After The Storm

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When Alexa left Ammielle with Rafael, all she knew was confusion, helplessness, and anger. Her mind was a blur, incapable of processing the chaos surrounding her.

"Raf, please get me some Kool-Aid. I need a lot of it tonight," she asked, her voice trembling. She knew these people were under Alexa's command, and there was no way she could free herself. In that moment, Ammielle was desperate to escape.

"How did they know about it? I never knew until at Alycia's," she thought, feeling the weight of new revelations crashing down on her. Once Rafael left, she quickly changed into her most comfortable clothing, grabbed the keys, and drove into the night.

As she drove, the notion of Alexa defending her seemed almost absurd. Ammielle's mind raced with turmoil. "Running away will bring peace for Alexa, for me, and Mike and Mae won't have to worry about me anymore," she thought, gripping the steering wheel tightly. The only thing that made sense was to forget everything, to find a way to numb the pain.

Ammielle sped through the highway without a thought. She passed one car to another with the possible danger.

Hours later, she arrived at the beach house, isolated and distant from the city's chaos. The familiar sight of the secluded house brought a fleeting sense of comfort. She went straight to the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of liquor, and drank herself into oblivion. As she sat alone, the alcohol clouding her senses, confusion and regret gnawed at her. "Of all the people, I was chosen to be fooled," she thought bitterly. "Did Mikaella die because of me?"

The thought haunted her, pulling her deeper into despair. She replayed the past in her mind, searching for answers, for some semblance of understanding. "Mikaella was my everything. How could I have been so blind?" she wondered, tears streaming down her face. The night felt endless, a dark void swallowing her whole.

She wanted to believe that running away was the right choice and that it would bring peace, that it would make everyone safe from the prying eyes. But as the hours passed, the isolation only intensified her pain.

She sat on the floor, hugging her knees, Alycia's lies and the uncleared past swirling in her mind. Most of her thoughts were occupied by Alexa, the hurt and confusion gnawing at her. A while later, she called Ahia, informing him that she was safe and disclosing her location. The beach house, a haven where she once spent her days mourning over Alexa, now felt like a prison.

The memories were relentless, each one a painful reminder of what she had lost and the mess her life had become.

Ammielle's phone rang, and she saw Ahia's name on the screen. "Ahia," she sobbed as she answered.

"Where are you, Elle? I'm coming for you," Ahia said, his voice filled with worry.

"No, Ais, please. It's late. It's dangerous to drive. Tell your parents I am fine. I just need time," Ammielle replied, trying to sound composed.

"Dad wants to know your location. He wants to make sure you're safe," Ahia's words shot a new wave of worry through her.

"The beach house," Ammielle managed to speak, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Don't tell anyone aside from your parents, I'm begging you," she pleaded.

"I'll come to you in the morning. Don't do anything stupid. We will talk," Ahia assured her, his voice softening.

"Yeah. Thanks," Ammielle muttered, feeling a small sense of relief.

"Could you turn on all the CCTV cameras and connect me to them?" Ahia requested.

"I'm not gonna do anything," Ammielle groaned, feeling a mix of irritation and gratitude for his concern.

"Turn it on, I wanna make sure," Ahia insisted.