Chapter 26

Amelia awoke to a headache. The blue light on her cell told her she had several missed messages. A quick glance told her she had about half a dozen missed calls as well. All of them from Eric.

She didn't bother responding, instead choosing to put her phone on the charger and get ready for school.

She had just finished getting dressed when Daniela knocked on her bedroom door half an hour later. "Hey. Ready to go?" The older girl dangled her keys in the air and adjusted the strap of her book bag on her shoulder. "I'm driving. I have a French exam to cram for so l wanted to get an early start."

Amelia nodded and grabbed her book bag from her unmade bed. "Yeah, just give me a minute."

Daniela frowned as she watched her sister scramble around her bedroom stuffing a notebook into her bag, spritzing herself with perfume and donning jewelry. The younger Mercer wasn't even wearing any make-up.

"Mia, slow down." Daniela coaxed. "It's cool. Take ten minutes to finish getting ready. Hell, I'll even let you borrow my make-up. Not like I ever use it."

Amelia smiled at her sister thankfully before escaping into the bathroom to finish readying herself. She quickly ran a brush through her long dark mane and pulled it back into a bun. Her nose was still a little bruised but that was nothing a little cover up couldn't fix, besides she was still using it for the bruise on the side of her face that was healing rather well but not quick enough.

She quickly did her eyes and grabbed a tube of Danni's lip gloss painting her lips before sticking the tube into her purse. "Perfect," she mused to herself, adjusting her earrings and necklace as she checked her appearance in the mirror.

Daniela was sitting on the girl's bed studying from her French textbook when she emerged from the bathroom. "Ready."

Daniela tossed the teen her phone. "You know who called twice while you were in the bathroom." Amelia was silent. "Fix it Mia."

At school, Eric stopped her in the hall on the way from second period. She knew he would have spent the entire morning looking for her before first bell and had successfully managed to avoid him before then. Her plan was to try and make it through the entire day, but no such luck.

She was halfway to her locker when he grabbed her. "Hey, what the hell happened last night?"

Fear flashed in her eyes for a moment and she swallowed hard. "Eric, my arm."

He released her. Guilt and anger both still present. "Sorry, but do you want to explain to me what happened last night? We were in the middle of making plans for this weekend and you just stopped talking to me. You didn't respond to my calls or texts. What was I supposed to think?"

Amelia took a step back and shook her head, before turning and continuing to her locker. Eric followed. "Hey! Amelia talk to me."

She blinked twice, struggling to keep her tears at bay as she switched the books out of her locker.

"Is it something I did?" Eric asked partially confused and annoyed. "I thought everything between us was… Dammit Amelia would you please just look at me."

Eric spun the smaller girl around by her shoulders, turning him to face her. Amelia caught the eye of her sister and three of her friends talking as the older girl entered a classroom across the hall.

"I just have a lot going on at home right now." Amelia tried as a single tear slid down her cheek. Her voice was small and the look on Eric's face as she spoke told her that he knew she was upset. "I'm sorry about last night."

She chanced a glance toward the open classroom across the hall. Daniela was sitting in the seat closest to the door; her textbook was open, but her eyes were on her baby sister.

She turned her attention back to the boyfriend standing in front of her. "Can we meet later in the quad for lunch? We can finish talking about this weekend then."

Eric nodded, "Yeah babe, of course." He took a step forward and wiped at the tear on Amelia's cheek. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come at you like that. Is everything okay? Anything I can do?"

The warning bell sounded and Amelia shook her head turning from the hand that Eric hand cupped softly under her chin. There was a knot in her stomach and she suddenly felt guiltier than she had all morning. Sure, he had a temper, but Eric truly did care about her.

"No. I'll be okay." She wiped at the tears stinging her eyes and took a breath trying to compose herself. "We should really get to class. I already have detention later. I don't want to make it any worse."

Eric grabbed the books from her hands. "I'll walk you. I have gym this period. Coach won't care if I'm a few minutes late."