Billy Hargrove // DNA

Chapter Twenty-two

The small alarm clock which was placed on the bedside table began to make its usual noise. Amelia didn't push the sheets off her half-awake body as she normally did. Instead, she pressed the button with a firm hand and turned her body to the other side, facing the wall. For some reason she felt that today would be different. As if something malicious was brewing in the air.

When her alarm clock went off for a third time, Amelia couldn't delay starting her day any longer. She crawled out of bed and pulled on her cheerleading outfit. It seemed as it were for the first time since she joined the squad that she was reluctant to participate. Coach Silvester wouldn't show any kindness towards her at all, since she was seemingly absent during the last two weeks of practice. In addition, Jennifer and her best friends were probably making plans to make Amelia's life a living hell.

Amelia was never one of the most popular girls in school like Tina was for example, but everyone around her had always respected the girl and left her alone. Now that she had an ongoing catfight with Jennifer, her peaceful school life could change forever.

A nervous feeling crept into her stomach. She found herself being an animal who could sense an incoming danger. Perhaps it was the confrontation with Jennifer that made her feel this nervous and twitchy. Or perhaps it was something more close to home. 

After the teenage girl had made herself decent, she walked over to her sister's bedroom. When she opened the door, she was confronted by the pink walls and numerous toys scattered on the floor which was in stark contract to her own childlike bedroom. Amelia felt sorrow as she tried to relive the time when her father was still a big part of her life. She remembered her old bedroom at her previous house, which had cream-colored walls. She didn't had an overflowing amount of teddy bears and coloring books nor did she had the love of another sibling. But Amelia knew she had been loved by her father. 

But apparently he hadn't loved her enough to stay. 

Carefully Amelia walked over to the small bed, trying to divert the scattered toys on the floor. After she sat down, she gently nudged the shoulders of the little girl back and forth. "Cora? Wake up, baby girl." After a few seconds of nudging her sister's eyes fluttered open. 

"I don't wanna get up." She murmured. Normally the small child would immediately sit up-right in her bed but this time she didn't seem eager to start the day either. "We're late, sweetie. Come, I'll let you pick out your own outfit." Amelia had a somewhat persistent tone in her voice which didn't go unnoticed by her sister. Cora reluctantly pushed the colored sheets away from her and crawled out of bed. 

After a minute or so, the two siblings walked through the narrow hallway. When Amelia passed her stepbrother's bedroom, she swiftly but firmly knocked on the door. "Get up! We don't have much time left." When there was no response, she raised her voice. "Get your lazy ass out of bed." Once again there was no reaction. Amelia shrugged her shoulders and held Cora's hand as they walked downstairs.

As they entered the kitchen, Amelia noticed her stepbrother sitting quietly at the kitchen table. Her mom was preparing lunch for the two teenagers while John was pacing around confused. The look on Benjamin's face made it clear that an explosion was bound to happen. Amelia led her sister to a kitchen chair and made herself as invisible as possible. She had meanwhile learned what kind of behavior the man showed could be dangerous for her well-being. The way he walked made her clear that he ressembled a sleeping vulcano, only moments away of eruption. 

Amelia decided to sneak back up to her bedroom without making a sound. When she made it back upstairs, she realized she had been holding her breath. Perhaps the anticipating outburst of her stepfather had something to do with the malicious feeling lingering in the air.