Malevolent

Chapter 45

"Shit! Not again," Amra rolled her hair into a bun, threw on her hoodie and grabbed her backpack from the laundry chair in her room. She was going to be late for class if she didn't hurry. 

I just had to hit snooze! She scolded herself before heading to the kitchen for a quick on-the-go snack.

"You look like shit." Lily looked up from her coffee mug.

Amra found Lily sitting at the small dining table, a calm in her eyes and a smile on her face. 

Of course she would be relaxing, her finals were over, Amra thought.

"That's exactly what I want to hear." Amra rolled her eyes and grabbed a protein bar from the cabinet instead.

Amra knew it was true though. She had spent the last couple of days doing nothing but studying. The few minutes of sleep she got had been restless, filled with terribly vivid nightmares. 

Sometimes she dreamed of a horrible red-eyed monster chasing her. Other times she was running towards the monster, but then birds with massive wings would start pecking and scratching and pulling her away from him.

The only dreams she didn't mind, was when she dreamed of the brown-haired man. She'd gotten over not being able to help him and instead followed him as he walked out the forest, asking him questions he never answered.

"You sure you don't wanna borrow my concealer?"

"No time." Amra looked at her watch, because just as she was about to head out, she got the urge to pee. Of course.

"Did Alexie leave already?"

"Yep, left earlier for his final."

"Thank God, I don't have to wait to use the restroom!" She rushed over, not bothering to close the door fully, "And they say women take forever getting ready." Seriously, Alexie could take ages in the restroom, she groaned to herself.

"Is this your last final?" Lily called from the dining room.

"Yes!"

"Great, then you have no excuse not to come out tonight."

Amra groaned as she zipped herself off. Now she would have to run to class. "How about a sibling game night instead?"

"Um, fuck no!" Lily set her coffee cup on the table, firmly enough for Amra to hear. "Come on Amra, even Alexie is going," she pleaded now.

Really, even Alexie, my nerdy brother, was going out? "Liar."

"I'm not!"

Amra left the restroom and hurried for the door.

"Oh, and Peter will be there." Lily said, pausing Amra.

"So?" She tried to say disinterested, but the truth was, she was a little interested that Peter was going.

"Come on," Lily rolled her eyes, "I know you like him. You guys totally hit it off the last time we hung out. Why won't you give him a chance?"

Why didn't she? Amra wasn't quite sure. 

Peter was a good guy, funny, sarcastic, charming, forbidden because he was her brother's best friend, and handsome even, but there was just something that always seemed to stop her every time she thought about starting a relationship, she felt a sadness she couldn't explain.

If she kept this up, she knew she'd end up alone. Or forever annoying Lily. Amra wasn't the only one with dating issues. Lily seemed to have the same aversion to men, always claiming there was someone better out there for her.

The only time she had ever seen Lily interested in a man was for those 3 seconds at a club when a guy with some green streaked hair had come to buy Lily a drink. That was the only time she thought her sister would finally wane, but after a few moments, Lily dismissed him and Amra could see the sadness in her face. She'd cried that night and so had Amra, and neither had known why. Both just chalked it up to hormones.

Maybe it's time to change that? If Lily saw that Amra was able to be in a relationship, then maybe she would feel comfortable doing so too.

"Alright," She sighed.

"Yes!" Lily cheered, "Let's go shopping after your final then!"

"Fine! Bye," Amra finally headed out the door.

𓆰𓆪

"Hey mom,"

"Hey baby girl." Sandy answered a bit out of breath.

Amra loved her brother and sister, but they could be a pain sometimes. After her stressful final, she wanted nothing more than to hear her mother's voice. It had been a while since they had last talked and Amra missed her more than she cared to admit.

With finals over, she planned on driving down to see her soon.

"How are you, mom? I miss you."

"I miss you too, baby. And I'm good, just cleaning the house. I tell you, as you get older you realize there is no need for big houses," she huffed.

"Mom, we live in a 3 bedroom." Amra chuckled.

"No, I live in a 3 bedroom. Now that you 3 moved out, it's just lonely 'ol me left to dust the house."

"Hey, what about Brian? He's there to keep you company." Amra thought about how happy her mother had been when she met that man. 

She was so glad Sandy had someone to keep her company after she and her siblings had moved out for college.

"Actually," Her mother hesitated for a moment, stopping whatever it was she was doing on the other end of the line. "Brian has been out scouting some cabins up on Sparrow Lake."

"Mom, are you thinking of moving?!"

"Maybe..." Her mother's warm chuckle made Amra laugh.

Although she would hate to lose her childhood home, she felt sudden relief, because all her life, she had had to grow up a few doors from her real home. The home her and her siblings had been rescued from.

"That's great mom." Amra said, trying to hold back her tears. At least now, when she went to visit, she would no longer have to pass by that wretched home.

"When are you all coming to visit me?"

"Soon mom. I promise."

"Alright then baby, take care. Alexie tells me finals are over, so party safely."

"We will mom. I love you, talk to you soon."

"I love you too."

Amra hung up just as she reached the student housing building. For some reason, she felt both joy and sadness. She had everything she wanted... and yet, it always felt as if something or someone was missing from her life.

She shook her body, "No more." She breathed in the fresh air, enjoying the warmth of the sun coming out. She realized the world was moving around her, and perhaps it was time for her to move on too.