The Butterfly Effect

Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER THIS CHAPTER INVOLVES ABUSE**
Nova
Monday morning dragged behind me like a shadow. I barely wanted to be at school, not after Saturday night.

I couldn't stop thinking about that kiss—the kiss kept looping in my mind like a secret I wasn't ready to say out loud. I didn't know what scared me more—if it meant everything to him... or nothing at all.

I like him, but I also still like Amir, even though I was still mad at him. If Amir found out what happened at the party, he would be furious. Even though we weren't together, I still feel like I owe him an explanation.

"Nova," a voice calls me, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I turn to see Daisuke walking toward me. Oh no. I don't want to see him just yet.

"Hey," I say nervously.

"Can we talk about what happened that night?" he asks.

Before I talked to him about that kiss, I wanted to talk to Amir first. I needed to figure out how I felt.

"Can we talk about that later? I have to get to class—you know I can't be late," I say.

His face turns into a frown. He tries to say something, but I leave too quickly before he can finish.

I need to find Amir. I texted and called him, but his phone went straight to voicemail. I shake my head in annoyance. I see one of Amir's friends in the hallway talking to a girl. I remember him because he was the one that left a bruise on my arm.

"Hey, have you seen Amir?" I ask.

"Oh, um, he's sick," he says, scratching his head. I could tell he was lying. And how could he be sick right after the party, anyway? Then I remembered—I could check his location on Snapchat. It said that he was at his family's restaurant. Why was he there?
Fuck it. I'm going to skip.

I head for the student parking lot and get in my car. Once I make it to the restaurant, I walk in and look around for Amir. I spot his curly hair in the crowd and start to walk toward him. But I stop when I realize he's with someone. A girl. She had brown straight hair and blue eyes—the total opposite of what I looked like.

I felt my heart break a little when I realized that everything he was doing with her was the same things he did with me. She was eating the same cake, the man that played violin for me was in the corner waiting for Amir's cue to come in.

Hell, they even sat at the same table we did last time. The only thing different was that he had gotten her a bouquet of roses.
What the fuck was this?

Amir glances in my direction, and panic immediately runs over his face.

My eyes begin to burn as I try to hold back my tears. I turn and walk away—no way was I going to let him see me cry. I don't want to even look at him. I walk out of the restaurant with Amir running behind. I make it to my car, but he grabs my arm, stopping me from getting inside.

"What do you want, Amir?" I say, my voice breaking.

The tears rolled down my face like a waterfall. His eyes were full of regret. He reaches for my face and tries to wipe my tears.

"Don't fuc—fucking touch me," I spit, slapping his hand away.

It's been a while since I stuttered, and the fact that he was the reason made me even more upset.

"Nova, it's not what you think."

"Oh yeah? What the fuck's going on then?" I ask. I've never been this angry in my life. I never let things get to me, but this was different. And to think my dumb ass was trying to give him a chance.