𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐬 ✓

Chapter One

4/12/98

Amaryllis

I was petrified. I couldn't remember anything that had happened. All I could focus on was the beautiful green eyes in front of me as the body connected to them held me up so I wouldn't fall. Suddenly, I felt my body being pulled up and my feet completely touching the ground now.

"Are you okay?" His voice was velvety and deep. I was entranced by him. Everything about him. From his dark hair to even the way he dressed.

"Hey, did you hear me?" I blinked rapidly as I looked anywhere but his eyes deciding to settle with looking at my shoes. If I looked into his eyes, I wouldn't be able to look away.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thank you." I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Maybe if you looked up more you would've seen the cart full of books coming your way." He laughed making me look up at his perfect white smile which made a small smile appear on my face accompanied by some blush.

"I'll make sure to keep that in mind." I smoothed out my brown pants and tugged on the sleeves of my white undershirt under my green vest due to the fact that it moved when he pulled me into him.

"I gotta get going now but if you don't mind me asking, what's your name?" I looked back up at his eyes and mimicked his smile.

"Amaryllis. And your's?" I couldn't take my eyes off him.

"Alexander. I hope to see you more often pretty lady." He walked away with the image of him still in my head.

I smiled brightly as I held my books in my hands and watched the beautiful man retreat through the library doors.

"What was that about?" I jumped up as my heart exhilarated out of fear. I turned around and found my friend Marcy standing there as I held my chest where my heart is hoping it'll go down to a normal rate.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!" Worry was clear in her voice.

"I'm fine Marcy. But you should know by now not to sneak up on me." She brought me into a hug and apologized a hundred times until I told her everything was fine and that she had nothing to worry about.

"What time is it?" She looked up at the clock that hung in front of the library.

"Four thirty-eight" I let out a sigh.

"I have a doctor's appointment today at five. Are you coming with me?" Marcy just smiled at me like she always did. I swear I have the most beautiful best friend.

"Of course I am! I've been going with you since the beginning." I smiled gratefully. I don't know what I would do without her.

"Let's get going then, you know Dr. Harmon doesn't like to be kept waiting." She nodded and we headed out towards the hospital after checking out the books I was carrying.

*5:40pm*

"Everything seems to be fine Amaryllis. Your heart seems to be doing fine, nothing abnormal but I still do advise that you stay away from situations that may cause it to beat too quickly." I nodded knowingly seeing as she would tell me this every time I came in for a checkup.

The last time something extremely dangerous happened to me was when I went on a rollercoaster. I suddenly couldn't breathe and my heart was beating quickly.

That's the day I found out that I have Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

{AN: D.C. is a real condition but I did change it to fit the story. I did some research on it for the sake of it so I am aware that D.C. isn't like what I've written.}

Not one of my best moments.

"Okay, well, that's it for this checkup. Just go to the front desk, make an appointment for next month and you'll be good to go." We thanked her and did exactly that.

As we sat in the car, everything was quiet. Neither of us spoke.

It was always like this after a doctor's appointment. We just thought it would be better to be silent and just think for a while before she dropped me off at my house.

Marcy was the only person, aside from my parents, that knew about my heart condition and I would very much like to keep things that way.

If people found out they would treat me differently and give me pity looks and smiles. That was the last thing I'd want.

I wanted to be treated like a human being, not a charity case.

We reached my house in no time. We said our goodbyes and I entered my house just to walk into the screams and cries of my parents as they fought again.

I've gotten used to it over the years but it still scares me when my father threw things at the wall out of anger. He wasn't always like this but people change with time. He is no longer the caring man that I grew up admiring.

As I walked past their bedroom I could clearly hear what they were fighting about.

"You're her father! You should be worried!" I sat on my bed and opened a book just listening to them argue.

"It doesn't matter! It's not my fault your daughter came out as a defect! I'm not paying for those damn hospital bills!" I no longer cried when I heard things like that. I just agreed. It's not really his fault I was born a defect. It's not really anyone's fault except my own.

I could hear my mother's cries as my father stormed out of the room and out the door. But, this was just a normal Sunday for me. Doctor appointments and my father saying I was a defect.

Just a normal Sunday.

4/14/98

Alexander

All I've been able to think about were those beautiful brown eyes. I could stare into them all day if I could. And the way her name rolled off my tongue.

"Amaryllis"

I've been saying her name since I heard it. She was just as beautiful as her name.

Her long brown hair, her big brown eyes, her full lips, her rosy cheeks, just everything about her attracted me. I was scared that I would never see her again so I decided I'd head to the library in hopes of finding her.

I entered the building and walked towards the aisle I met her in. I prayed and prayed and prayed to find her there.

As I turned the corner of the shelf I was found with a girl looking at books on the shelf. My palms started to sweat and my legs got stiff as if telling me not to go to her.

"Amaryllis." She turned towards me. I hadn't realized I said it out loud.