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Amelie's leg bounced up and down anticipating the end of class. Her labs had been cancelled today. The teachers didn't want to spend the afternoon teaching teenagers that wouldn't even be paying attention because they were thinking about Christmas break. Her bags were packed already and in the car, and she had already checked her mailbox which added to her happiness because she'd only gotten one envelope. It was one that she'd been waiting weeks for. In any case, she could leave right after class. Glancing over at Aaron, she could see that he was antsy too. Reid however, had a bored look on his face as he sat three rows down from her, his head propped up on his hand, smushing his cheek. The latest rumor was that the two were fighting because he cheated on her. The detention on top of that made him very cranky. She didn't have control over the rumors that spread worse than wild fire in this hellish place. People thrived and survived on the supposed truths of others.
Amelie kept her distance even though she still sat at lunch with him. She just chose to sit by Kate who also sat as far away from him as possible. Sarah frowned at him constantly. After defending himself multiple times to the point of exhaustion, the rumor died, but mostly because Amelie said that their relationship was nobody's business, but theirs.
"Alright, I can tell that none of you are truly following along. Go, get out of my class and have a good break." The teacher shook his head, waving them off.
Amelie grinned not caring if she looked like a fool.
Sarah and Kate rushed out of the class with her, with Pogue following not far behind, talking about excitedly. Caleb and Tyler waited on him, but he didn't budge from his desk. He just laid his head down on his arms.
"Dude…let's go," Tyler said motioning for him to get up.
"Dude, detention," Reid retorted.
"Get out of my classroom Garwin. You're off on good behavior shockingly enough." The teacher spoke up as he closed his briefcase and exited the classroom.
Grabbing his bookbag, he swung it over his shoulder and left the classroom, shutting the lights off on the way out. He went to Amelie's room first instead of heading back to the room to pack. Tyler scoffed impatiently, but waited on him anyway.
Like he thought, she wasn't there. She had left already for home. She seemed to be on the run a lot lately. It didn't help that she got him stuck in detention either. That didn't give him much of a chance to talk to her. When he did get a chance to try to talk to her, he could only get within five feet of her before she found excuses to skitter away from him. He regretted the sexual run-in at the library now. On top of that, Aaron watched him closely. That made him slightly nervous because Aaron could take any chance he had to get him. Amelie and Aaron didn't get along obviously, but that didn't mean that they had no family value. Reid knew that. Seeing Aaron being protective of her made him almost want a sibling. Almost wasn't enough to actually want one though.
The drive home was quiet. He was looking forward to sleeping in for the next few weeks as well as paying Amelie a few visits.
You can't avoid me forever.
A new discussion needed to be had about their deal and whether she liked it or not, that meant confrontation.
Getting home, the place was empty. Mom and Dad wouldn't be home until next week. He was just glad that they would be home this holiday unlike Thanksgiving. Being a CEO of a corporate company and a Senator took a lot of family time away. That's how it was for a lot of the kids in Ipswich. It was no wonder over 70% of the student body wanted to leave the town. Parents weren't around all that often.
"Home sweet home," he mumbled and went upstairs to his room and dropped his stuff on the floor. He didn't have to unpack right this second.
He turned on his stereo, blasting the radio loudly. Nobody was home to yell at him for it. The end of Disease by Matchbox Twenty played and Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls started right after. Reid thought about Amelie instantly. This was the song to which he discovered her secret. Her singing, playing it like she was letting the lyrics run through her like a sword or something. He smiled to himself, remembering her beautiful voice. It was nothing like a songbird. It was better than that, not that he could tell her that and live. Music was her secret and no matter what, and she was determined not to share it with anybody. Why was beyond him. Maybe one day he would be lucky enough to find out, and she wouldn't need to keep it such a secret along with the rest of her life.
"Ellie!" Gabriel greeted cheekily. "Aaron."
"Hey, man." Aaron gave him a hug and headed straight to his room, no doubt to take a nap.
"How are you?" Gabriel asked.
"Tired." Amelie shrugged.
In his usual gentleman like ways, he took some of Amelie's luggage and helped her lug it upstairs chatting a little.
"Are Mom and Dad home yet?"
"No, they had a few extra work details they had to cover at the last minute, and your Mom has told me to tell you two that there will be a charity benefit held in Boston, and you and your brother are required to be there to support them."
Amelie groaned unpleasantly. She hated going to charity events. She ended up dancing with older strangers who would try to hit on her. They didn't care that she was underage either. The last one she went to, over the summer in the Hamptons, she got felt up by a forty year old.
"It's only two days."
"I don't care. I don't want to dress up. I came home to dress down and relax." She whined, huffing.
"Too bad. You can do this for your Mom and if not for her than the foundation. You know how important it is to her."
"Your guilt trips are terrible."
"Thank you. I've had a few years to perfect them."
Amelie stuck her tongue out at him.
"What do you guys want to eat for dinner?" he asked, setting her stuff down.
"I'm not hungry right now, but if I get hungry I'll get something easy."
"I'll go see about Aaron then."
"And probably get sucked into a video game." Amelie said
"Probably." He smirked.
Amelie shook her head, smiling. The kid in Gabriel often came out when he hung out with Aaron. Opening her bags, she searched for her little brown book. Finding it, she went downstairs to the parlor which was opposite of the living room and sat down at the grand piano. Before opening it, she played a little; OneRepublic. Their use of instruments was wide and made their song even better. She loved the piano parts the best.
A few hours later, her fingers were cramped, and her stomach was grumbling. She could hear Aaron and Gabriel shouting at Aaron's TV upstairs. They got way too into the game.
Amelie helped herself to the kitchen. The maids were gone before she had even come home, so she could make whatever her heart desired. She went with a classic that never went out of style. Cereal. Lucky Charms to be more precise. She left the marshmallows for last like always. It had been a habit since she was four.
Afterwards, she went to the living room and fell back onto the couch, sprawling out comfortably so that anybody who walked in wouldn't be able to share the couch with her. She flipped through the channels on TV. With nothing good on, she went to the DVD rack and grabbed first Scream movie of the series and put it in. Randy was her favorite character next to Tatum. She knew every line by heart.
She pulled her cell phone from her pocket before settling back down on the couch and put it on the coffee table next to the remote.
The phone rings and Drew Barrymore picks up the phone. Amelie sighed, flipping her hair back over shoulder.
"Of course she answers the phone." Amelie rolled her eyes.
Gabriel came downstairs forty-five minutes later to hear talking about murders on the TV. Amelie had fallen asleep on the couch. Lying on her stomach, her arms hung off the edge. Laughing quietly, he turned the movie off and pulled the dark blue afghan on the back of the couch over her.
Her cell phone buzzed on the coffee table making it move an inch or so across it. He glanced at it. There were three other messages. Each of them from somebody named Reid.
"Who the hell is Reid?" he mumbled, staring at the sleeping sixteen year old.
Amelie and Aaron were excited when Mom and Dad came home. Half of the house was already decorated with Christmas spirit to surprise them. That was always something the two of them could work together on without fighting. They waited to put up the tree mostly because Dad and Aaron had to go get it first.
After letting them settle in, the five of them were able to sit and eat while discussing plans for the next week.
"We'll go do some of our Christmas shopping while you two go get the tree tomorrow. Then we'll put it together and on Thursday we'll go to Boston and be home by Saturday," Mom said.
Amelie shifted uncomfortably. Gabriel was staring at her with a knowing look.
"So Mom, are we dress shopping too?"
"Yes, we are." She smiled.
Amelie nodded. Dress shopping was fun, but difficult because she was determined to find the perfect dress for whatever occasion. This one called for something beautiful and graceful, but not slutty. That meant no mass amounts of cleavage, but show a little skin. Mom always said a little skin got the men to donate. Dad told Aaron that flirting got the women to donate. They all had their tactics for the greater good.
"Gabriel, will you be spending the holidays with us this year?" Dad asked. He asked every year to see if he would like to join them. He was basically the adopted son of the family.
"Yes sir." Gabriel smiled, not taking his eyes away from Amelie. She squirmed some more.
"Are you okay Amelie?" Mom asked, her eyebrows furrowed, concerned.
Aaron looked at her strangely.
"I'm fine." She said quickly, looking down at her plate hoping nobody could see the panic she felt. He knows something…shit.
After dinner was finished, Amelie rushed after Gabriel who headed for the stairs.
"Whoa-" he said as he was pulled into the parlor.
"What is with the look of death?" she demanded, staring him down fiercely.
"The what?" He chuckled.
"Gabriel," she exasperated. When he knew things about people he tended to drag it out to torture them. She'd seen him do it to Aaron a lot. It was the easiest way to make him fess up. She didn't think he would ever use the tactic against her.
"Who's Reid?" he asked.
"Who?" Her eyebrows rose. The bombshell hit her fast and hard. Gabriel crossed his arms over his chest intimidatingly. Great, now everybody can be in my business. This would be so easy if I could explain the real situation, and they would be okay with it. The likelihood of that happening would be like the likelihood of having magical powers.
"Reid."
She hung her head, the tough exterior crashing down.
"Oh…uh…"
"Ellie," he snapped.
"Boyfriend."
"What? Since when?"
"Beginning of October," she mumbled, shame fell over her like the cold snow. and she looked down at her feet.
"And why didn't you tell me?"
"You didn't really inquire. I didn't want to talk about it."
"Should I be worried?" His protective side came out from behind its curtain making Amelie smirk.
"Definitely. I'm worried," she replied.
Gabriel pulled her into a hug. She hugged him back hard.
"I can't believe how grown up you are," he said.
"Me either."
"I wish I could get Aaron to grow up."
"You and me both," Amelie laughed.
The next day, Amelie was dragged out to go shopping, but not before receiving an unexpected and unwanted visit.
She put on her black leather jacket ready to leave.
"You always have to look bold don't you?" Mom commented. Amelie looked down at her apparel and smiled. Bold was intimidating. The black on black she chose to wear brought out the only color she wore. Vibrant red lipstick.
"I learned from my mother." Amelie said with a smartass grin, wiggling her eyebrows.
"Oh just go." Mom ushered her towards the door shaking her head at the rebel.
Opening it, Amelie froze completely.
Reid stared at her dazed by her appearance. He bit back an interested smile.
"Going to a funeral?" he said coyly, finding his voice after a minute.
"Shopping. We were just leaving, bye." Amelie said breathlessly and grabbed her Mom by the wrist and flew past him to the SUV.
"Amelie!" Mom exclaimed in a hushed whisper.
"Mom, let's just go." Amelie was in the car with her seatbelt on within seconds.
Reid watched with an amused grin as they drove off down the small grove.
"Garwin." Reid turned, an agonized look etch on his face as Aaron stood there, a look of hatred on his face.
"I'm not going anywhere. I'll wait right here until Amelie gets back."
"Really?" Aaron said taking a step forward.
"Yeah, really.
"There's something you should know. Since you've already jumped back into my sister's good graces, I've postponed kicking your sorry ass. That's mostly because I don't need her ruining my life, literally. Don't worry though. I fully plan on rearranging your face eventually."
She already is ruining your life. So am I.
"You're still holding a grudge after what happened almost five years ago?" Reid said with disbelief. "Get over it. It was a long time ago."
"She broke up with me because of you!" Aaron yelled, his veins pulsed from his throat.
"And let me guess…you were in love?" Reid snorted, finding it funny. "We were twelve."
"Like you would know anything about love," Aaron gritted out.
"I may be the siren of the school, but I know about love."
"I'll be sure to not make it happen between you and my sister. You're already on a rocky path as it is."
"Fuck you," Reid snapped, glowering at him.
"Aaron, are you ready to go?" Aaron's father came to the door. "Who is this?"
"Hello sir, my name is Reid Garwin." Reid held out his hand, smiling politely, ignoring Aaron.
"It's nice to meet you." The two shook hands. Aaron's jaw clenched angrily, but he smiled the fakest friendly smile he could give. It could win an Oscar probably.
"Likewise, sir."
"Please stop calling me sir. Call me Daniel."
"Alright."
Aaron watched the friendly exchange and prayed that Reid wasn't invited on their trip to get the tree. The last thing he wanted to watch was Reid kiss ass to Dad.
"What brings you here? Are you and my son friends at Spenser?"
"Actually, I came to see your daughter. You see, we've been dating for a few months, and I wanted to see about taking her out on a date this evening."
Daniel looked at him blankly. Reid took a step back. This was the stare right before the interrogation and hell.
The hell never came. Instead, Daniel chuckled.
"So, my baby girl finally took a chance. I'll be damned." His smile was tight. There was a threat behind it. The kind of threat that said he could put him away easily. Reid's insides clenched making breathing even more difficult than it already was. Coming here felt like a bad idea.
"Yes, but apparently I made it too late. I'll be going." Reid said.
"Alright. Try tomorrow." Reid nodded and walked down the porch step s hastily.
"He seems nice enough."
Aaron sighed heavily.
"Can we go now?" he said in an irate voice.
"Sure." Dad grabbed his coat and followed Aaron out of the house.
"You could've invited him along." Mom said, shoving another dress behind the curtain.
Amelie took it and hung it up on one of the hooks attached to the wall. She walked out of the dressing room and was instantly shoved back into it. This was the fourth dress she had tried on. Nothing seemed perfect. She got dressed in her clothes and came out.
"You still have one more dress in there," her mom squabbled.
"And so far every dress you've picked isn't good enough or you would quit shoving me back into the dressing room. I'm going to search for a dress now." Amelie said and waltzed through the store, looking at the many colors, types, and designer dresses.
One caught her eyes quickly. The dress sat on a mannequin, shimmering beautifully like a trophy.
"This is the dress." Amelie reached out to touch the beautiful satin resembling the blue that a storm cloud held before a thunderstorm. It had an over bust corset that laced in the back, letting the laces which were jeweled with white gems lace across the skin, showing the back. From the corset was the rest of the dress flowing beautifully down. It didn't poof at all which was an added bonus. It was way too difficult to move around in a dress that looked like it could hold a circus. It shimmered with glitter. Gems like on the corset laces also lined the bottom and top of the corset.
"Yes it is," Mom agreed. "Let's get you some shoes and jewelry to go with it."
A gemmed choker was chosen that would cover her throat, and hug it snugly. She picked it because it reminded her of Fifty Shades of Grey kind of in the way that the choker was like a collar. It was a very expensive, yet gorgeous, sparkly choker. A pair of dangle, tear drop earrings came with them. Two sets of diamond studs and a single stud were bought too for her two other ear piercings and cartilage.
The shoes she chose were silver, strappy stillettos. The straps were silver ribbons and wrapped a little ways up the ankles.
"Did you get your dress?" Amelie asked before they left the store.
"Yes I did. I got it before coming home. Saved a lot of time too." She winked.
"I guess we just have to get Christmas out of the way now."
"That's going to be difficult." Mom laughed.
"Yeah," Amelie agreed. The hard part about living with men was that you never knew what to get them.
Hours later, the two of them had gotten their Christmas shopping done. Now, the guys only had to get theirs done. When they got home they could hear all three guys huffing and groaning from the living room. Amelie burst into laughter at seeing them trying to get the tree up.
"Shut up, El!" Aaron grunted. Mom laughed too, dropping the shopping bags in process.
After the tree was up, the five of them stared at it.
"I think it looks great." Amelie said then went upstairs taking her shopping bags with her.
She let out a long breath, taking off her black suede, high heel boots. She tossed them across the room without a care and they clambered to the ground by the wall. Her feet felt relieved from being released from their confines. Finally having alone time like this was always something she treasured. It gave her time to reflect back on the long day. She moved to her iHome stand that sat in the corner of her room and put her iPod on it, tossing her purse onto her bed in the process. Hitting the play button, a song by Collective Soul started playing. She bobbed her head to the guitar.
Oh I'm newly calibrated
All shiny and clean
I'm your recent adaptation
Time to redefine me
Let the word out I've got to get out
Oh I'm feeling better now
Break the news out I've got to get out
Oh I'm feeling better now
Soon enough she was singing to it as she changed out of her clothes into something more comfortable. Her time alone was interrupted by her phone ringing. She ignored it and grabbed her laptop, putting it on her vanity. It sang, coming to life.
Her phone rang again quickly, getting on every one of her last nerves. She picked it up on the fourth ring knowing exactly who was calling.
"What the hell do you want," she snapped.
"Nice mouth." Reid chuckled on the other end. "Is that Collective Soul playing?"
"Again, what do you want?" Reid was the last person she wanted to deal with. It was part of the reason she was so happy to be off of school for a few weeks. He had been harassing her for getting him detention. Not only that, but it gave her time to evaluate her feelings about Reid. Well, not really about Reid. He was still his normal, flirtatious self, but it was all directed at her. Her squirming around him didn't help get her out of it either. She knew that he had lost sight of what the point of their 'relationship' was.
"I wanted to talk. You left me with Aaron and your dad," he said
She smirked at his less than thrilled tone. They made the mighty Reid Garwin nervous. That's funny.
"You can wipe that mighty, smug look off your face."
"Hey, I had a lot things to do. I don't let anybody tie me down."
"Not even your boyfriend?" Amelie rolled her eyes. He was getting way too used to that word. Amelie rubbed her forehead knowing that an argument was coming.
"Whatever." Her voice was flat. She changed the song on her iHome.
Reid said nothing for a long time, but she could hear him breathing on the other end. Each one made her wonder just little bit more if he was ever going to say anything. She lay back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. She quickly shot up at hearing a knock at her door though.
"Honey, I was wondering what you wanted for dinner," Mom said.
"Um..."
"Go for Chinese," Reid said in her ear.
"Indian food sounds good," Amelie said.
"You love Chinese. Eat Chinese. Don't be stubborn because of me." Reid's voice was faint.
Amelie sighed.
"Alright," Mom smiled. "Who are you talking to?"
Amelie's eyes widened. No excuse was coming to mind.
"Um…nobody. It's not important."
"Really?" She wasn't convinced.
"Really?" Reid said at the same time only more sarcastic and dejected.
"Can't I have privacy in my own room?"
"Yes." Mom sighed. "Just make sure you pack tonight."
"Okay."
"I'll send Gabriel to get you for dinner. He fends the lioness off better than I can." She joked.
Amelie laughed at that and shooed her out.
"Packing?"
"It's none of your business." Amelie said, lying back down on her bed. She let out a ferocious yawn, blinking rapidly from the momentary blurry vision.
"Amelie, you are going to have to trust me eventually. I'm not out to get you. We're partners in this."
"You forced yourself on me in the library!" She exclaimed.
"I did not! I wanted to get a rise out of you, and I got more than that or don't you remember? You didn't push me away."
Amelie's heart raced crazily. Why did he have to act like this now? Before all of this, life was a lot simpler.
"I have to go. I have things to do."
She hung up leaving him to listen to the dial tone.
"So, what's up?" Tyler asked as he grabbed a small handful of chips from the bowl in front of them. His eyes were fixated on the TV.
"Absolutely nothing."
"Liar."
"So is she."
"You two are a weird couple. It's almost as if you aren't even dating."
Reid said nothing. We aren't.
"She just has a hard time trusting people. I haven't figured out why, but I'm hoping she'll tell me eventually."
"You should've picked a more stable girlfriend. I honestly think you should break up with her…then again I can understand why you can't." Tyler said, tapping his fingers on his chin thoughtfully. "Don't want to end up like Kyle, but we could always make you look like a bad boyfriend. Then she'd break up with you and you'd both live."
"Dude, stop. I don't want to break up with her." Reid said
"I just thought-"
"No. Stop thinking. I like Ellie. Get over it."
"Alright, fine." Tyler said and shrugged. He got up from the couch. "I'm getting a soda. You want anything?"
"No, I'm good."
Reid thought about calling her again and telling her not to hang up, but a better plan came to mind.
She didn't have to pack much since she didn't plan on staying for very long. She'd get there a day before, go to the charity event the next evening and then leave next morning she'd be on the road.
"You were right by the way." Dad said as they all sat down to eat dinner.
"Who?" Amelie asked.
"You. The man was innocent. It turns out that his sister had done it."
"Whoa," Amelie said as she put a little spicy curry onto her plate. "That's a game changer. Killers aren't usually female."
"That'll make for a good horror flick," Gabriel said smirking.
"For sure," Amelie agreed, already thinking about the plot line. Nobody would see her as the killer, but they would see her as the victim. In the end, she would be able to back the one person she'd been after, her husband because he's cheated, stolen, and lied to her. The big reveal leads to how she knew about everything from day one and how he almost got away with it. Leaving his death looking like a suicide. Then people would start to find out and anybody who got too close ended up dead. She even bent the story a bit to make it look as if she'd be next. In the end she would die by two gunshots in defense.
"Amelie?"
She came back to the dinner table and out of her movie playing mind.
"What," she said, her face blank.
"Will you be hanging with any of your friends?" Mom asked.
Aaron bust up laughing.
"Are you kidding? She has no friends."
"Aaron!" Mom scolded.
"I do to!" Amelie yelled, flinging rice at him.
"What about Reid?" Dad spoke up quirking his eyebrow. Aaron quit laughing and stared at Dad just as deadpanned as Amelie did right then.
"Reid…uh maybe. Christmas is time for family." Amelie said.
"We should have him over for dinner."
"We don't have to." Amelie said.
She could picture it now. Him and Dad would get along because he would act charming even though he was anything but. Mom would be taken with him because of his chiseled, gorgeous features. Aaron would be Aaron which meant being an asshole. That left her with being extremely uncomfortable with the small talk, questions, and tight smiles.
"I think it's a great idea. We'll have him after Christmas."
"But-"
"Enough. You don't need to hide him. I think it's great that you feel ready to have a boyfriend. Especially since I can't imagine that it's easy. We support it," Mom said.
Amelie hoped that she would be quiet soon. The look on her face was enough to explain what she was really saying. Of course it's not easy because we're not dating. Jesus!
She was ready to scream that it was all a set up, but didn't. Instead she bit her tongue hard and nodded, her gut twisting. Aaron looked how she felt. Grim and moody.
The rest of dinner was mostly eaten in silence. The Reid subject was enough to make her quiet. Mom and Dad didn't talk about what happened with Kyle. She had asked them to. She didn't want to be seen as fragile because of that ingrate. She knew that was the reason they were precautious about Reid and wanted to know him.
"I'm finished," Amelie said after twenty minutes of endless silence. The only thing she could hear was chewing. It was starting to drive her insane. She pushed her plate away and left the room. Aaron and Gabriel had gone to play more video games five minutes ago.
She heard whispers after leaving the room.
"I'm worried. Do we know anything about this boy?"
"Relax. I met the kid. He's Garwin's boy."
"I've heard about him Daniel. He's not the kind of boy you want dating your daughter."
"Andrea, we have to let Amelie do this on her own. We can only be there for her when she needs us. You know she won't let us interfere. She's her own person, and I blame you because that's where she gets it."
"I do not want it to happen again."
Amelie rushed up the stairs not wanting to hear anymore. She hadn't even thought that Reid could be like Kyle. She didn't want to even think about Kyle. Biting the inside of her cheek, she locked her bedroom door and started to undress. Grabbing her silk robe, she wrapped it around herself and walked into her bathroom, taking her lighter from her vanity with her. Elegant butterflies decorated the fire maker.
The water poured out of the faucet. She passed her hand under it, turning the hot and cold knobs until the temperature of the water wasn't too hot, but enough that steam rose from the tub. While it filled, she lit the candles in the room then turned out the lights. The room glowed with the dancing flames. She add lavender bath oil to the tub and let it to continue filling.
He's not perfect or anything like. I can't even stand him. The only reason he seemed right for all of this is because he'd actually agree to it.
"Oh, I forgot." Amelie ran from the room quickly and turned on some music. Sarah McLachlan.
She went back to the bathroom and left the door. She turned the water off then undid her robe, letting it fall to the floor. Nobody could ruin this perfect moment of relaxation. This was her world.
She settled into the tub slowly and moaned as a delightful shiver ran over her body making every inch tingle.
This needs to end soon. I can't take much more. None of this was supposed to happen. It was supposed to stay at school.
Amelie played the piano, Fer De Lis. For classical music, it was one of her favorite pieces to play. It sounded ominous, and she liked a little bit of ominous from time to time. It kept life interesting. Her fingers glided magically almost. Her heart knew the tune more than her own brain.
"It's beautiful."
Amelie's fingers stumbled and the next few notes came out hard. She clenched her hands into fists.
"Who let you in?"
She didn't turn to face her visitor. His voice was enough to set her on edge.
"I think his name is Gabriel. He let me in."
I can't believe he let him in here. I am going to kill him.
"I just thought it would be the right thing to do, you know, show my face, prove I exist." He continued.
"This is getting too deep. I didn't want my parents to know," she said.
Reid nodded, pursing his lips. He didn't like what he was hearing and she could see it clear as day.
"Shit happens," he said. "How long were you hoping this little escapade would last?"
"Graduation. I'd be free from my brother, and you would be on a whole new playing field with fresh girls."
Reid thought about it for a moment. I have six months. I always love a challenge…and she certainly is taht
"Six months…you expect me to hold out that long? Ellie, you're killing me." He was nearly whining.
Amelie smirked and rolled her eyes, then turned around on the bench. His sulk was wiped away with his flirty grin. She crossed her legs and leaned back on the piano. The way he was flipping back and forth between his seriousness and silliness was confusing. It was almost as confusing as her trying to decide if he was a friend or not or if he was somebody she really let in. Not once had she ever had to deal with this and that only made it harder. She didn't know about anything revolving around such strong feelings. She only rejected them. It was to protect herself.
"You'll find other girls like the bottle blonde from Nicky's," she said.
"We didn't do anything."
"Oh, I'm sure you didn't." Amelie didn't bother trying to sound convincing. She didn't care.
"We didn't." His voice was more firm. "But, I guess I can say the same to you about your H-U friends?"
"I guess you can." She shrugged. Why deny it? If she just told him, he'd be disgusted, and she wouldn't need to worry about his sexual advances anymore making this all much easier.
"Why do you let those guys at H-U use you and not me?"
The question left her stumped for a moment. Was used the right word? It made her feel dirty. They weren't using her, but the opposite. She could control what they did and didn't do, not the other way around.
"I can control them."
"So, that's why you push me away. You're afraid of losing that control."
"It doesn't matter. I don't want that from you."
"Are you sure?" He walked across the room towards then leaned in close to her. "You're shaking."
And, she was. She couldn't stop it. He stared at her lazily, his eyes moving from her lips to her nose and then meeting her dark eyes.
"You did scare me, waltzing in here without a sound," she lied, flexing her fingers then shaking her hands.
"Right," he said, his tone sardonic. Every part of Amelie tensed hating that he made her judgment fuzzy and control lessened with him. "By the way, I love it more when sing while you play. You have a beautiful voice. It's just a shame that nobody hears it."
It dawned on her quickly, her eyes widening, her jaw dropping.
"You're the one spying on me!? I thought it was Caleb!" she shrieked. "That means you're the one who put that flyer on my door."
Reid wiggled his eyebrows and smiled. Amelie's jaw clenched tightly, red, hot, fury bubbled to life inside her. How could he intrude on something so private? That was her time alone. Nobody was supposed watch her or even know.
"I just think you have amazing talent. It shouldn't let it go to waste," he said, honestly, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Mom and Dad want you to come to dinner after Christmas."
"And you?"
Amelie shrugged. It didn't matter what she wanted. He had a mind of his own. He wouldn't listen to her, so what was the point in answering.
Getting up, she brushed past him out of the parlor and spotted Gabriel in the living room, the remote in his hand. Amelie huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, her hip popping to the side, putting her bitch face on. Reid snickered and passed her walking into the living room. Gabriel stopped channel surfing, feeling her glare like a burning sensation and walked out to meet her. Reid took his place on the couch comfortably.
"I can't believe you," she whispered, harshly. "You were supposed to go all grrr and scare him away!"
She peeked into the room. Reid had one foot propped up on the coffee table. Oh my god, you're such a guy.
"I thought I was supposed to give approval. Isn't that what every teenage girl wants for their boyfriend?"
"No! Not this teenage girl. I wanted you to get rid of him like the big protective guardian you're supposed to act like."
Gabriel sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. This girl is backwards.
"Do you want me to get rid of him now?"
Amelie leaned to the side and looked into the living room and snorted. He made himself right at home.
"No, I'll deal with it."
"Good. Go be a good girlfriend." Gabriel ran off down the hallway, dodging her swinging hand in the process.
"Ass," she grumbled.
She plopped down beside Reid on the couch, sinking into it. Reid shouted, at Amelie as she took the remote and changed channels.
"Hey, I like that show!"
"I don't care," she said, her comment snide. She flipped through the channels. Fashion show, flip, Action movie with a guy hanging off the wing of a jet, flip, food channel, flip, Ghost falling in love with a person, flip, slasher, she put the remote down.
Reid looked at her surprised that she found enjoyment in the horror section. She didn't jump that often and sighed with annoyance when characters were setting themselves up to die.
"I never would've guessed that you like horror."
"There is a lot you don't know about me." She flipped off the TV because the killer was an idiot, making him laugh.
"Maybe you'll tell me a little more."
"Maybe." But, she didn't sound promising.
"Would it help if I revealed a little bit about myself?"
"Help? Not really, but it would be useful." Amelie laughed. "Tell me though, what could you tell me that I don't already know?"
"Cocky today aren't we," Reid remarked, grinning.
"I learn from the best." She shrugged.
"Yeah, I'm awesome." He nudged her playfully.
Amelie scowled at him, but ended up laughing. The goofy face he made it impossible to not laugh at him. He wasn't so bad all the time. It was hard to admit that, even if it wasn't admitted out loud.
"So, talk," she commanded. "You suggested telling me about you. Tell me something that you think I don't know."
"I don't know now. I'm remembering that you got me detention for no reason." He said teasingly.
"Me?" she feigned shock, holding her hand to her chest.
"Yes, you." He looked hurt by it.
"You deserved it." She shrugged not caring. It was just detention. She could've gotten him suspended or heck, expelled even. Detention was nothing.
"I did not Ellie."
"Whatever! Just spill something already or I'm kicking you out."
"Fine." He sighed, fidgeting with his fingers and looking around the room hoping nobody was around. "You can't tell anybody. Not even Caleb, Tyler or Pogue know this."
"Um…okay." She rolled her eyes.
"You keeping your music to yourself is important to you. This is important to me."
"Okay, just tell me. I mean, is it illegal?"
"Like what you do? No. I just-" Amelie shook her head slowly, coaxing it out of him.
"I'm a writer."
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