Amelia | ✔

36. Damsel in distress.

The house felt empty without mom to pat me on my back and tell me everything would be okay. It was hollow, just as hollow as I was inside.

With shaky legs, I walked deeper into our living room and sunk down on the sofa that seemed to be eager to receive me. I was lost. I didn't know what to do or who to talk to. Suzy would have been ideal, but I didn't want to drop this on her shoulders.

So, I just sat there. My eyes open but not really seeing anything. The only thing that was busy reminding me I hadn't completely lost it, was my mind. Even though I didn't want it to, it played back everything. From the best times, Logan had given me that afternoon to the worst that happened. Like in slow motion, every image that passed through my mind, tormented me and I didn't know how to shut it down.

Slowly, my eyes beamed with tears, and gradually, quietly, I let them flow. Then, I let myself cry out loud.

I cried till my eyes hurt.

I cried until I was too tired to cry anymore.

I cried until I fell asleep.

It must have been hours later when I woke up to the sound of a message on my phone.

'Honey, I'm just checking up on you. You must be sleeping now. Anyway, goodnight. Love. Mom.'

I looked at the message, and a small smile tugged at my lips. The living room was dark, too dark, so I dragged myself out of the couch and locked the doors before I went up to my room.

Even though I was happy to receive mom's message, I couldn't help but wish it was Logan who had texted me instead. He hasn't called or text to explain himself. Like what happened wasn't that big of a deal to him. Like I meant nothing. Maybe those other girls meant more. Maybe they were a lot more experienced than me and maybe, he was too busy calling them back.

That thought alone was enough to send me back bawling my eyes out. I cried myself to sleep again for the second time.

*****

I was jolted awake by the loud ring tone of my phone. The sun was already peeking through my window. I squinted, fumbling around my bed for my phone until I found it.

"Hello." I couldn't even understand my own voice. Felt like something was stuck somewhere between my air passage and vocal cords. So, I cleared my voice and tried again only to end up sounding the same.

"Hello, Amelia? Are you okay? What's wrong?"

Ethan.

"Oh, hi, Ethan. I'm okay, don't worry about it. What's up?"

"No, what's up with you? You don't sound, alright."

See, that was the thing. Ethan sounded concerned just from hearing my voice. That tugged at my heart, and tears welled behind my eyelids. He was bothered by a mere tone of my voice, and my own boyfriend wasn't troubling himself even with a simple message.

A sob escaped me before I could stop it. My hands flew to my mouth to muffle the sound, but it was a bit too late. Ethan had heard it.

"Amelia, are you crying? Shit, I'm coming over. Just wait for me, okay?"

I couldn't find my voice. With tears streaming down my cheeks and lips firmly sealed, I bobbed my head before I remembered he couldn't actually see me. So, I answered, "Okay."

*****

About half an hour later, I opened my door to a worried-looking Ethan. As soon as he saw me, he didn't wait for an invitation, with quick strides, he reached his hands forward and enclosed me in a hug. For a moment, his musky cologne was all I could smell as it invaded my nostrils and for some reason, I relaxed into him.