A New Beginning (Adopted by Ariana Grande and Jai Brooks)

24

• Amelia •

Jai carries me to his car while Ariana goes to hers which is on the opposite side of the parking lot.

We reach the car and Jai opens the front seat and sets me down. He shuts the door and goes around to the other side to get in. We buckle our seat belts and Jai begins driving. Ariana got out of the lot before us, so she'll be at home before us.

The car is silent. No music. No talking. Just silenced I look at Jai and he's watching the road, but at the same time looks as if he's in his own world. We stop at a red light.

"Do you care?" I ask, breaking the silence.

He looks at me.

"What do you mean do I care?" He asks.

"They're sending me away for a whole damn month to a place for fuck ups. Do you even care?" I ask him, tears brimming my eyes.

"What the hell kind of question is that? Amelia of course I care! You're my daughter. And it's not a place for 'fucks ups' you're not a 'fuck up' Amelia. You have a problem, but you're not the only one in the world with a problem. Everyone has a problem. Some are secrets, some are obvious. Some can be fixed, some can't be fixed..." He tells me.

A moment of silence passes. The light turns green and Jai starts driving again.

"Why would you think I don't care?" He asks me.

I see tears in his eyes.

"I-I don't know." I stutter, a tear escaping from my eye.

"I just want you better Amelia. I want you to be okay. I don't want you to just say you're okay. I want you to be okay for real." He tells me, choked up on his tears.

"I'm-I'm sorry." I stutter.

"It's not your fault. Someone got to your head with their words that aren't even close to true and I swear Amelia if I ever find out who that person is..." I can hear the anger in his voice and he stops in mid sentence.

He takes a breath.

"Don't think that I don't care. I do. It's going to be a very long month for not only you, but Ariana and I too. But we both know that it's going to be worth it because you're getting the help you need. I know you don't see it that way, but I promise you that it's gonna be worth it." He says, still choked up on tears.

"Doubt it." I mumble.

"Amelia I promise you. I promise you it's gonna be worth it." He says.

"And what if it's not? What if I don't get better. Then what?" I ask.

I see a few tears escape his eyes but he continues to focus on the road.

"Don't think like that Amelia." He says, his voice filled with sadness.

I sigh.

"Well it's kinda hard not to Jai." I tell him, feeling a little frustrated.

"Please just try to think positive." He says.

"Whatever." I mumble.

"If you can't do it for yourself, do it for Ariana and I." He tells me.

That hurt my heart. I know that's what I should do. Because I know there's no way I can do this for myself. Maybe someday I'll be able to do it for myself, but today is not that day. I don't think that day is even close.

"Fine." I whisper.

We pull into the driveway... Ariana's car isn't there... she left the parking lot first... it makes sense that she'd be home first?