Of June

21- Cold Nostalgia

"So would you care to explain now?" Amelia twists a finger inside her ear, lying on her side with an elbow supporting the weight of her head.

I take small continuous sips of my juice, keeping my eyes low so as to avoid facing her, for a while atleast. I just need some more time before I can cement this decision of spilling everything to my crazy best friend who might either trust me to a tee or straight up abandon my unsocial self for the rest of my life. "Um. . .explain what?" I ask innocently.

Amelia slams a free fist on her bed, and I find myself flinching although it doesn't make any noise. "Come on, you told me you'll explain everything!" She whines with a pout. "I want to know what in the world happened that you got so desperate for one diary and left me hanging on the phone! Tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me!" Now she proceeds to flail her legs and arms like a little kid throwing tantrum.

My eyes shut itself and I breathe out heavily. "Fine." Just one word, and the next thing you know she's sitting up straight in a criss cross position, eyes bearing an eager expression with a face beaming bright.

"Where do I start?" I try adjusting myself comfortably on her study chair, but a jolting sensation of backbone crack makes me stop dead. Dang, I should really try exercising sometime.

"Hmm. . .," Amelia trails her eyes over me suspiciously, "I have dozens of questions. But for now, let's begin with. . ."

I gulp slowly, swallowing the lingering taste of mango juice. This is the point where my freefall begins and I can't go back, even if I want to. It was my own decision, ultimately, to tell Amelia all about the portal and my fortuitous stay at the Young's, two days after I couldn't keep it all to myself.

"Who's this?"

I raise my head casually to check out whoever she was querying about, only my gaze lands on a picture she held. I freeze, my eyes dilating with horror.

Between her fingers hangs a Polaroid photo of me and Adam, the one he clicked on the second last night before I left. It must've fell from in between the pages of my diary where I'd hidden it. I jump up from my seat and try to snatch away the photo, but she's swift to fling back her arms, causing me to miss her and collapse flat on my face.

"Uh oh, why so desperate?" She says as my head is plunked down on her bed and my legs are spread on the floor. Seconds of fluctuating thoughts later I swing up instantly and attempt my best death glare, though it doesn't seem to faze her at all. I forgot this technique of mine only worked on silly Adam.

"Give it back." I order.

Amelia fans herself with that photo- my precious photo. "First, tell me who the heck this guy is and why do you seem closer to him than me? Is he your boyfriend? Since when? Why did I not know about this?" She slits her eyelids, pointing at me fiercely.

"You tell me first, where'd you get that?!" I push myself up and slide backwards a little, sitting on the floor now. "Then I'll answer anything you want."

"K, I don't mind." She shrugs. "After I handed over your diary to your dad, I went back and found this lying around the same place where I found the diary." She explains, stretching out her arm, photo in hand. I gaze at the picture for a good while before taking it from her. "Your turn." She reminds me.

"He's. . ." My voice falters, still unsure of the thoughts lurking in my head. Logically, there's no need to be this unnerved. She's just the same old Amelia, my only best friend. It's not like she'll run around announcing my story to everyone in town. Heaving another breath, I burn out all my doubts and brace myself for whatever outcomes I'll have to endure.