Reconstructing Amelia (unedited)

Chapter 60

December 7th, 2019

*Alan*

I watched Neo lead them out, resentment bubbling in my veins. I was losing her, again. I clenched my fists angrily, trying to keep myself from shouting.

"I guess we're done here," Cato said quietly. "Let's go home guys,"

My feet wouldn't move.

"Alan, come on," Xander put his hand on my shoulder.

I brushed him off bitterly. "No, we still have a chance. We can find her,"

Xander grabbed my arm, preventing me from taking off after Mia. "She made her choice, and we're going to respect it," he told me. "Let's go,"

I forced myself to nod and take a deep breath, letting him guide me outside to the car.

The ride home was completely silent, the four of us feeling unsettled about the whole thing.

"What are we supposed to tell the kids?" Xander asked quietly, as we sat in the car, not wanting to face our siblings.

Cato sighed. "I don't know yet,"

"We can't tell them where she is," I announced, earning two confused glances. "Trust me, they're going to be pissed off and try to go after her. We can't tell them,"

They both nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're right," Cato voiced, though he sounded distant.

"Well then what do we tell them?" Xander asked. "They're going to want information, we can't just give them nothing,"

"They'll just have to deal," Cato answered, exiting the car.

Xander and I followed suit, heading inside after him.

"How'd it go?" Eli asked eagerly as soon as we stepped through the door.

The triplets quickly surrounded us too.

"What did she say?"

"How did it go?"

"Is she coming home?"

Cato held his hands up in frustration. "Enough, slow down," he demanded. "Give us a minute,"

"Well?" Colton asked impatiently.

Cato glared at him. "We all need to have a talk,"

Even once we were all seated in the living room he still didn't explain, he just sort of sat there looking really sad.

"Is it that bad?" Cayden whispered.

I nodded. "Yeah,"

"Cato just tell us," Eli pleaded, his brown eyes shifting between us anxiously.

Cato sighed heavily. "Amelia has made the decision to file for emancipation," he stated quietly. "And until her case is finalised, she has also requested to stay with another guardian,"

Their faces fell, and they looked absolutely crushed.

"She can't do that!" Calvin cried, rising to his feet. "There's got to be something we can do to stop her!"

"No," Xander replied. "It's her decision, we're not going to force her to live with us,"

"And why not?" Colton snapped.

"If we do that, she'll hate us forever," I answered. "I'd rather keep what little friendship we have left intact,"

Cayden glanced at me hopefully. "Well, where is she living? Can we visit her?"