pain from the hole in my chest.


    So here I was this evening, walking round the town for the fifth time this week and finallying to a stop in front of a liquor store.


    There was a free bench directly opposite the store so I sat there, watching people move in and out of store, while trying not to think about how messed up my life was.


    As I watched the store, a familiar looking girl walked through the doors-dressed in an oversized hoodie, simr joggers and a beanie-clutching a bottle of alcohol wrapped in brown paper in her left hand.


    A sigh escaped me as I saw that it was Dani.


    Please just keep walking, I begged.


    Unluckily for me, she saw me and walked directly to where I sat, lowering herself onto the bench right next to me.


    ¡°Hey.¡± She said, popping the bottle open and taking a sip.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I shook my head. ¡°Please, I thought I told you already. I¡¯m not in the mood. We¡¯re not even in school but you guys still want to pick on me. Can¡¯t you just let me be?¡± I said, more tired than angry.


    ¡°Hey.¡± I could hear the surprise in her voice. ¡°I tried to exin it to you thest time. Yeah I hang out with them sometimes, but it doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re friends. And if bullying you is their idea of fun then they¡¯re a bunch of idiots.¡± She said, taking another huge gulp of beer.


    I still didn¡¯t trust her but that was enough for me, so I kept quiet.


    She passed the bottle to me, ¡°Want some?¡±


    My eyes widened. ¡°No thanks.¡±


    After thest time at that stupid party, alcohol was a no for me. I¡¯m never doing that again.


    Dani let out a boisterousugh, gulping down thest of the alcohol and tossing the bottle into the trash can.


    Standing swiftly she asked. ¡°You ever ridden a motorbike before?¡±


    As I raised an eyebrow in confusion, still trying to figure out the best way to answer the strange question, she tugged on my arm, bringing me to my feet and leading me to a ck, shiny motorbike parked close by.


    I shook my head. ¡°No I haven¡¯t.¡±


    I hoped she wasn¡¯t about to make me. . .


    ¡°Well then get on,¡± She said, climbing on top and starting the engine.


    I hesitated. Was getting on a motorbike with a strange girl who might or might not be cohorts with your bullies a good idea?


    No.


    But I asked, ¡°What about helmets?¡±


    Daniughed loudly. ¡°The point of this, yeah? Is the thrill when the cool breeze hits you sharp in the face. Better than a fucking orgasm, trust me.¡±


    She held out her hand.


    I didn¡¯t trust her one bit, and the roaring of the engine was terrifying. But I grasped onto her hand and allowed her help me get on.


    I¡¯d gone through hell already, so what more could scare me?


    I held tightly onto her as she zoomed off.


    ¡°We¡¯re flying, Ammy!¡± She screamed as she swerved into a bend, making a circle as we got to a roundabout.


    I pretended not to hear the nickname, concentrating on the feeling on wind on my cheeks, wind in my hair.


    It was exhrating. It was as though the thoughts in my head were flying away with the wind. If I shouted or cried right now, no one would know. Not even Dani.


    So I let the weight on my chest fall, flying from the corner of my shoulders and into the wind. I let out a watery chuckle. I¡¯ve never felt so free.


    I let out an ecstatic yell, letting go of Dani¡¯s waist and letting my arms fly free.


    Dani turned around to look at me, whooping and smiling when she saw meughing.


    As she made another turn, we both screamed. It was like riding a rollercoaster.


    Like that, we made detours; the park, Matty¡¯s-where we got yogurt and had an impromptu pic behind an abandoned tow truck, where I learned that Dani was a bookworm too, but only when it came to novels-then the rest of the town, before heading back to the liquor store.


    We retook our position on the old bench we had sat in before.


    For a while we didn¡¯t speak. Then Dani broke the silence by letting out a light chuckle.


    Something poked me in the chest and I braced myself for her little speech where she¡¯dugh at me for being so stupid to think that she actually liked having me around.


    ¡°You¡¯re kinda fun, you know?¡± She said, still chuckling. ¡°And you¡¯re really smart too. It felt good to have a reasonable conversation for once.¡±


    She turned to me. ¡°Remind me why you don¡¯t have any friends again?¡±


    I only stared at her, not knowing what to say. I really wanted to trust someone for once. But more often than not, people were never nice to me without an ulterior motive.


    ¡°What do you really want, Dani?¡± I questioned her. I still didn¡¯t trust her.


    She faced me, taking off her beanie and letting her short, jet-ck hair fly free. ¡°I just find you really interesting,¡± She stated simply.


    When I didn¡¯t respond, she continued, ¡°I still don¡¯t get why they bully you. You¡¯re goodpany. Today proves it.¡±


    I swallowed.


    ¡°You know why I admire you even more? Right from the start?¡± She asked.


    The question didn¡¯t require an answer so I didn¡¯t give one.


    ¡°They¡¯ve been bullying you for more than a year now, but you know what¡¯s shocking? You¡¯re still here.¡± She smiled brightly.


    ¡°A lot of people would have given up, transferred to a different school, or even taken their own life. . .¡± She trailed off, gazing into space.


    ¡°But you,¡± Sheughed. ¡°You never miss school. Yeah, you cry in public sometimes. But you¡¯re still here, taking it all. If that¡¯s not courage, I don¡¯t know what is.¡± She finished, giving me a sad smile.


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. I¡¯d never thought of it like that. And now she mentioned it, I realized that no matter how scared I felt, I really never missed school as an excuse.


    Dani jumped up, stretching. ¡± I have to go now. See you at school?¡± She asked hopefully.


    Before I could answer she said, ¡°Let me rephrase that. I¡¯ll see you at school tomorrow, Amelia.¡±


    I let out augh without meaning to. Dani gave a short dramatic bow before getting on her bike.


    ¡°Want me to drop you off?¡± She asked, starting the engine.


    I managed to shake my head in dissent still unsure about everything. Still reflecting, I sunk into the bench and watched her speed off.

 I’m pregnant?

    Jason Davenport


    ¡°Can you stop that?¡± I snapped at the servant who kept adding more gel to my hair to make it fall backwards.


    Her fingers froze mid-air as she cupped another handful of gel in her hand. She stared at me wide-eyed, waiting for my next order. Unsurprisingly, it only annoyed me further.


    I tore the ridiculous bowtie off my neck and popped the first three buttons of the crisp white button-down I¡¯d been forced to wear.


    ¡°Well, get the fuck out!¡± I spat, ring at her.


    ¡°Oh!¡± She managed to yelp before dumping the blob of hair gel into the trash and practically running out of the room.


    I let out a groan as the door shut behind her. Dad had decided to throw a small party with rtives and friends to introduce his ¡°wife¡± to everyone. And now I had to dress up and smile and act like the child who¡¯s so d his dad had remarried.


    Furious, I barged into the bathroom and washed the thick, slimy product off, only stopping when I was sure it was all gone.


    I stared at myself in the mirror as I re-entered my room and watched the water drip off my hair. Sighing, I wiped it dry with a towel and grudgingly tugged the bowtie back on.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Getting into the brand new loafers dad had ordered specifically for this asion, I willed my anger to stay in check and walked down the stairs into the lively living room.


    Soft music filled every corner of the house as people stood in groups, talking,ughing and gossiping.


    I tugged on my tie, feeling the irritation starting to creep in. A few feet ahead of me, Dad stood-Ashley¡¯s arm linked with his-making introductions with an uncle I remembered from the Christmas partyst year.


    I rolled my eyes, looking away and heading for the back of the house. Hopefully no one would notice I wasn¡¯t around, and maybe I¡¯d even find some nice alcohol to nick.


    As I got to the back of the house, I resisted the urge to smoke. It wouldn¡¯t go down well if someone saw me and reported it to Dad. So I left the cigarette and lighter safely tucked in my pants and instead buried my hands deep in my pocket.


    As I watched the middle-aged couple who stood a few feet away from me, I overheard one say, ¡°Did you see her?¡±


    My ears shot up and I moved back, deeper into the trees.


    ¡°Who didn¡¯t?¡± His wife replied. ¡°She¡¯s so young!¡±


    Her face wrinkled in disgust.


    ¡°My, my, Richard obviously isn¡¯t in the right state of mind.¡±


    The woman shook her head. ¡°Isn¡¯t she around the same age with the boy? Jared or something like that is his name.¡±


    I resisted the temptation to scream ¡°Jason¡± and concentrated on staying hidden.


    ¡°Lord have mercy on them all,¡± The main said sadly, shaking his head.


    At this point I walked out, deliberately giving them a long, hard look so they¡¯d know I¡¯d been listening.


    The woman yelped in surprise and her mouth hung wide open as she stared at me dumbfounded. Rolling my eyes, I stormed off and headed for my room to have a highly needed smoke.


    Amelia Forbes


    I curled up under the covers in my usual position, my head pounding and my eyes hurting. I¡¯d been lying here for hours, just staring into space and trying not to think.


    After the episode with Nana when the school had emailed her about my grades, she had been a little cold. I knew it was my fault and I desperately wanted to fix it. But. . . I didn¡¯t know how, nor did I have the energy to.


    Forcing myself up, I decided to at least make an effort. I dragged myself from my bedroom and down the stairs. Nana had already let me know she was makingsagna-my favorite-and I decided I was going to help.


    Getting into the kitchen, I sighted her and signed as soon as she faced me,  Hey can I help?


    Her stare softened and she nodded lightly, gesturing to the table.


    I tried to smile but my lips wouldn¡¯t cooperate.


    Please, Mel. Keep going. You can¡¯t stop now.


    My head spun as I plopped down in the nearest chair, trying to catch my breath.


    I let out a yelp as I realized I¡¯d sat on something, judging by the squishy sound I heard. Quickly I jumped up, only to see that I¡¯d sat on a tray ofsagna sauce.


    Nana stared at me-her eyes cold-and deep in them I could see just how disappointed she was.


    I was still unfocused and absentminded and this just proved it. Swallowing back tears, I mumbled an apology and ran up to my room to clean up.


    Shutting my bathroom door slowly, I stared at myself in the mirror andbed my fingers through my hair.


    What is wrong with you, Mel? Can you be anything more than a walking disappointment?


    Clutching the sink, I reached for a small towel and dipped it into water to clean myself.


    As my flipped my skirt to the back and began to wipe it down, my hands froze as I realized it looked like a. . . period stain.


    A period stain.


    I haven¡¯t seen my period in-I counted on my fingers, ignoring the tremor as my fingers shook-three weeks. . .


    My eyes widened in horror as a terrible exnation came into view.


    No. Please, God. No.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be-its not. . . possible,¡± I whimpered, feeling the tears beginning to roll down my cheeks.


    I heard someone let out a piercing scream and I pped a hand over my mouth as I realized it was me.


    No. I can¡¯t be pregnant. I¡¯m not.


    The fatigue. The nausea. I¡¯d been peeing a lottely. . .


    The tears in my eyes flew as I shook my head furiously. Slowly, I slumped to the bathroom floor-for the second time in one month, sobbing for the pain I didn¡¯t deserve.

 I despise Jason

    Amelia Forbes


    I shook my head vigorously over and over again as I stared at my reflection. I¡¯d been standing in the bathroom for more than thirty minutes-the pregnancy tester I¡¯d gotten from a store across the street clutched in my right hand.


    I remembered the nasty look thedy at the counter had given me as she tossed the tester into a stic bag, murmuring something about 16 year old sluts.


    I shook my head once more. I was just really tense. I can¡¯t be pregnant.


    Rx, Mel. It¡¯s just a false rm. The changes in your body are as a result of stress. Breathe.


    Already having previous information about what single and double lines meant, I settled down and peed on it.


    In the few minutes it took to show the result, I wiped my hands on my jeans. Maybe it¡¯s just a coincidence. A hormone thing.


    After a few minutes of waiting, I let out a shaky breath and looked down at the stic I held in my hand.


    ¡°No!¡± I screamed, feeling my throat constrict.


    ¡°This has to be wrong. It has to. . .¡± I shook my head. More furious now I took out the second one and peed again. A few minutester, the result was still the same.


    I let out a confused gasp apanied by hyperventtion and a stream of tears.


    ¡°What did I do to deserve all this?!¡± I screamed to the empty bathroom.


    ¡°It¡¯s bad enough that I got brutally raped by a bully who hates me for no reason. . .¡± I trailed off, the pain choking me. ¡°Now I¡¯m pregnant for him as well? Life is ying one hell of a prank on me!¡±


    I felt my shoulders fall as I slumped to the floor. It was getting harder to breathe.


    ¡°I wish I¡¯d died with Mom and Dad in the car that day.¡±


    I looked up at the ceiling, anger beginning to surge through me. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me die too!¡± The tears leaked from my eyes and down to the front of my shirt.


    With all the shit going on right now, I¡¯d be better off dead. I was going to have to live with this pain. . . this shame, for the rest of my life.


    The rest of my life.


    No.


    I was panicking now.


    I¡¯d rather die than let this burden Jason had forcefully ced on me grow. Carrying a baby fathered by Jason Davenport inside me.


    That heartless asshole.


    And I thought he¡¯d ruined my life already. I guess when ites to me bad things have a way of bing ten times worse.


    What would Nana say? Everyone who knew me? How would I exin this?


    Fresh tears began to fill my eyes.


    I can¡¯t do this. I can¡¯t. . .


    Exams wereing up really soon. If the school found out about this, I¡¯d be disgraced, shamed. They wouldn¡¯t even let me write my final exams.


    And Nana. I could already see the disappointment in her eyes. I took in a sharp breath and I began to cough heavily, tears soaking my cheeks.


    God, please. I need to wake up from this nightmare. I need to wake up.


    Sshing cold water on my face, my mind began to race. What I had to do right now, for my career, my future, for clean records, was to keep the baby a secret.


    Yes. No one should find out. It would ruin a lot of things for good.


    I wiped my eyes with my sleeves, beginning to run up a n in my head.


    ¡°I could get a job, save up, just enough to take me to a different state. Somewhere I could remove the baby. . .¡±


    Remove. Abort.


    Something heavy kicked in my chest.


    No, Mel. Pregnancy out of wedlock is the worst thing. And it¡¯s a rape. Removing the baby is probably the best thing to do.


    I nodded, desperate to convince myself. But with the way my hands were shaking I knew deep in my heart that I couldn¡¯t do it. I couldn¡¯t take an innocent life.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    I buried my head in my hands. I was scared, confused, but most of all, I was tired.


    For a second, I thought of telling Jason. It was his baby as well and he was supposed to take responsibility for it as well.


    But I knew it was no use. He didn¡¯t give two fucks about me so why would he care about a baby who for all he cared wasn¡¯t his.


    I used to be terrified of Jason, baffled about why he hated me so much. But now, all I felt was hate.


    Hate fueling on and on like a volcano.


    Someone like him who was supposed to be irrelevant to me was making such life-changing impacts on my life. He¡¯dpletely ruined my life. And I hated him for that.


    I straightened up and found my way back into my room, swinging my wardrobe open and rummaging through it for a clothing item.


    Finding it, I straightened out the corset-like tummy belt I¡¯d gotten a year ago because I¡¯d been insecure about my stomach but I¡¯d never gotten round to wearing.


    If I was going to keep this pregnancy a secret, I was going to have to do it right. I wasn¡¯t sure what I wanted to do with the babyter on. But for now, I needed to study and pass my exams, be free of high school with excellent grades and a clean record.


    And everything would be okay. Everything would be fine.


    Just 3 months and 5 days to go. And everything would be okay.


    I ran my hand through my abdomen as I fastened on the belt and observed myself in the mirror.


    A sudden surge of self hate flowing through me, I adjusted it even tighter.


    It has to be t enough. No one could know.


    Tighter.


    I let out a sharp gasp from the pain. Breathing deeply, I mentally reminded myself of why I needed to do the things I was doing right now. Take the pain.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be okay,¡± I whimpered, knowing fully well that I was lying to myself.


    I clutched the sides of my stomach right before I copsed into another pool of tears.

 Here comes trouble

    Jason Davenport


    I sat talking with the guys over a couple of beers at Greg¡¯s. Rory¡¯s parents, surprisingly, had decided to show up unannounced this weekend. So we had moved to Greg¡¯s instead. Which wasn¡¯t a problem for me anyway. I just needed to get out of that house and chill.


    After the other day when Dad had thrown that stupid party, I couldn¡¯t stand being in the same room with him or his beloved wife.


    Bullshit.


    Introducing her to our rtives showed that he was really serious with her. It also meant that he was recing my mother.


    Officially.


    Fuck Ashley.


    But I knew I had to keep up my pretence so she wouldn¡¯t think I was onto her. That¡¯s why I had to leave. So I wouldn¡¯t do or say anything out of line.


    The only thing was that Greg-our supposed host-was nowhere to be found. He¡¯d suggested we hang out at his ce today on the group chat I¡¯d created for the guys. He¡¯d left Rory his key as they lived not too far from each other. We didn¡¯t know where he¡¯d disappeared to.


    ¡°You should try calling him,¡± Adrian suggested, downing a few gulps of his beer.


    ¡°Done that,¡± I replied, sinking deeper into my chair. I needed a cigarette.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call him one more time,¡± Rory said, slipping his phone out of his jeans pocket.


    As he put the number on dial, we heard the front door open. And from the whooping sound the neer was making, we all knew it was Greg.


    ¡°Hey asshole,¡± Rory yelled from the living room.


    Greg waltzed into the living room doing some kind of weird dance step. When he saw we didn¡¯t give any reaction, he burst outughing.


    ¡°Looks like some certain people missed me,¡± He cooed, bringing his lips to a pout.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°No you idiot. We¡¯re just waiting for the weed,¡± I gestured to the paper bag he held in his right hand.


    The guys roared withughter as a look of false hurt came over Greg¡¯s face.


    Greg joined in, grabbing a chair and dragging it to the circle we had formed.


    He lowered himself onto the chair and passed the already rolled blunts round. To everyone except Adrian who didn¡¯t smoke.


    I suppressed a sigh. Adrian seriously needed to act his age. He was way too serious with nearly everything. But I didn¡¯t bring it up because he hated it whenever I did. And I wasn¡¯t ready for his smoking-doesn¡¯t-make-you-cool speech right now. So I settled down and focused on my cigarette.


    I watched as Greg and Rory engaged in an argument about a video game, which I wasn¡¯t particrly interested in so I scrolled through my phone instead.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Greg eximed all of a sudden. He froze, his eyes shining brightly. He quickly turned to me. ¡°I have to show you something, man.¡±


    I watched him curiously. Another hot girl, I suppose.


    Yeah. Greg could be really passionate about hot girls.


    ¡°Wait till you see this,¡± He said, whipping out his phone and tapping on his gallery. Finding it he scrolled through for something.


    After a while, he clicked on a picture and flipped his phone to show me.


    My eyes widened and I grabbed the phone from his grasp.


    Ashley.


    A picture of Ashley in what looked like a restaurant with the same guy from Sally¡¯s. I contained myself so I wouldn¡¯t whoop out loud.


    I was getting somewhere. This was another lead. Quickly, I transferred the photos from Greg¡¯s phone to mine and faced Greg. ¡°Tell me everything.¡±


    He smiled, obviously loving the attention.


    ¡°So,¡± He began, leaning backward in his chair. ¡°That¡¯s the old Chinese restaurant down the park close to the mall.¡±


    He gestured to the paper bag. ¡°I get out stuff from that old guy who works there. So Ie out of the inner room, and I see a very familiar looking ass.¡±


    Rory let out a cackle and Adrian facepalmed.


    I shot Greg a sharp re and he waved his hand in an apology and continued.


    ¡°I think they were sampling the food or something like that. Because they were trying a bit of everything.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°How were they together?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Greg asked looking confused.


    ¡°I mean, did they seem close?¡±


    ¡°Oh, well they seemed pretty cozy. They kept touching hands and she clung to his arm at some point.¡±


    I felt my face redden.


    That bitch.


    ¡°You think she¡¯s cheating?¡± Rory suggested, looking at me.


    I have no fucking idea.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Greg asked Adrian, passing the picture to him.


    I faced Adrian. Of course I wanted to know what he thought. I valued his opinion.


    After a while of studying the picture he said, ¡°From her bodynguage, it¡¯s obvious they¡¯re prettyfortable with each other.¡±


    Frowning, he handed the phone back to Greg.


    Turning to Greg I asked, ¡°You manage to catch any bits of their convo?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Nope. The only thing I saw was that she kept onughing like a hyena, as though she was on a date with Kevin Hart.¡±


    This time I joined in theughter too. It was kind of funny.


    After looking at the picture one more time, I clicked my phone off and ced it into my pocket.


    ¡°Thanks, man.¡±


    Greg nodded. ¡°No problem. Keep an eye on your extremely hot stepmom. But be careful as well.¡±


    I chuckled and nodded.


    ¡°We need to dig up info about the guy.¡± I turned to Adrian. ¡°Can you take care of that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah sure,¡± He answered, cracking his knuckles. ¡°I¡¯ve been missing all the action anyways.¡±


    Everyoneughed.


    Rory let out a loud howl. ¡°Just look at us. Young detectives.¡±


    He wiped an invisible tear from his cheek, following with moreughter from the guys.


    This might be a bit of fun for them. But for me, it was about protecting my family.


    Jason Davenport


    Exams were fast approaching. As usual, Coach was overworking us and reminding us daily to kick up our grades and ace our exams so we would stand a chance to win a schrship.


    Not me though.


    I didn¡¯t need a fucking schrship. Dad could buy my way into any Ivy League without batting an eyelid. So I didn¡¯t need to struggle for anything.


    I groaned as I slipped deeper into my chair. The next period was Biology and we were all waiting for Mrs Sandra toe in.


    Two seats away from me, Kimberly and her girls sat gossiping. She sighted me and shot me a re. I pretended not to notice she was sitting there. She was obviously still bitter about thest time at the party.


    Well, good for her. As for me, I was going to y dumb for as long as possible.


    After a while of waiting, Mrs Sandra walked in. Groans from people who didn¡¯t expect her toe in today filled the air.


    She smiled, cing her books on the desk in front of her.


    ¡°Buckle up, people. We have a quiz today.¡±


    A series of ¡®No¡¯s¡¯ filled the air.


    Mrs Sandra acted deaf as she continued. ¡°An oral quiz.¡±


    I pped a hand over my forehead.


    Fuck no.


    ¡°Yes,¡± She continued. ¡°I¡¯m gonna ask questions in a random order. And anyone who answers right gets marks for it. Are we ready?¡±


    If there¡¯s anything I hated, it was answering questions in ss. I just hoped she wouldn¡¯t notice me because I really wasn¡¯t in the mood.


    Slowly, she circled the ss familiarizing herself with names, faces.


    ¡°Goldfield!¡± She said,ing to a stop. Everyone ¡®ooh¡¯ed¡¯.


    Adrian didn¡¯t look scared or bothered. He just stood.


    ¡°Life is driven by chemical reactions summed up in. . .?¡±


    ¡°Anabolism and catabolism,¡± Adrian answered without missing a beat.


    The ss cheered, girls sighing and throwing googly eyes his way.


    Mrs Sandra smiled in delight. ¡°5 marks.¡±


    More cheering.


    She continued her tour round the ss, peering at students through her sses.


    ¡°Fawkes!¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Rory let out a groan, slowly getting to his feet.


    ¡°What acid is present in the stomach?¡±


    Rory raised an eyebrow. ¡°There¡¯s acid in the stomach?¡±


    Mrs Sandra pped her forehead, giving him a nk look.


    ¡°Okay, um, stomach. . . acid?¡±


    The ss roared withughter.


    Mrs Sandra rolled her eyes. ¡°Does anyone else want to im the 5 marks?¡±


    Aneeka raised her hand and stood when Mrs Sandra nodded.


    ¡°Hydrochloric acid,¡± She answered, flipping her hair in a sexy motion. The guys howled and showered her withpliments.


    ¡°5 marks!¡±


    Looking at her watch she said, ¡°Okay, one more person before I leave.¡±


    With the way she was looking at me, I suspected she was going to pick me. And I wasn¡¯t ready for that.


    ¡°Forbes!¡±


    I snickered. This was perfect. I turned to see Amelia sitting at the window. I frowned as I watched her stare outside the window. It was obvious she hadn¡¯t heard Mrs Sandra call out her name.


    The bitch had been acting the same way since the day she practically ignored me in the hallway. Nothing I said changed her mood now, and it irritated me to the core.


    Her eyes looked unfocused and red rimmed, and I bnced in my chair to watch the drama unfold.

 Tired of crying

    Amelia Forbes


    ¡°Forbes!¡± The shout from Mrs Sandra jolted me from my distracted stance. I looked up to see her watching me, hands nted on her hips.


    Oh no. I knew there was a quiz going on, but I¡¯d somehow lost focus in the middle of it.


    Slowly, I stood to my feet.


    ¡°Is there something interesting going on outside?¡± Mrs Sandra asked, the annoyed look still visible on her face.


    I shook my head rapidly, wanting to get through this embarrassment as soon as possible.


    ¡°I asked you a question. What¡¯s the gap between two contiguous teeth called?¡±


    My fingers rolled into a fist and I tried to think. But nothing wasing up.


    Some seats away from me Kimberly whispered something into her friend¡¯s ear and after a while I could hear murmurs.


    ¡°I heard her grades have been dropping.¡±


    ¡°The female Einstein has fallen.¡±


    ¡°Is she sick or something?¡±


    ¡°Dumb bitch!¡±


    I didn¡¯t turn to the sound of the voice but I knew it was Jason. Instead I racked my brain for an answer, ignoring the sneering from my ssmates. My hands, which were now sweaty, shook.


    Someone sitting beside me tapped me urgently but lightly.


    I turned to see Benson scribbling something in his book, then opening the page for me to see.


    Facing Mrs Sandra, I said, ¡°Diastema.¡±


    She observed me curiously and then yelled, ¡°5 marks!¡±


    Picking up her books she said, ¡°You homework should be submitted first thing tomorrow morning.¡±


    With that she exited and I could feel my chest rxing. Giving Benson a grateful look, I grabbed my books and made my escape.


    Getting to my locker, I grabbed my backpack. I needed to get home. I was really tired.


    Absentmindedly, I ced a hand on my stomach. Anxiety and pain bubbling in my chest, I felt the urge to scream. But I held it back and proceeded to the doors.


    ¡°Hey, Mel!¡±


    I turned to see Benson running up to me. Yes, I was grateful for his help earlier but I didn¡¯t think it signified anything more.


    ¡°Wanna walk home together?¡± He asked, a hopeful look in his eyes.


    I breathed deeply. ¡°Look Benson, thanks for. . . earlier. I¡¯m really grateful. But that. . . it doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re friends again. It takes more than that, okay?¡±


    I gave him a sad smile and looked away, heading for the door.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    I paused.


    ¡°I-I know a lot has happened between us, and that I¡¯ve been a terrible friend. But I really want a second chance. Please, give me a chance. . . give us a chance. Let¡¯s just talk, please?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°This weekend?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± I nodded.


    All I hoped for was that he wouldn¡¯t hurt me yet again.


    Amelia Forbes


    My eyes hurt as I stared down at my notes, trying to study. I needed to sit up. It was crucial that I do now as I really needed to ace my exams.


    It was difficult as I¡¯d started feeling tired all the time now, and it felt like something was eating me up inside out.


    I shook my head and focused on my notes. I needed to finish my homework before noon so I could do something else.


    The sound of my door pushing open took my attention to it and I looked up to see Nana making her way into my room.


    As soon as I saw her, a certain shame filled me up and I couldn¡¯t bear to look at her.


    I was scared. Scared that she¡¯d look at me and see how much of a disappointment I really was. See that I¡¯d let myself be raped. See that I¡¯d somehow gotten pregnant at 18. The shame she¡¯d feel when people stared at me in the street, my stomach bulging out. The shame I¡¯d feel. . .


    She made her way to my bed, sitting on my bed and gently rubbing my arm.


    Are you okay? She signed, worry filling her eyes.


    I could see the heaviness in her eyes. The stress. She looked weak and tired. I was stressing her out.


    Guilt poked me sharply in the chest.


    I nodded, trying to force a smile.


    The look on her face showed that she clearly didn¡¯t believe me.


    She tightened her hold on my arm saying, You can talk to me about anything, baby.


    I lowered my eyes, not knowing what to say. I was exhausted.


    I¡¯m fine, I signed, gesturing to myself to prove my point.


    You look so sick, sweetheart, Nana said. Maybe we should go the the hospital?Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°No!¡± I yelled, feeling my heart pounding in my chest. The doctor might run tests. I can¡¯t. . .


    I was struggling to breathe and I began to count numbers in my head to calm myself.


    Breathe, Mel. Breathe.


    See? You¡¯re not okay, Nana insisted, cing her hands on either sides of my face.


    I gently moved her hand away.


    I¡¯m fine Nana, just tired, I assured her.


    After a while of watching me write in my notes, she stood, leaving the cookies she had brought in on the table next to me.


    I thanked her and bent over my books, pretending to write in it.


    The first tear escaped my eyes as the door clicked shut. I watched it drop onto my book, soaking into the sheet.


    I let myself sob loudly,forted that at least Nana wouldn¡¯t be able to hear me. I cried for everything. My parents, my grades, my friendships, my life. . .


    ¡°I just-I just want to feel anything. . . other than worthless,¡± I could feel my head pound as the tears streamed down.


    I¡¯m so freaking tired. So tired. . .


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do,¡± I whimpered as the pen I held in my fingers dropped to the ground.


    I was so tired of crying. It was the only thing I could do.


    I didn¡¯t remember how to feel happy. What happiness felt like. I just wanted to stop feeling like. . . this.


    Wiping my eyes with a tissue, I pulled my damp hair into a ponytail and continued with my homework, hoping that someday, somehow, I¡¯d be okay.


    Amelia Forbes


    It was 5pm. 5 hours since Nana had left me alone to study. I had waited till Nana was asleep to leave the house quietly.


    I¡¯d made my way to the liquor store, taking my position on the bench across it. For some reason they were closed today. Not like I minded though.


    I didn¡¯t even know what I was doing here. All I knew was that I needed to have some fresh air and breathe.


    I slumped deeper into the bench, unbuttoning my cardigan and letting the cold air caress me. Sighing, I soaked it all in, liking the distraction and letting my worries fly away.


    A light tap on my shoulder jolted me awake and I looked up to see Dani staring at me, a confused look on her face.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± She asked, taking a seat beside me.


    I shut my eyes tightly. ¡°How did you find me?¡±


    I just wanted to be alone right now.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t. Ie here to chill sometimes, remember?¡±


    Oh.


    We sat in silence for a while, doing nothing but enjoying the serenity when Dani broke the silence.


    ¡°Wanna talk about it?¡± She asked softly, rubbing her right arm up and down.


    Was I that obvious? I wondered. And why did she even care. Were we friends now? I mean, I guess I liked her well enough. But could I let myself trust her?


    I wasn¡¯t sure.


    So I shook my head. She nodded in understanding and the silence took over again.


    ¡°So. . . exams areing up, yeah? And I realized I needed a study partner.¡± She turned to me. ¡°And I was wondering if you¡¯d be up for it.¡±


    I shook my head. I wasn¡¯t ready to start tutoring anyone.


    ¡°Please,¡± She begged. ¡°I¡¯m smart, I promise. I just need to study with the right person.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dani I can¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°He hits us.¡± She said suddenly, quietly.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked, confused.


    ¡°My dad. He hits us. I¡¯d look for any reason to not spend so much time at that house.¡±


    Something squeezed in my chest as I watched her look away and stare into the distance.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Was the only thing I managed to whisper.


    Dani wiped her now wet eyes with the sleeve of her hoodie and let out a loudugh. ¡°Mehh, I¡¯m good.¡±


    After a while of racking my brain, the only thing I could do was reaching out to grab her arm. Then I squeezed, hoping it wouldmunicate to her all the things I couldn¡¯t say.


    For the first time in my life, aside from Mom and Nana, I enveloped a female in a real, genuine hug and let her cry on my shoulder.

 Dad why?

    Jason Davenport


    I clicked my Instagram off as I heard Dad walk towards my room. I knew it was him because he was the only one who trudged through the house noisily. Well, it was his house anyway.


    Ashley had gone to see her grandparents and stay over for the weekend.


    Or so she said.


    Of course I didn¡¯t believe her one bit. But I couldn¡¯t exactly follow her to Manhattan now, could I?


    It still annoyed me how much Dad believed her. Trusted her. Wasn¡¯t it obvious enough that she was lying? Refusing to let my day be ruined by thoughts of Ashley, I pushed the thought aside and resumed my original stance of pretending to be asleep.


    I could hear dad¡¯s heavy footsteps as he approached my bed and from where he stood at the foot of the bed, I could feel him staring at me.


    ¡°I heard you on your phone before I walked in, Jason. I know you¡¯re awake.¡±


    Grudgingly, I turned over on the bed and faced him. What was his problem now? I really wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk.


    ¡°Sit up, son.¡±


    I obeyed, straightening myself up and leaning up against the wall.


    ¡°What dad?¡± I asked, wanting this conversation to be over as soon as possible.


    He took a seat next to me on the bed. ¡°Well, we haven¡¯t talked in a while. You know, father and son time.¡±


    It took all I had in me not to scoff. Father and son time? Try that when an unwanted stepmother gets in the way and tell me how that goes.


    He¡¯d been spending a lot of time with Ashley that sometimes I wondered if he even remembered I existed. Now all of a sudden he was craving father and son time? Obviously because Ashley wasn¡¯t home. That¡¯s rich.


    I turned away from him and looked towards the wall. I refuse to get pissed over this same issue. After all, it¡¯s nothing new.


    ¡°How¡¯s school?¡±


    Of course. He¡¯s probably here to shame me about my grades, of course. Which, unfortunately for him, thanks to Amelia were spotless.


    Nice try, Dad.


    ¡°Good. Exams areing up soon,¡± I answered, looking unbothered.


    ¡°Yeah. Your school says you¡¯re doing very well. That¡¯s good.¡±


    I shrugged, waving off the praise.


    ¡°Coach says you¡¯re doing well too.¡±


    Obviously. I aced when it came to sports.


    Dad smiled, reaching out to pat my back. ¡°Your mom would be proud.¡±


    I froze and I could feel my face harden. Why the hell did he have to bring mom up? He never honored my memory but he deemed it fit to bring her up when he wanted to shame or guilt trip me?


    I felt my jaw tic and I cleared my throat. ¡°Howe I haven¡¯t gotten my monthly allowance?¡± I asked, suddenly remembering that it was my turn to get the drinks when the boys and I hung out tomorrow night.


    Dad gave me a nk look and breathed out loudly. ¡°I did that on purpose. I wanted to have this conversation with you.¡±


    Great. Now deprivation too?


    I leaned into my bed and bnced a pillow on my thigh, cing my arms under my jaw for support.


    He cleared his throat. ¡°You do know you¡¯re 18, right Jason?¡±


    I frowned. What does that have to do with anything?


    ¡°Yeah?¡± I asked, finding the question unnecessary.


    ¡°Basically what I¡¯m saying is, you¡¯re a man now. And sooner than you probably expect, you¡¯ll have a ton of responsibilities to keep up with.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going with this, Dad?¡±


    He observed me for a while and sighed again. ¡°You can¡¯t expect monthly allowance from me for the rest of your life, son.¡±


    I felt a sudden surge of anger.


    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is you don¡¯t wanna have to be responsible for me anymore right? I¡¯m that much of a burden now?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not something to get mad about, Jason. You can¡¯t be dependent on others for the rest of your life, even if they¡¯re your parents. You have to learn to be independent. To be able to take care of your needs without looking up for someone to give to you. Do you understand that?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± My face was contorted in anger and confusion. ¡°So you¡¯re throwing me away? I know it¡¯s because of Ashley! Why do you-¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Jason.¡±


    The calmness in his voice forced me to quiet down. Why was he saying all of this?


    ¡°When I was your age, my father had it all. Enough money tost for the rest of my life and yours. But he made me find a job just so that I could learn to be independent. I hated him then for making me work while the rest of my friends fed off their parents¡¯ wealth without having to struggle. But as time went on, I began to see the usefulness of it, and I¡¯m eternally grateful to him for that lesson.¡±


    I looked on as he finished. I knew deep down somewhere that he was probably right, but I refused to let myself think about it.


    No.


    I couldn¡¯t see it. I couldn¡¯t see myself working or waiting tables like some kind of hobo. My blood ran cold as I thought of it.


    Never.


    I stared at Dad. What if this was just a n. A way to get me out of the house so that him and Ashley could have their privacy.


    Suddenly, I had a feeling that Ashley put him up to this.


    Of course, why didn¡¯t I think of this before?


    I had lost one parent already. Dad was supposed to take care of me and keep me safe. But no. Because of Ashley he was casting me aside instead.


    Pushing me out into the world to fend for myself. And it was the most hurtful thing.


    Irritated, I spoke up. ¡°I have homework now, Dad.¡±


    He nodded, standing up and patting my back before walking out the door.

 Adrian knows…

    Amelia Forbes


    I tried to concentrate as I sat in the practicalb at school. We were required to take off our protective masks to be able to answer questions about the different chemicals we were learning about.


    Earlier, I had sat at the front. But when Kimberly and her minions took a position right beside me, looking like they she was going to throw acid all over me, I¡¯d moved to the back.


    Better safe than sorry, right? Although Kimberly kept throwing me nasty nces at intervals.


    I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she was nning something. Feeling safe that a teacher was present, I shook it off and concentrated on the lecture Mr Paulo was giving.


    ¡°Okay now everyone exchange partners and discuss what you just learned,¡± Mr Paulo said, waving his hand in a shuffling motion.


    The girl who I¡¯d been paired with moaned in joy, snatching her materials off the table and walking away as if I was the gue. I didn¡¯t mind anyway so I sat just sat there watching.


    My head was aching and I¡¯d been feeling sick all morning. I reached down and made sure my corset was in ce. I know I didn¡¯t need it yet as the bump hadn¡¯t even began to show, but I wanted to get used to the feeling first.


    I looked up as someone made their way towards me and took a seat beside me. I froze when I saw that it was Kimberly.


    Observing her, I saw that she held something in her right hand which she hid behind her, a smirk visible on her face.


    My eyebrows furrowed. ¡°What do you want now Kim-¡±


    Before I could finish, she procured a bottle filled with some kind of gas and ced it right under my nose. As I tried to move away, Malia and Aneeka held me firmly in ce from behind to stop my struggling.


    Thest thing I remembered was falling to the floor right before I cked out.


    Amelia Forbes


    My head spun as I struggled to open my eyes. The bright light from the fluorescent hurt my eyes and I peeked out, seeing nothing but white everywhere.


    As I finally opened them, realizing I was in a hospital bed, the first thing I saw was Adrian. He was bent over in a chair, fingers entwined in his hair, tapping his leg repeatedly in a nervous fashion.


    The bed creaked as I leaned up, attracting his attention. He immediately rushed to my side.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asked, his voice coated in worry. ¡°You fainted. No one knew what was wrong with you. I had to bring you here. . .¡± He trailed off.


    I ced a hand behind my head. I think I had hit my head during the fall.


    Kimberly. That bitch. What kind of a monster was she?


    For the first time, I looked around. And it dawned on me that out of everyone that probably saw me copse, including the teacher, Adrian was the only one who even bothered to help me. Even after what had happened between us thest time.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whispered, feeling like a terrible person.


    He just smiled. ¡°Hey, hey, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    He rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°I admit I was kind of hurt when you rejected me. But after a while I realized there was more to our friendship than wanting to date you. I honestly like being around you. Plus, you¡¯re better conversation than half the people I know,¡± Heughed.


    ¡°So. . . I¡¯d like to be your friend. If that¡¯s okay with you.¡±


    I felt something warm in my chest. So someone could actually like me with no strings attached. Someone liked me for me. It was strange and new to me and I was still trying to get used to it. Like with Dani.


    I smiled in reply and nodded, epting the side hug he got up to give me.


    ¡°Now get well soon. We have a lot of catching up to do.¡±


    I let out a wateryugh and offered him a grateful smile. I was about to say something when the doctor walked in.


    ¡°Ahh, you¡¯re awake,¡± He said, observing me. Coming to a stop at my bed side, he asked, ¡°How are you feeling now?¡±


    I swallowed. I didn¡¯t like the look on his face. My heart pounded in my chest. What if he. . .


    ¡°Well, Miss Forbes, I wasn¡¯t sure why you fainted. So we had to run a series of tests to determine why. And we found out that you¡¯re 3 weeks and 4 days pregnant.¡±


    My chest exploded. I couldn¡¯t hear anything but an extremely loud buzzing sound in my ears.


    No. Please, no.


    I looked over in fear to see Adrian staring at me, his eyes wide in disbelief.


    The first tear spilled down my cheeks as I shook my head without knowing why exactly. Everyone was going to find out.


    Adrian would think I was a slut. My hands shook vigorously and my head spun. I felt dizzy and nauseous all at once.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Seeing as you aren¡¯t a minor, we¡¯ll leave it up to you if you want to inform your parents or guardian. But you¡¯re okay and healthy so you¡¯re free to go.¡±


    With that the doctor took his leave, leaving Adrian and I one once again. I couldn¡¯t bear to look at him. I felt ashamed and disgusted with myself. I knew there was nothing I could say that would change anything. So I, sat there, ignoring the lump in my throat.


    ¡°How?¡± Adrian asked after a while. I looked up in surprise. He was talking to me? I was surprised he was still here. Wasn¡¯t he disgusted enough already?


    I tried and failed to muffle the sob that escaped my lips.


    Adrian took a seat next to me on the bed.


    ¡°Mel, look at me.¡±


    I obeyed.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re not dating anyone, nor are you that kind of girl.¡±


    He hesitated.


    ¡°Did someone do this to you?¡±


    My entire body shook as I struggled to force of words. Anything at all. My lips quivered but nothing came out.


    He looked at me in concern, anger beginning to manifest on his face. ¡°Mel, you¡¯re quiet. Did someone do this to you?¡± He asked again. I could hear the tremor in his voice.


    ¡°You told me you don¡¯t have any friends as well. And I¡¯ve never seen you cozy with any guy. . .¡±


    He inhaled sharply. ¡°Except. . . except during the project,¡± His mouth fell open. ¡°With Jason.¡±


    I shivered even harder. This can¡¯t be happening right now.


    No, no.


    ¡°Did Jason. . .¡±


    I couldn¡¯t control the broken cry that escaped me as I ced my hands over my ears.


    ¡°No,¡± He whispered, raising his hands and cing them on his head. ¡°Jason, Jason couldn¡¯t have. Oh my God.¡±


    I sobbed into my pillow, feeling sorrier than ever for myself.


    Adrian rxed back into his chair and put his head into his hands as if he was thinking.


    After a few minutes of silence he stood, hatred visible on his face. For a moment I was afraid of what he would do.


    He approached me, giving me a tight hug. My eyes widened in surprise when I felt something wetnd on my shoulder.


    He was crying?


    I pulled away to look at him.


    ¡°Adrian-¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve any of this, Mel.¡±


    He wiped his eyes swiftly, and I couldn¡¯t even tell he¡¯d been crying a while ago.


    His face contorted in rage. ¡°I¡¯ll find someone toe stay with you,¡± He said as he began to walk away towards the door.


    My heart beat loudly in my chest. ¡°Adrian, where are you going?¡± My voice rose an octave.


    He shut the door behind him, leaving me worried and confused as I copsed in another round of tears.

 I missed him

    Amelia Forbes


    Thirty minutes after Adrian had stormed off, Benson peeked through the door of my ward, worry visible on his face.


    He walked in when he saw that I was awake. ¡°Mel, are you okay?¡± He asked, rushing to my side and cing a hand on my forehead and looking into my eyes for any signs.


    For a moment I was scared. What if Adrian had told him everything?


    I looked up at him again and I saw that he didn¡¯t know. I rxed once more.


    ¡°What happened?¡± He asked, squeezing my arm.


    I shrugged, trying to look as normal as possible. ¡°Nothing serious. The doctor said I¡¯m stressing myself out. I need to rest and eat healthier, that¡¯s all.¡±


    I finished, hoping the lie was believable.


    Benson¡¯s face dissolved into a look of relief.


    He sighed. ¡°You scared me.¡± He ran a hand through his blonde hair. ¡°I wanted to. . .e with Adrian to the hospital but I wasn¡¯t sure if you¡¯d want to see me,¡± He said, looking down at his feet.


    I felt bad about everything that happened between us, but I still wanted to be careful. I didn¡¯t want to put myself out there anymore. I didn¡¯t want to get hurt anymore.


    ¡°I miss you,¡± He whispered, looking up at me with sadness in his eyes.


    My chest constricted. ¡°I miss you too.¡± I was being honest now. ¡°But you really made me feel. . . like a loser. And I hope you understand why it¡¯s hard for me to risk going through that again.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start over.¡±


    I looked up. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start over. Let me. . . be a new Benson. A Benson you¡¯d be proud to call your friend.¡±


    The tears that stood in his eyes triggered mine and I let them fall, nodding in assent.


    Try. Let¡¯s try.


    Heughed, wiping his eyes and extending his arm for a handshake.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Benson. But you can call me Ben,¡± He smiled. ¡°Your friend Adrian asked me toe stay with you till you feel better. How are you feeling?¡±


    I let out a watery chuckle, taking his hand.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Amelia. But you can call me Mel. I¡¯m doing great thanks for asking.¡±


    We shook hands firmly and began to make light, friendly small talk. Like strangers do when they meet for the first time.


    And it felt nice.


    Jason Davenport


    I leaned on my locker, deep in conversation with the gang. We¡¯d gone from talk about exams to the small fiasco that had happened in Chem practical early this morning.


    Apparently Amelia had fainted during practicals for no apparent reason. I had a hunch she was just being dramatic as usual. For someone who acted like she hated attention, she sure loved a good show.


    Pretentious bitch.


    I shook my head and faced the gang, listening to Kimberly fawn over some guy she¡¯d met at a show she¡¯d attendedst weekend.


    All of a sudden she was cut off by someone grabbing her by the cor and shoving her hard into the locker.


    Kim let out a loud cry and I look up to see Dani, a murderous look on her face.


    ¡°You bitch!¡± Kimberly screeched. ¡°What the fuck is your problem.¡± She struggled to get out of Dani¡¯s tight grip.


    I leaned in deeper into the locker. This should be good.


    ¡°How does it feel now, being shoved around,¡± Dani spat, keeping her tight grip on Kimberly.


    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about!¡± Kimberly was breathing hard now. Students began to gather round.


    I suppressed a snicker. It wasn¡¯t everyday you saw the queen bee of Wayne County High being shoved around.


    ¡°I saw you. I saw what you did to Amelia.¡± Dani said tly, her expression daring Kimberly to deny it.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fucking monster. How do you live with yourself you asshole. You could¡¯ve killed her!¡±


    With each sentence, Dani shoved her harder into the locker.


    ¡°Get a life, you empty headed bitch,¡± She spat, letting Kimberly loose from her grip.


    She turned to the rest of us. ¡°All of you! You see bullying Amelia as some kind of game. Quit being so fucking insecure about yourselves that the only way you can feel better is by picking on people because they can¡¯t stand up for themselves.¡±


    She raised a finger, pointing at each of us one by one.


    ¡°If I ever, ever see any of you try to hurt Amelia ever again, I¡¯ll make you regret the day you came into existence.¡±


    With that, she stormed off, leaving us staring after her in shock.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    What the hell just happened?

 Surprise, Jason

    Jason Davenport


    I watched Ashley share ¡°juicy gossip¡± with Dad from across the table. She had returned two days ago and since then had proceeded to bore us out of our minds with unwanted info.


    I still wasn¡¯t talking to dad. I was still bitter about thest time. It¡¯d be an embarrassment if I had to tell the boys I couldn¡¯t afford to pay for drinks this weekend. They¡¯d probably make fun of me and wouldn¡¯t let me forget it for the rest of my life.


    I frowned, downing my cup of hot chocte. I resisted the urge to scream as the very hot liquid burned my tongue. In order to not look stupid, I held it in and gulped down a cup of milk instead to help with the pain.


    Fucking hell.


    I was so frustrated with everything. And Ashley¡¯s babbling was really not helping.


    ¡°Babe, what do you think?¡± Ashley asked, her head tilted to the side.


    What had she asked him?


    ¡°Sure,¡± Dad replied. ¡°Am outing sounds good. It¡¯s 8pm and I¡¯m bored, so why not?¡±


    Ashley cheered, pping her hands together and bopping up and down in glee.


    I swear this bitch is high on something.


    It wasn¡¯t surprising anyway. She¡¯d jump at any chance to spend an unnecessary amount of dad¡¯s money.


    I rolled my eyes feeling irritated.


    Ashley jumped up. ¡°I¡¯ll go get ready,¡± She squealed, giving dad a kiss on the cheek and literally bouncing up the stairs.


    ¡°I just lost my appetite,¡± I murmured, getting up and going up to my room.


    A good long sleep should do the trick. For a second the thought of calling Kimberly over when they were gone crossed my mind.


    But I waved it off. Kimberly and I were over. Plus I really didn¡¯t feel like getting into any more trouble with Dad.


    As I got to the entrance of my room, I heard someone talking on the phone in very low tones. I ducked into a corner as I saw that it was Ashley.


    My heart started to race and I moved closer, flipping out my phone and turning on the recorder.


    ¡°Yes,¡± She whispered, sounding irritated. ¡°I convinced him already. How many times do you want me to confirm that?¡±


    As she waited for the person on the other line to respond, she ced one hand over her forehead quietly.


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll park at the entrance but I¡¯ll go in first. . .¡±


    Silence. Then,


    ¡°Obviously he¡¯de in to look for me. . . Yes. You can strike from there.¡±


    Some silent moments passed and then she let out a quietugh. ¡°Rx, we¡¯ll be there soon.¡±


    She hung up, looking around carefully before walking into her bedroom to get changed.


    My hands shook in anticipation and I tried to calm my beating heart. So she really was nning something. I knew it.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    My chest ached. Her n was to get him kidnapped and then demand a huge amount of money.


    I leaned on the wall, thoughts and escape ns running through my mind.


    For a moment I felt bad for Dad. In his quest to rece Mom and heal his broken heart he was always meeting the wrong people.


    With the amount of love he showered on this bitch she still wanted to do something like this to him.


    In anger I barged into my room and started to get changed. I would follow them. I froze in the process of taking off my shirt. I didn¡¯t have a weapon. What would I do if the need for defence came up?


    I thought of calling the guys toe over and help. But I didn¡¯t want to put their safety at stake. For the first time in a while, I was afraid.


    But I shook it off. Ashley needed to be taken care of. And I would take responsibility for that. Throwing on a pair of joggers and a hoodie, I waited. Watching from my window for them to get into the car so I would follow them.


    As I sighted them I tiptoed down the stairs, stopping at the kitchen to grab a knife. Also, I had a baseball bat somewhere in my car. I hoped it would be sufficient.


    As they drove away I quickly got into my car and followed slowly a good distance behind them.


    I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel like I always did when I was nervous. In ast minute decision, I dropped a voice message exining what was going on in the guys¡¯ group chat. At least they¡¯d know if something happened.


    Putting my phone down, I followed Dad and Ashley out of town until they came to a stop in front of a gloomy looking building. There were no lights in the building. The only light source was the dim street light in the corner.


    My heart pounded faster and I clutched the steering tighter. Having parked a reasonable distance from them, I watched as Ashley got out of the car and walked into the building.


    It took about 15 minutes and then I saw the car door open.


    Please. Please don¡¯t get out.


    Dad got out, looking towards the building and then his phone. He was probably trying to call her. After a while of waiting he shut the car door and walked into the building.


    Heart racing, I tucked the knife I¡¯d taken safely into my hoodie and followed behind Dad. On closer inspection I saw that the building was actually a house.


    I waited until Dad walked in through the doors. Quickly, I jumped in after him just as a group of people screamed.


    ¡°Surprise!¡±


    For a few seconds I was still dazed by the bright lights. Then I looked around.


    Lots of people stood in an extremelyrge room, Ashley in front.


    There were waiters serving, food, drinks. And in the middle of the room, a gigantic cake stood. Glitter decorations high up in the ceiling spelled out, ¡®Happy Birthday Baby¡¯.


    What the fuck is going on?


    Apparently no one noticed me yet. Ashley reached out for Dad and enveloped him in a tight hug after pecking his cheek.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d forget your birthday but I wanted it to be special. So I spent weeks nning everything out.¡± She smiled as dad held her tightly around the waist. ¡°And it¡¯s perfect,¡± She whispered, as he raised her off her feet and ced hungry kisses on her lips.


    The crowd cheered, whooped, wolf whistled, and broke into a birthday song led by Ashley.


    I staggered backwards. His birthday. It was dad¡¯s birthday. And in my journey to hunt down Ashley I¡¯dplete forgotten. We always celebrated his birthday together. But this time I¡¯d let him down.


    I felt. . . stupid.


    Maybe Ashley really did like him. I was so desperate to find something on her that I¡¯d forgotten my priorities. I¡¯d been chasing after something that was nonexistent.


    Bummed and feeling like an idiot, I slowly retraced my steps, dumping the knife into the bushes.


    Getting into my car, I drove slowly back to town, ignoring the wetness on my cheeks from the tears that stood in my eyes.

 This world is not for me.

    Amelia Forbes


    As I walked through the doors at school, I immediately knew something was wrong. Everyone I passed gave me weird looks and kept pointing at me.


    When I looked away they would begin to talk in murmurs about something I couldn¡¯t hear.


    My mind raced as I increased my pace. What could¡¯ve happened now?


    No. Please. It can¡¯t be.


    Adrian couldn¡¯t have. . .


    I clutched by books tightly to steady myself as I shook rapidly from head to toe. Why must everything bad happen to me? I refused to let the tears beginning to form in my eyes fall as I shoved my backpack into my locker and proceeded to look for somewhere to hide.


    As I hurried away I came across Jason, Kimberly and the rest of their gang leaning against the lockers.


    Kimberly eyed me as she sighted me.


    ¡°Slut.¡± Someone coughed.


    I pretended not to hear, turning away.


    ¡°Went to get yourself pregnant didn¡¯t you?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    That stopped me in my tracks. No, no. I felt my anxiety begin to skyrocket. How did they know?


    ¡°I thought she was different.¡±


    ¡°Girls like her who pretend are the worst of them all.¡±


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it.¡±


    ¡°Who do you think the father is?¡±


    Like that I kept hearing the murmurs, theughter, the sneering, the using looks. Tears pooled in my eyes. But I knew letting them fall would mean confirming their usations. So I kept my chin up and walked away.


    I searched for an empty ssroom where could I sit and catch my breath. Finding one I rushed in and shut the door behind me.


    Silently, I cried. Why would Adrian do this to me? I trusted him. Something still didn¡¯t sit right with me. It didn¡¯t seem like he would betray my trust.


    But he was the only one who knew about this.


    The sound of someone opening the door and walking in jolted me from my thoughts.


    Jason hissed when he saw that I sat there. On a second nce he smirked, walking up to me.


    ¡°Pregnant huh?¡± Heughed. ¡°I always knew you were a slut.¡±


    I stood to my feet in anger and faced him. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you¡¯d still find it funny when everyone finds out you¡¯re the father.¡±


    His face froze and he grabbed me, shoving me hard into the wall. ¡°I know what this is. You wanna be popr huh?¡± Heughed again. ¡°Unpopr nerd, pregnant for popr jock. Quick rise to poprity. You¡¯re so pathetic, Amelia.¡±


    Something exploded in my chest. He thought this was about poprity? A tear dropped from my eye. Jason was the cause of everything that was happening right now, my mess of a life, and this was all he thought of me?


    I was numb all over again. Laughing without knowing why exactly, I released myself from his grip and slowly walked away.


    Amelia Forbes


    I felt light as I walked down the empty hall two hours after school had closed for the day, not knowing where I was going.


    Someone held me by the shoulders and I looked up to see Adrian, rm written all over his face.


    ¡°Oh my God, Mel, I¡¯ve been looking all over for you. I thought you¡¯d gone home.¡±


    I was silent. A strange look came over his face as he sighed. ¡°You¡¯ve heard haven¡¯t you?¡±


    The nk look I gave him told him that I had and he ced a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Apparently the doctor that attended to you is a friend of Malia¡¯s dad who also works in the hospital. I think she overheard.¡±


    Oh. So it was her. The only thing I was grateful for was that it wasn¡¯t Adrian.


    I nodded, beginning to walk away. He stopped me by cing a hand on my shoulder.


    Swallowing with difficulty he whispered, ¡°D-d-did Jason. . . do this to you?¡±


    Confused and disoriented, I nodded nkly, not caring if he believed me or not.


    He inhaled sharply letting out a string of curses. Not wanting him to see me cry, I fled, knowing exactly where I was going.


    I stared down at the 6 feet pool, wondering how deep it was. Wondering how the water would feel against my skin.


    I couldn¡¯t breathe as the tears choked me. ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry, Nana. I love you so,  so much. I-I tried to stay strong but I¡¯m so tired.¡±


    I let myself sob openly. I was tired of the drama. The bullying. The self hate. The fear. I was tired of not being good enough.


    ¡°I can¡¯t keep living like this.¡± My now hoarse voice came out in a whisper.


    Zipping up my hoodie, I blew my nose and wiped my eyes.


    I walked to the edge of the pool, staring into space.


    And I jumped.

 He is sorry?!…

    Jason Davenport


    I sat on one of the old chairs at the pool after practice. I¡¯d wanted to take a swim as I was very sweaty, but I decided to sit and rx for a while.


    After all, there was no rush to head on home. After the incident regarding Dad and Ashley, I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt. I knew I felt a great deal of stupid. But mostly it was. . . pain.


    I¡¯d wanted to be right. I¡¯d needed to be right. Being right meant that Ashley would disappear from our lives and that Dad and I would have a chance to work on our rtionship. Being right meant that I¡¯d never have to regard anyone else as my mother. Being right meant that I wouldn¡¯t have to call anyone else ¡®mom¡¯ and have to experience the pain and anger that came with it.


    But I¡¯d been wrong.


    Ashley was weird and annoying and way too girly for my liking. Plus I hated the fact that she was a younger woman. It irritated the shit out of me. I wasn¡¯t sure I would ever ept herpletely. I still hated her for tearing dad and I apart.


    So I¡¯d begun to avoid her and dad. It¡¯d be less painful if I acted like they didn¡¯t exist. That way, the pain would be easier to manage. It was worse now that I realized that I didn¡¯t have a reason to hate her. I didn¡¯t know what reaction to give to that.


    But she liked him. Loved him, even.


    And I didn¡¯t know how to feel about that.


    I sighed. I needed to talk to Adrian. Speaking of, I hadn¡¯t seen him in two days now.


    Sprawling on the chair, my eyebrows furrowed as I saw a figure standing in front of the pool saying something I couldn¡¯t make out because I sat far away.


    Still watching, I tried to make out who it was. The blonde hair and thick hoodie kinda resembled Amelia¡¯s. But I wasn¡¯t too sure. When she started to sob audibly, bending over and cing her hands on her knees in a tired fashion, I realized that it was her.


    What the fuck is she doing here after school?


    I rolled my eyes. No one¡¯s around. There wasn¡¯t any need for her to start the crybaby nonsense.


    After some moments of sobbing, she walked to the edge of the pool and zipped up her hoodie.


    Before I could process what was happening, she had jumped. My breath caught in my throat and I stood. Waiting for her to resurface.


    After a few seconds of waiting without any sign of her, my chest exploded.


    Oh my God. She can¡¯t swim.


    Secondster I was racing down the steps, jumping three at a time till I got to the pool. As I got to the edge of the pool, I took a deep breath and dived in. Momentster I sighted her. She looked lifeless and unmoving. Quickly I grabbed her and carried her up to the surface, stopping to breathe when I¡¯d ced her on the floor.


    My hands shook in panic. Why would she do this?


    She wasn¡¯t moving.


    I pped her lightly with two of my fingers. ¡°Hey, wake up.¡±


    She didn¡¯t show any response. Blood rushed to my ears and all I could hear was the beating of my heart.


    I unzipped the heavy hoodie she had on, hoping it would relieve some of the weight. Still no reaction.


    I shook her harder now. ¡°Please Amelia, wake up.¡± My voice shook now.


    ¡°Oh my God. What do I do now?¡±


    Her lips had started to change color. And I didn¡¯t remember where my phone was. Dragging her away from the pool, I ced my knees on either side of her and proceeded to give her chestpressions the way I remembered, not sure if I was doing it right.


    My breaths came out loud and heavy as I persisted after the 12 times had passed and she stilly lifeless.


    Why would she try to kill herself? I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be so sad that she¡¯d want to stop living.


    Still giving thepressions I watched her, eyes shut and mouth hanging open.


    I¡¯d hurt her.


    I¡¯d consistently hurt her.


    That means that all those times. . . she was being truthful.


    What have I done?


    Tears threatened to spill out my eyes as I continued giving thepressions.


    ¡°P-please just wake up. Don¡¯t die on me!¡±


    In the middle of giving the final one, her chest heaved and she let out a gurgle, releasing water from her lungs.


    I breathed out in relief, watching as she doubled over, coughing continuously and trying to survey her surroundings afterwards.


    She froze as she saw me. Looking from my face to my wet clothes, her face wrinkled in anger.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± She yelled, rising to her feet.


    ¡°You jumped. On purpose,¡± I said, still staring at her in disbelief. ¡°Why would you try to kill-¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Before I could finish she let out a piercing scream and rushed towards me, grabbing me by the neck and shaking me with a strength I didn¡¯t think she possessed.


    ¡°You fucking asshole! Why must you try and control every aspect of my life. You practically controlled my life, now you want to control my death too? It¡¯s my life! And I decide when I want to stop living!¡±


    Her eyes shone with anger and her breath was heavy.


    And I realized something. She¡¯d really wanted to die.


    I felt confused and guilty. My emotions were on a rollercoaster.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Amelia,¡± I whispered.


    Her eyes widened. Before I could say something else she had violently pushed me to the floor.


    ¡°You¡¯re sorry?!¡± She let out a disbelievingugh.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. I lost both my parents on the same day, at the same time. No one, and I mean no one showed any sympathy for me. I was broken, tired, lonely. Instead, as school resumed, I was greeted with bullying out of nowhere from you. Everyday I wondered what I¡¯d possibly done to deserve it.¡±


    Sheughed again.


    ¡°After all I¡¯d just lost my parents. You picked on me, pushed me around, hit me. You made me feel like a loser. Like I was a nobody. And I believed you. I started to feel like I deserved to be alone, like I deserved to die. Like I was a worthless piece of trash. The only thing that kept me going was my grandma.¡±


    ¡°When I thought I¡¯d seen the worst, you raped me!¡± She stifled the sob that escaped her lips with her hand.


    ¡°You raped me. You med it on me. You got me pregnant.¡±


    My eyes widened in shock. She was actually pregnant? She hadn¡¯t been lying for the attention? My mouth fell open.


    ¡°And now, I decide to end it all. End this life because I¡¯d rather die than live like this, than have your child. And you decide it¡¯s your right to control that too? You¡¯re sorry? Fuck you, Jason Davenport.¡±


    She burst into tears, raising both her hands with a confused look on her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing here!¡± She screamed, looking up to the sky and turning in circles. The pain on her face stirred something in my chest.


    I¡¯d been so busy thinking about my pain and my loss that I hadn¡¯t realized how much she was hurting.


    I¡¯d lost my mom; my best friend and my favorite person. But she¡¯d lost her mom and dad.


    I still had Dad. And it was obvious that he¡¯d give anything for me.


    She really was all alone. For the first time I tried to ce myself in her shoes. And I knew I wouldn¡¯t have been able to bear it if I¡¯d lost Dad as well.


    I¡¯d been so selfish. I¡¯d med her for mom¡¯s death, deciding to be oblivious to the fact that she¡¯d lost the most significant people in her life.


    And I¡¯d brutally raped her. She was pregnant.


    For me.


    I staggered backwards, tears filling my eyes.


    What would mom say?


    ¡°Amelia, I-I¡¯m s-so sorry. I didn¡¯t know-¡±


    She raised a hand. ¡°Just stay the fuck away from me!¡± She spat, wiping her face and walking towards the exit.


    I stood her, watching her walk away, not knowing what to do.

 You’re a monster

    Jason Davenport


    It took a while to process everything that had just happened.


    Amelia had attempted suicide.


    Amelia was carrying my child.


    Still dazed, I sat on the still cold floor in my wet clothes, my back resting against a raised tform, and I forced myself to think.


    Think of the times when I still had mom. Think of the times when Amelia and I had been. . . friendly.


    Friendly.


    Something cold pumped through me. It felt wrong saying that. Thinking like that. A part of me just couldn¡¯t bring myself to ept that fact. To me it felt like betrayal.


    And betrayal meant that I was making peace with the cause of mom¡¯s death. That I was epting it, embracing it. And that was something I couldn¡¯t do.


    I felt helpless and confused.


    The reason why I hated Amelia so much was because she was the cause of mom¡¯s death. Maybe she wasn¡¯t the direct cause, but she was thest remnant of it. Her parents had killed my mom.


    My hands were shaking now.


    Why the fuck should I care if she decided to kill herself. Why should I be scared? Why should I feel guilty?


    Why would I. . .


    The picture of me close to tears some minutes ago when I thought Amelia was dying shed through my mind. Why had I reacted like that?


    ¡°I-I hate her. . .¡± I stuttered, not reallyprehending everything that was going through my head.


    Hating Amelia gave me something to hold on to. And I realized that if I stopped hating Amelia, stopped bullying her. . . it felt like my life would be purposeless.


    Subconsciously, I¡¯d resolved to avenge mom¡¯s death in any way I could. And it hurt to even look at things from Amelia¡¯s point of view, to ce myself in her shoes.


    I knew I had hurt her.


    The pain in her eyes. The bitterness in her voice when sheughed.


    I was sorry.


    But I didn¡¯t want to be.


    Running my fingers through my hair, I let out a sigh. I was exhausted. And for the first time in my life, I didn¡¯t know what to do.


    Resisting the urge toy down by the pool all day, I got up slowly, surveying the environment and trying to summon enough energy to drive back home.


    As I looked to the entrance, Adrian barged through the doors and walked briskly in my direction when he saw me.


    Finally. I really needed someone to talk to right now.


    I walked half the distance to meet him. ¡°Hey, man, I was about to call-¡±


    I was cut off by Adrian¡¯s fist connecting to my face as hended a sharp punch to my jaw.


    Letting out a muffled groan in pain, I whipped my head up after I¡¯d recovered. ¡°What the fuck, man!¡±


    He responded by punching me a second time, this time to my nose. I staggered to the floor from the impact.


    Shaking with rage now, I hurried to my feet and shoved him backwards roughly making him flinch in pain.


    He followed up with a second punch to my nose. I gurgled and fell to the floor as dark red blood gushed from my nose.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°What the fuck is up with you!¡±


    I pressed my left hand to my nose in an attempt to stop the blood but to no avail. I looked up to see Adrian breathing hard and fast, his fists curled up.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fucking monster!¡± He yelled. ¡°I knew you could be a dick sometimes, but this. . . this is inhumane. Why the fuck would you do something like that?¡±


    My mind and heart raced as I tried to figure out what he meant.


    I froze.


    Had he found out about Amelia?


    He threw me a look of disgust. As if something ran through his head again he let out a groan and grabbed me off the floor, throwing punches all over my face.


    When he had had enough he let me slump to the floor.


    ¡°You raped someone, Jason,¡± He whispered in disbelief. ¡°I would¡¯ve bet my life on it being a lie if someone told me you¡¯d do something like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so fucking disappointed. I never understood why you hate her so much. Yes, I get it. You lost your mom and went through the trauma thates with that. But that¡¯s no excuse to treat someone like a fucking animal!¡±


    My chest was heaving now and I felt dizzy. I could feel the blood dripping from my nose. I wanted to say something. Something to justify what I felt.


    Maybe if he understood that she was the cause of mom¡¯s death. . . maybe he¡¯d understand. I was only trying to avenge my mother. . .


    ¡°Adrian, listen to me please. . .¡± I managed to choke out.


    He threw me a disgusted look. But he didn¡¯t make any other move so I took it as a sign to continue.


    I tried to control my wheezing, using my shirt to press my nostrils together.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry she¡¯s hurting. But she. . . her parents killed my mother. Don¡¯t you understand? How am I supposed to live knowing that-¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re dead too, you fucking idiot! Her parents are dead. That¡¯s why it¡¯s called an ident!¡±


    ¡°Adrian-¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Just shut the fuck up.¡±


    Giving me onest look he said, ¡°Stay the fuck away from Amelia, and away from me.¡±


    I saw his jaw tic.


    ¡°I could never be friends with a fucking rapist.¡±


    With those words, he walked away, shutting the doors furiously behind him.


    What have I done?


    Shaking, Iy in the same position till the blood dried on my face. Suddenly, I was filled with a surge of anger.


    ¡°Everything I¡¯ve ever done was for you, mom!¡±


    It was for mom. If Adrian couldn¡¯t see that then probably he was a bad friend. Maybe I didn¡¯t need Adrian after all. A good friend would see.


    I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.


    I didn¡¯t do anything. . .


    I carried on the chant in my head till I felt the first drops of tears begin tond on my cheek.


    Jason Davenport


    I staggered out of my car as I killed the engine, trying to steady myself to walk up the stairs. I still wasn¡¯t sure how I had managed to drive all the way home. My head had been pounding furiously and I could feel the nausea, the dizzinessing up.


    Using the car door to steady myself, I bent over and threw up all over the grass. I clutched my jeans with sweaty palms, my vision beginning to blur.


    With all the strength I could muster, I brought myself to my feet and stumbled up the stairs to my room. I¡¯d never been so tired in my entire life.


    I heard someone gasp as I pushed my bedroom door open. Slowly, I turned to see Ashley, a horrified look on her face. I shut my eyes tight and walked into my room. I really didn¡¯t want to see her. We hadn¡¯t had any contact since the birthday surprise thing with Dad.


    The fact that I didn¡¯t catch her doing anything to harm Dad and the possibility that she could actually love him only made me resent her more.


    Dumping my backpack on the floor, I peeled off my jacket and copsed in the bed willing sleep toe.


    I heard Ashley race noisily into my room. As she neared my bed, she tapped my shoulder lightly and turned me over. I groaned in pain as my broken nose rubbed against the sheets. Angrily, I pped her hand away.


    ¡°What the fuck is your problem?¡±


    She didn¡¯t flinch. cing her hand on my shoulder and taking out a cotton ball and antiseptic from the first aid kit she held in her hand, she gently wiped the dried blood around my nose.


    Was she deaf now?


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking touch me,¡± I spat, fighting the fatigue that enveloped me from head to toe.


    ¡°Oh my God, Jace. Rx for one second and let me help,¡± She said, still gripping onto my shoulder in a surprisingly firm hold.


    I watched her wipe my face, astonished. Was she acting deaf on purpose? I didn¡¯t know what I needed right now, but it definitely wasn¡¯t this shit. Enraged now and struggled to my feet, pping her arm away forcefully.


    ¡°If you think that this shit you¡¯re trying to pull off qualifies you as a mother then you have another thinging. Trying to suck up to me isn¡¯t going to change anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to rece any-¡±


    ¡°Stop fucking ying dumb. I see what you¡¯re doing here.¡±


    I moved closer to her.


    ¡°No matter how hard you try you¡¯ll never, evere close to being a mom. So it¡¯d be better for everyone if you pick your things and go back to the ghetto. Fucking gold digger.¡±


    Her zed eyes giving me the reply I needed, I pulled her out my bedroom and shut the door behind me, making sure the lock was secure.

 The gist is out.

    Amelia Forbes


    The first thing Adrian did when he saw me at school today was to envelope me in a tight bear hug. I didn¡¯t know how to react at first but as seconds passed and I realized how much I actually needed the hug, I melted into his embrace.


    As he reached up to pat my head he  whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so so sorry, Mel.¡±


    I gave him a small smile and nodded. I knew he was apologizing for everything that had happened with Jason. And I was. . . fine with it. He¡¯d proved to be a good person and a good friend. And that was enough for me.


    We both avoided the conversation that was lurking in the air and instead talked about our uing exams and study sessions we needed to have.


    As we walked through the hallway together, I could hear the sneering and muttering of ¡°slut¡± every now and then. Gripping my backpack tighter, I tried to ignore all of it and instead focused on my conversation with Adrian.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Why, someone¡¯s preggo,¡± A sandy haired boy in corduroy pants and a strange haircut muttered as we walked past him.


    Adrian stopped in his tracks, whipping around and grabbing him by the cor.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    For someone who looked like he was about to spit fireballs, his voice was weirdly calm. Almost like they were having a conversation about the weather.


    It made me see Adrian from a different perspective. He sure can be intimidating when he wants to be.


    Sandy hair squeaked in fear and began to mutter a series of apologies. Adrian held him in the same position for a while and gestured to me. Getting the message Adrian was trying to pass, Sandy hair turned to me, his lips quivering.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please, it won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    He looked back to Adrian who looked him over for a few seconds and then released his grip. Striding back to my side, he continued our conversation as though nothing had happened.


    I couldn¡¯t control the small smile that crept up on my face. Adrian didn¡¯t notice me staring because he was too busy trying to exin how textbooks should really be written.


    My life was falling apart. Literally. But here I was, smiling at the smallest of things. Like how Adrian stood up for me and tried to protect. Like the fact that it was at the lowest point of my life that I¡¯d begun to meet and make friends. Real friends. That cared about me with no ulterior motives.


    And it was. . . nice.


    I let myself smile openly now. If I deserved anything, it was to enjoy this moment.


    And so I did.


    Amelia Forbes


    As my final exams drew nearer, my phobia was getting worse. I began to be more and more aware of my stomach. It had not begun to show but I still felt insecure. Everywhere I went, I felt like everyone was watching me, seeing my secret. Like they all knew I was pregnant.


    With Nana it was worse. The only reason why I wasn¡¯t so worked up about her was because she couldn¡¯t hear me retching every morning. She would¡¯ve figured it out by now.


    Whenever I was changing, I checked the lock nearly a million times before I undressed. I¡¯d gotten a better corset. This one was stronger, more adjustable. And it made me feel safe.


    I ran a hand over my stomach as I secured the corset and adjusted it to the tightest.


    I let out a gasp in pain.


    For a second I wondered if it was hurting the baby.


    That¡¯s good, maybe it¡¯d die off then, a part of me thought.


    Shut up, Mel, I chided myself. Stop having thoughts like that.


    Trying to calm down and get it together and took a deep breath and stared at my reflection.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing great, you freaking queen.¡±


    Saying it aloud made me feel moreposed, rxed. So I said it again. And again. Willing it to stick in my brain.


    I let out a yelp as my gaze fell on my wall clock. Quickly, I pulled down my t-shirt and grabbed my backpack. The bus was here already. I greeted Nana at the kitchen and raced to the door, hoping I hadn¡¯t missed it already.

 Colour me brave

    Amelia Forbes


    I had gotten to the bus on time. And now I was in second period trying not to fall asleep as Mr Redmey droned on and on about something.


    An hourter the ss was over. I nearly cried out loud in joy, grabbing my books. For some reason I felt very sleepy, but I¡¯d been fighting to control myself. Was it the baby? Or was the ss just really boring?


    I ced a finger on my temple, willing my thoughts to go away. As I got up and trudged to the door, Mr Redmey called out, ¡°Amelia?¡±


    I turned around in surprise and walked to his table. I secretly prayed it wasn¡¯t another debate he wanted me to participate in. I honestly had no energy for that.


    ¡°You have a meeting with Principal Harris in. . .¡± He looked at his watch. ¡°Thirty minutes.¡±


    I concealed my frown. What was this about now? My grades? They¡¯d gotten better since then, so what was it.


    Knowing he wouldn¡¯t be able to answer me, I nodded and proceeded to the principal¡¯s office. To pass time, I solved the homework assignments that were due tomorrow.


    When it was time, I got up and knocked on the office door. I walked in as soon as he asked me toe in. I wanted to get over this as quickly as possible.


    As soon as he saw me, he hurriedly dropped the files he was looking through.


    ¡°Oh, erm, Miss Forbes. Have a seat,¡± He gestured to the chair opposite his.


    My eyes narrowed. He was acting very strange. Principal Harris was always strict and straight to the point. Why was he stuttering all of a sudden? Still observing, I settled down and made myself asfortable as was possible.


    He spent the first few minutes trying to get around his words and scratching the back of his neck. When it became unbearable I cut in.


    ¡°What¡¯s this really about, sir? It¡¯s been five minutes now,¡± I said as gently as I could without iting off as rude.


    He cleared his throat.


    ¡°Well, you know sometimes things happen. . . there have been talks going round, all over the school,¡± He scratched his head again. ¡°So I, err, thought it was best to talk to you directly.¡±


    Oh.


    This was about the rumors? It had gotten to the principal too? My palms were sweaty now and I wiped them on the hem of my skirt. Did he believe the rumors? Was I going to be kicked out of school? My head pounded with questions and I began to feel dizzy.


    Rx, Mel. Breathe. Think.


    I took a deep breath. Okay he thinks they¡¯re just rumors, which is why he wanted to see me. He¡¯s not sure. Plus he¡¯s literally blushing and can¡¯t look me in the face.


    I could use that.


    Wiping my palms onest time, I ced them on the desk in front of me.


    ¡°Oh, the ones about me being pregnant?¡± I asked, hoping my voice was as steady as I needed it to be.


    Principal Harris wiped his face with a handkerchief.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been at this school for nearly six years. I was bullied for four. You never heard anything about that did you?¡±


    He opened his mouth to say something but I beat him to it.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°They beat me up, yed pranks on me, spread rumors about me. The teachers saw, of course. But no one ever did anything about it. But it¡¯s all good. You know what I find sad though? That you would believe those rumors spread about me, but you¡¯ve never asked me how I felt. And that¡¯s because you don¡¯t give a shit about the mental health of your students.¡±


    I paused.


    ¡°Excuse mynguage, sir.¡±


    He looked on, clearly not knowing what to say.


    ¡°You even had to call me here, to query me. You see me just like everyone else here does; a waste of space.¡±


    Principal Harris whipped up his head.


    ¡°No, no, of course not. The rumors have been spreading quite a lot. And I thought the only way to erm, straighten things out was to, erm, speak to you.¡±


    He ced a hand on his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re right, Amelia. And I¡¯m very embarrassed, and very sorry for the inconvenience,¡± He breathed out loudly.


    He never called anyone by their first names. That was new. And he actually looked sorry.


    My hands were shaking. Making him feel guilty had certainly worked. I felt bad for doing it but it was the only way I would be allowed to write my final exams and leave high school with clean records.


    He let out a string of apologies and promised to do something about the rumors, assigned a personal counselor to me which I politely declined because that definitely wasn¡¯t what I needed.


    As I walked out the door and shut the door, I released the breath I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d been holding.


    Amelia Forbes


    ¡°Fuuuckkk,¡± Ben groaned as he fell onto my bed. ¡°Now I¡¯m gone for sure.¡±


    Dani gave a loud cackle, cing a palm over her mouth when I shot her a death re. Turning to Ben, I said, ¡°Now you¡¯re just exaggerating, Ben.¡±


    ¡°Yeah Benny,¡± Dani chirped from across the room, innocently flipping through the pages of my calculus textbook.


    I red at her. I knew she was just teasing Ben. That was just how their friendship was and I was still trying hard to get used to it. Although sometimes it could be hrious.


    Well, I was thankful they were friends at least. The introduction was. . . well, quite awkward.


    No.


    Very, very, awkward.


    Imagine introducing your once ex best friend to your newest friend who¡¯s almost like a best friend to you.


    Now get this.


    Your newest friend is mad at your ex best friend for ¡°treating you like shit¡± and your ex best friend is mad that your newest friend used to roll with the group of people who bullied you.


    Yeah. Pretty awkward.


    I had to clear the air and correct these impressions. Then kinda let them just. . . be. I knew there were things you just couldn¡¯t force. And friendship was one of them.


    So you can imagine just how d I felt when they started getting along in this good but strange way. I can¡¯tin can I?


    ¡°You guys are supposed to be supportive y¡¯know,¡± Ben exhaled heavily, cing a pillow over his face.


    ¡°Really?¡± Dani asked, a confused expression on her face. ¡°I didn¡¯t see that in my. . .¡± She peered at a page in my textbook. . . ¡°job description.¡±


    I tried toote to disguise theughter that escaped me as a cough.


    It was Ben¡¯s turn to shoot me res.


    I waved my hands in the air. ¡°Okay, everybody rx, breathe. Ben, you¡¯re one of the smartest people I¡¯ve ever met. Fine, maybe you didn¡¯t perform as well as you expected on the calculus exams, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just the exam stress that¡¯s doing it. I¡¯m pretty sure you did great,¡± I smiled trying to reassure him.


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    I nodded.


    When he inhaled and exhaled deeply, I knew he was good so I faced Dani. ¡°And as for you. Stop being a-¡±


    ¡°Bitch?¡± Ben offered.


    ¡°Ben?¡± I warned.


    Dani shut her eyes and shook her head dramatically, ¡°¡®Tis fine. I shalt turn thy other cheek.¡±


    Oh my goodness, I facepalmed. Apparently God didn¡¯t see it fit to bless me with serious friends.


    The frown on my face must have roused Dani because she immediately stood.


    ¡°Okay, Benny. Your first exam was horrible, we get it. Sometimes-¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t HORRIBLE. It was just-just. . . not good enough.¡±


    ¡°Ahh. . .?¡± Dani questioned. ¡°So it wasn¡¯t THAT bad then.¡±


    ¡°It-I was-no. No it wasn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Dani winked and fell back into her previous position.


    ¡°What the. . . you tricked me!¡±


    ¡°For the love of God, you guys.¡± My head was spinning.


    ¡°Okay Ben, why don¡¯t you maybe call Katie and y¡¯know maybe spend quality time with her. It might make you feel better?¡± I offered, giving him a big smile and ignoring the snorting sound from Dani.


    He only shrugged.


    I cocked an eyebrow, walking to him and plopping down next to him on the bed. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°We broke up,¡± He muttered with a straight face.


    My eyes widened. No. Freaking. Way.


    ¡°How? Why? When? Where?¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± Dani put in. ¡°How¡¯s that even important?¡±


    ¡°Good to know that¡¯s all you got from the conversation,¡± Ben fired back.


    I was starting to worry about the fights. I hoped they were truly teasing each other and not actual enemies.


    As I was about to prod Ben further, Nana walked in.


    Ben rushed up from the bed to give her a hug which she weed with a strange look in her eyes. She narrowed her eyes at me and I knew she was asking when Ben and I had made up. I gave her a sign to keep the story tillter.


    Satisfied, she turned to Dani who had straightened up and shut my calculus textbook.


    I swallowed.


    I don¡¯t know why I was nervous. I desperately wanted Nana to approve of her. Dani had an aesthetic tomboy vibe to her which was usually not appreciated by elderly people. So I guess I was kind of worried Nana wouldn¡¯t like her.


    I¡¯d given Dani previous information about Nana. So she knew she was hearing impaired and my only family. And due to the fact that people usually acted weird around my Nana I¡¯d already asked Dani to befortable.


    Who¡¯s your friend, Nana signed, ncing at Dani and back to me.


    As I began to sign a reply, Dani walked up to Nana, offered her hand for a handshake, and began tomunicate with Nana in signnguage.


    Ben and I stared on, mouth agape. Well, I didn¡¯t know about this.


    ¡°Of course, she understands signnguage,¡± Ben grumbled to no one in particr, folding his hands and staring at them both.


    I might haveughed if I wasn¡¯t so focused on how swiftly Dani¡¯s hands were moving.


    Ben had tried to learn ASL lots of times but it just wouldn¡¯t stick, he said. So he¡¯d given up.


    So we sat in my bed and watched Dani and Nana discuss about the different ways to make pot pie.


    Huh.


    I didn¡¯t peg Dani as the type who¡¯d like to cook. Nevertheless I watched them. And I could see that Nana really liked her.


    And I was d that I got to have one day to rx and hang out with my friends and not have to think about anything else.


    Exams had started today and I still needed to fit studying and tutoring into my schedule without having aplete mental breakdown.


    But not right now.


    Not now.

 Gonna miss them.

    Jason Davenport


    It had been a while since I¡¯d hung out with the gang, especially with everything going on. Exams had started a few days ago and surprisingly, calculus had been pretty easy.


    Good.


    I didn¡¯t need Dad breathing down my neck and reminding me to study. Even though we both knew he could pay my way into any college. Speaking of college, the gang kept having conversations about their ns for college, Rory and Greg more interested in the hot girls they were going to meet.


    Smiling, I wondered if they would ever change. What if they did? Would we still be friends? These thoughts had been running through my head over and over again and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to answer them. Maybe because I already knew the answer to them.


    I resisted the urge to hiss. Suddenly everything was annoying to me. I needed to stop thinking and enjoy thest days I had with my friends. So I rejoined the conversation.


    ¡°Whatcha gonna wear for prom?¡± Rory was asking Kimberly wiggling his eyebrows mischievously.


    Kimberly flipped her hair backwards. ¡°You should know I never disappoint,¡±She winked. ¡°Plus, I¡¯ve got to look the part as prom queen.¡±


    The guys ¡®ooh¡¯ed¡¯, cheering her on. I rolled my eyes. We still weren¡¯t friends, but we were kinda cool. It was as if I¡¯d just begun to see her arrogant she could be sometimes. Prom queen my ass.


    And as for prom, I honestly didn¡¯t feel like attending. With the way I¡¯d been feeling and with everything that was happening right now, I don¡¯t think I was in the mood to dress up in a fancy suit and go to a party.


    ¡°Hey, Jason, we should all shop for our suits together. What do you think? Might be fun,¡± Greg suggested, looking to Rory for assent.


    ¡°Yeah, man. Don¡¯t know how much time we have left.¡±


    I looked at them both, trying to make up my mind. ¡°Well, uhh, okay cool.¡±


    Rory whooped, patting me painfully on the back. ¡°We going tuxedo shopping, baby!¡±


    ¡°Okay, a little bit too enthusiastic Rory,¡± I wheezed, pushing him off me.


    Everyone burst into a round ofughter. After a few moments, I joined in. I really was going to miss these guys.


    ¡°Too bad Adrian isn¡¯t here,¡± Malia sighed.


    I sucked in a breath. Why did this bitch have to ruin the moment? I turned to her. ¡°If you miss him so much just fuck off and go look for him,¡± I spat.


    Her face reddened.


    ¡°Jason!¡± Kimberly yelled angrily. ¡°What the fuck is your problem.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck is wrong with her, bringing up my ex best friend when she obviously knows we¡¯re not friends anymore.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t expect the whole world to know you broke up with Adrian?!¡±


    ¡°Broke up?¡± Greg put in, his voice close to a snigger.


    We both ignored him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you didn¡¯t know, Kim. And if you did obviously she would too. So why the hell did she bring it up?¡±


    Kimberly gasped. ¡°You are acting like a child now!¡±


    ¡°Yeah I learned that from you.¡±


    Everyone else ¡®ooh¡¯ed¡¯ but stopped when Kimberly began to shoot eye daggers around.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t even care? Can¡¯t you see that Malia¡¯s upset?¡±


    ¡°Who the fuck cares?¡±


    At this point Malia stormed out, looking like Hurricane Katrina. Fuck if I care.


    ¡°You are a such a dick, Jason.¡±


    I only shrugged.


    ¡°Of course you won¡¯t say anything now,¡± Sheughed. ¡°That¡¯s exactly why Adrian stopped being friends with you. ¡®Cause you¡¯re the biggest dick that ever lived.¡±


    ¡°You mean, I have the biggest dick that ever lived?¡± I sneered.


    Greg and Rory burst outughing like hyenas.


    ¡°You know what? You¡¯re all dicks. I¡¯m out of here.¡± With that, she grabbed her extremely pink purse off the table and stormed off.


    ¡°Oh Kimmy, don¡¯t go,¡± Greg called out after her. ¡°It¡¯s just a little misunderstanding. Come back.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    She stopped and turned momentarily at the door to give him the finger.


    Silence followed for a few minutes and then Greg lit a smoke and passed it round. I rejected it, still trying to figure out why I had gotten so angry.


    ¡°Look J,¡± Rory started. ¡°We your boys, you know that. And we won¡¯t let you look stupid especially in front of bitches right? But that right there? That wasn¡¯t cool.¡±


    Greg nodded in agreement. ¡°And you never really did tell us what happened with Adrian.¡±


    I raked my fingers through my hair. My head was spinning. I still didn¡¯t know why I got so mad. Maybe it was the stress of everything.


    ¡°Thanks for having my back,¡± I swallowed. They both nodded, reaching out to pat my back, painfully of course. It almost felt like they were beating me up.


    ¡°I was having a bad day that¡¯s all.¡±


    Rory peered at me. ¡°You sure?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m stressed out y¡¯know. The exams and college and my dad. Everything¡¯s happening all at once.¡±


    ¡°Yeah I feel you man. I feel the exact same way. And I don¡¯t even have anyone else to talk to. My parents are never home so. . .¡±


    I looked up at Rory, smiling sadly. I never pegged him as someone who could get lonely. Which was actually stupid,e to think of it. I guess everyone had their own issues.


    We all looked at each other, letting a few seconds pass. Then we burst into a round ofughter without knowing exactly why.


    ¡°Let¡¯s never speak of this again. Can¡¯t have anyone know about this sob story shit,¡± Roryughed.


    Another round ofughter.


    Okay I¡¯m beginning to think it¡¯s the weed that¡¯s doing it.


    ¡°I love you guys!¡± Greg yelled to the heavens.


    Okay definitely the weed.


    I blew out smoke, looking from Greg to Rory as they burst into a song I¡¯d never heard in my life.


    And I knew I was going to miss them.

 Why so serious?

    Amelia Forbes


    ¡°You never told me you knew ASL,¡± I said to Dani as we sat side by side on my bed.


    She only shrugged. ¡°It never came up.¡±


    Sheughed when I pushed her sideways onto the bed. ¡°Easy, Ammy. Why so serious?¡±


    When I didn¡¯t change my expression, she sighed. ¡°Fine. I wanted to surprise you.¡±


    My face dissolved. ¡°Really?¡±


    She nodded, smiling.


    Something warm filled my chest. Having people do nice things for me still felt very weird. Plus, I was really beginning to like Dani, which was scary because it meant that I was left in permanent fear of wondering if she was going to leave me, let me down, hurt me. And I didn¡¯t like that. I was meaning to talk to her about it but there was no time yet.


    Inhaling deeply, I smiled at her and murmured a ¡°thank you¡±.


    ¡°So. . .¡± She began. ¡°You think Nana likes me?¡±


    I froze. She had called my grandma ¡®Nana¡¯. Everyone else referred to her as ¡®your Nana¡¯ but Dani called her Nana. I figured and hoped it meant that she considered her family. Considered us family. I smiled so wide I thought my lips would break.


    ¡°Of course she likes you. She made chicken porridge. She only makes chicken porridge for special people ya know?¡±


    Daniughed loud. ¡°Well, I¡¯m honored then.¡±


    ¡°As you should be.¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As theughter began to die off, Adrian and Ben walked in carrying a tray of Nana¡¯s chocte chip cookies and another tray of milk.


    God, my grandma was great.


    As Adrian put down the trays on the table, he signed ¡®thank you¡¯ to Nana.


    Benson gaped openly. ¡°You know ASL too?¡±


    Adrianughed. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve been taking lessons.¡±


    Dani cackled at the expression on Ben¡¯s face.


    Ben ignored her.


    ¡°So. . . are any of you attending prom?¡± As he spoke, he signed to enable Nana be part of the conversation.


    Nana threw me a look. You didn¡¯t tell me about prom, she signed. Of course you¡¯re going to attend.


    I shook my head. I really didn¡¯t feel like it. I just wanted to take my exams, graduate and never have to cross the walls of Wayne County High ever again. I don¡¯t know why they chose to have the prom before graduation this year.


    Daniughed out loud, looking to Nana. ¡°She¡¯s just joking. Of course she¡¯s going.¡±


    Ben nodded. ¡°Yeah, Mel. We don¡¯t have much time to spend together. We should make the most of it.¡±


    From Ben and Dani finally agreeing on something to the encouraging look in Adrian¡¯s eyes, I just couldn¡¯t say no.


    They all cheered when I nodded.


    ¡°So, first things first. What are you wearing?¡± Ben giggled, opening my wardrobe and gasping at the ¡°hideous outfits¡± inside.


    ¡°No, no, no. We have to go shopping.¡±


    Dani cringed when she ran her fingers through a red dress in my closet. ¡°I¡¯m this close to tears,¡± She said, biting into a cookie.


    It was probably the shock of them agreeing on something a second time that made me say yes.


    ¡°I¡¯m going shopping with my mom this afternoon so maybe you cane along?¡± Ben offered.


    I was about to say yes when I remembered something.


    My stomach was a small bulge now. I couldn¡¯t try out dresses in front of anyone. Even if Ben didn¡¯t notice, his mother surely would.


    I swallowed, beginning to panic. ¡°Um, I. . .¡±


    ¡°She can go with my mom and I instead. My mom¡¯s in fashion. So I think she¡¯ll be able to pick out the right dress for Mel.¡±


    I looked up at Adrian, grateful but surprised. How did he know?


    ¡°Wow. A fashion guru picking out Mel¡¯s outfit,¡± Ben echoed, a hungry look in his eyes.


    The rest of us burst intoughter and after a while Ben left with Dani-bickering as usual- as they were leaving in the same direction while Adrian and I left the house after saying goodbye to Nana.


    Guess I¡¯m going to prom then.


    Yay me.

 Dad is not so bad

    Jason Davenport


    I didn¡¯t reply when I heard the knock on my bedroom door. I didn¡¯t feel like seeing anyone. And from the heavy sound, I knew it was dad knocking.


    After knocking twice without a response, he walked in. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t get mad when he saw that I was awake and on my phone. Instead he only took a seat next to me.


    I sat up and put my phone down. ¡°If you¡¯re here to talk about the thing with Ashley, I really don¡¯t feel like it.¡±


    Dad¡¯s forehead creased. ¡°What thing with Ashley?¡±


    I searched his face for any sign that he was denying it. But he really was baffled.


    She didn¡¯t tell him?


    Usually she¡¯d jump at any chance to report me to my dad.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m not here to talk about Ashley.¡±


    I folded my arms.


    ¡°Lately, we¡¯ve been disagreeing a lot. Fighting over things we shouldn¡¯t be. And it¡¯s putting a strain on our rtionship. We¡¯re supposed to be there for each other, especially since mom isn¡¯t here anymore.¡±


    I still didn¡¯t say anything. I just stared at him. And for the first time, I noticed how he was beginning to age. And it was scary.


    A few minutes passed by without a word between us and then I just kind of lost it.


    ¡°You caused everything, Dad.¡±


    He swallowed.


    ¡°Why did you have to bring all those women into everything? We were doing so well our own. Yeah I missed mom, but I was d that I still had you. But no, you began to bring different women into the equation. That¡¯s when we began to fall apart. If you really cared you¡¯d have known.¡±


    I stopped to catch my breath. I was really angry now.


    ¡°So it¡¯s not just about Ashley, Dad. It¡¯s about you. It¡¯s always been you. You put a strain on our rtionship.¡±


    I felt my throat tighten and I knew I¡¯d rather die that cry in front of him so I got up and left.


    Jason Davenport


    I took onest look in the mirror before my limo would arrive. The boys had arranged for us to arrive in style-with no dates. That way, all the girls would have their eyes on us. It would be up to them topete for our attention.


    Iughed. The ideas those guys came up with sometimes.


    I felt good. And I sure as hell looked it too. Instead of the traditional ck suit and tie, I¡¯d opted for white on white, paired with a crisply ironed button-down shirt-a few buttons open-and a pair of white ankle sneakers.


    Why?


    Because they matched my eyes. Duh.


    A maid had done my hair. And this time I¡¯d allowed her to pack as much gel as she deemed necessary. She¡¯d also let a few tendrilse undone in the front and so they fell across my eye in azy but sexy fashion.


    Breathing out, I straightened the front of my jacket, although I didn¡¯t need to. Ashley had put out a rose for me to pin on the pocket. But I wasn¡¯t going to. I didn¡¯t need anything from her.


    Just then, Dad walked in with a gift box in his hand. I pretended not to notice as I sat on my bed and began to scroll through my phone.


    This time Dad didn¡¯t sit beside me. He just stood there, head bent over.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He whispered, after some moments of silence.


    As I whipped my head up to stop the discussion, he shook his head. ¡°Just hear me out. Please.¡±


    I fiddled with the tiny cross pendant I wore around my neck and nodded a little.


    ¡°You were right. I¡¯m so selfish. I should¡¯ve understood that you needed more time to heal from the loss of your mother. I should¡¯ve used the time to build on our rtionship instead of seeking some kind of. . . sce.¡±


    His voice was shaky.


    ¡°I only thought about myself, my pain, instead of yours. I should¡¯ve been more alert, more attentive. But instead I forced these women on you and expected you to be cool with having a new mom. I was bitter, authoritative, and I never gave you a listening ear.¡±


    He buried his head in his hands. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Jason. I let you down.¡±


    My throat tightened. I didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°I guess. . . I felt kinda. . . abandoned.¡± Saying it out loud made me realize how true it was.


    He lowered himself onto my bed and held my left hand in his. ¡°I-I miss her so much. . .¡± He broke down.


    For the first time in my entire life I saw my dad¡¯s eyes well up with tears. I always thought he was tough and strong and that he never cried. But here he was. My eyes filled up with tears.


    ¡°I was so desperate to heal myself that I went after women who I didn¡¯t even care for,¡± He wiped his face with one palm.


    ¡°A-and with you, I don¡¯t know what happened. Being a parent is so-so difficult. I never know what to do. And I¡¯m always scared I¡¯m gonna mess it up.¡±


    He sniffled again, his eyes red rimmed and muttered apologies for crying in front of me.


    The first tear dropped from my eye and I wiped it away hurriedly. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    He looked up at me once more. ¡°With Ashley. . . I really do love her. And I wanted you to as well. But forcing it on you was wrong. I should never have done that. You don¡¯t have to call her mom, or tolerate her anymore. But. . . it would mean a lot to me if you could give her a chance. Try to really see her.¡±


    I could admit that much that Ashley honestly liked him as much. And it hurt. But today, I¡¯d seen just how much he was struggling and how hard it must¡¯ve been to admit he was wrong in front of me. And it was the bravest thing ever. So I¡¯d try. Not for Ashley, but for him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jason. I¡¯m sorry for failing you. But I promise, if you give me another chance, I¡¯ll be better.¡±


    I nodded vigorously, prompting the welled up tears to fall.


    Dad gave a wateryugh. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Cool beans,¡± Dad said, giving me a thumbs up.


    I facepalmed, my shoulders shaking withughter. ¡°Please, never ever say that again.¡±


    Dad had the guts to look confused. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you teenagers say?¡±


    I fixed him a nk stare. ¡°Yeah, if you¡¯re in 1996.¡±


    ¡°Ohhh.¡± He looked thoughtful. ¡°That¡¯s woke.¡±


    My eyes widened. ¡°Okay, leave my room now. Thanks foring.¡±


    ¡°I heard this teenage girl say that in a storest week.¡±


    ¡°Okay good to know,¡± I gently prodded him towards the door.


    ¡°Wait one more thing.¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I paused.


    ¡°You look great.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Dad.¡±


    I smiled as I faced the mirror once more.


    Opening the box Dad had handed me, I gasped as I procured a diamond studded Rolex.


    Without wasting time I pped it on my wrist, marvelling at how good it looked.


    A notification from my phone alerted me that the limo was here. I smoothened out my jacket and my shoes onest time and hurried to the door.


    On second thought I picked up the rose and pinned it on my jacket.


    For some reason, I had a good feeling about today.

 He really is nice

    Amelia Forbes


    I sucked in my breath as Benson finally took off the piece of cloth he had used to cover Nana¡¯s full length mirror.


    If I wasn¡¯t consciously present, I wouldn¡¯t have believed that the girl I was staring at right now was me.


    As I slowly twirled, my mouth fell open. I knew the dress Adrian¡¯s mom had picked out for me was nice but I didn¡¯t think it was THIS hot.


    ¡°Well fuck,¡± Dani whistled, as she walked in. ¡°I just had an orgasm from staring at you.¡±


    I whipped around, my eyes wide. ¡°Dani! Stop being so nasty.¡± I covered my eyes with my hands.


    She replied with a loudugh and did a once-over in the mirror. She wore a baggy, all ck suit that fell around at the ankles.


    Duh.


    Dani was the only person I¡¯d ever met that could rock a baggy suit and make it look hot.


    ¡°Oh shush. You look good, girl,¡± She winked at me.


    Turning to Benson she said, ¡°You did a great job on her hair and makeup y¡¯know. It¡¯s awesome.¡±


    I held my breath hoping it would end well.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ben smiled widely. ¡°Thanks! You know my mom-¡±


    ¡°Please no. I don¡¯t need the details,¡± Dani winked at him and walked off.


    ¡°Oh, I hate her,¡± He muttered under his breath.


    ¡°No you don¡¯t,¡± I said in a singsong voice.


    He rolled his eyes as a reply and cleared his throat. ¡°Let¡¯s finish up quickly. Adrian just texted, he¡¯ll be here soon. I¡¯m gonna go change.¡±


    He ran off, leaving me alone with my thoughts.


    I stared at my reflection, running my fingers over the fabric. Adrian¡¯s mom had picked out a midnight blue dress with a halter neck, which billowed out from my midsection and curved at the back in a kind of fishtail so it flowed behind me. The prettiest thing about the dress were the tiny crystals that peeked through the folds at the bottom of the dress every time light hit it.


    The back of the dress was exposed in a crisscross fashion and the only piece of jewelry I wore was a silver bracelet Nana had gifted me. Ben had styled my hair in a high topknot, but let a few tendrils fall in ringlets at the front of my ears. He had also done a light natural makeup, swiping some wine colored lipstick over my lips. And I had on the silver heels Adrian¡¯s mom had gifted me for prom, and a small silver purse that was just sufficient to fit my phone.


    ¡°Adrian¡¯s here!¡± I heard Ben yell as he walked back into the room.


    I whistled as I looked him over. ¡°Damn!¡±


    He grinned. ¡°How do I look?¡± He asked doing a 360.


    ¡°Like a piece of heaven,¡± I responded, taking out my phone to take some shots of him. He looked amazing in a dark green suit paired with a tan colored turtle neck shirt and simr colored ankles shoes.


    I smiled and whistled repeatedly as I took shots of him. Ben sure knew how to rock his blue eyes and sandy hair.


    As I positioned myself to take onest shot, he grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the door. ¡°Adrian¡¯s hereee.¡±


    We walked out to Nana, Adrian and Dani in an animated conversation. Adrian froze, mouth agape, as he sighted me. ¡°Mel. . .¡±


    Suddenly I became too shy to look him in the eyes. The admiration in them were pretty obvious.


    Nana hurried to me, embracing me in a tight hug. As she held me by the shoulders and looked me through, a tear dropped from her eyes and she wiped it quickly.


    You look amazing, baby, she signed as she gave me another hug.


    Quickly, she had us pose for a group picture. And of course, Dani and Benson wouldn¡¯t stop making meugh so hard, I was sure I looked like a hyena in all the pictures.


    Adrian and I posed for a picture together too. And we kinda looked like a couple. As Nana took our picture, she wiggled her eyebrows at me in a mischievous fashion. I onlyughed and waved it off.


    As we all hurried down to the limo Adrian had hired for today, he kept staring at me as if in a trance.


    And I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d ever felt this shy before. He straightened out his jacket and opened the car door for me to get in. He looked amazing as well dressed in a light blue suit that did wonders for his eyes. And his tousled hair stood in soft, messy ck curls. I could already imagine just how many girls¡¯ lives would be destroyed when they saw him today.


    The thought made meugh out loud. Adrianughed along although he didn¡¯t know why I wasughing.


    We all got in the limo, talking,ughing and talking about what we envisioned prom to be like.


    And it felt nice.

 What the frack is wrong with me?!

    Amelia Forbes


    The first group of people we saw when we stepped out of our limo was Kimberly and her minions. I swallowed nervously, trying to keep my head high.


    During thest few weeks of exams, the principal had made a public announcement concerning the rumors about me being pregnant. Hisst verdict was that anyone caught talking about it would be expelled.


    That helped in keeping them all quiet for a while. So I hadn¡¯t really crossed paths with her since.


    I didn¡¯t want any snidements to ruin my day.


    You can do this, Mel. That phase of your life is over. The bullying, everything. She¡¯s got nothing on you.


    With the small pep talk and thefort of having the three people who really cared about me by my side, I knew I could do it.


    Malia saw us first.


    She did a double take. Then looked away and reverted her gaze back to us. As recognition hit her, her jaw fell open and she tapped Kimberly urgently.


    Kimberly looked annoyed at being interrupted but she froze once she saw me.


    ¡°Is that Amelia Forbes?!¡± The guy Kimberly was talking to eximed in shock. ¡°No. Fucking. Way.¡±


    He gently pushed Kimberly out of the way, his jaw still wide open, and approached me.


    Adrian put a hand out to block him and looked at me for approval. I gently nodded and he slowly let the guy through.


    ¡°Can-can I take a picture with, umm, you?¡± He stammered, his eyes filled with awe.


    I nodded, still confused as Ben took a shot of us with the guy¡¯s phone.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± He gushed as he stared at the picture. ¡°You look AMAZING.¡±


    Okay. What just happened? It¡¯d been a while since I had that much attention showered on me. And honestly, it felt kind of weird.


    Adrian hooked my arm with his as we walked past a still shocked Kimberly and through the entrance of the school.


    The best thing about all of this was the look on Kimberly¡¯s face.


    As if on cue, we all burst outughing.


    Jason Davenport


    I felt a wave of nostalgia as I saw Adrian walk into the hall with a girl by his side. He looked great like always. All the girls were already throwing googly eyes his way and practically drooling at his feet.


    He looked happy enough talking andughing with his partner. For a second I felt jealous. That should¡¯ve been me right there. We should¡¯ve arrived at prom together, just like we always talked about when we were younger.


    I breathed in deeply. I was supposed to enjoy today. I would clear my head and enjoy the party. So I resumed my conversation with the guys.


    But I couldn¡¯t stop myself from ring at Adrian and his girl. And looking around, I could see I wasn¡¯t the only one staring. They were the centre of attention.


    I could see Kim from across the hall shooting daggers at the girl. My brows furrowed. Since when did Kimberly have a thing for Adrian? Or was it the girl. . .


    Taking a closer look at the girl, I tried to see if I knew her. Come to think of it, Adrian had no time for girls. So who was this date?


    Just then she looked in my direction, a wide smile still on her face, and it felt like I had the wind knocked out of me.


    My eyes widened in shock.


    Amelia?


    No way.


    When the smile on her face died as she saw me, I knew it was her. She held my gaze for a few seconds, anger shing briefly in her eyes, and then she looked away and continued her conversation with Adrian.


    Fuck.


    She was a vision. Literally.


    Greg nearly choked on his punch. ¡°Is that Amelia? The girl you hate so much?¡± He asked, eyes wide as saucers.


    I could only nod.


    ¡°Fuck me! She¡¯s so fucking hot. Howe I never noticed her before.¡±


    Yeah. Howe.


    He pped my back determinedly. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go talk to her.¡±


    That stopped me. I looked from him to Amelia to Adrian and then Rory, and then Rory and I burst outughing.


    ¡°Save yourself the embarrassment, dude,¡± Rory said still cackling.


    ¡°I could try at least. I mean, look at her face, her shoulders, her fucking lips.¡± He swallowed. ¡°How am I supposed to let that pass me by?¡±


    ¡°The same way you let it pass you by for six years?¡± Roryughed. ¡°Plus, it¡¯s obvious she and Adrian are pretty cozy,¡± He added in a singsong voice.


    I swallowed. Were they?


    At that moment the announcement for prom king and queen came up. As per tradition, the votes were cast on the day of prom after the nominees-which were kept a secret till the big reveal-were set.


    Students would go through the curtain one at a time and vote for whoever they liked in the list of nominees. And then the results were announced.


    We walked toward the curtain to cast out votes.


    ¡°Who are you voting for as prom queen?¡± I asked, already knowing it¡¯d be Kimberly.


    ¡°Uhh, Amelia. Duh,¡± Rory said like it was obvious.


    ¡°Huh? I assumed it¡¯d be Kimberly.¡±


    They both stared at me as if I¡¯d said something silly.


    ¡°A little birdie told me Amelia¡¯s name was added on the list of nominees today. Plus, she looks to die for today, trashing the whole nerd look and revealing THAT,¡± He motioned to her. ¡°So obviously we¡¯re voting for her.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say so I didn¡¯t say anything.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I looked back again to see her and Adrian deep in conversation, their arms still intertwined.


    Something bubbled through my chest and I felt the sudden urge to take her away from him.


    I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to talk to him as well.


    But I didn¡¯t like seeing them together.


    Was the fuck is wrong with me?

 Guess who won prom queen?!

    Amelia Forbes


    I was beyond confused when my name was called out as this year¡¯s Prom Queen. At first I thought it was an expensive joke, courtesy of Kimberly and Jason. But it was called out again. And the spotlight was turned on me.


    Everyone was pping and cheering me on. And all of a sudden, everyone wanted to take selfies with me, talk to me. Some dude even tried to hug me.


    Since Adrian was Prom King, we walked up the stage together. Secretly, I was d Jason hadn¡¯t won. Because I sure as hell wouldn¡¯t have stood on the same stage with that bastard. He¡¯d been stealing nces at me all day when he thought I wasn¡¯t looking. Seeing his face today, brought on a lot of unwanted memories. But I was trying hard to stay on track.


    When Adrian and I were crowned, the middle of the stage was cleared for us to have our dance.


    Surprisingly, Adrian turned out to be quite a good dancer. ¡°Is there anything you aren¡¯t good at?¡± I stage whispered, shaking my head in mock disbelief.


    Heughed, tightening his hold on my waist, and whispered, ¡°At all.¡±


    I let out a loudugh, pping his arm yfully. ¡°Talk about cocky.¡±


    He only shrugged.


    As other couples began to join us on the dancefloor, Jason Davenport abandoned the girl he was dancing with and approached us. Adrian pulled me closer to him, using himself as a shield between me and Jason.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± His voice was dangerously low.


    ¡°I just. . . wanted to say hi, man,¡± Jason muttered, scratching the back of his neck.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Adrian spat. ¡°Now get the fuck out.¡±


    Jason nodded, fixing me with a soft stare. ¡°Umm, Amelia, I was also wondering if. . . maybe, we could talk?¡±


    I could feel my chest heaving. This fucking asshole. My hands rolled into fists. How dare he even walk up to me?


    I was breathing hard now. In anger, I tore myself from Adrian¡¯s protective hold and stalked off to the girls¡¯ bathroom.


    As I rxed against a faucet in the bathroom, I couldn¡¯t help feeling like today was a mistake. I was tired, traumatized and pregnant. Why the fuck did I even thinking here would be helpful? The only reason everyone was being nice to me was because I looked pretty today. I looked hot. Relevant enough to be noticed by them. But instead of making me d, it only made me sick.


    A tear slid down my cheek and I carefully wiped it away to avoid ruining my makeup.


    Just then Kimberly and her minions walked in. They stopped talking as soon as they saw me and silently began to touch up their makeup in the mirror. Determined not to break down in front of them, I grabbed my lipstick from my purse and retouched my lips.


    As I was about to leave, they waid me. I tried my best to look unbothered and irritated as I motioned for them to move away so I could pass.


    Kimberly moved closer to me. And after some moments, she extended her arm. ¡°Congrattions on winning my title.¡±


    I hid my surprise. Of course it wasn¡¯t shocking that she believed the title was hers, but congratting me? Now THAT was shocking.


    When I didn¡¯t respond she continued. ¡°And, you don¡¯t look so bad. Too bad. If I¡¯d known you were this pretty I might have taken you in and brushed you up to be part of the elite.¡± She finished, folding her arms and sweeping my dress with admiration filled eyes.


    Ahh.


    So all it took to be in Kimberly¡¯s good graces was a pretty dress and a makeover. The part of me that still hungered for validation melted in joy. Finally they had epted me, just like I always wanted. Now I could be one of the cool kids. . .


    But I looked her in the eyes. And I knew I was a much better person than bullying, taunting and picking on other people to feed my esteem. The right people had seen me, epted me, and I¡¯d realized that there was more to me than wanting to be part of the cool crowd.


    So I smiled at her.


    ¡°No thanks I¡¯m good. And as for the title?¡± I motioned to myself. ¡°I earned it.¡±


    The shock on their faces was worth it as I pushed past them and walked to the door.


    Pausing, I added, ¡°And oh? Grow up, Kimberly.¡±


    With onest smile, I shut the door behind me and walked out to fresh air.


    Getting to the exit, I sighted Adrian, Benson and Dani cluttered at the door with worried looks on their faces. They groaned in relief as they saw me.


    Ben enveloped me in a tight hug while Dani kept asking who she had to beat up. Laughing, I reassured them that I was fine.


    ¡°Ready to go?¡± Adrian asked.


    ¡°Go?¡± I checked the time. ¡°It¡¯s only been two hours.¡±


    ¡°Yeah we know. Prom is boring. We¡¯re going to Adrian¡¯s ce,¡± Ben spoke rapidly. Well, he sure was excited.


    ¡°No parents,¡± Dani said dramatically.


    ¡°Movies,¡± Ben put in, wiggling his eyebrows.


    ¡°Lots and lots of junk. Which include pizza, ice-cream, and a lot more,¡± Adrian whispered, walking around me in a circle.


    Iughed so hard my stomach hurt. ¡°Fine, fine. But what about our clothes?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t imagine we¡¯d befortable in the clothes we had on.


    ¡°Well Adrian, unlike some people,¡± She innocently looked in Ben¡¯s direction, ¡°had the sense to provide more casual clothes for everyone in case something like this happened. We went shopping together.¡±


    I smiled widely.


    I had the best friends ever.


    With all the bad things that had happened this school year, they were the only thing, asides from having Nana around, that kept me going.


    They had shown me that I was worth more than I thought. And I actually began to see that I deserved way better in life. And for that, I was eternally grateful.

 What is this feeling?

    Jason Davenport


    ¡°I have an announcement,¡± Greg stated, a few minutes into the small party we were having.


    It was a small thing we¡¯d decided to have, just the three of us. Kind of like an after graduation party.


    Graduation had taken ce a week after prom. Dad and Ashley had been there. It¡¯d been nice. I¡¯d seen Amelia as well, Adrian standing loyally beside her the entire day, except when she had to give her valedictorian speech.


    As I watched her afterwards taking pictures with her friends and grandma, I knew I owed her an apology. And I really wanted to. But my legs wouldn¡¯t budge.


    I knew I had been unfair, a monster infact, but I didn¡¯t know how to make it right. My heart broke as I thought of how disappointed Mom would be if she were here.


    And I couldn¡¯t even tell the guys about it because they¡¯d be disappointed. Just like Adrian had been. And I wasn¡¯t sure I could handle losing anyone else close to me. So I kept it to myself.


    I knew that the biggest thing holding me back was the pregnancy. I didn¡¯t want a baby. I mean, that¡¯s a huge responsibility.


    Thinking about it made a shiver run through my spine. I couldn¡¯t be a dad at eighteen. I could barely take care of myself, how was I supposed to take care of a baby?


    ¡°Spill it,¡± Rory said, downing his second bottle of beer. He¡¯d obviously begun to get a little tipsy.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°I got epted,¡± He announced with a wide grin, spreading both arms wide in a pose of victory.


    Rory and I nced at each other, and then back to him, still nk.


    He facepalmed. ¡°Bluestone University? I applied there weeks ago.¡±


    Oh. So he was leaving? For some reason I started to feel gloomy. Everything seemed so real now. High school was over and done, my friends would soon leave for college. Fear of what came after high school began to dawn on me. And I realized just how lost and afraid I felt.


    ¡°Well shit,¡± Rory said, after a few minutes of silence. ¡°That¡¯s. . . great.¡±


    Greg¡¯s face fell. ¡°You guys are supposed to be happy for me. . .¡± He trailed off.


    ¡°We are. Of course we¡¯re happy for you, man,¡± Iughed patting his back.


    Rory nodded, forcing a smile. ¡°We just feel kinda sad y¡¯know. Soon, we¡¯re all gonna go our separate ways.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same way y¡¯know. But we can still talk, catch up-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll never be the same,¡± I said, knowing how true that really was.


    There was silence for a while then Rory raised his third bottle of beer in the air. ¡°Well, to ourst days together, then.¡±


    We all shared a sad smile and drank to that.


    ¡°Okay enough of this sad shit,¡± Iughed downing my bottle and dumping it in the trash. ¡°Let¡¯s get high.¡±


    Greg burst into his signature hyenaughter and began to pass the weed round.

 Am A failure?

    Amelia Forbes


    The days that followed after graduation were miserable for me. There was no school to attend, no sses to keep me busy, and no studying to distract me at all.


    I had nothing to keep myself busy with. So all I did was think. So much that I began to overthink, which meant I started to worry a whole lot more, about every little thing. My anxiety level shot up. And soon, I refused to leave my room.


    I was three and a half months pregnant, and inevitably I had begun to show. The corset was too tight to befortable and I had to stop wearing it.


    I didn¡¯t know what to do. Every time I saw Nanaing in my direction, I would duck into my bedroom and attempt to conceal my stomach with my duvet or nket.


    Soon, she would notice. If she hadn¡¯t already. What would I say to her? How would I exin this. . .


    I couldn¡¯t talk to Dani or Benson about it. They wouldn¡¯t understand. And I hadn¡¯t seen Adrian since graduation. I wanted to text him, but I felt like a bother, a burden.


    I looked down at the small bulge.


    I also noticed I was adding some weight. It was scary. What would the townspeople say? My high school ssmates? My teachers? Everyone would know that the rumors were true. Would it affect my records from school?


    How would I exin? Would I say I was raped? Nobody would believe me.


    A single tear dropped from my eye as I clutched the sheets.


    I can¡¯t do this. I can¡¯t deal with this.


    I was shaking all over now.


    ¡°Please go away,¡± I whispered, anxiously rocking back and forth as tears streamed down my face.


    As I heard Nana¡¯s footsteps approach my door, I quickly wiped my tears, making sure to bunch my duvet up to my stomach.


    I forced the widest smile as Nana peeked in through the door, signing to ask if she coulde in.


    I nodded in affirmation, patting the space next to me. Smiling, she slowly approached my bed and took a seat beside me.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The first thing she did was envelope me in a tight hug.


    I¡¯m so proud of you, baby, she signed touching my cheeks and kissing them in turn.


    Really? I asked, faking augh.


    Yes you made me so proud. I can¡¯t wait for you to get into college. Your parents would be so proud.


    She wiped her eyes, giving me another hug.


    I can¡¯t wait too, I signed, struggling to contain myself.


    I¡¯m making chicken porridge. You¡¯ll have some right? She asked, getting up probably to check the food.


    I nodded.


    As she left, I let myself break down.


    Soon I¡¯d have to tell her that there was no college for me. Because I was carrying a child. And I dreaded having to look her in the face, as I revealed just how much of a failure I really was.

 Still something fishy.

    Jason Davenport


    I shut my eyes tight as Ashley knocked at my bedroom door. It stood wide open so obviously, she could see that I was awake.


    I turned over in my bed, hoping she would take a hint and go away. But instead she knocked a second time.


    ¡°Do you have a minute?¡± She asked in her tinkly voice.


    I wanted to yell out a huge ¡®no¡¯ but I wasn¡¯t in the mood to quarrel with her. So I sat up and motioned for her toe in.


    She didn¡¯t sit, instead she folded her hands behind her and cleared her throat.


    ¡°Look, I know you don¡¯t want to see me or talk to me, but I have something to say.¡±


    I have her a nk stare.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying. I¡¯m trying so hard. And I know you don¡¯t see it, or refuse to see it. But it¡¯s fine, I understand why.¡±


    I cocked an eyebrow at her, folding my arms in front of me.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who. . .¡± She trailed off, tucking a strand of her blondish pink hair behind her ears and fiddling with the hem of her sweater. ¡°I-I pressured your dad.¡±


    My eyebrows furrowed in a frown. I knew it. Dad would never act the way he did if she didn¡¯t. So she really was a fraud.


    As if she heard my thoughts, she raised a hand, ¡°Let me finish. Please.¡±


    I shrugged, leaning back into the bed.


    ¡°I asked him to bring me here, introduce us. I wanted you to, I dunno. . .¡± She gave a hollowugh. ¡°. . . learn to like me, ept me.¡±


    She hung her head, rubbing her arm in an up and down motion.


    ¡°I always knew there was something shady about you,¡± I spat.


    She didn¡¯t respond so I continued.


    ¡°If you feel this bad then leave.¡±


    Her head shot up in surprise.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I continued. ¡°Go away. Leave us in peace. Everything will sort itself out when you¡¯re gone.¡±


    ¡°You know I can¡¯t do that,¡± She stated gently. ¡°I love your dad.¡±


    I gave a loud snort. ¡°You love him, or you love his money.¡±


    I saw disbelief sh in her eyes as she stared at me. ¡°Why would you say that? Of course I love him. His wealth has nothing to do with that.¡±


    I rolled my eyes, getting up and pulling her gently toward the door. ¡°When you¡¯re ready to talk, like honestly talk? Then you cane in.¡±


    Without waiting for a reply, I shut the door behind me.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Amelia Forbes


    I was five months gone. My stomach wasn¡¯t as big as the women¡¯s I¡¯d seen at five months. The inte said it was because I was a first-time mom.


    Nana had begun to be even more suspicious. Especially with me staying in bed all day and feeling sick. I¡¯d also begun to crave weird kinds of food, but I¡¯d had to control myself in order not to arouse her suspicion.


    After the fourth month, I¡¯d had toe up with an excuse for staying indoors all day so I told Nana that I¡¯d gotten an online job that needed me to work twenty hours a day. Of course, she didn¡¯t look like she believed me, so I had to convince her.


    After a while she started to believe me. But once in a while she brought up college. And then I had to lie about sending out applications so she¡¯d be at rest.


    Keeping up with the lies was a lot of stress, but in between crying myself to sleep, pretending to be okay and suicidal thoughts, I¡¯d managed to stay on track.


    Adrian visited once in a while as he was busy applying to colleges and hoping to bag a schrship. I sensed that he was having trouble at home, maybe a family issues. But he denied it and refused to say anything else. He came over twice a week-first texting me to ask what I was craving, then bringing it with him. We¡¯d talk for hours, maybe y a few games. And as usual he¡¯d make meugh so hard I thought the baby would pop out.


    Once he had asked me how I would exin the pregnancy to Nana. The more I thought about it the more I decided I didn¡¯t know.


    Would she believe me if I told her the truth?


    I wasn¡¯t sure.


    So for now I¡¯d keep up with the lies then when I was ready, I¡¯d tell her everything.


    I swallowed, not wanting to know how that would go down. I wasn¡¯t sure I could even express myself and exin the situation in signnguage. I¡¯d be too nervous. All of a sudden, I wished Nana could hear. Because if she could, surely she¡¯d be able to talk as well. Seeing as she¡¯d be able to hear the sound of her own voice. Then, talking about this would be easier. It would make for bettermunication.


    I shook my head vigorously.


    Shush, Mel. Why are you even thinking like this?


    Rubbing my forehead, I rxed back into my bed and began to cram potato chips into my mouth.

 Nana knows…

    Amelia Forbes


    I had begun to feel sicker and sicker. I was throwing up more, stressing out more, and I felt tired all the time. In summary, I felt like crap. Nothing wasfortable anymore and I kept having recurring mood swingsughing one minute and crying the next. Thankfully, Nana had resumed her volunteer work, so she was seldom home. Looking toward my table clock, the time showed that she would¡¯ve left the house by now.


    Good.


    I needed to eat something. But I couldn¡¯t do that if she was home. As gently as possible, I got down from my bed and bumbled into the kitchen.


    After opening and closing a few drawers-not finding anything appetising to eat-I finally decided to go with cereal. Grabbing the biggest bowl we had, I emptied nearly half the box. It was as though I just realized how hungry I was. Popping the fridge open, I decided to go with yogurt instead of milk as I¡¯d been craving it.


    I paused as I was about to empty the yogurt into the bowl. I felt like drinking from the carton instead. So I tucked it under one arm, grabbed my bowl of cereal, and began to make my way to my room.


    The sound of the front door opening stopped me dead in my tracks, and in shock I let the yogurt drop from underneath my arm, spilling it everywhere on the floor.


    My breathing was ragged now. What do I do? Where do I hide?


    I looked toward my bedroom, but I knew I wouldn¡¯t make it in time. So I stood there, shocked confused, not knowing what to do.


    As I raced to duck back into the kitchen, Nana came into view, a sack of groceries in her hand. Confused, she looked from my sweaty face to the big bowl of cereal in my hand. As her eyes got to my stomach-which was very visible in the tank top I was putting on-the grocery sack dropped to the floor as her hands flew to her mouth in shock.


    What is this? She signed, moving closer and motioning to my stomach.


    Nausea ran through me and I felt bile rise in my throat. In fear, I moved backwards, shaking my head.


    ¡°I can exin, Nana. Please just let me. . .¡± I trailed off, feeling tears rush down my face.


    She stared at me, and I could see the disappointment clearly written on her face. My chest was pounding. I felt tired, weak, and I wasn¡¯t sure I could take any of it anymore.


    Slowly, I slumped to the floor, crying so hard I thought my heart would explode. I just wanted to be happy, to be okay. I didn¡¯t ask for any of it. I don¡¯t deserve it.


    I felt Nana move closer to me. In anger she grabbed me up and made me stand upright.


    Who did this to you? Her hands shook as she signed.


    I wanted to respond but no sound came out.


    She shook me hard as if to bring me to my senses. As I looked her in the eyes I realized I¡¯d never seen her so angry before.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I wailed, not knowing what else to say. I wanted to sign, but my hands wouldn¡¯t cooperate.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Slowly, Nana let me drop to the floor.


    I¡¯m so disappointed in you. Your parents would be too. I thought I was bringing you up to be a responsible young woman, but apparently I¡¯d been wrong.


    As she signed, I saw teardrops fall to her cheeks.


    But I was mad now. This was unfair.


    I stood to my feet carefully and faced her. ¡°Why would you say that about me? Why would you think less of me? You know I¡¯m not the kind of girl that sleeps around so why?¡±


    As I spoke, I signed. Yelling would help me express all the pent-up emotion.


    Motioning to my stomach, I screamed, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for this! I don¡¯t want it, I never did.¡± I felt a breakdowning up but I willed myself to continue.


    ¡°I was raped, okay!¡±


    Nana froze, her eyes widening as she shook her head repeatedly.


    ¡°Yes!¡± My voice broke. ¡°I was raped by Jason, during our project. I was vited, Nana. I felt useless, filthy, I felt like trash.¡± My voice came out as a cry.


    ¡°Some weeks after, I found out I was pregnant. I was helpless and I had no one to talk to! I didn¡¯t tell you because I wasn¡¯t sure you would believe me. You¡¯d think I was a disgusting slut, just like everyone else. And now. . .¡±


    I let out a strangled cry as I paused to wipe the torrents of tears flowing on my cheeks.


    I touched my stomach. ¡°I wanted to remove it, have an abortion. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it. So I kept it a secret.¡±


    I looked up at her. ¡°So don¡¯t think less of me, or me me for anything. I¡¯m the one who has to carry this burden. And I already me myself. So don¡¯t-¡±


    I couldn¡¯t speak anymore so I let myself slump to the floor as I broke down. I let myself cry openly. This year had been the worst in my entire life. And it was all because of one person. He ruined my lifepletely. I didn¡¯t deserve to live like this.


    The day of the assault shed through my head and all I could see were bloody sheets and bruised thighs. I shook feverishly as I remembered the day I¡¯d found out I was pregnant. My breath came out in sharp gasps as I clutched the material of my joggers, willing myself to forget.


    Breathe, Mel. Please.


    Iy in a foetal position, my hands ced firmly on my ears, trying to block out my screams from that day.


    After a while, I felt Nana¡¯s warm hands wrap around me in a tight embrace.


    I¡¯m so sorry, She signed, as she pulled away from me to look me in the eyes.


    Her shoulders racked with sobs as she gently wiped my face with a napkin she had procured from her bag. I pried the napkin from her fingers and began to wipe her face.


    Sobbing, she embraced me once more.


    After a few moments, I felt her grow limp in my arms. Quickly I withdrew from the embrace and searched her face for any strange signs. My heart began to pound. Nana had had heart issues in the past. I desperately hoped the news hadn¡¯t triggered her.


    As I gently helped her to her feet with the intention of helping her get on the sofa, I looked up to see Dani and Adrian standing a few feet away from us.


    I felt my heart stop.


    Dani¡¯s face was nk and expressionless and I couldn¡¯t tell what she was feeling. I didn¡¯t know how long they¡¯d been standing there.


    But from the rmed look on Adrian¡¯s face, I suspected it was long enough.


    Wordlessly, Adrian moved to help me ce Nana on the sofa, while Dani stood in the same position, staring at my bulging stomach.


    AUTHOR¡¯S NOTE: Hello, dear readers, I am so very sorry to have kept you guys waiting. While it may seemed I abandoned this book, I did not, rather I had some writer¡¯s block and it was hard toe up with a chapter for you guys. I have been seeing you guy¡¯sments, I know that most of you are not happy, neither am I, but this book will bepleted before the end of January, I assure you that. By God¡¯s grace. Thank you all for your patience and understanding.


    Meanwhile, as we await mepleting this book, I have another book I was writing during the holidays, Seducing The Billionaire Boss, please do check it out. Thank you guys! Happy new year pple!

 She’ll do something crazy

    Amelia Forbes


    I could feel the rapid pounding of my heart as I watched Dani stare me down. I couldn¡¯t read her expression, couldn¡¯t tell what she was feeling. My tongue hung on the roof of my mouth, dry.


    My lips parted but I didn¡¯t know what to say. Beside me, Adrian gently helped Nana onto a sofa and handed her a ss of water.


    ¡°How long did you n on keeping this a secret?¡±


    I looked up at Dani. I¡¯d been praying for her to say something all this while but now that she did I didn¡¯t know what to say. Her eyes were ssy and cold. I shivered a little, the thought of her hating me now freezing up my insides.


    ¡°Dani, I¡­¡± I managed to blurt out. ¡°I didn¡¯t know how..¡±


    My voice shook with each word. Adrian gave me a reassuring nod and ced a hand on Dani¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Amelia is going through a really tough time right now-¡±


    ¡°You knew?¡±


    The usation in her voice chilled me to my bones and I could feel the tears forming in my eyes.


    Dani stood there, chest heaving, looking from my stomach to my tearstained face.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Thest thing I heard was the anger in her voice as she screamed, ¡°That asshole!¡±


    In less than 5 seconds she had stormed out of the door. My eyes widened in realization. She was going to confront him.


    The now familiar taste of bile rose in my throat as I screamed after her. ¡°Dani it¡¯s no use!¡±


    She ignored me, the sound of her motorbike informing me she was already on her way to the Davenports. I staggered to my feet, helpless.


    I have to go after her. Confronting Jason wouldn¡¯t solve anything. Family wealth and status could get him out of anything. There was no point.


    Tears streaming down my face, I began to limp to the door. Adrian¡¯s firm hand stopped me in my tracks.


    ¡°No!¡± I screamed, snatching my hand away. ¡°She¡¯ll do something crazy.¡±


    ¡°Breathe, Mel. Breathe,¡± He cooed, rubbing my shoulders in small circles. When I was calm he led me to a chair. ¡°Stay here. Take care of Nana. I¡¯ll go after Dani.¡±


    I nodded feverishly, trying to steady my breathing.


    Nana¡¯s soft touch admist the tears on both our faces calmed me down as I watched Adrian race out the door and into his car.


    Jason Davenport


    A loud banging on the front gate brought me out of my reverie. Looking at the time, I frowned. It was 8 in the morning. Who would be knocking like that?


    Irritated, I rang one of the servants. ¡°Go take care of whatever that irritating noise is. Right now.¡±


    I rxed back onto my bed as he bowed and left.


    I sighed. Lately I¡¯ve been so tired. All the time. Sighing again, I looked toward my TV to see what video game would take off all the stress right now.


    As I bent to pick one up, I heard Dad scream my name. It sounded more like a roar. I frowned deeply. He never called me out this loud. What the hell was happening?


    Still frowning at the interruption, I made my way downstairs. I stopped dead in my tracks as I came face to face with a fuming Dani Daniels.


    All of a sudden, my breathing quickened. Dani defended Amelia against Kimberly. Dani was friends with Amelia.

 Tell me it’s not true

    Looking towards dad, I wiped my sweaty palms on my hoodie.


    ¡°This girl who keeps disturbing our peace and knocking like a mad woman ims she¡¯s here to see you. So?¡± He gestured to Dani. ¡°Do you know her?¡±


    ¡°I d-don¡¯t recognize-¡±


    ¡°You fucking asshole!¡± Dani screamed so loud the servants had to hold her back. ¡°You monster!¡± She continued, seemingly oblivious to the tight hold on her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll strangle you with my bare hands when I get my hands on you, you fucking piece of shit!¡±


    Dad¡¯s face reddened. Youe into my house, disturb our peace, and threaten my son?!¡± He bellowed. Ashley gently ced her hand on his, tapping on it in a distracting motion.


    Dani stood, unfazed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask ¡®your son¡¯ what he did to my friend!¡± She spat, anger visible on her features. She met my eyes, anger and pain dancing in them. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell them? Tell them how you singlehandedly ruined Amelia¡¯s life.¡±


    Dad¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. He questioningly looked from Dani to me. ¡°What is she talking about?¡±


    His voice was calm. Collected. Maybe if I tread carefully I could¡­ Maybe I could exin¡­


    My hands shook in fear.


    ¡°Go on, Jason. Tell them.¡± Dani continued. Everyone¡¯s eyes were on her now. ¡°Tell them how you took advantage of a defenceless girl. How you raped her.¡±


    Ashley¡¯s sharp gasp was the only sound that could be heard in the room.


    ¡°Your usations are absurd, youngdy!¡± Dadshed out. ¡°One more warning and you¡¯ll end up in a cell,¡± He growled.


    Dani only gestured to me. ¡°Ask him yourself then. Let¡¯s see him deny it.¡±


    For a few moments there wasn¡¯t a sound. Dad slowly turned to face me, unsure. ¡°What is this about?¡±


    This time his voice was cold, disbelieving. There was a tiny hint of distrustfulness in his eyes, almost like he was willing me to deny everything so we could move on.


    But I couldn¡¯t.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    In fear, I hung my head, waiting for time to pass.


    As I raised to head to look back up, a sharp pain spread over my cheeks and it took me a few seconds to realise that Dad had pped me.


    ¡°What is this about?!¡± He boomed. I kept my head low wishing for everything to pass.


    A sound by the door distracted everyone as we all looked up to see Adrian. Dad¡¯s eyes widened as Adrian walked up to Dani and extricated her from the hold of the servants.


    ¡°Adrian, you-you know this girl?¡± Dad stammered, looking from Adrian to me in disbelief.


    The first tear dropped from my eyes just as Adrian pulled Dani safely behind him.


    Jason Davenport


    ¡°Deny it,¡± Dad said. His voice was low, cold.


    My shoulders shook with fear. I stared at h wide-eyed, my breathing out as shallow sounds.


    ¡°I said, deny it,¡± This time his voice was louder.


    Adrian gave me a disappointed stare as he shook his head and pulled Dani to the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    She shook her head vehemently. ¡°He¡¯s gonna pay, Adrian. He¡­ he has to.¡± Her voice broke. ¡°She was already going through a lot, Adrian. And now this?!¡±


    Adrian pulled her toward him in a hug as a reply and together they began to walk away.


    ¡°Adrian!¡± I heard Dad call out. Beside him Ashley held onto him even tighter reassuringly.


    Adrian paused but didn¡¯t look back.


    ¡°Why did you stoping over?¡±  Dad managed to croak out. I could hear the desperation in his voice.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather be dead than be friends with a rapist,¡± Adrian replied simply. And like that he was gone.


    The servants were quiet. Ashley was quiet. Dad was quiet.


    I wasn¡¯t expecting a second p, but it came.


    Dad growled, grabbing me roughly by the shoulders. ¡°Whose son are you?!¡± He screamed.


    A tear fell from my eyes as a response. ¡°D-dad, I¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± I managed to whimper. ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking-¡±


    The third p came.


    Tears filled my eyes. Dad never hit before.


    ¡°Babe!¡± Ashley screamed. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±


    No one paid any attention to her.


    I could see the disappointment in dad¡¯s eyes as he let me fall to the floor. ¡°Your mother would be so disappointed in you,¡± He whispered coldly. ¡°I¡¯d rather not have a child that have one like you!¡±


    It hurt. The words hurt. Then I started to wish he was hitting me than saying these things.


    Straightening up, he boomed. ¡°Get out!¡±


    I looked up at him and didn¡¯t speak. Slowly I scrambled to my feet and began to make my way toward my room. Dad grabbed my arm and shoved me to the door.


    ¡°I said, get out! You¡¯re a man now. You can disrespect everyone and manhandle people. So it¡¯s obvious you¡¯re trying to assert your authority, right?¡±


    ¡°So get out! You¡¯re a bloody criminal. The only reason the cops aren¡¯t is for your mother¡¯s sake.¡±


    I stared in disbelief. ¡°What?¡± My voice came out as a croak. ¡°Dad, please I-¡±


    Without letting me finish, he shoved me to the door and out the gate. And he was gone.


    My breath caught in my throat. Dad couldn¡¯t possibly, he wouldn¡¯t kick me out.


    No. He can¡¯t.


    My fingers tore at my hair as I tried to keep myself from crying.


    He¡¯d let me in.


    He¡¯s just angry right now.


    He wouldn¡¯t.


    Those thoughts warming up my head, I slumped to the floor and let sadness, remorse, guilt, wash over me.

 A silent sigh

    Amelia Forbes


    I watched Dani and Ben slice vegetables in the kitchen silently. For once they weren¡¯t bickering. But they weren¡¯t talking to each other, or to me.


    I gave a silent sigh. Ben had found out about everything from Dani when he came over. It took both Dani and Adrian to stop him from storming off to the Davenports. Afterwards he had screamed his lungs off at me, asking why I could keep something like that from him.


    Then he¡¯d cried a little. We¡¯d all cried together. Nana included.


    But there was still a sad kind of tension in the air. No one was talking to each other. They¡¯d even agreed on what to make for dinner for once without arguing.


    Adrian, Ben and Dani were a part of my small family now. They were constantly arounding over early in the morning and leaving prettyte at night, although they slept over most nights.


    And me? I was exhausted. I was still a bit scared from Nana¡¯s dizzy spell from earlier. But I felt relieved too. The people I truly cared about and who cared about me knew everything now. They knew the truth, knew I was pregnant.


    But they didn¡¯t judge me or doubt me. They believed every single word I¡¯d said. They didn¡¯t think I was a slut. They cried with me, supported me. Always. And it was the best feeling. I didn¡¯t have to hide anything from them again. Ever. And I knew that as long as I had them, everything would be okay. I¡¯d be okay.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Absentmindedly, I smiled.


    Getting up, I cleared my throat loudly. ¡°I have an announcement!¡±


    They paused and looked my way. ¡°Well, hurry up. These veggies won¡¯t chop themselves,¡± Dani snapped.


    I felt like she was more hurt than the others. So I walked to to her and wrapped my arms in her torso.


    ¡°I. Love. You. Guys.¡± I enunciated each word, meaning it from the bottom of my heart.


    Dani ignored me and kept on chopping.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I wailed, walking up to them one after the other and embracing them.


    Dani turned around, knife in hand and faced me. ¡°If you keep anything from me ever again, I¡¯ll slice your boobs off.¡±


    Adrian choked on his soda, giving a loud bellyugh.


    Theughter continued as Dani gave into my embrace, dragging Ben with her.


    And we were okay.


    Jason Davenport


    After I¡¯d slept outside in the rainst night, I knew dad had really kicked me out.


    I was on my own.


    He meant everything he¡¯d said.


    My body racked with sobs as I realized I had no one to call, no where to go. I waspletely alone.


    I breathed in sharply as a tear dropped into the cut on my cheek. I sobbed loudly as I remembered how I¡¯d gotten it. The only possessions I carried was my phone and a wallet. And they¡¯d been taken from me forcefully from mest night.


    I waspletely helpless.


    And it was all my fault.


    After a few minutes of crying in my damp clothes, I stumbled to my feet and began to think of my next move.

 Exhausted

    Jason Davenport


    I was exhausted as I walked through the doors of the fourth convenience store I¡¯d been to today. I was trying to find a job. I didn¡¯t know what that entailed, nor had I ever had one before, but I was determined to make an effort. And getting a job was a first step.


    I timidly walked to the counter, conscious of my damp clothes that had begun to give off a weird kind of smell.


    The salesclerk ignored me until I cleared my throat loudly. He paused in his typing and red at me, scrunching his face as the stench hit his nose. Holding a napkin briefly to his nose he snapped, ¡°What can I do for you?¡±


    My fists clenched at his snarky tone. How dare he disrespect me? People like him were my servants!


    My anger slowly began to dissipate as I realized it was past tense. I was a nobody now.


    Trying my best to ignore the attitude I said, ¡°I¡¯m looking for a job?¡±


    Loud guffaws from the other salesclerks ran through the air and I felt the back of my neck begin to heat up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we don¡¯t employ homeless people?¡± A clerk that annoyingly reminded me of Kimberly giggled loudly.


    ¡°When¡¯s thest time you showered?¡± She continued, sighing and picking up a can of air freshener. Deliberately, she sprayed it in the area where I stood.


    ¡°Not enough but it has to do,¡± She humph¡¯ed and returned to her position.


    A round ofughter rented the air.


    I felt my jaw tic. How dare these middle ss people disrespect me?


    ¡°Do you even know who I am?¡± I roared, anger coursing through my veins.


    I ignored the ¡°yeah, a homeless person¡± I heard from someone.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m a Davenport. Jason Davenport. I could ruin your life, you pieces of nothing!¡±


    I was pissed. Never had I been disrespected so much.


    The Kimberly replica put a pen to her temple in mock thought. ¡°How do they say that again? Oh, right. From grace to grass?¡±


    Her co-workers giggled, obviously enjoying this.


    ¡°I know y¡¯all,¡± A new character put in. ¡°Cocky pieces of shit. Thinking you own the world,¡± Heughed. ¡°Well if you¡¯re so influential, what are you doing here looking like some hobo. He throw you out?¡±


    The smirk on his face was thest straw. I turned swiftly on my feet in shame and embarrassment and walked out, trying to block the familiar snarkyughter.


    The same kind ofughter my friends and I gave when we bullied people,ughed at their status, their posture, their faces, their hair.


    That was me in that store. It was all me.


    And all at once I felt even more disgusted with myself than I ever had.


    Amelia Forbes


    I sat in my room, cramming potato chips in my mouth. For some reason I¡¯d started craving salty potato chips more often. Dani was sprawledzily on the other side of the bed, a book in her hand. Adrian wasn¡¯t here today and Ben was on his phone, probably scrolling through Instagram or something.


    Speaking of social media, I hadn¡¯t been on there for months. And surprisingly, I was unaffected. Maybe social media was toxic for me at this stage. It felt good.


    I wasn¡¯t seeing any nastyments about me, or wailing at my appalling constant number of followers. I wasn¡¯t worried about how I wasn¡¯t as pretty as those Instagram models or why no one was following me. I feltfortable and more like myself.


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Benson squealed, sitting upright on the bed.


    ¡°What is it now?¡± Dani groaned. She hated being interrupted while she was in her ¡®zone.¡¯


    ¡°You guys need to see this!¡± He raced to the bed and squeezed himself between Dani and I.


    Disying his phone in front of us, he urged us to watch a video. I squinted a few times and steadied his hand so I could watch without getting dizzy.


    My eyes widened as I recognized the two figures in the video. Kimberly and¡­


    ¡°Mr Perez??!!¡± I screamed, a hand flying to my mouth in shock.


    ¡°Holy fuck!¡± Daniughed wickedly, snatching the phone from my hand to watch more closely. ¡°Fuck! They¡¯re fucking? They¡¯re actually fucking?!¡±


    ¡°Oh my God,¡± I managed to croak.


    ¡°What a slut!¡± Dani spat, scrolling down to read thements.


    ¡°Shit, 902 shares?¡± Her eyes widened.


    ¡°Yep.¡± Benson sighed, shaking his head. ¡°The video has gone viral. Literally.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so disappointed in Mr Perez,¡± I frowned. ¡°He¡¯s a teacher for crying out loud. Jeez!¡±


    Benson scrolled through his phone, reading morements and after a while he put it off and sighed.


    ¡°Looks like Kimberly has singlehandedly ruined her own future. The video went viral, all her college applications were rejected, and her dad got fired because it made hispany look bad.¡±


    ¡°Well, shit. I feel sorry for her dad, having to bear the brunt of her stupidity. But for all she¡¯s done, I don¡¯t feel sorry for her.¡± Dani finished, grabbing her book and resuming her position on the bed.


    I sighed, not knowing what to say. Kimberly was one of the worst things that happened to me in high school. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever forgive her for those things. But I still kinda felt sorry for her.


    Oh well, I sighed a second time, rxing into my bed.


    Maybe this was the universe giving her a taste of her own medicine.

 Who do I talk to now?

    Jason Davenport


    I sat on a bench outside a small supermarket. It was my second night sleeping in the streets. To me it still felt like a dream. I¡¯d gotten angry, cried, begged my mother for forgiveness, but still nothing.


    The tiny hope I¡¯d harbored that Dad woulde looking for me has dissipated. And now I waspletely hopeless, helpless. I had nowhere to go, no one to talk to.


    No one in town wanted to employ me because ¡°my family acted like we owned the world¡±.


    I¡¯d never felt so tired in my entire life. And deep down I knew it was all my fault. Who do I talk to now?


    Maybe if mom was alive¡­


    No, I stopped myself. This was all on me.


    I sighed, wiping the tears that stood on my cheeks.


    Maybe if I made an effort, maybe if I proved myself, showed everyone that I was truly remorseful. Maybe dad would take me back. Maybe mom would stop being disappointed in me. Maybe Amelia would forgive me. Maybe Adrian would be friends with me again.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    I let myself sob quietly for a while and then I stood. As I looked to the road ahead, the road out of town, I decided. If no one in this town was going to employ me, I¡¯d look for work outside of town.


    I¡¯d get a job.


    I¡¯d work hard.


    As I stood, trying to gain enough courage to leave town, a woman with a baby cot and groceries in her other hand walked out of the store.


    My eyes were glued to the cot. It was beautiful.


    I tried to calcte when Amelia would be due for delivery in my head but nothing came up.


    Walking up to the woman while maintaining a safe distance, I asked, ¡°How much did you get the cot for.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± I added, swallowing. I¡¯d never had to address anyone with respect. But it was a start.


    Thedy smiled. ¡°It¡¯s only 300.¡±


    I gulped. I had no money on me.


    Feeling rejuvenated, I smiled and thanked her.


    I¡¯d get a job. Make enough money to afford a beautiful cot, then I¡¯d gift it to Amelia. Maybe she¡¯d see then that I was truly sorry.


    Amelia Forbes


    ¡°Someone here to see you, Mel,¡± Dani muttered, sour-faced and took a seat next to Nana.


    I sat up, wondering who it could be.


    Had the neighbors found out about me?


    My heart skipped a beat.


    What if word went out and everyone thought I was a slut? Would I have to deal with the same fate as Kimberly? Eternal shame and stigma.


    Trying to calm myself, I wiped my hands on the sofa just as Jason¡¯s dad and stepmom walked through the doors.


    I rxed a bit but I was still suspicious. What did they want now? I guess their big fat ego couldn¡¯t take the p to their reputation.


    For a while they both stood there awkwardly not uttering a word. Then Nana stood.


    What do you want? She signed.


    She looked angry and I was scared she¡¯d have one of her spells again. As I was about to inform them that my Nana was hard of hearing, Mr Davenport began to sign a response.


    Dani and I shared a looked while Benson cocked an eyebrow. Well that was a surprise¡­


    After getting Nana¡¯s permission to talk to me, Mr Davenport moved closer to me. Adrian ced himself protectively in front of me and I offered him a grateful smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry about what happened with Jason.¡± Mr Davenport started. ¡°I had no idea.¡±


    I stiffened as the mention of Jason¡¯s name. Why couldn¡¯t everything about him just be as far away from me as possible?


    ¡°There is no excuse for what he did to you¡­¡± He gestured to my stomach. ¡°None at all. Pausing all your life ns at this age, ruining everything, hurting you.¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t even¡­¡± He trailed off, running a finger through his hair in exasperation.


    I sat quietly. I just wanted them to leave.


    Just leave.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re angry, and you gave every right to be. And maybe you¡¯d think of pressing charges¡­ But, I, just please, we don¡¯t want it to get to that. He did a stupid, unforgivable thing and I-¡±


    ¡°Just stop!¡±


    I was mad now.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Iughed bitterly. ¡°Why did I think you were here because you were truly sorry. All you care about is your stupid reputation,¡± I spat.


    ¡°You don¡¯t care that I have to deliver, raise and take care of a baby on my own. At 18!¡±


    I gave a hollowugh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re not pressing charges. What difference would it make anyway, right? You could always pay off the judge.¡±


    I ignored the hurt look that shed in his eyes. He was just like his son, I thought. Selfish.


    ¡°Just get out!¡± I screamed.


    Ashley moved toward me. ¡°Amelia, please-¡±


    I backed away from her. ¡°I said get out. Both of you.¡±


    Her eyes zed over as she scurried back to her husband¡¯s side.


    Mr Davenport looked at me, a sad unfamiliar expression in his eyes and outstretched his hand. ¡°Here¡¯s my card. If you ever need anything-¡±


    I pped his hand away.


    ¡°Money can¡¯t solve everything. Now I know where Jason gets his attitude from.¡±


    With those words, I walked upstairs as quickly as my bulging tummy would let me, leaving everyone staring sadly after me.

 Cold chilling my bones

    Jason Davenport


    The only time I¡¯d ever left Wayne¡¯s county was during the holidays, on trips with Dad and mom. Now I was all alone in a strange town. I¡¯d been spending nights cooped up in dark alleys and abandoned cars, still unsessful at finding a job.


    Close to death, I¡¯d scavenged through a trash can behind a small restaurants to pick out leftovers for myself.


    Today I couldn¡¯t find any abandoned cars to sleep in so I was squeezed in an alley, hands deep in the pockets of my hoodie.


    I shivered, the cold chilling my bones. Trying to think happy thoughts I finally managed to doze off.


    I woke up to someone shaking me roughly. Instinctively, I backed pushed the figure away, getting prepared to run for my life. These leftovers were myst. I didn¡¯t need anyone trying to steal it from me.


    ¡°Hey, hey, calm down boy. I¡¯m not here to hurt you,¡± The figure spoke reassuringly, raising both hands as if in surrender. ¡°I was just passing through.¡±


    I squinted, seeing that it was daylight already. The figure was a shabby looking old man. He looked harmless so I rxed a little. But I was still suspicious.


    ¡°Holy smokes,¡± He eximed, peering more closely at me. ¡°You¡¯re just a kid. What on earth are you doing sleeping on the streets?¡± He frowned.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    I backed away, lowering my head. Thest thing I needed was someone getting me into trouble.


    I looked up at the old man. For the most part he looked concerned. Maybe he could help me. I contemted on whether to tell him about my situation.


    Taking a deep breath, I muttered, ¡°I was kicked out. I did something terrible and I was kicked out. I¡¯ve got nowhere to go now and I¡¯ve been trying to get a job,¡± I finished, my eyes glued to the floor.


    I didn¡¯t want to see the judgement in his eyes.


    After a few moments the old man cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna ask you what you did. You woulda told me if you wanted to. So I won¡¯t ask.¡±


    I offered him a grateful look.


    ¡°It¡¯s unlikely you¡¯ll get yourself a job ¡¯round here though, looking like that,¡± He gestured to my clothes.


    He scratched his head, thinking.


    ¡°Well, I got a small farm a few blocks away and I¡¯ve been searching for someone to help around with some work. I¡¯m getting old ya see?¡±


    I gulped. A farmhand?


    ¡°So if you¡¯re interested, youe right on with me. If not, then goodluck in your search. But let me warn you though, the pay isn¡¯t worth shit. But it¡¯s all I can afford.¡±


    I thought fast and hard.


    I¡¯d never worked on a farm before. I wasn¡¯t sure I was cut out for that. But I had no choice now. Taking a chance, I asked. ¡°How much is the pay?¡±


    ¡°Two dors.¡± He replied simply.


    I frowned deeply. Two dors per hour was almost no pay at all.


    ¡°A week,¡± He added.


    ¡°What?!¡± I nearly staggered to the floor. ¡°Two dors per week?!¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    I red at him, hoping he was pulling my legs. But he looked pretty set on. My hope began to dete. I wouldn¡¯t be able to save up enough to get the cot before Amelia was due.


    ¡°Hurry up and make your decision, boy. I haven¡¯t got all day.¡±


    I tried again. ¡°Five dors. Sir.¡±


    The farmer gave loud guffaw. ¡°If I could afford to pay you that much I wouldn¡¯t be here. Still on two dors, son. And right now, you need me more than I need you so¡­¡±


    Nodding and quickly bending to grab my leftovers, I wiped a stray tear and followed quickly behind him.

 Helpless, scared, tired

    Amelia Forbes


    ¡°I despise colleges and their stupid interviews,¡± Dani groaned as she slumped onto my bed.


    I gave a smallugh. ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡±


    ¡°Pretty stupid.¡±


    ¡°Dani?¡± I warned,ughingly.


    ¡°What? Why would they ask why I applied for their college? Uhh, ¡¯cause I want a degree?¡±


    I giggled. ¡°You¡¯re silly.¡±


    She only shrugged.


    ¡°How did your day go?¡± She asked, throwing a chip into her mouth.


    I shrugged. I was tired as hell like always. I just wanted to take this thing out of me. Groaning, I grabbed my chips from her and began to chomp.


    ¡°Oh that reminds me,¡± Dani started, moving closer to me on the bed.


    She whipped out her phone and shoved it toward me when she opened a picture.


    I stared at it and shook my head. ¡°What am I looking at exactly?¡±


    Dani nearly choked on her potato chips. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I said too!¡±


    After she had gulped down a cup of juice she continued. ¡°That¡¯s the one and only Jason Davenport.¡±


    What?


    I stared at the picture again, searching for some sign of recognition.


    His eyes.


    My eyes widened. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± I asked Dani.


    ¡°Turns out his dad kicked him out.¡±


    I considered that for a moment. ¡°Really? How long ago?¡±


    ¡°Two weeks. The day he found out about everything. Rumor has it he¡¯s been going around looking for a job. Meaning, he¡¯s homeless and smells like a skunk. That¡¯s how these pictures were taken.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡± I breathed out.


    He looked helpless, scared, tired. He looked like he was going through a lot.


    But I really didn¡¯t care. All I felt when I looked at the picture was surprise. But I didn¡¯t feel sorry for him.


    ¡°He deserves all he¡¯s goting at him,¡± Dani hissed.


    I nodded.


    He did.


    He really did.


    Maybe now he¡¯ll know how it feels.


    As Dani resumed her ount of how her day went, my mind wandered to Mr Davenport. I was surprised, to say the least. I didn¡¯t know what to think of him now. Especially now that I¡¯d found out he¡¯d kicked Jason out days before he hade here to see me.


    Maybe he was as disgusted of Jason as I was too. Kicking him out showed that. A fleeting feeling of warmth flowed through me. Jason didn¡¯t get his attitude from his dad. His dad has something he didn¡¯t; empathy, honesty, remorse.


    I imagined it must¡¯ve been difficult for him as well, kicking his only son out. Left to wonder and hope he was okay, hope he wasn¡¯t sick of worse still, dead.


    I remembered the sadness in his eyes when I¡¯dshed out at him and I felt guilty. Maybe he didn¡¯t mean bad after all.


    Suddenly the thought of raising a child began to scare me again. epting your flesh and blood no matter what crime theymitted. I never wanted to be in that position.


    And it scared me.


    Jason Davenport


    I screamed out in pain as termites attacked my hand. Racing to the tap, I pped them off with the sting cold water. Exhausted, I slumped to the dirt, resisting the urge to scream out in frustration.


    I¡¯d been working on the farm for two weeks. So far I¡¯d only umted six dors. Bill-my employer-had increased my sry to three dors per week when he saw how hard I was working. The small tips I¡¯d gotten from selling vegetables at Bill¡¯s store on the weekends totalled to four dors. So in total I had ten dors.


    I sighed. It wasn¡¯t even half the price of the cot yet. I wiped the beads of sweat that stood on my forehead. The sun was terrible and my skin was overly tanned.


    After a few moments of feeling sorry for myself, I stood and resumed my work. This week, Bill wanted me to renovate the animal shed, change the termite infested wood and clean the chicken coop.


    He¡¯d spent four days teaching me how to use a hammer, and now I¡¯d gotten the hang of it he¡¯d let me do it myself.


    As I carried the second batch of wood outside, I sighted a sleek looking car beginning to drive away from the farm.


    I paused. I didn¡¯t remember thest time I¡¯d seen something that expensive. Stopping myself, I headed back into the shed and resumed my work.


    Amelia Forbes


    I watched Ashley unpack the shopping bags she¡¯de with. They¡¯d been visiting more often for weeks now and I¡¯d slowly began to warm up to them. Ashley was even more excited for the baby. It was as if she was the mom herself. She had been going on shopping sprees for the baby.


    I¡¯d asked my gynaecologist to keep the sex of the baby a secret for now. I wasn¡¯t ready for that information at the moment.


    So Ashley shopped for both genders. Various colours, and various sizes for each month as the baby grew. Watching her was the most adorable thing. Plus, she made really nice conversation.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    As she began to gush over a chew toy, the doorbell rang. Adrian opened the door to reveal Mr Davenport. He quietly walked in looking downcast.


    Ashley rushed to his side. ¡°Babe, look what I got for the baby.¡±


    He forced a smile and showeredpliments on it.


    Ashley frowned. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    In response he faced me. ¡°Amelia pleasee with me. I want to show you something.¡±


    Almost immediately, Dani and Adrian formed a protective wall around me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not safe for Mel to take any trips in this condition. She¡¯ll be due soon and she needs to rest,¡± Adrian said.


    Dani nodded in agreement.


    I gulped.


    What could he want to show me? I wondered.


    Ashley touched her husband¡¯s arm. ¡°Honey, what is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll exin. Just pleasee with me. It¡¯s important.¡±


    I licked my lips. ¡°Only if theye with,¡± I gestured to my friends.


    He nodded in assent. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Together, we trooped to the car. I was curious now. Dani and I exchanged looks and we both shrugged.


    I guess we¡¯d find out.

 Just take me home please

    Amelia


    Mr Davenport had driven us out of town. I felt a bit sleepy but curiousity kept me awake.


    Finally we came to a stop at a small farm. It was located in a partly lonely area. There weren¡¯t a lot of houses or people around.


    The car was quiet, waiting for what he wanted to show us.


    Surveying the farnd carefully, we finally did.


    A tanned, tired looking, young man dressed in torn denim shorts and a grey vest stood chopping wood with an obviously blunt axe. As he chopped wood, he simultaneously tried to keep an eye on the grazing cows a few feet away from him.


    I sucked in a deep breath when I realized that the young man was Jason.


    Ashley let out a small cry and tightened her fingers around her husband¡¯s arm.


    Dani only raised an eyebrow. I caught the surprise shing in her eyes before she quickly covered it up.


    Adrian betrayed no emotion.


    I didn¡¯t say a word. I just watched him.


    The beads of sweat running down his face and neck, the obvious difort he felt from the flies swarming to the cow dung.


    He wiped his brows with a sweaty arm and slumped to the floor, using the axe as support. He looked malnourished.


    Something stabbed me in the chest and as I watched him, I realized that I felt sorry for him.


    Was this his way of paying for his sins?


    ¡°He¡¯s been working here for two weeks,¡± Mr Davenport¡¯s voice broke into my thoughts. ¡°I secretly met with his employer; some guy called Bill. He receives three dors a week.¡±


    What? I shivered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Dani and Ashley blurted out at the same time.


    I hid my surprise at Dani showing any interest at all.


    Finally I decided it was time to speak up. I masked any pity I felt and turned to Mr Davenport.


    ¡°Is that why you brought me here? So I could feel sorry for him? Is that it?¡±


    He shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m a father you know? No matter how hard I try, I¡¯d neverpletely stop caring about my boy. So I began to search for him.¡±


    He paused.


    ¡°And I found him here. I didn¡¯t bring you here so you could start to feel sorry for him or even forgive him.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡± Adrian spoke up.


    I turned to him. This were the first words he¡¯d spoken since we got here. I tried to read him. He didn¡¯t sound angry. But he didn¡¯t sound happy either.


    Mr Davenport gave a sad smile. ¡°I¡¯m only hoping that you see how much he¡¯s struggling, and how he¡¯s changing. Learning to fend for himself, take responsibility for his actions. And I hope that you consider that.¡±


    There was silence for a while.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask him toe home next week,¡± Mr Davenport finally said. ¡°Not because I forgive him or because I feel sorry for him. It¡¯s because I think he¡¯s earned it.¡±


    Beside him, Ashely squeezed his hand.


    I took onest look at Jason and then I leaned back into my seat.


    ¡°Just take me home. Please.¡±


    Amelia Forbes


    Nana reacted the same way as Adrian when I told her about today; she betrayed no emotion.


    I slumped into my bed, tired. I just wanted to stop thinking for one freaking second.


    Adrian and Dani peeked through the door. ¡°Can wee in?¡± Dani asked.


    I nodded, too tired to exin that I felt like being alone. We sat in silence for a while and then Adrian asked, ¡°You okay?¡±


    I nodded weakly.


    ¡°We¡¯re just hoping you weren¡¯t swayed from what you saw today,¡± Dani added quietly.


    I whipped around and faced her. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Jason?¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Rx guys, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°He hurt you, Mel. Whatever he¡¯s getting now, he merited. We need you to remember that. We¡¯re not trying to-¡±


    I put my hands to my ears. ¡°Okay!¡± I screamed. ¡°I hear you. Can you just stop talking about it now?¡±


    Adrian raised an eyebrow in rm. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mel. I didn¡¯t mean to upset you. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Just stop.¡±


    Silence rented the air.


    Adrian stood up awkwardly. ¡°Um, I have to go now. I have to do something at home.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle with,¡± Dani added, rushing to his side.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    I only nodded, watching till they left. Breathing out in exasperation, I wished Benson were here. He would get it.


    What the hell, Mel? I chided myself.


    Adrian and Dani were nothing but supportive. I wasn¡¯t supposed topare my friends. Shaking the thought out of my head, I rxed onto the bed.


    Ben had been going to the college¡¯s he¡¯d applied to, taking exams and interviews. So he was pretty busy.


    College.


    My heart wrenched in pain. That was a long lost dream for me, I thought smiling bitterly. Trying not to fall into my pit of self pity, I drained the ss of now cold milk by my drawer.


    As I put the ss down, a knock sounded on my door and I heard Mr Davenport asking if he coulde in. I gave a hoarse ¡°yes¡± in response and smoothened out my bed.


    ¡°Can I sit?¡± He asked.


    I nodded and scooted to the side so he could make himself morefortable.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He muttered.


    I looked at him in surprise but didn¡¯t utter a word.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about everything. I¡¯m sorry for offering help, money, the first time. I¡¯m sorry for taking you to that farm today. I know now how it must¡¯ve looked to you; like I was trying to gain your favor in my son¡¯s interest. It honestly wasn¡¯t my intention.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say so I stared at my hands instead.


    ¡°I guess, I guess I just feel guilty about everything.¡±


    My throat felt dry but I managed to ask. ¡°Why?¡±


    He sucked in a deep breath. ¡°Ever since Jason¡¯s mother died, I became distant. I travelled a lot more, employed a bunch of servants to take care of him. Once in a while I¡¯d pop in and bribe him with thetest video game.¡±


    He paused, cing a finger to his temple.


    He looked so sad, so small.


    In that moment, his wealth didn¡¯t matter. He was showing me who he truly was. And he was just a scared, tired parent.


    I swallowed.


    ¡°Jason used to be so happy, so full of life.¡±


    My mind travelled back to middle school. Jason and I had even been friends once.


    But I didn¡¯t say anything. I just listened.


    ¡°The nightmares started when his mom died. He¡¯d wake up crying, asking for her. And I-I was never there. I was too busy drowning my sadness in alcohol. I didn¡¯t realize how sad and withdrawn he was bing.¡±


    His voice broke.


    ¡°Then he turns 18, and I realize, that I¡­¡±


    ¡°I realize that he¡¯s got all this pent up anger inside him, this fury. I realize he¡¯s apletely different person. I¡¯d been living under the same roof with him and I¡¯d never really seen him.¡±


    ¡°I should¡¯ve been there. I should¡¯ve¡­ talked to him, asked how he was doing, spent time with him. And now, when I say I¡¯m ashamed of the man he¡¯s be, I¡¯m also ashamed of the kind of parent I was. The kind of parent I still am.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re young, and innocent and you have a long way to go in life. But now this..¡± He gestured to my belly. ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry, Amelia.¡±


    Unashamedly, he wiped the tears that dropped to his cheeks.


    ¡°You might think I¡¯m making up this sob story just to get to you. But I mean it, all of it.¡±


    ¡°So if you¡¯re going to hate Jason, like he deserves, hate me too. I yed a major part in all this. Just please¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t-I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    Slowly I ced a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. About everything. I truly am. I won¡¯t say anything about Jason but I see and I believe how guilty you really feel about everything. And I need you to know that it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s fine to feel like a failure.¡±


    I thought of all those times when I¡¯d felt like aplete failure. ¡°I do too, sometimes. But it¡¯s okay. The most important thing is that you realize your mistake, and even if things never go back to the way they were, you tried your hardest. And that¡¯s the bravest thing of all.¡±


    I gave him a reassuring smile and wiped my wet face with my shirt.


    ¡°Wow,¡± He gave a tearyugh. ¡°You sound more like an adult than I do.¡±


    Smiling a little, I handed him a box of tissues and watched him wipe his face.


    He looked just as vulnerable as I felt and I knew that he meant every word. There and then I knew that I¡¯d let go of any grudges I held against him.


    So I cleared my throat and asked, ¡°Would you, Mr Davenport, be a grandfather to my child?¡±

 Keep working

    Jason Davenport


    I let out a victorious yelp as I fixed thatst nail in the shed. It¡¯d taken nearly a week to round everything up. I couldn¡¯t count how I¡¯d dismantled everything and started all over. And finally I was through. I stood to the side not believing I¡¯d done it all on my own. Bill stood by my side, congratting me, patting my back and cheering me on.


    ¡°Good job, Jason,¡± He smiled. ¡°She¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    I beamed, looking down at my callused palms. I¡¯d done this all alone. For the first time in my life I¡¯d achieved something without help from anyone.


    I quickly swiped the tears that were beginning to form away and dug my hand into my back pocket. I¡¯d managed to scrap up a hundred dors in total. It still wasn¡¯t enough to get a cot but I was proud of myself. I would keep working. I¡¯d work until I could afford to get the baby a good present.


    I carefully cleaned up the chicken coop and reintroduced the animals into the new shed. Quickly, so I could run up to the store. The tips I got from there were almost three times my sry.


    And I scrambled up the hill and toward the fence, I saw the sleek, ck car I had seen the other day.


    I frowned.


    Was I being watched?


    Wanting to avoid any trouble, I pulled my sun hat even lower and walked quickly in the direction of the store.


    ¡°Jason.¡± Dad¡¯s voice stopped me dead in my tracks.


    I turned, dazed. ¡°Dad?!¡±


    Squinting to make sure it was him, I watched as he gave me a sad smile. When I saw Ashley move to stand at his side, my eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Dad!¡± I yelled, running toward him and enveloping him in a bear hug.


    He held me fast, not minding that I smelled terrible.


    I sobbed openly, realising how much I truly missed him. I thought he never wanted to see my face again. I thought he hated me. But he was here. And he was smiling. Everything was okay.


    Jason Davenport


    Dad had driven to a small restaurant nearby, and as I sat eating, I realized how hungry I was. I¡¯d been living on fruits and potatoes and it wasn¡¯t much.


    Dad watched me eat without a word. asionally he would say something to Ashley I couldn¡¯t quite make out and they would share a sad smile.


    After I was done eating, I told dad everything that had happened right from the first day, right up to today. As I recounted my experience, his face betrayed no emotion.


    To my surprise, he smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, Jason. I don¡¯t know how to exin or say everything I want to, but I¡¯m proud of you.¡±


    ¡°We both are,¡± Ashley added timidly. She hadn¡¯t said a lot since they got here and I guessed she was still walking on eggshells around me. Guilt poked me in the chest but I ignored it.


    ¡°Thanks Dad,¡± I whispered, cing my hand on his.


    We all sat in silence for a while.


    ¡°I want you toe back home, Jason,¡± Dad said.


    I paused, staring at him to see if he was serious.


    He smiled at me and continued. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you for two weeks. I¡¯ve seen you struggle, cry, work hard and still stand your ground. And I are how hard you¡¯re trying to make up for everything and be a better person. And that, is the kind of son I¡¯d be honoured to have.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± I breathed. I wasn¡¯t sure what to say.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you see me that way, dad. And that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been striving for. For you, and everyone else to see that I mean every word when I say I¡¯m sorry. And I¡¯m d that you do now.¡±


    He beamed, his eyes zing over.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    I took a deep breath.


    ¡°So I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t. I can¡¯te back home. Not yet.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± His face fell. ¡°Jason-¡±


    ¡°No, dad. I mean it.¡±


    And I did.


    ¡°I wanna work. Hard. Make enough money so that Amelia could see that I care enough. That I care enough to work to provide for my child. Even if it hurts, even if I¡¯m tired.¡±


    Dad¡¯s features rxed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to prove anything to me, Jason.¡±


    I gave a small smile. ¡°I know. But I want to. You deserve that son who you can be proud of. The son who¡¯s not a criminal. I wanna be a better person. I wanna work for what I have and get what I need. I want to grow, dad.¡±


    ¡°And yeah it¡¯s extremely hard, and sometimes I want to give up and run back home. But that¡¯s not how you and mom trained me; to be a coward. I want to prove it to you and to myself. Let me. Please,¡± I begged.


    Dad let out the first realugh I¡¯d heard from him in years. Turning to Ashley he said, ¡°That¡¯s my boy, Ash. That¡¯s my boy.¡±


    Ashley timidly outstretched her arm to touch mine. ¡°I know you don¡¯t particrly like me and that I¡¯m not your mom, nor will I ever be, and I may not have any right to say this, but I¡¯m proud of you, Jace. I¡¯m so proud of you,¡± She smiled and gave my arm a small squeeze.


    It was after a few moments that I realized that her calling me ¡®Jace¡¯ didn¡¯t tick me off this time.


    How could I change so much in weeks? I didn¡¯t know the answer to that. But I liked this new Jason and I knew I wanted him to stay.


    I just needed to work extra hard so I could prove myself and really earn the forgiveness of those I¡¯d wronged so much.

 My water broke

    Amelia Forbes


    I literally could not fit into any of my clothes anymore. Dani and Adrian had to go on a shopping spree for maternal clothes while Benson kept mepany.


    Benson was back, finally. He was exhausted and awaiting the results from the colleges he had applied to. At the moment, he was helping massage my neck and shoulders. Thank gracious.


    I felt ugly and bloated and by now I¡¯d decided that pregnancies were the worst things to exist. I felt like an elephant, too big to stand on my own. And it was really annoying.


    As the day of my delivery drew closer, I feltzier, more and more exhausted, irritated about everything. And the muscle aches were the worst part, hence the massage.


    I was due in two weeks ording to my doctor, and I was nervous. I¡¯ve read bad things about childbirth;plications like breech births. There was even one where the umbilical cord would wrap around the baby¡¯s neck and strangle it to death.


    I shuddered as I thought about it.


    ¡°Are you cold?¡± Benson paused, giving me a worried look.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I lied. I knew he¡¯d scold me if he knew what I was thinking.


    He grabbed a duvet from the sofa and wrapped it around me. ¡°Better?¡±


    I nodded weakly.


    ¡°Good,¡± He muttered, resuming the neck massage. ¡°So¡­ he started,¡± I could hear the mischief in his voice.


    ¡°A lot happened while I was away, huh?¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    I shrugged.


    He pped me lightly on my shoulder.


    ¡°Ben?!¡± I groaned. ¡°What?¡±


    He turned my chair so I could face him. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend like you don¡¯t know the exact thing I¡¯m talking about,¡± He wiggled his eyebrows.


    I frowned.


    Now I was really confused. What was he talking about?


    ¡°Ugh, Mel. Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t notice. So this is what happens when you¡¯re pregnant huh?¡±


    I gave him a hard kick in the shin.


    ¡°Ow!¡± He jumped up and down like a yo-yo.


    I smirked. ¡°You were saying?¡±


    He rolled his eyes again. ¡°Adrian and Dani?¡± He whispered, wiggling his eyebrows.


    My frown deepened. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, Mel! The chemistry. Don¡¯t you see?¡±


    Oh.


    It dawned on me what he meant now.


    Dani and Adrian? It seemed unlikely. I shook my head. Nope. Ben was misreading it.


    ¡°They¡¯re not a thing, Ben. Chix.¡± Iughed.


    ¡°If you say so,¡± He continued in an annoying singsong voice. ¡°They literally always together now.¡±


    As my eyes widened in realization, Benson caught on. ¡°Mm hmm. Think about it. They even go home together,¡± Heughed. ¡°Gosh, they¡¯re so adorbs.¡±


    Something poked me in the chest. I wasn¡¯tpletely sure what it was. Jealousy?


    I scoffed.


    Jealous of what?


    I stopped Ben¡¯s dilligent hands, sighing. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go get some rest. I feel tired.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ben muttered. ¡°Okay then.¡±


    As I stood to my feet, I felt warm liquid run down my legs and to the floor.


    Ben and I exchanged horrified looks.


    ¡°I think my water just broke.¡±

 For all its worth

    Jason Davenport


    I¡¯d heard from dad that Amelia was due in two weeks. I was a little worried because I still hadn¡¯t saved up enough to get that cot. But I believed that I would have before two weeks.


    Bill had hired a second farmhand and assigned me to train him. So I was at the store more now. Meaning more tips. And more tips meant more money.


    I smiled, knowing that I could finally afford the cot soon.


    As my shift drew to am end, my phone began to ring. It was a cheap one I had paid Bill a few bucks for. At least it works.


    My brows puckered as I saw that it was dad that was calling. He usually only called in the evenings when he knew I¡¯d be off work. Quickly I picked up.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I put the phone to my ear.


    ¡°Jason.¡±  Dad¡¯s voice was frantic.


    My heart skipped a beat. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± He reassured me. ¡°Amelia just went intobour.¡±


    I nearly fell of my seat. ¡°What, when?¡±


    ¡°I just drove her to the hospital.¡±


    When I didn¡¯t respond, he continued.


    ¡°Hey, buddy. Don¡¯t panic. Just breathe. I¡¯ll text you the address. Come whenever you want to.¡±


    I nodded although I know he couldn¡¯t see him.


    And then the line went dead.


    I took a few deep breaths and raced all the way to the farm to inform Bill that I¡¯d be leaving.


    Although I promised him that I¡¯d be back, he insisted on paying me off. ¡°Just take it. I have a feeling,¡± He said and smiled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about your past, Jason. But you¡¯re a good kid. Go on,¡± He ced something in my hand and winked.


    With that he waved me off and I stood, staring at the one grand in my hand.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Jason Davenport


    ¡°What is he doing here?¡± Dani Daniels asked dangerously when she saw me walk into the waiting room.


    I swallowed.


    After thest time, I might be a little scared of her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to cause any trouble, Dani-¡±


    ¡°Take my name out your filthy mouth,¡± She spat, moving closer to me and sizing me up.


    ¡°If you do anything stupid, you won¡¯t make it out of this room alive,¡± She whispered in my ear and walked back to her seat.


    Adrian watched me from across the room, a sour expression on his face, but didn¡¯t utter a word.


    My heart ached. I had a lot I wanted to say to him. But for now, we were here for Amelia.


    I turned round as I felt someone staring at me, and I came face to face with Amelia¡¯s grandmother. I couldn¡¯t read her expression but it was enough to make guilt wash over me.


    I remembered everything I had said to Amelia about her grandma and I felt like disappearing into the earth.


    I held back the sob that threatened to escape my lips and said a small prayer for the presence of my father.

 It’s a girl!

    Jason Davenport


    Everyone in the waiting room stood to their feet when the doctor walked in.


    The only thing I could hear was the beating of my heart as I waited for the doctor to update us.


    He nced at each of us and then cleared his throat. ¡°Who¡¯s the father?¡±


    Before any one could protest, I moved forward. ¡°I am.¡±


    The death stares from Adrian and Mel¡¯s friends pierced my back but I held my ground. No one uttered a word.


    The doctor finally took off his mask and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a girl!¡±


    Everyone gave a sigh of relief in unison, which quickly turned into a cheer. Amelia¡¯s grandmother slumped into her chair and began to sob. Adrian signed some words to her which probably made her feel better because she began tough.


    ¡°Would you like to see the baby?¡± The doctor asked me.


    I wiped my sweaty palms. I was going to face Amelia again after so many months. I didn¡¯t know what I was going to say.


    But I nodded.


    The others were too busy talking to notice me leave. As I got to Amelia¡¯s ward, the doctor motioned towards the door and gave me privacy.


    For a split second I wanted to call him back, tell him toe with me because I was scared. But I held myself. I took a few deep breaths. This was it.


    Slowly, I turned the handle of the door and peeked in.


    I sighted Amelia with the baby beside her. She didn¡¯t look happy. But she didn¡¯t look sad either. It was as though she was trying to decide what emotions she was feeling at the moment.


    The expression on her face made me want to turn back, run away in shame. I had no right to be here after all that had happened. After all I did.


    She looked so frail and tired. What if seeing me triggered her and caused someplications? Was she healthy? Did she even want to see me?


    Shutting my eyes and taking one more deep breath, I braced myself and walked in.


    Amelia Forbes


    I was exhausted.


    Childbirth was pure pain. And I thought my period cramps were painful. If I wasn¡¯t so tired I would¡¯veughed.


    I looked at the baby girlid next to me. She had his sandy brown hair. And my eyes.


    His hair.


    My eyes.


    I was unsure about how I felt. I didn¡¯t feel angry. I wanted to.


    But every time I looked at the baby, I just couldn¡¯t. All I felt was the urge to protect her from everything that had hurt me, every thing I had been through.


    I hadn¡¯t touched her yet. I was scared to. One part of me was looking at her as the reason why my life had stoppedpletely. The reason for my crushed dreams; my dreams for a schrship and college.


    And the other part looked at her as the brightest thing that hade out of my dark, gloomy life.


    I still wasn¡¯t sure.


    More exhausted than before, I breathed out and ced a hand on my forehead just as the door of my ward swung open.


    I held my breath as I faced Jason.


    At first I felt nothing. I just stared at him. I¡¯d been right. He was malnourished. I hid my surprise at his much weight he¡¯d lost over the few months. He looked older, and not in a good way.


    He stood rooted to the floor without a word, as if he was waiting for my permission.


    ¡°May Ie in?¡± He finally said, fidgeting at where he stood.


    Jason Davenport was fidgeting?


    Again, if I wasn¡¯t so tired I might¡¯veughed.


    I nodded once.


    Yes I hated him. But this child was his too. I couldn¡¯t stop him from seeing the baby.


    He walked slowly, deliberately to my bedside where the baby was ced. He outstretched his arms to pick her up and then quickly withdrew them.


    ¡°May I?¡±


    I wanted to say no. I didn¡¯t want himying a finger on her. What if he hurt her. Silently, I calmed myself down.


    I nodded and turned away, pretending not to see how callused his palms were, or how dirty his nails were.


    Carefully, he picked the baby up and gave a wide smile, pinching her cheeks lightly and looking her over.


    ¡°She¡¯s so beautiful,¡± He whispered, almost inaudibly.


    I couldn¡¯t tell if he was talking to himself or to me.


    After he had cooed her for a while, be turned to me. ¡°Have you picked a name yet?¡±


    I attempted to re at him but my facial muscles were so weak. So I kept quiet.


    ¡°Mel-¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    This time I red at him.


    ¡°Amelia, I mean.¡±


    I looked away.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about everything,¡± His voice broke.


    ¡°I was a stupid, hate filled child. I-I just¡­ what I did was the most disgusting thing. And I¡¯m willing to spend my entire life trying to make up for it in any way I can.¡±


    I kept my poker face.


    ¡°And honestly, Amelia, guilt is not the only reason why I¡¯m here. I just¡­ I truly want to be a part of her life¡­¡± He looked at the baby.


    ¡°If you¡¯d let me, of course. But I really want to try-¡±


    ¡°Cut it out, Jason,¡± I snapped. ¡°She¡¯s your daughter. You don¡¯t need my permission to be in her life. So cut it out.¡±


    Talking was painful. I needed to save up all my strength.


    ¡°Just leave, please.¡±


    Nodding, he handed the baby back to me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He whimpered. ¡°I really am.¡±


    As he said those words, the baby began to cry. Try as much as I could, she wouldn¡¯t stop crying.


    Jason stretched his arms to take her and I reluctantly let him.


    Almost immediately, she stopped crying.


    I suddenly felt an unnecessary pang of jealousy. So she liked her dad better? Okay.


    I sighed silently, knowing I was only sulking.


    As I watched Jason coo the baby, I couldn¡¯t help the smile that creeped up my face.

 Go!

    Jason Davenport


    As soon as I heard that Amelia would be discharged that afternoon, I rushed to the closest convenience store I could find.


    I needed to buy the cot today so I could gift it to Amelia. I smiled as I remembered the feeling of holding the baby in my arms. She was the most precious thing I¡¯d ever seen. And this time I was determined to do things right.


    Grateful for the money Bill had given me, I hopped into a convenience store and bought an even more beautiful cot, some diapers, and a few toys. In total, everything cost about four hundred dors.


    Satisfied, I began to make my way back to Amelia¡¯s house, knowing she¡¯d be home by now.


    Taking a deep breath, I hailed a taxi and said a silent prayer.


    Amelia Forbes


    I hated the stench of hospitals. It made me feel sicker than I already did. Which exins why I was grateful to leave when the doctor discharged me today.


    I couldn¡¯t wait to get home, sleep on my own bed, eat real food. A strange kind of sadness came over me as I thought about my room.


    It was too small now. Too small for two. Sighing, I waved the thought away and tried to think of something else.


    Beside me, Ben intertwined both our hands and let me lean on him as we all walked to Mr Davenport¡¯s car.


    ¡°So¡­ how do you feel?¡± He asked quietly.


    I didn¡¯t know how to answer that so I only shrugged.


    Sensing that I didn¡¯t feel like talking, he squeezed my arm reassuringly and let me sit undisturbed in my seat.


    I watched Nana hold the baby with admiration and joy in her eyes. This was the happiest I¡¯d seen her since she¡¯d found out about the pregnancy so it was relieving to watch.


    Soon I let myself drift away and the voices of everyone around me blurred.


    Amelia Forbes


    The knock on the door didn¡¯t go unnoticed by any one. All conversation ceased and it was as if we all sensed the drama that was about to ensue.


    It could be none other than Jason because everyone else was already here.


    Adrian stood to open the door and I immediately wished everything could end before it even started.


    Benson quietly carried the baby and withdrew to my room upstairs.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    I braced myself for the worst as the door swung open.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Adrian asked coldly without giving him a chance to talk.


    Jason came into view, two boxes in his hands I guessed were gifts.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want any trouble. I just want to give these to Amelia, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Adrian clenched his fingers. ¡°What for? I remember you clearly telling Amelia to ¡°better abort the baby¡±, so why do. you care all of a sudden?¡±


    I rubbed my temple.


    This was thest thing I needed.


    Jason stared at the floor. He looked so small, so vulnerable. And somehow it was satisfying to watch. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry about everything. I just want to-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wee here, Davenport. So it¡¯s best you leave,¡± Adrian growled dangerously.


    I could sense the worst about to happen. I didn¡¯t need all this drama.


    Not now.


    Slowly I began to count from one to ten to calm myself down.


    Jason stood firm. ¡°Can you at least me see the baby and drop these off her her?¡±


    In one swift motion, Adrian shoved Jason backward, making both Jason and the box of gifts crash to the floor.


    I could see Me Davenport flinch at the impact, but if he was concerned, he didn¡¯t show it. He just stood, watching.


    ¡°What is your problem?¡± Jason yelled. ¡°She¡¯s my daughter! And I have every right to-¡±


    He was cut off my Adrian¡¯s fist connecting to his jaw just as Ashley let out a small scream. She moved toward them but was stopped by her husband gripping her arm and giving her a small shake of his head.


    With fear still in her eyes, she held back, tightening her hold on his arm and kept watching.


    Jason who had sprawled to the floor from the impact carefully arranged the gifts on the floor and stood, rage filled in his eyes.


    With anger, he swung his arm, catching Adrian on the jaw.


    I couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± I screamed.


    Almost immediately both guys let their raised hands drop to the side. I walked up to Jason, shoving him out the door.


    ¡°So you think you can waltz in here whenever you want because for some reason you feel guilty about everything? It doesn¡¯t work like that! Youe in here with all the audacity, you even dare to fight my friend. Who the hell do you even think you are?!¡±


    Picking up the gifts I shoved them in his face. ¡°Get out! Now. And I don¡¯t ever want to see you again.¡±


    I banged the door in his face and waited to catch my breath.


    When I heard his retreating footsteps, I turned to Adrian. ¡°How dare you?!¡±


    He stared at me in surprise and I ignored the look Dani threw my way.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re my friend and I know you¡¯re only looking out for me but please, stop trying to control my life. Stop trying to make decisions for me.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I stated firmly as I saw him part his lips to retort.


    ¡°Yes he did something terrible and he shouldn¡¯t even be here in the first ce, but why fight him? Why would you even hit him? I am exhausted from the delivery and Nana¡¯s not feeling too well either. Why would you start this? You could¡¯ve taken the gift from him and then asked him to leave. Why cause so much drama?¡±


    I waspletely fed up.


    I threw the door open. ¡°Go.¡±


    A hurt look shed through his eyes.


    ¡°Go,¡± I repeated. ¡°Think about what you¡¯ve done Adrian. Yes I took your side in front of him, but that was because I didn¡¯t want him getting the wrong ideas. So leave.¡±


    As he shut the door behind him, I slumped into a sofa and tried not to think about anything.

 What was he trying to prove?

    Jason Davenport


    I ran my fingers through my dry hair as I sat in the abandoned car I had found a few blocks from Amelia¡¯s house.


    For the hundredth time, I med myself for what had happened.


    Why did I react? Why did I fight back? Everything Adrian had said was true. I deserved the treatment he was giving me.


    So who was I to think I had the right to throw punches? I should¡¯ve stood there. I should¡¯ve taken all the punches. Why did I raise my hand.


    I felf deted. It felt like all my efforts from thest few weeks had gone down the drain. Feeling more disappointed in myself, I decided to go back.


    Yes.


    I¡¯d go back tomorrow.


    I¡¯d beg and apologize, take whatever they threw at me. I do everything. Till Amelia lets me see the baby.


    Making my decision, I fell into a fitful sleep.


    At 9am the next morning, I was at her front door. I¡¯d taken the gifts back to the store and paid for them to be repackaged.


    After I pressed the doorbell twice with no response, I decided to wait until someone came to the door.


    Amelia Forbes


    I was digging into a bowl of chicken soup Nana had prepared when Dani walked in.


    ¡°Guess who¡¯s at the door?¡±


    To be honest, I was even more surprised that she¡¯d spoken to me. Since the spat with Adrian she¡¯d been kind of cold toward me.


    Now I had started to believe what Benson had said about them both being an item. But that was a question for another day.


    ¡°Who?¡± I asked, getting up to go look out the window.


    I let out a tired sigh as I saw Jason, boxes in hand, standing at the doorstep.


    ¡°Ignore him,¡± I said weakly and went back into my room.


    Why couldn¡¯t he just go away? I wondered. Was this some kind of curse? I just needed one day, just one day, to rx and not have anyone ruin my day. Sighing, I dug into my chicken soup and plugged my earphones in.


    An hourter, a light tap from Dani interrupted my reading. I put down the magazine and turned to face her.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ammie,¡± She sighed. ¡°He keeps pressing the doorbell and won¡¯t leave. I¡¯ve threatened his entire generation but he won¡¯t even budge,¡± She sighed and slumped into a chair.


    I resisted the urge tough. I¡¯d never seen Dani look so defeated. And I couldn¡¯t me her. Her threats usually worked.


    Sighing, I walked downstairs and swung the front door open.


    Jason looked up in surprise but he quickly recovered. Carefully, he outstretched his arm, handing the gifts to me. ¡°I¡¯m here to see the baby,¡± He said, clearing his throat.¡±


    I shot him a sharp re.


    ¡°If you¡¯d let me, of course,¡± He added quickly.


    I looked suspiciously at the packaged and finally outstretched my hand to receive it.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I muttered, and began to shut the door.


    ¡°Amelia, wait.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    I was getting tired.


    ¡°May I see the baby?¡±


    I stared at him. ¡°No,¡± I replied simply.


    ¡°Please I-¡±


    ¡°I said no, Jason. Just, go home.¡±


    As I turned to leave, I heard him mutter quietly. ¡°No.¡±


    I whipped round in surprise. ¡°What?¡±


    I saw him swallow with difficulty. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving until you let me see her. No matter what you do to me.¡±


    I was tempted to get angry but he didn¡¯t look defiant, he just looked determined.


    ¡°Suit yourself then,¡± I replied and banged the door in his face.


    I put down the gifts in the living room and made my way back to my room. He¡¯d get tired of being strong headed and he¡¯d leave.


    I shook my head, wondering what he was trying to prove.

 Unable to resist

    Amelia Forbes


    ¡°Ammie!¡± I heard Dani yell from outside my door. My first thought was that something bad had happened to the baby.


    I raced to the door and from the look on her face I realized she¡¯d been calling me for a while.


    ¡°Were your headphones in?¡± She asked.


    I shook my head.


    It was raining heavily. I couldn¡¯t hear her over the pattering sound on my roof. ¡°What happened?¡± I asked. My initial fearing to memory.


    She only grabbed my arm gently and led me to the window.


    I peered down, trying to see through the swishing rain, and gasped when I saw Jason, still standing at the door step.


    My eyes roamed to the wall clock. It was 9pm. And it had been raining since 6.


    What was wrong with him? I wondered, infuriated.


    Dani nodded as if she could hear my thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s been standing there since morning.¡±


    It was silent for some time and then she said. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should let him in. It¡¯s his choice to stay there so let him.¡±


    I nodded, wondering why he was being so darn stubborn. Why couldn¡¯t he just leave and end the drama. In anger, I pulled the blinds and proceeded to Nana¡¯s room to check up on the baby.


    A few hourster, I¡¯d fed the baby, put her to sleep, and given Nana her medicine.


    Dani and I sat in the living room, sipping hot chocte and watching a movie.


    Suddenly we heard someone sneeze.


    Dani froze, grabbing a ss vase as protection.


    I frowned. ¡°That didn¡¯te from inside the house.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what if..¡±


    We exchanged looks.


    I gasped. ¡°It can¡¯t be,¡± I checked the time. ¡°It¡¯s 2am in the morning.¡±


    At once we raced to the window and my eyes widened when we saw a drenched Jason still standing determinedly at the doorstep.


    Jason Davenport


    My throat felt like the desert as I slowly opened my eyes. I shivered as the cold air hit my skin and I remembered that I¡¯de down with a cold.


    Thest thing I remember fromst night was Amelia and Dani helping me into the house and wrapping some hot towels around me to warm me up.


    Afterwards Amelia had offered me a mug of hot cocoa while her friend stood to the side, clearly disapproving of the whole thing.


    Needless to say, I had felt better thanks to Amelia. I didn¡¯t want to get ahead of myself as I knew that she had helped me out of pure empathy. But all the same, I was grateful.


    I stumbled to my feet, grabbing the tumbler of water I sighted on the dining table. My throat was grateful for the moisture and and so I downed some more.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    I didn¡¯t know the time but I could tell that it was early. And I knew I had to leave before everyone else woke up. But I was still determined to see the baby. I¡¯de backter today, I decided. And I was ready to spend the entire day at the doorstep until she let me see the baby.


    Grabbing my things, I began to make my way toward the front door when I heard the soft cry of a baby.


    It stopped me in my tracks. I shut my eyes tightly.


    I wasn¡¯t supposed to see the baby without Amelia¡¯s permission. But the crying grew louder and I couldn¡¯t stop myself. Slowly, I walked to the direction of the cry.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile when I peeked through a half opened door and saw the baby awake in her cot.


    Unable to resist, I picked her up and began to hum a luby.

 Was he singing?

    Amelia Forbes


    I woke up to the soft cry of my baby girl. We¡¯d moved her from Nana¡¯s room to the room that used to belong to my parents.


    Careful not to wake anyone up, I tiptoed to the room and received a startle when I saw Jason cradling her in his arms.


    My first thought was to go in and snatch her away from him.


    If he hurt her, I swear.


    But I waited. And I watched.


    I watched her stop crying as soon as he picked her up. I watched him coo her, kiss her cheek and began to hum a tune.


    Was he singing? I wondered, my mouth agape.


    What had happened to the Jason Davenport from high school? And who was this softie? Was this all an act? To gain my forgiveness?


    But he knew everyone was asleep. So why would he act when there wasn¡¯t an audience.


    I don¡¯t know how long I stood there for. But i watched them, a wide smile permanently stered on my face. He knew just how to hold her. How to rock her back and forth so she would fall asleep.


    How?


    What changed?


    Why did he be caring all of a sudden?


    And why had I started to feel so sorry for him?N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Deciding I¡¯d watched long enough, I gave a loud cough to grab his attention.


    On sighting me, he dropped the now sleeping baby girl into her cot carefully and quietly made his way to the door.


    As he closed the door behind him, careful not to make a sound, he faced me. ¡°I am so sorry. I know I shouldn¡¯t have touched her or gone in there without your permission but I heard her crying and I wanted to leave but I just couldn¡¯t leave her there all alone,¡±He rambled.


    Probably realising he was rambling, he stared at the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll just leave.¡±


    ¡°Stay,¡± I blurted out.


    Jason stopped in his tracks, staring at me wide-eyed. ¡°What?¡± His voice was hoarse and disbelieving.


    ¡°Stay,¡± I repeated, hoping my tremor I felt stayed out of my voice. ¡°You still have a cold. You should have something to eat and get some rest.¡±


    He opened his mouth twice in an attempt to say something but shut it. I guess he was speechless.


    As soon as he muttered a small ¡°thank you¡±, I immediately regretted my decision.


    What hade over me? I wondered, resisting the urge to facepalm.


    Why had I asked him to stay?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He sighed, after a few minutes of awkward silence.


    I didn¡¯t respond but I knew exactly what he was sorry for. And I refused to acknowledge it.


    Jason Davenport


    I breathed a sigh of relief and approached Dad for a badly needed hug as he and Ashley came over to see the baby.


    Dad swiftly hid his surprise on seeing me and struck up a conversation with Amelia.


    Dani walked in with a tray of lemonade and ¡®mistakenly¡¯ spilled mine all over me.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± She gasped. ¡°Didn¡¯t see you there.¡±


    I quietly began to wipe my shirt with a napkin as Ashley scooted over to sit beside me.


    I stiffened, hoping she didn¡¯t notice.


    We hadn¡¯t had a real conversation since thest time Ished out at her in my room. These days, whenever I saw her I felt incredibly guilty for some reason.


    I was trying to adjust and really see the good in her but I knew it¡¯d take a while.


    ¡°How you holding up?¡± She asked, bringing her ss to get lips.


    ¡°Great,¡± I muttered, gesturing to my lemonade stained shirt.


    Ashley gave a tinklyugh as she stopped halfway through taking a second gulp. ¡°Good to know you haven¡¯t lost your sense of humor,¡± She winked.


    We shared a smile, which didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Dad. He smiled briefly in our direction and carried on his conversation with Amelia.


    Determined to make an effort, I asked Ashley about her life for once. And surprisingly she had a lot of stories to tell.


    For the two hours she and dad spent there, I wasn¡¯t bored at all.


    And it felt nice.


    It felt like progress.

 All over

    Amelia Forbes


    ¡°I got in.¡±


    Dani walked into my room beaming, a white envelope in hand.


    And although I knew what she held-a college eptance letter, I asked, ¡°Into what?¡±


    She rolled her eyes at me andughed. ¡°Bloustone College?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I finally managed to mutter after a while.


    Dani stared at me in disbelief. ¡°Really? That¡¯s all you¡¯re gonna say? I¡¯ve been working my ass off for this and that¡¯s all you¡¯re gonna say?¡±


    She was right. I did sound kind of selfish.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dani. I didn¡¯t mean it like that,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Of course I¡¯m happy for you. It just.. it took me by surprise, that¡¯s all. You know how hard I¡¯ve been rooting for you.¡±


    She gave me a small smile and wrapped her arms on my shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ammie. I¡¯ll miss you too.¡±


    My throat tightened.


    I was going to miss her. Even more than she thought. She was one of my best friends. She¡¯d been there for me when no one else had. She¡¯d practically forced her way into my life.


    I giggled as I remembered that night at the liquor store.


    ¡°Remember when we-¡± I started.


    ¡°Liquor store?¡± Daniughed.


    In between unexinable giggles I nodded. Weughed without knowing exactly why and before I knew it I had started to tear up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget me,¡± I sobbed as I cried into her denim jacket.


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± She promised, as she enveloped me into a tight hug.


    It was all scary for me.


    Adrian already had a football schrship and would leave soon, Dani had gotten epted, Benson was awaiting his. All my friends were leaving one after the other. And I was scared.


    I couldn¡¯t have been able to handle all that life had thrown at me if didn¡¯t have then by my side.


    I suppressed a sob, not wanting Dani to see me cry anymore.


    As she helped me wiped my tears away, I remembered something I¡¯d been meaning to ask her.


    ¡°Hey, Dani,¡± I stopped her moving hands. ¡°Is there something going on-¡±


    The sound of the doorbell interrupted me and as quick as lightning, Dani had raced to open up.


    I contained my curiousity. Was she hiding something?


    Shaking my head, I headed downstairs to Dani already leaving and Adrian cradling the baby in his arms.


    Jason Davenport


    I watched from the dining table as Amelia and Adrian made up and struck up a conversation.


    I watched them talking andughing while cooing and cradling the baby and all of a sudden I felt raw jealousy beginning to build up within me.


    That should be me.


    That¡¯s my child. My daughter.


    Why did they look more like a happy family than Amelia and I would ever be?


    I felt sad and cheated and without thinking, I walked up to them.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hold my baby now, Adrian.¡±


    They both exchanged looks and thus infuriated me further.


    He had what I never would; Amelia¡¯s love.


    With growing sadness, I quieted the voice in my head that said I didn¡¯t deserve it nor would I ever receive it.


    My own behaviour was surprising to me.


    Why do I care so much about Amelia now?


    At first I¡¯d only wanted to be part of my daughter¡¯s life. But the more time I spent with Amelia, the more I saw just how good and kindhearted she was.


    A good mother, a good friend, a good granddaughter.


    A good person.


    I cursed myself countless times for letting my misced hatred shut my eyes to all of this.


    And I knew it was my fault.


    And that I had no right to fall in love with her¡­


    I¡¯m in love with her.


    I¡¯m in love with Amelia.


    Admitting this only makes me realize how true it is.


    After everything that had happened between us, there was still a huge piece of empathy in her towards me. She shouldn¡¯t even want to hear my voice, see my face, be around me. But she tolerated me.


    She brought me out of the cold. She warmed me up, she gave me a ce to sleep. She gave me food when I was hungry. She let me hold my daughter although I had no right whatsoever to do so.


    After everything I had done. The pain, the bullying, the torture, the insults.


    She had remained human.


    She¡¯s a better person than I¡¯d ever dream to be, even in my dreams.


    And I didn¡¯t deserve the mercy, the empathy, the sympathy.


    That¡¯s why I fell in love with her.


    I¡¯ve never met anyone with such a big heart. Someone so full of love admist all the pain she carries in her soul. Why did I break her?


    No.


    I tried to break her.


    And I almost seeded.


    But she fought me with everything in her. And now, here we are.


    I love you, Amelia.


    It took me a few seconds to realise that I¡¯d been crying. Amelia and Adrian stared at me in shock, and in one terrifying moment, I realized I¡¯d been talking out loud. I¡¯d been facing Adrian, and I¡¯d been talking.


    I opened mouth to exin but nothing came out. I couldn¡¯t move.


    After a few moments of silence, Adrian ced the baby back in the cot and quietly made his way upstairs.


    Amelia and I stared each other down until she finally reacted by swinging a palm to my cheek. It stung where she had hit me but I stood firmly.


    She let out a strangled cry andnded a second p to my cheek.


    A single tear dropped from my eyes but I still stood.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whimpered without looking up. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± She yelled. ¡°Just shut up!¡±


    She began to sob rapidly as shended ps upon ps on my cheeks. But I didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±


    Wiping tears with the back of her hand she grabbed my sleeve and shoved me toward the door.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Get out!! I never want to see your face ever again. Just leave.¡±


    ¡°Amelia, please,¡± I begged.


    ¡°You can go to hell for all I care,¡± She screamed as she shut the door in my face, still sobbing.


    And just like that, it was all over.

 Tired of the begging

    Jason Davenport


    As Amelia pushed me out into the sting rain, I realized something.


    I was exhausted.


    I was tired.


    I was tired of the crying, tired of the begging.


    I knew I deserved everything that was happening right now and then some more, but I was tired.


    This was what I¡¯d also be. The rapist. The criminal. No matter how hard I tried. No one would ever see the good in me.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    And it was all my fault.


    I showed the good in me toote. Way toote. Sote that everyone would stand waiting for me to draw the curtains and prove to them that it was all an act.


    I¡¯d always be the asshole. The monster. The beast.


    I looked up at the sky and sobbed. ¡°Are you disappointed in me too, mom? This is what your boy turned out to be. A useless piece of shit.¡±


    I slumped to the floor, my chest feeling like it was about to explode. ¡°I¡¯m a criminal, mom. I lost every-every thing. My friends, my family, my dignity. This is what I¡¯ve be.¡±


    ¡°Nobody wants me m-mom,¡± I let out a sadugh. ¡°No one will ever want me. No one wants a friend, a coparent, a son, who¡¯s a rapist. I ruined myself, mom. I ruined everything.¡±


    ¡°This is what I turned out to be.¡±


    I suddenly had a thought.


    Was this how Amelia had felt when she jumped into that pool?


    The memory resurfaced and I broke down in sobs. She felt rejected, useless, worthless. And I caused it.


    Now I understood what could push anyone to want to end their own life.


    Slowly, I stood to my feet, the tears in my eyes blinding me.


    What was the point? No one would ever believe that I had changed. No one would ever look at me without fear or anger in their hearts. I wouldn¡¯t be able to see my daughter.


    What was the point of living?


    And Dad.


    I loved him. But I was only a hindrance to a happy life with Ashley. All I did was ruin things, ruin people.


    My sobs were lost in the sounds of the rain as I made my decision.


    Straightening up, I blindly walked toward the busy road and nted myself firmly in the way of an iing truck.


    The pain from the impact threw me off bnce.


    And thest thing I remember was floating through the air.


    Amelia Forbes


    I wiped the tears that were strewn on my face as I shoved Jason out the door. It took a while to control my sobbing.


    I was scared.


    Back there he¡¯d been talking, to himself. And he hadn¡¯t even realized.


    Those things he¡¯d said..


    I swallowed, not wanting to think about it anymore.


    Love.


    The tears on his face.


    I looked out the window. It was raining heavily. And I thrown him out without a second thought.


    Without thinking, I grabbed two umbres and raced out the door to find him.


    He couldn¡¯t have gone far, I reasoned. I was barely five minutes away. I didn¡¯t know where to look but I made my way towards the main road. As I approached, I sighted a group of people huddled together.


    Without knowing why, I ran faster to the scene.


    No.


    No. Please.


    I pushed past a few people to see Jason lying lifeless on the floor, blood coating nearly half of his face.


    I let out a small scream but it was lost in the rain. I started to dial 911 but stopped when I heard sirens of an ambnce.


    Someone had called an ambnce already. Still shaking, I dialed Mr Davenport and gave him the details of everything.


    Wordlessly, I followed in the ambnce as they drove at breakneck speed to the hospital.

 What did I just do?

    Amelia Forbes


    I sat fidgeting in the waiting room. It¡¯d been three hours since we arrived at the hospital and everyone was seated, quietly.


    The truck driver had given a clear description of what had transpired. No one said a word.


    Tears flowed down my cheeks.


    He has attempted suicide.


    The thought broke me down more than I thought it could. I felt sad, guilty. I med myself for pushing him out in the rain and saying such hard words to him.


    I guessed those few weeks had put him into some deep state of depression. He was in such a state that he had seen suicide as the only option. It was then that I realized that he¡¯d been honest the whole time.


    He¡¯d been sincere. All the effort he¡¯d been putting.


    I stifled a sob.


    What if something happened to him?


    My heart pounded in my chest.


    What would I do? I couldn¡¯t take care of a child alone. I couldn¡¯t¡­


    And he was so good with her. He¡¯d be such a good dad. I couldn¡¯t¡­ I couldn¡¯t lose him.


    I buried my head in my hands.


    Just wake up. Please. Please be okay.


    I¡¯ll forgive you. Just wake up.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    I let out a small whimper and let Ashley still me as my body racked with sobs.


    Amelia Forbes


    Three days.


    That¡¯s how long Jason had been in aa.


    A lot had happened since then. Nana had fallen so sick and the only resort was to take her to a special needs elderly home. It wasn¡¯t the easiest thing to do. But it was best for her.


    Before she¡¯d gone, I¡¯d exined the situation with Jason and we¡¯d had a long talk about everything. Finally, Nana had decided to go with any decision I chose to make. And that was the only reassurance I¡¯d need.


    With Nana gone, the house felt cold and lonely. Benson and Dani had gotten into college so they¡¯d already left for their registrations.


    I¡¯d updated them both on the situation at home and they¡¯d chosen not to say anything until they got back.


    Ashley had offered toe stay with me for the mean time and I was grateful for thepany. We talked to pass time but we were both very worried about Jason.


    . I lived in fear and I couldn¡¯t concentrate on anything.


    Some hourster, Adrian had driven me to the hospital for my daily check up on Jason. He didn¡¯t approve of it at first but when he found out that it was an attempted suicide, the sadness on his face was visible and he stopped saying anything altogether.


    I took a seat beside Mr Davenport as we awaited the doctor. Finally, the doctor appeared, a file in his hand.


    ¡°Here for Jason Davenport?¡±


    We both nodded.


    He flipped through a file and then looked up with a smile. ¡°He¡¯s awake.¡±


    Before I could stop myself, I was racing to the door of Jason¡¯s ward. I pushed the door open and swarmed an unsuspecting and very surprised looking Jason into a tight hug.


    I let myself sob openly on his shoulder for a few moments and then I looked up at him in rage.


    ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± My voice shook. ¡°Leave me?¡±


    Realizing what I¡¯d just said, I added, ¡°And our daughter?¡±


    The corner of his eyes crinkled in sadness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mel,¡± He croaked, still regarding me with shock.


    I wiped my eyes quickly and nodded. ¡°Just get better soon.¡±


    Without giving him a chance to reply, I flew out the door.


    What did I just do?

 The best day ever

    Jason Davenport


    I still wasn¡¯t sure what miracle had ured while I was unconscious.


    At first when I woke up, my first feeling was that of disappointment. I was disappointed that I had survived. Once again I¡¯d proved that I¡¯d always be a failure.


    But when Amelia had barged into my ward, a crying mess, and enveloped me in a hug, I thought I was dreaming.


    I still couldn¡¯t wrap it around my head but I was d for it. Whatever had happened, I prayed that it would stay that way.


    As I rxed my pounding head onto the pillow, my door swung open and I swallowed as I saw Adrian walk in.


    He stumbled awkwardly and took a seat beside me on the bed.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    For a while we sat there, not uttering a word to each other.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you do it?¡± Adrian finally whispered.


    I didn¡¯t need to ask to know what he was talking about.


    I took my time to gather myself. ¡°I guess¡­ I guess I was just tired of being such a failure¡­¡± I trailed off.


    Saying it brought fresh tears to my eyes but I was determined to not let them fall.


    ¡°You know,¡± Adrian started, sucking in a deep breath. ¡°Up until three days ago, I thought I hated you. I wanted you to go away, stop ruining the lives of everyone around you. At one point, I thought I wouldn¡¯t even care if you died.¡±


    A few moments of silence passed between us.


    ¡°And I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I looked up at him in surprise. ¡°What?¡± I breathed in disbelief.


    I really began to suspect I was actually dreaming. All of this couldn¡¯t possibly be happening, could it?


    ¡°I-I just¡­ we used to be best friends once. I knew you were struggling with PTSD because of your mom and all. I knew you were struggling, man¡­¡± He trailed off.


    ¡°Yeah, you did a terrible thing. I was shocked, angry, disappointed, and even a bit terrified of you. I never expected you to do such a terrible thing, Jason.¡±


    ¡°But then¡­¡± His voice broke. ¡°I watched you. I watched you struggle to be the person you are now. I watched you learn the ept all your mistakes, all your ws. That day when your dad took us out to that farm and I saw you¡­¡±


    Dad had done that?


    ¡°¡­ I felt so much respect for you. I¡¯d never seen you work for anything in your entire life. And there you were, working, sweating, earning to survive. And that was enough reason to show that you were changing.¡±


    ¡°That day when you came to Amelia¡¯s with those gifts. Those gifts you¡¯d bought with your hard earned money. I was¡­ I was startled. I was jealous.¡±


    I whipped my head up.


    Jealous?


    ¡°Yeah,¡± He nodded. ¡°I was envious of the man you were bing. I¡¯d never had to work for anything in my life. And you¡­ you didn¡¯t care that you were shabbily dressed, or that you smelled. You just want to right all your wrongs.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get into a fight with you just because I was sticking up for Amelia, it was also because you were everything I¡¯d dreamed of being; independent, strong, resilient. And I¡¯d gotten used to be the good boy. The better man, the gentleman, the sweet, mature one between us. And I was jealous.¡±


    ¡°I should have stuck up for you. I should¡¯ve acknowledged the fact that you were struggling. But I didn¡¯t. I looked on like an outsider. And Jason, I¡¯m so sorry-¡±


    Without letting him finish, I wrapped him in a hug. ¡°I was jealous of you, man. You were always so calm and easygoing. I wanted to be you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Adrian let out a guffaw in between sobs.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    I nodded,ughing. ¡°I was jealous of you and Amelia. Of everything. And I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    After we had sobbed quietly together, Adrian straightened up. ¡°I have to go now.¡±


    I could only nod.


    He wiped his tears with the back of his hoodie and gestured between our teary faces. ¡°This never happened.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I yed along.


    He shared a smile as he staggered up from the bed and out of the ward.


    Today was really the best day I¡¯d had in a truly long time.

 There’s something I have to tell you

    Jason Davenport


    It¡¯d been five days since I was discharged from the hospital. My head still hurt, but I¡¯d never felt better.


    Dad had convinced me toe back home and I¡¯d agreed, on the condition that I¡¯d keep working until I could afford to pay for college. And it¡¯d been going great.


    My friendship with Adrian was still a bit shaky but we were working things out. We¡¯d resumed our weekly hangout at my house to y either basketball or video games and it felt nice. Sometimes Amelia popped in to check on me but she never stayed for too long.


    ¡°Hey?¡± I shook Adrian as we both sat on my bed.


    He quickly tried to put his phone away and I eyed him suspiciously. ¡°Who are you texting?¡± I asked.


    He blushed. ¡°Um, no one?¡±


    I patted his back. ¡°Tell me everything, my friend.¡±


    An hourter, Adrian had narrated the love story that had sprung between himself and Dani Daniels and I stared at him in shock.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°Dani?!¡± I stage whispered, putting a hand to my mouth. ¡°Holy shit.¡±


    ¡°Wait, is she straight?¡± I whispered.


    Adrian shot me a death re. ¡°No! She¡¯s bisexual.¡±


    ¡°Ohh,¡± I nodded in understanding. ¡°Well it¡¯s great news. Why are you being so shady about it then?¡±


    He groaned and fell to the bed. ¡°We haven¡¯t told Mel about it yet. Although I have a feeling Benson might¡¯ve told her already.¡±


    I frowned.


    ¡°And Mel knowing is a problem?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Exin then.¡±


    Adrian rolled his eyes and shut them in thought. ¡°You know when two of your really good friends start dating? And then you start to feel weird and like a third wheel?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Well we don¡¯t want Mel to feel like that.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I thought it through for a moment. ¡°So what if you¡¯re right, and Benson has actually told her already. What if she feels hurt? Thinking you guys are keeping it all a secret?¡±


    ¡°Oh shit,¡± He facepalmed. ¡°I never thought of it like that.¡±


    I patted his back. ¡°Just don¡¯t take too long to tell her, okay?¡±


    He nodded weakly as I shoved the controller into his hand and resumed our game.


    It was starting to get more and more lonely at home than I cared to admit. With Jason back, Ashley had to go back home and I was left alone with the baby.


    I dropped by once in a while check yo on Jason, but I never stayed long. I was still embarrassed about what I had said to Jason at the hospital the other day.


    I also noted that Jason and Adrian were back on track. It was nice to see. And surprisingly, it didn¡¯t hurt. Jason really needed a friend at this time and I guessed they finally talked it all out.


    As if on cue, Jason and Adrian walked down the stairs snickering about something.


    Jason offered me a small smile as our eyes met and without thinking, I returned it.


    What was wrong with me? I scolded myself. Maybe I needed to stoping here altogether.


    As if he could read my thoughts, Jason, took a seat beside me.


    ¡°Hey,¡± He smiled.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I croaked, trying my best to avoid eye contact.


    ¡°Adrian told me about your Nana. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    I only nodded. Talking about it was upsetting for me.


    After a few minutes, he faced me again.


    ¡°So I was thinking, what so you think abouting here. To live with us?¡±


    What?


    I stared at him.


    Everyone else had heard because they all stopped talking.


    For some reason I felt defensive. ¡°Why would I do that?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Well, for the baby. It¡¯s not safe to be all alone.¡± He added.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your charity,¡± Ished out, still not exactly sure why I was angry.


    ¡°Amelia,¡± Ashley cooed. ¡°He¡¯s right. Plus you still haven¡¯t recovered from the stress of everything. It¡¯d be helpful to have some help around.¡±


    Adrian nodded, giving me a reassuring smile.


    ¡°And if you¡¯re notfortable after you get better, then¡­ then you can leave.¡±


    I looked at Jason. ¡°And you won¡¯t try to stop me?¡±


    I watched him struggle to swallow and then say, ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure why I felt a pang of disappointment when he said that but I only nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll move in then.¡±


    Ashley squealed, rocking back and forth.


    She quickly grabbed my arm. ¡°We¡¯ll have so much fun together.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t resist her contagious smile as Iughed along with her.


    I faded into the background as I watched Ashley run up the stairs to prepare my room, and Mr Davenport begin to n a feast for tonight.


    And for the first time in a while, I felt at peace.


    Involuntarily, I smiled.


    Maybe this wouldn¡¯t be so bad after all.


    As I rxed deep into thefortable furniture, I saw Adrian hesitate, contemting on whether to walk up to me or not. When he finally made up his mind, he walked up to me and took a seat beside me.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± He asked.


    I knew he was only stalling but I yed along.


    Shrugging, I sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. I guess I¡¯ll just watch and see where it takes me.¡±


    He nodded, squeezing my hand reassuringly.


    We sat in silence for a while and then he asked, ¡°How¡¯s Nana?¡±


    I resisted the urge to re at him.


    He knew exactly how she was. We¡¯d both visited her yesterday afternoon. But still I yed along. ¡°She¡¯s doing great.¡±


    He nodded.


    I shot him a sideways nce. ¡°And how are you?¡± I asked, watching him carefully.


    He gave an unsteadyugh. ¡°Me? Um, yeah of course.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    Silently, I watched him struggle and fidget for about thirty minutes. And then I knew what I had to do.


    Rising to my feet, I smiled. ¡°I have to go now, I¡¯m really tired.¡±


    He regarded me silently, running his tongue over his bottom lip.


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    I counted to three in my head as I began to walk away.


    One.


    ¡°Mel!¡±


    I turned around innocently. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something I have to tell you.¡±

 I’m sorry

    Amelia Forbes


    I deliberately sipped my hot cocoa slowly, as I watched Dani say hi to Adrian briefly and walk into the kitchen toward me.


    She pulled up a chair and lowered herself onto it, watching me with hawk eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Her tone was crisp.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I cocked an eyebrow.


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°So pretty boy gets into an ident and all of a sudden you move in with him?¡±


    The anger that shed within me knew no bounds as I raised her eyes to meet hers.


    ¡°It was an attempted suicide,¡± I said quietly.


    Her hand froze halfway to her lips. ¡°What?¡± She managed to croak. ¡°I¡­ I had no idea that-¡±


    ¡°No you didn¡¯t,¡± I snapped.


    She hung her head but didn¡¯t say anything more.


    ¡°And if Nana was still home, I probably wouldn¡¯t be living here now. So please don¡¯t y that card.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± She managed.


    I shrugged, eyeing her curiously.


    ¡°And what about you?¡± I asked innocently. ¡°Is there anything you wanna tell me?¡±


    She threw me her best poker face and shrugged, ¡°College sucks, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking.¡±


    ¡°Mm hmm.¡±


    She silently sipped the cup of hot cocoa I¡¯d offered her.


    ¡°So you weren¡¯t even nning on telling me, were you?¡±


    Her poker face faltered this time. ¡°W-what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Drop the act, Dani,¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Adrian told me everything already.¡±


    Her defiant expression soon melted into a pitiable one. ¡°Mel, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± She whispered, bowing her head. ¡°Everything happened so fast. And we didn¡¯t want to make you feel weird¡­ or anything.¡±


    I purposely deepened my frown. ¡°You¡¯d have to do better than that, missy. Two of my best friends started dating and couldn¡¯t even tell me about it. I¡¯m pissed to the core.¡±


    Dani stood from her chair and went down in a kneeling position on the floor while clutching my knees.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Mel. We should¡¯ve told you.¡±


    Seeing that I wouldn¡¯t budge, she tried again. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want me to for a week.¡±


    ¡°A month,¡± I frowned, arms folded.


    ¡°Fine, Ammie. Deal.¡±


    Giving in, I whipped her off the floor and into myp.


    ¡°Now, tell me everything. All the juicy details included,¡± I wiggled my eyebrows at her.


    She only gave one of her loudughs and plunged into her story.


    Jason Davenport


    Today had been great. Just like everyday had been since Amelia moved in with us a month ago.


    Her friends had visited, ufortable with the idea of her living under the same roof with me, but after a while they¡¯d begin to warm up to me. And for the first time in their midst, I began to feel like I belonged. And it was nice.


    I¡¯d had quite the day. From spending a few hours with the baby, to spending two more with Ashley. And surprisingly, it turns out Ashley was quite the opponent at video games. I¡¯d really begun to enjoy herpany more and more, and I didn¡¯t miss any chance I got to apologize to her for everything that had happened between us.


    Honestly, I knew apologizing wouldn¡¯t show anything, although she insisted it was fine whenever I did so. What I needed to do was show her I was truly sorry. And hopefully, she¡¯d see the sincerity in me and finally forgive me and let go. I was hopeful and intent of building a good rtionship with Ashley.


    My stepmother.


    ¡°Stepmother,¡± I rolled the word on my tongue. It felt weird but not unpleasant.


    I smiled. Progress.


    I made my way to the kitchen to find something to eat. Since I¡¯d moved back in with dad, I¡¯d been having an upset stomach whenever I ate. I guessed it was probably because my body had gotten used to having so little food to eat that now I had enough, I couldn¡¯t eat halfway without feeling full almost immediately.


    Sighing, I swung a drawer open and grabbed a can of soda. Deciding it¡¯d have to do, I pulled up a chair and made myselffortable.


    As I popped the soda can, I saw Amelia grab a tiny te of cake and make her way toward the dining where I sat.


    She froze as she saw me and began to move in the opposite direction.


    ¡°You can sit here too,¡± I offered, secretly hoping she would say yes.


    Silently, she pulled up a chair and lowered herself onto it, slowly shoving forkfuls of cake into her mouth.


    After a few minutes of awkward silence, I offered, ¡°Would you like to talk?¡±


    Her lips curled up in a smirk as she stared at me, ¡°People don¡¯t ask each other that. They just start talking.¡±


    ¡°Ooh,¡± I gasped in mock disbelief. ¡°I had no idea. Discipline me, conversation guru.¡±


    I bowed my head andid my palms t in a sign of surrender, earning a giggle from her.


    I tried to hide my shock and satisfaction.


    I¡¯d made Ameliaugh.


    Smiling widely, I raised my soda can to my lips and took a small sip.


    I racked my brain for what to say, and the one thing that kept popping into my head was an apology. But I didn¡¯t want to upset her any further so I steered the conversation elsewhere.


    ¡°You know my mom didn¡¯t like cake?¡±


    Amelia cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s weird. Weird but unique,¡± Sheughed.


    And I realized I loved the way sheughed.


    ¡°My mom was a baker,¡± She put in abruptly.


    We exchanged looks and I felt a smile begin to form on my lips. As I saw Amelia try to hide hers too, I let myughter rent the air. She joined me after a while, not knowing exactly why we wereughing.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You such a great dad.¡±


    We both spoke at once.


    ¡°You first.¡±


    ¡°You first.¡±


    Our giggles melted into one as she gestured for me to go on.


    ¡°I just want to say I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She only stared.


    ¡°For the one millionth time,¡± I added.


    That earned augh from her.


    ¡°You go,¡± I offered.


    She took a big chunk of cake. ¡°Thank you. For being such a good dad to my daughter¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ to our daughter.¡±


    Aforting warmth spread through my chest. She had acknowledged me as the father.


    Our daughter.


    I decided I liked the sound of that.


    Breathing out in relief as thest remains of awkwardness dissipated, I rxed in my seat. And we talked.


    About life, our families, our hopes and dreams. Our likes and our dislikes. I enjoyed every moment of our first conversation that wasn¡¯t forced, and from the smile on her face as she began to rx, I knew she waspletely okay with it as well.


    I could finally have a conversation with her, sarcasm and all. And not worrying about offending her. She had quite the sense of humor too so it wasn¡¯t much of a problem.


    ¡°Woah, it¡¯s 3 in the morning,¡± Amelia muttered in surprise as she looked up at the wall clock.


    ¡°The thing with having constant electricity,¡± Sheughed. ¡°You never know when it¡¯s dark out.¡±


    I joined in herughter as she motioned to my now empty soda can. ¡°I¡¯ll take that for you¡­¡±


    She outstretched her arm just as I moved the soda can away not wanting her to clean up after me. As a result, our fingers brushed and she withdrew hers sharply.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologized, not wanting her to form a bad opinion of me.


    She shook her head. ¡°I know it was an ident. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Touching the back of my neck, I muttered another apology and followed behind her at a safe distance to dump my soda can.


    We stood dangerously close to each other as we took turns to wash our hands in the sink.


    ¡°Goodnight, Jason,¡± She offered me a small smile as she wiped her hands on the kitchen towel.


    Quickly, before I could change my mind, I gently ced my hand on hers. And without waiting to change my mind, I leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips.


    And she didn¡¯t pull away.

 You and the baby

    Amelia Forbes


    It had been a while since I¡¯d had the baby now. Two months precisely.


    I had so many dreams I had wanted to realize after high school, so much I wanted to do. But all that was gone now. At least for a while. In the beginning it had saddened me deeply. But now, all I wanted was to make sure my baby got everything she deserved, and then some more.


    Being a mother changes a lot. Everything, in fact. And I really love my baby, but in she¡¯s always crying, and it¡¯s even worse at night now. We finally went to the doctor a week ago and realized it was colic. Thank God.


    I said a silent prayer. If I¡¯m being honest, I don¡¯t think I could¡¯ve handled it alone. Especially with Nana gone.


    The thought of her brought tears to my eyes. She had passed away peacefully at the elderly home. And I missed her a lot. Every day I would imagine all the beautiful words she would¡¯ve used if she could talk.


    I thought of those times when she really was the only thing that kept me going most days. She was always so supportive of me, reminding me of strong woman I didn¡¯t realize I was, letting me know daily that whatever I was going through wasn¡¯t my fault,  and that the child I carried in my womb was going to be a blessing.


    Iughed out loud as I remembered that we still hadn¡¯t given her a name yet. Everyone just referred to her as ¡®The Baby¡¯.


    I guess I still haven¡¯t quite found the perfect one. After all, I didn¡¯t exactly n for this. Besides Jason doesn¡¯t want to suggest one, no matter how many times I asked him to. It was probably because he feels he might be intruding. But I think I would consider his suggestion. After all, he is the father.


    Living with the Davenports had turned out to be a lot nicer than I¡¯d anticipated. And with Nana gone, I truly had nowhere to go.


    But none of them everined. Mr Davenport had been nothing but kind to me and the baby. And Ashley was literally her second mother. I¡¯d grown to like Ashley quite a lot. And I¡¯d realized that there was more to her than just pink outfits and expensive stuff.


    Also, it was quite different living in a mansion. Unending lists of things to eat, so many rooms to tour, servants at your beck and call. Sometimes it got pretty tiring.


    Everything wasn¡¯t exactly perfect yet but Jason had been putting in so much effort into making sure I¡¯mfortable.


    He always said goodbye to me and the baby before he left for work in the morning. Sometimes he came back earlier than nned to make dinner for me.


    And he always made out time to spend with the baby whenever he could.


    Jason was usually gone most of the day these days. He had finally epted his dad¡¯s offer to work at the firm, on the condition that he got paid just like everyone else and without any special treatment.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    He had really stepped up his game, earning a sry and all, and I couldn¡¯t help but be proud of him.


    Some days, the thought of what happenedes into my head and then I can¡¯t help but be a little bitter and harsh toward him. He never takes it personally. I guess he understands that it¡¯ll take a lot of time for things to bepletely normal.


    I hoped we¡¯d eventually get there. For the baby¡¯s sake at least.


    Our therapist gives us a few exercises to try, and usually, it helps a little. But Jason and I both know it¡¯s going to take a lot more than talking to get things back to normal.


    After the kiss we shared in the kitchen, he¡¯d asked me out on a date, and casting my caution to the wind, I¡¯d said yes.


    We were actually going on the date this evening, and to be honest I was nervous. The thought of that first fake date he had taken me on shed through my head, but I tossed it, determined to enjoy bit of tonight.


    Admittedly, I was kind of nervous. Jason had only increased my anxiety when he sent a dress and a note to my room earlier today.


    It was an exquisite red dress. I grimaced. I¡¯m sure I¡¯d never worn anything this expensive before.


    And how did he know red was my favorite color?


    I suspected Benson though.


    The note, which was the most tension building part about everything, was torn open as soon as I got my hands on it.


    It read, ¡°you and the baby are everything to me¡±.


    I didn¡¯t hide the smile that creeped up my face this time.

 Our forever has only just begun

    Amelia Forbes


    The day had gone by so fast and it was  already about time for our dinner date. Dani came over to help me get dressed. She and Adrian were open about their rtionship status now and they looked so good together I thought I would cry.


    She did my makeup too. I didn¡¯t look perfect because I still had a little bit of my tummy showing after the delivery, but Jason didn¡¯t care.


    Dani enveloped me in a tight hug as she saw me off to the limo.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°You look amazing, Ammie,¡± She whispered. ¡°Off you go. Be a good girl now.¡±


    I whipped around, eyes widening in embarrassment. But she only winked at me and stalked off.


    God, I loved to hate her.


    I didn¡¯t know where we were going, and no matter how many times I¡¯d asked, Jason wouldn¡¯t tell.


    Finally we arrived. He had set something up at one of the spots on the hill. There were lights and food, and even someone to y the violin.


    Again, how would he know I loved the violin?


    Benson.


    After about an hour of his weird jokes and a few stares both ways across the table, he asked me to walk with him.


    We approached the side of the hill, and whilst I was busy staring at the breathtaking sight, he held my hand and got down on both knees.


    My eyes widened in surprise.


    What was happening?


    I tried to control my breathing.


    Steady, Mel. Steady.


    ¡°Amelia,¡± He whispered, his eyes zing over. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve you, I really don¡¯t. And I¡¯m still not sure if you believe me, but I love you, with every fiber of my being. And it¡¯d be a dreame true to spend the rest of my life raising her. With you.¡±


    ¡°So please, if you would have me, marry me Amelia.¡±


    I stood speechless. I didn¡¯t know what to say. I was scared, worried, surprised. I didn¡¯t know how to react.


    But as I looked at Jason, bent on one knee and eyes zed over, I realized that we had more inmon than I thought. We had both been through a great deal of pain. And we¡¯de out stronger, braver than we¡¯d ever thought possible.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I whimpered.


    Jason stared at me in disbelief, the tears in his eyes encouraging mine. ¡°Yes?¡± He asked, still in disbelief.


    I gave a wateryugh. ¡°Yes. Yes I¡¯ll be your wife. Yes I¡¯ll have you, by my side, for the rest of my life. With our daughter.¡±


    Jason stared at me and buried his head in his hands. And for the first time, I saw him cry openly. Heart wrenching sobs emanated from his chest as he ced both hands above his head in disbelief.


    He quickly scrambled to his feet. ¡°You said yes?¡±


    I let out a loudugh and watched him dance around me in circles. His happiness was contagious.


    Finally he put the ring on my finger and kissed it.


    Now it was my turn to cry.


    Slowly, he tucked me in a bear hug and moved his hands to the back of my head, gently drawing me in and pressing his warm lips against my forehead head in a kiss.


    And for the first time in a long time, I actually felt something. Like I was whole again, like a part of something now. Suddenly, I had a family again, a child, and the future didn¡¯t seem so bleak anymore.


    ¡°I love you, Jason,¡± I whispered into his chest, not sure if he could hear me.


    The sharp intake of breath from his lips told me he¡¯d heard me, and I pretended not to notice as his chest heaved up and down in quiet sobs.


    I melted into his embrace and for a while, we stood there inpanionable silence.


    Daring myself to, I leaned in for a kiss.  Jason looked up wide eyed in surprise but he didn¡¯t pull away.


    His lips melded against mine in the first heated kiss we¡¯d ever shared. He swallowed and withdrew himself.


    ¡°Mel,¡± He whispered. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    I nodded.


    I was ready.


    Hungrily, he recaptured my lips between his, making me moan in pleasure when he ran his tongue over my bottom lip.


    When my left hand finally located the fly of his jeans, I squeezed his throbbing arousal, enjoying the wild, throaty sound that escaped his lips.


    In one swift motion, heid me down on the soft grass and began to caress me with his lips, his feathery touch sending tingles down my spine.


    My breath quickened as he trailed soft kisses from my cheeks down to the side of my neck.


    With his free hand, he slowly began to unzip my dress.


    My breath caught in my throat but I urged him on when he stopped, looking to me with concern filled eyes.


    I promised myself I wouldn¡¯t let any bad memories ruin this perfect day.


    Seeing the doubt in his eyes, I intertwined my fingers in his hair and pulled him to me, guiding his hand down my zip and into the dress.


    My body spasmed in pleasure when his big hands cupped my breasts. Gently, he squeezed, molding, teasing me.


    I arched my back when he began to withdraw his hand. ¡°Please,¡± I begged. ¡°Please don¡¯t stop.¡±


    ¡°Shhh,¡± He cooed, peeling the rest of my dress off. ¡°I¡¯m never hurting you again. I promise.¡±


    I could only nod.


    When he had taken every piece of clothing off me, he stared at me, his face worshipful.


    ¡°God, you¡¯re so beautiful,¡± He whimpered, leaning over and proceeding to kiss every inch of me.


    My center was soaked by the time he was through and this time I begged, my voiceing out in small sobs.


    I helped peel off his clothes as he spread my legs wide with lust filled eyes.


    I felt myself explode as he slowly entered me, thrusting gently, until I was wide enough to amodate him.


    The initial pain and fear faded as he took thrust after thrust, till he began to form a rhythm.


    I moaned deliciously in pleasure as I had my first orgasm, my body racking with tiny shocks as Jason simultaneously released, holding onto me for support.


    When it was over wey in the grass, hands intertwined and stared up at the moonlight. I told Jason about my dreams of going to space when I was a little girl, and he told me about the telescope his mother had gifted him once.


    We sat in sweet silence for sometime, ying with our fingers, and then Jason nudged me.


    ¡°Hey,¡± He smiled. ¡°I think Kam would be a beautiful name for our daughter.¡±


    Kam.


    I liked the sound of that.


    And so I nodded. ¡°I think Kam is perfect.¡±


    As we relinked our fingers, staring at the stars and wondering aloud what they could possibly mean, I realized that our forever had only just begun.


    THE END!


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