Disclaimer: Clearly, I don't own Back to the Future OR the characters affiliated with it. Nor do I own the idea of writing about Doc's daugher or the parts of the story that match up with the movie. I do own Amelia however and my own quaint little plot. Enjoy!
READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!!! : )
1985—Hill Valley High
"Goooood morning Hill Valley! It's a beautiful morning, Friday October 25th, 7:30 am. We've got some great hits coming up for you in this next set…"
Amelia pulled the covers further over her head just in time to muffle the beginnings of some Michael Jackson song. She was not ready to get up yet. Her father had been up all night long tinkering with something in his workshop. The bangs and "damnits!" had kept her up until exhaustion had finally pulled her under around 4:00. Even then she had not slept well. Her dreams had been littered with him…floating in and out…allusive as ever. If Marty Mcfly avoided her in her own subconscious there seemed little point to keep her hopes up. Besides, Marty had perfect Jennifer, what did he need with plain old Amelia Brown?
Amelia sighed and rolled over, drowning out Madonna this time. Oh it wasn't like she hated Jennifer, how could she hate the best friend she ever had? She was mad at herself. Mad that she had had that stupid party last summer. Mad that she had introduced them. Mad that she hadn't told Jennifer how she felt beforehand. Now it was too late. Jennifer had told her in chemistry the other day that she was in love with Marty and, in her surprise, Amelia had accidentally dropped her beaker full of colored water all over her book. Oblivious to the intense pain she was causing, Jennifer continued to go on about her plans for her and Marty, which incidentally contained marriage and six or seven bundles of joy.
"And you'll be my maid of honor, of course," she had said, beaming expectantly at Amelia.
"Sure, Jen," she had said, smiling weakly back, still trying to soak up some of the purple water.
"What's the matter? You were fine a minute ago?"
"Nothing, Jen, I'm fine. It's just…my book. I'll have to pay for it now." Jennifer had looked unconvinced but didn't say anything.
She did not hate her best friend for falling in love…but she was jealous as sin.
Amelia looked at her clock, it was 7:45. School didn't start until 8:30 but she was cutting it close. By the time REO Speedwagon had started to tell her that he couldn't fight his feelings anymore, Amelia had convinced herself to get up. She shuffled groggily into her bathroom, teased her hair, tossed it into a half ponytail, and put on the necessary makeup. Then she threw on a hot pink sweater, black stirrup pants, and matching hot pink scrunch socks. Dressed and fully awake, Amelia darted downstairs to grab something to eat.
Her father, Doctor Emmett Brown, Doc to his close friends, was already sitting at the cluttered breakfast table. His eyes had large dark circles under them and his already untidy white hair was even more a mess. He seemed to be nodding off into his coffee when Amelia plopped down into the opposite chair.
"Morning, Dad," she said, grabbing a piece of toast. Emmett jerked his head up and grunted, "Long night?" It brought her an evil sort of satisfaction to see him like this.
"The time circuits weren't working properly…have to…fix it before…tonight," he yawned. "There's something wrong with the flux capacitor too, I'll have to—"
"Dad, you lost me at 'time circuits'," Amelia said, taking a swig of orange juice, "what have you been working on all night?"
"You'll find out tonight," Emmett said, sipping his coffee.
Amelia was about to argue that he owed her an explanation seeing as he kept her up all night when her watch beeped. 8:15, shit! She'd have to run for it now. Inhaling her last bite of toast, Amelia grabbed her books and jacket, kissed her father's forehead, and bolted out the door.
Amelia made it to homeroom with thirty seconds to spare. She was out of breath and red in the face, but at least she wouldn't get another detention from Strickland, Hill Valley High's hall Nazi. The bell rang and the teacher began to take attendance. Amelia settled back in her desk and turned to her right to whisper to Jennifer, but she wasn't there. The desk behind her was empty too. No Marty. Amelia frowned, a vast litany of possible scenarios playing out in her head, everything from making out behind the football field to running to off to Vegas to get married.
She was just musing the possibility of a shotgun wedding when Marty and Jennifer strolled into the class, pink slips in hand. Strickland. Well, at least they weren't married.
The bell rang for first period before Marty or Jennifer had a chance to sit down. They waited for Amelia in the hallway outside the door and the three of them walked to their lockers. Amelia tossed her books inside and went about the task of fixing her windblown hair. Jennifer and Marty laughed at something next to her. She cringed internally.
"Oh! I have to talk to Mr. Welsh about my English paper!" Jennifer exclaimed suddenly. "I'll see you guys later!" She planted a kiss on Marty and skipped off.
Marty leaned against his locker and sighed. Amelia continued to fluff her hair. She really wasn't in the mood to hear about how great Jennifer was. She already had to sit and listen to Jennifer spill her life story in Chem. Amelia wondered sometimes if she knew more about Marty's love life than Marty did. It was embarrassing really, some of the things that Jennifer decided to share. Amelia knew everything from their first kiss to how they had started talking about taking "the next step". A step that Amelia had tried to convince Jennifer she wasn't nearly ready for. Sex complicated things she had told Jennifer…not that she would really know though.
"Aims, I think your hair is tall enough," Marty laughed, jerking Amelia back to reality. She blushed and closed her locker.
"Sorry, I was thinking."
"About what?" Marty asked, starting to walk with her to history class.
"Nothing…just…my dad kept me up late last night." It wasn't really a lie…but not quite the truth either.
"Hey I almost forgot, he called me this morning," Marty said, opening the door for her.
"What for?" Amelia set her books down on her desk and spun around in her seat to look at Marty.
"He was mumbling most of it," Marty said, slouching into his chair, "but he said something about meeting him at Twin Pines Mall tonight around one. Got any idea what he's up to?"
Amelia snorted.
"Please, you know how he gets…he wouldn't tell me anything. I was hoping you would know. You're his assistant or whatever."
"Naw, I'm just the kid who breaks stuff," Marty smiled. It was her favorite smile, the one that crinkled his eyes and flashed all of his teeth. Amelia's stomach did a funny flip flop.
She liked it best this way, when it was just her and Marty. Everything came so naturally around him. Ever since he had started helping out her dad they had become as close as a man and woman could without actually being a couple. She would say brother and sister but her own feelings prevented her from labeling them that way. Whenever they were alone together it just felt right, and history class had presented many opportunities for them to be alone together what with their joint projects and study sessions. Lucky for her, Jennifer's least favorite subject was history so she always politely declined when Marty offered to bring her along.
Those were her best memories. The two of them sprawled out on her living room floor the night before a big test, drinking Pepsi, making fun of Strickland. Sometimes, if she was having trouble remembering a date or fact, Marty was scoot close to her and help her find the answer in her book. He would lean so close it would make her head spin. Amelia's face would be on fire the whole time. Marty would politely ignore it and continue reading to her. Then he would smile her favorite smile and scoot back to his own work. Time and again she would catch him looking at her with a funny sort of grin on his face. But he always looked away quickly whenever she happened to notice. In moments like that, he was her Marty.
Halfway through the class, Marty tapped Amelia on the shoulder. She leaned back in her chair so he could whisper in her ear.
"Why does it have to be at 1?" He asked, continuing their earlier conversation.
"I told you he wouldn't say anything," Amelia whispered back.
"If I get caught sneaking out that late do you know what my mom will do to me? I'm supposed to go to the lake this weekend, you know?" Yes, she knew. Jennifer had told her all about it. But at that moment, with Marty's lips so close to her skin and his warm breath blowing the hair on the back of her neck, she was too distracted to feel jealousy.
"You never get caught Marty Mcfly," Amelia teased when she had found her voice again.
"Yeah sure," Marty muttered, pulling back slightly.
"Come on, Marty, Dad wouldn't have asked you to do it if he hadn't thought it was important." Amelia felt a hand squeeze her shoulder and then his breath was gone completely.
"You're right, Aims, I'll be there."
