Imagine Me There

Chapter 8

Before Amy realised where she was running to, her hand was knocking fast and furious on Shane's front door.

As he pulled open the door, Shane was crushed to see Amy, standing in the pale porch light, looking more broken and torn than she ever had before.

"I really like her, Shane." she said, her voice breaking with each word. Amy didn't know what else to say. The memory she had just shared with Karma, and the fragmented conversation after it had made her realise fears she didn't know existed. She was afraid of more sleepless nights. She was afraid of how suddenly and unexpectedly Karma had come in to her life. And she was most afraid that she would push her back out of it just as quickly.

Amy tried to stop the tears from welling in her eyes, but it was useless.

"I know, sweetie," Shane answered. "I know." He wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he could, and ushered her inside and out of the cold night air.

"How come this is happening now? And why so fast? I don't even have time to think."

From her choice of words, Shane took it that Karma hadn't yet told Amy about her 'research project'.

"Maybe you're not meant to think about it too much. It's okay to fall, Amy."

"No, it's not. Not when you know people are going to end up hurt."

"Stop talking as if you don't deserve to be happy. The only way you can hurt her is if you run away from her, like this."

"You don't know that."

"I do. Because I know you, and I saw that look in your eyes when you first told me about her. And again when you saw her in person."

Amy broke away from Shane once he had led her in to the living room. He sat down as she paced back and forth. Her thoughts were frantic. She could feel her need for distance slipping as the light touch of Karma's lips still lingered on her cheek, a memory that instantly made her want to run back to Karma and never leave her side again. But Amy fought the feeling as hard as she could.

"What if I'm wrong about what I feel?"

"You should see yourself right now – if you didn't care about her so much, you wouldn't be freaking out."

"Shane, she asked me about my dad. Well, indirectly. She knew I used to be afraid of the dark. The only way she could possibly know is if I told her in the past. And even though I can't remember, I highly doubt I would have mentioned it."

Shane swallowed hard.

"Actually, I may have had something to do with that."

If looks could kill, Amy could have sent Shane to his grave ten times with the single, devastated look she was throwing at him now.

"What did you fucking tell her?!"

Standing up, Shane put his hands up as if surrendering.

"It came up in conversation!"

"It came up. Really? 'Cause I know what you're like, and I'm not buying that shit."

"You're not the only one that's scared here. Karma knows it, and I could tell it was making her even more worried."

"So you thought you'd tell her all about my personal life to help her sleep better at night?"

"No, I told her because she's the reason that you used to be able to sleep at all!"

Amy stopped her yelling and pacing for a second, feeling like an idiot. And it occurred to Shane that, in the heat of the moment, he may have said a little too much.

"She called you, didn't she?"

"When?"

"Don't play dumb, Shane. She fucking called you whilst I was on my way over!"

"Why does it matter?"

"Because you're both going behind my back."

"It's not going behind your back. It's called you cutting yourself off from your best friend and your…"

"And my what?"

"I can tell she feels the same way about you. So be honest with her. Just let it happen, Amy."

"Wow. A lesson in honesty from a guy that can stand there and lie to my face. Thanks a bunch."

For the second time tonight, Amy stormed out of someone else's house.

After spending an unhelpful thirty minutes of venting her frustration on the phone to Shane followed by hours of analyzing the situation in her head, Karma didn't expect her parents to still be awake when she came downstairs in the early hours of the morning. There was no way she could sleep after what had happened with Amy. And apparently neither could Molly and Lucas. The pair of them were sat at the dining table, as if expecting her to come downstairs.

As she noticed them on her way through to the kitchen, she froze up. In the dim light, they looked like strangers. Instead of the carefree people she used to know, who were obsessed with auras and chakra all manner of other spiritual topics, they had gotten lost and had been replaced by two worn-out and stressed souls. She thought that over the past few days, they had begun to revert back to their old selves, but any sign of that was gone now.

"You're still awake." Karma said, feeling guilt that her instability over the past few years had caused this to happen to people she loved. "Something on your mind?"

"Why don't we have a chat." said Molly. Karma obliged, and took a seat at the table.

"Your mother and I have been discussing a few things, and…we'd like you to tell us a bit more about Amy." Lucas chimed in, with a calm tone.

"What do you want to know?"

"At the hospital, you said she was the same Amy as, well, your 'imaginary friend."

"Can you not call her that?" Karma snapped.

"We're just concerned about you, Karma."

"Why? I'm fine."

Molly didn't have her husband's calm demeanor when it came to this topic of conversation.

"Perhaps you spending time with this girl isn't a good idea. She could be a trigger. And we don't want to see that happen to you again."

Karma felt like the foundations of her world had disappeared from beneath her feet, and now she was in free fall.

"She won't be mom! She's helping me!"

Molly shook her head, not believing her daughter. Karma knew how to make her listen though – she had gained practice growing up and trying to take an interest in her parents' (and her brother's) lifestyle. She had to appeal to the side of them she felt she had taken away.

"Mom, please. When I'm with Amy, I've never felt this complete. My soul has never been so complete."

"So," Lucas cleared his throat, "do you have feelings for Amy?"

"Yes."

Her father nodded.

"Then I think this is a good thing, Molly. Karma needs someone her own age to spend time with. She needs her life."

Karma smiled at her dad. He always understood her, however her mother was still unconvinced.

"I still don't think it's wise."

"Mom, I know you. I know you believe in soul connections. At least you used to. And that's what Amy and I have."

"Your sixteen. You have plenty of time to find your soul connections, Karma. I understand your feelings for her, but it's not good for you."

"Actually it is…she's my Twin Flame. The ultimate soul connection."

As his wife looked like she was about to shoot down Karma's theory, Lucas put a hand on her shoulder as if willing her to calm down. He nodded at his daughter to continue.

"I think that's why I used to see her and you couldn't. And that's why she saw me each time she fell asleep to the sound of her parents fighting. I was lonely and she was scared. It brought us together."

"You really believe this, Karma?" he said. "Because the chances of that are…"

"I know dad. But I have to believe it – it's the only explanation we have. We feel things and see things that shouldn't be possible. But they are. "

Frustrated beyond comprehension, Molly got up from the table and left the room without a word.

"She's just a bit overwhelmed."

"No, she doesn't believe me."

"Let me worry about your mother. You've got a good heart, and I trust your judgment. Even with something like this. I can't tell you how to feel."

"I'm scared, dad."

"Well. It's not your typical situation, I'll give you that much."

"Is it selfish not to say anything to Amy? I don't want to make her feel like I'm forcing her in to things. I want her to have real feelings for me, and not some stupid idea I put in her head because I read it in a library book. And I want time to make sure the way I feel about her is real too."

"It's all up to you, sweetie," Lucas got up from his seat and kissed Karma's forehead. "You'll know the time when it comes."

As her father left the room and climbed the stairs in search of his wife, Karma sat in silence at the kitchen table with thoughts of Amy on her mind.

A/N: anoptimisticobserver -Tumblr