Spare yourself, 'BadBoy' ...

Chapter 43:

MUSIC: I Miss You - Blink-182

Penny above^ (Kaley Cuoco )

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Amelia's P.O.V:

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I wiped under my eyes as I pulled into the dingy car park. I looked around and everything seemed to be the way it was when I last came here. I double checked my make-up in the mirror before I left my car. I walked through the double doors and was greeted by the smell of ale and food. The walls were painted a deep red, and booths covered the back and side walls. A large, long bar was situated at one end of the room, with a door leading to the kitchen behind. The floors were laminate and there was a small dance floor near the back door,although no one was there. A quiet bell rung when I shut the doors behind me and a few old men turned to look at me but turned back around when I didn't catch their interest.  I sighed and walked to an empty space on the bar. I sat down and looked at the variety of drinks in front of me and decided to call the bartender. He had his back turned to me and was busy talking to one of the men further down. I pulled out my phone only to find that the only messages I had were from Derek.

I called for service again and the bartender turned around. He had short,pitch black hair, chiseled jaw and a long face. He was lean and muscular and over-all pretty good looking. But nothing compared to Ryan. He walked up to me with furrowed eyebrows and when he saw my face his completely lit up.

"Amelia?"He asked, and then I knew.

"Reece?"I asked and he grinned.

"That's the one."

"Oh my god, I didn't recognize you! You've changed so much!"

"I could say the same for you. How are you?" He asked and grabbed me a drink.

"I'm...Okay.How about you?"

"I'm good, yeah. I'm good." He said, as if trying to convince me of something. His eyes blazed into mine, it felt like he was trying to read me, but, there was nothing left for him to read.

"That's good."

"Yeah. How come you came back here after all of these years?" He asked as he dried some cups.

"No reason. So you and Penny still work here?" I asked him and he nodded.

"Yeah, we own it now, actually."

"Really? How come?"

"Our Dad died."

"Oh..Oh my god. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine. We're over it. After all the years of him being sick we think he's in a better place now." He mumbled and looked away. "I'll go get Penny." He muttered before he left. I sighed and banged my head on the table. 

Penny and Reece were family friends of mine. Their parents knew mine and we grew up together, kind of. Whenever my Mum and Dad could muster up enough money they'd take us to the pub that specializes in food just outside of town. Of course, they knew the owners (Reece and Penny's parents) and so we'd end up staying late. One day, Reece was there,and we became friends, then he introduced me to his sister, Penny,and we became friends too, despite how much older she was than me. We became such good friends that we hung out by ourselves and I managed to keep in contact with them throughout the time I was in care. When I first started seeing my Mum again she took me to the pub and we met up with Reece and Penny. In a way, when I think back, I guess it was like a reminder of all the good times we'd had at the pub throughout my childhood, so that when she left I would have something to remember her by. And when I first got fostered, Gilbert allowed me to go out a few times in the beginning and I visited Reece. I must have been 13 the first time Reece kissed me. I was confused and overwhelmed so didn't do anything about it. But when I left he kissed me again, and that time, I did do something...I kissed him back.