The Boy Next Door

sixty two

AMELIAS POV
We went to the light house this morning and it was really pretty. We took a bunch of pictures. It was fun, but my mom wasn't talking to me and I felt awful about it. All of our fights were my fault. I had to figure something out because I hated always feeling like this. I felt Owen put his arm around me and I smiled.
"Hi," I said.
"Hi," he said and pecked my lips. I took my phone out and took a selfie of us.
"We're cute," I said.
"We are," he said. We walked back to the car and we were going back to the house. Honestly I felt so nervous to talk to my mom, I was practically sick to my stomach. My mom drove us back and parked in the driveway and we all went inside.
"I'm heading down to the beach anyone is welcome to join," my mom said. Derek, Liz, and Owen went upstairs and I stood in the kitchen.
"Can we talk?" I said, twiddling my fingers from a nervous habit.
"Yeah," she nodded.
"No arguing? Just talking? Please," I said.
"That would be nice," she said. We walked out to the back deck and both sat down. I looked at her and suddenly my mind was drawing a blank of everything I planned on saying this morning.
"I-I'm sorry. I uh, I don't know how to talk to you, and it hurts me and um it hurts me to see you so worried about me, so I do stuff out of spite or just to argue with you because I think I can just take everything on and handle everything, which I think you and me both can agree I've done a horrible job of doing. It's just that, I-I uh, uh I guess I feel like I've disappointed you and I don't want to face that so I try to push those feelings away, along with you, and I walk all over you, which I shouldn't, and you let me, and I'm sorry. I just don't know how to talk to you, it's really hard for us," I said. I could feel tears in my eyes and I looked up and she was crying.
"It's okay," she said, "come here." I got up and walked over to her and she wrapped her arms around her and I started crying.
"Shh Amelia honey it's okay," she said, "you wanna know something?"
"Sure," I said.
"The fact that you have fallen down a few times, but have gotten up stronger every time, makes you the most like your father out of all the kids," she said. I sat up and looked at her.
"Really?" I said.
"Really," she said, "and that's why it's hard for us to talk. You remind me of him so much, and that's not fair to you, but you remind me of him in so many ways everyday and I miss him so much, and you being so similar is hard. I don't know how to just talk to you."
"In your defense I haven't exactly made it easy, since I pull the mental health card every five seconds," I said.
"Why don't we work on that?" She said, "trying to communicate better?" I nodded.
"That would be nice," she said, "but you understand why I'm mad about this morning right?"
"Yes," I said, "it was dumb."
"And reckless Amelia," she said.
"Yes I know," I said, "I'm sorry."
"It's okay, everyone does reckless things, I just want to keep you safe," she said.
"Are you mad at Owen?" I chuckled, "he loves you and he's so worried you're mad at him. I think he's afraid of you."
"Afraid of me?" She chuckled, "Amelia I love that boy he has nothing to worry about."
"So you think maybe Owen and I can keep the room?" I asked.
"Door has to stay open at all times," she said, "even if the bathroom door is closed I want the main one open."
"Okay," I said.
"And if I catch you two again, or even suspect you two are having sex again, there will be consequences okay?" She said.
"Okay," I said, "I'm sorry."
"You do have to learn from your mistakes though," she said.
"I know," I said.
"So learn from this one, don't lie to me, and don't sneak around with Owen," she chuckled.
"Lesson learned," I said.
"Okay," she nodded, "I love you, and I care about you so much okay?"
"I love you too," I said and I could feel myself crying. She rubbed my back and kissed the top of my head.
"Let's enjoy the rest of the trip okay?" She said.
"Okay," I said.
"And tell Owen I'm not mad at him, and he has nothing to be worried about I don't hate him," she said.
"I will," I said. I got up and walked upstairs and wiped my eyes.
"You okay?" Owen asked as he looked up from his phone.
"Yeah I'm good," I said, "my mom and I made up, sort of."
"Well that's good," he said.
"Yeah," I said, "also she doesn't hate you, she said she loved you and you have nothing to worry about."
"Okay," he said and I walked over and kissed him.
"And she said we can stay in the room as long as the door stays open 24/7," I said.
"Sounds good to me," he said.
"And no more sex," I chuckled. He shrugged and looked at me.
"I don't care," he said, "as long as I can still be with you."
"Really?" I smiled.
"Yeah I mean the sex was good but if I can still be with you what does it matter? You're what matters most Amelia," he said.
"I love you," I said.
"I love you too," he said.