Finding Amity

Chapter 44

Carrie wrapped me in a hug the second she saw me, and refused to leave my side over the next three days. We went shopping the first day, then spent every other day applying to schools in the area. I reapplied to Stanford, as well as UCLA and USC, and had my interviews today. They went well, all of my interviewees stated that they were extremely appreciative I considered them.

I had sent a quick message telling Pippa I was alright, then turned my phone off my first day home, and hadn't touched it since. I fought the temptation every single minute of the day, to just call up and talk to Isaac. Even if it spiralled into and argument, I wanted to just hear his voice, but I did my best to push that feeling away.

But then I realised that results from an exam were being posted tonight and the only way that I could check them is on the phone.

I sat at the dining table, digging into the beef minestrone Carrie made while refreshing the webpage on my phone. Cooper was sitting bedside me, picking out the pieces of meat that I was avoiding.

"Was it an important assessment task?" Cooper asked, my desire to know my mark strange to the average-grade athlete.

"Its about 10% of my overall grade." I noted. It wasn't important, but I like to know how I'm doing.

We sat still, both of us staring at the phone screen. Just as the grades were posted and I tried to scroll down to mine, the screen went black and a single name appeared. Isaac.

I stared at the phone, my mind racing with questions. Why would Isaac be calling me? It's been half a week, surely if I haven't answered my phone by now, he'd have given up.

Unless he didn't even notice I had left until today.

"Don't answer it, Ames." Cooper instructed. "He's just going to spit some stupid lie and trick you into forgetting everything he's done."

"But what if I don't know the full story?" I muttered. "Or what if he just wants to know if I'm okay?"

"Amity, you are moving on with your life, he should to."

"Its just one call." I sighed. Cooper reached out to take the phone out of my hands, but I snatched it away from him. "Theres no harm in answering."

I stood up and pressed answer, walking to the front of the house where my room was. I pulled the phone to my ear, my heart beating in my throat. "Isaac?"

"Amity!" He breathed.

"What do you want?" I demanded, taking control of the conversation.

"To talk." He said. "In person."

"I'm in California so over the phone will have to do." I muttered.

"I know. I'm outside your house."

"What?!" I hurried to my window, and looked out onto the street. Sure enough, Pippa's car was parked on my driveway and her and Isaac sat on the hood. Isaac met my eyes and smiled. I pulled the drapes back in front of me.

I walked out the front door and down the steps to the driveway. I stood on the bottom steps, my arms crossed over my chest and my face as expressionless as I could make it.

"How did you find my house?" I asked.

"It was on the first page of your diary." Isaac admitted. "Why did you leave and why did you not tell me where you were going? You scared me."

"Dustin told me." I informed them. "He brought me to the hospital. I met Noelle."

"Amity, you don't know the full story-"

"I don't want to know the full story!" I shouted. "I don't want to know why you left her all alone."

"Noelle was not his fault." Pippa tried to explain.

"You thought it was!" I shot back. "I heard you arguing one of my first days in Oregon. You blamed him."

"Amity, please." Isaac pleaded. "Can we sit down and actually talk about this. Can you give us a chance to explain."

I chewed on the inside of my cheek thinking it over. This was not going to change my mind, I promised myself.