HAZE

CHAPTER 10

WHAT NEXT?

"Amara," her dad began, "I hope while in school, you read and do everything you please. We don't want you feeling you missed a stage in life when you are older."

"Of course."

"Do everything, but please don't get a tattoo. Your mother will kill us both."

"Dad, you know that my dislike for needles is bigger than that. But now that you mention it, maybe I should get a tattoo."

"Ha-ha! You're funny." Her mum replied dryly.

Amara hugged her parents and sibling's goodbye and left for the bus station. She kept looking for Rick in the crowds, wondering what became of him. She hoped she would soon see him, but when the bus was leaving, and there was no sign of him, she concluded that he was probably avoiding her.

She picked the newspaper that was on the seat and started going through it to pass the time. The first page made her feel like the universe was conspiring to make her get out of her social comfort zone.

The article stated, "In life, you can't skip chapters; that is not how it works. You must read every line, meet every character. You won't enjoy all of it. Hell, some chapters will make you cry for weeks. You will read things you don't want to read; you will have moments when you don't want to skip pages to end. But you must keep going; stories keep the world revolving. So live yours don't miss out.'

For most of her campus life, she was an ambivert. She was okay with having Nana as her only friend and knowing that she could have someone reliable to count on. She knew it was important to have more than one friend, but she preferred putting all her eggs in one basket for some reason.

She was scared of getting too close to other people. She believed there were people out there who would take her soul to the very bottom and connect in an insane depth but whom she will always hurt to say goodbye to. Because they could never be entirely hers, the uncertainty that came with inconsistency was baggage she was not entirely willing to bear. Her train of thought shifted just as abruptly, and Griff surfaced to the front of her mind.

She had been continually thinking of him; he was like a spark that fought its way into becoming a flame. They connected instantly, and it seemed like he knew how to get through to her. Making her smile effortlessly, easing tense situations and infiltrating her thoughts. She didn't know why, but she decided to go to school a day earlier to spend more time with him. Realizing how stupid she sounded, she decided not to tell Nana the real reason she was back to school early. It was a good way to escape Nana's teasing hell chambers. She started thinking of a perfect excuse and slowly drifted to sleep.

*

'Wake up! I keep telling you one day you will get yourself in the city of the lost.' Nana shook her awake.

The bus had arrived at Petrichor, and everyone on board had disembarked. She was certain Amara was still on the bus, so she asked the driver to go inside and check. She found her on the last row curdled like a ball sleeping soundly.

"You don't have to be so loud," Amara grumbled out, automatically leaning in for a hug.

"Whatever. I am just glad you are here."

"I know," she yawned before speaking out the remaining words, "when did I become so important?"

"Always and forever."

"Explains why you are all dressed up to come to pick me up."

'Oh no, darling! You are important but not that important. My mum is coming over to take me home. She says we have a family thing."