𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 (𝐓𝐚𝐲𝐯𝐢𝐬)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟑 - 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐓𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐀 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞

Amelia's POV:

My tears slipped down unchecked, splattering onto the soft carpet of my room. The sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the dust motes dancing like lost fairies, but I felt like a thundercloud, heavy and filled with storms. My heart raced as I sank onto my bed, curling up in a ball, pulling the covers tight around me as if they could shield me from the chaos outside.

I pressed my face into the pillows, muffling the sounds of the world, but no matter how I tried to block it out, I could still hear Mom's soft sobs and Dad's frantic voice whispering, "Amelia, please..."

A part of me felt like a balloon, floating gently in the air, just out of reach of the tension and goosebumps of what had just happened. I wanted to burst and let all the feelings out, but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to put the pieces back together.

When I thought about everything, I felt dizzy. It was one thing for me to feel blue because I didn't have many friends. it was another to feel like I wasn't enough for my own mom. I knew she loved me, how could she not? but sometimes it felt like love turned into something prickly, especially now that she was pregnant.

I pulled the covers down just enough to peek out from my fortress and thought about the many moments I cherished snuggling with Mom while watching movies on the couch, her arms wrapped around me like a warm blanket, and her laughter ringing like music in my ears. Those times seemed far away now.

With a shaky breath, I unfurled from my cocoon and dragged my feet to the door, slowly turning the knob. The moment I cracked it open, the world flooded in again. Mom was there, sitting on the floor, her back against the wall, tears staining her cheeks. Dad stood nearby, rubbing the back of his neck, looking lost and scared. They both seemed like puzzles with missing pieces, the kind of beautiful mess I didn't know how to fix.

"Amelia," Mom whispered as her eyes met mine, and suddenly I felt small and exposed. It was like stepping out of the shower into the cold air. I wanted to shrink away again but couldn't.

"Mom, I..."

"Oh, sweetheart." She stumbled to her feet and opened her arms, a hesitant invitation. I hesitated, the proud part of me fighting the urge to run into them. But I was hurting too much.

"Why... why did you say that?" I whispered, my voice shaky as I tried to keep my feelings from breaking free.

Mom's face fell. "I didn't mean it, honey. I was just so overwhelmed, and I didn't handle it well." Mom knelt down to my level, taking a cautious step closer.

"But it felt... it felt terrible!" I shot back, my heart thundering as I stood there, a tiny warrior facing giants. "You're too tired because of the baby. I get it, but I still need you to care about me too."

"Of course, I care about you!" Mom insisted, desperation weaving through her words. "It's just... things are changing, and I'm trying to figure it all out."