Jealousy, Jealousy (Part 1)

27 - Amelia

Esme rushed up to my room minutes after I had exploded on Noah in front of everyone.

"Amelia! Are you okay?" she wondered, hugging me immediately.

My eyes began to tear up and I started crying. "No, I'm not. Nothing will be the same with Noah anymore."

"Aww... cheer up! He'll come to his senses, don't worry."

"Thanks, Esme. I've missed you," I mumbled quietly. There was a moment of silence and I thought she didn't hear what I had said. But of course, she did.

"I missed you too," Esme smiled. "Mimi."

I popped my head up and gently smacked her. "No, don't you dare. I hate Noah for that!" We giggled and I felt slightly better.

During the weekend, I managed to dodge Lauren whenever I saw her at home or at school. She tried to talk to me several times but I simply ignored her. I felt bad but I couldn't forgive just yet.

On Monday morning, a guy from my homeroom named Jason came over to me.

"Hey, how are things?" he asked. Why was he asking me this?

"Fine... why?" I questioned.

He rubbed his nose. "Oh, ha! I just wanted to check in on everyone to see how they're doing."

"Okay, well thanks."

"Can I tell you a joke?" he smiled.

I nodded. "Sure."

"Okay. Here I go. What kind of streets do ghosts haunt? Dead ends!"

I laughed a bit. "Honestly, that was actually a bit funny." I glanced over at the classroom door and spotted Noah standing there, watching Jason and I. I turned away from him quickly.

That same day, Lauren didn't come home. It was already 9pm, Father and Rachel were both starting to get worried.

Rachel checked her phone constantly. "What if she's in trouble? Should we call the police?"

Father sat down and stared at the table. "Let's wait a few more minutes. She'll show up soon, I'm sure."

"This is so unlike her. She got off work hours ago. Where could she be?" Rachel paced back and forth in the dining room.

I sighed. "She'll come back eventually. Don't worry so much."

Father looked at me in disbelief. "This is your sister we're talking about. Who knows what could have happened to her? You should be worried too!" I stood up in a hurry and banged my knee against the table.

I yelped, "She's not my sister! She'll never be. The minute she comes into my life, she takes over everything! Everything. Why am I not the favourite anymore? Why can't I be loved the same way as I was before!?" The shock in both Father and Rachel's face sent me crying to my room.

That night at around 9:30pm, Lauren came home. She had encountered some kids from school on the way home and they took her to a party without her permission. Neither Father nor Rachel talked to me that night, which I guess I deserved for yelling at them.