Waiting To Fall

Chapter 2

"Hello?"

"Amber, you didn't get my messages?"

"I got your messages. You obviously didn't get my message though, so here I'm saying it straight to you. I don't know who you are. I'm not talking to you. Leave me alone."

"God, can you just give me a second to explain myself? I-"

"Your one second is up."

"For fucks sake Am stop acting like a bitch to your own fucking brother!"

"What did you just say?"

"Yes damn it, it's me, Jack. Now stop butting in every few seconds and let me explain myse-"

"YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE."

Call ended.
2 minutes 57 seconds.

She never was the patient one in the family. Jack sighed, as he watched yet another guy enter Billure Books.

-----------------------------------

"You alright Am?" Stacey and Emily sat beside Amber, Stace offering a glass of milk and Em, a box of tissues.

"I thought I'd -sniffs- run far enough that my past can't catch up to me. Why are my problems following me why won't they l-l-leave me alone," Amber was a spluttering slobby drooly mess and she'd be surprised if anyone understood her incoherent jumble.

Emily and Stacey exchanged looks - oh my god what do we do?? don't look at me i have no idea! - as Amber sighed and stood up.

Wiping her tears and snot, she mumbles a half hearted goodnight and dragged herself to the guest room. Stacey and Emily thought it better to leave her alone so with their own half hearted replies, they made their way to their respective sleeping areas.

Switching on her mobile phone, Amber deleted her messages and call log, searches herself on the net as per her night time routine and, satisfied with her findings (or lack thereof), she went back to bed. That night, she dreamt of her parents and brother. She saw their disapproving and disappointed faces. Felt her heart beat so much faster. Heard her own screams echo in her head. Woke up drenched in her own sweat, changed clothes and tried to fall back asleep. And the cycle repeated.

The next morning, if Emily and Stacey noticed her heavy eye bags and dark circles, they didn't comment.

Over a plate of pancakes, Emily and Stacey kept exchanging looks, both of them too afraid to bring up yesterday's events. Amber sighs, "I can see you two giving each other the look you know."

"What look we weren't giving each other looks," Stacey raised her hands as if to show she's innocent.

"S'okay, sorry for yesterday guys. That was dramatic and unnecessary. We can just forget about it. Thanks for the pancakes Em, see you two later!" Amber picked up her sling bag and left through the back door before either of the two could process her words and formulate a reply.

After a beat, "Should we bother asking her where she's going?"

"... Nah, lets just watch that movie you said you wanted to."

Emily and Stacey finished washing up the dishes and went over to the couch, putting on Goosebumps and cuddled.