There lost soul

him

They say every angel has a dark side. But they never warned me that the darkness would be the only place I'd ever feel alive. My name is Amelia, and I'm 17. Since I can remember, my aunt has been both physically and mentally abusive, blaming me for her problems since my parents abandoned me. Jack, her boyfriend, has tried to rape me on multiple occasions, but here I am, still trying to get ready for school.

I'm a junior in high school, and usually, I have to walk the thirty minutes to school. But since my aunt and her boyfriend had been gone for almost two weeks, my best friend Liz decided to pick me up. Liz isn't the best decision to make  I sometimes wonder if she thinks she's my mom or friend. But at least she's there. She tends to boss me around, telling me what to wear and how to act, which is fine at least I have someone who pays attention to me.

In school, Liz is different. She hardly talks to me when she's around the popular kids, but I suppose I'm used to being a loner. Before her, I didn't have many friends. I still remember the looks people gave me—like I was some strange creature that had wandered into their world. That all changed six months ago when Lorenzo arrived.

The day he came, everything shifted. I'll never forget the moment I bumped into him. I was so lost in my thoughts that I collided right into him. As he was about to yell, his gaze softened when he saw me. "Are you okay, baby girl?" he asked, concern lacing his voice. Just as I opened my mouth to respond, Liz swooped in, a sweet seductive look on her face. "She's fine. I'm Liz, her best friend," she interjected as if claiming territory.

But Lorenzo wasn't deterred. "Nice to meet you, Liz. But I was talking to Amelia," he said, and I felt a rush of warmth bloom in my chest. He has this way of teasing me that makes my heart race. He often calls me "baby girl," and while I used to dismiss it, now I find myself blushing every time he does. He even went out of his way to buy me lunch and altered his schedule to match mine.

I remember the day I realized he'd changed his classes. I was walking past the main office when I overheard him asking the secretary to switch things up. At first, I thought he just didn't like the order of his classes. But when I heard him list the subjects he wanted, I realized he was rearranging them to line up with my schedule. It took my breath away.

The clock on my bedside table read 7:30. I needed to hurry up; Liz would be here any minute. Just then, a sharp beep echoed outside, pulling me from my thoughts. It was Liz's car. As I rushed down the stairs, my heart raced—not just because I was running late, but because of what awaited me at school.

As I climbed into the passenger seat, Liz shot me a sidelong glance. "You look cute today," she said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. I shrugged, unsure of how to respond. Her tone shifted, though, as she continued, "So, are you excited to see Lorenzo?"

I felt a pang of jealousy in her words, and I couldn't help but smile. "He's just a friend, Liz," I replied, trying to keep my tone light. But I could feel my cheeks flush.

"Sure, Amelia. Just a friend who calls you 'baby girl' and rearranges his entire life for you," she said, rolling her eyes. "I mean, come on."

"What's wrong with that?" I shot back, defensive.

"Nothing, nothing," she said, though the tightness in her voice suggested otherwise. "I just don't want you to get your hopes up. He might be nice now, but he's still just a boy. Boys can be... complicated."

As we pulled into the school parking lot, I could see Lorenzo leaning against a wall, talking to a couple of friends. The moment our eyes met, my breath hitched. There was a spark in his gaze that sent butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

"See? There's your 'just a friend,'" Liz said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. But there was something soft but bitter in her expression, too. I knew she cared, even if her jealousy sometimes got the best of her.

"Yeah," I replied softly, feeling the warmth of his gaze wash over me.

"Go on, then. Don't keep him waiting," she urged, though I could hear the underlying warning in her tone.

As I stepped out of the car, my heart raced. Lorenzo flashed that irresistible smile, and I felt my earlier doubts melt away. "Hey, baby girl! Ready for  class?" he called out, and at that moment, all my worries about my aunt coming home faded. With him, I felt alive—lost in the chaos of life but found in the warmth of his gaze.