Ami – Memories (Chapter 2)

Well this was awkward. We sat opposite each other in silence. Ikuto was lounging on the sofa, his arm casually wrapped round Amu's shoulders. Amu was sitting straight fiddling constantly with her fingers. I was sitting on the other side still in shock. I mean it's not every day your sister who left home five years ago and her boyfriend come to visit, is it?

'Is Mum and Dad here now?' she asked quietly.

'No, they're out' I said abruptly, avoiding making eye contact.

'Look Ami, I'm so sorry...'

Then I just lost it, my barriers crumbled.

'You think saying sorry is enough? You think that will just wipe away all the past just like that?' I demanded, interrupting her halfway through her apology. She flinched and Ikuto tightened his arm around her, 'You left Dad, Mum and I without even saying goodbye, do know how long they looked for you, how much they missed you? How much I missed you?'

Amu opened her mouth to say something but then closed it again. Amu knew me too well.

She looked so much older now I realised through my anger. I suppose it was to be expected, she was what...20 now? Her pink, bubble-gum hair was so much longer than it used to be, close to reaching her waist. I remember tangling my fingers in it when she gave me a piggy back, the scent of her strawberry shampoo wafting around my 5 year old face. The memories stung and brought back more and more of those painful memories. A part inside of me wanted to just forgive and forget, but I stayed stubborn.

It was quiet for another minute or so and then I just stood up and ran. Amu started to follow but Ikuto pulled her back murmuring something in her ear. I ran till my legs just couldn't hold me up any longer, and I slumped against a tree, panting heavily. Maybe next time I should have picked a shorter route I thought once I had regained my breath. But if I scrambled up the wall instead, one, I would be in serious trouble, two I was scared of heights and three getting down would be a little tricky for me (I'd inherited my clumsiness from my sister).

'Yo and can I just ask why the hell are you in my garden?' came a voice from above me.

'I'm sorry, I...' I looked up to see my childhood friend Kyo smirking down at me. 'Kyo! ' I sighed relieved, 'for a minute I thought you were someone else. Like your Mum.' I giggled the past events pushed to the back of my mind.

Whenever I was around Kyo all my problems that were weighing me down lifted and by the time we finished chatting they had disappeared altogether. Like when I was 10 I was getting bullied by these other girls in my year. They were the type of girls who had everything cuteness, popularity and rich parents. One day I came home crying and he jumped over the wall between our two houses and we sat chatting in my room for hours till Kyo had to go home. It wasn't a comfort chat; you know like 'are you all right' when it's perfectly obvious that you aren't. We were just talking about random things, things that made me laugh, and things that made me smile. Before he went, he said 'you're better than them Ami, so much better' and he hugged me. That was the cheesiest thing he's ever said to me by far but I still treasure those words. And that's what made me fall... I stopped my train of thought as Kyo crouched down next to me.

'So what's the problem now, Miss Ami?'