Verboten

Chapter 4: Gifts and Whispers

Amelia's POV:

That night I had minimal sleep. I woke up haggard, disoriented and groggy when my parents asked if I was okay, I said my stomach didn't feel very settled all throughout the night and it was making sleep a tedious process.

I hated lying to them, but it seemed to me that all I've been doing lately is lie.

Sleep remained as a tedious process for the next couple of days, along with the consistent thoughts about Damien that kept swirling in my head, but as all traces of him vanished, I considered what happened as a fleeting moment that was now gone with the wind.

Sleep started visiting me more consistently in my nights.

I asked dad about him on several occasions whenever I had the chance, and he said he flew back to Seattle because he had some work to finish off there before he could finally move back here and take up his new job in June.

I was thankful for him not being there in this particular period of time because as my finals neared, I knew that I had to give it my maximum, after all they really were life determining and I couldn't risk going to a desired university because my head was reeling thinking of a boy, or in this case a man.

Maybe I was yet to be definite of my desired choice of schools, but all the universities I applied to had high grade requirements, and my grades to me were always an accomplishment that I wasn't willing to dismantle.

The days and nights all lapsed together, school gave us a week off before our finals so we can focus on studying properly at home. I did, indeed, not leave my home except for a couple of times on breaks to run errands for my mom.

Damien was no longer a constant thought in my head, but some nights when sleep refuses to visit me, Damien visits me instead.

I was finding it difficult to fall asleep tonight, after a lot of tossing and turning I gave up; I was just too excited for tomorrow - it was officially my last day of high school. I'd never have to go back there again, only for my graduation and that's it. In a sense, this thought gave me a great deal of comfort.

I slid my feet into my slippers, and padded my way downstairs. It was 12 am, and I heard the television on in the living room.

I followed the sound, per instinct, and found my parents on the couch watching an action movie, "I thought you guys slept." I said, momentarily frightening them.

Mom placed a hand on her chest exaggeratedly, "God, Amelia, we thought you were asleep too, why aren't you asleep? You need to focus tomorrow."

I flopped on the other couch, groaning. "I can't fall asleep mom, It's the last day!"

My parents both laughed, until dad decided to cut the moment with clear heartfelt emotions, "you grew up, darling. It was just yesterday when we dropped you off for your first day of kindergarten." His eyes appeared slightly glassy and I felt mine mimicking his.

I got up, launched myself at both my parents and jumped in for a hug. It was moments like those when I felt cherished, valued, and worthy of something. I loved my parents way too much, and I sometimes wished that I could make them prouder.

We all got lost in thoughts while staring blankly at the television screen, action wasn't really my go to genre - the movies always appeared a bit too much. Unrealistic, perhaps. But that was the same with all movies, even the romance ones I sappily enjoyed watching - at some points through watching those movies I wonder why did the producer never change the genre from romance/drama to fantasy because it seemed much more compatible.

Dad's phone suddenly went off, causing us all to momentarily squeak in surprise.

Mom groaned, "you both stop surprising me, my heart is fragile."