Chapter 4:

"Great!" Amy moaned looking at the papers in the university shop. She was plastered all over them as she sang and danced with Anthony at the open mic night the night before. She rolled her eyes and grabbed a pint of milk. She was having breakfast with Jane on campus before all three were going to go sightseeing. "I guess I'll be signing autographs now as well!" she heard and turned to see Anthony staring at the papers

"Yeah well you'll love the attention won't you?" she asked walking over to the cashier

"What's that suppose to mean?" he asked raising an eyebrow

"You, being so over the top and smiling to every girl with a pulse. I get it; you love the limelight so enjoy it while you can. I have to live with it so here I go ... living with it ... bye bye" she explained as she paid for the milk

"I'm not that vain, you don't know me at all" he defended himself following Amy out of the shop

"I know of your reputation and that is enough for me" she explained trying to walk faster to get away from him but he wouldn't let her get away that easily

"I can say the same for you honey" that was the straw that broke Amy's back and she turned around full of rage

"Don't call me that! You have no right to call me 'honey' so drop that now!"

"So getting pissed at mean is changing your clean cut reputation then for me?" he asked with a smug smile. All she wanted to do was slap him but her beeper going off distracted her. "Your publicist by any chance?" he asked folding his arms

"No it's my Aunt Zelda Therese. She's a little annoying, makes my stomach flip whenever she contacts me. She's not very nice you see, rather overprotective" she lied. It was the lie that she always used to get away from explaining her secret

"Annoying relatives, I know what you mean! You should talk to the councillor if you're having issues at home"

"I'm not having issues at home and besides IF I needed help I wouldn't ask you" Amy explained

"Well you would actually. I'm on the school council so you would have to book your appointment through me" he explained and Amy raised an eyebrow

"Appointment?" she asked

"Yeah you can't talk to anyone unless you have an appointment. At the minute it stands at two weeks in advance" he explained

"That's crap! What about students who are depressed and need urgent help?" she asked

"Well they have to book an appointment. I don't like it anymore then you do but it is the rules" he explained folding his arms

"Well maybe there should be a group that can help people with their issues. If there can be groups for Star Wars, and basketball, and films then there can be support groups and ones for people who suffer from life threatening illnesses have you ever thought about that? Instead of using your position in the university to pick up girls, why not use it to make a difference or is that too much for you to contemplate? Now if you excuse me I have to deal with my aunt and I can't talk to you when I'm feeling this angry" she turned back around and began to storm off

"It isn't up to me" he called after her

"It isn't up to me either but at least you have the power to make the difference for those in need who don't have a voice" she yelled back and headed out of the building. By the time she got back to Jane and Nicholas's place she was more frustrated than ever

"Calm down Amy, what got you so frazzled?" Nicholas asked taking the milk from her

"That pig Anthony! Acting so stuck up and pompous because he got on the front of the paper with me!" Amy explained sitting down on the couch

"I told you not to go near him girl" Jane said entering the room

"I didn't go to him he came to me, cornered me at the paper stand"

"Just as he will again, trust me!" Jane responded taking the milk from Nicholas. At that moment Amy's beeper went off again. She realised due to her argument she had forgotten to turn it off

"Someone after you?" Nicholas asked

"Yeah ... my um ... my Aunt Zelda Therese. She's a little excessive" Amy lied turning the beeper off

"I didn't know you had an aunt, I thought it was just you and your dad?" Nicholas asked

"Well she's not really an aunt. It's hard to explain but she's a part of my life if I like it or not!" she quickly wanted the change the subject so she talked about the first thing that entered her mind. "Hey Anthony was saying how you have to book an appointment to see the councillor is that true?"

"Yep, two weeks and you only get a half hour slot!" Jane said from the next room

"That sucks! There has to be a better way"

"Well take it up with the council then. I'm sure they would be interested" Nicholas responded

"Maybe ... if you'll excuse me before breakfast and our big day out I need to make a phone call" she grabbed her bag and went out into the hallway and as she pretended to make a call she took her AZT

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"You ok honey? You look a bit pale?" Jane asked and Amy smiled

"I'm just warn out! A full day of shopping and sightseeing has got me tired that is all. At least Nicholas got some great pictures and we got to go shopping" Amy explained holding up their shopping bags

"Too true!" Nicholas said taking another picture. They were in Central Park and came across the statue of Alice from Alice in Wonderland

"I love this statue. It is my favourite in the whole park. I always used to wear my hair down with a pale blue ribbon when I first moved here so everyone used to think I looked like her. There was a picture taken of me in the park when my dad first became famous with this statue. It was a profile on him in Rolling Stones magazine and we spent the whole day in Central Park. I was holding onto my dad's shoulder with my right arm whilst his arms were around my waist and I was reaching out to touch the watch that Alice is reaching for with my left hand. It was a great day" Amy explained

"It is a beautiful statue" Jane added with a soft smile

"I used to come here all the time. Like if my dad was taking a break from writing songs he would bring me here for some fresh air. We would talk, play and I'd like to sit here and read. I would sometimes bring the stories of Alice to the statue to read" she explained lovingly circling the statue

"Yeah and you still do!" Amy heard and turned to see Roger. She smiled broadly and ran over to him

"Daddy! What are you doing here?" she asked as he lovingly pulled her into a warm embrace

"What you said I was doing. I've got a bit of writer's block so I'm getting some fresh air" he explained and she giggled in his embrace. He finally let her go and she turned to Jane and Nicholas

"Daddy I want you to met my friends. This is Jane and Nicholas; they've been looking after me" Amy explained and Roger shook both their hands

"It's so nice to meet you Mr. Davis" Nicholas said and Roger smiled

"Please, call me Roger. Thanks for looking after my little girl; I hope she isn't driving you too crazy?" Roger asked and Amy turned red with embarrassment

"No she's no trouble at all. She's told us a lot about you" Jane reassured him

"Likewise, so are you enjoying your day sightseeing? I hope she's shown you all the best New York can offer" Roger asked as the red from Amy's cheeks lessoned

"Oh only the best. I've been able to expand my photo collection" Nicholas explained

"Yeah and my wardrobe. I can't afford but I don't care. Hell you only live once right?" Jane asked making Roger smile

"Right! I like her" Roger said to Amy making her smile

"I knew you would"

"Well does anyone want to go grab a drink? Life Cafe on me?" Roger asked and the girl's nodded

"Sorry I can't I have to be on the other side of the city in an hour" Nicholas explained and Jane raised an eyebrow

"What for? I didn't think you had a social life outside of us two?" she asked making Roger smile

"I'm sorry but I have a date" he explained

"Well look at you! Mr. Date! We need to photograph this as a form of evidence or no one will believe it!" Amy said making Nicholas smile

"Well that sounds nice but first can I get a picture guys, you included Roger? It would be great for my profile?" Nicholas asked holding up his camera

"Cool with me as long as you don't sell it on the Internet" Roger said and the three stood in front of the statue whilst Nicholas took their picture

"That's great, thank you. Right I had better go. I'll see you around" Amy nodded and he gave her hug. "It was nice to meet you Roger" Nicholas shook his hand once more

"You're welcome; I hope to see you again soon"

"Alright bye" Nicholas walked away and Roger wrapped his right arm around Amy's shoulders

"So table for three then? Oh everyone is coming to the Cafe for dinner if you want to join us Jane"

"Really? I'd love to! Oh what am I going to wear? I think we should go shopping!" Jane said excitedly

"No more please!" Amy responded making Roger laugh

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"So are you going talk to him?" Jane asked as the gang sat down to dinner at the Life Cafe. Amy just let out a sigh as a response. Jane had been bugging her with that question all afternoon and it was driving her mad

"Talk to who?" Mark asked

"Anthony ... and I haven't decided"

"Who is Anthony?" Roger asked and Amy glanced to him

"Daddy he ... he's hard to describe" Amy explained running her right hand through her hair

"What's he like then Jane since Amy is too confused to tell all?" Joanne asked

"Well he's -" Jane began but was cut off by Amy

"He's rude, vain, arrogant, selfish, conceited, self absorbed, obnoxious, and the most irritating specimen of a man I have ever met in my life!" Amy said in one go surprising everyone

"He's hot isn't he?" Maureen asked

"So so so so soooo hot! I just feel my legs turn to jelly every time he looks at me with that gorgeous smile" Amy explained slumping back in her chair. Roger raised an eyebrow as he had never heard Amy talk this way about a boy and frankly it terrified him

"He can't be that hot, it isn't possible" Roger said and Jane laughed

"Wait until you meet him honey. He can charm anyone with his smile ... and that dimple ... is it hot in here?" Jane asked taking off her jacket. Amy laughed and glanced outside. As she did her laugher and smile faded instantly

"Oh God!" Amy said alerting everyone and they watched her climb under the table

"What is it?" Mark asked and Jane began to laugh

"Oh my God! Girl you had better keep your mouth shut he's coming in" Jane giggled looking out of the window. A few seconds later the door opened and the gang watched Anthony enter

"Hey Jane have you seen Amy at all?" he asked and Amy listened intensively under the table. Looking around at the legs under the table she realised all the girls including Joanne had suddenly crossed their legs. The sight made Amy want to laugh and cringe at the exact same time

"Amy? L ... let me just think ... um ... Where is she? ... Well to tell the truth -" Jane responded and Amy pinched her leg making Jane jump. "NO!" she yelled as a reaction and she quickly smiled. "No" she said softly and Anthony blinked a few times

"O - K then. Who are your friends?" he said and

"These are friends I've met through Amy, including her father Roger" Jane explained and Anthony held out his hand to Roger

"Nice to meet you" Roger didn't respond, just shook his hand and glared at the boy in front of him. "So you are having dinner with Amy's friends and family ... but she isn't here?" he clarified

"Well not at this minute ... she's running an errant" Mark said saying the first thing that came to his mind. Amy pinched his leg to and in the process Mark stood on a few of her fingers. She managed to suppress a scream and as soon as her fingers were free she cradled them like a delicate flower

"Well in that case I have things to do ... Look will you tell her I'm looking for her it's kind of important" he explained

"I'll think about it ... You know it isn't going to work Anthony" Jane said seriously and Amy listened intensively crawling closer to the end of the table to hear more

"What isn't going to work?"

"Your bait ... she'll figure it out" Jane said and Amy bit her bottom lip. She spied a fork on the floor and grabbed it

"FOUND IT!" she yelled closing her eyes from under the table and popped her head out from under the table with a soft smile

"Amy?" Anthony asked

"Oh H .. Hi! ... What are you doing here?" she asked looking up and saw Anthony looking as hot as ever with his arms folded. He held out his hand which she accepted and stood up awkwardly

"I'm meeting some of my mates here before going on to a night club or two. You said how this was a great hang out so I thought I'd check it out and if I was lucky I'd say hey to you. What were you doing under the table?" he asked

"Um ... I was looking for a fork, it was my errant of the day ... and I found one!" she smiled broadly holding up the fork whilst mentally kicking herself for looking like an idiot

"Interesting" he commented trying not to laugh

"Yeah well my life is so interesting! So ... hi!" she said putting the fork on the table and folded her arms

"Can I ask you something?"

"That depends, what do you want?" she asked and he raised an eyebrow

"I told you I came to say hi"

"I don't believe you somehow" she said grabbing her glass off the table and walked over to the bar. "Hey Jimmy, can I have a refill?" she asked the barman who nodded

"Are you trying to wind me up?" he asked approaching her

"That depends; you should be asking yourself am I actually winding you up?" she responded turning around, leaning her elbows against the bar

"Well it seems like it to me"

"Well of course it would, you aren't used to girls just walking away from you like this. So, tell me the truth, why are you really here?" she asked and he unfold his arms

"Ok I need your help"

"I knew it. So what can I do for you then?"

"You are just going to accept my honesty like that?" he asked confused

"Nope but I'm still listening"

"Ok I talked to the dean about your suggestion of a new group to the university but she won't spread the budget until the financial year is over in April which means if a group or change to the current system were to start then it would only start up until next September. It'll cost a few grand at least. That is where you come in" he explained

"You mean I have to pay for it?" she asked completely shocked

"No ... well maybe but if you were to set up something like a petition then the dean can't ignore you. At the same time you'll be helping me"

"Really?" she asked confused

"I'm currently studying the effects of the power of voice. How individuals have spoken up to change the course of the future like William Wilberforce. This petition may not stop a war or the slave trade like Wilberforce did but it can make a difference. I'd love to add it as part of my study"

"I'm not a William Wilberforce"

"Maybe not but you are close enough in our university. At the minute you have to book an appointment to be able to talk to someone, to let out all those emotions you have to deal with. Some students result to suicide to get away from the issues they have to keep to themselves. It isn't good enough. Don't you think the resulting events will be worth the fight?" he asked smiling softly and Amy noticed his dimple. She quickly turned her head away to not focus on it

"Let me think it over ok?" Anthony nodded

"Ok then, find me when you're ready to do the right thing then" he said annoyed and began to walk away. She turned and looked at him shocked

"If you feel so strongly about it why don't you do something about it? Why me?"

"Because at least you have the power to make change, I don't have that privilege" he explained and stormed out. Amy let out a frustrated scream and looked at the ceiling

"I told you he would come after you girl" Jane said and Amy looked at him

"Can you believe him? Wanting to get money out of me?" she asked approaching the table

"Yeah I can" Roger said and Amy raised an eyebrow to him. "Look this is an important issue at the university which he feels as strongly about as you do. He's right that you have a power to make a change due to your status so why not use it?" Roger explained

"I don't want to use it, I don't want to be exploited for who I am daddy" she explained sitting down

"Neither do I but you want to help those at the university and if it means giving out money then I say let them have it. Set up the petition first and see how that makes a difference first. You never know, that alone may change everything" Amy began biting her bottom lip with annoyance

"I told you he was hot though am I right ladies" Amy asked

"Oh yeah!" all of the girls said in unison making the boys laugh