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A PALPABLE SENSE OF TENSION LINGERED IN THE AIR THE NEXT NIGHT, inside Mandy's house. The prospect of hiding away with Vinnie had seemed fraught with uncertainty, and Amelia found herself hesitating. The Milkovich residence, while providing shelter, was far from the safest place. Guns were scattered around the house, as if it were some sort of fortified compound, albeit a marginally better one.
As Amelia entered the house, she was met by Mandy's questioning gaze. "I thought you were going with Vinnie," Mandy inquired, her tone revealing her concern.
She had a way of making Amelia feel valued and cared for, a feeling she desperately needed amidst the turmoil of her family life. "I thought you'd not mind..."
With a slight shrug, Amelia confessed, "I don't trust me, I can use another girl around." Mandy opened the door to her room, ushering Amelia inside. Once the door was securely shut behind them, Amelia took a seat on the bed, finding some solace in Mandy's presence.
"I mean, I can still go to school," Amelia mentioned, seeking to make herself useful. She was unlike Ian or Mandy, always excelling in academics and never feeling threatened in the realm of education.
But beneath the surface, what Amelia truly wanted was for Mandy to insist that she stay, to convey her desire for Amelia to remain. It was a longing for validation, a yearning for love and understanding from those around her that ran deep in her veins.
Mandy, however, had her reservations. She didn't want Amelia to become ensnared in her family's dangerous world. "I don't want my dad to mess with you," Mandy explained, her brown hair tinged with purple. Her concern was genuine, and she wore it openly. "I couldn't forgive myself if he did something to you, and I let you stay..."
Amelia's lips curved into a small, appreciative smile, her gratitude was evident in her eyes. "I thank you for that," she mumbled, her laughter bubbling up as she felt a glimmer of safety. "He doesn't?"
Mandy's eyes softened as she gazed at Amelia. "You're safe here," she reassured her new friend, her words a silent promise to protect her from the tumultuous world outside. "And my dad knows better than to mess with the people I care about."
"No...God" Mandy removed her eye contact fully from Amelia crossing her arms and shifting on her feet while holding onto herself. Amelia hated how Mandy's voice changed, it was something she didn't like and never could stand. "I'll see you at school tomorrow, You better be there all drugged up too."
"Oh wow, of course." Amelia smiled standing up from the bed grabbing onto her bookbag and putting it over her shoulders.
Leaving Mandy's house behind, she walked out of the coldness in the Chicago nighttime air; layers surrounding her body. Now that Mandy wasn't showing her the attention that she wanted there was no one left; with Logan busy with University entrees, Lip didn't want to talk to her, Vinnie was the only one who she knew to go to even though he didn't care and it was obvious.
