Dominance and Defiance

Chapter 9- Favor

The gentle warmth of the morning sun seeped through the window, taking me out of my slumber. As consciousness slowly returned, I became aware of my sister's voice gently rousing me from my sleep.

"Wake up, Amelia," she called out. "It's already 1:00 p.m."

I groaned softly, my head throbbing with a dull ache. Rubbing my temples, flashes of the previous night flooded my mind like a relentless movie. The humiliation inflicted by Aiden, his cruel tactics, and the menacing presence of that black panther replayed in my thoughts.

I felt a surge of anger and frustration within me, threatening to overwhelm my senses. I wanted to scream, to lash out at the injustice of it all, but I was powerless in the face of his dominance.

Summoning every ounce of strength, I managed to compose myself long enough to call my sister for help. I faked illness, claiming to feel dizzy and unwell, and she wasted no time in rushing to my side. I came back home and directly went to bed telling my worried parents that my head was hearting.

"How's your head now?" My sister asked with concern.

"My head's still pounding a bit," I admit, wincing at the lingering ache. "But I'll manage. Thanks for checking in, Lily."

Lily's gentle nudge pulls me from the clutches of sleep, but my laziness begs me to stay put. With a groan, I flop back onto the bed, burying myself deeper into the covers. However, Lily doesn't give up so easily. She settles beside me, her voice soft yet persuasive.

"Hey, Amelia, Mom's making pancakes," she announces, a playful glint in her eyes.

The mere mention of pancakes sparks instant motivation within me, and I spring up from the bed, receiving a chuckle from Lily. With a quick nod of gratitude, I dart off to the bathroom to freshen up, eager to indulge in a delicious breakfast.

I quickly brush my teeth, splashing my face with refreshing water before applying cleanser. Running a brush through my hair, I leave it half-tamed, cascading in loose waves around my shoulders. Descending the stairs, I find that Lily has already vanished, likely gone away by the promise of pancakes.

I entered the kitchen to find Mom already cooking, her cheerful voice announcing, "Your friend has arrived." Making me frown.

 I stepped into the dining room, Rose was already seated with Lily. Having conversation with my sister in her signature energetic tone.

As she saw me, Rose stood up and approached, her words laced with apology. "I'm so sorry, Amelia. I couldn't give you proper company yesterday. I had some urgent stuff," she explained, the last part hesitantally. "I came back, but you were long gone. Your sister just told me you were ill. How's your head now?"

Of course, she doesn't know what Aiden did. I think to myself. "I'm good now, Rose. Thank you for checking in," I say, offering a handshake with a light smile. Lily grabs our attention by mentioning how good my friend is for coming to apologize and bringing sunflowers. I notice the bouquet of sunflowers on the table.

It's striking how different these two siblings are; one is like night, the other like day. My heart swells with gratitude for Rose's kindness. Despite what happened yesterday, she's here apologizing. I'm just so glad to have her as a friend. I express my gratitude, telling her how much it means to me.

We all sit at the dining table and enjoy our breakfast, engaging in lively conversation. It feels good to have such supportive friends by my side, neglecting the fact who her brother is.

I'm still not sure if I should tell Rose what Aiden did to me. As I am busy thinking about this Rose's voice snaps me out of my thoughts "why don't we go out today Amelia?"