Elements: Illusions of Revenge (Book 2)

My Late... (Chapter 9)

Amy finds herself sleeping on the floor when she wakes up. Rubbing her eyes, she throws the blanket and pillow back up and walks towards the kitchen.

"You look like an actual mess, fell out of bed yet again."

Amy's tired eyes widen in surprise to see Ms. Rose standing over the stove and shaking her head at Amy.

"Ms. Rose...what are you doing here?" Amy asks. "Wait. Better yet...how did you get in here?"

"Hah, you pay rent to me child. I have a spare key for everyone's apartment on this floor," Ms. Rose laughs, to Amy, it sounds more warm and loving than anything else.

"But you didn't have to make m-m-me breakfast..." Amy yawns, stretching her arms in front of her.

"And let you go off with just energy bars? Does Ku know you only eat those bars for breakfast?" Ms. Rose raises an eyebrow. "And fix yourself. You look terrible."

"I just woke up!" Amy whines. Grumbling, she fixes her hair, taming it again into a ponytail. "I'm going to wash up."

"You do that," Ms. Rose turns back to the stove and flips over a piece of egg. "And make sure you look a little more alive!"

"Yeah yeah..." Amy grumbles as she walks into the bathroom. She comes out a few minutes later, looking fresh.

"There we go, now eat up," Ms. Rose slides the eggs onto a plate with toast. "I know it's super typical type of breakfast but eat."

"No no, it's fine, thank you!" Amy smiles and starts to eat.

"You seem happier...something happen last night?" Ms. Rose grins, her brown eyes twinkling.

"Pfft, as if it's what you're thinking," Amy rolls her eyes with a piece of toast in her mouth. "I just had a walk through memory lane is all...but I feel depressed."

"Heh? Why?" Ms. Rose sits down next to Amy. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, I already told you all there is about it," Amy plays around with her ring again.

"You did...but ever since last night you've been acting...off. I'm concerned," Ms. Rose looks at Amy with worry.

Sensei knows why because Wysteria is back but I can't tell her that...Amy mentally sighs. "I'm just being reminded of what happened..." Amy settles on that answer.

"Oh Amy," Ms. Rose grabs her hands. "I know it's hard, and I would know after all. But maybe you need to tell those you're hiding from?"

"Hiding from? I'm not hiding anything from anyone...besides, this isn't even important in the grand scheme," Amy shakes her head. What a lie Amy...Amy stops herself from saying anything further.

"From the teens? It's pretty clear you haven't told them, and I'm sure they'll notice the change in you," Ms. Rose points out. "Not that it's my business to tell you that."

"They wouldn't want to know anyway, why tell them?" Amy's eyes go to the corner of her vision as she lightly shakes her head.

"Because it's important for you to be able to confide in others. It's important to you and I'm sure those teens wouldn't want you to be feeling depressed," Ms. Rose brings up another point.

"But it doesn't matter," Amy shakes it off, turning back to her breakfast. "If I don't want to share my personal life with them then why?"

"Because you need to. I'm no idiot Amy, I can tell that you're hurting even more now. I don't know what caused it but it certainly has you changed," Ms. Rose turns away and goes to the sink to clean up. "And it's suddenly like you've become a scarier person Amy."