redemption.

014

-

"are you doing okay though?" jadon asked her seriously after their laughter had died out. they were currently sprawled across amelia's hotel room's bed, talking nonsense to each other.

she nodded, pulling a face at his mood switch, "yeah? are you?"
he ignored her question, "your boyfriend ain't messaged you or anything?"
"ex. and no, i blocked him after i got my stuff," she sat up at the mention of josh, her back leant against the headboard.

"don't like talking about it?" he noticed her change in demeanour, instantly regretting he even asked.
"i'd prefer we didn't," her hands went to the back of her neck; half in distress, half out of awkwardness.
he bit the inside of his cheek, "my bad."

she spoke despite not wanting to, not liking the new atmosphere, "i'm trying just to pretend it never happened if i'm being honest."
"that's fair," he nodded, "but you know it's best to come to terms with it? it's a deep thing to go through and it most likely is gonna end up affecting how you act for the rest of your life."
"great."

he laughed, "not like that. but just like your reactions to little things. you're probably never gonna wanna trust a guy again, aren't you?"
"that's definitely such a little thing jadon."
"come on, you know what i mean."
she laughed with him, "yeah i do. might be single for the rest of my life if im honest. or side hustles; marry a dying old rich guy over and over again."
"solid plan."

"thanks g," she patted him on the shoulder jokingly as she got up and made her way into the en-suite to take her makeup off, leaving the door open to continue their conversation.

"are you still gonna keep up with your sessions with alyssa?"
"yeah, think so. just part of my routine now and she'll be able to help me with what you've said. it is expensive though, i think the amount of sessions my brother paid for are gonna run out soon."

"don't stop because of that, i can cover it."
she laughed, standing in the doorway whilst still wiping her face, "you won't be doing that."
"what? if it's genuinely helping, why should you stop? and without trying to sound like a dickhead, i'm a footballer amelia. i've got the money."

"i don't want your money, we've been through this before. i'm not a charity case. if i want to see alyssa, i'll see alyssa. i'm not as broke as you think i am."
she heard him scoff, "when did i say you were broke? you're not a charity case, you're my friend and if i've got the money, why not take it? why's it always gotta be an argument?"

she stayed in the bathroom, staring at herself in the mirror to make sure her watery eyes didn't leak, "it doesn't have to be an argument if you'd just drop it."
"why've you got such an issue with me paying for things? you were weird after dinner as well. you know i want to do it? it's out of choice not because i feel like i have to. what's the problem?"

she took a few deep breaths to regulate her breathing before replying to the boy in the other room, "can we drop it please?"

a few seconds later and he was stood in the threshold of the restroom, his features looking at her softly as he lowered his tone, repeating his question, "amelia what's the problem?"
"i'm just tired."

she walked past him, returning to the bedroom and getting comfy as she diverted her attention onto the television that had been playing a random show quietly in the background.
he joined her, not saying anything as he thought hard on how to phrase it.