Chapter 7
Amy had been in New york for 2 weeks by the time July 4rd rolled around, Ephram and Amy had settled into a routine. They both woke up in the morning, rooted around in the kitchen and had breakfast together, watched some TV as they took turns showering and getting ready. Then they would meet everyone for lunch, usually at Chili's, and then usually the girls would go one way and the guys would go another. Ephram had been right about Anastacia, she had eventually warmed up and while Skye wasn't exactly warming up she didn't avoid going out with everyone when Amy was with them.
"So you guys are coming over for the party tomorrow right?" Denise questions.
"I don't know..." Ephram begins shooting a worried look Amy's way and she is trying her hardest to avoid his eye contact. In two weeks Amy hadn't mentioned Colin once, and Ephram had only brought him up once but she hadn't wanted to talk about it and had left the room without another word.
"We'll be there." Amy promises.
Ephram's expression clouds and Denise nods, "great! Try getting there around sixish, the rents are leaving at 3 to go to the cabin for the weekend so we have the house to ourselves for the entire day tomorrow, no threat of them showing up."
"July 4th is going to rock this year." Skuz exclaims and a couple leaving the movie theater they are crowded around glares at the group.
"We should get home." Ephram states and everyone nods, exchanging their good-byes, and a long kiss from Skye for Ephram.
"Amy you don't have to do this tomorrow, I know it's going to be hard for you." Ephram states once they are back in the apartment.
Amy turns flashing eyes on Ephram, "you don't know anything about this Ephram. I don't want to talk about it!" With her words Amy turns on her heel quickly and enters her room without another word.
Ephram woke up just after 9:30 on the 4th of July, "good morning Ephram." Nonny greets when Ephram enters the kitchen.
"Morning Nonny." Ephram responds rubbing his eyes, he hadn't slept well he had been up most of the night trying to figure out what to say to Amy today. "Amy isn't up yet?"
Nonny shakes her head, "she's up and gone all ready. Shelby called at 8:30 I guess and they both needed red, white and blue outfits for the day so she left to go shopping with Shelby before Denise's party. Speaking of which, I wanted talk to you about the party. I'm not going to ask what is going to be going on at this party and I don't want to know. Your grandfather and I are going off the island with friends but we'll be back early so if you could just be quiet when you come in, whatever time that may be, it would be appreciated."
Ephram nods, "all right. Thanks Nonny."
"Are you all right Amy?" Shelby questions on the drive toward Denise's home.
Amy faces Shelby who had her hair colored red, white and blue in honor of the holiday. "It's just that the 4th of July last year sucks." Amy sighs, "and I didn't sleep last night thinking about it and the last year."
A thoughtful looks crosses Shelby's face and she doesn't say anything until the taxi pulls up in front of Denise's house. "Hang on." Shelby grabs Amy's arm before she can go inside Denise's huge home. "Take two of these."
"What are they?" Amy asks staring at the little pills in her hand.
Shelby shrugs, "I'm not sure what they are called, my brother gave them to me. They're all nature, they're save, but they'll get your mood up."
Amy stares at the pills in her hands, she could hear her father's words about what he would have to say about this situation. How many time had he lectured her on taking pills 100% natural or not. As if to squash her father's words Amy tilts her head back and swallows the pills.
"All right." Shelby grins, "let's get in there and have a good time."
Amy nods and they pull open the door as loud music hails them. Skuz appears suddenly out of the throng of people, holding two red, plastic cups full of what looks to be beer. "Hello ladies." Skuz greets handing them each a cup.
"Hey Skuz, where's Denise?" Amy asks scanning Denise's all ready smoky house for her, the effects of Shelby's pills were all ready kicking in and she was ready to party.
"Last I saw her, she and Justin were all over each other." Skuz responds.
"Speaking of which I should go find my boyfriend." Shelby states before disappearing, "I'll see you guys around."
"Ephram's here with Skye all ready, they showed up about 15 minutes ago. You should see Skye, she's dressed like a skank."
"I don't want to see Skye and I don't want to see Ephram." Amy downs her beer, "I'm here to party."
"There's the spirit." Skuz responds.
"Can I buy you another drink?"
"We pay for beer?" Amy asks.
Skuz shakes his head, "well, no but it made me sound so suave and debonair."
Amy giggles, "well then leave the way suave guy."
"Dude, Ephram, man!" A guy Ephram barely remembers from school stumbles up to Ephram and Skye a little after 9:30.
Skye and Ephram exchange glances, the guys was so trashed he could hardly stand, "what?" Ephram asks.
"Your friend rocks!" The guy exclaims, pumping his fist into the air, the sudden movement throws him off balance and he stumbles grabbing onto the wall laughing.
"Amy?" Ephram asks immediately concerned.
"That's the one!"
"Where is she?" Ephram questions.
"Inside..."
"Ephram leave her go." Skye urges, "she's having a good time, we're having a good time."
"I can't," Ephram responds pulling out of Skye's grasp. Hurrying inside ephram finds a group crowded into the kitchen and look up Ephram can't believe his eyes.
Amy states on the counter shirtless, wearing only her jean shorts and a strapless bra. "Amy get down from there." Ephram urges pulling on her hand.
Amy pulls away, "no, leave me the hell alone Ephram."
"I can't do that." Ephram responds.
"Ephram just leave her alone." Skye insists.
"Yeah Ephram just leave her alone." Amy mimics. Skye stiffens beside Ephram and Amy adds, "what? You have hated me since I got here. Bit I mean I guess you have every reason to really, I mean you're in love with Ephram and he has been in love with me since we first met."
A hush goes over the group and Ephram quickly pulls on Amy's arm, causing her to loose her balance and fall into Ephram's arms. Amy immediately begins struggling and he sets her on her feet.
"Oh look at Ephram playing the hero again." Amy hisses, "always taking care of poor Amy. Her boyfriend is in a coma, so I'll convince my brain surgeon Daddy to save the boy so poor Amy'll be happy, even though I am miserable without her. Poor Amy her boyfriend is..."
"Amy stop." Ephram orders gently trying to take Amy, who is sobbing by now, into his arms.
Amy shoves Ephram away, "poor Amy her boyfriend is dead!" with her words Amy begins to run away but Ephram grabs her, "let go!" Amy screams.
"No." Ephram responds gently.
"Let me go!" Amy hits against Ephram's chest, "I just want to die. Leave me go!" Amy continues to push against Ephram's chest until her sobs turn harder and she grips Ephram's shirt instead.
"Ephram," Denise fights her way through the crowd.
"I'm going to take her home." Ephram states taking his button down over-shirt off and wrapping it around Amy's bare shoulders.
"I drove." Justin appears through the crowd, "I'll take you guys home."
Ephram nods, scooping Amy, who can barely breath let along stand, into his arms an carrying her towards the car.
Amy had been in New york for 2 weeks by the time July 4rd rolled around, Ephram and Amy had settled into a routine. They both woke up in the morning, rooted around in the kitchen and had breakfast together, watched some TV as they took turns showering and getting ready. Then they would meet everyone for lunch, usually at Chili's, and then usually the girls would go one way and the guys would go another. Ephram had been right about Anastacia, she had eventually warmed up and while Skye wasn't exactly warming up she didn't avoid going out with everyone when Amy was with them.
"So you guys are coming over for the party tomorrow right?" Denise questions.
"I don't know..." Ephram begins shooting a worried look Amy's way and she is trying her hardest to avoid his eye contact. In two weeks Amy hadn't mentioned Colin once, and Ephram had only brought him up once but she hadn't wanted to talk about it and had left the room without another word.
"We'll be there." Amy promises.
Ephram's expression clouds and Denise nods, "great! Try getting there around sixish, the rents are leaving at 3 to go to the cabin for the weekend so we have the house to ourselves for the entire day tomorrow, no threat of them showing up."
"July 4th is going to rock this year." Skuz exclaims and a couple leaving the movie theater they are crowded around glares at the group.
"We should get home." Ephram states and everyone nods, exchanging their good-byes, and a long kiss from Skye for Ephram.
"Amy you don't have to do this tomorrow, I know it's going to be hard for you." Ephram states once they are back in the apartment.
Amy turns flashing eyes on Ephram, "you don't know anything about this Ephram. I don't want to talk about it!" With her words Amy turns on her heel quickly and enters her room without another word.
Ephram woke up just after 9:30 on the 4th of July, "good morning Ephram." Nonny greets when Ephram enters the kitchen.
"Morning Nonny." Ephram responds rubbing his eyes, he hadn't slept well he had been up most of the night trying to figure out what to say to Amy today. "Amy isn't up yet?"
Nonny shakes her head, "she's up and gone all ready. Shelby called at 8:30 I guess and they both needed red, white and blue outfits for the day so she left to go shopping with Shelby before Denise's party. Speaking of which, I wanted talk to you about the party. I'm not going to ask what is going to be going on at this party and I don't want to know. Your grandfather and I are going off the island with friends but we'll be back early so if you could just be quiet when you come in, whatever time that may be, it would be appreciated."
Ephram nods, "all right. Thanks Nonny."
"Are you all right Amy?" Shelby questions on the drive toward Denise's home.
Amy faces Shelby who had her hair colored red, white and blue in honor of the holiday. "It's just that the 4th of July last year sucks." Amy sighs, "and I didn't sleep last night thinking about it and the last year."
A thoughtful looks crosses Shelby's face and she doesn't say anything until the taxi pulls up in front of Denise's house. "Hang on." Shelby grabs Amy's arm before she can go inside Denise's huge home. "Take two of these."
"What are they?" Amy asks staring at the little pills in her hand.
Shelby shrugs, "I'm not sure what they are called, my brother gave them to me. They're all nature, they're save, but they'll get your mood up."
Amy stares at the pills in her hands, she could hear her father's words about what he would have to say about this situation. How many time had he lectured her on taking pills 100% natural or not. As if to squash her father's words Amy tilts her head back and swallows the pills.
"All right." Shelby grins, "let's get in there and have a good time."
Amy nods and they pull open the door as loud music hails them. Skuz appears suddenly out of the throng of people, holding two red, plastic cups full of what looks to be beer. "Hello ladies." Skuz greets handing them each a cup.
"Hey Skuz, where's Denise?" Amy asks scanning Denise's all ready smoky house for her, the effects of Shelby's pills were all ready kicking in and she was ready to party.
"Last I saw her, she and Justin were all over each other." Skuz responds.
"Speaking of which I should go find my boyfriend." Shelby states before disappearing, "I'll see you guys around."
"Ephram's here with Skye all ready, they showed up about 15 minutes ago. You should see Skye, she's dressed like a skank."
"I don't want to see Skye and I don't want to see Ephram." Amy downs her beer, "I'm here to party."
"There's the spirit." Skuz responds.
"Can I buy you another drink?"
"We pay for beer?" Amy asks.
Skuz shakes his head, "well, no but it made me sound so suave and debonair."
Amy giggles, "well then leave the way suave guy."
"Dude, Ephram, man!" A guy Ephram barely remembers from school stumbles up to Ephram and Skye a little after 9:30.
Skye and Ephram exchange glances, the guys was so trashed he could hardly stand, "what?" Ephram asks.
"Your friend rocks!" The guy exclaims, pumping his fist into the air, the sudden movement throws him off balance and he stumbles grabbing onto the wall laughing.
"Amy?" Ephram asks immediately concerned.
"That's the one!"
"Where is she?" Ephram questions.
"Inside..."
"Ephram leave her go." Skye urges, "she's having a good time, we're having a good time."
"I can't," Ephram responds pulling out of Skye's grasp. Hurrying inside ephram finds a group crowded into the kitchen and look up Ephram can't believe his eyes.
Amy states on the counter shirtless, wearing only her jean shorts and a strapless bra. "Amy get down from there." Ephram urges pulling on her hand.
Amy pulls away, "no, leave me the hell alone Ephram."
"I can't do that." Ephram responds.
"Ephram just leave her alone." Skye insists.
"Yeah Ephram just leave her alone." Amy mimics. Skye stiffens beside Ephram and Amy adds, "what? You have hated me since I got here. Bit I mean I guess you have every reason to really, I mean you're in love with Ephram and he has been in love with me since we first met."
A hush goes over the group and Ephram quickly pulls on Amy's arm, causing her to loose her balance and fall into Ephram's arms. Amy immediately begins struggling and he sets her on her feet.
"Oh look at Ephram playing the hero again." Amy hisses, "always taking care of poor Amy. Her boyfriend is in a coma, so I'll convince my brain surgeon Daddy to save the boy so poor Amy'll be happy, even though I am miserable without her. Poor Amy her boyfriend is..."
"Amy stop." Ephram orders gently trying to take Amy, who is sobbing by now, into his arms.
Amy shoves Ephram away, "poor Amy her boyfriend is dead!" with her words Amy begins to run away but Ephram grabs her, "let go!" Amy screams.
"No." Ephram responds gently.
"Let me go!" Amy hits against Ephram's chest, "I just want to die. Leave me go!" Amy continues to push against Ephram's chest until her sobs turn harder and she grips Ephram's shirt instead.
"Ephram," Denise fights her way through the crowd.
"I'm going to take her home." Ephram states taking his button down over-shirt off and wrapping it around Amy's bare shoulders.
"I drove." Justin appears through the crowd, "I'll take you guys home."
Ephram nods, scooping Amy, who can barely breath let along stand, into his arms an carrying her towards the car.