SHE was shocked to hear that question and coming from Jeremy made it more shocking. She couldn’t even answer, she just stared on with her mouth agape.
“Amelia?” Jeremy blurted out again, his voice a mix of surprise and confusion.
“I thought you left with your parents. You said you were going back with them.”
Mrs. Petersons had to pat her shoulders on Amelia, giving her a little comfort and that was when she gave out a faltering smile.
“Oh, hey, Jeremy. Yeah, I… I was supposed to, but I changed my mind at the last minute.”
Jeremy’s mother looked between them, sensing the tension.
“Amelia decided to stay for a bit longer,” she explained gently. “She will be going home with you.”
His eyes widened. His father quickly placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
“Calm down son, calm down,” he said, “it is just to spend the night with you of which this isn’t the first time, nothing more,” he said.
Jeremy’s mind raced with questions and emotions he couldn’t quite name. What was Amelia doing here? Why hadn’t she told him she was staying? And why did his mother seem so pleased?
Jeremy nodded absently, his thoughts still swirling.
“Well fine, it is not like I can say no now,” he shrugged his shoulders.
Amelia smiled.
“Mum and dad has succeeded in putting words in my mouth,” he said and they burst into laughter.
“Let’s go then, I’m alone today, no guards,” he said and Amelia quickly got up, hugged Mrs. Petersons and ran after Jeremy.
The drive home was silent. Jeremy stole glances at Amelia, who stared out of the window, lost in thought. The familiar sights of their small town passed by unnoticed as Jeremy grappled with his feelings.
A lot of things going on in his mind. That of Jasira, and now Amelia. How she had even sneaked her way back into his life and even getting their parents involved was indeed puzzling.
As for Amelia, she tried in vain to get into a conversation with Jeremy but whenever she steals a look at him, his stern expressionless face scares her, and then she would keep to herself.
Soon, they got to their destination and when they finally pulled into the driveway, his nerves were frayed.
He parked the car and turned to Amelia, who was already unbuckling her seatbelt.
“Let’s go inside,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
Inside the house, Jeremy led the way to the living room. When they got there, he left her and found his way into the kitchen. Amelia sighed and flopped down on the couch, exhaling deeply.
“No please, I am okay,” she heard him speak and she abruptly turned to look at him, he was coming out of the kitchen with a bottle of chilled soda.
Without saying a word to her, he took the stairs, leaving her behind.
“Ugh -!” She mouthed and quickly got up, then followed him.
He stopped by the door, unsure of what to say. Amelia stood, meters away from him. The silence stretched between them, heavy and awkward.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were staying?” Jeremy asked finally, his voice harsher than he intended.
Amelia looked at him, her expression a mix of hurt and confusion.
“I didn’t know how to. Everything happened so fast.”
Jeremy ran a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling up inside him. “You could have told me. We could have figured something out.”
“I didn’t want to burden you,” Amelia said softly. “I thought it would be easier if I just… stayed out of the way.”
Jeremy sighed, his anger deflating. “You are not a burden, Amelia. Just that -” he paused.
A small smile touched her lips. He just said she wasn’t a burden huh, sweet.
“Just that what?” She asked.
He took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart.
“Look, you can stay here tonight, but… you will have to use the guest room.”
Amelia’s smile faded, replaced by a look of shock.
“The guest room? But I thought-”
Jeremy held up a hand, stopping her. “This isn’t the first time you are spending the night at the guest room. I need space, I need to figure things out.”
Amelia nodded slowly, her eyes downcast.
“Okay. If that’s what you want.”
Jeremy watched her walk down the hall to the guest room, a strange mix of relief and regret swirling inside him.
Then he opened the door and went in, sinking into the bed. He took out his phone and looked into it, countless of missed calls from Jasira, and thousands of text.
He dropped the phone and closed his eyes. His heart still yearned for her, but the untold story was a heavy burden. Which was he going to overlook? Was it the fact that she is or was a member of the underworld, a queen for that matter, or for the fact that she was the human who killed Daniel, or for the fact that she faked her identity and lied to him, made him fall in love with the pretensive part of herself?
He sighed deeply. The night passed slowly as he laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts a tangled mess. He replayed every moment with Jasira, trying to understand his own feelings.
He cared about her, he knew he did, more than he had realized. But he was also mad, like real mad at her. Should he consider and give her a chance to explain just like his dad had suggested?
Ohh! Goodness! His head was so full. And still thinking, he drifted into sleep.